PALO ALTO, January 17, 2012 – Coliloquy (www.coliloquy.com), a publisher of active and interactive fiction, launches today with four adult and young adult romance (YAR) series from award-winning authors and screenwriters, now available exclusively in the Amazon Kindle Store. Coliloquy represents the next generation of digital publishing, taking advantage of new technology to reinvent the way authors and their audiences interact with reading and narrative. Coliloquy’s new publishing format enables multiple story lines, serial and episodic story-telling, personalized content, in-book engagement mechanics and the delivery of prompts and special or exclusive extras to create a more fluid and immersive story-telling experience.
Coliloquy comes out of the Kindle Developer Program for Active Content and will be available immediately on Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle DX and Kindle Keyboard devices. By delivering titles as active content applications, rather than static publishing files, Coliloquy enables new kinds of engagement made possible by advances in electronic book distribution. Multiple “what if” story lines let authors and readers explore different permutations of character relationships. TV-like episodes can grow and change, based on reader choices, voting, and feedback. Fans can reread a key scene from a different character’s point-of-view or unlock new content.
Digital non-fiction, children’s books, and textbooks are being revolutionized with new forms of delivery and interactive multi-media features, but Coliloquy is the first publisher to focus on the narrative experience of adult fiction.
Coliloquy’s underlying platform also introduces a new type of in-book feedback for authors. In combination with a serial format, this approach de-risks the writing process and allows authors to test and refine new ideas based on insights from their readers.
Coliloquy Authors and Titles
Coliloquy’s launch authors include award-winning authors and screenwriters, all using the platform in different ways. They include:
Heidi R. Kling, Witch’s Brew (The Spellspinners of Melas County): a contemporary young adult series about a modern day witch who must betray everything she knows to save her magic and her forbidden love.
Kira Snyder, Dead Letter Office (Parish Mail): a contemporary southern gothic mystery series about a teenager who discovers a cache of centuries-old letters containing clues to crimes happening in the present day.
Liz Maverick, Arcania, Trial by Fire #1 (Arcania): a young adult fantasy series about an underachieving teen thrust into an MMO-like world of magical combat, where she must master her own genetic gifts while investigating her twin sister’s suspicious death.
Tawna Fenske, Getting Dumped: a serialized romantic caper about a woman who loses her job but finds love, intrigue, mayhem, and a new career buried in the unlikeliest of places.
Quotes
“With Kindle, Amazon is fundamentally changing the way readers discover, purchase, and consume books,” said Lisa Rutherford, co-founder of Coliloquy. “The next step is for that technology to enable new forms of reading and writing – digital fiction that pushes the boundaries of how we think about narrative and storytelling.”
“This isn’t about replacing books,” said Waynn Lue, co-founder. “It’s about expanding the canon – making it easy for authors to experiment and play, using the very latest technologies.”
“Coliloquy’s publishing format is so fun and flexible – kind of like being able to put your ankles behind your head, but without the annoying thigh cramps,” said Tawna Fenske, Getting Dumped. “I adored choose-your-own-adventure stories as a kid, and it’s a thrill to be able to create adult versions with plenty of titillating mystery, laugh-out-loud humor, and the occasional steamy smooch. It’s been a blast to be involved in creating that, and I’m so excited to be working with Coliloquy.”
“I could’ve taken another path and accepted a traditional offer for this book, but I chose Coliloquy’s innovative vision, and truly believe it is the right format for my characters to take their journey on,” said Heidi R. Kling, Witch’s Brew. “The reader can make my heroine, Lily, choose one path over another, and see how her decisions affect the outcome of her story. I’ve loved exploring different outcomes and opening new doors for my characters to venture through together, thanks to Coliloquy.”
“My background is in TV writing and computer game design – Coliloquy lets me play in both those worlds,” said Kira Snyder, Parish Mail. “I love TV-style serial storytelling, getting to know characters over time and unfolding a big “mythology” mystery, while at the same giving each episode a satisfying mystery story that’s wrapped up by the end. I’m so excited that Coliloquy is bringing the serial novel back, and into the 21st century.”
“Coliloquy is an amazing vehicle for someone who loves to write ensemble casts, multiple storylines and ongoing series,” said Liz Maverick, Arcania. “Not only can the platform accommodate a more engaging kind of writing, but it also turns these elements into assets. creating a much more interactive readership.”
To learn more about Coliloquy, its authors, or learn about our manuscript submission process, visit www.coliloquy.com.
About Coliloquy
Coliloquy is the first digital publisher to release active and interactive fiction, living narrative streams, and serial storytelling. Developed as part of the Kindle Developer Program for Active Content, Coliloquy leverages advances in technology to create groundbreaking new forms of digital fiction. Based in Palo Alto, CA, the company was founded by Lisa Rutherford, an AlwaysON “Top Women to Watch” award winner, and Waynn Lue in 2011.