Nesmith & Hayday

[Le Noir Faineant]

Hello,

I wonder what became of the *original* Ravenloft creators, Bruce Nesmith Andria Hayday. Are they still in the writing business? -Because, after all, I never heard of them after the early 90s TSR business they did. I think it would be nice to hear from them, and to ask them for advise some time...

Has anyone heard from them or can tell how they are actually getting along?

Yours,

Rafael

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I don't really know anything about their recent work, but if you're looking for them, Hayday changed her name to Andria Cardarelle before writing To Sleep with Evil. I don't see anything else related to that name in a quick google search, but if she did anything recently, it would probably be under that name.

[Catman Jim]

I bought a few things on Ebay a while back and the seller turned out to be Bruce Nesmith. I sent him a 'thanks from a fan' email right after I received the items, but did not get a response.

[Steve Miller]

Andria is still known as Andria Hayday. She used the penname on the novel for a multitude of reasons. She still works as an editor, which was always her main line.

Bruce Nesmith left the paper-gaming field in 1995 for the more lucrative area of computer games. I don't know who he's working for these days.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Ah, did not know that. I was under the impression it was her married name. Thanks for the info, Steve.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Thank you all for the info. If we could localize those *parents of our game*, maybe we could do an interview with them... After all, RL was developed in totally different directions... WOulda have been nice to hear what the "original creators" would have to say...

Sad that Mr Nesmith didn't care to answer you, Jim.

I got this info over at Dragonsfoot:

Now, really, they seem to be out of the RPG business for the last 10 (respective 6) years...

May interest you:

http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=s ... atorid=123

http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=s ... atorid=496

That takes us through the nineties for both of them.

That may or may not be the same Andria Hayday as this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 78-2934855

Can't see anything after '96 under Bruce Nesmith.

[Catman Jim]

I sent Mr. Nesmith an email today asking if he would join us here; no guarantee that he will get it, as it turns out to be nearly 5 years ago that I did business with him. I'll let you know if I hear anything back.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Thank you, Jim.

To have him aboard here would really be nice... Now that the line's dead again (and for good? - Naah!!! ), we here should assure that we get the designers on this page to have at least the possibility to discuss with them. After all, in a few years, we'll all be grateful to talk with them about the old times...

[Steve Miller]

I can tell you one thing that "parents" of our game thought...

When I told Andria I thought Hazlik was a gay character, she reacted with surprise. Such a thought hadn't been in neither of their heads.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

IMO, that goes to show there's something to using many authors to revisit a topic. The better elements remain, the others disappear! Of course, I personally think that Hazlik's homosexuality was a great idea, so others might reach the opposite conclusion....

Anyway, shades of Jung and the collective unconscious!

[Le Noir Faineant]

I can tell you one thing that "parents" of our game thought...

When I told Andria I thought Hazlik was a gay character, she reacted with surprise. Such a thought hadn't been in neither of their heads.

From the BB, I would never have thought it as well... But added a nice facette to the game... Very unusual for heroic fantasy...

[Sarcophagyn]

Just a minor and I'm sure unnecessary nitpick to give credit where credit is due - while Bruce and Andria may have been the parents of the Ravenloft campaign setting, the "parents of Ravenloft" are of course Tracy and Laura Hickman...

I'd be interested to hear their thoughts on all that followed, too, but I don't honestly know what they thought of even Bruce and Andria's work...