Kim Mohan
Encyclopedia
Kim Mohan is an American
author
and editor
.
, and moved to Williams Bay, Wisconsin
when he was five. He became an avid science-fiction and fantasy reader and occasional wargamer, and graduated third in his high school class. He attended Beloit College
, switching majors between philosophy
, mathematics, and other subjects. “I decided that what I really wanted to do was write, so I sort of fell into a job working for the Lake Geneva Regional News as a reporter, and dropped out
of college. That lasted for a few months, then I joined the staff of the Beloit Daily News
, where I stayed for nine years." During that time, Mohan worked as everything from a sports writer, an editorial writer, the state editor, and the wire service editor. After nine years, he had grown tired of the newspaper business, and became a freelance writer for various newspapers.
In the summer of 1979, Mohan went to the TSR
Periodicals headquarters in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
, and after an interview and some freelance editing assignments as a test, TSR hired him on the spot. He started as part of a three-man staff, and was promoted not too long thereafter to Assistant Editor of Dragon
magazine. Mohan was promoted to the Editor-in-Chief position with issue #49 (May 1981). He also performed managerial duties for Strategy & Tactics
and Amazing Stories
magazine. Mohan also served as the editor and "general handyman" for the original Unearthed Arcana rule book, and he edited Saga of Old City, Gary Gygax
’s first novel.
Mohan continued in his position at Dragon
magazine until 1986, and again as Editor-in-Chief from 1993 to 1995. He became the editor of Amazing Stories from 1992 through 2001, for which he received Locus Poll Award nominations varying between "Best Editor" or "Best Magazine or Fanzine".
Mohan appears in the 1999 History Channel special In Search of History: The Truth About Science Fiction, which features Harlan Ellison
and Larry Niven
in a discussion about science fiction literature and movies.
Mohan was the lead editor of the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition design project, until he was promoted to managing editor
during the second half of the design stage; Julia Martin
took his position from there.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
.
Biography
Kim Mohan was born in Chicago, IllinoisChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and moved to Williams Bay, Wisconsin
Williams Bay, Wisconsin
Williams Bay is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,415 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Williams Bay is located at ....
when he was five. He became an avid science-fiction and fantasy reader and occasional wargamer, and graduated third in his high school class. He attended Beloit College
Beloit College
Beloit College is a liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, and has an enrollment of roughly 1,300 undergraduate students. Beloit is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin, and has the oldest building of any college...
, switching majors between philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, mathematics, and other subjects. “I decided that what I really wanted to do was write, so I sort of fell into a job working for the Lake Geneva Regional News as a reporter, and dropped out
Dropping out
Dropping out means leaving a group for either practical reasons, necessities or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves....
of college. That lasted for a few months, then I joined the staff of the Beloit Daily News
Beloit Daily News
The Beloit Daily News is a daily newspaper that has served Beloit, Wisconsin and the stateline area since 1848.-History:The Daily News grew out of a series of weekly and daily newspapers founded in the 1840s and 1850s. The Beloit Journal was first published in June 1848 as a weekly...
, where I stayed for nine years." During that time, Mohan worked as everything from a sports writer, an editorial writer, the state editor, and the wire service editor. After nine years, he had grown tired of the newspaper business, and became a freelance writer for various newspapers.
In the summer of 1979, Mohan went to the TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
Periodicals headquarters in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
, and after an interview and some freelance editing assignments as a test, TSR hired him on the spot. He started as part of a three-man staff, and was promoted not too long thereafter to Assistant Editor of Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine. Mohan was promoted to the Editor-in-Chief position with issue #49 (May 1981). He also performed managerial duties for Strategy & Tactics
Strategy & Tactics
Strategy & Tactics is a wargaming magazine now published by Decision Games, notable for publishing a complete new wargame in each issue...
and Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
magazine. Mohan also served as the editor and "general handyman" for the original Unearthed Arcana rule book, and he edited Saga of Old City, Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
’s first novel.
Mohan continued in his position at Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine until 1986, and again as Editor-in-Chief from 1993 to 1995. He became the editor of Amazing Stories from 1992 through 2001, for which he received Locus Poll Award nominations varying between "Best Editor" or "Best Magazine or Fanzine".
Mohan appears in the 1999 History Channel special In Search of History: The Truth About Science Fiction, which features Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
and Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
in a discussion about science fiction literature and movies.
Mohan was the lead editor of the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition design project, until he was promoted to managing editor
Managing editor
A managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
during the second half of the design stage; Julia Martin
Julia Martin
Julia Martin is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Career:Julia Martin worked for Game Designers' Workshop until she left in 1991 to work for TSR...
took his position from there.
Novels
- Planet in Peril (1987, with Pamela O'Neill) (Cyborg Commando trilogy)
- Chase Into Space (1988, with Pamela O'Neill) (Cyborg Commando trilogy)
- The Ultimate Prize (1988, with Pamela O'Neill) (Cyborg Commando trilogy)
- Four from Cormyr: 4 Forgotten Realms Adventures for Characters of Levels 9-12 (Adventure) (1997, with John Terra)
Edited
- Dragon (magazine), 1984–1994
- Amazing Stories, 1991–1995, 1998–2000
- More Amazing Stories, 1998
- Sword and FistSword and FistSword and Fist: A Guidebook to Fighters and Monks is an optional rulebook for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, written by Jason Carl and notable for its trade paperback format.-Contents:...
: A Guidebook to Fighters and Monks, 2001, managing editor - Psionics HandbookPsionics HandbookThe Expanded Psionics Handbook is a sourcebook by Bruce Cordell for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game that contains a multitude of rules and options for integrating psychic powers into the D&D game...
, 2001, managing editor