Inside the mind of author Michael Marano

Just looking to see if this is legible….

I don’t care who knows this. I’m an author. A well-established Culture and Arts critic. An Instructor of Creative Writing. And I love Rose Estes’ Endless Quest/Dungeons & Dragons, “Choose Your Own Adventure” books for kids. I fucking ADORE them. It’s not like I grew up on them, because they first came out when I was already an adult. As of today, I’m the proud owner of all the entries in the series Estes wrote. A small triumph. But one that gives me a bit of joy.

For those who don’t know, Hasbro now owns Dungeons & Dragons. Recently, a document was leaked from Hasbro, the “OGL 1.1”, which will revoke and retroactively limit the rights of third-party vendors to create D&D content, superseding the first OGL (Open Games License) which has been around for decades, and has allowed third-party vendors to create amazing D&D adventures and products.

I’m old enough that when I first played D&D, my very first adventure was the very first commercially available module, Palace of the Vampire Queen by Pete and Judy Kerestan, published by their imprint Wee Warriors. It was a transformative experience, one I’ll never forget. In the early days, the D&D powers that be did not believe in the viability of pre-made modules. Wee Warriors were also the first to create commercially available character sheets. That’s right, you latte-slurping, corporate jerks at Hasbro… the very CONCEPT of pre-made adventures and accessories came from third-party creators. Everything that D&D became, beyond the basic rule books, had its origins from third parties. The OLG 1.1, if it does come to pass, is a slap in the face to the history of the game itself. If it comes to pass, Hasbro won’t get a dime from me, ever again.

I adored Major Matt Mason as a kid… the toys were based on actual NASA blueprints and prototypes. This was back when we were still going to the moon, still using funds from an equitable taxation system to fund space exploration, and vaccination programs were a matter of national pride. That’s the world I was born to. Now, I live in an America in which 216 million of its citizens are scientifically illiterate, in which millions believe in a flat earth, in which 40% of the population don’t believe in evolution, and 20% believe the sun revolves around the Earth. Economically, a line of toys that celebrated American knowledge and engineering and competence would not be feasible today.

Happy Valentine’s Day! I got bored and made a bunch of horror-themed memes. Send them to your Sweeties!!

I don’t care who knows this. I’m an author. A well-established Culture and Arts critic. An Instructor of Creative Writing. And I love Rose Estes’ Endless Quest/Dungeons & Dragons, “Choose Your Own Adventure” books for kids. I fucking ADORE them. It’s not like I grew up on them, because they first came out when I was already an adult. As of today, I’m the proud owner of all the entries in the series Estes wrote. A small triumph. But one that gives me a bit of joy.

Happy 2021, from Wally Brando:

“My family, my friend, I’ve criss-crossed this great land of ours countless times. I hold the map of it here, in my heart, next to the joyful memories of the carefree days I spent, as a young boy, here in your beautiful town of Twin Peaks.”

Used to see Ric Ocasek on Newbury Street, back when it had actual culture to offer. Couldn’t miss him, all 6′ 5″ and maybe 140 pounds of him. In the Avenue Victor Hugo Bookstore, with his ’80s hair teased up, it looked like he’d brush the ceiling. Truthfully, I was never a big fan of The Cars. I liked their stuff as catchy pop tunes, and that’s it. But I knew that Ric was fighting the good fight, giving _scores_ of Boston bands a leg up, with free studio time so they could cut demos (and maybe actual albums, not sure). He gave back, big time, to the scene that made him, and an argument could be made that without his help, the Boston scene in the ’80s might not have existed, or been much, much different. Never spoke to him. Never shook his hand to thank him for it. And tonight, I wish I had.