Inevitable

      A certain amount of inevitability travels with you when you're writing the end of a book. The story comes to a destination, and all the side trips are over. I find myself writing slowly and more carefully, trying to make sure that all the questions are answered, that the story is going to end as it should with only the planned plot surprises.
      Murder by the Acre is at over 64,000 now. I think it will come in around 75,000 or so. It can't go any longer than that or the price would increase substantially. So the story has to end at 75,000 words, even if that means I have to back up and cut scenes out of earlier chapters. I'm going to try to avoid that. Did I mention that May 18 is the deadline? On that date -- or sooner depending on what the story needs -- MBTA will be finished.
      Crystal has the corrections about finished on Chapters 1-6. She should be sending them to me Thursday. I'll enter them into the manuscript, and then send the whole thing back to her, including the infamous Chapter 7. Chapter 8 will complete the book. These are longer chapters than in the first book. Don't know why, other than that's what seemed to work.
      Not much else to tell you. The second proof copy of EndlesS is on its way. I'm really curious to see how the new cover looks when published. EndlesS will be available from Lulu.com in both softcover and hardcover. The softcover may be available on the on-line retailers, but I'm going to have to see how much that costs. Both versions will available at my book signings.
      Murder by the Acre will available in softcover at Lulu.com at first, but I intend to submit it also to the online retailers, once again depending on what it costs. By that, I mean what the online retailers will charge for it. I want the book there, but if it's at some ridiculous price like $30 or so, I don't think many people will buy it. $30 is lot of money for a book from a relative unknown, and when you consider it will be a softcover version, well, I think that would be the end of that. So this may mean that MBTA will only available on Lulu and at my book signings. I thought I might do some mail order myself, but I can't supply books any cheaper than Lulu does so folks might as well order it from them. I might offer some signed copies by mail. I'll have to wait to see.
      What other news do I have? Well, I might be getting myself a Wii. No, I've not got the video game bug. I'm not a video game fan, but apparently the Wii has some games that have exercise components to them. No, I don't know what they are yet. I'll know more this weekend when I and my roomie go to look at one. Should be interesting.
      Yeah, I'm still trying to lose weight. Not trying very hard, but trying nonetheless. When the book is over, I'm going to devote some time to it. That's the rub right now. I can't spare an hour or two every day to exercise. Not if I intend to have MBTA out by the end of June. And that’s what I intend.
      Do you like authors' photos on books? I can't say it matters much to me either way, but I've been told by a few people that I should put my photo on the back of the book. (Small photo, of course.) I've thought about it and don't feel inclined to do so, but what do you think? Good idea or bad? (And yes, I'd be wearing clothes, Crystal.) Either way, it won't be on this book, but maybe Murder by the Mile. That's next year's problem.
      In bad news, my good friends TL and his lovely wife Mel are going to be moving to Texas. I'm going to miss them terribly. My little town will never grow into its dreams until it is able to provide good paying jobs to bright, entergetic young people like TL and Mel.
      And now I'm going to get ready for work. Have a great day.