Small World partially set out. Going back to work this week has been rather a challenge, I have to admit. However, it is fun to be teaching again, and my creative writers seem to be rearing to go. Some of them have already written miniature chapter books before meeting me and are trying to share them with me. It is difficult to explain to them that I don't have time to read everything - and my time is probably going to be limited to what they produce for class.
That's one of the interesting things as an author - lots of people try to get you to read their stuff. I had someone who interviewed me for a newspaper email me for a whole year afterwards, trying to get me to read his book and help him find a literary agent. And while it's sort of flattering, one has to get good at saying no, because one simply can't read everything. I always want to be able to help people, because I remember being in the unpublished situation when nobody wanted to read what I wrote. It is rather awful. But I'm beginning to understand I can't help everyone, especially if I want to make the help that I do give to the group I've selected be the best quality it can be.
Perhaps the most exciting thing that happened this past week was the arrival of our new board game, which I had the privilege of playing with some good friends in Hamilton some time ago (they also owned other amazing games, like Merchants and Marauders). I've wanted this particular game, however, for a long time but have only just gotten around to buying it, because it was $100. Very expensive.
Nevertheless, I succumbed to temptation and purchased it over the internet a little while ago.
Now, my husband and I did a similar thing with the board game Ticket to Ride. Unfortunately, we ordered it through a third party on Mighty Ape, which meant that when the courier delivered the package to the wrong door, and it never showed up, we never, ever got a refund. Goodbye $70. Then we went and bought the game at Whitcoulls. Goodbye $100. $170 spent on Ticket to Ride so far. Ugh.
So when the courier lost Small World in the post, I was hopping mad. I phoned Courier Post NZ immediately and said quite clearly that I wanted to see the package that very day - or the money. One of the two. I'm not wasting money like this anymore.
My insistence and promptness meant that we got results this time, and a very apologetic courier showed up two hours later with the package which he had just, you know, dropped off at number 33 by mistake, you know? Not sure why that happened, heh heh.
I let him live and I took the package.
Small World is similar to Risk except that you fight your opponent with a fantasy race. The game has a seemingly endless supply of attributes and races that you can combine many different ways.
For instance, depending on how you turn over the attribute badges and the racial banners, you could wind up with pillaging halflings, flying skeletons, beserker giants, wealthy ratmen, and so on. Also, the board has many beautiful colours. I dunno how, but this somehow makes it worth a hundred dollars.
See for yourself.
Lastly, the board comes with a turn marker, which means that you never play for longer than ten rounds before figuring out who has won. That certainly makes it look much more attractive than a three hour game of Risk, after which the loser goes away and reexamines their life for the next week.
This game is nearly impossible to buy in New Zealand. No stores that I know of stock it. You can get it online, but you know... some courier might deliver it to number 33 for no reason.
But if you get hold of it, it is worth it. Enjoy the pictures!
That's one of the interesting things as an author - lots of people try to get you to read their stuff. I had someone who interviewed me for a newspaper email me for a whole year afterwards, trying to get me to read his book and help him find a literary agent. And while it's sort of flattering, one has to get good at saying no, because one simply can't read everything. I always want to be able to help people, because I remember being in the unpublished situation when nobody wanted to read what I wrote. It is rather awful. But I'm beginning to understand I can't help everyone, especially if I want to make the help that I do give to the group I've selected be the best quality it can be.
Perhaps the most exciting thing that happened this past week was the arrival of our new board game, which I had the privilege of playing with some good friends in Hamilton some time ago (they also owned other amazing games, like Merchants and Marauders). I've wanted this particular game, however, for a long time but have only just gotten around to buying it, because it was $100. Very expensive.
Nevertheless, I succumbed to temptation and purchased it over the internet a little while ago.
Now, my husband and I did a similar thing with the board game Ticket to Ride. Unfortunately, we ordered it through a third party on Mighty Ape, which meant that when the courier delivered the package to the wrong door, and it never showed up, we never, ever got a refund. Goodbye $70. Then we went and bought the game at Whitcoulls. Goodbye $100. $170 spent on Ticket to Ride so far. Ugh.
So when the courier lost Small World in the post, I was hopping mad. I phoned Courier Post NZ immediately and said quite clearly that I wanted to see the package that very day - or the money. One of the two. I'm not wasting money like this anymore.
My insistence and promptness meant that we got results this time, and a very apologetic courier showed up two hours later with the package which he had just, you know, dropped off at number 33 by mistake, you know? Not sure why that happened, heh heh.
I let him live and I took the package.
Small World is similar to Risk except that you fight your opponent with a fantasy race. The game has a seemingly endless supply of attributes and races that you can combine many different ways.
For instance, depending on how you turn over the attribute badges and the racial banners, you could wind up with pillaging halflings, flying skeletons, beserker giants, wealthy ratmen, and so on. Also, the board has many beautiful colours. I dunno how, but this somehow makes it worth a hundred dollars.
See for yourself.
Lastly, the board comes with a turn marker, which means that you never play for longer than ten rounds before figuring out who has won. That certainly makes it look much more attractive than a three hour game of Risk, after which the loser goes away and reexamines their life for the next week.
This game is nearly impossible to buy in New Zealand. No stores that I know of stock it. You can get it online, but you know... some courier might deliver it to number 33 for no reason.
But if you get hold of it, it is worth it. Enjoy the pictures!
