The Interview with Steve Miller that was Once Lost But is Now Found!
Greetings fellow Raistlins and Dragonlance fans! I am finally able to present "The Interview with Steve Miller that was Once Lost But is Now Found!".
Raistlehoff: First off, Steve, I'd like to start off with something at least somewhat serious. This is done purely for the benefit of those poor sods who have absolutely no clue as to who you are.
We'd like you to tell us a little bit about yourself. No, we don't care about your life story, or how you wanted to be a male model, but to get a little bit of background on how you came to be working for TSR and Wizards of the Coast before we get to the questions that people REALLY want to know the answers to!
Steve: In 1994, I was complaining to my gaming group that I was getting sick and tired of feature and review writing--at that time, I was working as a journalist and music critic. One of the players held up a Ravenloft product and said, "People get paid to write this. Why don't you try?"
I called Bruce Heard at TSR the following day, because he was listed as "Product Manager" in many of my favorite Known World/D&D products. He told me that I needed to become familiar with AD&D Second Edition, because D&D was in the process of being discontinued. He said I should then get back in touch and take the editing test. In the meantime, he encouraged me to submit to Dragon Magazine. I did. I also went to Gen Con for the first time that year, to meet people from TSR face-to-face, at the encouragement of Anne Brown who graded the editing test I submitted. I was hired for the TSR staff as an editor in November of 1994, before any of the freelance work I'd done for them, or any of the Dragon articles I submitted had even been formally accepted. (As I recall, the April 1995 issue of Dragon has a credit line on the table of content that reads "we liked Steve's article so much we hired him.")
Raistlehoff: What was it like working for TSR? WotC?
Steve: In both cases, working there was the best job I've ever had. I got to work on properties I loved, I got to do what I set my heart on doing when I was seven years old (writing), and I was adored by millions. Okay, maybe not that last part.
Raistlehoff: What unknown story of the DL saga do you wish you'd had the time and/or opportunity to write about?
Steve: There are so very many. I had some ideas for early adventures of Kitiara, during the rise of the Dragonarmies. I'd like to have written about Silvara and Gil finally getting it together. I would have like to have written about Linsha and Mercidith Redic ushering in a new age for the Empire of Ergoth. I would have liked to have written about Hogan Bight squaring off against the Knights of Takhisis in Neraka once and for all.
Raistlehoff: There are those that are severe critics of your works. Wouldn't you just love to take those people, string them up by their toes, and whip them with a wet noodle?
Steve: Not really. I have better things to do with my time, and most of those so-called critics had absolutely no idea what they were talking about because they had never even bothered reading a word of what I'd written.
Heck, even now when some of it can be accessed for gratis on my website, they can't be bothered to read it. I don't consider such people 'severe critics.' I consider them moronic blowhards.
Raistlehoff: If you could put something completely outrageous and funny into DL and have it be official/canon/generally accepted without fear of the consequences, what would it be?
Steve: Youthful exploits of Kitiara where she, as an up-and-coming Blue Dragonarmy officer is forced to work together with a pair of kender to retrieve a MacGuffin that would destroy the career of another officer to whom Kit's star is tied. A Kit/kender romance would be hinted at toward the end of the tale.
Raistlehoff: What's your opinion on lord soth? Where is he? Do you think he was given the respect he deserved, or is he still growing mold?
Steve: Lord Soth has a standing gig with my message boards, asking questions along with Iryl Songbrook when they are posed to them. (Here's the link, of anyone has a question for either Iryl or Soth. Dhamon and Palin have even stopped by. http://pub183.ezboard.com/fstevemillersbandfrm31.)
I don't think the character's use in War of Souls came even close to using him to his full potential. There were much better ideas for his use in some early outlines of those books that I saw.
Raistlehoff: If you had to cast Rocky Horry Picture Show using characters from Krynn, who would play what roles?
Steve: Beats me. It's been at least 20 years since I last saw that flick. Next question.
Raistlehoff: What would Krynn have been like if instead of "Dragonlance" it was "Turkeylance"?
Steve: I think PETA would be picketing Waldenbooks every November.
Raistlehoff: What would you choose as a theme song for the DL saga?
Steve: "We are the Champions" or "The Show Must Go On" by Queen.
Raistlehoff: What do you think of DL fans in general? What about AFDL fans in particular?
Steve: In general? I think DL fans and I have rarely been on the same page, or rarely even been able to speak the same language. Too many of them view Dragonlance as some masterful work of art that they can only admire from behind plexiglass and velvet ropes. For me, Dragonlance has always been a property that demanded audience participation, because I first experienced it as a game setting, and because it's always been the game setting that's held my interest. Too few Dragonlance fans seem to have any real desire to take ownership of the setting and get involved with creating their own versions of it in their games.
Raistlehoff: Who's your favourite afdl contributor? Why?
Steve: I love them all equally, but my favorite contributors are the ones who let Dragonlance spur their creativity and then who share that creativity with others.
Raistlehoff: Why do you stay on afdl when it's obvious you're a festering ball of hate? What's festering on you anyways?
Steve: Well, my presence in afdl has been sporatic to non-existent in the last couple of years. I've only, generally, stepped in when I've noticed a need to come to my own defense or to correct some of the bile-filled nonsense that certain "fans" like to spew on occasion, mostly because I have nothing new to add to any of the conversations. As for what's festering on me, that stays between me, my dermatologist, and the World Health Organization.
Raistlehoff: What do you think of us? Of DLU? Do you want to send us money and pay our wages?
Steve: If/when the various deadbeats who owe ME money pay it, I'll give this opportunity all the consideration it is due.
Raistlehoff: If the Raistlins came to visit your home en masse, what would you offer as refreshments?
Steve: Orange juice, apple juice, water, or Vanilla Nut coffee.
Raistlehoff: Pick a dragon, any dragon. Is he/she bodaciously sexy? Wasn't being Gilthanas watching Silvara in the lake a favorite fantasy of yours?
Steve: The only ones that come to mind are Khellendros (in his Shen Khoras ID), Silvara, and Firestorm (a red dragon from my own DL campaign who made it into Dragonlance 15th Anniversary in a Sanction). And, no, I don't fantasy about watching shape-shifting reptiles get nekkid in moonlit pools. I fantasize about catching up on my sleep these days.
Raistlehoff: If you had the opportunity to play Apocalyptic War Games with Krynn, where would you start? What would you do? Which HotL would return from the dead to do it for you?
Steve: I'd go back to ca. 355 and blow up whatever the hell island that those million-billion dark knights arrived from to invade Ansalon in 'Dragons of Summer Flame.' Failing that, I'd infect the blue Brutes with some horribly rotting disease so they'd never infest the rest of the world. I think the HotL shouldn't be used for such a quest, though. Lord Toede would be my guy.
Raistlehoff: When TSR management told you that you couldn't use AD&D for the 5th Age Dragonlance you were working on, did you want to set your hair on fire and run about the building naked at the thought of having to create a new game system?
Steve: Not really. I never thought that AD&D was the right system for the Dragonlance setting, an opinion born partially from the fact that I never really cared for AD&D. I did think it was a bad idea to not do dual-statted products, because I know gamers are a clannish lot who often can't see past the system to see the setting.
Raistlehoff: Did the TSR building really have a bar and grill named Lorraine's like Rohan Tolstrup seems to believe? Or was it more of a corner tavern where you could all go to drown your sorrows as the company got flushed down the toilet?
Steve: The bar and grill thing is one of several Rohan "insults" that I don't really get, so I'm not sure what to respond. There was a lunch room with vending machines and a microwave in the building, but we typically tended to hit Pizza Hut or a place called Butter Burger for lunch while I was at TSR.
Raistlehoff: What's with that cat-woman on your webpage? Is she available? Is she into half-kender demi-gods? Are you into half-kender demi-gods?
Steve: She seemed like a natural spokeswoman for d20 NUELOW (which, if I can find the time will become a full-blown reality this August or September. It seems that NUELOW's time has come around again, what with all these lame sex-oriented d20 releases that are being promised by various companies. I never thought NUELOW would look classy, but when I compare it to what's coming down the d20 System turnpike, or what's already out there, it is.
As for if the cat-woman is into kender demigods, I don't know. As for me, I might be. Do they bring their own beverages to parties?
Raistlehoff: The Kargatane. Just a bunch of freeloaders, right?
Steve: The ones within the Ravenloft setting, yes. As for the ones in the real world... Well, if memory serves, I made them buy me lunch at Gen Con one year, so I think that would make ME the freeloader!
Raistlehoff: From where did you get the inspiration for "fluffy wolfikins"? Are you fluffy? Do you have any wolfikins?
Steve: The fluffy wolfikins were one of those odd thoughts that just sort of sprang into being. I think it was just an excersize in coming up with the goofiest creature I could. There was a companion critter called flitters or flutterers that almost got written up, twice. First, around the time of the fluffy wolfikins, and second when the artist that illustrated Dragonlance Classics 15th Anniversary drew Laurana playing with some giant bugs. Those creatures reminded me of the flitters. Maybe some day.
As for if I have wolfikins, I think what I once believed to be a pair of cats are actually wolfikins.
Raistlehoff: And finally, everybody really wants to know: Will we ever see another appearance by the Sentient Beard?
Steve: I go beardless most of the time these days, because the Sentient Beard has fled. I think it was last seen on former US Vice President Al Gore a couple of years ago.
Raistlehoff: Well, there you have it! While we weren't able to get some more interesting followups to some of our questions, Steve sure had some interesting and weird things to say!
Well, I'm off to find my next interviewee to torture, umm, ahh, interview!
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