Tim Snider Interview!

     I have been sitting on this interview for awhile, lost track of it but here it is. Trying to get back on track after all this crazy weather, school closings and people (myself included) getting sick. Here is Tim Snider, co-writer of the Pacesetter book Cryptworld, and author of the blog Savage Afterworld!
 
Alright, what first got you into playing RPG's

I kind of stumbled into them. As a kid, I enjoyed boardgames and reading fantasy/sci fi novels. In junior high, I met some guys who were into D&D -- it was the 80s, after all -- and they invited me to play. Loved the game, and it opened up a whole new hobby for me.

I know you from your blog and as a co-author of Cryptworld, what got you into writing?

I've always been a writer. As a kid, I drew comic books and designed my own games. In high school, I was on the newspaper staff. I majored in journalism, becoming a reporter and, later, an editor. I've been writing as a hobby the entire time as well.

Aside from your blog and Cryptworld, you have just put out One Year in the Savage Afterworld. Can you describe it for the folks who are unfamiliar with your blog?

"One Year..." is a collection of 52 post-apocalyptic mini-modules for the Mutant Future RPG by Goblinoid Games. They're designed for a few quick hours of gonzo end-of-the-world gaming. They can also be used as side treks, or one-shots at conventions, or campaign springboards. They were inspired by the One-Page Dungeon contest as well as the "Side Trek" features that were seen in Dungeon magazine. And with 52 of them, your group can play one each weekend for an entire year, hence the title.

What is your favorite horror movie?

Got a few, actually. Anything by Hammer Horror or starring the Universal Monsters. The Romero zombie trilogy of Night, Dawn, and Day. (I ignore Land, Diary, and Survival.) And for good ol' gore, I love The Deadly Spawn.

Groovy! What is your favorite subject to write on/about?

When hammering out fiction, I like stories of normal, everyday people thrust into bizarre, fantastical situations. There's usually a touch of comedy as well, so let's call it "urban humorous horror-fantasy." It's also how I approach any adventures I write. Normal folks finding themselves in the midst of the abnormal.

As a follow-up, I have two (unpublished) manuscripts that illustrate the mindset of my fiction. "Due to a bureaucratic mix-up, a soul slated for Heaven is instead routed to Hell. While the screw-up is resolved, this angel-should-have-been must toil as a demon-don't-wanna-be." Imagine being stuck in a dead-end job you're pretty bad at. Now imagine your boss is The Devil. (Working title: "I, Demon")
Another manuscript that's in the rough stages takes place from the point-of-view of a 9-year-old kid. He's like any other kid, struggling with his grades, becoming interested in girls, and embarrassed by his parents. The twist: his father is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and they've just been called to duty. The everything is coming to an end just as Billy is starting to get interested in the world around him. Can he stop the End Times? (Working title: "Meet Billy Pestilence")

s/b "Everything is coming to an end...."

Can we expect any Cryptworld stuff from you in the future?

Absolutely! Dan Proctor has mentioned that he has some ideas and irons in the fire as far as future Cryptworld support. I've been posting new "Things" in a running post at the Goblinoid Games forums. And I'm currently writing up a Cryptworld adventure collection that will contain three separate scenarios to torment players with.

Sounds great! Who have been your influences in regards to writing?   

I love the world concepts and style of Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and Robert Aspin.Are you currently playing/running any games?

I'm between groups right now, so I do most of my gaming at conventions and online. Nothing underway at this time though.

Of all that you have written, what are you most proud of?

Tough question. I've written a lot of non-gaming stuff I'm pretty proud of. Did a lot of investigational reporting in my days as a reporter. I've been blogging for years. I've released a few gaming supplements of my own. Co-wrote Cryptworld with Dan Proctor. Written two unpublished novels. Singling out any one of these as more of an achievement than the others is impossible.

What was it like, working on Cryptworld with Dan?

I was very pleased that Dan brought me onboard to co-write Cryptworld. As a longtime Pacesetter fan, I was already running games at conventions using the Action Table System. When Goblinoid Games acquired the brand and the available RPGs, I was thrilled that it was being resurrected. Then new Pacesetter RPGs like Rotworld and Majus were released, showing the system still had old fans and was gaining new ones. However, there was still a demand for a Pacesetter "general horror" RPG. So Cryptworld was written from the ground up as the new Pacesetter Action Table game. It was incredibly fun to be a part of, and I'm very proud with what we've created.

That is all for me, thank you for your time and take care!