New Limited Edition of The Shining from Sub Press

[Theli]

Yep! Never had a problem with CD, Earthling, Thunderstorm or PS. They get the vast majority of my business. Dark Regions is getting better.

While I have had the some minor problems with Dark Regions they have always gone out of their way to make it right. Thunderstorm, the most amazing thing happened, I contacted Paul on the off chance he might have a copy of Keene's The Rising: Deliverance and the Chapbook that came with Maelstrom set 1. No luck on Deliverance, but he did have a copy of the chapbook. When I gave him my address and asked how much it would cost, he told me he would send it at no cost and wished me a merry Christmas! It makes me very happy I ordered the recent Maelstrom set, I'll be sticking with these guys.

[srboone]

Woah... That's insane!!!!

What happened exactly Squire? If Bill at Sub Press told you to go fu** yourself because you made a legitimate complaint about one of their books, we all need to know the full story so that we can avoid Sub Press like the plague.

I can just imagine spending several hundred dollars on Clive Barker's Books of Blood, only to discover a problem and then getting told to go fu** myself when I complain. In that eventuality, I do not think any amount of anger management therapy will keep me cool...

What Bill told me was that all of the books were like that and that was the end of the conversation. Which is in effect a "go eff yourself." Working in the hospitality and customer service field, I am all to aware that the interpretation of the customer is what is important. And Bill chose to leave it at that. It didn't help that i had a lot of contacts who bought the book who did not have that problem, so i decided that if Bill didn't care, why should I? I purhcased The SHining only because it was my favorite King book. If sub press had published Doctor Sleep, I wouldn't have purchased it.

[Highbury]

Great news Theli!

[Martin]

I can't say enough positive about how Paul is running Thunderstorm! He clearly cares about his customers and how they view his business.

While I have had the some minor problems with Dark Regions they have always gone out of their way to make it right. Thunderstorm, the most amazing thing happened, I contacted Paul on the off chance he might have a copy of Keene's The Rising: Deliverance and the Chapbook that came with Maelstrom set 1. No luck on Deliverance, but he did have a copy of the chapbook. When I gave him my address and asked how much it would cost, he told me he would send it at no cost and wished me a merry Christmas! It makes me very happy I ordered the recent Maelstrom set, I'll be sticking with these guys.

[rusty23]

I have that same slipcase, and it's horrible. I totally agree with Squire. I got it out once, read it, and got it back in. I won't try again. I did still get The Shining from SP, though....

[jhanic]

The Subterranean Press The Shining:

Front:



Back:



About 20 of these were done.

Note the differences between the size and placement of the title and King's name with the final result.

John

[T-Dogz_AK47]

What Bill told me was that all of the books were like that and that was the end of the conversation. Which is in effect a "go eff yourself." Working in the hospitality and customer service field, I am all to aware that the interpretation of the customer is what is important. And Bill chose to leave it at that. It didn't help that i had a lot of contacts who bought the book who did not have that problem, so i decided that if Bill didn't care, why should I? I purhcased The SHining only because it was my favorite King book. If sub press had published Doctor Sleep, I wouldn't have purchased it.

In a way, Bill's response to your complaint is even worse than I first thought, as he is basically admitting that ALL of the books of that particular edition were sub standard, but he doesn't give a shit. I don't understand why he couldn't just apologise that you felt disappointed, offer you a refund, an exchange for a different book or maybe a credit voucher towards a future publication?

If the problem with the slipcases was so rife as he admitted to you, it begs the question as to why he couldn't just arrange for new ones to be created. If the manufacturer of the slipcases were to blame for creating them to the wrong size specifications, then Bill could have demanded new ones to be made at no cost to himself. However, if someone at Sub Press had made a mistake whilst calculating the size required for the slipcases, then really, Bill should have taken ownership of the problem and arranged for replacement slipcases for everyone affected. That would have been good customer service.

[srboone]

Yah, well, Bill needs a lesson in good customer service. But one angry customer is not going to make a difference in the specialty press industry--as long as they put out books by big name authors.

On the bright side, I was told by Ronald Kelly that when he was ready to resume his writing career that Bill had scoffed at him and asked him who he was and why he was bothering him. So I don't have to worry about him publishing any books with sub press! That's a load of worry off my mind, because I've always feared that I would have to buy from sp again to get some of my favorite authors.

[T-Dogz_AK47]

Yah, well, Bill needs a lesson in good customer service. But one angry customer is not going to make a difference in the specialty press industry--as long as they put out books by big name authors.

On the bright side, I was told by Ronald Kelly that when he was ready to resume his writing career that Bill had scoffed at him and asked him who he was and why he was bothering him. So I don't have to worry about him publishing any books with sub press! That's a load of worry off my mind, because I've always feared that I would have to buy from sp again to get some of my favorite authors.

Ha! I also think Ronald Kelly is awesome, so Bill's loss on that score is most definitely Thunderstorm's gain!!!

[Joe315]

Seems Bill has been reading the forum. From twitter:

@subpress: I admit to equal parts amusement and annoyance when folks are lying about me online to make me look a bigger asshole than I really am.

[Theli]

That sort of response probably doesn't help the matter. People who don't know anything about this situation would look at that tweet quizzically and may dig deeper. It's not a very professional way to address the situation.

Either way I personally haven't had any problems with Sub. Press, but others problems do make me question their practices.

[Joe315]

He certainly could handle his criticism better; either come here and defend himself or not say anything. At any rate it does seem Squires experience is in the minority, but I would feel the same way as him if I were to have gotten that kind of response.

[srboone]

I have received an email from Bill at Subterranean Press apologizing for the way the "Zodiac" situation was handled and I am satisfied. I don't need anything extra, though he offered. I'm glad this is outta the way, because it's been difficult passing up some of the stuff SP has offered over the last 2 years.

I also hereby restore capital letters to Subterranean Press.

Bill, if you're reading this, I apologize for abusing you on this forum. Bygones are bygones. (I don't Tweet, so I can't do anything about that.)

[Joe315]

That was very nice of him.

[Sock Monkey]

Glad to hear there was a happy ending to this story!