Approved

      The softcover distribution edition of EndlesS has been approved and sent. Which means EndlesS should show up on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and other online retailers in the next couple of months. I didn’t change out the poem. I didn't feel it would be fair to the people who had already purchased it.
      Next up: Finish and approve the deluxe hardcover edition of Murder by Dewey Decimal. This edition has different formatting, chapter headings, an afterword called "The Story of MBDD," a longer biography, a slightly different back cover, and an excerpt from Murder by the Acre. I think it's going to retail for about $30. I should have it finished over the next couple of weeks.
      Actually, what is truly next up is the "final" type-in of Murder by the Acre. We are on course to finish on my birthday. Then off to the proofers it will go on August 1. While they proof it, I will be finalizing the cover and getting everything else ready. The proofers' deadline will be August 13 or so. I make the necessary corrections. Then the whole package goes to Lulu, and a week to 10 days after that, we have a book. Two to four months after that -- I hope in time for Christmas -- it will be at the online retailers. Somewhere in there, I will be producing a hardcover version of it and of EndlesS, both of which will remain on Lulu.
      Of course, we will have book signings and contests, bookmarks and t-shirts, etc., etc.; everything we enjoyed with MBDD. I'm looking forward to it.
      Then in November, I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month. I intend on writing Murder by the Mile, the third book in the Measurements of Murder Mystery series, for NaNoWriMo.
      I also intend to finish Darkness, Oklahoma, but that will be going the traditional route of agent/publisher so who knows when you'll see it. I'd also like to spend some time with Justina Grave of Grave Matters. I think her story might be fun to write. That's all I have planned so far. We'll see if anything else presents itself.
      How are things going for you? I've been using my pool as much as I can. I have to fight off the mosquitoes every time, but I got some Off insect spray and that really helps. I usually play WoW some each day. I'm 28th level now. Sigh. I'm trying to make it to 30, when I can finally purchase a horse or some other creature to ride. A "mount" should make all that traveling go faster. It's slow going right now. I don't have the time to devote to it that lot of other players do so my level advancement is slow, slow, slow. But it's fun to get on and kill a few things every night.
      My character, by the way, is Alliance. My friend Roen's character is Horde. That means we never get to play together. I wish I knew someone else who played. It gets a bit lonely wandering around by myself. Which seems strange when you realize it's not a real world, but you do have a lot of people chatting and/or adventuring together. The social aspects of the game are hard to ignore at times. I did join a guild ("Freaks on a Lease," and no, I didn't name it) and have met a couple of people that way, but they play mostly during the day apparently, and I have a job, of course. They're also higher level than me so they're on harder quests and exploring different lands.
      Anyway, that's my life. I'm either writing, cleaning house, swimming, wrestling with bills, or playing WoW. Contain your envy somehow.
      Oh, this is exciting, though. Mikey is going to spend the night with us tonight. I haven't seen him in nearly two months. It's going to be good to spend a few hours with him. And that's what I'm going to be doing tonight.
      Take care