GM Games Sales Report

It's hitting the end of the month and I try to post my sales for GM Games when I have any to report.  Why do I do it?  I believe I do it because I like when companies let me peek behind the curtain.  To have concrete numbers that go with sales and gaming.  When I started, I had no clue how many I would sell.  I still don't.  But my guessing is a lot better.

In February I released the third issue of The Manor and participated in Jim Raggi's Free RPG Day Kickstarter.  The Kickstarter alone gave me more sales in PDFs than I had previously combined.  I sell all my print items from my home.  But I'm planning on doing a combo, issues #1-4 in a book form, but due to the new policy of RPGNow's printer they will not ship books to my PO box.  I'll figure something out.  The PDFs I have for sale are on RPGNow and Lulu.  I've inquired about selling them on FRP Games, but haven't heard back.

Here are the numbers for February.  I've broken them down to show where the sales come from. 

Manor #3
43 - Print Sales
 0  - Lulu PDF
 9  - RPGNow PDF

Manor #2
 4  - Print Sales
 0  - Lulu PDF
 2  - PRGNow PDF
70 - LotFP Kickstarter PDF

Manor #1
 4 - Print Sales
 0 - Lulu PDF
 3 - RPGNow PDF
92 - LotFP Kickstarter PDF

Knowledge Illuminates
1  - Print Sale
2  - Lulu PDF 
3  - RPGNow PDF
73 - LotFP Kickstarter PDF

The Kickstarter made a decent month into a stellar month.  I plan on storing the money from the Kickstarter to get art for the zine and other projects.  Also this month I had some people who ordered back issues.  It's very cool coming home after a long ass day of work and see a few sales in my e-mail.  But what I am seeing is a spiraling downward trend with PDF sales.  Here are the number of PDF sales I had for each zine in their first month.

PDF Sales 1st Month
Issue #1: 40
Issue #2: 14
Issue #3:  9

I'm not sure why this is.  I know Issue #1 had some difficulties and took me a few attempts to get them straightened out.  What I think I'm going to do from now on with the PDFs is get them cleaned up and bookmarked by someone who knows how to do it.  I'll be reading up on it so I can eventually do it myself, but may need to enlist someone already versed in that already.  And when I get the 4th issue released I'll start doing bundle packages.  I know I always look for those when cruising around RPGNow.

Speaking of the 4th issue, its coming along nicely.  Jason Sholtis is really putting in a lot of hard work with not only art, but content.  He's already done more art for this issue than the first three combined.  And it looks like the 4th issue is going to be a tad larger than past issue, I'm guessing it'll be 28 pages instead of the usual 24 pages. 

I also wanted to thank everyone who did reviews or gave me a shout out for issue #3.  That would be Tenkard's Tavern, Tabletop Diversions, Bat in the Attic, Lapsus Calumni, and I am sure I'm missing a couple.  Ivy is better at spotting them than I am.

Here are the total sales of each issue to date.
Knowledge Illuminates - 266    (released February 16th, 2011)
Manor #1 - 253    (released May 4th, 2012)
Manor #2 - 170    (released July 4th, 2012)
Manor #3 - 52      (released February 16th, 2013)
Cave of Seiljua - 231    (released September 9th, 2012)

I know I've mentioned this before, but Dak from CRAWL! and I have opened up a community on Google+ called RPG Zines.  If your interested learning about how to do a zine or have some knowledge to share please join.  There has been a lot of good discussion about the process and the culture of zines.  I'm learning a lot from the input.  So if that's the kind of thing that interests you, please join and say hello.

Lulu Discount

Hey I just found out from Matthias Weeks that Lulu does have a discount code going right now, FEBBOOKS13.  It's good for 20% off.  Head on over to Lulu and grab a few OSR books.  The code is only good until tomorrow so click fast, buy good and know you've done a good thing.

I Made a Bad Bet, but Got a Great Zine

So I cruise on over to Wizards Mutants Lazer Pistols and for some reason I thought it would be fun to challenge Alex to a contest, who could get issue #4 out.  First one who does gets a free zine from the other guy.  I think it was the next day Alex released Issue #4 of Wizards Mutants and Lazer Pistols.  Within 24hrs I lost the bet.  I never had a chance.  I am glad to see issue #4 WMLP out and will happily send issue #4 of the Manor (getting my Deadwood gravel voice going) to Alex.

I've linked the page above.  If you just like buying zines go click and I'll wait till you get back......




On to the review.

I have all 4 issues of WMLP and I will not pretend this is a critical overview.  This will be a fan perspective.  There is something about WMPL that makes me feel like building a fort in the woods, grab a flashlight and sneak out some Pop Tarts and read my issue there.

Yeah, it's that cool.

WMLP is a full sized paper.  They don't need no stinking long armed staplers.  Full page, double sided print, carstock covers.  It's 20 pages long.  Oh and before I forget, if you haven't clicked the link, here it is again if you're too lazy to scroll back up...link for lazy people.  He is giving away a homemade gelatinous cube absorbing a zombie figurine to one of the lucky people who order the zine before the end of the month.  If that won't do it for you then you are reading the wrong blog.  That is almost as cool as a sleestak.  Not quite, but damn near.

Content.  There is a lot of variety in the content.  All of its very fun and accompanied by an amateurish style art that I love.  I dunno, when I look at it I can see myself doodling these pictures.  It's honest.  It's fun.  Included are monsters, a City-State, an adventure, a class, magic items and one of my favorite things a crossword puzzle based on Lord of the Rings.  Alex knows I like those puzzles and quizzes he adds. 

Seriously though this is a good zine.  Clean, useful, easy to read and what I've said a few times already, the essence of fun.  WMLP reminds me of how I felt when I first got into gaming.  It's a good trip.  Now go buy a copy.  I have to finish my forth issue so I can send it off to Alex.

A Peek at Inside Issue #4

Here is a fantastic picture drawn by none other than Jason Sholtis for issue #4 of the Manor.  Yeah, it looks like this one is going to be out much quicker than the last one.  Of course that wouldn't be tough to do.  Jason is really helping out in this issue with art and I've recruited some of my gaming friends to help contribute content.  In this issue there will me a mini monster manual that Jason came up with the title, From Beneath the Manor.  I like it.  Because of the extra contributions and the fantastic art I'm thinking this might be a larger issue.  Not sure yet, but I'm pretty sure it will be expanded to 28 pages.

Dak of CRAWL! fame and I have started a zine community on Google+ and I think its going well.  There are some people just starting out or having trouble connecting with the proper talents.  I guess I would divide talents into content contributor, artists, proof readers and in some cases layout assistance.  If you have one or all of these skill and you have a spare moment to help someone stop on over to the RPG Zine community and let them know you're available.  I know my zine wouldn't exist without the help of others in the OSR community. 

Off to work.  Which sucks.  Paperwork up to my ass, convicts waiting to lie to me, homeless families scrambling for a moment of my time and my workers are thinking up excuses of why they can't come in.  But, it keep the lights and heat on and on occasion it allows me to buy something fun.  I got my eye on a Tardis.  Because Tardis's are cool.

What To Do With All These Dice

Look at all these dice all over my table.  I sure wish I had something to put them.

I wonder is I look around the house if I can find a home for my dice.

Hmm, I have a paper bag, but what if it rains.  It will tear and my dice will fall out into the mud.

 

I have a plastic bag so that would stop the rain, but it could tear and all my dice would be lost.

I have a tea bag, but that is just weird.  And I don;t think Ivy would like me tea bagging my dice.

I have a classic Crown Royal bag, but its way to small.  I wonder what I can do to find to the perfect home for my dice....

I know.  I'll contact Michael who runs Greyed Out on Etsy.  He makes some great dice bags.  I know he has a Bad Moon orc dice bag I've been looking at for a while.  I'll go order one now.
*Click*

{4 days pass}

Look what came in the mail today.  My brand new Bad Moon orc dice bag from Greyed Out.  Even all my dice love it.  They are surrounding it ready to move in.

My dice can't wait.  They are jumping in as fast as they can.

It got a little violent.  The d6s started ganging up against the d12s.  The d30 had to start policing the move.  

Everybody is moved in and there is plenty of room to spare.  My dice are very happy and so am I.

So end the quest to find a home for my dice.  Greyed Out has a lot of cool designs and Michael will do custom orders.  I wanted my Bad moon Orc to be free standing and wa la, Michael made it happen.  I'm very happy with the finished product.  The dice bags prices range from $16 to $24, but most are at the lower end.  Thank you Michael for doing a great job.  I'll be back for more.

GM Games Warehouse

I thought you might like to take a look behind the curtain here at GM Games.  This is the first pictures ever of my warehouse, where all my print copies of The Manors and adventures I've published.  Several people have tried to get a glimpse at this, but I have it barricaded more than Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

As you can see my vast warehouse is none other than a old Christmas Card box.  It's sturdy construction and perfect size made it a no brainer to move in.  The Christmas Cards were evicted and no dwell in a corner lot some where in Pittsburgh.  I thought I would also give you a before and after picture.  As you can see the warehouse's inventory is low after a week of orders.

This is what the warehouse looks like after a night of restocking.  As most of you know GM Games prints all their zines in house.  The envelopes in the back are stamped and ready to go.  What you don;t see here is the mailroom.  It is off to the right.  That is where we keep all the creepy butterflies and other postage.

I hope you have enjoyed your tour of the GM Games warehouse, but I am going to have to ask you to leave now.  We are having trouble in our storage basement, apparently the sleestaks have tunneled in again and they are fighting with the displacer beast (hint hint) we are keeping there.

Friday Question

Dak Ultimak and I discussed opening a RPG Zines in Google Communities.  Which we have done mainly due to the efforts of Dak.  Here is the link to it, RPG Zines.  We thought it would fill a niche for those of us who enjoy reading or creating zines.  I'm hoping it becomes a resource for people who have questions about how to start a zine, find artists or content, and a place to bounce off ideas with constructive input. 

My question is with so many communities out there and, to me, it becomes more of a forum, do they provide what you want?  Do Google Communities help you find the information or people?  And what makes a successful community for you?

I've joined a few communities and I tend to shy away from the larger ones with 1000s of people.  I can't keep up with them and the noise level is high.  I do like the smaller, more focused ones.  Like Tenkar's 2000 Copper Pieces.  Erik is interactive with his community and its focused.  So I get more out of it. 

Lastly, if you want to join RPG Zines come on over.  I'm not sure how its set up, but if you would like an invite leave a comment for me on Google+.

Over 200 Copies Sold...Thanks

John Stater, creator of the Blood & Treasure RPG and Land of Nod magazine has penned a review of Knowledge Illuminates.  I think its very cool that KI is still getting reviews.  Earlier this month it had its second birthday.  That little adventure gets these weird bursts of sales.  I've been lucky enough to sell over 200 copies of it over the years.  When I published it I set my goal at 25, but was hoping to sell 50. Its because of reviews like this I get those bursts of sales.  So thank you John for taking the time to do the review.

My second review, I guess it would be more of an award ceremony from Mr. Blue over at The Cobalt Kobold.  Mr. Blue has a great way of doing reviews.  The Manor #3 won a bunch of Big Mean Awards.  You have to check it out its a fun read.  He's done reviews for Manor #2 and Manor #1.  It's cool for someone who is publishing their small efforts to see guys like Mr. Blue get excited about it.  It helps fuel me onto the next project and so on.  Thanks Mr. Blue for another stellar award ceremony. 

This WIll Not be a Post About WotC Releasing a Wooden Version of the White Box

Okay, got that out of the way.

Actually this post is about is about buying stuff.  Just not that.  Too much for me.  It looks impressive, but it would probably sit on a shelf and collect dust.  Not to mention Ivy would probably knock the crap out of me and put rainbows and bunnies on my blog.

I posted yesterday about all the work that goes into a zine.  So what do you get to do with the profits.  Well, first keep some set aside for more supplies and art.  Always good to have a stash.  The rest you get to play with.  Most of my print sales cover the cost of the zine biz.  What I make on PDFs is what I usually get to shop with.  So my RPGNow and Lulu sales are my fun money.

This fun money goes towards games and other zines.  While I could buy the $170 Wooden White Box.  I would rather get Bare Bones Fantasy, 4th issue of Wizards Mutants Laser Pistols (which was just released yeah!), eventually I want to fill in the holes for Knockspell and Fight On!.  I want John Staters stack of Land of Nod magazines.  The reissues I do want to get are the S and A series they are releasing.  I'm on the fence about Dungeon World.  I want to get a hardback of Savage Worlds.  Tim Brannen's, The Witch in print.  I've been eyeballing Jalizar, City of Thieves for a while, it looks good.  I think I would want that one in print.  Get a copy of Dyson's Delves, probably the paperback.  And all I've hearing about the Teratic Tome, I gots to get me a copy of that also.

This is just a sampling off all the cool stuff I'd love to get.  There are probably a hundred other items I'm forgetting that could easily be on this list.  So that's where my profits go.  Back to buying gaming stuff.  Shocking, I know. 

Construction of a Zine

Matt Jackson posted a review of the third Manor and asked me about the card stock I use and mentions the construction of my zine.  A few people during the week have contacted me about starting their own zine.  I thought I'd use this post to go over the physical parts, price and putting together a zine.  Along with a little advice.  Before I get started let me say there are many ways to go about doing a zine, I'm just sharing my experience.  Each one of you will have to find their own path, hopefully one less traveled.

Click here to get an issue.

   Starting Equipment
Get a good printer.  Don't be cheap.  Get a full fledged office printer, not a home printer.  There are plenty of good sales. Make sure it can do auto double sided printing or you're going to be re-feeding the pages through the printer again and that takes a lot of time.  Make sure the page yield per cartridge is high.  By high I mean over a 1000.  Ink is expensive.  You'll be burning through it quickly with dozens of copies with weird fonts and pictures. 

Long-armed Stapler:  I never knew the possibilities until I bought my long-armed stapler.  They run about $30+ depending on the store.  I have a simple black Swingline brand.  It uses normal staples.

Publishing Programs: I warn you not to put together a zine in Word.  Especially if it has pictures.  If you want to know what the 1st circle of Hell is like, try to format your zine in Word.  I went with Publisher, but there are several free programs.  Just get one that works for you.

Space.  You'll need some dedicated space for your zine.  You're going to fall in love with cardstock colors, so have room to store extra paper, printed issues, and a well lit space to put together your zine.  Make sure its clean.  No Cheeto or Dorito dust, or spilled beverages.  The owner has the privilege of staining the zine not you.

I'm not including any of these costs into the zine.  It's the start up costs before you can even think about doing it. 

Cover
The cover is typical card stock you can buy in any office supply or hobby store.  Just watch the measurements because some of them are slightly smaller than a normal page.  Card stock is usually 67lb paper.  I'm sure it can go higher, but weight is a consideration when shipping and 67 hits a sweet spot of being sturdy and not weighting too much.  For a ream of 250 sheets you can expect to pay around $15.  Some of them only come in 50 or 100 packs.  They seem cheaper, but when you average the price they end up being much more expensive.  That said, if you have to pay a bit more to get the color you want, go for it.

Paper
The paper inside is something I went over in a previous post, Experiment of the Paper Kind.  The paper I use is the typical all-purpose 20lb, 96 bright.  I have paper that is 92 bright and I don't like it because the ink shows through.

My Staples runs sales, where I'd buy two reams of paper and get rebated the entire cost.  Not sure how that works out for them, but for it works great for me.  Normally paper should run about $4 a ream.

I recently bought 24lb/98 bright paper and holy crap is it nice.  However, it costs twice as much as the 20lb.  I paid $8 for the ream, and my wife almost killed me.  There were other reams that went to 28lb and 30lb.  I plan on buying those in the near future just so I can compare.  I'll make sure I leave Ivy in the car for that purchase.

Back to the 24lb paper.  While you wouldn't think such small upgrades would make a difference, it does.  Feels and looks different.  I plan on using it in a future issue.  It may cost a little more, but I think it will be worth it.

Ink/Printer
I do all the printing in-house, which keeps my costs low.  I get rebated for paper, so that helps, and card stock works out to be .06 cents a sheet.

I have a Epson WP-4530 printer.  It kicks some ass.  It costs $38 for a black ink cartridge, but has a yield of 2400 pages.  That's just for text though.  Pictures suck up a lot more ink so lets cut it by a quarter to 1800 pages.  That means it costs about .2 cents to print/page.  I have six pages and a cover, front and back, so at 14 printed pages costs me .28 cents in ink. 

Cost of Printing Services
I could go to Staples and have them print copies of my zine.  I called Staples, these prices include the printing, paper, and cardstock, at 50 copies of a 24 page zine (6 half pages printed on both sides + the cover), would cost $97.26 or $1.95 an issue.  At 100 copies it costs $181.79 or $1.82 an issue.  I'm going to be optimistic and use the 100 copy cost.  This does not include any other costs except to get a printed issue in your hand.

I am not trying to make Staples the villain.  I get most of my supplies there.  Just a comparison.  Staples costs me $1.82 and issue.  I can print it at home for .34 cents. 

Envelopes
This is a weird expense.  Zines fit into a normal greeting card sized envelope, and there's a lot to choose from.  Wal-Mart has a box of 100 for $11.54 (or 12 cents an envelope), top open.  Staples has a box of 250 for $31.49 (or 13 cents an envelope), side open, self-adhesive envelopes.

I try to get ones that are sturdier since some of The Manor buyers are in United Kingdom, Sweden, and Australia, to name a few I recently sent out.   And I want the zine to find its way there with minimal damage.

Postage
Postage recently increased. For domestic mail it went from .65 cents to .66 cents.  And they made creepier butterflies for the 66 cent stamps. This is for packages 2oz or under.  Should it weight over 2oz the postage leaps to 86 cent per stamp.  My zine weights in at 1.7oz.  I'm thinking I have enough room to add another page (which would mean 4 additional pages) into the Manor.

International shipping. Canada cost a $1.10.  The rest of the world as far as I have shipped, costs $2.05.  If I remember correctly the world postage was at $1.92 so it went up 13 cents.

Fees
I use Paypal for all my print sales.  For USA sales I charge $3.50 and Paypal takes out a .40 cent transaction fee. International, I charge $4.50 and Paypal takes out .48 cents.  So Paypal takes about 11% of what I charge for a zine.  When I did subscriptions at higher amounts the percentage was lower.

Other Costs
Other costs would include the little bit of pizza money I send to the artists who draw those fantastic pictures.  It's not a lot, but I like to give them something.  A show of appreciation.  And along with that and other contributors, I give them at least one contributor's copy or a CC.  I can't figure these into the costs exactly.  Since this is not a professionally run business and while I could account for all the CCs and pizza money costs, I don't.  Too much math for me.

Total Costs
Here are the total costs if I had Staples do the the printing for me.
Print Costs: $1.82 + .13 envelope + .66 stamp +.40 Paypal fee = $3.01 (a .49 cent profit)
International: + $2.05 stamp + 48 Paypal fee = $.4.48 (a .02 cent profit)

I'm no business man, but that sucks.  While I am not in it to make big bucks I would like to make enough profit so I can buy the next cool gaming book I see.  Or upgrade the paper I want to use.  Or pay for colored art for an issue (spoiler).

My costs printing it from home.
Print Costs: .34 + .13 envelope + .66 stamp + .40 Paypal fee = $1.53 (a $1.97 profit)
International: + $2.05 stamp + .48 Paypal fee = $3.00 ( a $1.50 profit)

Those are numbers I can work with. In a future post I plan on writing about what I do with the profits.

Advice
First, make sure its something you want to invest a lot of time into. It's not easy.  Well not for me at least, but its something I really enjoy doing.  So make sure the zine is a personal reflection of you and what you like about gaming (or whatever yours may be about).  That's why people love zines because they're personal.  Most of the things I include are directly from my games or stuff I think is cool.

Second, use your friends.  Not in a bad way, but all my friends have different talents they bring to the table.  Whether ts be a map maker, proof reader or content contributor, accept some help.  You'll have a ton on your plate as is.

Third, CCs.  As I mentioned above, contributors' copies are important to those who have helped. Hell, I even send a copy to my mother.  Again, it is a show of appreciation for the people who have helped.

Fourth, be generous.  Zines are not a money making project.  If I know someone is having financial difficulties or a bad day I'll fire off an issue, gratis.  If someone emails me and says they got my zine in the mail and it made their day, cool.  There are a lot of good people out there that will support you if you take the time to get to know them, and show you're willing to give them hand also.

Fifth, ties to the first, have fun with it.  Don't think you have to be bound by expectations or genres or conventions.  You're going to spend a lot of time on that little book, you might as well enjoy it.

Conclusion
There are many ways of doing a zine.  You can Google videos of people hand sewing the binding.  Photo coping the content.  Countless ways you can express you gaming mojo.  But if you plan on doing it, get the tools to make it a little easier for yourself.   I'm hoping this post gives you a sample of what it I needed to get things going.  By all means give it a try.  Its a blast.  And if you find its something you don't enjoy then move on to your next gaming project.

If you have any questions or want to know something in more detail you can email me at elder(underscore)sensa(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Art by Me

I've already been plugging away at the 4th Manor.  Whether you guys know it or not I always try to include one 'picture' or thing I drew myself into each issue.  First issue it was the map of the salt pit.  The second issue bore Hugo's sign.  Third issue I created that Monster Hunter symbol and in the 4th issue I drew this.  Underwhelmed?  I know.  That's why I get guys like Sholtis, Hartwell, Bingham and soon to be another new guy who can draw the pants off Porky Pig. 

I was writing an adventure for the next issue and a cavern is blocked by two big stalagmites.  This is my artistic impression of it.  I call it...Upside Down Fangs.  I bet you feel better about your artistic ability now.  I'm gonna enjoy my day off Monday.  *chair dance* 

Sleestak Sunday - Super Size Me

I do not know from whence this big lipped sleestak came.  He looks a little unhealthy with that big belly and skinny legs.  He must be the evolution of the species.  He grown finger, but has no opposible (sp?) thumb.  I'm guessing this is the fast food version of the sleestak.

Map and Adventure Under Construction

here's the map I've been working on this morning.  Drawn in pencil, gone over with a Sharpie Pen then colored in the pencil.  I can't crosshatch worth a shit.  So coloring within the lines is what I go.  Not completely happy with it, but like the shape.  Needs some tweaking.  There will be one other cave that goes with this one.  Possibly two.

This is the second map.  It's another MiP.  A natural (maybe) bridge spans an creek.  No shading yet.  Might try something in Xara.
________________________________________________________________________________

I wrote an introduction to an adventure today.  It's a narrative.  The GM would read it as is or put it into his own when words to start the adventure.  Why did I do it this way?  No clue.  It's still new, the embryonic fluid is still dripping off.  Here's a sample...

Little is know of the caves along Butcher Creek.  The sides of the valley are too steep for climbing.  Creek too shallow for fishing.  The woods too overgrown for traveling.  Not much motivation to go in until a few months ago when two good ol’boys, Clarence and Pickle found themselves a gold coin laying in the ice cold water of Butcher Creek.  Right there shining in the sun, stuck against a big rock.  So they go traveling up the creek and find themselves another coin in the water.  Silver this time.  That’s where they stopped.  They was on the edge of Misty Hollow where the caves are. 

Well Clarence and Pickle came into town hooting and a hollering.  They got drunk as ever I saw a man get drunk.  With the ale disappearing as fast as the small fortune they found they went and told everyone in the tavern where and how they found it.  Never said they were smart. 

Next morning there was at least fifty people out there in the creek turning over rocks, digging in the muck and fighting over which stretch of creek was theirs.  People only yesterday who were friendly neighbors were now broken up into rival tribes, each fighting over stretches of the creek. 

While I am no coward, I am also no imbecile.  I saw no sense of what these people were doing.  It wasn’t like it was raw gold.  Someone probably dropped coins into the water by accident.  Who knows.  Lots of people come this way once the weather starts to turn.

Another gold coin was found under a rock.  This time a fight occurred between two young boys who started the week as friends.  They got into a dust up then the fathers took up to fighting.  Barric stabbed Willie in the arm.  While the wound would heal in a week the town would suffer from that wound for a long time.  No one got to trusting no one. 

If I recall it was the night of no moon.  Dark as the nine hells out.  People had been at each other for a couple weeks by this time.  When I heard the first scream I didn’t pay it much mind.  Thought it was Malcolm next door taking liberties with his wife.  The second scream froze my soul.  Something inside me said to stay inside.  Don’t open the door. 

 This is about half of it. It's just an unnamed narrator (at this time) telling the players of what happened. Of course a GM can completely ignore all this and get right to it.  Anyway, that's what I'm up to this Saturday. 

I Got Interviewed by Rusty Battle Axe and Survived

I got interviewed over at Ken Harrison's Rusty Battle Axe blog.  He delves deep into my gamer soul, asking me questions no one would dare to in the light of day or within arm's reach.  Yet Ken dared to ask his cutting questions...not really.  It's a quick five question interview about gaming of course.  Please take a look and if you are so inclined give Rusty Battle Axe a join.  That way Ken knows someone else is reading his blog besides his gaming friends and his wife.