WILD CARDS 1 has not yet been published in mass market.

I do some extra copies of the mmpb of BUSTED FLUSH, though. I'll sell you a signed copy for $9.99, including book rate shipping. Same payment routine, via PayPal.

A week isn't nearly long enough for book rate mail.

George, and probably 99.99% other writers who are contracted with major publishing houses, have no control over what the publishers will charge for hardcovers, mmpbs, or e-book formats. Even e-books cost money to create, and there are multiple costs to publishing in any format that aren't often considered by a retail customer.

There have been multiple discussions over the last several years about these issues. I suggest if you want to read more about the reasons e-books, hell, any format that is currently used by publishers great and small cost what they cost, you look at some blogs and sites by professional writers, publishers, and professional organizations. Look at the SFWA site, and the blogs by many pros like Jay Lake, John Scalzi, Seannan McGuire for some serious discussions about how these issues affect writers and publishers. Check the archives of magazines and newpapers' business sections to see some of the factors involved, and what various players have done to stake out their own territory and power in this new format.

The middlemen, like Amazon and Apple take a pretty good chunk of the retail cost of publishing e-books. There are some publishers and 'bookstores' that are publishing e-books at lower costs, especially with new and emerging writers. Look for companies like WizardsTowerBooks, and Small Beer Press, Weightless Books, you might find some good reading to your liking at lower costs.

I got Wildcards 1 for $2.99 last night but the other 3 were still at full price. Who knows what Amazon is up to. (shrugs)

That's the German ace Lohengrin. One of my own characters.

BUSTED FLUSH features Lilith, a character created by Melinda Snodgrass, and SUICIDE KINGS stars Rustbelt, Ian Tregillis's creation.

The first WILD CARDS, of course, pictures Howard Waldrop's iconic Jetboy.

So far as I know, they remain available, but they are not on sale. That's a different publisher.

The three "next generation" books introduce a whole new cast of characters, and stand alone.

WILD CARDS (first volume) introduces the world, and begins a couple of on-going stories, one of which concludes in ACES HIGH and JOKERS WILD. Other threads carry onto to later volumes.