Here’s the text of my most recent newsletter:

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Five things:

ONE: WHERE ARE THE BOOKS?

By now I’m sure you’re all wondering where the heck the new Vogelein books are, especially since I promised they’d be out in time for Independence Day. Unfortunately, the printer I was using has had some quality assurance problems. I’ve not said anything up until this point because I was hoping we’d be able to work it out, but we went through three separate print runs (!!), and none of the books have been up to my standards for delivery.

The good news is that I’ve been granted a refund, and I am working with another printer to get acceptable books printed and shipped as soon as I possibly can. At this point it looks like the new printing will ship sometime in mid-September. I would rather ship a late book than a substandard book, and I hope that you will be patient with me as I work to get the book done as quickly as possible.

Knowing that these books are late, for whatever reason, is a serious concern to me as a self-publisher, and though I’m working to rectify the situation, it still makes me feel like I’ve let everybody down. I want to make certain that each of you knows what’s going on, because without you, and your incredibly kind support, I wouldn’t have come this far in the first place.

TWO: WEREN’T YOU AT WIZARD WORLD?

Why yes, yes I was. I was a bit incognito, primarily because when Paul sent the check, they didn’t put my name on the list, but I also didn’t make a big stink about my presence there because I wasn’t sure if I was going until the last minute… I didn’t think I’d have saleable books (In the end I still didn’t, but I sold the aforementioned less-than-perfect books at a discount and with a disclaimer). And lastly, I arrived Friday morning with no sleep due to a horrendous sinus infection, and I wasn’t much good for anything until Sunday, by which point I’d almost completely lost my voice. I didn’t feel up to doing much, and aside from a very nice dinner on Saturday night with Pam and Nick Bliss, I didn’t get out to see a whole lot of the show or talk to a whole lot of people.

But! I did have a bunch of really super people stop by and say hello, including several fans who were really happy to get their hands on the new book, and said such kind and wonderful things that I left feeling completely uplifted. It was also really great seeing all the midwestern folks including J.Kevin Carrier and Pam and Matt Feazell and Jim Melby and Spike and Matt and the Cannon Boys and Jennie Breeden (even though she’s not actually from the midwest) and sweet merciful crap I can’t forget to mention how utterly kind and sweet Ben Avery was to me. He sent about eight hundred people by my table with a personal recommendation, so the least I can do is tell my readers to go check out his stuff as well.

Other than that, I mostly sat around counting the minutes until I could take the next round of sinus meds. For a more complete (and lucid) version of our trip, check out Paul’s Con Report here.

THREE: WHAT ABOUT THOSE KEY NECKLACES?

I don’t want to take orders for these until I have some in hand. The good news is that I think I’ll get some of the “basic” version (the kind with a chain that you can wear, as opposed to the “super-deluxe” version that comes with a special, custom-made box) on Labor Day. As soon as I receive them, I’ll post them up for sale and send out another email. In the meantime, you can see photos of them, here.

FOUR: HARDCOVERS?

I got to see the early stages of the limited edition Old Ghosts hardcover this afternoon. Hokey Smokes, are they pretty. Bessenberg got a papersmith to custom hand-marble the paper specifically for this run. I asked them to “Make it look like ‘Winter’,” and boy, did they ever. These things are going to be utterly spectacular when they’re done.

Also, I have exactly seven copies of the limited edition Clockwork Faerie hardcover remaining. You can purchase them here, if you’re interested.

FIVE: SPX!

After a lot of hemming and hawing, we’ve committed to doing SPX this October. If all goes well, I should have everything there with me: Final printings of the book, Original art, hardcovers and keys. Woo!

Well, that’s all five things. I’ll send out another update as soon as I get a firm release date on Old Ghosts. Or you can probably listen for the crazed, lunatic shout of happiness and relief that I’ll give as soon as I get my hands on them. I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to hear it five or six states away.

Yours,

Janer