Random thoughts...

[dannyboy121070]

 Thanks for the info, TD.

[Martin]

A little bit.




Sticking to facts and not feelings.

It's no secret that CD has had, let's say some issues, publishing product that they've collected money from buyers YEARS ago. I just had a pre-order arrive from over six years ago, and that's not the longest time between order and receipt other collectors have experienced. Meanwhile, other boutique publishers don't have their orders languish for years like this.

This week, CD just cancelled a number of publishing contracts with authors. I don't know the exact reasons, just hyperbole.

Feelings time.

Where there's smoke there's fire.

Add to that the fact that this entire forum was a labor of love from Dan Hocker who is no longer with CD. He and Brian kept it running with Mindy and Richard choosing to stay clear of it. Their decision is not an issue for me but once Mr. Hocker and Brian departed Dan Franklin and Kevin Lucia came in here and occasionally responding to questions. More often than not questions on here sit without a response. I believe this site was never desired or supported by Mr. Chizmar and once Dan and Brian left it has felt like a rudderless ship. Just my opinion, with no facts to back it up, but I am actually surprised it is still up.

[RonClinton]

I’d hate to see this forum vanish, but I’m also a bit surprised it steadily remains, year after year. Especially with the aforementioned personnel changes, these boards can’t have any whiff of priority. Nor should they — CD’s a publishing house, everything else is peripheral. Just glad that either by generosity or simply being totally off their radar, the boards continue to be hosted and paid for.

I hadn’t heard about the book-contract cancellations. That is worrisome, but I suppose not a surprise to anyone. Hopefully it’s illustrative of CD getting more focused on a more manageable list of projects and doesn’t portend worse things to come.

[Ben Staad]

Everyone pretty much summed up my thoughts on the topic. I hope it sticks around and we keep this little community going but I wouldn't 100% be surprised if it just isn't accessible one day.

[Dave1442397]

Yeah, forum traffic has dropped off a lot over the years.

As for the book contracts being cancelled, one reason, according to an FB poster, was that too many contracts had been signed.
The lead time to publish everything would have left authors with rights tied up and books remaining unpublished, and we know what CD's lead times are like!

Another positive is seeing that the SK-signed CD magazines will be given away, not, as I expected, sold for four-figure sums.

I haven't cancelled any orders yet. I'm still hopeful that we'll see The Stand and Pet Semetary.

[Boggle Champion]

Damn, sounds like I showed up a bit late to the party...

[jeffingoff]

Add to that the fact that this entire forum was a labor of love from Dan Hocker who is no longer with CD. He and Brian kept it running with Mindy and Richard choosing to stay clear of it. Their decision is not an issue for me but once Mr. Hocker and Brian departed Dan Franklin and Kevin Lucia came in here and occasionally responding to questions. More often than not questions on here sit without a response. I believe this site was never desired or supported by Mr. Chizmar and once Dan and Brian left it has felt like a rudderless ship. Just my opinion, with no facts to back it up, but I am actually surprised it is still up.

We are the crew on the Ancient Mariner's ship.

[Dave1442397]

We are the crew on the Ancient Mariner's ship.

As long as it's not the Titanic or the Mary Celeste

[Ben Staad]

It's never late to join this awesome little group.

Damn, sounds like I showed up a bit late to the party...

 

[sholloman81]

Much like everyone else, I would hate to see the forum go away. I may not always post daily, but I usually stop by at some point, even if it's just to creep. If CD does ever decide to get rid of the forum, I hope that they at least give a head's-up beforehand as I'd be completely bummed to show up and see that it's vanished.

[jeffingoff]

Much like everyone else, I would hate to see the forum go away. I may not always post daily, but I usually stop by at some point, even if it's just to creep. If CD does ever decide to get rid of the forum, I hope that they at least give a head's-up beforehand as I'd be completely bummed to show up and see that it's vanished.

That would be a heartbreak. Like you I often lurk and I love seeing the reviews, acquisitions, home libraries, and occasional motorcycles. I miss the people who no longer post like Brian861 (or is that just his DT handle? the world is moving on). There aren't many places that feel like home anymore.

[RonClinton]

Much like everyone else, I would hate to see the forum go away. I may not always post daily, but I usually stop by at some point, even if it's just to creep. If CD does ever decide to get rid of the forum, I hope that they at least give a head's-up beforehand as I'd be completely bummed to show up and see that it's vanished.

That’s what happened with The Horror Drive-In back a good number of years back, and it wasn’t a cool move (though the owner had grumbled about doing it for years). Just one day…gone, without advance notice.

[RonClinton]

That would be a heartbreak. Like you I often lurk and I love seeing the reviews, acquisitions, home libraries, and occasional motorcycles. I miss the people who no longer post like Brian861 (or is that just his DT handle? the world is moving on). There aren't many places that feel like home anymore.

You need to add a JeffWord forum to your growing biblio-enterprise.

[TacomaDiver]

The signed Cemetery Dance magazines, for lack of a better phrase, pissed me off.

The fact that they're being given away as contests items, not to those of who paid for subscriptions years ago, and who receive two issues every decade at best, was just frustrating. I get the prize angle, but the flat out NO from Rich on-line about subscribers even having a chance was upsetting.

I like this forum - I prefer to it the "other" one of a darker tower nature because of the drama and entitlement and attitudes with SO MANY of those members.

Never knew that this was Dan and Brian's project - knowing that does give me worry about this forum's longevity.

[jeffingoff]

You need to add a JeffWord forum to your growing biblio-enterprise.

I'd love to.