May of 2022 I had a Twitter conversation with two friends that changed my life.

I didn’t realize it at the time. Life changing moments masquerade as totally normal moments, only revealing themselves when you look back at when it all went so right/wrong. In the moment Anne and I were wishing Krissy a happy birthday and Anne hoped they could collaborate on something sometime. Half joking, I offered to run something. The rest, as the old saying goes…

That’s how we got to recording and airing Ways and Wanderings: The Beginning in December 2022. Along the way I met Abadonne and Wowzerz, got to know Jes better, had one of the best roleplaying and actual play experiences ever, and created something we were all really proud to call ours. And we started thinking about a Season Two.

Enter life-changing moment number two. My friend Cat helped start Rainbow Roll Fest and I wondered out loud if Ways and Wanderings might be a good fit. Cat gave me an enthusiastic “Hell Yeah!”, which always means I should do that thing. So I submitted it, glad that more folks would get to see these characters tell their cozy little story. Oh, and there was a judging component and maybe we’d win something? But mostly I wanted more eyes on this cast so I put that out of my mind.

We won Rainbow Roll Fest’s New Jersey Web Fest 2023 Direct Selection.

A huge honour, one we were never expecting but so well deserved for this cast of players. We were all of us excited that Ways and Wanderings was going to be seen by an even larger audience at a prestigious festival, and that we might have more interest for Season Two, which we were still plotting and planning. Oh, and there was a judging component and maybe we’d get nominated for something? But mostly I wanted more eyes on this cast so I put that out of my mind.

Last night NJ Web Fest announced their nominees. And Ways and Wanderings was nominated.

Once would have been unexpected, twice riches beyond compare. Even considering three would be the greatest act of hubris since Oedipus said, “I’m going to marry that girl!”

We were nominated five times. Five. What. What?!

In case you don’t want to follow the link, Ways and Wanderings was nominated for:

• Best Ensemble Cast of an Actual Play (Video)
• Outstanding Actual Play (Video)
• Best Series Premise of an Actual Play
• Best Family Friendly
• Best Overlay Design of an Actual Play (Video)

Of those five (WHAT) Allie and ATG Studios deserves all the credit for the last one. Their design for our Season One overlay is cozily thematic and a perfect compliment to the characters and the game. Frankly, if you can hire Allie to do your design, do that. My one regret for Season Two so far is that we aren’t recording clad comfortably in Allie’s designs. I will fix that as soon as I’m able.

I am so incredibly proud of this show and especially this cast of players. Abadonne, Anne, Jes, Krissy, and Wowzerz, you filled the moments spent recording this show with laughter, imagination, and delight. It was and is my absolute privilege to play with all of you.

Thank you to Danielle for the recording work on Season One, making us all sound so good and helping us air the darn thing. Thank you as well to Lukas for the amazing character art and helping bring these characters to life.

I said at the start Ways and Wanderings has been life changing for me. That’s not exaggeration. This project came along at a point where I had pretty much decided the actual play space wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel I had anything to offer and after a string of rejections from various projects it seemed the AP space agreed with me. What I took on as “one last project, go out on a high note” has instead reinvigorated my love for actual play as an art and a unique storytelling medium. It helped me rediscover skills I had thought long dormant. Perhaps best of all, it brought and strengthened friendships unlooked for, a rare gift anywhere but in this space especially.

But most of all Ways and Wanderings clarified a belief I’ve carried since I worked in theatre, a belief which will mindfully inform all my work in this space from now on:

Surround yourself with good people, treat them fairly and with respect, approach the work with enthusiasm and honesty, and the result will make you proud however it turns out.

If Ways and Wanderings brought me nothing else, this would be riches beyond worth.

***

I want to congratulate all the other shows sharing our nominations and nominated in other categories. There is so much good work being done in the Actual Play space right now and so much of it is represented in these nominations. Ways and Wanderings is in great company and I wish us all luck on awards night.

But mostly I’m just glad we’re getting more eyes on this cast…