It’s July, one month before my three new Pocket Guide books release. If you’re getting tired of me saying “Pocket Guide,” then I have some bad news for you. Over the next couple of months, I’m going to be talking about them a lot. Because that’s my job. And this is my blog. And who are you to try and stop me?

(Yes, Mom, I’m talking to you. And also to you, Little Evelyn Talbert. And probably to you, too, new reader Ann. You’re the one who commented just yesterday how much you appreciated that I wasn’t just using my blog to hawking my own goods while providing links for people to go buy them. So now I’m feeling guilty because that’s exactly what I’m doing with this very post…only one day after you praised me for not doing that. Sigh. Please don’t leave.)

Anyway, the official release date for the books is August 3. That’s a great day to go buy the books at Barnes & Noble (where I hear they’ll be available via an out-front promotion), or Borders, or wherever fine pocket-sized books are sold. But I know some of you are good friends of this blog, or you’ve read and enjoyed my other Pocket Guide books, or you’re just generally kind people who have approximately $10 to spare. If that’s you, then I have a favor to ask, and it’s something you can do right now. No waiting.

It’s this: Go to Amazon.com right now and pre-order the books. Amazon is a pretty influential bookseller, as you might know, and sales there are a big influence on the rest of the market. For new, unproven books, they tend to order small quantities at a time. But if pre-orders for a certain title are higher than expected, then this will often mean a significant jump in what Amazon keeps in stock.

And if Amazon starts ordering a bunch, the other stores may follow suit. Exceed expectations at Amazon, and good things can happen.

So if you’ve been waiting for my books to come out, why not go ahead and pre-order yours today? You’ll still get them a month from now, but you’ll help me out a lot more than if you waited until the release date. And if you order all three new books — Pocket Guide to the Afterlife ($9.52), Pocket Guide to Sainthood ($10.36), and Pocket Guide to the Bible ($10.36) — then you’ll probably be eligible for Free Super-Saver Shipping. Woohoo!

(No, I don’t know why Afterlife is cheaper. Maybe because they expect it to be more popular? And be advised the the cover art Amazon shows for Sainthood and Afterlife is not accurate. They’re using an old version. No idea when this will be fixed. Who knows the mysterious ways of the world’s largest book retailer? Not me. Possibly Jeff Bezos?)

If you decide to pre-order any one of these books, let me know in the comments. I can’t enter you in a raffle or giveaway or anything, because I hear that’s illegal in some states, the equivalent of a lottery or something dubious. But I can give you my undying appreciation, and I’ll promise to publicly express my gratitude to you in a forthcoming post. I’ll even link to your blog, if you want.

(“Wow,” you are probably thinking. “You really go all out for us humble blog readers. A real, live hyperlink and a written expression of thankfulness? What a swell guy!”)

Meanwhile, I am thinking: You’re kind of mean, you know that?

Anyhow, I’d appreciate the pre-orders, if you can swing it. Thanks for reading my books, for reading this blog, for interacting via the comments and contributing to the goofy contests. You are some good people.

Thank you.