My Quarantine Field Trip
Posted on April 6, 2020 Posted by John Scalzi 17 Comments
Today I actually left the house for the first time in two weeks (minus walks up and down my rural Ohio road), in order to travel up to Michigan, where I signed copies of The Last Emperox at the Subterranean Press warehouse. Usually when I head up there to sign books I make a day of it, hang out with the Subterranean Press folks, have dinner with friends and stay the night before heading back in the morning. However, these are quarantine times, so what I did was drive up alone, get to the warehouse where the one person working stayed mostly on the other side of the warehouse from me, sign the books, and then head directly back home. It was the social distancing signing. Not as fun as it could have been, but I wanted to make sure everyone who ordered a book through SubPress got their book when it comes out (postal service willing, of course).
So if you pre-ordered The Last Emperox through Subterranean Press, congrats, you’re getting a signed book for sure.
For everyone else who still wants to be sure to get a signed book, remember that my local bookstore, Jay & Mary’s Book Center, is taking pre-orders, and I’ll be signing (and when requested, personalizing) books there. Call them during regular hours, that’s the best way to get a book. If you want to get the book around the time it comes out, I suggest ordering by this Friday, although I will continue signing books for them after that (you can also other books of mine from the store).
It was nice to get out. It’s also nice to be back.
I’m planning to get the audiobook when it’s released and then pick up a signed copy the next time you get to tour.
For me, signed books are a reminders of encounters with authors. I hope your local bookstore gets plenty of extra business from though. They seem like great folks.
On behalf of the U.S. Economy, I thank you.
So you actually touched my book? No problem. I’ll just toss it into my isolation glove box & read away!
Dave Branson:
They are lovely.
Pedro:
I’m doing my part!
Nortally:
Just microwave it!
(NOTE: Please do not microwave it. Seriously.)
Counting the minutes, Mr. Scalzi, counting the minutes.
I started rereading the first two volumes last week, promising myself that I’d stretch them out, ration them to just a few pages a day so that I’d finish up Book 2 right about the point when TLE arrived in my mailbox.
Mmmm-hmm. Saturday night, I was up until midnight to finish The Collapsing Empire. Hopefully I can make The Consuming Fire last a tiny bit longer, but chances are it’ll be done by tomorrow evening, too.
Thank you for making the drive, sir, and for doing so safely with appropriate social distancing protocols well in place. I am very much looking forward to this one.
I ordered through my local bookstore (you have been there – Odyssey Bookshop in S. HADLEY, MA). They are feeling the hit from loss of foot traffic business. Hoping to be able to get it signed at some future time.
Thank for ‘The Collapsing Empire’ giveaway. Yes, I went through that like candy and am more than ready for the follow up.
In the same spirit, should you be short of listening material, I have all my musical material available for free on Bandcamp. Everything from early music through synthesizer dabbling ( much like yours!) through Flamenco and folk/rock. I hope you might find something that interests you.
https://laurencestevenson.bandcamp.com/
Thank you for keeping us updated, and I cannot wait to read my signed copy! We will get through this if we keep diligent about respecting the need for keeping each other safe.
I was going to be at the Brookline Booksmith event. When the event was canceled I kept my preorder with them, because local businesses need the love and it’s a great book shop. I’m sure there will be another event in the future where I can get you to sign it.
Tried to find The Last Emperox on Subterranean’s website but got “page not found.”
https://subterraneanpress.com/last-emperox
Jeff M:
It’s because they’re sold out. If you want a signed/personalized copy now, please get it through Jay & Mary’s.
I cancelled my preorder through the South-American-River site and then reordered it at my local indie shop instead…gotta keep those people in business, their cats will eat them if I don’t. Wondering idly whether, if lots of people do something similar, it’ll do weird things to your sales figures.
@Nortally
Just put the book in a 160° oven for an hour to sterilize it.
Sounds like a long day. Hope you at least went through the drive through of a burrito emporium.
Ordered mine today from Jay and Mary. Just trying to gauge when to begin rereading The Collapsing Empire and The Consuming Fire so The Last Emporox can fall right in place. I guess I’ll probably have to put Old Man’s War series on hold while I read those. Since you had to cancel in NC, I just declared April “Scalzi Month”. Almost done with Ghost Brigades. Going to try and slip in The Last Colony first. Catch you when you’re back down this way. Stay well!
I just ordered it from Copperfield’s Books, the local indie chain where I live.
Ordered it yesterday from Story on the Square, our local independent here in McDonough, GA. Can’t wait.