# One mmmmillion books!



## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

My agent needed me to tabulate sales across all distributors and all of time for the WOOL series. I have suspected that I crossed the million sales threshold recently, but wasn't sure. It takes forever to round up all the sales figures for ACX, CS, Kobo, B&N, iTunes, and KDP. When I finally got all the numbers crunched, it comes to 1,024,602 books in the trilogy sold. And I didn't have to pay for a single review along the way!

I reckon at least half these sales went to KB members, so thanks for the boost, everyone. You can return them now if you want and get your money back.


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## nico (Jan 17, 2013)

Congrats, Hugh. That's a real accomplishment to be proud of!


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## Lloyd MacRae (Nov 18, 2012)

Congrats.

I've read your stuff and it's good so I'm not asking for money back.

But maybe 10% commission for the help?


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## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

nico said:


> Congrats, Hugh. That's a real accomplishment to be proud of!


I feel like I've retroactively qualified to be a member of the BEA booth this past summer. 5 indie bestsellers invited me to join up with them, and I was conspicuously the only one of the crew that hadn't sold a million books. I felt more inferior than usual. Of course, they've gone on to form a 2-million-bestseller club, so I'm left at the base of the tree once again, crying until someone lowers the rope ladder.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Woohoo! Congratulations!


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## SBJones (Jun 13, 2011)

That's a lot of books.  Congratulations.


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## ecg52 (Apr 29, 2013)

Wow! That is truly fantastic, congratulations!


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## erikhanberg (Jul 15, 2011)

Leading the way. Congrats on the huge accomplishment!


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## TRGoodman (Jul 9, 2012)

Fantastic! Congrats, Hugh!


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Congrats, Hugh! Couldn't happen to a nicer person *as finger hovers over Return button*


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## 16205 (Jun 8, 2010)

I'm still chasing down the 200k mark, I can't imagine what a million must be like. Congratulations!


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## Lefty (Apr 7, 2011)

Great job.


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## Stephen M Holak (May 15, 2012)

Congrats, Hugh.  You're the poster child for what can happen  if you work hard, believe in your stuff and stick at it long enough to reach an audience. You're an inspiration to us all.

I'll stop now before I embarrass you.


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## AriadneW (Feb 16, 2013)

That is awesome. Congratulations!!


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## Ben Mathew (Jan 27, 2013)

What a milestone... Congratulations.

On to two mmmillion books!


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Congrats on the million.


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## KerryT2012 (Dec 18, 2012)

Congrats - Sorry to disappoint, but I never bought one of your books. But, I do read your threads, blog and news reports. Huge admiration, I will read one day soon


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## Dolphin (Aug 22, 2013)

I always felt a little odd thinking of the inestimable Hugh Howey in six figure terms. Didn't seem to fit. Thank you for saving me from my cognitive dissonance!


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## Guest (Sep 17, 2013)

Wow!
Congratulations.


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## Donna White Glaser (Jan 12, 2011)

Hugh Howey said:


> I felt more inferior than usual. Of course, they've gone on to form a 2-million-bestseller club, so I'm left at the base of the tree once again, crying until someone lowers the rope ladder.


For the briefest of moments--and only because you seem like such an awesome guy--I tried to work up some sympathy for you. Didn't work. But congratulations on this HUGE milestone!


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## jnfr (Mar 26, 2011)

Is this what the sex wolf stuff is about?


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

Wow.  Just wow.  And congrats!  2 million will be around the corner soon.  What's the latest movie news?


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)




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## JumpingShip (Jun 3, 2010)

Congrats!!


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

CONGRATS!!!  So well deserved.  I love it when good things happen to good people.  YAY!


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## H. S. St. Ours (Mar 24, 2012)

If you stacked all those copies of Wool one on top of the other, it would probably make a pile high enough to get you out of the silo.


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## John Twipnook (Jan 10, 2011)

CONGRATULATIONS HUGH!


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## scottmarlowe (Apr 22, 2010)

Nice! Congrats.


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## Zelah Meyer (Jun 15, 2011)

Congratulations, Hugh!  Well done.  That is an amazing milestone to hit.  I'm really pleased for you!


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## williamvw (Mar 12, 2012)

So-weeet! Congratulations, Hugh. But yes -- any movie news?


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## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

Congrats, Hugh!

David


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## FMH (May 18, 2013)

Very, very cool... Congrats Hugh!! I've learned a lot from your sales model, your interviews, and the advice, so thank you for passing on the knowledge. My pen-name romance series is now paying the bills because of you and a few others who were willing to share how you all did it.

xx
F.M.


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## jvin248 (Jan 31, 2012)

Congrats!
As I scrolled down the notes (some seriously funny comments) I see how everyones covers are so impressive. Bar is getting higher.


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

Awesome news. Awesome milestone. Love your work and your attitude.  


"If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it." - Jesse Jackson


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## Joseph Turkot (Nov 9, 2012)

Thanks for continuing to chime in on the boards here. You are in the place many of us daydream about--enjoy your well-deserved success, and may it only increase!


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

Congratulations, Hugh. Awesome numbers!


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## 66443 (Dec 29, 2012)

Congrats, Hugh! That's awesome. 

I published my first book July 2012.  Hope to be where you are one day soon...only about 925K more paid sells and I'm totes there. heh.


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## ER Pierce (Jun 4, 2013)

Congrats!


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

Congratulations, WOOL is a great story/stories. I will check out the series the end of Oct. The free book was great.The fans love you, you go the extra mile to meet people. Very deserving of your success. The next challenge is two million.


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## Diane Patterson (Jun 17, 2012)

What a fantastic milestone to hit, Hugh. Kudos.


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## 54706 (Dec 19, 2011)

Congrats!!  I know I'm personally responsible for 6 sales in France for the paperback for my book club.  

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Thanks for sticking to your guns and making being an indie super cool.


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## Ardin (Nov 1, 2012)

Dude!!! Way to go. You've officially made it. I think now you should concentrate on new goals like The Mile High Club maybe.


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## Raquel Lyon (Mar 3, 2012)

Hugh Howey said:


> You can return them now if you want and get your money back.


Now you tell me. You could have said something before the seven day window passed! 

Seriously...       WOW!


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## Incognita (Apr 3, 2011)

That is so amazingly awesome! 



williamvw said:


> So-weeet! Congratulations, Hugh. But yes -- any movie news?


He could tell us, but then he'd have to kill us.


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## L.C. Candar (Sep 25, 2012)

God? Is that... you...?


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

sweet jayzuz


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

Huzzah!

Now get cracking in that second million


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## Guest (Sep 17, 2013)

Joseph Turkot said:


> Thanks for continuing to chime in on the boards here. You are in the place many of us daydream about--enjoy your well-deserved success, and may it only increase!


Yes, and please continue to give us advice; I'd like to eventually skim some of those sales away from you if you don't mind, maybe that 24,000 and change you've got there. Think big, even numbers.


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

Ardin said:


> Dude!!! Way to go. You've officially made it. I think now you should concentrate on new goals like The Mile High Club maybe.


AMEN to that...


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Every milestone is special, but a million books? Wow...1 million books! 

We're all trying hard to follow you, trying, trying....
Make a deep trail because you're getting out of sight.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Congrats on your awesome numbers, Hugh.


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## evecarter (Nov 30, 2012)

Congrats Hugh. That is awesome!!


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## AgnesWebb (Jan 13, 2013)

Congrats! You are an inspiration. Proud to be one of the million!


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

Congratulations!

And I'm never returning any of your books. They can pry them out of my cold, dead hands.


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## JETaylor (Jan 25, 2011)

Congratulations - that's fantastic!


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## elusya (Apr 20, 2013)

Brilliant milestone Hugh!!    
Dominika


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## mariehallwrites (Mar 14, 2013)

Yay congrats! And returning   For shame, I love those books! Well deserved.


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## M.W.W. Michael Wilkerson U.S. Vet (Sep 16, 2013)

Hugh Howey said:


> My agent needed me to tabulate sales across all distributors and all of time for the WOOL series. I have suspected that I crossed the million sales threshold recently, but wasn't sure. It takes forever to round up all the sales figures for ACX, CS, Kobo, B&N, iTunes, and KDP. When I finally got all the numbers crunched, it comes to 1,024,602 books in the trilogy sold. And I didn't have to pay for a single review along the way!
> 
> I reckon at least half these sales went to KB members, so thanks for the boost, everyone. You can return them now if you want and get your money back.


I'd just like to sell "one percent" of that. lol wow


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## AndreSanThomas (Jan 31, 2012)

That is super, super, super cool.  A big congrats.


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## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Wow...congrats! When I initially tried to look at this thread, it said "service unavailable". You're overloading the system!


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## Harriet Schultz (Jan 3, 2012)

I cannot wrap my mind around the idea of more than a million people reading your books or maybe I'm projecting what it would be like to have the same number read mine! 

I do realize that one person might buy two or three or more, so maybe that many readers is an overstatement, but one million books sold! There's some magic in that number. 

HUGE achievement and major congratulations, Hugh.


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## LBrent (Jul 1, 2013)

Hugh, that is beyond cool. Very happy for you and glad to be one of the million.

Is there really going to be a movie

Wow. This story just keeps getting better and better.


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## johnlmonk (Jul 24, 2013)

Gratz man


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## L.M. Gautreaux (Apr 15, 2012)

Hugh,

I am so happy for you.  Congratulations on such a huge milestone.  I loved the wrap up to the series - Dust blew me away.

LM


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## 25803 (Oct 24, 2010)

What an enormous milestone, Hugh. Congratulations!!


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## Herc- The Reluctant Geek (Feb 10, 2010)

Egad that's a big number. Congrats


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## kwest (Mar 16, 2013)

Wow. So inspring. I'm on _Dust_ right now, and all I have to say is that you have a gift and deserve all this success you've earned. Bravo.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

Admit it, you bought 90% of those copies yourself!  

Seriously... CONGRATS!!!


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## Indecisive (Jun 17, 2013)

Wow, congratulations! 

(still waiting to break the 2 dozen mark!)


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## LG Castillo (Jun 28, 2012)

Congratulations!


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## Joseph J Bailey (Jun 28, 2013)

Well done!

Here's to many more (and even more fun)!


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

Hurrah, Hugh! Hugh Huge congratulations.


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## Gennita Low (Dec 13, 2012)

That's a lot of tentacles, man.


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## vrabinec (May 19, 2011)

Wooooow. Awesome.


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## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

jnfr said:


> Is this what the sex wolf stuff is about?


No, that was for Dalya. She asked for it in another thread. Begged for it, practically. It was unseemly.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Congratulations! I haven't been on KBWC in a few days, and I'm to lazy to check and see if I responded before now. 
Poem:
How cool
for Hugh.


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## JohnHindmarsh (Jun 3, 2011)

Go!!


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

Congratulations!


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## ToniD (May 3, 2011)

Verrry nice. Was fun watching you get there. Congrats Hugh!


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## gonedark (May 30, 2013)

Content removed due to TOS Change of 2018. I do not agree to the terms.


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## Deena Ward (Jun 20, 2013)

That's incredible -- congratulations!


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## Bec (Aug 24, 2012)

That is splendiferous.


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## AmsterdamAssassin (Oct 21, 2011)

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Well, it could, but it didn't.

Totally deserving of your success, Hugh!


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## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Hugh Howey said:


> I feel like I've retroactively qualified to be a member of the BEA booth this past summer. 5 indie bestsellers invited me to join up with them, and I was conspicuously the only one of the crew that hadn't sold a million books. I felt more inferior than usual. Of course, they've gone on to form a 2-million-bestseller club, so I'm left at the base of the tree once again, crying until someone lowers the rope ladder.


Perhaps they can have you as a mascot?

If they wont, head back to Australia, we'll gladly have you back for beers on the balcony! 

PS - Well done, that's so great to hear!


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## BellaRoccaforte (May 26, 2013)

You are so awesome! I'm so happy for you and your success and I love that you are a still an awesome guy after selling so many books. Thanks for remember us little guys down here


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## shel (May 14, 2011)

It's been inspiring to follow your success. Congratulations!


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## LinaG (Jun 18, 2012)

Nice work! And I do mean work. The quality of your output and your work ethic have paid off.  

Holy crap. Momma was right. Nice guys do finish first!

Congrats!

Li


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## AmberDa1 (Jul 23, 2012)

Way to go, Hugh!


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## Kay Bratt (Dec 28, 2011)

Super congrats, Hugh! I'd love to interview your old boss at the book store to see what he thinks of your newfound fame. I wonder if he wishes he'd been nicer to you. 



Hugh Howey said:


> No, that was for Dalya. She asked for it in another thread. Begged for it, practically. It was unseemly.


Umm...it wasn't Dalya. It was Mimi, her alter ego that is truly very naughty.


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## LeonardDHilleyII (May 23, 2011)

Congrats!!!


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## Jude Hardin (Feb 5, 2011)

Congrats, Hugh!


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## TJHudson (Jul 9, 2012)

Congratulations, nice one.


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## B.A. Spangler (Jan 25, 2012)




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## KevinH (Jun 29, 2013)

Congrats!


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## Artemis Hunt (Aug 23, 2011)

Congrats!! I'm only 1/3rd where you are in sales. Hope to be where you are some day!


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## Pamela (Oct 6, 2010)

Excellent - well deserved.


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## David Adams (Jan 2, 2012)

Hugh Howey said:


> I feel like I've retroactively qualified to be a member of the BEA booth this past summer. 5 indie bestsellers invited me to join up with them, and I was conspicuously the only one of the crew that hadn't sold a million books. I felt more inferior than usual. Of course, they've gone on to form a 2-million-bestseller club, so I'm left at the base of the tree once again, crying until someone lowers the rope ladder.


Are you serious?

Remember when we went to dinner with all those other writers? Everyone there was like "Oh yeah my publisher this, yeah, I didn't like the contract terms and they weren't moving enough books, so I switched; now I'm doing heaps better, getting millions sold, things are so much better now."

And I was like... oh wow. This is a fancy restaurant. I hope I dressed well enough, and don't look too much like the poor, crazy fanboy that somehow managed to score a seat next to Hugh. I remember pointing out that I definitely felt like the crappiest writer at the table, but it was awesome. I loved it. That was some nice Thai chicken by the way.

It's just weird to hear that there are clubs that even Hugh Howey can't get into. Wow.

Seriously though, a million books. That's pretty damn awesome, you know. Like, really good. And it's going to get better, too. More books. More sales. More opportunities. You've got a _huge_ reader base now; now that Wool's done, the next big thing you do will just take off by default.

I want _I, Zombie 2_ by the way. I'll be good. Promise.

Grats man. You earned it.


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## Savannah_Page (Feb 16, 2012)

Congrats, Hugh. Absolutely fabulous!!


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## jackz4000 (May 15, 2011)

Congratulations Hugh!  You've put out some damn good writing. Keep it up.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Go Indies   Great news   Congrats.


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