Foreign Affairs

Before we journey to Vancross Institute on December 30th, we've asked the Foreign Affairs book team to give us a closer look at our last premiere of 2020. Go ahead, team!

Megan: I'm Megan, the Book Lead for Foreign Affairs.

Jessie: I’m Jessie, and I'm the Producer on Foreign Affairs!

Icy: My name is Jessica, but I go by "Icy" and I'm the Art Lead! 

Amanda: I'm Amanda, the Art Producer.

What can we expect in the politically intriguing world of Foreign Affairs?

Megan: Your mom has been the President of Rutherland for years, and you've been groomed to go into politics yourself and follow in her footsteps, but you're not so sure you want to step into her shadow. During your time at the Vancross Institute, you realize you have a real talent for diplomacy... and a knack for attracting scandal.

Ooh, sounds intriguing! We heard there'll be lots of opportunities to gain allies... Can you tell us more?

Megan: Personal relationships can have big consequences when everyone you meet is a future world leader! So choose your allies -- and your enemies -- carefully...

Jessie: You'll track your standing with the other members of Vancross Institute as you use your skills as a leader, mediator, and friend to affect relations between your country and theirs. These relationships could result in some high tension or allies that come in handy later down the line.

Tell us about our possible allies and enemies. Which character is your favorite? Who do you think fans will love?

Megan: I definitely wish I had a suitemate like Dionne! Who wouldn't want to room with a literal princess?

Jessie: Personally I really love Blaine, the brazen attitude and quick wit makes them a lot of fun to interact with and could potentially lead to quite a bit of trouble. Tatum is another favorite, but I’m a sucker for the broody, quiet types who secretly have a big heart.

Icy: I absolutely adore Tatum! I think our players will enjoy getting to know him better and understanding why he's so closed up and distant. 

Amanda: I love Zaira! She has a very unique look and personality. You'll get to see her learn and grow to be a better person throughout the book.

Are there any fun details you can share with us about the making of Foreign Affairs? Without spoilers, of course!

Megan: Foreign Affairs is a unique book because it was one of the first that was created during shelter-in-place. The team had never brainstormed a book 100% remotely before, so we had to figure out how to do that from scratch (with lots of trial and error). I'd like to think that was why our initial title brainstorm led to ideas like "Capitol Flings" and "United Something of Something". Thankfully, one of our other team members was on top of things and suggested "Foreign Affairs", saving us from having to figure out what those "somethings" actually were.

Jessie: This is the first Choices book that makes use of nonbinary pronouns, which was a really exciting step for all of us! It presented unique challenges behind the scenes in terms of our logic, coding, and testing, but we can't wait for everyone to see it.

Icy: The cover of Foreign Affairs was an idea the entire team really wanted to push for. We wanted to play with the subtle nuances of the characters' gesture and posture and that spark between them.

Amanda: This book brings in some traditions of royalty that you might hear about in the real world. Additionally, the countries you learn about are all unique — so the player will get to immerse themselves into a new world.

Just for fun, if you could travel to one of the countries in Foreign Affairs in real life, which would it be and why?

Megan: I'd have to go with Pavadena, Dionne's home country. Their main export is corn, one of my favorite foods. Plus, I would get the royal treatment from her family.

Icy: I would love to visit Drivosa just so I can hang out with Zaira more! She can show me all the tourist spots and historical places. 

Jessie: Two words. Ithanstan hounds. I could use a puppy party right about now.

Oh, us too! We can't wait to meet our new classmates from all over these Choices countries. If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Foreign Affairs is a book to celebrate as we enjoy this holiday season. (But we've still got one more end of the year blog coming soon. Stay tuned...) 

- Shae & Aly