Looking back, Looking Forward

I've been meaning to write a post for this languishing blog for many months. In fact, I've had several posts in mind, but Time is a cruel, fleeting mistress--or something like that. Please watch as I pick a few brain worms I've been meaning to share. 

The Podcast 

In 2023 we've maintained our usual pace of providing an average of one episode per month. We'd love to do more, but we all have to focus on our paying gigs, family, friends, and consuming the swords-and-sorcery (and adjacent!) content we crave. We have no Patreon and won't likely create one as we just don't have the time to knock out enough content to warrant it. Those who wish to support the show can listen, share, and/or pick-up a copy of A Book of Blades Vol 1 or 2 (or both!). Reviews really help as well. Do you want to see A Book of Blades Volume 3? Be sure to let us know! Oh, and soon we'll be publishing another book very soon!

The Revelations of Zang

John R. Fultz's ‘ The Revelations of Zang’ is coming soon via RitH Presents. Our good friend Seth even penned a new forward for the book. Sign-up for our mailing list, as our next newsletter will announce when the book drops–and it’ll be soon!

The State of Swords-and-Sorcery

I've heard of a glut. Hell, I've seen it with my own eyes. We've got A LOT of s&s to choose from and some really great content indeed. Big and small projects alike have been sprouting like mushrooms from all corners of the community. But don't worry; they're the good kind of mushrooms–the type that bring visions and clarity and perhaps giggling fits. So, eat up, friends! 

Our recent 2023 wrap-up episode highlighted a handful of publishers whose signals we'd like to boost, but it was not exhaustive. A listener pointed out we should have also mentioned a pair of stalwarts: Heroic Fantasy Quarterly ( https://www.heroicfantasyquarterly.com/)  and Sword and Sorcery Magazine ( https://www.swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/index.html ). Savage Realms seems to be a non-stop engine of s&s as well, and though none of us Rogues have dug into it yet, I'm sure we'll find time in the future. #theglutisreal #glutisgood #dosquatsgetglutes

Matt-happenings 

That's right, I'm writing this blog post, so I'll damn-well take a minute to highlight what I've been so busy with. Conan. Conan. Conan. If you told young Matt he'd someday have more Conan projects than he knew what to do with, he would have laughed at all Four of your Winds. 

I've finished my work on the Conan board game for now. The game isn't done; far from it. We're dropping the Red Nails expansion on Kickstarter mid January. Folks, if you like tabletop gaming and Conan and you don't have this in your collection, you're screwing up. Sign-up at this link to be sure you don't miss out: Conan by Monolith: Red Nails Expansion and Versus Mode, via @Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/806316071/conan-by-monolith-red-nails-expansion-and-versus-mode?ref=android_project_share

Beyond that, I'm the lead developer on the next Conan RPG (also by Monolith), and that's been eating up my free-time like a shadow from Zamboula! We've got a killer team of Conan veterans assembled and already working on the project. Can't wait to share more. 

There's even another wee Conan project I've gotten my fingers on, but any announcements concerning that will have to wait. 

Oh, and this year, I shall finally release my own collection. While absolutely nobody has been dying to read it, I suspect some of you will come out to support ya boy when he drops a tome of tales focused on Maxus the Meddler, Lachmannon the Kael, and other colorful characters. Want to see the cover I've purchased from Mike Hoffman? Sure you do!

Final Thoughts 

I've so much more I want to talk about: the healing power of challenging fiction; Gen-Con brotherhoods; the warm and fuzzies of networking; the friends I've made along the way… I hope to keep this blog a little more alive in 2024. Please sign up for our newsletter at the bottome of the page and keep spreading word of the Rogues in the House Podcast. We'll be back in January with an episode dedicated to a heroine we've neglected for too long! 

-Matthew John