The latest advancement to embrace Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 and Symbian OS  is the old, yet new again interactive fiction (IF), a fusion of books and technology. Malinche Entertainment president Howard Sherman's newest interactive title, The First Mile (Malinche Entertainment, July 2005, $9.95-$29.95), immerses the reader in a chilling horror narrative, set in the back woods.

Readers of The First Mile interact with the tortured residents of a sleepy town oppressed by a supernatural and evil power. From the convenience of their Symbian supported cell phone and Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA or smartphone, readers have the ability to step inside the suspense with this interactive terror.

Sherman's first three interactive fiction titles have sold more than 100,000 copies and he anticipates that sales of The First Mile will exceed all three previous titles due to its compatibility with iPods, personal computers, laptops, PocketPCs and PalmOS handhelds. Malinche Entertainment is currently working to develop game code for every mobile addict's sweet tooth, the BlackBerry.

Howard Sherman is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Cisco Certified Network Associate. He is considered a leading expert on the history of computer games and interactive fiction, and has been quoted in media outlets such as USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, Wired, Entrepreneur Magazine, Maximum PC, eWeek, and JustAdventure.com. Sherman earned his Bachelor of Science degree in management from the University of Phoenix. He divides his time between Las Vegas, Nevada and New Jersey.