...until they get a paper cut on their thumb.  Yes, not as memorable as Mike Tyson's "punched in the face" quote, but a paper cut is probably more apt for a writer.  Less painful too.

I recently bought the Atticus formatting software, which I'll be using to revise the formats in my ebooks and print books in the coming months after I've finished The Game War's first draft.

My ultimate plan is to leverage this to offer both ebook bundles with 4-8 main novels and .5 bonus content novellas.  While I'm at it, I intend to offer Repenter: The Hidden Chapters and Brigands: The Favor as a combined paperback.  These two bonus stories are too thin to make their own paperback.

Plus I'm also thinking about doing hardback collections through Ingram Spark.

For example, I'd offer both Repenter and the Hidden Chapters in one hardcover collection.  Then offer Brigands and the Favor as another hardcover collection.  You get the idea.

My thinking on that is that if someone is going to pony up the money to pay for the premium version, they should also get some extra content.

That's the plan.

But what do you think?  Does this plan for hardbacks make sense to you as I expand into other formats?  Or do you think I should try a different approach?

If you're so inclined, you can vote and provide feedback in the poll below. 

As a reward, you will get a special message from Homer and Bart on the Frinkiac about this month's character spotlight.

Or you can even reply back if you have other thoughts on the matter.

Sergeant Hellington may not look like it, but he's someone you want covering your back. 

He is a Sharaith denizen of Sufrinzon that can swim and breath the corrosive auv of its rivers and oceans as easily as walking the surface and taking in the wretched air.

As a squad leader of the Velsuvian Marines, the Sarge provides the Brigands unflinching support in their many conflicts against the ever-expanding Palle Empire.  Ashe Stelfire heeds this respected comrade's grizzled advice and considers him a friend.

But there's something off about Hellington.

Superior officers are visibly fearful of him.  He has been known to make orders that admirals then scramble to voice as the official  word from the official chain of command. 

He never faces repercussions for this seeming insubordination.  Then again, the Sarge may have other secrets that motivates the superior officers' deference to him.

One thing is for certain.

Calling him "Shark Boy" is a bad idea.

Sickness within the household has thankfully given way to better health.  So productivity has returned to its prior steady pace.  I reached page 520 with about 146,800 words in The Game War.  Last month's stats were at page 479 with 135,300 words.  And this month had a few less days from last month's productivity check.

Making it past page 500 is another milestone, and I hope to have the rough draft finish out between 600-700 pages.  Then I will let it set for a while and perform a lot of editing and reformatting of my back list.  Ever onward!

Work in Progress Out of Context Quote of the Month:

Ramansa (to Vick): I’ll say this, darling. Your toys have me slightly envious.

The Peripheral on Amazon Prime

I saw the trailer for this show and thought it looked intriguing, especially since it's based on a William Gibson story.  Without giving away the twists, it focuses on a sister and brother in the near future in a small rural  community in the American South.  They are VR gaming whizzes and they get an offer to test a new immersive game that looks and feels like real life.  The stakes for this supposed game quickly escalate, and they discover that the game's world is not what it seemed.  Chloe Grace Moretz does a great job as an intelligent resourceful lead.  And Jack Reynor as her war veteran brother has some heavy Bill Paxton vibes, which I enjoyed immensely.  Give it a watch.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Yes, I like most of Stephen King's catalog and I think he is one of the best storytellers in history.  Even if you disagree with that statement, you can't deny the man's sheer output. 

OK, stepping off the soapbox.  This story focus on a teenager named Charlie who finds himself taking care of a grouchy old neighbor named Howard Bowditch and his equally old German Sheppard, Radar.  It focuses much on promises, guilt, and obligation.  The first part of the book spends a good chunk of time in our world in order to get the reader invested in Charlie, Howard, and Radar's relationships.  Of course, the weird, horrible, and fantastical ultimately make an appearance, and Charlie must plunge into it.  I'm listening to it on Audible and Stephen King even makes a brief vocal appearance in reading a section that makes sense from a story standpoint.  Good stuff.

That's all for this time.

Stay smart.  Stay safe.

Jim