I study nuclear science, I love my classes

[rolanni]

So, yesterday.  We visited the Radiology Department, and now await news.  I'm going on the theory that bad news will arrive more quickly than good news.  According to the tech, news of all and any denomination ought to be with me no later than Thursday afternoon.

After the hospital, we took a ride out into the country.  I'm pleased to report that Newport is precisely where we left it last autumn, and that the causeway over Plymouth Pond remains above water, but only barely.  Also, the ustabe campground on the Newport side of the causeway, which was in later days purchased to be developed into private pond-side "condos" -- is for sale.  It is, of course, out in the middle of Nowhere Much, but it does have Location.

We returned home to find the contract for Liaden Mask novels 1 and 2 in the mail (Note to self:  read contract today); a phone call from our real estate agent, telling us that she had people who wanted to look at our house on Wednesday afternoon; and an email from Madame the Agent regarding the Players List for Alliance of Equals, organization thereof, which has a lot of good stuff in it, that I need to look at more closely.

Yesterday evening, Steve went to the chess club and I proofed some of the stories included in A Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume 3.  Also, we had a wind storm.  The wind is somewhat diminished this sunny morning, and we hope to see it vanished entirely before too many more hours have passed.

Today's tasks are writing, naturally, and straightening up the house in expectation of Viewers.  I must say that some of the houses that we viewed on the weekend were...astonishing in the number of cellphones, mp3 players, and iThings simply left sitting out.  In one house, the owner may well have gone out the back door as we came in the front; the computer was on, eyeglasses on a pile of businessy looking papers next to the keyboard, and the cellphone charging on the kitchen counter.  We try to be. . .a little more advertent than that.

For those who were able to donate or to send a kind word to Cheyenne Wright and his family, Cheyenne has posted an update.  Here's your link.

Speaking of which -- I want to again thank everyone who donated to us via Patreon, Splinter Universe, PayPal, or check.  We very much appreciate your care, and your support of our work.

Today's blog title brought to you by Timbuk3, "The Future's So Bright"

Comments

A query about funding

[arkessian.livejournal.com]

Which method of giving does you most good, and not being entirely disinterested, gets me most Liaden(TM) stuff I wouldn't otherwise get?

Cos, see, I love me a bucket-load of Liaden and don't want to miss a thing. I'll buy via Baen anything **of yours** (and a few other authors) that's offered there **if it's the most advantageous for you**.

But I want to ensure you get the best bang for my pound (none of this modern ex-colonial dollar rubbish :) which includes (in your more-informed opinion than mine) the best options for improving future publication prospects.

Re: A query about funding

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a couple things going on here.

The first thing is that we receive, by contract, X% of cover on all Baen books. For ebooks, X=25%. For hardcovers, X=10% of the first 5,000 sold; and 12.5% for the next 5,000, and 15% thereafter. For paperback X=8% of the first 150,000 sold; and 10% thereafter. We do not reach the higher altitudes. 5,000 hardcovers is a lot of midlist scifi hardcovers, and I'm not sure anyone but George sells over 150,000 paperbacks in these days.

Those percentages remain the same whether you buy your book from Baen, BN, Amazon, iBooks or -- wherever. And they remain the same even if the vendor has discounted the book, because we are paid a percentage of cover. I speak here of Baen books. If Amazon "discounts" one of the Pinbeam chapbooks, that hits us directly in the pocketbook, because those items are self-published, and we get 70% of whatever Amazon feels like selling the book for.

The second thing is that the various fundraisers we're embarked on at the moment are. . .extra. They do not have any impact on your access to Things Liaden at all at this point. We did promise the Patreon people that we'd slot in some "rewards" if we got at least $500 in patronage, to prove interest -- and that after we get back from our book tour in early June.

That point is certainly proven, but even if/when we do -- I dunno...spoken pronunciation lists? A short story read aloud? -- those things would most likely be available to the Patreon folks first, and opened up to everyone after some number of days. Because, in truth, all of our readers support us, and have supported us -- by buying our books.

Third thing. . .for those who want to donate, and who do not want to see their donation partially eaten by fees (Patreon takes 5% and there are additional credit card fees that range from 2-4%. Plus the transfer service takes another $0.25 to $1.00. PayPal takes $0.50 out of every $5 donation via button (such as those on Splinter Universe). There's probably a percentage schedule, but I can't find it right now.), then the very best way to donate is directly to us, via check or money order drawn on a US bank (fees to translate monies drawn on foreign banks can be up to 60% here in our little corner of paradise), or a direct transfer via PayPal.

Direct to us via check: Sharon Lee and/or Steve Miller, PO Box 1586, Waterville ME 04903-1586.
Direct of us via PayPal: rolanniATkorvalDOTcom, srmATkorval.DOTcom

. . .I think that's all the things. If I missed something, let me know.