Odd ends

[kinzel]

Going to be cooking a quick chicken tender meal in a few ... meanwhile I've added to Ebay an I Dare --
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250887260302 with no minimum. We're trying cover our unexpected travel bills from the Worldcon trek home -- we hadn't hadn't planned on a hotel night in Toledo or a sudden 711 mile run from Toledo to Albany (where there was an extra hotel bill as well!)... anyone interested in one of these Partners In Necessity first edition hardcovers? The Meisha Merlin price way back when was $50.00 and I have a couple... if you're missing any of the Meisha Merlin books this may be your last chance -- we hope to take some of what what we have to TGNSE -- http://www.thegreatnewenglandsteampunkexhibition.com/ in a couple weeks to help clear the decks for our move-to-town-or-ocean planning,

Also, Sharon's done a Labor Day round-up of what working authors are usually NOT in charge of -- see it here:
http://rolanni.livejournal.com/700068.html

Off to stirfry!

Comments

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

My bid is up. We'll see how long it is high. Have to go home and see if I already have a Hardback Partners in Necessity. I think I preordered but not sure.
Sam

[aldebaran8423.livejournal.com]

I would love one of the Partners in Necessity hardcovers! Are you going to list them on eBay, or is this comment enough to secure one? So sorry to have missed you at your Uncle Hugo's appearance!

[alicebentley]

I find an unexpected emotional roil when I contemplate a hardcover Partners in Necessity. It is the only one of your books that I don't already own in hardcover, but it was also the beginning of the end for my comfortable relationship with Meisha Merlin.

I had been a "standing order" bookseller for them since they launched. One of the guaranteed sales that let a publisher know they are likely to at least make back their costs on any new book. I had the usual double-handful of customers lined up to get their copies. Which didn't come. A couple of weeks after rumor had it that they were out, I finally got a call back from someone over there - a new voice, as apparently the people I had been working with weren't there any more.

This person said that not only did they have no record of my order, they "didn't do" standing orders, and if I wanted a book from them, I would need to contact them once a book came out and order it then. There would be no notification of when this would happen, and they made it pretty clear that shipping books to bookstores wasn't something they saw much value in.

I was not at all surprised to learn, a few months later, that this person no longer worked there, and that OF COURSE they honored standing orders, but that sadly enough the hardcovers of PoN had sold through and there were no plans for a reprint.

I still bought from Meisha Merlin all the way through to the bitter end. But that event was the first of what proved to be a series of dropped orders, mis-shipments, payments not being credited to invoices, and just a whole lot more trouble than it was worth.

These days, I can't justify the cash it would take to buy the book, even if they didn't go for a princely sum (as they should!) so I'll help get the word out that you're doing auctions, but won't be participating myself. The surprise to me, and the inspiration for this lengthy post, was the gut reaction I experienced thinking about it. It's been so many years, it ought to just be memories by now.

[cailleuch.livejournal.com]

I would love one of the partners in Necessity hardcovers if there are any left.

[kinzel.livejournal.com]

I have put up the first of the last case of TRADE PAPER partners -- is on ebay now at http://cgi.ebay.com --/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250888486252
will be pawing all the boxes for more of the hardcovers, you betcha.

[filkferengi]

I'd love a hardcover, if/when you find one.