My bridge partner is going out of town for a long weekend so we decided to play today (two days in a row) since were're going to miss our regular Friday game (I have hooked up with another player for Friday, though). Today was an Open game, but there weren't a lot of top players so we were lucky enough to sneak into second place. We also finished above average yesterday, netting us an impressive sum of master points for the two day effort. People who aren't bridge addicts have a hard time understanding how consuming bridge master points can be. They are the invention that fundamentally keeps the industry going. The ACBL has a variety of "Master" levels. So, you start as a Rookie, then, with 5 master points, you become a Junior Master. Well, 5 master points aren't that hard--although it took me a while playing in a game where we thought we were doing well to get a quarter of a point. Still, you see the goal coming, you get excited, then it arrives and the ACBL sends you a nice little membership card with your new rating--and you realize you only need 15 more points to become a "Club Master." After that, anothe 30 points (for a total of 50) and you're a "Sectional Master." Next up--100 points makes you a Regional Master. Every step seems within reach--and you start heading off to tournaments to play for more points, looking for teammates for knockouts and Swiss teams (where the points seem more generous) and then, all of a sudden, you realize that you're an addict. Welcome to the club.

Therese and I passed 100 ponts a month ago, which should make us Regional Masters, except the ACBL hasn't added our latest points into their database yet. So, we're still only Sectional Masters according to the systems. Oh, well. If the ACBL still hasn't caught up with us by the end of the month, that'll mean we get to play in the 50-100 category rather than the 100+ category, meaning easier opponents. It isn't dishonest--because the ACBL lags behind for everyone.

After bridge, I headed to the post office, mailing off the second proof copy of DAMNATION OF THE REALM to Joshua Calkins-Treworgy, and a copy of THE ELDWARVES by Rob Clague to Amazon. I have some books in inventory, so it makes sense to stay with the Amazon Advantage Program until I've burned through the inventory, but with the POD costs I absorbed, I'm losing money on every one of these sales (it's just that the money is already lost and I'm trying to recoup what I can). I read today in Publisher's Weekly that the price of paper has gone up dramatically--so look to see book prices jump again.

After the post office, I went to the library (where I read Publisher's Weekly) and I got some writing done. Don't know how much, but I'm pretty sure it was less than 10 pages. Bummer. Tomorrow is a write my heart out and catch up day.

If you waited to buy MIDLIFE MURDER by Amy Eastlake, the good news is you still can. The bad news is, the $1 pricing is over--but the regular price of $3.99 is still an incredible bargain. Still only $1 is THE DREAD KNIGHT'S REDEMPTION by Joshua Calkins-Treworgy. But time is running out for it, too.

I'm going to make QUEST FOR THE TALISMAN--THE DOODA VOL. I by Michael Faris the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. A band of adventurers sets off in an airship in search for a mysterious and possibly dangerous artifact. Unfortunately, they aren't the only ones looking--and if the object falls into the wrong hands, the entire world may be at risk. Fantasy adventure--only $3.99. Learn more, read the free excerpt, or buy the entire eNovel here: www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_03/dooda.html . (Available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, Palm Reader/eReader, and Microsoft Reader formats). Here's the cover:

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