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Archive

Here is a list of all my news updates from the past two years.

Back to NEWS main page.

 

 

November 21

So, my author’s copies of the book just arrived and it looks SWEEEET! (Yes, I get a limited amount of free copies. No, you can’t have one.) Holding one of the actual books in my hands made me realize just how close the release is, I’m starting to feel that rush of anticipation I always get when a project is about to go out to the public.

 

However, as you can see from the date above, this is my last update before Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil hits shelves on December 8. That’s right – I celebrate this rush of anticipation by posting a blog entry saying I won’t be posting anymore entries until after it comes out. Sounds stupid, I know. But as much as I want to build excitement with continuing updates, I simply won’t have time between now and then to sit down and write another update.

 

Next weekend (US Thanksgiving) we’re going to visit friends in LA. The weekend after that, I’m in Vegas to run my first half-marathon. That’s it – those are the only two weekends between now and when the book comes out. (December 8 – did I mention that?)

 

And to all you smart asses saying, “Just post a blog update during the week, you lazy sod,” let me remind you that I still work for a living! Weekdays I’m in the BioWare offices hammering away at SWTOR. (Well, 3 days a week, at least. The other two are reserved for golf. And if you think I’m giving that up to write more updates, then you really need to read my blogs more carefully.)

 

However, I’m not going to leave you with nothing but this crappy blog to tide you over. I’m desperately trying to catch up on my e-mails (about two weeks behind), and I also updated my Star Wars blog today with some insight into what I thought about as I was trying to come up with the Dynasty of Evil story.

 

It’s not much, but it’s all you get until December 12. So try to make it last.

 

Drew

 

November 6

Welcome to my first November update. You’ll notice that the next update is coming in a couple of weeks – I’m going to try to pick up the pace as we near the release of Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil.

 

In anticipation of this event, I’ve also updated my Star Wars blog for the first time since February. This first update is basically just a recap of what’s happened to me over the last few months, but going forward I’m going to have some interesting blogs where I delve into Dynasty of Evil in more depth by exploring the characters, the dynamics of their relationships and the creative process I used when deciding who comes out on top in the Bane vs Zannah confrontation. (Sorry if you think that was a spoiler, but come on… that’s the whole point of the Sith. Master vs Apprentice, and only one can survive. Which one is the real question, isn’t it?)

 

But that’s not all the Star Wars news I have today. You can also check out my developer blog over at the official SWTOR site. I talk about what I’m working on for the MMO, and I look a little more closely at the Jedi. If you like my take on the Sith, you might be interested in seeing how I feel about the flip side of the coin.

 

Writing the blog was an odd experience for me. I mean, I write a semi-regular blog here and over at StarWars.com, but it’s very clear that I’m just spouting off like most bloggers do. With the developer blog you really are representing BioWare, Lucas Arts, EA and a host of other entities. It kind of forces you to be a little more reserved.

 

In fact, my blog was edited slightly before it went up. It’s not like I was dropping F-bombs all over the place or anything, but there was a little bit of “smart-assery” that was removed. Not a big deal, but it just emphasized the difference between something “official” and me just shooting the shit. (See, I could never say “shooting the shit” over at the official site. And if that offends you, tough shit.)

 

One other thing I found interesting were the fan comments in reaction to my blog. People seem very excited, which is cool. But I do feel like I’m being given more credit than I deserve. All of the BioWare games I’ve worked on, including SWTOR, are the creation of an entire team… including a team of anywhere from 4-12 full time writers. And while I’m more than happy to accept praise and thanks, I think it’s important for people to remember that much of the great material they experienced was created by other writers on the team. That’s what I love about working for BioWare: everybody here is a master of the craft, and if you ever get stuck (or submit something subpar) you will get feedback and help from the rest of the team.

 

In other BioWare related news, Dragon Age is now out on a multi-platform release (PC, 360 and PS3). I didn’t work on Dragon Age, so for the first time in a decade I’m an “outsider” on a major BioWare title. However, based on the reviews over at Game Rankings, DA kicks major ass. Nice job by the folks back in Edmonton.

 

Finally, a little Mass Effect news. Mac Walters, the co-lead writer for ME2, is also the co-writer for the ME comic coming out. Click on the link if you want to check out a PDF preview.

 

In non-writing related news, my running is going great – I’m shooting for a sub 2:10 time in the Vegas Half-Marathon in December. (That may not sound impressive, but keep in mind I’m a fat guy approaching 40.) My golf game is coming around: after a rough summer, my handicap has dropped 1.5 strokes in the past two months. (I’m an 8.1 index now; hoping to get to 6 by Christmas.) And I’m still optimistic about the Spurs this year, despite a couple shaky outings early in the season. (The Chargers are another matter, however. They’re going to need to make some big strides to reach the post-season.)

 

Okay, that’s all for now. Next week some good friends of ours from Maine are coming to visit, and the week after that I’ll be back with another update – here and on my SW blog.

 

Drew

 

October 20

Wow – busy month for me. Went to New York for a week and complained about the “cold” 60 degree weather. (Didn’t realize how quickly I’d become acclimatized to the Texas heat.) Had the in-laws come down from Canada for a 10 day visit. Went to the Magic the Gathering Austin Pro Tour, only to get hammered in every tournament I entered. And I came to the sobering realization that the Charger defense sucks. (Maybe it’s time to jump on the New Orleans bandwagon.)

 

In other words, things have been a little helter-skelter for me lately. Now I’m looking forward to things settling down and getting back into my normal routine: working on the Star Wars: Old Republic game; running 3 times a week to train for the Vegas half-marathon; watching my NFL games on Sunday and keeping up with the golf.

 

The other thing I need to get back to, of course, is my writing. I don’t just mean my novels. I mean answering my e-mails; updating my website… all that good stuff. I can’t use the excuse that I’m still adjusting to Texas anymore. I’ve been here long enough to get settled in. Now I’m just procrastinating, and it’s time to get back to work. My immigration status is in the process of being updated, and once that’s done I should have a new project coming in hot… only I can’t talk about it right now. I wouldn’t say it’s going to be a big surprise when it’s announced, though I do think many of you will be pleased. (Hmmm… I guess I can talk about it, but only in thinly veiled references.)

 

What I should be talking about, however, is Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil. It hits shelves in less than 50 days, and it’s already available for pre-orders. So starting in November I’m going to be doing more updates and pushing this novel HARD. I’ll also be updating my SW Blog for the first time in months, and in November I’ll be doing a post for BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic developer blog.

 

I’m also going to get caught up on all those e-mails you’ve sent me; I’m about 2 weeks behind right now, so if you haven’t heard from me just be patient. I know I’ve been neglecting all the fans who come by my site a little bit, but my Columbus Day resolution is to spend more time on this website and answering my e-mails. (I figure now that I’m in the US, I might as well usurp all the American holidays.) I even thought about doing the Twitter thing, but I’m not ready to make that leap yet.

 

Of course, that doesn’t mean everything else in my life is going to stop. I’m going to keep golfing, and playing Magic, and I might try to get down to San Antonio for a few Spurs games, too. So don’t expect daily updates or immediate replies to the e-mails. But at least I’m trying, right?

 

Baby steps, baby steps.

 

Drew

 

September 14

Summer is winding down here in Austin. Back in Edmonton September was a month of sadness for me, as I saw the end of the golf season looming. Months of ice, snow and long, dark winter nights lurked just beyond.

 

In Austin, however, September ROCKS!!! The plus 100 degree days are mostly over. We’ve finally got some much needed rain. Golf courses are in terrific shape. The NFL season is under way. NBA is just around the corner. A new Magic set is about to be released. Things couldn’t get much better.

 

Now, onto the updates. There’s an interview with me up on Amped Gaming. If you want to know more about BioWare, my books or whether MacGyver could beat Darth Bane in a fight, check it out.

 

I’m also in full swing now working on SW: TOR. (That’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare’s upcoming MMO.) The scope of this game continues to amaze me, and I love being part of the team. If you haven’t checked out the SW:TOR fficial site, you really should give it a gander. New trailers and information is being released almost every week. We were a massive hit at PAX (the Penny Arcade Expo), and if you go to Darth Hater’s website you can find some cool video from the event, along with a bunch of other info he’s put together about the game.

 

Now, some of you might be saying – hey, what about ME2? Well, that project is still pushing hard towards release. So if you want to know more, just hit the ME2 official site. ME2 was also at PAX, and it also rocked the house. Don’t believe me? Check the site out for yourself. And give the FAQ section a read – it answers most of the “big” questions about the game.

 

As for books, I finished the final, final, final review of the Dynast of Evil manuscript. Now I just sit back and wait for it to hit the shelves. (December 8, people!!!) Makes a great gift for anyone who loves Star Wars, loves sci-fi or just loves to read. Hell, even if they don’t read it makes a nice paperweight. Just buy, like, a dozen. (I really want to see this one crack the NY Times top 10 list.)

 

I’m also working on a couple other projects that I can’t talk about right now, but hopefully in the next update (in mid-October) I can share more details with you. (Or, now that I’m in Texas, I guess I should say “y’all”.)

 

Drew

 

August 16

So, here I am back from vacation ready to give you more exciting updates. Only one problem: there’s not much to update you on right now. I don’t have any new book projects in full swing yet, though I am working on my own original fantasy novel so I can send it out to some agents or publishers. But beyond that, I don’t have anything going other than my regular BioWare gig.

 

Partly it’s because I have to wait for a change in status to my immigration visa: currently I’m only authorized to work for BioWare, so I can’t sign any contracts with publishers at the moment. However, even if I could I think there might be precious little to report on right now. We’re really into the dog days of summer. The last Major of the golf season is now over and the NFL and NBA haven’t started yet (pre-season doesn’t count).

 

So I’m mostly just chill-axing at home, playing golf and going to Magic tournaments. (Incidentally, I went 6-2 in my last tournament. Unfortunately you needed to go 7-1 to make the playoffs, but it’s my best finish yet so I am seeing signs of improvement. Golf… not so much.)

 

That’s the reason I’m pushing back the next update to mid September. I’m hoping by then I’ll have some interesting updates on my projects. At the very least I hope to be caught up to within a week on my e-mails. (If you sent me something please be patient: I will respond eventually.)

 

I’ll probably have an update on my latest running-related injury as well. Seems like every 4 weeks or so something else breaks down. Last month it was my right calf. Before that it was the arches on my feet. I’m healthy for the time being, but my creaky old body seems determined to make me suffer for forcing it to run 3 times per week.

 

I’m also hoping to have an e-mail list set up for people to join if they want to get regular updates. I like getting traffic on the site, of course, but a lot of people want to know what I’m working on and when new projects are coming out. No promises, but I’ll see what I can do and I’ll update everyone in September.

 

Okay, that’s all for now. Enjoy the tail end of summer – I know I will!

 

Drew

 

 

July 27

It’s going to be a while until the next update as I’m heading back up to Canada to visit family and friends for the annual Karpyshyn Birthday Bash. My sister, my grandmother, a life-long family friend and I were all born within a few days of each other, so the first weekend in August is always a big deal. Honestly, I don’t think my Mom would forgive me if I didn’t make the trek back home.

 

It will be a good chance to escape the scorching Texas summer for a while, though. I’ve become accustomed to the heat, so I’m hoping I don’t need a sweater to golf in the chilly 80 degree Edmonton weather.

 

In Mass Effect news they recently announced a comic published by Dark Horse and written by BioWare’s own Mac Walters, co-lead writer on the Mass Effect 2 game with yours truly. Click HERE for the official announcement, and click HERE for an interview with Mac where he talks about the project. I’ll be honest – I don’t know a lot about the project; Mac was running with this one. So I’m as curious and excited as the rest of the ME fans.

 

In other news, I apologize if you’ve sent me an e-mail and haven’t heard back yet – I’m doing my best but it’s hard to keep up with this kind of thing. I’ll try to find a chance to send messages during my vacation, but I can’t make any promises.

 

That’s all until August – gotta go pack for my trip.

 

Drew

 

July 15

I’ve got something a little different to tell you about this update. The Fandom Association of Central Texas, a group dedicated to promoting sci-fi, fantasy and other speculative works of fiction, is holding a fundraiser on Sunday, July 19 to help out renowned sci-fi author and Star Wars novelist Aaron Allston.

 

The fundraiser is to help offset costs from an emergency medical procedure, and I’m going to be donating a few autographed books and other items to their auction. If you live in the central Texas region, please go check the event out. You’ll get some cool stuff, and you’ll be helping someone out, too. You can also make DONATIONS to the fund simply by following the information on the link.

 

Not to get on my high horse or anything, but in my eyes the lack of universal health coverage is the single greatest failing in America. I love living in Austin, and the US has a lot of great things going for it – that’s why I chose to move here. But the fact that one of the most advanced nations in the world doesn’t automatically provide for the health of its citizens is a disgrace, and it’s the one thing I miss most about Canada. Massive economic hardship is the last thing somebody needs piled on top of them when they are facing serious health issues, and I really hope Obama brings in health care reform so that people won’t lose their life savings just because they suffered a medical emergency.

 

Okay, enough with the political stumping. If you’re in the area, check out the event. Thanks.

 

Now,, since my last update you’ll see I’ve done a little housekeeping on the website. Nothing major, but I’ve updated the homepage with a more current bio, and I’ve added Dynasty of Evil to the Novels page.

 

I also just reviewed and returned the final galleys for the novel – basically it’s going off to the type-setter at this point, with no more changes. So go ahead and pre-order it now! (I’ll wait.) Let’s see if we can get this one to crack the top ten on the NY Times Best Sellers list!

 

My Mass Effect books are still garnering their fair share of attention. They were among the selections on Kotaku’s 2009 Summer Reading List (along with the recently released Dragon Age novel by David Gaider).

 

And for something rather different, The Rubber Chicken website has posted a number of replies from various celebrities pondering answers to one of the great scientific mysteries of our time. It’s cool to see my answers up there with celebrities like Harry Shearer of The Simpson’s fame, and Dean Haglund from the X-Files. (Not to mention Michelle Rodriguez from Lost, Men Without Hats

and Devo, among others!)

 

If you’re wondering why they wanted my opinion, it’s probably because I was also polled last year by this same website on the question of “Why Does the Sun Shine?”. Why they wanted me then is anybody’s guess…

 

You’ll also notice that my next update is scheduled just a bit sooner than usual. Now don’t get all excited: I don’t have any big news or anything. My wife and I are just going back to Canada for a visit, so I thought I’d update the site before we leave.

 

Okay, that’s it. See you on July 27. The day before my birthday. Not that I expect any gifts or cards stuffed with money or anything. Though you do have my PO Box number now on the Contact page. I’m just saying…

 

Drew

 

June 30

Okay, I’m back with another update. In the last couple weeks things have improved greatly in my world. Not that they were that terrible to begin with, of course. But apart from a lingering cough/cold things are looking up for me.

 

First, my golf game is coming around. I’m down to a 10 handicap and I can see the lower scores just over the horizon. There’s also a new set of Magic the Gathering cards coming out in July, and the Spurs made some key off-season moves that should vault them right back into serious title contention. Things were going so well, I even darted off to LA for Magic tournament last weekend. I didn’t win, but I started 4-1 before finishing 4-3-1. Not a stellar record, but better than my under .500 performance at the last big event.

 

In my professional life things are in cruise control right now. The final rewrites to Dynasty of Evil have been accepted, and I’m finishing up my work on Mass Effect 2 before transitioning over to the Star Wars: Old Republic team.

 

And I finally got a PO Box for anyone who wants to send me stuff. That’s right: if you want me to sign a book, poster, picture or even if you just want to send me fabulous cash and prizes you now have an address. I’m adding into my Contact page, but I’ll also post it right here.

 

PO Box 326

Cedar Park, TX

78630

USA

 

Remember: if you’re going to send me something to sign you HAVE to include enough return postage for me to send it back. I’m not going to pay to return it to you. Also, send me a little letter with your name and other information so I know who it’s from.

 

Okay, that’s about all for now. Later.

 

Drew

 

June 14

Time for another update. Yes, that’s right – another fascinating glimpse into the life of Drew! So… the evil Lakers won the NBA title. I stumbled my way to a 4-5 record at the biggest Magic the Gathering tournament in Texas history. My golf handicap has jumped from an 8 to a 12. I still don’t have my PO Box for people who want to e-mail me stuff. And I’m still about a week behind on my answering e-mails.

 

But it’s not all bad. Even though I suck, I’m still golfing 3-5 times per week. The weather in Austin is hot and sunny. My parents were here last week and we had a great time. And I’ve started running again as I prepare for the Vegas half-marathon in December.

 

Oh, yeah. And BioWare completely kicked ass at the E3 expo in LA. Check out the BioWare blog for a taste of the reaction to ME2. (Not to brag, but phrases like “slammed my jaw to the floor” were tossed about.) We won all sorts of awards and nominations, including best RPG and Best in Show. Check out the new Mass Effect website, with all sorts of cool videos, pics and downloads, and check out our cool cover on OXM. (In case you didn’t click the link they called us “The biggest story of the year”. Seriously. I guess we rock or something.) 

 

But wait a minute, I hear you thinking. (Yes, I can read your thoughts. You are SICK, TWISTED and PERVERTED! Oh, no… that’s just me. Never mind.) Aren’t you in Austin now, Drew? What about the new Star Wars MMO? Didn’t they show stuff at E3, too? Hell, yes! And SWTOR (Star Wars, The Old Republic in case you didn’t figure it out) also blew people away. If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go here and check out the Deceived trailer. It’s seven flavors of awesome.

 

Now, I realize some of you are actually fans of my novels, so you’re probably wondering what I’m working on now that I’ve finished with Dynasty of Evil. Well, to be honest I’m taking it easy for a few weeks. But after that I’m going to try and get my own fantasy novel ready to submit to publishers. The book is the first in a trilogy.

 

Yeah, I know… another fantasy trilogy. But the thing about my book is that it really will be a trilogy. It won’t become an ever expanding series that goes on forever with nothing ever happening just to sell more books. Unless sales are REALLY good, and the publishers drive the money truck up to my house. Remember – selling out is only a bad thing if you don’t get top dollar. The book is tentatively titled Children of Fire, and if all goes well I’m hoping to get a publisher deal before the end of the year.

 

However, if something else comes up – like another SW novel, or a third ME book – then I might have to put it on hold yet again. As any freelancer will tell you, it’s hard to turn down work that pays you up front for speculative projects.

 

Okay, long update with not much actually said. Guess I’ll sign off now and get back to answering all your e-mails.

 

Drew

 

May 31

Okay, I’m a day late with the update. And, I still don’t have the PO Box address for people to send stuff to me. But in all fairness, things are still nuts around here. BioWare is getting ready for E3 with some kick ass demos of games we’re working on. And I just finished the final (I hope) rewrites to Dynasty of Evil.

 

But I promised you some cool update stuff, so here we go! Here’s a Mass Effect preview of the E3 demo. (Because of the move to Austin I’m not in the video, but you’ll see some of the other key team members.) And, here’s an exclusive ME trailer that just came out on Friday.

 

We also just announced there is an iPhone Mass Effect game! Jacob will be a major character in ME2, so this can give you an introduction of who you might run into in ME2.

 

Here’s the infamous  Dragon Age Violence Trailer – warning, may contain spoilers and, uh, violence. Dragon Age also has been pushing out updates with character and environment art, all listed on the news section of their website.

 

And, now that I’m down in Austin I’m finally seeing all sorts of cool stuff for Star Wars: The Old Republic. There’s all sorts of cool updates on the official site, including character class previews and the web comic, Threat of Peace.

 

Now, I’ve given you these updates and previews. Next week E3 2009 actually hits, and even though I’m not going there’ll be lots of cool updates and videos coming out of the show.

 

As for my personal life, things are going great here in Austin. The golf game is finally coming around and my parents are coming to visit this week. Now, if Orlando can somehow stop the evil Lakers from winning the NBA title all will be good.

 

Drew

 

May 13

Holy sweet mother of Zeus!!! I have never been so damn busy in my life. Here’s the deal – I’m still trying to get crap done for the move (getting a PO Box set up, getting my driver’s license, getting all my accounts and financial stuff transferred over to the US). I’m doing some finishing touches on Destiny of Evil. I’m hammering away on dialog for Mass Effect 2.

 

I’m so damn busy I barely have time for golf. And that hasn’t left me much time for other things. Like watching the NBA playoffs. With the Spurs gone, I’m finding it hard to make time. I watch maybe 3 quarters per week. And answering my e-mail – I’m still behind, though I am finally replying faster than new e-mails come in.

 

So, here’s the deal. No more updates until the end of May. But, and I promise you this, it will be a major update. Lots of cool and useful information – about me, about my work, about various projects that may or may not have been announced.

 

Until then, however, you’ve got this craptastic non-update. Sorry, but that’s the way things roll. Deal with it.

 

And come back on May 30th for the super-mega-awesome update. (Okay, maybe I’m over selling it.)

 

Drew

 

April 29

Wow – talk about a crazy couple of weeks! We’re finally moved into our house here in Austin, but there are a million tiny, unexpected headaches involved with moving that keep cropping up. It’s going to be another month before we get on top of everything, so this update is going to be pretty short.

 

I’m WAAAAAY behind on my e-mails, but please be patient – I’ll try to catch up this weekend. Other than that, not much else to say, except that I’m bummed about my Spurs being knocked out in the first round. (I never even got the chance to go see them play….) But, I’m more than happy to jump on the Dallas bandwagon: even though they knocked out San Antonio, I’ve always liked the Mavs (particularly Dirk “DigglerNowitizki). And I’d rather see them win it all than the Lakers.

 

Okay, I’ll be back in two weeks with another update. At that time I’ll be updating the website with my new biographical info (since I don’t live just outside of Edmonton anymore), and I’ll be posting an address people can use if they ever want to send anything to me to get signed, etc. And, there’s a small chance I’ll have some rather interesting news to report, too.

 

Until then “adios” from the Texas Hill Country.

 

Drew

 

April 8

Dynasty of Evil is signed, sealed and delivered! That’s right – the manuscript is sitting on my editor’s desk right now. I know that might not mean much to those of you who still have to wait until December to read it, but it’s a huge weight off of my mind. As much as I enjoy writing, it’s always a relief when I finish a project.

 

So, you might be wondering what’s next for me. The book is done, but the move from Edmonton to Austin is still in progress. That’s why there won’t be an update for the next 3 weeks. I will try to keep on top of my e-mail, but there might be a delay in getting a reply while my computer is in transit.

 

Once the move is done, I’m going to get in some serious golf and Magic the Gathering. There’s a big tournament – Magic, not golf - in Austin this October, so I want to get my game back in tournament form. Plus, I’m going to watch the Masters this weekend… without a doubt my favorite golf tournament of the year.

 

Not to mention the NBA playoffs are about to start… though my Spurs are limping into the post-season. No Manu, Duncan’s hobbled by bad knees and the shooters can’t seem to throw it into the ocean right now. Could be an early exit for the Spurs, but I’m not giving up hope yet. In the playoffs anything can happen, and I’m crossing my fingers for Popovich to work his magic one more time… especially because I might actually get to go down and see a game or two this year.

 

So sit tight, chillax for the next three weeks and when I come back I’ll let everyone know how the move went. And I might even have some more BIG news to share with you. But I don’t want to leave you with nothing to click on this update, so I’ll point you to the website of Brian Kindregan.

 

Brian’s a good friend of mine who also happens to be one of the writers on Mass Effect 2. He spent something like 13 years working in Hollywood as a story board artist, director, etc. and he served a bunch of years in the army where he learned how to kill a man with his thumbs. Plus, his website actually looks professional, as opposed to the train wreck I’ve unleashed on the interweb here.

 

Okay, that’s all for now. Next update from the sunny hills of Austin!

 

Drew

 

March 25

Well, not much new for me to share with you this update. The last couple weeks have been incredibly busy (and stressful) as we get ready for the move. When I’m not dealing with banks, lawyers or real estate title companies, I’m still pounding away at Dynasty of Evil… or scraping snow off my car.

 

That’s right: we got a fresh dump of snow a couple days ago. It’s officially spring, it’s still below freezing and we’re still getting snow. Whenever someone says I’m going to miss the Alberta winters when I move to Texas I just laugh and laugh.

 

If that wasn’t bad enough, I’m battling a case of peroneal tendonitis from running too far too soon as I begin training for my half-marathon. It’s not particularly bad, but it is annoying as hell, because it makes it much tougher to train. I have to look for low impact alternatives to running… but I actually enjoy running. (Weird, I know; I never though I’d like it either.) So, for the next couple weeks, I’m back on cross-trainers at the gym instead of treadmills and tracks. Hopefully by the time we move to Austin I’ll be ready to go again. (And down there I won’t have to worry about running in the snow.) I guess recurring sports injuries are life’s way of telling you you’re getting older.

 

Speaking of getting older, my Spurs are a little shaky right now. Manu is still out, Timmy is hurting and they’re in a bit of a free fall in the standings. But I’d rather have them struggle now than in the playoffs, and I still think they have time to right the ship.

 

And it’s not all bad news. I expect to finish Dynasty of Evil this weekend and send it off to my editors, and the Masters is coming up. Plus, a month from now I’ll be out on a golf course somewhere in Texas, so I guess I shouldn’t complain.

 

But I still will.

 

Drew

 

 

March 10

Okay, I just got back from a short trip to Austin… had to find a new place to live since we’re moving there in a few weeks. I have to say, trying to arrange a mortgage across international borders is a major pain in the ass.

 

But I’m back now, and I’m busy trying to catch up on all my e-mails. So if you sent me something but haven’t heard back, please be patient. I should get to them all by the end of the week.

 

Finally, one more bit of actual news – they’ve released a preview cover for Dynasty of Evil, along with a short plot synopsis. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t really give anything away.

 

This isn’t necessarily the final cover, but I like the direction they’re going. Not that I get a lot of say in the matter… the publishers for the SW novels tend to pick the artists. Fortunately they went with John Jude Palencar, the same guy who did the first Bane novel’s cover.

 

Okay, that’s it for this update. See you in two weeks.

 

Drew

 

February 24

So… I promised a major update this week. Now, some of you have already figured it out, but for those of you who haven’t allow me to present… (drum roll, please)…. the very first

 

Mass Effect 2 Trailer!

 

Okay, from this point on I’m assuming you’ve seen the trailer, so if you don’t want any spoilers go click on the link before you continue!

Now, I know what you’re all thinking… WTF!!! SHEPARD CAN’T BE DEAD!!!

 

All I can say to that is… well, I can’t say anything, really. I will remind you to KEEP YOUR SAVE GAMES FROM ME#1. I will also say that I’m loving reading the forums right now and seeing people argue about whether Shepard is really dead, and coming up with theories to explain why he is or isn’t. Of course, we here at BioWare know the truth, so it’s all very amusing to us.

 

Now, for the love of God, Buddha, Thor or whatever Greater Power you worship, please don’t e-mail me asking for inside info about Mass Effect 2! You WILL NOT GET ANY!! In fact, let’s just get this out of the way right now:

Q: Is Mass Effect 2 finished?

A: No.

Q: When will it be finished?

A: I can’t tell you.

Q: Are you going to show it at GDC?

A: I can’t tell you.

Q: What about E3?

A: I can’t tell you.

Q: C’mon, Shepard isn’t really dead, is he?

A: I can’t tell you.

(see the pattern yet?)

 

So, there it is… probably the most interesting link I’ve had on this page in a while. Wait…what was that? You already saw the ME2 trailer? I just wasted your time? Okay, FINE! I’ll give you something else.

 

Let’s start with this: Mass Effect was recently nominated for a BAFTA award for Story and Character – click the link to see all the nominees. As to why the Brits are just nominating us now, it’s complicated. Let’s just say that the UK is a little befuddled with the timing of the last couple years’ worth of games.

 

What, that’s still not enough for you? Okay, one more bombshell… in 6 weeks I am MOVING from Canada down to the U.S. of A. That’s right – goodbye Edmonton, hello Austin, Texas.

 

Why am I moving to Austin? Hmmm, let me think. Year round golf. Driving distance to the Spurs home games. Houses that cost half of what they do here in Edmonton. Taxes about half of what I pay in Canada. $49 flights to Vegas. The question isn’t why am I moving; the question is what took me so long?

 

But fear not, because I’m still going to be working for BioWare. You see, BioWare has a (fairly) new studio down in Austin working on a little game called Star Wars: The Old Republic. So, does this mean I’m done with the Mass Effect series? No! I’m still working on Mass Effect 2, and I’ll continue to be part of the writing team even while I’m down in Austin.

 

However, at some point, I’ll be transitioning over to the SW:TOR writing team. So, let’s do this again:

Q: When will SW:TOR be finished?

A: I can’t tell you.

Q: Are you going to show it at GDC?

A: I can’t tell you.

Q: What about E3?

A: I can’t tell you.

(sound familiar?)

 

Okay, one final note before I go – I’m also updating my Star Wars blog. And I’m slipping a few juicy spoilers for the next Bane novel into the post. That’s right: if you want to get the spoilers you have to go read the latest SW blog entry. Yes, I am a bastard. Deal with it.

 

Drew

 

February 17

Okay, big news this update – we’ve locked down the title for the third Bane novel. And the winner is (drum roll please)… Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil. But even though we have the title, it’s still not coming out until December, so everybody keep their pants on. (Or not… whatever makes you happy.)

 

If you don’t like the title you can send e-mails to TellSomebody@WhoCares.net.

(Okay, that’s a joke, people. Don’t actually try and click on the link.)

 

I was hoping to have some more big news for you, too… but we’re still a few days away from me being able to talk about it. So, I’m going to do another update next week. (See how hard I work for my fans?) I can’t say much about it, but trust me: you don’t want to miss this.

 

In other news, my interview with Kim Alexander at Fiction Nation is airing this week. Check out the link for times and details, as well as the link to Kim’s review of Mass Effect: Ascension.

 

Speaking of reviews, Dave-Brendon de Burgh, who I did an interview with a while back, has just recently posted a review of Rule of Two on his website.

 

Okay, that’s all for now. Back next week with some MAJOR news. (Yes, it’s so big it’s worth shouting for.)

 

Drew

 

February 3

Wow – these weekly updates are killing me! Notice – I’m going back to the bi-weekly schedule again… that’s all I can handle. In fact, the only reason I did this update was to let people know when my interview with Kim Alexander at Fiction Nation is airing. You can check it out on Thursday, February 19 at 3pm Eastern on Sirius XM Book Radio (XM163). If you don’t get a chance to hear the interview, they’ll be posting a transcript a week or two later – I’ll provide a link when it goes up.

 

Apart from that, what else can I tell you? I’m still working on Darth Bane 3… and we should have a title for you next update. (Something to look forward to, I guess.) If you get PC Gamer magazine there’s a story in the next issues (due February 11) that mentions me… I’ll post more details next update, after the issue is out.

 

I’m also trying to sort through my backlog of e-mails. I’ve gotten a little behind on answering so please be patient and you should hear back from me soon. I usually try to answer within one week, but I’m pretty busy right now so it’s closer to 2 weeks for most e-mails. Sorry about that.

 

I’m also sorry about my crappy Super Bowl picks. I nailed the Steelers’ final score, but I whiffed big time on everything else. I missed the cover and the over/under… but at least the 4th quarter was exciting to watch. (I don’t know if it was exciting enough to make up for all my bets going up in smoke, but at least it wasn’t boring.)

 

Okay, that’s it until next time. Remember – Feb 17 for the next update. By then I hope to have the new Darth Bane title, plus a couple links to some other relevant breaking news. (I know… you’re tingling with excitement.)

 

Drew

 

January 27

A bit of a mini-update this week just to let people know about my upcoming interview with Sirrius XM Book Radio. I still don’t have the exact airdate, but it will probably be mid-February. I should know the air date when I do the interview on Thursday, so I’ll put it in my update next week. (By the way, don’t get used to these weekly updates. I’m way too lazy to keep this up.)

 

And, since I didn’t come through with the info I promised, here’s a couple other bits of news. The February issue of Official Xbox Magazine has named Mass Effect’s Bring Down the Sky as the best Downloadable Content of 2008. Game Focus also named Mass Effect PC as PC Game of the Year for 2008, and chose Bring Down the Sky as a runner-up for best Downloadable Content.

 

What – you already know how awesome Mass Effect is? Okay, how about some Super Bowl tips? Let’s see… I like the Steelers defense to dominate early and force Arizona into turnovers and lots of punts. I see Pittsburgh grinding out a TD, stalling for a couple FGs and scoring one big busted play TD like they always seem to. I also see the defense setting up or scoring an easy TD with a turnover. I see the cards getting 1 TD just because Larry Fitzgerald is a beast, and a couple of FGs. Let’s go with a final score of 27-13, as the Cards incredible run comes to a non-fairy tale ending. If I had to pick a player from each team to score the first TD, I’d go with Fitzgerald from the Cards (yeah, big surprise) and Mewelde Moore as a dark horse from the Steelers. (If you happen to be a gambler and you use my advice to make some cash, you can mail me a cut if you feel like sharing. If you lose money… well, serves you right for listening to me.)

 

Also, check out my FAQ Page to see an updated picture of yours truly. This was taken by someone at work; it’s an expression I often seem to find plastered on my mug as I make my way through life. I call it the “You must be fucking kidding me!” expression. (Yes, I swore. I’m a terrible human being. I’m corrupting your children. The f-bomb is the greatest threat to life as we know it. Seriously… you must be fucking kidding me!)

 

Okay, more info next update.

 

Drew

 

January 20

Okay, this is a pretty short update. But, as you can see up above, I’ve got another update coming in one week. Why is that, you ask? Well, I’m doing an interview with Kim Alexander from Sirrius XM Book Radio next week. The interview is going to focus on my Mass Effect work, both in novel and in audio book form. You can check out some info on Kim’s Show at Fiction Nation’s website.

 

The interview isn’t going to be live – it’s going to be recorded and played back later. The problem is, I don’t know when. Not yet. But I should know by next week (before I do the interview). So if I do an update next week then I can tell you (my loyal fans) when the show is airing!

 

Apart from that, I’m a little bummed that the Chargers finally went down to the Steelers. (Now I owe my friend a free meal.) Honestly, though, they went farther than I expected, so maybe they can build on this next year. Rivers is starting to make me think I was wrong about trading away Brees, and if Merriman and LT come back healthy (and if Sproles sticks around), the Chargers could be a team worth watching next year.

 

Of course, my disappointment over the Chargers is offset by the Spurs and their recent exciting win over the Lakers. I know it’s still regular season, but LA is the team to beat in the West… and San Antonio just beat ’em! (Now we’ll see if they can do it again on Sunday.)

 

I’ll also have a small Bane update next week, and maybe some other interesting news… along with my Super Bowl pick. (If you want to make money, you should probably just bet AGAINST whoever I pick. It’s been that kind of year.)

 

Drew

 

January 6

Welcome to a New Year, full of hope and promise. Not that 2008 was that bad for me. Actually, it was pretty damn good. But I have a feeling 2009 is going to be even better! (Yeah, my life is awesome. But come on – I deserve it!)

 

For one thing, my Chargers are still alive in the NFL playoffs. Honestly, I never thought they’d get this far. I don’t know if they can handle that tough Steeler defense, but as they proved last week – on any given Sunday, any team can win. (Except the Detroit Lions.) And, if they do win, a friend of mine who supports the Steelers is going to owe me a free dinner!

 

Another thing I love about 2009 is the fact that it’s an odd numbered year. And anyone who watches the NBA knows what that means – look out for the Spurs come playoffs! Actually, after that slow, injury-plagued start Duncan, Parker, Ginobli and friends are right where I like to see them: one of the elite teams in the league, but still a bit of a dark horse when compared to the Lakers, Celtics and Cavs. They just quietly keep winning games. Nothing flashy, but it’s damn effective. That pretty much sums up the Spurs ever since Duncan arrived – methodically brilliant.

 

As for me, I’m back at work now. BioWare traditionally gives the employees 2 weeks of holiday at Christmas, so we get a bit spoiled. But we’re back at that digital grindstone, churning out the next great gaming experience. And I’m still plowing away on the third Bane novel. Things are going well so far. I’ve even started kicking around a few titles… but I’m not going to spill the beans on them yet.

 

Finally, to end this update I’m going to share my two New Year’s resolutions with everyone.

1 – This is the year I will break par on a golf course.

2 – I’m going to run the Las Vegas half-marathon in December, and I’m going to finish it in under 2 hours.

 

I figure if I publicly announce my resolutions, the fear of shame and ridicule if I fail will inspire me to keep working at them. Believe me, I need all the help I can get – especially after my first training session on the treadmill. So, in addition to my normal updates about writing, video games, sports and other stuff, you’re also going to hear about my on-going progress as I work towards the big race in December. (And once golf season starts up again, I’ll probably post info about that as well.)

 

Okay, that’s all. Hope everyone had a great holiday season – back in a couple weeks.

 

Drew

 

December 23

Welcome to the last update of 2008! We’re only a couple of days away from Christmas, and it is COLD here in Alberta. We’re hovering around -25 Celsius, and on Christmas Day we’re supposed to drop as low as -33 (that’s -27 Farenheit). Needless to say, there has been no golfing.

 

There’s an interview posted with me over at the Escapist magazine. The title is a bit scary (The Greatest Shame of All), but it’s actually a good article about novels based on video games. A couple of the facts aren’t bang on (the Darth Bane novels aren’t really based on the KOTOR games, for example), but at least I’m getting some good publicity.

 

Speaking of novels based on video games, I just received the audio book of Mass Effect: Revelation, as read by David Colacci. Anyone who clicked the link to the novel will notice that the second Mass Effect novel, Ascension, is also out in audio book, but I haven’t received any copies yet.

 

It’s a strange thing for me to hear someone else read my work – I always have a certain voice inside my head that sounds suspiciously like me. But David Colacci is a very well established name in the audio book field – you can check out his profile on the AudioFile website. In case you’re curious, it takes 9 hours to get the full Mass Effect: Revelation story read to you. So if you’re planning any long cross-country drives or flights over the holidays, this could be a good way to pass the time.

 

In non-writing related news, the Chargers still have a chance to make the NFL playoffs if they can knock off the Broncos this weekend. I’ll be honest, the Chargers don’t deserve to be in the playoffs this year… but neither does Denver. So if the Bolts can sneak into the post-season with a win, I’ll take it. Because once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.

 

If the Chargers get on a hot streak and win the Super Bowl and go down as the worst Super Bowl champs of all time, I’m fine with that. The Chargers are favored in the game against Denver (it’s in San Diego) but given the way this NFL season has gone, I’m not counting this one as a win yet.

 

On that note, I’ll just wish everyone a happy holiday season as I return to working on the still untitled Darth Bane 3 novel. I’ll be back (hopefully with some big news!) early in the New Year.

 

Drew

 

 

December 10

Whoops – I’m a couple days late with this update. In my defense, I’ve been crunching a little at BioWare as we move towards our Christmas break, and I am in the middle of writing the third Darth Bane novel. Plus, I just got back from Vegas on Friday.

 

Had a great time in Sin City. I actually made money for a change. Cashed in a poker tournament, made a little in craps – which never happens! – and I hit huge on the blackjack tables. I have to confess, playing at the Planet Hollywood Pleasure Pit has become a bit of an addiction for me. Beautiful women in sexy lingerie giving me money just never grows old.

 

The golf on the trip was… erratic. I couldn’t put 18 solid holes together. (My wife Jennifer, however, played great. In fact, she came with a couple of strokes of beating me straight up on the last 9.) I wasn’t really surprised: I hadn’t swung a club in over a month. That’s the curse of the Alberta golfer I guess – you never quite get to realize your full potential.

 

Speaking of full potential, the Spurs are healthy and starting to look like a force to be reckoned with. Sure, they’re not tearing it up like the Lakers, Celtics and Cavs, but they’re playing good basketball. I love them being in this position – just below the radar. Hopefully they can stay here all season, then make another run for a championship in the spring. (I’ll probably make my way down to San Antonio to see a playoff game or two this year…)

 

Not sure what else I can talk about right now. I thought there would be a couple new interviews with me posted on the web by now, but they’re still not up so… I guess that’s it.

 

Next update on Christmas Eve-eve. (That’s the 23rd.)

 

Drew

 

 

November 24

Well, it’s now been about 4 weeks since I went golfing. I’m getting a little bit of “the itch”, but fortunately I’m going to Vegas next week, so I’ll get to swing the sticks! (Now I’ll see if my swing is holding up, or if winter deterioration is already setting in!)

 

Not much new to report on the writing front. Still plugging away on Bane 3, still churning on ME2. No new interviews yet (though I’m working on a couple that should be up before Christmas). So all I can offer is a link to NHLFreak.com – a hockey blog site run by a friend of mine. If you want to see why I gave up watching NHL hockey, you can check out the entries with “Fundamentally Flawed” in the title. (This is also my take on why the NHL isn’t ever going to be popular with North American audiences.) The first post was back in October; check out the archives section on the right of the page to find it.

 

In other sports news, the Chargers continue to struggle. The Spurs, on the other hand, have clawed their way up over .500 despite injuries to both Parker and Ginobli (their top two scorers last season). Comparing the Chargers and Spurs, you can really see the difference between a team with talent and a team with heart. The Spurs could have packed it in when Parker went down – they were already 2-5, and they knew Manu wasn’t coming back for weeks. But they fought back, Duncan shouldered the scoring load and they worked their asses off. Honestly, I didn’t think they’d be anywhere near .500 approaching December – that’s heart.

 

The Chargers, on the other hand, keep losing close games. They still have a ton of talent, but they don’t make the big play at the key time. They can’t get stops on defense. They settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. Sure, they’ve gotten some bad calls and some bad breaks, but that’s a part of sports. You suck it up and play through… and even though it kills me to say it, I just don’t think the Chargers have the heart to do that game in and game out.

 

The worst part is, the division they’re in is SOOOOO terrible that they still have a chance to catch Denver and make the playoffs. I hope they make it, but I’d also be a little ashamed if they did. This team doesn’t deserve to play in the post-season. Not unless they can find some hidden reservoir of fortitude that they haven’t shown so far.

 

Okay, enough complaining. Look for some more ‘writerly’ related news next update.

 

Drew

 

November 11

Okay, it’s Remembrance Day here in Canada. (I believe they’re celebrating Veteran’s Day down in the States.) But though it is a national holiday, I’m not taking any time off – I’m way too busy!

 

I’ve got approval on the outline for the third Bane novel, so I guess you can mark this as official notice that I’m starting the “real” writing. I’m also still churning hard on Mass Effect 2. But I still found time to do an interview for the South African website of Dave Brendon.

 

Beyond that, I’m seriously lamenting the lack of golf. We actually had snow here today in Edmonton. Only a couple inches, but still enough to piss me off. Gotta get the snow tires on. I can’t even take solace in the NFL or NBA, as the Chargers are still under .500 (though they have a legitimate shot at the playoffs), and the Spurs are off to their worst start in 30 years. (But I haven’t given up faith in my Spurs. Injuries have hit them hard, but they’ll still make the playoffs… and then the time off for all the injured players might actually be a blessing.)

 

Okay, I guess that’s it for this update. Not much to report, but would you rather have me writing blogs, or working on the next Bane novel? Yeah, thought so.

 

Drew

 

October 27

Darth Bane: Rule of Two goes on sale tomorrow in paperback! Hurry, order it now! Buy two, they’re cheap! I’ll wait… still waiting… okay, fine. Buy it on your own time, at your own leisure.

 

On to the latest update. Let’s see what else is new, other than the paperback release of Darth Bane: Rule of Two. (See how I snuck in another plug for the book – tricksy, tricksy, I am.) Well, the still unnamed third Darth Bane novel is now “outline complete” and in the hands of my editors at Lucas Books and Del Rey/Random House. Hopefully they like what I’m doing and give me the thumbs up to begin writing the final manuscript.

 

Also, I recently got my hands on a German version of Mass Effect: Ascension. Not sure when these went on sale, but pretty cool nonetheless. (Interestingly, the German version has roughly the same page count – but the pages are about 30% wider, and the type is smaller. It’s a very verbose language, I guess.)

 

Let’s see, what else? Oh, yeah… apparently there was some kind of big video game news. The worst kept secret in the gaming industry is now officially out of the bag: the BioWare MMO has been announced as Star Wars: The Old Republic. Click the hyperlink to check out the website.

 

Now, I know many of you are dying to know details about the game… but I can’t tell you anything beyond what’s posted on the website. So stop asking! If you want details, go to the website.

 

I will say that I’m not working on SW: ToR right now – I’m still hard at work on Mass Effect 2. (But who knows what the future holds?) However, the lead designer on SW: ToR is James Ohlen – the lead designer and one of (if not the) primary creative force behind Kotor and the Baldur’s Gate series. So rest assured, Star Wars: The Old Republic is in very good hands.

 

Okay, that’s all for now. (Yes, I’m ignoring the recent crappy play of the Chargers. Thank God the NBA starts soon. Gooooo Spurs!)

 

Drew

 

 

October 13

Happy Thanksgiving. Yes, that’s right… it’s Thanksgiving up here in Canada. For those of you down in the U.S., you have to live with the shame of knowing we celebrate Thanksgiving a full month before you. And for those of you outside of North America, weep that you don’t get a free holiday because your ancestors narrowly avoided starving to death after traveling to a new country.

 

Darth Bane Update:

The third Darth Bane novel is now tentatively scheduled for a December 2009 release. I still don’t have a title, but I’m almost done the outline. Once it goes through all the necessary approvals, I’ll jump straight into the writing. Also, Darth Bane: Rule of Two is scheduled for paperback release on October 28th. If you didn’t buy it in hardcover, now’s your chance to get it in paperback. Makes a great Christmas gift! (Or a Halloween gift. Or a late Canadian Thanksgiving gift. Just buy a damn copy, already.)

 

Thanksgiving always bums me out, because it means golf season is winding down here in Edmonton. It really sucks, because I’ve shaved a full stroke off my handicap in the last month and now the season is basically over. That’s the curse of being a Canadian golfer, I guess.

 

But it isn’t all bad news. The NFL is in full swing (and the Chargers got a big win last week), and the NBA is only a few weeks away. (Go, Spurs!) And, as I mentioned earlier, only a couple more weeks until the paperback version of Rule of Two hits the shelves.

 

To tied you over until then, here’s an interview I did with a website called Immortal Darkness. We chat about writing in general, Star Wars and Mass Effect. Check it out for your weekly “Drew” fix.

 

Drew

 

September 29

Wow – quite the reaction since I announced the new Bane book. Thanks for all the e-mails and posts on my Star Wars blog; it’s good to know the Bane fans are still out there. Imagine if I had mentioned any details, like what it was about or when it was coming out…

 

So, what’s up in the world of Drew right now? Well, I just got back from Vegas. That’s right: Vegas, Baby! Gambled, golfed and gorged myself on buffets and steak and lobster dinners. It was an homage to gluttony. And if you’re wondering how I did at the gambling, let’s just say I lost enough money that the hotel offered to comp me for 3 nights next time I’m in town. (Hey, if you walk away from Vegas with money, you didn’t do it right.)

 

In the NFL, the Chargers are starting to claw their way back towards the top of the division. It hasn’t been pretty, but I think they needed a little humility in their lives. Hopefully they’ll be stronger for it. (I’ve got a deal with a buddy of mine who’s a Pittsburgh fan: if the Chargers and Steelers meet in the playoffs, we go to the game. God, I hope it’s in San Diego…)

 

Finally, here’s an interview with me and Mike Laidlaw, another BioWare writer, in the Edmonton Journal. Funny enough, the article debuted the day after my Bane announcement – interesting timing.

 

Okay, that’s it for this update. Now that I’m back from vacation and the golf season is winding down, it’s time to concentrate on the work that pays the bills. I’ll be burying myself in the worlds of Mass Effect and Star Wars for the next six months or so… at least until the local courses open up on temp greens again.

 

Drew

 

September 15

So, what’s the big news today? Hmmm… oh, yeah.

 

There will be a third Darth Bane novel!

 

The story that began in Path of Destruction and continued in Rule of Two will (possibly) come to a thrilling (and likely bloody) conclusion in the third Bane novel called… well, I don’t actually have a title yet. Or an outline. Or any other relevant details.

 

Come on, give me a break. Rule of Two isn’t even out in paperback yet. I mean, I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Playing with ideas. But I never bothered to lock anything down. (I’m a terrible procrastinator. Without a deadline looming, I tend to let things slide.)

 

Do I know what’s going to happen to Bane and Zannah? Yes… on a very general, very high level. But it’s going to be a while before I have the details worked out.

 

So I know what you’re all wondering: will Zannah kill Bane? Will Bane kill Zannah? Will we meet any other apprentices? Sorry, but I can’t answer any of those questions. I don’t even know exactly when the novel is scheduled for release (although I think winter/spring of 2010 is a good bet). I will tell you that I need to have the manuscript done by March, so that gives me plenty of time to put together a worthy successor to the first two novels.

 

Okay, I want to end this on a positive note, so I’m going to stop right here. I won’t lament the crazy calls that burned the Chargers this weekend (though I think their inability to get key stops late in games is a bigger issue). I won’t bitch about how my golf game is on the verge of becoming AWESOME just in time for winter to kill my progress. And I won’t mention that the Spurs have a tough road ahead in a stacked Western Conference, especially with Ginobli on the shelf for the first part of the season.

 

Instead, I’ll just remind you all that the paperback version of Darth Bane: Rule of Two is coming out in October, and I’ll thank all the great fans who bought the first two Bane novels… it’s because of you that the saga will continue.

 

Drew

 

September 3

Ugh… golf season is winding down here in the Great White North. I hope we get a nice stretch of weather in September, because the last two weeks of August were windy, wet and cold.  (Huh… just checked out my last blog entry, and I was complaining that it was too hot. Guess I’m just a whiny bee-yotch. Oh well; deal with it.)

 

One good thing about the fall weather, though… it means the NFL is starting up again! Maybe the Chargers can finally make it over the hump this year. And NFL means it’s only a couple months until the NBA begins… and my beloved Spurs take another shot at the title. (I know they’re getting a little long in the tooth, but I think they have another good run or two in them.)

 

What’s that? Oh, you want something RELEVANT in this update? Okay...

 

So, I’ve finally updated my Star Wars Blog with some thoughts on the sales numbers of my Mass Effect novels versus my Star Wars novels. Check it out if you’re interested in that sort of thing. I’ve also done an interview with EU Cantina – PODCAST is available for download. We chat about KOTOR, Mass Effect, Darth Bane and more.

 

That’s all for now. See you in a couple weeks.

 

Drew

 

August 18

Okay, I’m back for another update. Happily my cold seems to be gone, but now it’s so damn hot here I can’t sleep at night. (Most people don’t have AC in Edmonton, since you only need it about 2-3 weeks each year. Unfortunately, this is one of those weeks.) Thank Jeebuzz the golf game is back where it should be, or I might end up going postal.

 

Anyway… Mass Effect: Ascension still seems to be selling well in the third week since release. Judging by feedback on the BioWare Forums, the on-line reviews at various sites and the e-mails I’m getting, people seem to like it even better than the first one. However, I found it funny that some of the reviewers at sites like Amazon or Barnes and Noble say they really enjoyed the novel, but then deduct points off the rating because the feel it doesn’t continue the story line from the game.

 

I’ve done my best to manage expectations and make sure everyone understands that the adventures of Commander Shepard will NEVER be in one of my novels… YOU get to choose Shepard’s course in the game – that’s YOUR story. The novels are meant to expand and broaden the Mass Effect universe by telling a different story, so they will never simply recount events in the game. (Okay, never say never… but as of RIGHT NOW, that will never happen. Unless something changes. I’m not above selling out for the right price.)

 

But that doesn’t mean the books have no connection to the games. Anyone who reads Revelation can see how it set the stage for the first Mass Effect game. Ascension does the same thing for the second Mass Effect game. It’s actually a bit frustrating when I see people complain that the second book doesn’t tie in with the game story line, because it DOES! I know it does, because I’m writing them both. You WILL see some of the characters, species, locations and story lines from Ascension in the second game. And once ME2 is out, a lot of people are going to realize they didn’t give me enough credit. I guess that’s my cross to bear: artistic genius is never fully appreciated in its own time. (Wow, I guess the heat is making me bitter and sarcastic. No, wait – that’s just me.)

 

Seriously, though – thanks to everyone who’s purchased Ascension and thanks for all the e-mails, reviews and forum posts from fans. In somewhat related news, I finally got some updated sales numbers for Mass Effect: Revelation. We’re up around 70,000 copies sold in the first 9 months. It’s not quite up there with the Star Wars sales, but they had 30 years to build a fan base, so I think 70,000 in less than a year is pretty damn good.

 

I was actually hoping Ascension would sneak onto the paperback bestseller lists, but that didn’t happen. Maybe if we do another one it’ll break through. I’m going to look at the comparison of my Mass Effect and Star Wars sales numbers in greater detail in my Star Wars Blog next week, so if you’re into that kind of stuff you might find it interesting.

 

Okay, off to the sweltering sweat box that is my bedroom.

 

Drew

 

August 11

I’m fighting a wicked summer cold, so not much of an update this week. Mass Effect: Ascension has hit the shelves, and initial reaction seems good. That’s about all I can muster… off to bed. I’ll be back next week with a real update.

 

Drew

 

July 28 Mini-Update

Happy Birthday me! I turned the big 37 today. To celebrate I skipped work, golfed 36 holes (first round okay, second round terrible), ate some cake and watched ATHFCMFFT  (click the Wikipedia link if you have no clue what I’m talking about.) All in all a good day.

 

But the real fun begins tomorrow when Mass Effect: Ascension goes on sale at bookstores across North America! If you’ve already ordered your copy, great! (And thanks.) If you’re still not sure, check out the Sample Chapter posted by the good people at BioWare. You can go to the Mass Effect forums to talk about it, too.

 

Okay, that’s all I’ve got. The whole point of this update was to give you the sample chapter link and promote Ascension one last time in the hopes it will have a huge opening week.

 

Drew

 

July 20

We’re coming up on the release date for Mass Effect: Ascension. I received a couple preview copies already, and I’m really happy with how the cover looks. There should be some sample chapters and previews being released right away to promote the book, but I don’t have the details yet. That’s why I’m doing another update on July 28 – come back and I’ll provide links and info so you can get a peek before you buy the novel! (And you’re all going to buy the novel, right?)

 

I’ve also updated my  Star Wars blog a couple times in July, so you might want to check those out if you haven’t seen them yet.

 

In other news, BioWare showed off Dragon Age at the big E3 trade show this past week. You can get details on the game from the Dragon Age website. I’m excited about Dragon Age, because it’s one of the few BioWare projects I haven’t worked on. Although I’ve seen the story at various stages of development, this is one game I’ll be able to enjoy as a fan rather than as a developer. I’m looking forward to it.

 

There’s also been a lot of recent speculation about the BioWare Austin project, but I can’t comment on that. Don’t even bother asking, because I can’t say anything.

 

Finally, one last note – I registered my first hole-in-one on the golf course last weekend! It was Saturday evening at the Sherwood Park golf course (a nine hole muni). It was a short hole – only 115 yards – and I slam dunked my tee shot right in to the cup. I couldn’t actually see it go in because the base of the flag was obscured by a raised bunker in front of the green, but I heard it smack the flag. My wife – who was standing on the women’s tees off to the side – actually saw it go in. (On a side note, she also broke 50 for the first time for 9 holes that round, so it was a good day all around.)

 

Still waiting to break par for a full 18 hole round, though… and my handicap is actually getting worse. I started the season around a 9 and now I’m up to about a 12. It hasn’t been pretty. I’m hoping the hole-in-one marks a turning point where I start to get back into form. And even if it doesn’t, at least I got a hole-in-one!

 

Okay, that’s all for now. Remember – mini-update next week!

 

Drew

 

July 6

Okay, it’s been a while since my last update. Since then, I’ve been working on the golf game (results have not been satisfactory) and my own non-Star Wars, non-Mass Effect novel. I’ve been kicking this thing around off and on for many, many years, but I think I might finally get it done and off to a publisher (or agent) this summer.

 

I’ve also received an advance copy of Mass Effect: Ascension. Looks good. The release date is coming fast (July 29!), and I’m hoping I’ll have some news (and, with luck, maybe even an excerpt) from the novel for the next update.

 

I also managed to squeeze in a few interviews since the last update. The first is an article for Robot Rabbit – it’s the second part of an examination of diversity in the video game industry. So if you want to hear this particular middle class, white-bread male’s thoughts on diversity in gaming, check the article out.

 

The other interview is located at the Escapist on-line. (Article was down for a bit while they do some maintenance – just check back in a day or two for more info.) The article focuses mostly on my Star Wars work, though it does look at some of my other projects as well. And if you’re into video games and you’ve never listened to Yahtzee’s Zero Punctuation review segments on the Escapist, check a couple of them out. Freakin’ hilarious.

 

Okay, other than that not much else to say during this update. I’ll probably be posting a new Star Wars blog next weekend (July 13), so give that a look if you need your Drew fix. Otherwise, see you in a couple weeks.

 

Drew

 

June 18

Mini Update: I’ve added the Galactic Binder link, and I’ve updated my Star Wars Blog.

 

Okay, lots of fun things going on right now. Congrats to my good friends Cookie and Dusty on the birth of their first baby! I’m not so much into the kid thing (the laughter of children cuts through me like a knife), but I’m happy for them. (And ecstatic that this hasn’t happened to me and my wife…)

 

I’m not going to spoil things like gender, name or anything like that, because Cookie has her own blog, and I don’t want to steal her thunder. Check it out now for all the details if you’re interested. You can also look back at her rantings…uh, I mean, thoughts… during the pregnancy. Be warned, though – she can swear like a sailor when she gets riled.

 

Also, congrats to the Boston Celtics for winning the NBA championship by *crushing* the Lakers. It’s too bad my Spurs didn’t make the finals, but maybe next year…

 

Congrats to Tiger Woods on winning one of the most interesting/intense/entertaining US Opens I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Sucks he had to destroy his knee to do it, but hopefully he’ll come back strong next year. (In the meantime, maybe Mike Weir and Stephen Ames can steal a couple tourneys while he’s out!)

 

Okay, enough life stuff. On to the real reason you’re here – an update on Mass Effect Ascension! We’re closing in on the release date, and I can finally tell you a little more about the story. I’ve already mentioned that Kahlee Sanders is back, but now I can admit that Cerberus – a radical pro-human military cabal the player can encounter during side missions in the first ME game – plays a crucial role in the story. And so do the quarians. And biotics. If you want the slightly spoilerish version of the plot that will be printed on the dust jacket, click on this link to the Del Rey posting, or check out the NOVELS section of my website.

 

There should be some excerpts from the novel coming soon, both on the net and in print, so hopefully I’ll be able to give you some links to those with the next update.

 

Also, I’m finally going to be updating my Star Wars blog this weekend (link at the top of the page). Check it out on Monday, as I probably won’t update it until Sunday night. And I’ll also be posting a link to an interview I did with Galactic Binder… but not until Saturday. (Yeah, I’m making you come back in a few days for an update on this update. I suck. Get over it.)

 

Drew

 

June 2

Time for my post Vegas report. In pool, the HK-47’s got our assess kicked. Out in the 3rd round. At the craps table, I got my ass kicked. On the putting greens of the golf course, I got my ass kicked. And the Spurs (with a little help from a questionable no-call from the refs) got their asses kicked. Yet despite all this, I had a great time last week. I saw some shows, enjoyed some golf, had a blast throwing away money at the casinos, and had some really fantastic meals. Vegas is my kind of town, baby!

 

In other news, Mass Effect PC is getting great reviews. Many of the reviewers actually think the PC version is better than the original. So if you haven’t played ME yet, now’s the time to check it out.

 

You also might want to check out the interview posted with me on Xbox360 Asylum. And check out the BioWare site sometime later in the week for a podcast where I answer a few more questions. (Podcast link now posted – may take a couple minutes to load. The first 10-12 minutes is a talk with Ray and Greg – my bit comes after that, about halfway through. )

 

Finally, I’ll be getting to my e-mails over the coming week, but they kind of piled up while I was away. So please be patient while waiting for a reply. Thanks.

 

Drew

 

May 25

I’m packing my bags for Vegas even as I type, so I’m only doing a mini-update this week. But, when I get back next weekend I’ll have a whole bunch of new stuff for you. I’ll let you know how things went for the HK-47’s in our big pool tournament, I’ll have a couple new interviews to link you to, maybe some more info on the novel… and hopefully the Spurs will still be gunning for back-to-back NBA titles.

 

However, before I get on that big ol’ jet plane and head down to Sin City, here’s one “official” link to tide you over: Mass Effect is coming to the PC May 28! If you didn’t play it on the Xbox, now’s your chance to check it out.

 

Drew

 

May 11

Time for another update. The golf game is showing some real potential; I think this is the year I break par for 18 holes. My Spurs are in tough against a very talented New Orleans team in the NBA playoffs; hopefully they can prevail. And, of course, I promised in my last update that I would have something special for you this time around. So, without further ado… here is the cover for Mass Effect: Ascension, the second ME Novel.

 

(Cover moved to the NOVELS page of this website.)

 

Pretty sweet, right? I’m very pleased with how the cover turned out – my thanks to Derek Watts (Art Director for ME) and Casey Hudson (Project Director for ME) for pulling this together.

 

Now, I realize some of you may have already seen the cover, so you may think this update is a bit of a let down. But don’t despair - I’m going to do a little Q&A session about the novel, too. So as far as updates go, this is pretty good (at least for me).

 

Q: When does Mass Effect: Ascension come out?

A: Release dates is July 29, 2008 (1 day after my birthday). You can pre-order at Amazon or Barnes and Noble right now! (Go ahead – pre-order then come back. I can wait.)

 

Q: Is that Tali on the cover?

A: That is NOT Tali on the cover. It is, however, a quarian. Yes, quarians play a very important role in the novel, and you will get to learn a lot more about their species and their culture. However, you won’t see Tali or Shepard or any of the squad members from ME in the book. The stories of Shepard and his (or her) squad members are being told in the games, and I don’t want to retell those stories in the books. (Besides, those stories are influenced by the choices you make as a player, so I don’t want to impose my version of the narrative on anyone.)

The novels focus on other characters and events in the Mass Effect universe (it’s a big place, with lots of cool stuff going on). I do make reference to events from the game, but this story stands on its own.

 

Q: Who are those three people at the bottom? And what are they running from?

A: Okay, without giving too much away I’ll say the woman on the left is Kahlee Sanders from the first book. The other two are new characters you haven’t met yet. And I can’t really tell you why they’re running without giving too much away.

 

Q: What else can you tell me about the novel?

A: I can’t really give you a detailed plot teaser yet. Maybe next update. But I can say that the novel is set a couple months after the events of the first game, and lays some groundwork for the second game. You’ll meet characters and organizations that will play a very significant role in the second ME game, and the novel will give you a deeper look into their backgrounds and motivations. I also take a much deeper look at biotics, and the implications of this amazing phenomenon on humanity and the galaxy as a whole.

 

Other than that, all I can say is that it’s my typical fast-paced story with some interesting – and a few morally questionable – characters. Like the first novel, it has some dark moments, and more than a few scenes of graphic violence. (Dark characters and graphic violence seem to be a hallmark of my writing… not sure why that is.)

 

Basically, if you liked the first book I figure you’ll like the second. If you didn’t like the first book… well, uh… I’m sure I fixed all the issues you had with the previous novel, and I honestly believe you should fork over more $$$ to pick this one up. I’m not just saying that so I’ll get more royalties. Not at all. I would never do that. Ever.

 

Q: Do I have to play the game before I read the novel? Do I have to read Mass Effect: Revelation to understand this book?

A: Mass Effect: Ascension is a stand alone story. I think people who have read Revelation or played the game will get into the setting more easily, and they might get more out of it – they’ll appreciate some of the nods to the first book and the game. But it’s not a requirement.

 

Q: You said earlier you make reference to events in the game. How do you do this if player’s can change what happens through their choices?

A: With the second Mass Effect game, we’ll be able to look at your choices as a player and adjust the narrative accordingly. Obviously, I can’t do that with the book. So when I reference things from the game, I do it in an open-ended or ambiguous fashion. Is that a cop out? Maybe… but I think if you read the book you’ll see that I get across the most important elements without compromising the Mass Effect game story or the ME: Ascension plot.

 

Q: With the book releasing in July, what does that mean for the release of the next game?

A: Nothing. There is ZERO correlation between the release of the novel and the game. The game is on its own schedule; it will be ready when its ready. As with all BioWare games, we will announce a release date only when we feel comfortable with the quality of the product. In other words, to sum up this disclaimer in the plainest language possible:

DO NOT ASK ME ABOUT THE RELEASE OF THE NEXT MASS EFFECT GAME!

 

Okay, that’s it for this update. Hope you enjoyed it, and I hope people are as excited for the release of Mass Effect: Ascension as I am.

 

Drew

 

April 28

Let’s start off with a little link to an interview I did for Imperial City On Line, a Polish Star Wars site. We talk a bit about Mass Effect, a bit about Star Wars and writing in general. Don’t worry if you don’t speak Polish (I don’t either) – the interview is in English. Go ahead and check it out if you’re jonesing for a Drew fix.

 

Now, on to the update:

The last two weeks have been a little up and down for me. On the plus side, the NBA playoffs have started, and my Spurs look to be in good shape with a 3-1 lead over the Suns in round 1… hopefully they’ll close it out in Game 5 back in San Antonio. Also, I’ve been out to the range and my experiment this year to develop a draw instead of a fade in my golf game shows real promise.

 

On the down side of things, the HK-47s got slaughtered in the Edmonton city billiard championships. We’re still going to Vegas at the end of May, but we’re going with a helping of humble pie to see us off.

 

And, worst of all, it SNOWED here in Edmonton. And not just a light, fluffy powder. We had almost two feet of the damn stuff! And it stayed for 10 days! I’ve been waiting five $#@! months to get back on the golf course, and then it @#!#$ snows in the middle of April!

 

Sometimes I think that if I had a time machine, I’d go back to my ancestors who decided to settle in Alberta and slap them up-side the head until they moved a thousand miles south.

 

As for work, personal projects, and all that other stuff… not much new to report right now. I’m kind of in a lull at the moment, but there may be some big news coming down the pipe for the next update. We’ll just have to wait and see. (See, that’s called a teaser…)

 

Drew

 

April 14

Wow – it’s been a busy two weeks for me. Sunday I watched the Masters (congrats to Trevor Immelman) and took in some NBA action (my Spurs look a little out of sync right now… but just wait until the playoffs start next week!). I’ve also been working on my golf game (courses are just starting to open up around Edmonton), and I’m keeping my pool skills sharp for the Edmonton city championships and the VNEA Championships in Vegas in May. (It’s official now – the HK-47’s qualified for Vegas!)

 

Mixed in with all that, I also got a chance to go down to Austin for a few days. While I was down there I  got in some golf and I touched base with the folks at BioWare South. They’re working on some interesting stuff down there… but of course, I can’t talk about it, so don’t ask.

 

In official news, Mass Effect PC is coming out soon. Here’s an article you should read if you’re interested in the game over at IGN.  And there’s an interview with me and Mike Laidlaw (fellow BioWarian and Lead Writer on Jade Empire) over at the CVG website on the art of story telling in games.

 

As for what I’m working on right now in my free time (apart from my golf swing), I don’t have any “official” projects on the go. The Mass Effect sequel is done, and I haven’t gotten a contract for another Star Wars novel yet. So I’ve taken this time to try and complete my own original fantasy novel so I can send it out to a few agents. It’s kind of a weird position for me to be in: writing something that I don’t know for sure I’ll get paid for. And, with no deadlines looming over me it’s sometimes hard to bear down and put the hours in. But, on the other hand, it’s fun to write something that is 100% my own creation – it’s not based in anyone else’s world, and I don’t have to follow anyone else’s rules.

 

Of course, I have to balance this with my full time job at BioWare. Mass Effect 2 is in full swing, so I need to get my novel done before we start the long hours that seem to inevitably come with every video game project. And with summer coming, the fairways are calling to me…

 

Okay, that’s all for this update. Back to my novel.

 

Drew

 

March 31, 2008

Whoops - a little late with this update. But I have a good excuse: I’m lazy. Anywho

 

Not a lot to report with this update. Here’s a Globe and Mail interview with me and Casey Hudson (project director) about Mass Effect and writing/story in video games. Might be worth checking out.

 

And I’m heading down to Austin for a short visit next week. I’ll pop into BioWare’s offices there and say hi to some old friends, and I’ll get in a round or two of golf (I hope). It’s still piss-me-off cold here in the Edmonton area – below freezing at night, and only a few degrees above freezing during the day. Driving ranges are open, though, so I might have to sneak out of work early and work on my swing a bit.

 

That’s all I’ve got. Short week. But the NBA playoffs are coming, and it looks like it’s going to be a hell of a post-season! Go Spurs!

 

Drew

 

March 15, 2008

Okay, I’m back from vacation to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. A good trip overall – the food there is excellent! (If you ever visit, head up to the Rodney Bay area and try The Edge restaurant for both dinner and breakfast. I also recommend Buzz and Del Mare for dinner.) I didn’t golf particularly well, and I ended up with about 30 very itchy mosquito bites, but otherwise it was a much needed break from my hectic schedule.

 

And, on my return, I discovered my billiards team (the HK-47’s) was still in first place in our league! With only a few weeks to go, it looks like we’ll be qualifying for the 2008 International VNEA World Championships down in Vegas!

 

Here a couple more links people might be interested in. Here’s an article that mentions me before going on to explore stories in the video game medium. Also, the e-zine Canite Gamer has an interview with me this month. (Issue #3 – free to download as a pdf.) And finally, a few photos from the Elan Awards, including a couple shots near the end of me accepting awards on behalf of BioWare for Mass Effect.

 

Also, I’ll be updating my SW Blog next week sometime, so go ahead and check that out around Wednesday or Thursday for more info about what I’m working on now. I’ll also be addressing some rumors about certain BioWare projects… but you might not like the answers I give.

 

Drew

 

February 18, 2008

Wow! I just got back from the Elan Awards in Vancouver, where BioWare won 5 awards for Mass Effect, including Best Game, Best Writing and Best Character. I ended up having to buy a new suitcase to carry all the awards back to Edmonton… not that I’m complaining or anything. There’s a story on the awards and a short interview with me in the Vancouver Sun.

 

I’ve also done a few small updates to the web pages here. For example, the news now only shows updates from the current year. The rest of the updates have been transferred to the archive page (link above). And I’ve updated the FAQ page, rearranging the questions a bit and adding a couple new ones dealing with Darth Bane, Mass Effect 2 and how I got started as a writer.

 

Now, for a bit of a bummer update – Darth Bane: Rule of Two finally slipped off the New York Times bestseller charts. But it had a great run, debuting at #14, then going to #12, #17, #23, #25 and finally #26 before dropping off the list this week. Still, it was a great 6 week run!

 

As for my normal life, things are going along quite well. We’re in early production on ME2 and things are rolling along. The NBA All-Star game is over, and now basketball gets serious as teams gear up for the playoffs. I can’t wait to see if the Spurs can win back-to-back championships for the first time! My billiards team continues to lead our division as we push towards the end of the season, meaning we’ve got an excellent shot at winning another trip to Vegas. And golf season is slowly creeping ever closer.

 

One final note: I’m away for the first two weeks of March as I take my annual winter escape. This year we’re going to the island of St. Lucia. So no update until March 15th. Hopefully I’ll come back with tales of amazing golf exploits on this island paradise.

 

Drew

 

February 6, 2008

Okay, the update was a little late this time around. But I have a good excuse: I was completing the final draft of Mass Effect: Ascension. Well, that and watching the Super Bowl. For the record, I had the Giants to cover the spread, but I was as stunned as anyone to see them win.

 

As for Ascension… the manuscript is now done! (Hooray for me!) Currently the book is scheduled for a late July release, so it’ll still be a while until you can get it on the shelves. But don’t despair; there is more Mass Effect coming soon! (see below)

 

Speaking of Mass Effect (see above), BioWare just announced our downloadable content for Mass Effect coming in March. Finally fans will get to see the batarians from the Revelation novel in the actual game! You can get more info about Bring Down the Sky on the BioWare forums.

 

Mass Effect has also been nominated for a stack of awards by various organizations in the entertainment and video games industry. In fact, I’ll be attending the Elan awards in Vancouver on February 15th in the hopes of picking up some hardware. (The awards are hosted by Seth MacFarlane, the twisted genius behind Family Guy and American Dad, so it should be an interesting night.)

 

In other Drew news, Rule of Two is still on the New York Times bestseller list. The book is down into the mid 20’s now - the so called “secondary list”, as opposed to the top 15 sellers on the “main list”.  But I don’t care what they call it, the novel’s been on the list for five weeks now! Still no word on a sequel or a signing tour, but if I hear anything this website is probably the first place to get an update.

 

Finally, look for some changes to the webpage coming soon. Yes, it will still be ugly. But I’ll add a few more questions to the FAQ page (like how I got my start, and what the status on the next Bane book is), and I’ll set up an archive for the news reports so that this page isn’t so text heavy.

 

Okay, that’s all for me. In the last 30 months I’ve written 4 novels, 1 screenplay (un-produced) and Mass Effect, so I need to take a short break to recover. Later.

 

Drew

 

January 21, 2008

I’m hard at work putting the finishing touches on Mass Effect: Ascension right now, the sequel to the first ME novel, so I need to keep this update short. First, an update on Darth Bane: Rule of Two. After debuting at #14 on the NY Times Bestseller list, it climbed up to #12 for the second week! Right now it’s still on the list at #17… way to go, Bane fans!

 

Next, a couple interviews with me to let you know about that have been posted on the net. The first is at Fan Force Portugal – don’t worry if you can’t speak Portuguese, they have an English translation. The second interview is over at the Jedi Masters website.

 

Finally, I’ll be doing a live phone-in podcast over at the EU Cantina on Saturday, Feb 2nd, at 5 pm EST. Check out the link for all the details. (And if you have technical questions about how to phone in, ask at the website – they’re the ones running things, not me.)

 

Okay, that’s it for now. Look for longer updates in February, once I have a little less on my plate. And I apologize to everyone who’s waiting for e-mail responses from me. They will be coming… just be patient. Thanks.

 

Drew

 

January 7, 2008

Happy New Year! So far 2008 is shaping up to be a hell of a year for me. My Chargers finally won a playoff game, Canadian golfers Stephen Ames and Mike Weir both performed well in the first PGA event of the season, the NBA is in full swing and my billiards team is in first place.

 

Plus, Rule of Two is on shelves now… and it debuted at #14 on the New York Times bestseller list, and #10 on the Publishers Weekly list. I’m going to post more about this later in the week on my SW blog (check the blog around Friday for the update), but I’m obviously very pleased with this news. So a big THANK YOU to everyone who braved the winter weather to purchase Rule of Two!

 

I’m also pleased to announce that Mass Effect has won several Game of the Year and RPG of the Year awards, as well as topping 1.6 million in sales so far. Goooooo MASS EFFECT! I’m also hard at work on Ascension, the second Mass Effect novel and I’m back to the grind at BioWare as we being work on the second video game. Busy, busy, busy… but it beats the alternative.

 

I don’t have any information yet about a book tour for Rule of Two, but as soon as I hear anything I’ll let people know. I do, however, have several interviews scheduled at various websites over the next couple weeks, so I’ll post links to them in the next update.

 

Okay, that’s all for now. Hope you had a great 2007, and I hope you have a better 2008.

 

Drew