Questions For a Soldier

The chapbook is short story length, but what I've written for it is not a conventional short story. If you've read Old Man's War, you'll recall how John Perry, the book's protagonist, does a "goodwill" tour of the colonies after the Battle of Coral. I thought it would be interesting to zoom in to one of the stops on that tour and catch John Perry in the act of talking with the colonists, some of whom are happy to see him, and some of whom are not. The story takes place in the back and forth between Perry and the colonists, and in the events and answers that get revealed in the questions.

If you're a fan of John Perry and the OMW universe, here's why this chapbook might be of interest to you:

•  John Perry doesn't show up in The Ghost Brigades, so this will be your last chance -- for a little while, at least -- to catch up with him (other OMW characters do show up in TGB, most notably Jane Sagan -- who, let me just say, totally kicks ass).
• The chapbook features events and action sequences that took place during the time frame of OMW but which weren't included in the book, including one battle sequence which was one of the first that I imagined for OMW, but wasn't able to get into the book for various plot reasons. So to some extent this chapbook is akin to a "deleted scenes" feature on a DVD. And we all know how much we love deleted scenes. 
• If you're paying attention, you might catch foreshadowing, not only for The Ghost Brigades but for the as-yet entirely theoretical third book in the series (which is to say, there's been no official discussion of a third book, but if and when there is, and if and when I write it, some of what will be in that book will be foreshadowed by what's in the chapbook. This is my rather convoluted way of saying yes, I do have a plot for a third book, and I'd be happy to write it. Now I need to tell the fine folks at Tor what it is so they can give it a thumbs up or thumbs down). As we all know, foreshadowing is your assurance of quality literature.
• It'll tide you over, not unlike a nice light snack, until The Ghost Brigades arrives in February.
• This particular story is not available in any other format, so once this one's gone -- that's that.
• Aside from all that, the chapbook will be illustrated. Mmmm... picturey goodness. And if Subterranean gets the illustrator we're thinking about, the chapbook is likely to be more valuable because of his contributions than mine. Funny how that works sometimes. (Update: we got him. It's Bob Eggelton. Woot!)

Limited: 574 signed numbered chapbooks
Lettered: 26 signed hardcover copies