Afton House Books

Coming in January…

rclacovara — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:15:49 +0000

Ordering Information for the CVIE and the Slipcases… January will be the signup and head-counting month. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to men of good will. (This includes folks following this blog, naturally… )

Best of the Season to You

rclacovara — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:32:12 +0000

It has been months since I have posted anything: my apologies. There are two items of open business that people commonly ask me about: slip cases and a new printing. Let me give you an update now.

The financial situation in Italy has been appalling. I am fully confident in my printer there, but I have been taking a “wait and see” position on new orders. Part of the issue is the Euro, which have rarely failed to rise after I place orders. Perhaps Someone is watching.

My plans at this time are these: I will announce, in January, the cost and shipping date for slip cases. I will accept payment in full (think in the $75 range). This will guarantee your case, and will also come with expected shipping. Shipping to the US will be from Virginia; shipping to the EU will be from Milan. Rest of the world, most likely Virginia-based. I will leave the ordering process open for 30 days, then orders after that will be on a “if you are lucky” basis.

I plan to do something similar for the next impression of the CVIE. I will accept a 50% advance payment, with a schedule for the printing of volumes. Cost will have risen to about $1495. They will be printed in pairs; but printing will take place over a relatively short period compared to the first impression. Before you ask: I need the large up-front because I pay for all materials up-front. This is the only way in which I can guarantee that paper and covers match. This will be a short run: again, I will open orders for only one month, print a few extra, and orders after that time will be on an as-available basis.

I still have available, on consignment, a full Readers’ Edition of the original VIE. $4500, including domestic shipping. Shipping overseas to be discussed.

Questions? I’ll be happy to answer them…

Unusual Offer

rclacovara — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:38:42 +0000

I’ve been asked to offer a complete set of the Readers’ Edition. This is a 44-volume set; you can probably see details on it at www.vanceintegral.com. The set has been read perhaps once; the books are in condition “fine” except that one or two may have a slight smudge. They have been sitting in storage for a few years, in the original packing. The asking price is $4500, plus shipping. The books are in two boxes of about 32 pounds, 15 Kg, each. The are packed “box in box” with styrofoam separators. Shipping will be hefty outside the US.

If you have questions, let me know.

Alive and Well…

rclacovara — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:25:08 +0000

There is only one person left who has not picked up his volumes 5/6. Effectively, the first impression of the first printing is completely gone.

For those of you who wish slipcovers: I have one now, and I am pretty sure they can be shipped in the US when I receive them in bulk; I will be notifying you soon. For the EU, they will ship from Milan. For the rest of the world, however, I am worried about the shipping, and may make a test case or two. Standby.

For the second impression of the first printing, I will place a notification here shortly with prices, shipping costs, and so on. As usual, there will be a deposit, but there’s a good chance that all six books will ship at once.

Any questions, just send e-mail or ask here.

Updates

rclacovara — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:34:53 +0000

A few updates. All sets are sold out from the first impression. I am preparing an order for a second impression. If you’d like a set, please send me e-mail (AftonHouseBooks@Cugel.net). Replace “Cugel” with “earthlink”. All six volumes will be shipped at one time. Before I finalize the order with the printer, I will as for a deposit from new customers. Current customers may just indicate to me that they want a set. Final payment is due before I ship.

The cost will rise somewhat, I can’t help that. Estimate is $1475.

Shipping remains the same: domestic, $60. Mexico and Canada, $100. Rest of world, $180. There’s a small chance that I can ship to the EU somewhat more cheaply, I’m working on it.

Fees: Personal check or money order, none. Wire transfer, $12. PayPal, domestic: 2.9%. PayPal foreign, 3.9%.

One last thing. Someone sent me a chunk of money this week, by wire. There is no way to identify the source at my end. If you sent me money via wire, please let me know.

Regards…

Shipping Note

rclacovara — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:16:22 +0000

Several of you are awaiting single-volume replacement shipments. None of these have gone out over the last two weeks due to family overrides: my apologies. I should have them out during this week and the weekend.

I am still working the slipcase issue: enough people want them, but I have to find final shipping prices overseas. There’s little point in getting a box shipped to you (flat, of course) that has been trashed in shipment.

Another small goodie

rclacovara — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 16:03:50 +0000

I wrote this one. Lachrymose? Maudlin? Nostalgic? Wordy? Dunno. Here ’tis: JV Sketch 4

A small goodie for you

rclacovara — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 15:58:25 +0000

Shakespeare had advice for the players… Jack had advice to his publishers. Attached…Jack on Proofing

Updates…

rclacovara — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:45:10 +0000

All but a handful of people have received their final volumes. If you think you are paid up, but haven’t gotten your last volumes, e-mail me. Someone dinged me this weekend: I was waiting for a payment that would never come because he’d already made it. (I make mistakes… at least, since I started this project. Before that, I hadn’t had the experience.)

Ah, I’m working on the shipping cost for slipcases. Shipping is a real fly in the ointment, let me tell you. My foreign language volumes don’t sell very well for a good reason: shipping is as much as I charge for the volumes. The engineer in me says: “ok, charge a lot more. After all, if you don’t sell any now because of the cost of shipping, and you don’t sell any later because of the cost of the volumes, how are you hurt?” Something about that argument doesn’t sit all that well with me.

A number of people want sets: there aren’t any left that are not already committed. I am pricing a second impression of the first printing. The books will cost more, of that I can assure you. They will not be sold via subscription, however. Interested parties will place their money on the barrelhead, and I will ship full sets.

I had mentioned the Library Edition some time ago. I am turning my attention to these books again. Covers hand-carved in fine wood by Paul Rhoads, a single volume sized at least 18″ by 24″ if not larger. Font near 14 points; a selection of stories set for the Library Edition alone. Still working on the costs and so on: figure in the thousands of dollars, not hundreds (nor tens of thousands). Edition strictly limited to whatever I can flog out of Paul. Shipping will be heart-stopping, since I will box these in a wooden crate, and ship via FedEx Special Services. Figure $200 just to get it to you. Maybe I’ll roll the shipping into the price, we’ll see. FedEx Special is a nice service, about the best I’ve seen for delivering one-of-a-kind objects.

I will keep you informed…

Odds and Ends

rclacovara — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:07:17 +0000

All but a handful of volumes 5&6 have been sent out. A few of you still haven’t made a last payment: if you haven’t received volumes 5&6 by now, please let me know. Every set that went out was preceded by an e-mail announcement, so if you never got books, nor got an e-mail notice, then your books are sitting in my ultrasonics lab. If you got an e-mail notice, but no books, that’s a problem we’ll have to work on.

There are a few damaged book replacements going out this week. I had another adventure, which slowed me down, but it didn’t involve totalling a car this time. Sorry. As I have mentioned, this isn’t my day job.

I have a number of requests for slipcases: I’m still getting final prices. I’ll have a few extra if you change your mind and decide you want one, but it helps if you give me a heads up.

For those of you waiting to see if there are any sets available: please be patient. I have to reserve an amazing number of books to make sure that current buyers get 6 good books. You will appreciate this caution when you get your own books. In any event, I have a request in for a limited second impression so that I can supply those of you who came late. Unfortunately, the price will rise somewhat: this is beyond my control.