Ron Clinton's notable Tweet brags...

[RonClinton]

Ramsey Campbell's NEEDING GHOSTS, signed...a somewhat uncommon standalone novella edition:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...62952948105217

[RonClinton]

Ronald Malfi’s FLOATING STAIRCASE, Thunderstorm Books, 2011. Hey, Jeff, it has a Daniele Serra cover!

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...749349888?s=21

[RonClinton]

Manly Wade Wellman’s signed WORSE THINGS WAITING:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...075676161?s=21

[RonClinton]

It is the second least expensive King signed book I have. Quietly Now was $40.00

Yep, I bought that one as well, also at the time of publication and for the $40 cover price. Even at the time it seemed absurdly low (well, both of them did) and I guess maybe Monteleone did it out of principle, to take a stand against gouging (or maybe it was a thank-you to his customers...?), but whatever his reasoning it made for a great day.

[Martin]

Yes, this was one of those pub. copies. I saved the invoice in the book, and it was priced at L55.99 (pounds), so that's what, around $75 for a signed/numbered Stephen King? Postage was another L22, but still...deals like that only come around once in a blue moon.

It is the second least expensive King signed book I have. Quietly Now was $40.00

[RonClinton]

Nice book. This may be the only signed limited I truly kick myself for not buying at launch. It was affordable and within my budget.

Yes, this was one of those pub. copies. I saved the invoice in the book, and it was priced at L55.99 (pounds), so that's what, around $75 for a signed/numbered Stephen King? Postage was another L22, but still...deals like that only come around once in a blue moon.

[Ben Staad]

Nice book. This may be the only signed limited I truly kick myself for not buying at launch. It was affordable and within my budget.

...and now the thread also has a pic of my signed/limited King's JOYLAND (also in aftermarket slipcase).

[Brian861]

I passed up a whole lotta 1st ed. HCs of that book before I sprung for that Fine/Fine copy. It was so large and so cheaply produced by Doubleday that spine sag and other condition/longevity issues are commonplace on almost all 1st eds. of that massive book. Add to that the fact that most copies also have worn dustjackets since it's a (early) King book and thus extremely likely that it's been read and re-read, possibly by multiple people. So it's tough to find a 1st ed. / 1st printing copy that essentially looks like it just came off the bookstore shelves...but sometimes patience wins out.

I'll be patiently awaiting its arrival

[RonClinton]

I need that Stand!

I passed up a whole lotta 1st ed. HCs of that book before I sprung for that Fine/Fine copy. It was so large and so cheaply produced by Doubleday that spine sag and other condition/longevity issues are commonplace on almost all 1st eds. of that massive book. Add to that the fact that most copies also have worn dustjackets since it's a (early) King book and thus extremely likely that it's been read and re-read, possibly by multiple people. So it's tough to find a 1st ed. / 1st printing copy that essentially looks like it just came off the bookstore shelves...but sometimes patience wins out.

[Brian861]

My Fine/Fine 1st ed. of Stephen King’s THE STAND in aftermarket slipcase:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...202718208?s=21

I need that Stand!

[RonClinton]

My Fine/Fine 1st ed. of Stephen King’s THE STAND in aftermarket slipcase:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...202718208?s=21

...and now the thread also has a pic of my signed/limited King's JOYLAND (also in aftermarket slipcase).

[RonClinton]

My Fine/Fine 1st ed. of Stephen King’s THE STAND in aftermarket slipcase:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...202718208?s=21

[RonClinton]

Simon Clark’s debut release:

https://twitter.com/ron_clinton/stat...926811654?s=21

[RonClinton]

Sounds intriguing, Theli. I’ll temper the hype, then, but keep it on my to-get list.

[Theli]

Hype often seems to feed on prior hype, whether the initial hype was based on truth or not...everyone's looking to find the next GONE GIRL, etc., publishers and readers alike. Look at the hype surrounding WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, its flaws and plagristic tendencies (and author history) ignored in favor of the hype that smart marketing and subsequent word-of-mouth buzz generated. Until the truth* came out and folks started taking a second look at it and/or backtracking on their prior positive spin.

* https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...-of-deceptions
https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/2/4...yorker-profile
https://bookstr.com/article/first-de...llory-scandal/




But that's just the high end of the scale...? I think you meant from Josh Malerman to Cormac McCarthy...now that's a scale I can understand!

It's far from a perfect book, but Chalk Man was an enjoyable book. Don't buy into the hype, it's not the be all and end all of crime fiction, nor is it the new It, but the comparisons are apt. Of the books I've read I think the most comparable novel would probably be Dennis Lehane's Mystic River.