VH1's I Love Toys Poll

If you love toys than you simply must go and vote for your favorite at VH1's I Love Toys. The TV show of the same name will be airing sometime this spring. Stay tuned for updates here as VH1 covers the TOP 100 TOYS OF ALL TIME!

Vote Big Wheel!

The Origin(s) of Chess

On a recent radio interview on WBZ in Boston, a caller requested information on the origin of chess. I recalled reading that Chess came from India, but the caller thought China. One of the reasons I decided to cover only the playthings that I could trace back to an individual(s) in Timeless Toys is that ancient playthings tend to be hard to nail down. Chess is a prime example.

Bruce Whitehall is his excellent book Games: American Boxed Games and Their Makers that chess originated in either India in 600 A.D. or China before 200 A.D. I hang my hat on India because a game called Chaturanga from India can be called a "form" of chess. While in Persia another form or variant of chess was called Chatrang. These games evolved into the modern game of chess.

For some great stories on the early years of chess, I also recommend the book The Greatest Games of All Time by Matthew Costello. In this book you'll learn cool stories like how an elephant became a bishop! In India, the Muslims eventually banned the piece that was originally an elephant because it was against Islam, which bans physical representations. The piece became a minaret-shaped piece with a nick in it. Costello points out that, "Later, when Europeans saw this piece, the pointed top with a nick reminded them of a bishop's mitre, hence the new name."

In the book you'll also learn how the game was banned in 1291 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. And like Timeless Toys, Costello sheds light on the people behind the game with some profiles on legendary chess players including Paul Morphy, Jose Raul Capablanca and Bobby Fischer. CHECK it out.

Can You Come Out to Play?

2008 will be packed with a ton of promotions planned for the release of the Blurt! game I invented for Sababa Toys and a ton of book signings with the release of my WHAM-O Super Book by Chronicle. We've also added select media appearances and lectures to the schedule, so check back often to see where I will be talking toys and playing games. Come by or tune in via TV, radio or the 'Net!

Reyn Guyer comes to Ruhama's!

The co-developer of the Twister game and Nerf Ball came to my book signing at Ruhama's Books in the Sand on Wednesday. I signed copies of the book, while Reyn personalized the Twister and Nerf chapters for many Boca Grande shoppers. We even gave away a few autographed Twister boards to some lucky kids. Thanks to owner Hollis dePaula, Allison and Spike for hosting a great event! A good time was had by all.

Toy search

A recent e-mail from a toy hunter describes a long, lost favorite...

The toy consisted of 1BOX ~7 inches long,5 inches wide and 2 inches deep, with a hole in the center plus 1ROD ~ 5 inches long plastic, magnifing. While looking through the rod you would pass it through the box. You would see an image from space. continuing to push the rod in you would then pass through the atmosphere to the ocean...to a boat...to a human...into the body....out through the ocean....into the Earth... and back out into space again. It was AMAZING!

Does anyone out there know what this is?

Andrews McMeel Turns The Playmakers into Timeless Toys

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Keys Publishing
PMB 180 5342 Clark Road
Sarasota, FL 34233-3227
(941) 926-8004
www.theplaymakers.com

Sarasota, Florida (November 1, 2005) – The worldwide publishing rights to The Playmakers have been sold to publisher Andrews McMeel. "We are excited about this opportunity," said author/publisher of The Playmakers, Tim Walsh. "We sold over 10,000 copies of a self-published book at a retail of $50 in less than two years. That is remarkable. Andrews McMeel was first to recognize that the content of the book had to be exceptional for that to happen."

The glowing reviews didn’t hurt either. The Wall Street Journal called The Playmakers, "…An illustrated compendium of America’s 20th-century favorites." The Associated Press said it, "tells the behind-the-scenes toy stories of some of the world’s most beloved playthings…," and Publishers Weekly called The Playmakers, “A fun book that feels like it should accompany a museum exhibition…."

Andrews McMeel has released the book as Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them. The 312 page book is a celebration of classic toys and a tribute to the people who brought them to life. "In our country, if you create music which sells a million copies, you’re on the cover of Rolling Stone," says Walsh. "But if you create a game or toy that sells over 100 times that amount, no one knows who you are. Alfred Butts, Merle Robbins, Eleanor Abbott – these people have touched countless lives through their creations (Scrabble, Uno, and Candy Land respectively), yet remain relatively unknown. My hope is that Timeless Toys helps to change that. Andrews McMeel has improved the book's price to $29.95 in hardcover and placed it in bookstores and gift shops across America. I think many, many readers are going to enjoy meeting these amazing inventors."

An Andrews McMeel press release positions the company as, "an emerging leader in book and calendar publishing and gift and stationery merchandising. In 1997, the privately-held company became Andrews McMeel Universal to reflect its diversification into magazine publishing and new media. Every year, the company publishes the work of more than 125 syndicate creators and writers, more than 300 books, and a prestigious line of calendars and gift and stationery items."

Tim Walsh brings 15 years of experience to the project. In 1990 he co-invented TriBond, a board game that has sold over 3 million copies in thirteen countries. In 1994, he invented the board game Blurt!, which has sold over 1 million copies. Both games are sold by Mattel. Timeless Toys is his first book.

More in Store

The toy world needs more independent game and puzzle stores. This one looks like a nice one. Check out Eureka Puzzles!