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11/10
11/9
12 TUESDAY - NOVEMBER 1974
316TH DAY - 49 DAYS TO COME

Call from Felicia. Howard Morhaim (an associate of Harvey Gardner at Gold Medal, Fawcett Publications) is interested in my doing a book on games (with Felicia?) and will contact me with his ideas.

I brought up my contractual obligations to Random House, but probably THE ART OF GAMES, whether they take it or not, should cover me.

2nd call from Felicia. Bob Johnson called her to say that their computer broke down and there would be a delay in her retainer check. He also sounded very happy and said we would get an early x'mas present. He wouldn't give her any details but said that he'd be in to talk to her - but not to inventors - the week of Dec. 9th.

She told him that, since Western Publishing wants it, we won't extend the FOCUS contract. He said that they will be doing something with it before the contract runs out.

She gave him ideas for remaindering FITTING & PROPER, THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS, etc. - rather than having them sit in a warehouse. He'll look into it.

Told her of an ad a saw in NEW YORK Mag. rcd. today, by Springbok. It is for 4 new "Jigsaw [illegible strikeout] puzzles you play games with": YOUR SECRET SELF, THE MYSTERY OF THE MUSICAL REQUIEM, THE AMAZING MAZE, and THE WORLD'S MOST REMARKABLE CROSSWORD PUZZLE. (Filed in '74 Misc.)

Bud Thomas told Felicia (by phone?) that they have decided on TAKEOVER as the name for THE BRAIN GAME. He said that they could do a lot with it and sounded enthusiastic, so Felicia didn't try to argue with him.

They are having a meeting this afternoon in Nashville to decide on BALI.

Someone from Aladdin will visit Felicia after Thanksgiving to discuss long range planning.

She is disgusted with Pressman; they don't return her calls. They have sent back all of Alan Newman's games. The only thing they still have of hers in POP-CORN BINGO.

Told her of my John Gambling taping tomorrow. She thought that I could bring up Aladdin as an example of the new interest in games. They started with "Aladdin's lamp." They are one of America's oldest privately owned companies. They are the first in sales of children's lunch boxes. TRIPPPLES has sold over half a million units (she is pretty sure) and they are now allotting them to stores.

Through John Stephenson of the "Games Gallery" (how?) she hears that Parker is suing M.B. [Milton Bradley] for saying that YAHTZEE sells more than MONOPOLY. We both feel that it could be a publicity gimmick.

General Mills has sold Kohner Brothers to Gabriel Industries. She wonders if she should contact Harold Frankel about POP-SHAPE-AND SHATTER. I told her about his never returning my calls about SIDETRACK.

(cont. on 11/10)

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