Profile: Laughing Moon Chronicles author Todd VanHooser

Todd VanHooser (Phoenix) is an author, educator, and game designer. Examiner.com caught up with him at RinCon '09 (Tucson), and later talked to him about his novel The Barren 12, the first part of the Laughing Moon Chronicles, and the game based on the book that he was running at the con.

The Laughing Moon Chronicles is an epic fantasy novel, but you've been appearing at gaming conventions running a game in that setting. Are you using a published rules set, or your own rules?

The Laughing Moon Chronicles Roleplaying game is based on a unique system I have spent many years developing and play testing. The system is accommodating to veteran players as well as those new to the gaming world. As an author and a creative writing teacher, it was very important to me to create not just a game, but an environment that would allow a story to prosper. My game is inspired by the fiction, and I encourage players to concentrate on truly bringing a character to life at the table—someone complete with personality, motivations, and back story. Game masters are encouraged to work structure and conflict into the plots of their adventures and campaigns to give a sense of story to the game. The rules system I have developed is a support network for this type of story.

How do you get started in roleplaying?

I’ve been fascinated by roleplaying games since I was in junior high school. Back then, Dungeons & Dragons was the coolest game any of us had ever heard of. The fact that most of our parents hated it made the game even more exciting! I’ve played numerous roleplaying games, but have always been most loyal to the fantasy genre. That…and Deadlands. I’m just a sucker for that one.

 When will the Laughing Moon Chronicles RPG be available?

We are currently working on the interior design of the gaming manual and hope to have that book out by the end of the year. It’s a great deal of work, and I’m adamant about producing a product that gamers will enjoy and one that I am proud of.

You've been partnering with educators to promote the Laughing Moon Chronicles as a way to promote literacy. Tell us a little about that.

In addition to being an author, I am also a high school English and Creative Writing teacher. This is a true passion of mine, and countless times I have seen a student awaken to a new world of imagination and wonder simply by reading a book. Our state is currently struggling with reading and writing scores, and in addition to testing low, our kids have a devastating lack of confidence. This lack of confidence is where we need to begin.

As an educator, I have come to believe that this is not due to a lack of ability…but a lack of motivation. As an educator I have the unique ability to impact kids’ lives on a personal level. It became my hope to use the fantasy series I had been working on for so long as a means to get these kids reading.

I hope to introduce new readers to this genre, and have used my writing as that vehicle to get those kids rolling. By incorporating relevant conflicts, vocabulary, and powerful themes into the writing I am able to offer an entertaining novel that actually uses what they are learning about in class. Furthermore, I have introduced the Laughing Moon club at school as an extra-curricular roleplaying activity. Games like this have a true educational value that too often goes overlooked. Players are exposed to the literary elements such as character, setting, plot, and conflict. Furthermore, they learn problem-solving skills, and see pieces of history and mythology rolled into the game. All of this comes packaged in a social setting that gets kids out of the house…away from their cell phones, computers and Playstations. They socialize, meet new friends, and often discover they have a lot more in common with others than they ever dreamed. Within two days we had 80 students sign up. My plan is to take this to other schools and try to show teachers, parents, and students what life is like under the Laughing Moon.

By exposing a younger crowd to this fantasy world that we love we might pave a path for some lifelong readers. And along this journey, maybe we can revitalize an industry in desperate need of a younger audience.

The question a lot of people at RinCon had, but were too polite to ask: What's the deal with the Laughing Moon Girls?

The Laughing Moon Girls—doesn’t that have a great ring to it? This started with a couple of very loyal fans of my first novel, The Barren Twelve. The girls decided to dress up in fantasy costumes for our first convention and had a great deal of fun roleplaying “in character.” From there our group has grown, and so has their enthusiasm. The girls have traveled with my wife and I to various conventions, and have become an important part of the Laughing Moon convention experience. Unlike other girls you might see at cons, these girls have read the books, played the games, and ultimately, are great big nerds at heart. The costumes you saw at RinCon were all hand made by the girls, and from what I understand they are hard at work making more. The Laughing Moon Girls have been a tremendous support to me, and our team has become something of a small family. Although certainly beautiful, the girls are some of the nicest and most sincere people you can meet at the conventions. They love talking to the gamers and convention attendees, so my advice is don’t be shy!