YA author Leila Sales has one solution for keeping us busy during the pandemic lockdown: a collaborative storytelling game called Ada and the Lost Horizon, which kicked off April 9. Read the full instructions for the interactive story game.
All you need to play is an internet connection, and access to social media sites. The story unfolds every other day via Sales’ Instagram and Twitter accounts at 1pm Pacific/4pm Eastern. Each scene ends with a task, where readers and participants can submit their answers via social media using the hashtag #AdaAndThe LostHorizon. After 24 hours, Sales will select one of the tasks and incorporate it into the story, where it will appear in the following scene.
#AdaAndTheLostHorizon, Day 5, Part 1. You have 24 hours to create Ada’s disguise bribe for Aunt Marigold. Post your entry by 4pm ET on Tuesday with the hashtag #AdaAndTheLostHorizon to determine where the adventure goes next. Full game instructions here: https://t.co/6tM5q2RoJm pic.twitter.com/fesSI7AZmP
— Leila Sales (@LeilaSalesBooks) April 13, 2020
The story began with a girl named Ada waking up and finding her younger brother Teddy missing, along with a mysterious ransom note. The story and language are suitable for children, though anyone under 13 needs to have parent or guardian permission to post their task completions.
The designer encourages participants to use items and objects around their home to complete tasks, turning the story into a series of scavenger hunts. Tasks will be rated based on the following criteria: 1) creativity and imagination, 2) contribution to the narrative, and 3) using real subjects outside of a computer or phone screen.
Leila Sales is the author of seven YA novels, including the upcoming The Campaign releasing in August 2020. She runs her own book development business, The Book Engineer, that helps authors, agents, and editors collaborate and meet their goals.
