Gazing into the crystal ball

[jhetley]

Got a letter this morning from Nice Editor Lady, via Nice Agent Lady. SUMMER COUNTRY trade paperback is now officially overstocked, and I can buy copies at a deep discount. Now, how many? I have heard, from Those In The Trade, that authors should take advantage of such chances. Some day, five or ten or twenty years down the road, you'll be glad you did...

Like, one Name has resorted to buying copies of her earlier work in used book stores, in order to meet requests from her adoring fans.

I doubt that I will be in a similar position, but wonder. I also don't want to be in Thoreau's position, with a library of over a thousand books, most of which he wrote himself. My heirs and assigns won't thank me when they go to clean out the attic.

(Assuming that the attic floor of this ancient hovel doesn't collapse first, that is.)

Comments

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Well, I can promise you one thing. I'm pretty sure I bought your book Winter Oak (damn but I hope I'm remembering the title) when I realized "hey, I'm in a book store! Hey! That's one of Jim Hetley's books!" Assuming that Summer Country is the one that I didn't buy, I'll buy a copy from you, but on one condition: I won't buy it at lower than the cover price.

(Unless you're buying it for a nickel or something. I mean, the key is, okay, I missed a chance to add to your commission and sales when it was in the stores, I'm by-god not going to miss my second chance to buy the book at cover price to help you out.)

Error message?

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I seem to have left the world (or at least some parts of it) with the impression that SUMMER COUNTRY is going out of print. This "remainder" sale refers only to the trade paperback edition, the larger format with nicer paper and binding and all. The mass-market paperback will still be out in better bookstores* everywhere. That said, I will supply trade paperback versions -- with signature and other inscription as requested -- upon application with the proper fee...

*"better bookstores" being defined as bookstores that stock my books.