On Writing and Storytelling: The Case of the Rogue “44”

Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Orlando, Florida

Hi there, Dear Reader.

While working on the omnibus edition of The Jim Garraty Chronicles last night and reviewing the Reunion: Coda section, I stumbled across a funny little typo in the Kindle Create file. Somewhere in the process of moving the text from the original Reunion: Coda project into the omnibus, “I’ve” mysteriously picked up an extra “44.” I’m fairly certain my right hand grazed the number pad at just the wrong moment. I only caught the glitch during a routine read-through of the manuscript.

Because the typo originated in the original Reunion: Coda Kindle Create file—and not in the Word document itself—the rogue “44” managed to sneak into every published format: Kindle, paperback, and hardcover. The one bright spot? The audiobook, beautifully narrated by Stefan Lee from the pristine Word manuscript, is blissfully free of my wandering digits. Since the error crept in during the Kindle Create phase, it never touched the audio source files. Sometimes luck really does show up when you need it.

Naturally, once I spotted the blunder, I sprang into action. The typo was promptly banished from Kindle Create, a fresh .kpf file zipped off to KDP just after 8 PM, and—miracle of miracles—the updates went live faster than you can say “errant keystroke.” The Kindle edition was corrected by 9:16 PM; the hardcover followed suit at 5:06 AM; and the paperback joined the celebration at 7:16 AM. I swear the publishing gods were in an unusually generous mood—this is the fastest I’ve ever seen changes ripple through KDP’s labyrinthine system.

If you own the Kindle edition of Reunion: Coda, you’ll likely see the updated version by Friday or Saturday. Amazon warns authors that changes—whether price, cover, or content—can take up to three days to propagate. Sometimes the cloud version updates instantly, but more often there’s a short wait while the gears of digital publishing turn.

A small quirk worth noting: not all Kindle devices or apps refresh book files automatically. Amazon does this to protect readers from unexpected changes—imagine being mid-chapter, and suddenly the text shifts or your highlights disappear. To preserve your place and notes, many devices stick with the version you originally downloaded. So if you’re reading on Kindle for PC, a Kindle e-reader, or a Fire tablet and the update doesn’t appear on its own, you may need to manually remove and redownload Reunion: Coda to get the newest, typo-free edition. A minor hassle, yes—but think of it as the “choose your own adventure” of digital housekeeping.

To those of you who purchased the print edition, my sincerest apologies for this little slip making its way onto your bookshelf. If you’d prefer a flawless copy, you’re welcome to pick up the newly corrected version. But if you’re the resourceful type (or simply enjoy a quirky publishing anecdote), a dab of Liquid Paper and a steady hand with your favorite pen will have your book looking good as new. Thank you for your patience and your good humor.

As for the Audible edition: the review process is still inching along, and it hasn’t yet reached the crucial second phase—the metadata test—which is a bit nerve-wracking. But the day is young, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that ACX will move things forward soon and begin the all-important audio file review. I understand that Amazon’s indie audiobook division sorts through thousands of titles every day, and Reunion: Coda is no lightweight, clocking in at just over 16 hours. Still, it’s been a week since I submitted the project, and so far the only quality assurance hurdle we’ve cleared is the cover art review (which, I’m happy to report, passed with flying colors).

This afternoon, I’ll be diving back into The Jim Garraty Chronicles for more editing. Here’s hoping I manage to avoid any further number-pad mischief.

I’ll close for now. Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll catch you on the sunny side of things.