how to prevent empty pages in a book? (part xxviii)

[Jakob Fix]

Richard, I should have said this in my initial message, but yes I
checked this and found the Pagination > Start: Anywhere for the first
paragraph (which is actually the table itself).

On the second page the only thing that's visible (if text symbols is
toggled on) is the § sign. Another observation for which I don't have
an explanation is that the page numbers that are displayed in the
status bar for each book component file are followed by an asterisk,
like this: Pages: 180-181 *  Does that mean they've been modified?

Bill, I've double-checked the pagination settings for the book by
choosing "Format > Page Layout > Pagination ..." with the book being
the active file and all component files being selected.  The settings
are correct: double-sided, next available, delete empty pages

Art, no we don't use the files outside the book context.  This was
just to make sure that Miramo is correctly producing one-page files.
If I understand correctly, file settings are of no importance from the
book perspective. Now, how can I "take" the file's apparently correct
settings and apply them to the book?

Oh, and we're not using chapters at all (at least not knowingly). The
numbering for chapters is "as is" -- I could change this to "continue
numbering from previous file".

thanks,
Jakob.