Saturday Updates

To quote the great Jack Buck, I don't believe what I just saw!  One moment a sharp line drive is headed to left field to tie the game, the next moment there's a double play. What an ending! Take that, Canada! The Dodgers and the Canadian Blue Jays play game-7 tonight. 

Good morning and happy November, reader(s) of Stroock's Books.

Lame trick or treating here last night, with only half a dozen kids stopping by. What's up with that?

We had an excellent October at the gym with our calisthenic  and strength training program. With a new month we feel it's time for a new program. Today our workout will be mowing the lawn one last time this year.

The New Jersey Globe tells us that Mikie Sherrill leads in six polls. But this analyst at NJ.com argues that Jack's retail politics will win the race. We believe Jack will enjoy a new job in the Trump administration. 

Sales report: Huh, book sales were actually up a bit in October over September (Substack posting maybe?), though KU reads were down 10 - 15 percent or so. As is typical, sales distribution flags look like the Normandy invasion + the Aussies with the Krauts coming in 5th. The Great Nuclear War series leads all sales, followed by World War 1990: Norway. 

The Things:

We had a long, difficult week with World War 1990: Thatcher's War, but that week was ultimately very productive. We're quite pleased. There's been a lot of beta reading. Those beta readers also seem pleased. Nut graph, as the J-school losers would say, the Battle of Derry is much better today than it was last Saturday. 

We formally broke the MS in two. The first half taking the reader through the Battle of Derry is 60,000 + words. So far this feels like the right decision. The second half is called Thatcher's War, so what's the first half. World War 1990: the Troubles has been suggested. This feels presumptuous and even risky. Also we think that title would drive readers away.* World War 1990: Aftermath with a little more emphasis on the war aftermath has also been suggested. Maybe. 

We have limited, but consistent success with the nuclear war books being available as audio books. We are now seeking to replicate this success with the World War 1990 series. These books will be available as Audio books via Amazon or audible this weekend.

*Going from grand fleets and huge tank battles to parochial Irish militias chasing each other around Derry? Meh....