We're in the Monday lunch meeting right now, talking about product proposals for 2009. We've got something like 24 pages of them, which is quite a lot of them to go through. I usually write this thing live, as it happens, but today there's so much secret stuff being said, and so many pages to highlight, scribble on, read and shuffle that my hands are too full.

I'll be back in a few minutes to give you the gist of the rest of the meeting, while Rich will be back later this week with a post about the proposal process and maybe even with some early information about what 2009 might look like.

So far, we know one thing for sure about the future. In Ethan's words, "Between this and the Homeland Security thing, I think I may be tied up all day."

UPDATE: I'm back with the Monday meeting report, behind the cut.



"I think I drew on my computer screen," I say. "On accident."

"How?"

"I dunno," I say. "Had a pen in my hand and hit F4 or something. Now I can't get rid of it. Looks like an eyelash or something." I rub at it and the monitor ripples. "It's driving me crazy."

Petur leans in and looks at it. "Pube," he says.

"Nice," I say. "In your accent, with your voice, that's somehow unsettling." (Petur has a great voice — he's a classically trained singer and the mic-rocker of RoxoR.)

He says, "Puuuuuube." He looks all proud.

Moving on.

John Chambers reports that Scion: God is out of the woods of editing and is headed for the tall grass of layout and art.

For 2009, John actually* pitched Exalted: Book of the Compass of Tome Codices, Vol. IX, Book 1, Part 2, Second Edition. (*Not actually.)

Bax is getting art notes and component specs in order for the Dreams of the First Age boxed set (for Exalted).

Brian is beginning design work on the box itself.

Ethan is shepherding Banishers (for Mage). He wonders if we're worried about getting backlash for material in that book that parodies a real-world institution. He tells us about it (and its figurehead, John Maverick), and we laugh hard enough to remember that parody — good parody — always stings. No one is safe.

Aileen is just about finished getting Adamantine Arrow ready for press.

the matt's god the last of the art for Scion: God rolling in like a triumphant Caesar, including the new cover by Michael Komarck. With that book out of John's hands, it is now being hauled up the hill to matt's workshop at the top. When it's done, he'll roll it down the other side, through the printers, to you, dear reader.

Chaney's patching a hole in Changing Breeds left by an artist who had to suddenly back out. (It happens.) He also spent some of the weekend getting cards ready for MwuHaHa!. (I saw something with screaming monkeys and exposed braincases, which I suspect may be the card backs. We'll see.) Also, Chaney just mentioned "Banjos of Legend," but I have no idea what the hell he's talking about.

Aaron has some kind of boneless chicken thing for lunch. Chicken. Without bones. Truly this is a futuristic age.

Somewhere in here, Chaney something so cunningly foul that I really cannot share it with you. (I thought I might be toeing the line with that pube thing.) To which the matt says, "I hate your world, Mike."

"Everything's salty," says Chaney, "but bland."

Craig is doing the press-proof of Requiem for Rome (for Vampire) and moving on to layout and final designs for Fall of the Camarilla. To answer a question that appeared online, regarding Fall of the Camarilla: It's a chronicle book and setting expansion, a companion to Requiem for Rome, in which players' characters participate in the final nights of the Camarilla. Your character's may not be able to stop the ruination of that ancient society, but whether they benefit or suffer due to its loss is entirely up to them. It's going to be a great book.

Jess is proofing the Quarterly and preparing a portfolio of graphics and covers for marketing use.

Petur and Ken are finagling with a prototype for an EVE board game. I can say no more about that, as yet. (But I can tell you that we have a lot of new card games and board games pitched to us by folk from all throughout the company, this year.)

Petur leans over to me and, in his Icelandic accent, says, "crotch lash." I stare at him, waiting for the rest of it. "Crotch," he says. "Crotch?" He points at the zipper on his pants. I look down, look back up. He points at the hair above his eyeball. "Lash," he says. "Crotch-lash."

I write it down.

Rich and Aaron are in meetings until they grow old and die. Rich has to go through all the remaining 2009 proposals, run them by a few of his higher-up-the-ladder peers, and consider how some of them might be able to fit together according to our vision for 2009. How does all that work? Check back on Friday, when he'll tell you about it.



That does it.

Current Location: White Wolf Chemical Factory
Current Music: Arcade Fire, "My Body Is A Cage"