I really, really wanted an iPhone. But in the end I decided not to get one because the one thing that I really wanted it for (editing text documents) wasn’t the easiest thing to achieve on the sexy wee handsets. This news makes me wish I had one though – Fighting Fantasy game books are coming to the iPhone. So cute! Instead of rolling a physical dice you shake the handset and it rolls a virtual one for you.
I wasn’t ever into this range, but multiple choice fiction is totally fascinating in my opinion – although I remember skipping back a few pages every time I made a wrong choice rather than starting over again. I once got the chance to write for a children’s interactive toy that worked in the same way and it was such a fun job.
I’d love to do one for adults, but I don’t think I could relinquish authorial control long enough to let people decide which direction they wanted to follow!
Come to think of it, I remember being told about a writer who created a book in a box, where readers could choose any section to read they wanted but I can’t for the life of me remember who this was or even if I remember the concept correctly – can anyone help?
There are plenty of interactive fiction offerings out there in the digital age – from full on games to story books – I think I’d better investigate more when I have the time.
In other news, I haven’t read any of the books from the Guardian First Book Award list. Bad me. Off I trot to the bookshop.
Lynsey May 
I fondly remember my Choose Your Own Adventure series. I would find the ending I liked and worked backwards (as I’m sure many other readers had). I do not know of the book in a box you mention.
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Why did I never think of finding the best ending first…? I feel as though I missed out on something there! 🙂
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The fighting fantasy game sounds intriguing, though I don’t plan to purchase an iPhone. I really don’t want my basic cell phone but can’t deny its utility in many situations.
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The book in a box was The Unfortunates by the troubled B. S Johnson and it was amazing. The first and the last page were the only things that were marked and every other page (a chapter in itself) in between was interchangeable…
Also, I-Phones explode
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ah ha! thanks. Also, maybe I like exploding things ok? 🙂
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That sounds incredible. When was it published? What was the general story?
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there’s a little bit of info here – and the prices are far more reasonable than I would have thought! I’d love to know how well it works 🙂
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/j/b-s-johnson/unfortunates.htm
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