A Board Game for People Who Love to Read

Chicago, IL, May 20, 2009 --(PR.com)-- A new board game lets people who love to read revel in their knowledge of books. It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: A Game of First Lines challenges players to identify the author or title of a book with only the book’s first line as a clue. It’s that simple and that challenging. It Was a Dark and Stormy Night covers everything from novels to poetry, from mysteries to children’s books, from science fiction to books made into movies, and six other categories, so there is something for every interest.

"In a time where newspaper reading is on the decline and video games seem to be taking over our house, we see a place for something classic that draws on our learning and enthusiasm for books," says co-creator Catherine Braendel. "When you see a group of players forget who's winning and start to talk books—that's special.

"While this is definitely a game for adults, we made children's categories so that our kids could 'pinch hit.' People who like books want their kids to share the passion—this is a nice way to involve them."

Ms. Braendel, a former advertising and marketing executive, developed the game with her husband, Addison, a corporate lawyer. The idea started after Mr. Braendel browsed the shelves of Powell's, a famous Chicago used bookshop. He bought a book that listed thousands of first lines. "He began to quiz anyone who came to our house. He made us all crazy but I guess he was onto something," says Ms. Braendel. Mr. Braendel began to gather and edit his own list of clues sometimes working until all hours of the night.

When the couple discussed Ms. Braendel's decision to leave her full-time job for part-time consulting and more time with her children, Mr. Braendel asked his wife, "Will you also make my game real and now can we get a dog?"

Ms. Braendel took over the task of shaping the game and taking it to market. Armed with a long list of clues and card mock-ups, she tested variations of game play with different reader/friends and book clubs. "We kept the game simple after realizing that readers hate to read rules! And time and again, players discovered how much more they knew than they might have guessed going into it," says Ms. Braendel.

The game, which features hundreds of clues, a design that blends modern and old-world imagery, and wooden pawns is currently sold at a dozen Chicago-area bookstores and is available online at www.goodreadgames.com. The game retails for $39.95.

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