The Fall: The Deluxe Signed & Slipcased Special Collector's Limited Edition

[mhatchett]

I feel bad for Y'all having to deal with stuff like this. Do what you say you'll do, pretty simple credo to live by....
Mike

[Brian James Freeman]

Is there an update to the signature sheets on this book?

Thanks!

Leo

The last I heard, his business manager says he'll be back in LA in January and will sign them then. I have my fingers crossed that happens this time.

Brian

[Dan Hocker]

Is there an update to the signature sheets on this book?

Thanks!

Leo

Unfortunately no.

[programmer]

Is there an update to the signature sheets on this book?

Thanks!

Leo

[Theli]

The contract is with the trade publisher, so any disputes have to go through them, and you can probably guess where they'll rank any issue I have against their lucrative relationship with the author!

At some point, if his business manager comes back and says there's just no chance, I'll have to look at sending the book to the printer just signed by Chuck. I hope it doesn't come to that, though.

Brian

That would be a grave disappointment for collectors. I assume a lot of the buyers pay that extra amount because of the sig, not just the binding. It would be a big black mark for Del Toro too. Already it's getting to that point. His fans helped get him where he is, a little respect can go a long way.

[Brian James Freeman]

Just out of curiosity--is there a point at which not signing the sheets becomes a contractual issue? Can an author get away with agreeing to a signed edition and then simply not sign? It makes me think of the copies of Shadow Show that Gauntlet put out without Dave Eggers's signature.

Will you eventually send this to the printer without signatures?

I'm in no rush for this--I know that it will be an awesome edition that is well worth the wait--like I said, just curious how all this works.

The contract is with the trade publisher, so any disputes have to go through them, and you can probably guess where they'll rank any issue I have against their lucrative relationship with the author!

At some point, if his business manager comes back and says there's just no chance, I'll have to look at sending the book to the printer just signed by Chuck. I hope it doesn't come to that, though.

Brian

[jigertz]

Just out of curiosity--is there a point at which not signing the sheets becomes a contractual issue? Can an author get away with agreeing to a signed edition and then simply not sign? It makes me think of the copies of Shadow Show that Gauntlet put out without Dave Eggers's signature.

Will you eventually send this to the printer without signatures?

I'm in no rush for this--I know that it will be an awesome edition that is well worth the wait--like I said, just curious how all this works.

[Brian James Freeman]

Figured I would just post now ahead of the next time someone asks... Del Toro's business manager has not emailed me back since March, so there has been no progress on the signature sheet signing. Sorry, gang. But I DO think he will do it eventually and the books will be beautiful!

Brian

[Tommy]

No, not yet, knock on wood! We did have one book where the author had the sheets before the mass market paperback was published and we didn't get them back until several years after that edition had gone out of print, though. Luckily, our edition of that book wasn't announced yet, so our edition just ended up being a nice reprint edition that no one knew was coming. For the most part, with a few exceptions where we HAVE to announce based on someone else's schedule (usually a big time author's New York agent/publisher), we try not to announce books until the signature sheets are signed unless we've worked with the author before and know from experience how super reliable he or she is...

Brian

Thanks for the info Brian. I know schedules can be tight and everyone goes at their own pace, especially artistic types like writers etc. but it would drive me crazy to have those sheets sitting in my house knowing that masses of people are waiting for them. I would sign them as soon as I got them in the mail and ship them out the next day just so I wouldn't have to worry about it lol.

[Brian James Freeman]

Brian, have you guys ever had to scrap a book because the author never signed the sheets?

No, not yet, knock on wood! We did have one book where the author had the sheets before the mass market paperback was published and we didn't get them back until several years after that edition had gone out of print, though. Luckily, our edition of that book wasn't announced yet, so our edition just ended up being a nice reprint edition that no one knew was coming. For the most part, with a few exceptions where we HAVE to announce based on someone else's schedule (usually a big time author's New York agent/publisher), we try not to announce books until the signature sheets are signed unless we've worked with the author before and know from experience how super reliable he or she is...

Brian

[Tommy]

My God, it really does feel that way sometimes...!

Brian

Brian, have you guys ever had to scrap a book because the author never signed the sheets?

[Brian James Freeman]

To reiterate, signing cannot be forced, with instances of the best signers taking more than 100 years to truly sign their name.

My God, it really does feel that way sometimes...!

Brian

[folgersnyourcup]

I can't claim to know what it's like to have the schedule of somebody like DelToro (or Gillian Flynn--had to throw that in there), but, at least in my head, it doesn't seem like it would be that difficult or time consuming to write your name on a piece of paper a bunch of times. Or is there something special involved that I'm missing?

You are absolutely missing the true essence of signing...it's not just putting your name down on a piece of paper, it's a state of being, a mindset that's so incredibly hard to put yourself into it can take years to find that perfect moment. And to sign only a certain number of sheets each day? Impossible! One must ensure that all sheets are signed in one sitting or else all sheets previously signed become worthless. The reader absolutely can tell if all sheets were not signed on the same day.

Trust me, you would care if you received this book and noticed that your signature sheet was not signed on the exact same day in the same sitting as all other signature sheets. Chances are it would be so repulsive you wouldn't even be able to even look at the page without sobbing uncontrollably.

To reiterate, signing cannot be forced, with instances of the best signers taking more than 100 years to truly sign their name.

All kidding aside, I do hope Del Toro signs these soon! I can't wait to receive this...The Strain is one of the most impressive books on my shelf and I'm looking forward to paying for the third part!

Thanks for putting these great books together Brian, they are always worth the wait.

[jigertz]

I can't claim to know what it's like to have the schedule of somebody like DelToro (or Gillian Flynn--had to throw that in there), but, at least in my head, it doesn't seem like it would be that difficult or time consuming to write your name on a piece of paper a bunch of times. Or is there something special involved that I'm missing?

[bsaenz24]

You know what they say, two heads are better than one!