FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Co-Authors Create New Literary Genre with the Launch of the First Interactive Romance Book

Naples, Florida – November 1, 2024

A newly released non-fiction book is catching the eye of booklovers, and the reason in part, involves more than just the storyline. Did I Do the Right Thing? Relationships may have ushered in a new interactive genre in the literary arena.

The innovative concept is a feature of Did I Do the Right Thing? Relationships. The book is a result of a years-long collaboration between writing duo Marsha Johnson and Paula Hartley, along with more than 80 men and women willing to share their romantic – and not so romantic – personal experiences.

The authors retell the real-life characters’ personal accounts of how love was found, lost, faked, eluded, hidden, and even betrayed from the grave. Dilemmas revealed, we then hear how the real-life characters stuck it out, worked it out, or walked out over a plethora of issues: sex, money, lies, politics, children, appearance, and health.

The “Did I do the right thing?” catch phrase presents at the end of each chapter, once the character reveals how they resolved their romantic dilemma. The reader is offered the option to visit the book’s interactive website, dididotherightthing.com, and answer with a yes, no, or undecided. After the vote is cast, the reader sees how others are weighing-in.

“By casting a vote, the reader is saying to the character, ‘Hey – nice job handling that scenario,’ or conversely, ‘What were you thinking?’ A vote of undecided is a way of saying, ‘I’m not really sure. That’s a tough one,’” says Hartley.

“Social media has proven that people like to offer their opinions regarding how others work through emotional minefields in life. We’ve provided book readers with an opportunity to engage with the people who lived the stories,” adds Johnson.

Bringing the narratives full circle is also important to the authors. Since decisions have consequences, it’s revealed “What Happened” to the characters after their decisions were put into play.

The reader involvement aspect of the book appears to be the first of its kind, certainly in the romance genre. The ebook instantly links to the website, then loops back to the next chapter in the book when the reader wants to continue. Paperback readers use a QR code to go to the site, or like Audiobook readers, they can visit via their digital device. If the reader doesn’t want to vote, they can simply turn to the next story.

The authors note that people are eager to share, and the life experiences are so plentiful and varied that several books are planned in the series. Taking a break from romance, Johnson and Hartley are at work collecting tales for the next books, Did I Do the Right Thing? Friends & Family, Did I Do the Right Thing? Weddings, and Did I Do the Right Thing? Holidays.

Could it be that we’re seeing the first of interactive books to come? If readers and book clubs like this concept, we may not have to wait very long to find out.

Did I Do the Right Thing? Relationships is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats through Amazon and other online retailers.

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