R. A. Montgomery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
R. A. Montgomery
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| Born | March 9, 1936 |
| Died | November 9, 2014 (aged 78) Warren, Vermont, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | R.A. Montgomery |
| Alma mater | Williams College, Yale University, New York University |
| Occupation | Author |
| Known for | Choose Your Own Adventure |
| Partner(s) | Shannon Gilligan, Constance Cappel |
Raymond Almiran Montgomery Jr. (born March 9, 1936 – died November 9, 2014) was an American author. He was a very important person behind the famous Choose Your Own Adventure book series. These books let you choose what happens next in the story!
Contents
Who Was R. A. Montgomery?
R. A. Montgomery was best known for his work on the Choose Your Own Adventure books. These unique stories became super popular with young readers. They allowed kids to make choices that changed the story's direction.
Early Life and Education
Raymond Montgomery was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, on March 9, 1936. He went to Williams College for his first degree. Later, he continued his studies at Yale University and New York University.
Montgomery passed away at his home in Warren, Vermont, on November 9, 2014.
Creating "Choose Your Own Adventure"
The Choose Your Own Adventure series started in the late 1970s. It was based on an idea from another writer, Edward Packard. Packard sent his story idea to Montgomery's publishing company.
Montgomery and his former wife, Constance Cappel, published four books. These books later became part of the main "Choose" series. They were The Cave of Time, Journey Under the Sea, By Balloon to the Sahara, and Space and Beyond. Montgomery himself wrote more than 50 books for this series. He also wrote books for younger readers in a similar style.
The Series' Big Success
The Choose Your Own Adventure series was a huge hit. Between 1979 and 1998, 184 different titles were published. Many of these were written by Montgomery. His sons, Ramsey and Anson, also wrote some books for the series.
This series became one of the most popular children's book series ever. Over 250 million copies of these books were printed!
Bringing Back the Books
Later, Montgomery and his partner, Shannon Gilligan, decided to bring back some of the original "Choose" books. They did this through their company, Chooseco LLC, in Waitsfield, Vermont.
The re-release of the books was featured in big magazines like the LA Times and Newsweek. An electronic version of the first re-released book, The Abominable Snowman, was even available for iPods.
Montgomery hoped to travel and encourage writers from all over the world. He wanted them to create their own Choose Your Own Adventure books. These new books would share stories from different cultures.
Other Creative Works
Besides the famous "Choose" series, Montgomery also worked on other projects:
- He wrote a six-book series called Trio. These books were for young adult readers. They were not interactive like the "Choose" books.
- He also created a CD-ROM game called Beyond the Wall of Stars.
