How to Get Signed and Personalized Scalzi Books for the Holidays, 2016
Posted on November 23, 2016 Posted by John Scalzi 8 Comments
It’s that time of the year again, and once again I am teaming up with Jay & Mary’s Book Center, my local independent bookseller, to offer signed and personalized books for gift-giving. It’s a great way to get a unique gift for someone you love (even yourself!) while at the same time supporting a great local business that does a fantastic job in its community (and also currently employs my kid, how cool is that).
So: How do you get signed and personalized books from me this year? It’s simple:
1. Call Jay & Mary’s at their 800 number (800 842 1604) and let them know you’d like to order signed copies of my books. Please call rather than send e-mail; they find it easier to keep track of things that way.
2. Tell them which books you would like (For example, The End of All Things), and what, if any, names you would like the book signed to. If there’s something specific you’d like written in the books let them know but for their sake and mine, please keep it short. Also, if you’re ordering the book as a gift, make sure you’re clear about whose name the book is being signed to. If this is unclear, I will avoid using a specific name.
3. Order any other books you might think you’d like, written by other people, because hey, you’ve already called a bookstore for books, and helping local independent bookstores is a good thing. I won’t sign these, unless for some perverse reason you want me to, in which case, sure, why not.
4. Give them your mailing address and billing information, etc.
5. And that’s it! Shortly thereafter I will go to the store and sign your books for you.
If you want the books shipped for Christmas, the deadline for that is December 11. (That’s a Sunday this year.) That way we can make sure everything ships to you on time. After December 11, all Scalzi stock will still be signed and available, but I will likely not be able to personalize, and we can’t 100% guarantee Christmastime delivery.
Ordering early is encouraged — it makes sure we will absolutely be able to order your book and have it to you on time.
Also, this is open to US residents only. Sorry, rest of the world. It’s a cost of shipping thing.
What books are available?
CURRENT HARDCOVER: I didn’t release a new novel this year, but there are probably hardcovers of The End of All Things still available if you ask. Likewise The Mallet of Loving Correction can probably still be special-ordered (these are already signed, but I’ll personalize).
(Miniatures, my collection of very short stories, will be available for the holidays, but only via pre-order at the Subterranean Press site, so if you’re looking for that, you’ll need go order from there. These copies of Miniatures will be signed but I won’t be able to personalize them. )
CURRENT TRADE PAPERBACK: Redshirts (the 2013 Hugo Award winner!), Twenty-First Century Science Fiction (which features a story of mine), Metatropolis (which I edited and contribute a novella to). There may be hardcovers of these still around if you ask. But each are definitely in trade paperback.
CURRENT MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: The End of All Things, Lock In, The Human Division, Fuzzy Nation, Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigades, The Last Colony, Zoe’s Tale, The Android’s Dream, Agent to the Stars, The New Space Opera 2. You can also purchase the Old Man’s War boxed set (which features the first three books in the series), BUT if you want that signed you’ll have to agree to let me take the shrinkwrap off. In return I’ll sign each of the books in the box.
CURRENT NON-FICTION: Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded (essay collection, Hugo winner), Book of the Dumb, Book of the Dumb 2 (both humor books) are all still in print.
AUDIOBOOKS: The End of All Things, Lock In, The Human Division, Redshirts, Fuzzy Nation, The God Engines, Metatropolis and Agent to the Stars are all available on CD and/or MP3 CD, and Jay & Mary’s should be able to special order them for you.
Two things regarding audiobooks: First, if you want these, you should probably call to order these ASAP. Second, and this is important, because the audiobooks come shrinkwrapped, I will have to remove the shrinkwrap in order to sign the cover. You ordering a signed audiobook means you’re okay with me doing that and with Jay & Mary’s shipping it to you out of its shrinkwrap.
If you have any other questions, drop them in the comment thread and I’ll try to answer them!
I believe NESFA Press still has your book in stock. Visit http://www.nesfapress.com.
Seriously considering this for Redshirts. Over time that has become my favorite of your books. Mostly because of the codas at the end. I really love that last love story.
Kind of a future-leaning question for this thread in the coming years – Is there any way for you to personalize an e-book? I still have a lot of hard copies of my all time “If the world goes dark I must read this again” books. But a vast majority of my reading these days is digital.
Perhaps I will get one inscribed with the “insult” you gifted me with last year. I loved it :)
I think you are a treat and I’m so glad you posed in a dress or I might not have run across you. This has become one of my daily moments of fun and sanity. I smile and breathe better afterwards. Thank you.
I understand why you’re not offering this for international shipping, but would it be possible to order and pay something from overseas and have it shipped as a gift to someone in the US? I’d of course be willing to pay in advance. But if the bookstore says that would be too much of a hassle, I’d be sad, but I’d understand that, too.
@Dan:
You can use Calibre to edit images in an ebook. E.g. exchange the title page for one with a signature. (Disclaimer: no guarantee it works, no idea if this is legal.)
Could I get a hardback of Lock In or would that depend on if the bookstore has one in stock?
@Dan: If you are able to go to one of Our Esteemed Host’s appearances, have him sign your e-reader or your e-reader case.