Writing Help! [for Bob Greenwade]

These are some projects I'm working on, and need some current help with. Any help along these lines would be greatly appreciated. (Incidentally, I specified my name at the top because other writers also have "Writing Help" pages, and I wanted to let anyone who find this page with a search engine know who they're dealing with!)

The Ultimate Vehicle

The Final Draft for this book has been submitted, and Bruce Harlick is working layup even now (or at least that's my understanding). The most recent word I have on the book is that it will be available some time shortly after the 5th Edition Hero System Rulebook is released (which, at last announcement, is to be November 2000). However, I do still have one item for which where I need help.

As a sample character in this book, I've included Cybercop, who originally appeared in the scenario Menace Out of Time in Champions Presents. However, since submitting that manuscript, I've come to realize that I should have contacted Dean and Dana Edgell about that inclusion. If you know how to contact them, please do so and ask them to get ahold of me about this matter. (Note that, because this book is in layout, this contact is needed ASAP if Cybercop is going to be included.)

Incidentally, please note the change in the book's title -- it's now just The Ultimate Vehicle. The word Super has been dropped, to give it a more universal application and appeal.

VOICE 2001

This book is an update of the Vanguard Organization for International Crime and Espionage (VOICE), an organization that originally appeared in the book VOICE of Doom by Steve Perrin (with whom I have already been in contact, and who has given me some nice new material that I will be including in the book!). I'm hoping to have the manuscript ready in time to have the book actually released by the time the above year expires.

I have the following questions and requests:

Scott Jamison has been good enough to come up with a "real" name for Lung Hung: Lai-Mei. According to his source, this "can" be translated as "Approaching Demon." My questions about this: is this accurate? What other translations are viable -- especially those that might make a legitimate name for a Chinese girl during the time of the Yuan dynasty? (I've been given to understand that, at one time, it was customary for Chinese parents to give their children unattractive names to keep demons from stealing them; how accurate is this?)

Along similar lines, I need a Chinese translation for the English phrase Black Talon (or, more specifically, a phrase in Chinese that would be translated to that in English). Mandarin would be preferred, or Cantonese as a second choice; if Hunan Province has its own dialect of Chinese, that would be even better. (If you can do this, a similar translation for Crimson Fang would be nearly as helpful.)

I have gotten some help with the above, but none of them are truly secure with their information (by their own admission), so additional sources would be appreciated.

The following people have all created characters in the past that I would like to include in VOICE 2000. However, Hero Games policy (which I happen to agree with) would prevent me from including them without permission from the respective authors. The individuals are: Donny Jansen and David Rogers (Atlas Unleashed; I want to use Ego and Recoil); Timothy Keating (Murder in Stronghold from Champions Presents #2; I want to use Proteus); David Matalon (Target Hero; Orb and Scarab); and Barry Wilson (Demonfire from Enemies III). As with the Edgells above, if you know how to contact any of these individuals, please do so, giving them my email address so I can discuss the characters' use with them.

If you watch this page, please check back here every couple of weeks or so. I don't update the page that frequently, but some of my needs can be that immediate.

The Ultimate Gadgeteer

This is a sourcebook that I'll be working on following my work on VOICE 2000, in tandem with Dave Mattingly. We don't have any specific needs at present, but if you know of any books or other materials that you think would make a good contribution to or influence for TUG, it would be greatly appreciated!

E-mail me (using this link) if you have any general comments or questions.