frobber on 17/2/2016 at 23:21
Good to see TTLG still alive and kicking!
Shadowspawn keeps me posted on TTLG news. FenPhoenix also did a great LP in YouTube of my FM series. So, I'm still connected indirectly.
In recent years I've (mostly) moved on from designing spacecraft to earning a graduate degree in planetary science. These days, I study the moons of Mars among other things and I'm also working on a way to fly drones at Mars to look for life and survey possible human landing sites. Building models of the solar system isn't a whole lot different than physics in game engines -- and, in fact, I've actually used a game engine (Bullet) in my research. It's a cool job that has me working with some truly amazing people.
My reason for writing today is related to my 'night' job where I've been working on a book of short- and medium-length fiction called "The Golden Age of Heroes." Some of this is based on my knowledge of science. Overall, it covers a wide time period and generally has little to do with science. Stories are always about people no matter what is going on, and I'm not about to forget that rule.
During the last few months of my KoTP series (back in 2005) I recruited a "round table" of volunteers who were granted an inside look at the project before it was cast in concrete. In-process feedback to any creative project is critical, and I am looking to try the same sort of 'round table' with my story book. I won't mind corrections to my spelling, but I'm mostly looking for feedback on "holes" and any impressions including suggested improvements. I will not promise that I will follow suggestions. Mostly this sort of feedback kicks my creative engine into overdrive and the net effect improves the work dramatically.
To those interested in joining my round table, I will provide a link to a zip file, and you can take from there -- pick as many stories as you want to read and tell me whatever you think I should hear. At this stage in my life I am not looking for compliments and I'd rather hear about problems that need help.
If interested, please write to [email]Keneth_Ramsley@brown.edu[/email] - and I will send you a link to the file. Feedback to me will be via email. If a huge number of people are interested, I may set an upper limit on participants, but probably not. I also won't mind seeing discussion here on TTLG. But I am not expecting this.
If not interested, let me be the first to say that I get it.
I'd like to finish hearing feedback by early March. "Payment" for your help will be an acknowledgement in the book, and if the book is printed, you'll receive a signed copy. The book is likely to first appear as a Kindle edition -- in which case I'll figure out some way to grant you free access.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes!
Ken Ramsley (a.k.a., frobber)
SlyFoxx on 18/2/2016 at 00:14
Well look who is back! Nice to hear you've got your teeth into another creative endeavor.
Alas I must scoot as real life has my evening booked solid. I'll be keeping an eye on the thread and we'll see what happens.
PS...(actually I didn't a quick run through Keeper about a month ago.)
Nightwalker on 18/2/2016 at 03:55
This isn't strictly about Thief but frobber is a well-respected author of a terrific mission series. He posted in CommChat but I moved it here and to ThiefGen to make sure that people who have played his missions and remember him will see this. Hopefully some will help him out with some feedback as well.
It's great to see you back here, frobber! :)
Dev_Anj on 18/2/2016 at 05:46
Always good to see old people come back. Welcome back frobber, I hope your book turns out great.
SilenTaffer on 18/2/2016 at 12:04
Hey frobber!
Welcome back to the community! I've tried emailing you using the email address you posted here but it doesn't seem to work.
I'm willing to help out with your book and I hope to hear from you soon!
