About Us

If you've played games with me, you might already know that my most common gamer tag is "Insomnia Princess". Except in games that won't allow this name (too many characters, etc.), this is the gamer tag that I use.

The name itself actually has a history which is why it is a special part of my gamer identity as well. More to come about this later.

I have played video games since I was a young child. My dad was a big fan of arcades. I remember him playing hours of Pac Man at the local arcade and Pizza Hut. We didn't have a lot of money growing up so we didn't always have the latest and greatest console as soon as it came out but we had a nice collection (partially built on visiting local flea markets).

I also played a lot of video games with my friends and was also a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the Gathering and other paper or card based strategy games. I never had a computer at home growing up as a child but my friends introduced me to computer games and I knew I would be hooked once I had my own.

Since I was about 17, I've had my own computer and have played PC games as well as still continuing to enjoy console games as well. From real-time-strategy to first person shooters and MMOs, I love all types of games. Part of the enjoyment is being able to try different types of games- even those I wouldn't normally play. I've been pleasantly surprised time and time again.

My previous and current experience includes being an admin on game servers, forum moderator, officer in a guild/clan, running my own guild/clan, competitive play, a wide array of game writing, beta testing, script writing for MMOs and much more. I still play games on a daily basis and as a parent of children who also play video games (console and PC), I also understand the unique challenges that gaming can bring to parents. 
With nearly a lifetime of experience in gaming both professionally and recreationally, I have gained the experience and background needed to work in the game industry. This is why as a writer, a great deal of my writing is game related. It also led to the creation of a game guide company, LiTi-4 I own with my husband, whom I also met through gaming.

Where did the princess come from?

So why this girlie princess name and what does it mean?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions I get while gaming, second to "are you a real girl?" (I am, by the way. :p)

The name traces back to my teenage years as a gamer. I most often played late at night and back then I ate too little, drank too much caffeine and never really slept as much as I should. I was also the only female in a group of guy gamer friends that I had known for a very long time.

One night they playfully dubbed me the "insomnia princess" and from there, the name just stuck. Once they even bought me a gag tiara that I really wore. (No, it's not the one in the photos above- that one has a special place around the base of my monitor and I do occasionally wear it when I play. :p)

While I no longer have a problem with insomnia, due to a healthy diet and regular exercise (as well as avoiding caffeine and nicotine), I most often play online games late at night or in the early morning hours so the name is still fitting.

And that, my friends, is how a gamer princess was born.