As I grumbled about in one of my recent Murmurs from the Megaverse, sales have started to fluctuate up and down a bit again, which makes for an emotionally harrowing week. We’ve all come to watch the day by day sales, so when they are high we feel positive, when they slip we start to worry.
Things are still rough, but we are getting through as best we can.
It is a bit frustrating, because the Christmas Surprise Packages are part of the reason books are getting delayed. The Surprise Packages are fun, create excitement, boost sales and make us and the recipients smile, but at the same time they drain our time from working on books. Funny, but every year we seem to forget how much time Christmas Surprise Packages (the signing of books, making and signing prints, selecting which books to ship, packaging and shipping) takes. We spend roughly HALF the week on them, and we are super-organized and efficient on how we do them. We have it down to a science. Don’t get me wrong, we love doing the Surprise Packages and welcome them. I’m thrilled that the folks ordering are so happy with them, as we try to make each special. Heck, we would miss doing them if they weren’t a continuing Palladium tradition.
Dad and me. I’m sorry to report that my Dad’s friend and apartment-mate, Arlene, is back in the hospital and seriously ill. That means my Dad has been back with me at my apartment since Monday morning. He’s a bit down and worried about Arlene (they’ve been friends for a long time), but hanging in there. His Wednesday chemotherapy treatment went fine, and he only has two more to go. Then it’s wait three months and pray that the cancer is gone and stays gone. As for his friend, Arlene, the doctors don’t know how long it will take to get her stable and home this time, so Dad may be hanging with me and the guys for a while. We’re all worried about his friend and wish her our best. Dad’s spirits are down and he’s pretty worried about her. He tends to be a worrywart as it is. My time has been divided between work and caring for my Dad, which has increased my stress level and decreased my work output, but hanging in there.
Hollywood keeps knocking on Palladium’s door. I got an email today from an independent film writer/actor inquiring about the status of the Rifts® Movie with Jerry Bruckheimer Films and the Walt Disney Company. I told him there was nothing new to report on that front. We are still waiting.
Meanwhile, I have been playing telephone tag with a small, independent Hollywood movie producer who is interested in a Palladium RPG line other than Rifts®. I haven’t spoken to him yet, so I don’t know how serious or interested he may really be, but it’s cool to have Hollywood taking some hard looks at Palladium Books and our intellectual properties. I hope to talk to him in the next day or two, so I may have more to report in our next Press Release.
I keep joking around that I want to see Palladium Books become the Marvel Comics of gaming. You know, to have one game book or game line after another get turned into cool, major motion pictures. Spider-Man and Iron Man quality, of course. You never know, it could happen. :) I just wish it would happen SOON.
I wish I could say Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Two: Dark Places™ was done and at the printers. We’re getting there. Cover’s done and posted for the first time in this press release. The cover is amazing. The artist, E.M. Gist and his wife think it may be his best zombie illustration ever. I might have to agree. It rocks. I’m getting there with finishing Dark Places™. Need to wrap it up. As soon as I’m done with it, I dive into Dimensional Outbreak™.
I guess Palladium’s roller coaster ride continues with its ups and downs. That’s okay, we’re here until the ride comes to a complete stop or reaches new heights of amazement. We’re rooting for the latter of course.
Hang in there with us. New books are coming, and they are better than ever.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher and Surrogate Santa
We are off to our biggest start in years. Folks love ‘em. Most are jam-packed with $90+ worth of product. You keep ordering them and we’ll keep signing books, pulling, packing and shipping them out.
The Special Print Set is now available upon request. Five special, never before published prints. Limited to a first come, first served basis, only 500 copies, each print signed by the artist. $40.00 value.
Don’t forget to take advantage of the Christmas Surprise Package for birthdays, anniversaries, as well as Christmas gifts for friends or for yourself (hey, you deserve it), as well as a way to fill in those holes in your collection.
The Christmas Surprise Package is ideal for Canada and Overseas Palladium fans, because even with shipping they are paying around the cover price for books, plus getting autographs and other goodies. We highly recommend folks overseas try to take advantage of this opportunity.
For more information and to order, click here.
K. McG. in Lehi, Utah, writes: My son just started playing with me. He’s 8 and loves all the Heroes Unlimited game books I’ve picked up over the years. His first character is the ‘Flaming Habenjero’ and he’s fighting the Atorian Empire. He is looking forward to his first Rifts® scenario sometime soon. Keep fighting the good fight and we hope you are around and successful for years to come.
J.L. in St. Petersburg, Florida, writes: Just wanna thank you guys. So many publishers are moving away from the specific world building that I love. You guys put out some of the best setting material around. It’s an art form that seems to be dying as many game companies seem to be moving more and more to rules intensive books or one book settings. The rich depth of 20 years of Rifts® books cannot be rivaled.
J.R. in Altamonte Springs, Florida, writes: You are doing great. I love the work everyone puts into your games. I hope your dad is ok, as well as you people at Palladium Books. Have a happy holiday and a great New Year.
J.B. in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, writes: Your ideas are unparalleled for their originality, uniqueness, and sheer awesomeness. You guys rock.
The horror issue arrived at Palladium last week and has shipped. Pre-orders were a bit higher than usual, so this might be one of those issues that sells out faster than most. It is certainly packed with adventure, monsters and fun role-playing source material.
The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.
A new chapter in the Zombie Apocalypse with additional resources, hiding places, modes of travel away from zombies, adventure ideas, zombies, other dangers and random tables.
When there is no place to hide and the dead are everywhere, where do you go? Who can you turn to? What happens next? What lurks in dark places?
Old Ones™ is back in print as a special printing available exclusively via Palladium’s online store.
Old Ones™ is an epic sourcebook packed full of information, people, places and ideas. Details about the Old Ones, the Minotaur R.C.C. (an ancient minion of the Old Ones), the Monk Scholar and Illusionist, 50 cities and towns mapped and described, adventure ideas and the epic Place of Magic adventure.
Author Carl Gleba has created another masterpiece brimming with ideas, new demons, new Deevils, new whacked out spaceships, new magic spells, more about Phase World, Center, the escalating Minion War and much more. Dimensional Outbreak™ is another exciting and surprise filled book in the Minion War™ series as war spills into Phase World®, the city of Center and the Three Galaxies™. The epic scale of the Minion War just got bigger and even the Worlds of Warlock, the Splugorth and Naruni are involved.
The core rule book you need to play. Second printing. This is the game that has restarted it all.
Jason Marker is done writing this exciting new Robotech® sourcebook. Next step is a quick edit and sending it off to Harmony Gold for their approval. This is another sourcebook jam-packed with new O.C.C.s, mecha, weapons, gear, and ideas to send your characters on amazing new adventures.
Most agree the Book of Heroes is one of the greatest magic artifacts in the Megaverse. Only one copy is known to exist, and everyone wants to get their hands on it – Demons, Deevils, the Splugorth, the Dominators, the Kreeghor, the United Worlds of Warlock and everyone in between. For it is said that he who wields the “Power of the 2000" can rule the universe.
Once protected by the Cosmo-Knights, the book has gone missing. No one knows its fate or the true power contained within its List of Heroes. No one except YOU – the new keepers of this legendary Rune book.
The book has met with excitement and strong sales. It looks great, is a fun read, and has plenty of new spells and stuff to drop into your campaigns. Get yours today.
The Heart of Magic™ is packed with new information, details and new insight about magic, P.P.E., the Palladium World, Men of Magic, Wizards, Warlocks, Priests, Familiars, true names, apprenticeship, scroll conversion, learning magic, new and different magic O.C.C.s, new Wizard and Warlock spells, and data that expands, defines and clarifies a number of aspects about the practice of magic in the Palladium Fantasy setting. Easy to adapt to Rifts® (just change S.D.C. damage to M.D. and you are ready to go).
Don’t forget, there are 90+ Palladium titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com.
Many are out of print Palladium book titles including the 1981 The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy, the 1985 The Mechanoids® RPG, the infamous Valley of the Pharaohs RPG, the original Rifts® RPG, Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Siege on Tolkeen™ series (also available as pen and paper books), Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™, the original Beyond the Supernatural RPG (with Erick Wujcik’s victims rules), Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS First Edition, the Palladium Fantasy RPG® 1st Edition and sourcebooks, the Palladium Weapon series, The Rifter® #1-40 (many still available from Palladium), Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook and other titles.
Check them out and get those books you’ve always heard about.
© Copyright 2009 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, The Three Galaxies, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.