The Sword and Laser discussion

If D-squared were as cool as Christie Golden he'd be a max level player on a T'Rain RP Server. Christie Golden was on a Blizzard Publishing and Writers Panel at blizzcon where she said she'd leveled up a toon on a RP server. Just finished reading a part in Reamde where D-Squared didn't even know how to pick up gold in T'Rain. I've read three or four of Golden's books and she's a great writer. My favorite by her so far is Lord of the Clans which she said she was given only six weeks to write.

BlizzCon 2011 - Blizzard Publishing: So What's The Story? Panel (Full)
http://youtu.be/buN_ni3GImI?t=54m42s

I wonder how much of Neal Stephenson research was just looking at how Blizzard does business.

Golden has long been my favorite Blizzard novelist. Lord of the Clans was pretty much my gateway drug into Warcraft, and the reason why I love orcs and the Horde to this day.

I've enjoyed the wow books by Richard A. Knaak too but I think Golden is a better writer of characters. Also I really don't like Knaack's pencil thin mustache. It just creeps me out.