Anne Gray McCready
Encyclopedia
Anne Gray McCready is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
from TSR
.
, and went to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater majoring in biology, switching to marketing after a year, and switching to English the following year, earning her B.A. in English in 1982. "My first job after college was working at a printing company, where I keylined ads, business cards, and menus, and got interested in graphic design."
, as an Administrative Assistant with TSR's International Division, but I didn't get it. I did keep in touch with the company, and later that year I got another interview for a job as a Copy Editor. . . and I was hired." Although Gray was not familiar with the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
yet at the time, she said "My first real assignment as a Copy Editor was to edit the revised edition of the D&D Basic Set
. I swear, I hardly knew what the D&D game was about. . . . and before I knew it, I was stuck with the job of editing boxed set after boxed set." Gray was promoted to full editor after a year, and handled the D&D line and other projects. Gray met Ben McCready
just after Christmas 1984, and they were married the week before Gen Con
1985.
such as Mystery of the Snow Pearls
and Red Sonja Unconquered
. Her editing work includes products from the Greyhawk
, Ravenloft
, Dragonlance
, Forgotten Realms
, and Birthright
product lines.
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...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
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...
from 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....
.
Early history
Anne Gray grew up in Williams Bay, WisconsinWilliams 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 ....
, and went to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater majoring in biology, switching to marketing after a year, and switching to English the following year, earning her B.A. in English in 1982. "My first job after college was working at a printing company, where I keylined ads, business cards, and menus, and got interested in graphic design."
Career
Gray then "applied for a nice, normal job at TSRTSR, 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....
, as an Administrative Assistant with TSR's International Division, but I didn't get it. I did keep in touch with the company, and later that year I got another interview for a job as a Copy Editor. . . and I was hired." Although Gray was not familiar with the Dungeons & Dragons
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...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
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...
yet at the time, she said "My first real assignment as a Copy Editor was to edit the revised edition of the D&D Basic Set
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
. I swear, I hardly knew what the D&D game was about. . . . and before I knew it, I was stuck with the job of editing boxed set after boxed set." Gray was promoted to full editor after a year, and handled the D&D line and other projects. Gray met Ben McCready
Benjamin McCready
Benjamin Donald McCready is an American portrait painter.Ben McCready was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has painted more than 600 commissioned portraits. Notable portrait clients include President Gerald R. Ford, President Ronald W. Reagan, President George H. W. Bush, President James Earl...
just after Christmas 1984, and they were married the week before Gen Con
Gen Con
Gen Con is one of the largest and most prominent annual gaming conventions in North America. It features traditional pen-and-paper, board, and card-style games, including role-playing games, miniatures wargames, board games, live action role-playing games, collectible card games, non-collectible...
1985.
Works
Anne Gray McCready worked as an editor on several Dungeons & Dragons game products from 1984-1986. She also did design and author work on modulesAdventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
such as Mystery of the Snow Pearls
Mystery of the Snow Pearls
Mystery of the Snow Pearls is a 1985 adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Its associated code is CM5 and the TSR product number is TSR 9128.- Synopsis :...
and Red Sonja Unconquered
Red Sonja Unconquered
Red Sonja Unconquered is a 1987 adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game based on the barbarian heroine, Red Sonja. Its module code is RS1 and its TSR product code is TSR 9183...
. Her editing work includes products from the Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
, Ravenloft
Ravenloft
Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a pocket dimension called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces called domains brought together by a mysterious force known only as "The Dark...
, 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...
, Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
, and Birthright
Birthright (campaign setting)
Birthright is a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting that was first released by TSR in 1995. The setting based on the world of Aebrynis on the continent of Cerilia, in which the players take on the role of the divinely-empowered rulers, with emphasis on the political rulership level of gameplay...
product lines.