Starting my novel-Make a decision

I’ve decided to work on my first book-a dungeons and dragons style fantasy novel. I’m a good writer in my humble opinion and, having a doctorate in marital and family therapy, a good student of relationships and interactions. All my life everyone has said “Write books! Write books!” So I’ve decided what the heck, I’ll take the plunge.

I’ve recently finished the Robert Jordan series (well, except the very last book which hasn’t come out) and he is my hero. I want to be an author like him! I’ve always loved fantasy novels and so I thought that’s the kind I should try. Now writing a fantasy novel based on the Dungeons and Dragons game is NOT easy. Mostly because I’ve never played D&D. I know right? Crazy. My dad had lots of Dungeons and Dragons games and books when I was a kid and I used to pour over them. It was such as fascinating world of characters. Oh, and there was that book The Misenchanted Sword. I LOVED that book-not Dungeons and Dragons, but definitely fantasy.

Anyhow, so having decided to write a D&D style book I knew I had to start studying the D&D world, specifically Forgotten Realms. Wow! There is a ton of information out there. Who would have known that there was so much going on? There’s so many cities and cultures and religions and history! Just the research alone has taken me days and days and I still feel like I’m scratching the surface. I’m looking for a D&D game locally so I can get more of a flavor for how it all works and what the fantasy world is like.