December 18, 2009
No time for shipping, no time to get to the store? What do you do for that booklover on your list? Order a book club membership. Your recipient can get six months of books, 2 books every month, for $63.00. Plus, there’s 30% off all web orders all the time. You have the choice of a historical romance book club or paranormal (Love Spell). Even horror, if you’re into that kind of thing. But the only way to get it is by calling the Dorchester telecenter at 1-800-481-9191.
Happy holidays, everyone!
December 15, 2009
PassionFruit Games today announced the creation of a new romance-themed casual game, Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box, based on the novel Tiger Eye (A Dorchester Love Spell paperback) by New York Times bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu.
Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box also officially marks the launch of PassionFruit Games and represents a unique moment in the history of gaming. Although a market for romance-themed video games has existed abroad for years, these games are essentially unknown in the U.S.
Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box will be one of the first romance casual games to hit the U.S. market when it goes on-sale in April 2010.
In discussing PassionFruit Games’ decision to launch their company with Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box, Melissa Heidrich, Studio Director, expressed her enthusiasm for reaching out to romance readers: “The majority of casual gamers are women aged 25-65, who report they play casual games mainly to escape. Interestingly, those same attributes apply to romance novel readers – so it’s surprising that there are currently so few romance casual games on the market. That’s why we’re excited to bring Tiger Eye to life as interactive entertainment.”
For Liu’s fans, it will be a great chance for them to experience a game written by, designed by, and created for women. Mari Tokuda, one of the designers translating Marjorie’s novel into game form, says: “”There just aren’t many romance games in today’s market. And, for many women, romance novels are not interactive enough. That’s where we come in – we are giving players a chance to experience the romance through fun gameplay and sensual cut scenes that further the relationship. This game will really appeal to players who want a storyline and those who want to BE the smart, down-to-earth romance novel heroine. And of course, we’ll have a sexy leading man heavily featured in the game. A game like Tiger Eye is one of the most engaging ways for readers to experience characters’ relationships.”
Fans will also be able to experience things that weren’t in the book and to search for hidden objects, play minigames, listen to a film quality soundtrack, and solve puzzles, all the while following the storyline as the main characters’ relationship deepens emotionally and grows in intimacy, though there will not be explicit sex scenes.
PassionFruit Games acknowledges the challenges of turning a popular book into digital entertainment and of adhering closely to the book’s storyline. In their quest to stay true to the novel, all members of the team—from artist to programmer—read Tiger Eye, as well as other novels in the Dirk & Steele universe, to get a feel for the “essence” of the game. The producer and lead designer held regular video conferences with Marjorie to go over the latest design ideas and Marjorie herself wrote the script for the game and is involved with the game every step of the way, giving input on scene art, character design, and voice actor selection.
Says Marjorie, who is well known for her New York Times bestselling Dirk & Steele and Hunter Kiss series and for co-authoring the hugely popular Dark Wolverine Marvel comic book series, about playing the game’s early build: “I was amazed by the beautiful cinematic cut scenes and the way players could actually experience things my characters had done. It’s an incredible feeling to not only see favorite characters brought to life but to experience life through their eyes as you progress through the game.”
The Tiger Eye novel, which Publishers Weekly praised as a “first-rate debut” and “a striking paranormal romance,” tells the story of Dela, a woman with psychic abilities who buys a riddle box in Beijing’s Dirt Market and opens it to find an ancient warrior, Hari, bound to serve as a slave to the person who has opened the box. The action moves between China and the U.S.
PassionFruit Games will mirror this international scope through two games, the first to take place in China and the second in the U.S. PassionFruit games also plans to involve readers in the release of Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box with the chance for a select few fans to be Beta testers and with fan voting on possible looks for the character, Long Nu.
Order Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box now at www.passionfruitgames.com. Beginning today, players will be able to purchase the Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box $6.99 standard package, which includes instant download of the game’s opening cinematic, “Dela’s Dream,” and a link to download the game when it releases in April.
Players will also have the option to choose the $9.99 premium package, which includes “Dela’s Dream” and a link to the game when it goes on-sale in April; but also features the MP3 of the Tiger Eye theme film-quality soundtrack; concept art of the male heart throb, Hari; exclusive wallpaper art; and a PDF of the official strategy guide. For those who think that Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box will be the perfect gift for a loved one (or for themselves!), holiday e-cards are available at www.passionfruitgames.com. The game will be available in both Mac and PC versions.
Marjorie M. Liu is an attorney, and the New York Times bestselling author of short stories, novellas, and two ongoing series: Dirk & Steele novels of paranormal romance, and the Hunter Kiss urban fantasy series. She wrote NYX: No Way Home, for Marvel Comics, and is co-writing the ongoing bestselling Dark Wolverine series. Marjorie divides her time between the American Midwest, and Beijing/Shanghai, China. For a complete listof all her work, please visit her website at: www.marjoriemliu.com.
PassionFruit Games was founded by a group of individuals who had created several critically-acclaimed casual games together before establishing their own independent studio. Their mission is to bring stories and characters to life through lushly-painted interactive environments and captivating cinematics, while providing engaging, entertaining gameplay.
November 5, 2009
Dorchester and TextNovel.com have announced the top vote-getters for America’s Next Best Celler contest. These entries are now semi-finalists in the contest to win a book contract. Dorchester editors will choose 10 from the following list to be our finalists. On Nov. 16th voting will open once again. [Edited: Sorry, my mistake.]
Meantime, take a look and tell us your favorites.
1. Manhunt
2. Muse Struck
4. Stay
7. Confessions of the World’s Oldest Shotgun Bride
8. Fae Nights
9. How to Lose a Demon in 10 Days
11. Courting Demons
12. Daughter of Fire
13. Vampire Vacation
15. Enchanted Season
16. Death Waylaid: Passion of the Psychic
17. Primitive Nights
18. Tossing the Gloves: How to Love a Hockey Player
19. Highland Magic
20. The Hooded Man
21. Enchantment
October 29, 2009
Editorial Director Alicia Condon
The Dorchester staff is getting in the Halloween spirit. Check out the latest photos on our Facebook page.
October 9, 2009
True-blood.net, the original fan site of the hit HBO series, is giving recommendations for those in True Blood withdrawal. And this week, their pick is THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER.
They say: “Beautifully written with elegant, lyrical passages that delight my English Lit major soul, Ms. Heiber’s debut combines a love of mythology, Gothic Victorian novels, paranormal romance, and science fiction in one novel.”
They’re also offering a special discount when you buy through Barnes & Noble and an exclusive Q&A with author Leanna Renee Hieber.
September 23, 2009
We’re so proud that Joy Nash graces the cover of the November issue of RT Book Reviews. Her SILVER SILENCE continues the Druids of Avalon series and has been called a cross between Marion Zimmer Bradley and Mary Stewart. If you’re a fan of Arthurian legend, this is not one to miss.
Speaking of RT, they’re hiring a Webmaster. Definitely worth checking out if you want merge your love for fiction with Internet savvy. Check out the details at MediaBistro.
September 15, 2009
M.J. Rose, author and marketing guru, has started a fantastic Twitter campaign of recommend reads you can buy with what you save on all the discounts of Dan Brown’s THE LOST SYMBOL (#buyplusbrown). A few suggestions of some similarly themed thrillers:
And if you perfer a little more romance with your adventurous treasure-hunting, check out:
To get in on a little treasure-hunting action of your own, check out the Twelve Days of A CHRISTMAS BALL blog tour. There will be giveaways at every stop, including today’s post at Love Is an Exploding Cigar.
August 20, 2009
As someone who gets teary at Purina commercials and often worries more about the dog than the main character in stories, I’m thrilled to see this new anthology called TAILS OF LOVE, the proceeds of which go to the Animal Adoption Foundation, a no-kill shelter in Ohio.
And not only do we have dogs (and cats), but they’re love stories by the likes of Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, Kate Angell, Donna MacMeans and more!
From the blurb:
From Seeing Eye dogs to the cat who cuddles in your lap, animals are there for us in more ways than we can count. Helping us get through the day with a wag of the tail and a tilt of the head, they let us know that someone is on our side—no matter what. They also have an amazing ability to break down barriers between people; bringing families and loved ones closer, and giving strangers an excuse to strike up a conversation. In Tails of Love, each writer draws from her own unique perspective on our loyal friends—exploring the many mysterious ways they bring love into our lives.
August 14, 2009
I’m taking questions over at the Killer Fiction blog today. Pop by and leave a comment.
August 4, 2009
The amazingly energetic and talented Chuck Sambuchino posted an interview with me over on his blog at Writers Digest today. Chuck is a guy who obviously does his homework and goes way beyond ”What do you do?” and ”What is Dorchester looking for?” Today is part one of two.
If you want to know the scoop about agents and what publishers are acquiring, The Guide to Literary Agents is a must-bookmark blog.
