Author (and artist) of The Book of Erotic Fantasy

[GKestrel]

The topic of the moment seems to be The Book of Erotic Fantasy. Many posts have speculated about the book and its contents.

I wish to clarify the authorship.

I am one of the book's two authors. The other does not wish to reveal his identity at this time. It is not Anthony Valterra, nor is it my husband, Andy Collins.

I've spoken with Anthony about the prospect of sharing a few excerpts from the text with the public in the near future.

The work is, indeed, focused on sex. It has an erotic slant. The topics are treated with taste, seriousness, and humor. It's not an in-your-face book.

It's a game product. One of which I'm proud to be an author. I believe it is full of good, solid rules mechanics appropriate for audiences interested in including such topics in their games.

Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel
"Unashamed."

Piratecat here; I changed the thread title when I merged two threads.

 

[Terry Edwards]

Romance, seduction and sex have been shunned by the gaming community for too long. Perhaps this is due to the uncomfortable situations that can be created from roleplaying intimate encounters, but the topic can greatly enrich the roleplaying experience. This product is long overdue. Let's lay down the swords and reach for some lovin'.

Terry Edwards
familiarstudios@hotmail.com
Art Portfolio
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/news...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

 

[Gothmog]

Good for you Gwendolyn- don't be ashamed despite what critics of your work might say. Like any other medium or field, gaming will only grow and develop when the boundaries are tested, and your book looks like it will do just that.

That said, when I first heard this book mentioned yesterday, I thought it might be a joke. Personally, I'm not sure how much I would use a book like the Book of Erotic Fantasy- but then again I don't know anything about it and all we have now is wild speculation. Any insights you could provide into the BoEF would be appreciated and might help to clear up misconceptions. For example:

* How extensively does the book focus on bringing erotic elements into a game?

* Are there new prestiege classes, spells, and feats designed to be used?

* New monsters? If so, I'm kind of having a hard time imagining what they would be like.

If you'll pardon the expression, I do hope that the BoEF will present its subject matter in a mature (non giggling) sort of way- more on incorporating mature elements into a game than "oh look, elf boobies!" I think we all look forward to any info you can provide.

 

[Sirius_Black]

Good for you Mrs. Kestrel. It took a great deal of courage to post this message with the Puritan uprising that has already taken place.

 

[Cergorach]

Hmm... I have some very mixed feelings about this, on one hand i am thinking about some of the adult Black Dog books (which is a good thing), on the other i'm thinking about some of the net books out there (which is a bad thing). I think no one is waiting on rules mechanics for sex, or how to roleplay sex. Now roleplaying seduction and having mechanics could be interesting though. Overall, your walking on a tightrope in a hurricane, please don't fall off ;-)

 

[BlackWych]

Don't you think this will perpetuate the negative perspective of D&D and gaming in general? Or is it about the money?

 

[fusangite]

This is a very courageous post given the tone of much of the debate here on ENWorld. I commend you for identifying yourself and coming forward to engage in dialogue.

My quarrel with your book has never been based on the identity of its authors. Frankly, I don't know the personalities of the D20 world. But here is my concern:

Because of the way the OGL D20 system works, your book will be viewed as part of the canon of D&D. I feel that this will have two potentially negative effects on our game:
1. Your material could easily become a lynchpin of adolescent male gaming, giving such games a socially destructive sexual component which may lead to people abandoning the system too early or developing a wholly warped idea of what RPGs are.
2. Your material will expose D&D to public criticism that can severely damage its image. I can see many parents, previously uninterested in regulating their kids' involvement in RPGs, suddenly becoming engaged in curtailing it.

If D&D were merely a game for adults, I could see your product merely as a bad idea but, according to a recent ENWorld poll, the vast majority of people who play D&D do start before they turn 20. Given our culture's unhealthy, contradictory and strident views about child sexuality, I feel that you are really playing with fire on behalf of all of us.

So, rather than criticise your actions elsewhere, I feel I should bring my concerns directly to your attention.

Thank you for posting.

 

[hong]

Don't you think this will perpetuate the negative perspective of D&D and gaming in general?

Personally, I couldn't give two hoots about the reputation of D&D and gaming in general.


Hong "having enough problems with his own reputation" Ooi

 

[KDLadage]

As I stated...

...in this thread, I hope to see something handled with taste and class. The press release gave me a few doubts, but I understand that those are supposed to garner some reaction, so I just trudged on.

I would like to ask a couple of questions if you do not mind:

1. Are you including a full, detailed discussion of the CHARISMA attribute? So many people, I feel, misunderstand and flat out mis-use this attribute that it is not even funny. I am hoping you are.
2. Have you contacted Christine Morgan? She can be found online here and is the author of GURPS SEX, perhaps one of the best supplements to GURPS ever written (imnsho). She handled the topics of sex, courtship, seduction and so forth with maturity, class and an eye for detail. Depending upon the level of completion of this book right now, I would strongly recommend getting ahold of her and see if she can add anything to your product.
3. If you do not mind my asking, what prompted you to want to write this? I know why I have have wanted Christine Morgan to get hers off the internet and into a print volume, but I was just curious what the spark was that told you that this needed to happen, and now?

Oh... and good luck. I am looking forward to seeing this when you are done.

 

[KDLadage]

Double Post

Nothing to see here. Move along, move along.