Let's start off with the Huge News of the month: Apples to Apples, which I illustrated and helped to develop, published by Madison's own Out of the Box Publishing, has been named the PARTY GAME OF THE YEAR in the December 1999 issue of Games Magazine. This represents the third national award Apples to Apples has received in 1999.

This is just fabulous, unbelievable news. First introduced at the New York Toy Fair in February, Apples to Apples received the MENSA Select Award for games in April, and The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval in May. Now in its third printing since June (the latest run being 25,000), Apples to Apples is available at over 750 game and book retailers nationwide. You can also find it at the DORK STORE (http://kovalic.com/sales/sales.html)

Apples to Apples has also been picked up by Barnes and Noble, and Wireless catalog. The game is a complete blast to play, and the Apples to Apples Expansion Decks should be out soon.

Out of the Box Publishing's first game, Bosworth (which features the DORK TOWER characters), has also won worldwide critical acclaim since its release in 1998.