Michael Dobson (author)
Encyclopedia
Michael S. Dobson is an American author in the fields of Business
(particularly office politics
and project management
), Alternate History novels (relating to WWII
) and Role-playing game
adventures (D&D
, Indiana Jones
, and Buck Rogers XXVC
).
in a POW
camp and had grown adjusted to German hospitality. The Dobson family returned to the United States in 1960, five years later. Dobson later lived in Decatur, Alabama
, he felt that he did not fit in well in the South
. “I still can’t play a Civil War game to this day.” Having trouble in school, and having had enough of the Deep South, he moved back to Charlotte for college. During college, he was temporarily employed as a faculty member teaching freshman composition and science fiction. Dobson graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
with bachelors degree with an English/writing major.
business in 1979. Dobson was hired as an editor at TSR, Inc.
in December 1983, and moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
with his fiance Debbie Singer, whom he had met in the resume business; they married on the Fourth of July
in 1984. “The first three projects I worked on at TSR never appeared in print,” recalls Dobson. “I got a special satisfaction out of editing wargames. They were tough, but I loved the preciseness and detail.” The projects he edited included the Dragonlance
series, as well as the Battlesystem
fantasy combat supplement, which won the H.G. Wells Award at the 1986 Origins Game Fair. In 1985, Dobson was asked to join the Marketing Department and ended up as Marketing Manager. In March 1986, Dobson became the Director of the Games Development. As a game designer, his credits included the four-module AD&D-game Bloodstone Pass
series with Douglas Niles
, and X10, Red Arrow, Black Shield
, both of which involved the Battlesystem rules; Dobson also co-designed the Partyzone Knave of Hearts game with Debbie. Dobson switched fields yet again to become a seminar leader in 1990, with authorship of several management books, tapes and videos to his credit, including several co-authored with his wife, Deborah Singer Dobson, who works in human resources
. The publication of Fox on the Rhine
in 2000 marked the beginnings of Dobson's forays into Alternate History.
In his RPG and Alternate History books he has frequently collaborated with Douglas Niles
.
non-series novels
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
(particularly office politics
Office politics
Workplace politics, sometimes referred to as Office politics is "the use of one's individual or assigned power within an employing organization for the purpose of obtaining advantages beyond one's legitimate authority...
and project management
Project management
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
), Alternate History novels (relating to WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) and Role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
adventures (D&D
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones (role-playing game)
There have been two publications of role-playing games based on the Indiana Jones franchise. The Adventures of Indiana Jones Role-Playing Game was designed and published by TSR, Inc. under license in 1984. Ten years later, West End Games acquired the rights to publish their own version, The World...
, and Buck Rogers XXVC
Buck Rogers XXVC
Buck Rogers XXVC is a game setting created by TSR, Inc. in the late 1980s. Products based on this setting include novels, graphic novels, a role-playing game , board game, and video games...
).
Early life
At a young age, Dobson's family moved from North Carolina to Germany; his father had spent the latter part of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in a POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp and had grown adjusted to German hospitality. The Dobson family returned to the United States in 1960, five years later. Dobson later lived in Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
, he felt that he did not fit in well in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. “I still can’t play a Civil War game to this day.” Having trouble in school, and having had enough of the Deep South, he moved back to Charlotte for college. During college, he was temporarily employed as a faculty member teaching freshman composition and science fiction. Dobson graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
with bachelors degree with an English/writing major.
Career
Out of school, Dobson soon worked three jobs: a temporary typist, substitute teacher, and a planetarium operator on weekends. “I worked real hard to get a real job,” explained Dobson, “and I was finally hired as a research assistant in the Aeronautics Department of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. It was a great first job!” In 1976, Dobson began overseeing the business operations of the Albert Einstein Spacearium at the Smithsonian, and then running a résuméRésumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
business in 1979. Dobson was hired as an editor at TSR, Inc.
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....
in December 1983, and moved to 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:...
with his fiance Debbie Singer, whom he had met in the resume business; they married on the Fourth of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
in 1984. “The first three projects I worked on at TSR never appeared in print,” recalls Dobson. “I got a special satisfaction out of editing wargames. They were tough, but I loved the preciseness and detail.” The projects he edited included the Dragonlance
Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
series, as well as the Battlesystem
Battlesystem
Battlesystem is a tabletop miniature wargame designed as a supplement for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It was first released in 1985, compatible with either Advanced Dungeons & Dragons or the Basic / Expert Dungeons & Dragons...
fantasy combat supplement, which won the H.G. Wells Award at the 1986 Origins Game Fair. In 1985, Dobson was asked to join the Marketing Department and ended up as Marketing Manager. In March 1986, Dobson became the Director of the Games Development. As a game designer, his credits included the four-module AD&D-game Bloodstone Pass
Bloodstone Pass
H1 Bloodstone Pass is an adventure module for the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson and published by TSR, Inc., in 1985...
series with Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, and the Top Secret S/I espionage role-playing game.-Early life:Niles was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, and...
, and X10, Red Arrow, Black Shield
Red Arrow, Black Shield
Red Arrow, Black Shield is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was published by TSR in 1985, and designed by Michael S. Dobson. Its cover art is by Jeff Easley, and cartography by Dennis Kauth. The module's associated code is X10 and its TSR product code is...
, both of which involved the Battlesystem rules; Dobson also co-designed the Partyzone Knave of Hearts game with Debbie. Dobson switched fields yet again to become a seminar leader in 1990, with authorship of several management books, tapes and videos to his credit, including several co-authored with his wife, Deborah Singer Dobson, who works in human resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
. The publication of Fox on the Rhine
Fox on the Rhine
Fox on the Rhine is a 2000 alternate history novel written by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson. It details a course of events over late 1944 that resulted from Adolf Hitler's death in the July 20 plot and Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel's survival of the crackdown.-Plot summary:The book begins on July...
in 2000 marked the beginnings of Dobson's forays into Alternate History.
In his RPG and Alternate History books he has frequently collaborated with Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, and the Top Secret S/I espionage role-playing game.-Early life:Niles was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, and...
.
Business
- The Juggler's Guide to Managing Multiple Projects (1995)
- Coping with Supervisory Nightmares (1997) with Deborah Singer Dobson, Kelly Scanlon, and Rod Hankins
- Managing Up: 59 Ways to Build a Career-advancing Relationship with Your Boss (2000) with Deborah Singer Dobson
- Project Management for the Technical Professional (2001)
- Enlightened Office Politics (2001) with Deborah Singer Dobson
- The Triple Constraints in Project Management (2004)
- Goal Setting: How to Create an Action Plan and Achieve Your Goals (2008) with Susan B. Wilson
Alternate history
Fox series- Fox on the RhineFox on the RhineFox on the Rhine is a 2000 alternate history novel written by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson. It details a course of events over late 1944 that resulted from Adolf Hitler's death in the July 20 plot and Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel's survival of the crackdown.-Plot summary:The book begins on July...
(2000) with Douglas Niles - Fox at the FrontFox at the FrontFox at the Front is a 2003 alternate history novel written by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson. It is a sequel to the 2000 novel Fox on the Rhine.-Plot summary:...
(2003) with Douglas Niles
non-series novels
- MacArthur's War: A Novel of the Invasion of Japan (2007) with Douglas Niles
External links
- Dobson Books official site.
- http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=6800