Afton House Books

Ah, money… let’s see.

A number of subscribers haven’t made their last payment, so I am sending out statements tonight. If you get an statement with a balance, but you don’t owe me anything, that’s not outside the bounds of reason. Just look at my numbers, and let me know what I’m missing. If you recently sent money, perhaps in the last 3 days, then my statement may not reflect it.

Also, someone sent me a wire within the last 3 days. Here’s the squirrelly thing about wires. When they show up in my bank account, they don’t have your name. They don’t have your bank’s name. Just a list of numbers, perhaps random, perhaps not. But I haven’t matched recent e-mail to the date on the wire, so you may get a statement that doesn’t reflect a payment. Sorry.

You may see that I charged you $180 for shipping and handling, and you live in the States. My mistake. Believe it or not, at least two people have moved from the States to the EU during the course of this little adventure, or the other way around, and I’ve had to adjust shipping for them. About four people ordered two sets, two of them don’t go to the same continent. So if your account seems wrong: it may very well be… bear with me, send me a note, whatever you feel is appropriate.

I owe some of you money: in a couple of cases, as much as $50 or $70. Give me a few weeks, and I’ll return it via PayPal. This  is because a few people paid higher shipping than they should have, or included PayPal fees on checks.

The cupboard is getting bare. If you want a second set, think hard and fast. I don’t know that I have any sets left. I am holding a few against shipping losses, but I plan to sell them once my original subscribers all have books. I will also give you, the original subscribers who fronted money before the books were printed, first shot at whatever is left. I may or may not have a second print run: to be honest, this has been harder than I anticipated.

After the last books ship in about a week, I will ask here in the blog if you have received your books, and possibly send out a blind e-mail to that effect. Check your books: I cannot replace books with missing pages once I don’t have books. I will have to have a block printed for you, and rebound into your covers. This is the dark side of a small press: I do not have 100 sets sitting in storage. For one thing, I couldn’t afford it; for another, my wife would look askance at the boxes of books. I don’t like those looks, so I don’t store too many books.

Any questions, drop me a note.

Two things I find rather chilling. One is the return of a package… unless I know why. Sometimes, people  have moved and not told me about it. Well, you aren’t obliged to, but I do need a valid physical address to send valid physical books. The other chilling thing is a notice in e-mail: “2011 September 30 2025 GMT message received from Banzai!Geveltefish 127.0.0.1 BF338590ddddfirzopen error; message undeliverable, go jump in the lake… Texas has finally seceded from the Union” or something like that. If you have changed your e-mail address, and I haven’t responded to your new address, drop me a note, please… it makes me worry that I’m sending books off into the void.

It’s Sunday; I’m packing more books… a batch is waiting right at this very instant of time for the USPS to come and get them.

Nah, not really. And I wouldn’t trouble you if I hadn’t just sent out a real posting. But I just saw the movie “The King’s Speech.” I would be interested in the opinion of any of you guys in the UK, if you’ve seen this movie. In e-mail, though… In front of your comments, I will say that I was well impressed by the production and acting. I am wondering, though, what our cousins on the other side of the pond think of this representation of members of the royal family. As a more-or-less rational American, I have no bone to pick with British royalty: in fact, I have toasted the Queen on her birthday more than once whilst traveling in Her dominions.

Um, if you want one, send me actual e-mail, would you? I push your e-mail into a folder automatically, and it’s easier for me to count up the requests. When I have a minimum, I’ll order. But of course, first I will tell you what the shipping will cost, which isn’t worked out yet. But as with the books, I will charge enough to cover shipping from “me” to you. “Me” means either Virginia, or  Milan.

How I wish the old surface parcel post was still in existence. I used to send 15 Kg to Australia for about $30. Of course, it took a month or 6 weeks, but it was inexpensive. And I don’t think we lost more than one set sending the books in steerage rather than first class.

Books won’t be shipping today, Friday: it’s snowing again. I can’t get out of my driveway, and it’s worse at my office. The next shipping date is this Monday. Two batches will go on Monday, provided the snow is over (it is supposed to be) and the USPS cooperates.

More books will ship on Friday of this week. They would have shipped tomorrow, but a) we got 4″ of snow, and I can’t get down my driveway, since it descends about 60 meters along its length of 600 meters and b) I tried to get down, but instead I ran my car off my driveway, across rough ground, and into a tree. The tree is fine, thanks for asking. It was an amazing ride, with only partial ability to steer, and none to brake. I managed to avoid going over two different 5 meter embankments, protected only by wussy guard rails.  The car is probably totaled, and I feel a bit beat up, even though the crash was so slow that the airbags didn’t deploy. Besides the damage to the car, considerable damage was done to my ego. I haven’t hit anything (or been hit) with a car since sometime in 1988.

Makes you think about taking out insurance on my life, doesn’t it? At least until all of your books arrive.

Those of you who I owe single volumes: be patient. I am trying to combine some shipping, since it costs the same to send 2 books as 1 book to the EU or anywhere else outside the US.  Plus, I’m in the middle of trying to get the remainder of volumes 5&6 out the door.

Some of you had been asking me about slipcases or covers for the books. The difficulty has been that shipping something the size of your books would cost the same as the books: the shipping goes by volume, and not weight. However, our binder, Sr. Biffi, has come up with a (patented) folding slipcase that looks really nice. It is heavy cardboard (similar to that within your book covers) that is covered with buckram: the material your books are finished with. However, the neat thing is that these covers ship flat, and you fold them into a box. Now, I thought this was going to look somewhat tacky, but not at all. They look very nice. I have attached a few photos taken at the bindery, and you can see what you think.

The price will be approximately $70 plus shipping, give or take a bit depending on how many people want them. Those of you in the EU may be able to receive them directly from Milan–I will check this out. In the US, I will ship them from Virginia. The rest of the world: I’m trying to figure that one out. Have a look at the photos, and if you are interested, “raise your hand” so that I can get a count, a final price, and some idea of what shipping will be.

The empty slipcase, assembled

Slipcase from rear corner

Slipcase, showing books from front

About 1/3 of the books will go out tomorrow. Mostly overseas. Figure that most places will have the books by the end of next week.

If you have given me special instructions for shipping, or moved, or if you are in an area of Australia that I should not ship to right away, please let me know RIGHT NOW. Reminding me of these things is cheap insurance that you get your volumes ASAP.

I am getting a price on a slipcover for the volumes. They will be shipped flat, otherwise shipping will cost as much as the books themselves! Shipping doesn’t really go by weight, but by volume, for the most part. We’ll see what such a case costs, and so on… this project won’t really move until everyone has their books.

If you recently enquired about purchasing a set: please be patient. I must get all of the books out to the current subscribers, and then I can see what I have left to sell. There is always the possibility of printing a few more books to fill out sets, or printing a few more complete sets, but this is a long process.

Volumes 5 & 6 have arrived at my office. Shipping starts tomorrow. Finally. At last…