Thanks, folks. This was a really tough decision for me to make.

You know, I could kill 17 in Chapter 1. Would have to be a bunch at once, like arson or a bomb or a crash or... Hmmmm.... It probably wouldn't be a cozy....

Deb, Lucky you! Fresh Pollifax books to read. Of course, it's been so long since I read them, they're nearly new books for me! Mark, Shame on you for not sampling Gilman's other books! I never read the young adult stuff she did, but I think I've read all the adult books. Susan, You're so right. Though it does amuse me when she speaks of Women's Lib, instead of feminism. Art, You pretty much nailed it. Elaine, Given how many people are going to losing most of their belongings because of Hurricane Florence--and in the fires tonight in Massachusetts--I'm not going to complain about a dozen paperbacks. (Except that signed William Gibson--that one hurt.) Kris, I adore THE TIGHTROPE WALKER. It was the first book I read where I thought, "That protagonist is me!" Not any more, but when I read it... I remember being shocked when I realized the book quoted in it--THE MAZE AT THE HEART OF THE CASTLE--is a real book. Gilman herself wrote it. (And I have an autographed copy!)

The giveaway is live now and through Monday. (Would have posted this sooner, but I've been out of the country.) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJ6EC18/?tag=publishmarket-20

Elaine, in fact there is proof to back up the observation that women apologize more than men. https://www.livescience.com/8698-study-reveals-women-apologize.html I think your goal to limit your apologies to those times when you have something to apologize for is a great idea. Apologizing too often can be off-putting. if I'm giving somebody feedback, I don't want them to say "I'm sorry." I want them to say, "I understand and will do something about it," or even, "I don't agree, and I'm not changing."

Mark, thank you. It's so easy for a short story to disappear, so I take pleasure in this one staying alive. Art, I don't know that I ever will do that project. Of the four stories I wrote for it, three have sold elsewhere so I'm not sure I could glue it back together. But maybe a similar project some day. Hank, thank you!

I've been on two ballon rides. One was a surprise on. My father and I were at a balloon festival in Statesville, NC, and one of the participants landed a bit short of the desired field. Nearly on top of us! So we helped him get situated , and in return, he let me hop on board for a short ride to the field. After that, we had to do a full ride. So on Halloween of one year, Daddy and I were up in the sky. Amazing! Fun fact 1: Balloon baskets have tiny little glove boxes. Okay, maybe it's just a storage box, but it looked like a glove box from a car. Fun fact 2: The balloon pilot for ours had a tape player, and the tape inside it was the soundtrack to TOP GUN. Amused the heck out of us!