Want to know what’s new in larp? Here’s the coolest, most interesting stuff I’ve been reading about the hobby for the last couple weeks:

• A fascinating series called The Gamer Wife, over at Gaming as Women. Written by the pseudonymous Finaira, an analog gamer-for-life who married a pillar of her local gaming community, the series deconstructs the stereotype of “Gamer Wife.” With wit, candor, and a side of anger, the series tackles the ways her marriage has impacted her gaming life. Part 1 (the intro), Part 2 (switch from girlfriend class to wife class), Part 3 (wifely responsibilities), Part 4 (how the rpg table changed), Part 5 (accusations of favoritism).
• This Just In From Gen Con. A podcast series of interviews with many awesome gamers who went to Gen Con. I really enjoyed John Stavropoulos’ talk on safety in tabletop roleplaying games. There are many other interview gems too, from Emily Care Boss to Margaret Weiss and everything in between.
• ENnie winner JR Blackwell talks back to this bonehead with a savvy piece of satire about the geek pecking order. As she puts it. “If there is a Geek Hierarchy, one where the more knowledgeable, experienced,  “truer” geeks get to question the authenticity (questions usually directed at women) of others, then I submit that you, infintile-excretion-who-asks-me-to-name-10-DC-characters, may no longer question me, and furthermore, I claim the right to question YOUR authenticity.”
• The landing page looks scary in Finnish, but just click on the link to download Finnish roleplaying guru J. Tuomas Harviainen’s doctoral dissertation on larp, Systemic Perspectives on Information in Physically Performed Role-play. According to the synopsis, it takes a look at larping in “historical re-enactment, sadomasochist roleplaying and post-modern magic.” I am still working my way through it, but if you’re into larp theory, you won’t want to miss this one — not the least for the impressive bibliography at the end.
• Thomas Be tells us all about  a Swiss one-shot demon larp in readable prose. Come to gawk at the costumes, stay for commentary on game design.
• The rumors are true! Swedish games do get government funding, and Elin Dalstål tells us how over at Gaming as Women.
• Identities at Play, British researcher Nathan Hook’s master’s thesis on bleed, immersion, and larp as therapy, is available both in book form and for free download. I haven’t managed to wrangle a download yet, but am looking forward…
• Behold! A diverse taxonomy of story games. Some enterprising soul made a fascinating list of genres and illustrative games.
• Hat tip to Jaakko Stenros, who hipped me to awesome-looking new games magazine Continue.
• Fiasco designer Jason Morningstar taped all of his panels from Gen Con. I thought the international gaming one was particularly interesting. You can also catch audio of panels from Dragon Con including him and others over at Third Eye Gaming.

And a few more time-sensitive concerns:

• New edu-larp group Seekers Unlimited is having its first fundraiser, a Steampunk benefit, on October 4 in Burbank, CA.
• Scenario summaries for Fastaval are due in on September 13.
• If you live in/near NYC, don’t miss RECESS! the all-weekend gaming event run by local nonprofit NerdNYC.