This past week I took a trip to a quiet retreat center, and it turned into one of the most satisfyingly thematic experiences I’ve ever had. By some twist of fate mostly everything I did there revolved around my favorite monster: the vampire. As most of you know, I’ve been a fan of bloodsuckers since first learning about them in second grade from a librarian at Walnut Grove Elementary in Council Bluffs.
First, the big news: I finished writing my latest book, Braggart. It’s been a long journey of plotting, rewriting, and wrangling characters into their proper placing, but completing the final chapter felt strangely therapeutic. Revisiting favorite characters like Sutter, Lila, and Theodore was a real treat. They’ve been with me for thirty years. These three (and other Blooded) have appeared in other works over the years and no doubt will do so again. Having this chance to add my own spin on such a classic monster type was a blast. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the book once it is released later this year.
When I wasn’t typing away, I was sinking my teeth into a few more scenarios of an exclusive vampire themed board game I’ve been savoring. Each chapter felt like a little war for the night. Shifting alliances, mysterious plot threads, and plenty of dark humor, made for a fun diversion from the work of the day. VTM Chapters is the kind of game you can’t find just anywhere, which makes each session feel like a rare treasure even if this version was released with lots of production errors that could’ve been avoided.
Evenings were for movies, naturally, vampire ones. From shadowy classics to modern, artsy blood-slick reinventions, they were the perfect way to wind down and keep the theme alive (or undead depending on your perspective). Nosferatu and Sinners were great recent additions to my already long list of favorite horror films.
It was one of those rare trips where everything lined up perfectly: creativity flowed, games thrilled, and stories on the page and on the screen reminded me why I love these sharp-toothed legends so much. Soon I’ll be heading back home, fully recharged, though perhaps just a little more nocturnal than before. Here’s hoping I can get back on a normal sleep schedule soon. School starts next week and the Owl Sage Board Game Club is ready for more Magician Academy 2025!
Peter R. Talley 