Good morning, fellow Citizens of Stroock's Books. Please rise for the Stroock National Anthem: Oh...Canada... [What the actual ef?-Ed].
The temperature here this morning is a downright cool 63 degrees.
Heh, Mark Steyn read and answered our question. Not the first time. We love it when he tries to pronounce 'Stroock'. Comes at about 17:40. [You're fanboing-Ed]. Yes, we are.
Yesterday on Substack we remarked, 'Europe sucks and all the Europeans know it.' An Englishman replied, 'My god, man. You live in New Jersey.'
Well, Israel is in the midst of a PR disaster. Some ask what can the Israelis do better on the PR front. The answer is nothing. There is nothing the Israelis can do when the likes of the BBC and CNN uncritically repeat 'Gaza Health Ministry' information. It seems the effort to isolate Hamas via alternate aid distribution methods has failed, no? Maybe, maybe not. But the question remains, what is next? Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe the question is, what is the least-worst option?
However, the Arabs calling for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza is a far more important long term development. Israel is in a ditch, a trough. And like always in this war, Israel will climb out.
Book musings...July was another fine book sales month, with royalties coming in a few percentage points under their June counterparts. War Night is following the 20 percent per month sales drop off rule. War Night is also dragging up sales of the other books in The Great Nuclear War of 1975 series - by a lot! This series accounts for half of all royalties this year so far.
We are also seeing a few audio sales. Some customers want audio obviously. But is this enough to justify the format? Upon this question we shall dwell.
War Night sales will continue to drop off as Will's Iron Rule of Book sales asserts itself. Which means we need to get off our butt and finish a few things, World War 1990: Thatcher's War among them. As planned we just about have the - Jesus - 77,000 words so far the way we like them. The invasion is next.
Again, given War Night's success and the success of the entire series, there's no reason not to work on a 5th novel.
Today we shall remove to the Stroock Northern Strategic Direction. That's three hours in which we can ponder nuke story ideas. Let's find the headspace and figure out what we want to write. Another short story comp? A full-on novel? And when?