5 cents & The Ruby Key

I've been working on getting Murder by the Acre published on Amazon.com and other online retailers. If you check Amazon for it, you will discover a listing that says the book is out of print. That should change, apparently sometime after the New Year. Sigh. No one has given me any real explanation on why this taking so long, but it means MBTA will not available for Christmas sales.

Another thing I've received no explanation for is why the price got raised by a nickel. MBTA will be $18 instead of $17.95. When I asked why, I was told: "The publishing process requires it." Huh? The help desk could give me no better explanation or wouldn't. I know it's just five cents, but when I worked so hard to keep the price down, I'm annoyed that they raised it without my consent.

Code Three in the 10+1 Murder by the Acre Contest has garnered no solutions. Accordingly, I'm going to post an alternative Code 3 tonight. However, I'm going to give a price to the the first person who solves the Crossword Code 3 and Unscramble the two Words and then emails me his or her results. The first person do that will receive The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle, hardcover, unsigned! The Ruby Key is a great novel, written for Young Adults, but enjoyable by everyone. It would make the perfect Christmas present. Here's my review of The Ruby Key as published on Amazon.com:

Last night I finished The Ruby Key, the new book by Holly Lisle. What a great book, perfect for any young person -- or adult -- looking for a good fantasy. Genna's world is a place that I hope Holly Lisle will return to time after time.

Here's the basic plot: The world is divided into day and night, day ruled by humans, night by the nightlings. Genna and her brother Dan discover that their "uncle" has made a horrendous deal with the lord of the nightlings: He has traded the lives of the people of their village for immortality. Genna and Dan make their own deal with the evil nightling lord and start off on an impossible quest to locate a child and return him to the nightlings. Along with them travel an annoying cat -- which is both more than and less than a cat -- and a young, bright nightling.

But naturally things aren't what they seem. Genna soon learns that the world is different than she had always been told and that her quest has far-reaching consequences. There are monsters and moonroads (you'll have to read the book to discover what those are) and villains and heroes. You will be both surprised and pleased at how it all turns out.

The Ruby Key reminds me of the best of Andre Norton. Genna has resources and bravery that she doesn't even know she does, and this book is the beginning of her journey. I'm looking forward to the next book.

By the way, The Ruby Key is gorgeous with a wonderful cover and neat flourishes throughout, a handsome addition to any library. Add it to your library today. You can order The Ruby Key from Amazon here and from Barnes & Noble here.

A sandstorm has kept those of us Walking to Jericho in our little camp, but I think the clouds are clearing. I hope to be posting mileage again soon.

And finally the always interesting Adam has started a new blog. Check out 530Creative.

Talk to you later!