Production Update Questions

[FrankP]

I'm hoping the traycase maker will get to the Signature Series books this year.

Brian

6+ years? Whoa! Now I don't feel so bad!!

[Brian James Freeman]

6+ years? Whoa! Now I don't feel so bad!!

The traycases have been a thorn in my side like you wouldn't believe. Part of the problem is that our traycase maker fell so far behind, and we publish so many books each year, that it's hard to catch-up now. Luckily, there is some big news coming about the Lettered Editions that I think will please a lot of our collectors.

Brian

[Brian James Freeman]

There is an important update going out to everyone who ordered the Lettered Edition of The Century’s Best Horror Fiction directly from us. The subject line is "Important Cemetery Dance order update!" and you should see it in your in-box in the next few hours. If you ordered this edition from us and you don't see the update by 5 PM today eastern time, drop me a line. Thanks!

Brian

[slayn666]

So what's up with the Shocklines trade edition? That last few updates on the Production Updates page have all mentioned the signature sheets moving around, which is irrelevant for the trade edition. Judging by the updates for October Dreams II, there's no compelling reason for you guys to sit on a trade edition while waiting for various parts of signed editions.

[Brian James Freeman]

So what's up with the Shocklines trade edition? That last few updates on the Production Updates page have all mentioned the signature sheets moving around, which is irrelevant for the trade edition. Judging by the updates for October Dreams II, there's no compelling reason for you guys to sit on a trade edition while waiting for various parts of signed editions.

We almost never split the editions due to the increased production costs involved. The customer pays the price in the end for the trade edition getting here faster because it essentially becomes two separate books as far as the printer is concerned and all of the set-up costs and printing costs are repeated. Turn Down the Lights and October Dreams 2 are the first two times we've done it. We made the decision to do it for those two because we knew the signature sheets would take a long time to finish, we wanted the trade editions out there faster, and we knew demand for the trade editions would be high enough that we didn't need to increase the trade edition retail price to cover the additional printing costs -- the higher than normal print runs for these trade titles would push the per unit production costs downward, allowing us to keep the planned retail price the same.

Also, Shocklines will be out by mid-summer, so there's really no point in tying up two slots at the printer when we can get it done in one. (In fact, splitting the run would mean that some other book would be pushed back since Shocklines would take up two slots instead of one.) To get the trade edition out a month or two earlier at the expense of another book at this point just doesn't seem worth it to me. If the book was still a year away, I'd say "do it" just to finally get an edition out there. But there's no real benefit now and it would only delay some other book.

Hope this is helpful!

Brian

[slayn666]

That's for the info, Brian! I'm fascinated by what goes on behind-the-scenes in publishing.

[RJK1981]

Any updates pm the Douglas Clegg book from Lonely Road Books?

[Brian James Freeman]

Any updates pm the Douglas Clegg book from Lonely Road Books?

Edited for clarity because I hadn't had any caffeine yet:

I heard from Doug late last year that he had an even more revised, updated manuscript, but I need to check to see if he's sending it or if we should proceed with the previous version he approved. We have everything else ready and this one should be published by the end of the year. It's going to be a big honking book!

For those waiting on the William Peter Blatty screenplay set, Blatty has the signature sheets and everything else is good to go. I'm already working with my traycase maker on the case design for the Lettered Edition since 5 books in a traycase is a little different task.

I really think both of these will be out this year, one way or another.

Brian

[Theli]

Nice, looking forward to the Clegg book!

[zachip]

Brian, so no del toro yet?

[Brian James Freeman]

Brian, so no del toro yet?

He still has the signature sheets. I believe we're coming up on the 30 month anniversary of them being sent. His manager replies to every update the same way, they hope he'll sign them soon.

Brian

[Theli]

He still has the signature sheets. I believe we're coming up on the 30 month anniversary of them being sent. His manager replies to every update the same way, they hope he'll sign them soon.

Brian

That's unfortunate.

[RJK1981]

Edited for clarity because I hadn't had any caffeine yet:

I heard from Doug late last year that he had an even more revised, updated manuscript, but I need to check to see if he's sending it or if we should proceed with the previous version he approved. We have everything else ready and this one should be published by the end of the year. It's going to be a big honking book!

For those waiting on the William Peter Blatty screenplay set, Blatty has the signature sheets and everything else is good to go. I'm already working with my traycase maker on the case design for the Lettered Edition since 5 books in a traycase is a little different task.

I really think both of these will be out this year, one way or another.

Brian

Thanks for the update! Looking forward to getting this one, that's for sure!

[Sock Monkey]

Has all of the new ERC bundles been shipped already? I haven't received my shipping notice yet.

[Brian James Freeman]

Has all of the new ERC bundles been shipped already? I haven't received my shipping notice yet.

Another batch should be going out tomorrow or Monday!