Brian Shotton thought he was going to be an architect, but color-blindness and the sage advice of Dr. Jiménez guided him to a post-graduate literary degree. There, Mr. Shotton specialized in Old English and Middle English literature. His translation of Beowulf and thesis on battle-language remain dear to his heart.
Out of university, he had the great pleasure to work for DK Books and BradyGames when they still had an office in Indianapolis. There he wrote and edited and managed books for World of Warcraft, Diablo, Pokemon, and the UFC.
It was also where he met his good friend Keith Lowe and started a board game company. The dungeon crawling and hobby miniature kind, not the Monopoly and Clue kind. Mr. Shotton was lead designer and primary wriBrian Shotton thought he was going to be an architect, but color-blindness and the sage advice of Dr. Jiménez guided him to a post-graduate literary degree. There, Mr. Shotton specialized in Old English and Middle English literature. His translation of Beowulf and thesis on battle-language remain dear to his heart.
Out of university, he had the great pleasure to work for DK Books and BradyGames when they still had an office in Indianapolis. There he wrote and edited and managed books for World of Warcraft, Diablo, Pokemon, and the UFC.
It was also where he met his good friend Keith Lowe and started a board game company. The dungeon crawling and hobby miniature kind, not the Monopoly and Clue kind. Mr. Shotton was lead designer and primary writer for eight games. Together, Keith and Brian found great success. One of their board games, MYTH, was selected by Popular Mechanics as one of the fifteen best in 2014. Mr. Shotton was nominated but not selected for the BGG Designer Hall of Fame in 2016.
In the realm of board games, Brian has written three massive world-building tomes, fifteen short stories, and many dozens of shorter game-centered quests.
Mr. Shotton still lives in Indianapolis with his wife. They have two grown kids. When he isn't writing, he meets with a group of men, including fellow author and dear friend Greg Kishbaugh, who call themselves The Illiterati. The reading group discuss literature from all of the world and even rip apart some of their own musings.
GRACEWORKS, his first non-fiction book, was written at the same time as SOJOURNER, the first book in the Song of the Sword series. MENDICANT was finished two years later in 2020. Mr. Shotton currently is hunched over his east-facing kitchen table, sun fully on his face, writing book four--Pilgrim....more
Brian ShottonI am part of a reading group of three men who call ourselves The Illiterati. We alternate selecting books (usually taking place in a different country…moreI am part of a reading group of three men who call ourselves The Illiterati. We alternate selecting books (usually taking place in a different country from around the world but sometimes offering our own words on the altar of review). This is a long-winded way to say, I have no earthly clue what I'll be reading next but I can't wait to find out.(less)
Brian ShottonI write. I totally change the topic and start writing. I am not writing for publication. I am writing to exercise my mind and to not get in the habit …moreI write. I totally change the topic and start writing. I am not writing for publication. I am writing to exercise my mind and to not get in the habit of not writing.
I also limit writer's block by constantly keeping in my mind and thinking about the books I am writing. The characters and their problems. (less)