Friday, November 25, 2011

Books For Sale

Here’s a reposting of my reply (slightly edited) to one Neil who asked in the comments on a previous post why so many books are sent to the author:

It's in the contract, Neil: 10 hardbacks on first release and 20 paperbacks a year later when the mass-market paperback comes out. In my case the hardbacks go to family and friends but the paperbacks linger. I then get up to 10 of the foreign editions when I only really need 1. Tor US send me the 10 & 20 of my British contract on top.

If you're a writer who writes one book every two or three years, then that's probably okay. Since through Macmillan I've done about 15 books in 11 years (I think) I've built up a bit of a backlog.

Here are some pictures of that backlog, and why I fear the ceiling might collapse at some point.





So, it’s time I cleared a few of these out. If anyone wants to buy a signed copy of any of my books, well, my email is over on the right here at the bottom of my profile. I’m selling them at cover price (if $ then converted to £) plus postage and packing. Just detail what you want and I’ll check to see if I’ve got it – my aim in the end is to retain just two copies each of my English language books and one each of the foreign language ones.

Also, I’ve had requests for signed photos, so I can only assume someone wants something to scare their children with. I’ll be printing and laminating some of these shortly should anyone want to do likewise.

UPDATE
I've just checked on stuff in the loft and this is what remains available:

GRIDLINKED
6 copies USA Paperback £6
8 copies USA Bookclub Hardback £14
5 copies USA Hardback £17

SKINNER
3 Copies UK Trade Paperback 2nd Edition £12
4 Copies USA Bookclub Hardback £14

COWL
7 Copies UK Paperback £8
1 Copies UK Trade Paperback £12
8 Copies USA Paperback £6
10 Copies USA Trade Paperback £12

BRASS MAN
4 Copies UK Paperback £8
1 Copies UK Trade Paperback £12
13 Copies Sullivan paperback £8
20 Copies USA paperback £6
7 Copies USA Bookclub hardback £14
20 Copies USA Trade paperback £12

THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH
9 Copies UK Paperback £8
10 Copies Sullivan Paperback £8

POLITY AGENT
7 Copies UK Paperback £8
13 Copies Sullivan paperback £8

LINE WAR
5 Copies UK Paperback £8

ORBUS
10 Copies Sullivan Paperback £8
9 Copies Limited Edition

PRADOR MOON
3 Copies UK Hardback £15
7 Copies UK Paperback £7
25 Copies Nightshade edition £10

SHADOW OF THE SCORPION
13 Copies Sullivan Paperback £8
4 Copies Trade Paperback £12

HILLDIGGERS
7 Copies UK Hardback £18
14 Copies UK Paperback £8

THE GABBLE
14 Copies UK Paperback £8

THE TECHNICIAN
20 Copies UK Paperback £8

11 comments:

Kirby Uber said...

were the support beams there before? or were they added out of necessity?

;p

Neal Asher said...

Nah, they're part of the roof trusses.

Neil said...

I had to laugh when I saw so many copies of the same book.

2theD said...

I'd be more interested to see the shelves of your non-Asher collection! I, a heavy SF reviewer, have always had a certain curiosity as to which books SF authors read... such as Alidss? Greg Bear? Effinger? Malzberg? Blish? Brunner?

SharpMonkey said...

I'd be interested in some of your books if you can ship to the US. Can't seem to locate your email address on the blog.

Neal Asher said...

Neil, I imagine many writers have the same problem.

2theD, if you delve back through this blog searching 'books' posts you'll find that I've put up my entire collection. And yes, most of those names are there.

SharpMonkey, my email is at the bottom of my short biography to the right here. But to repeat, of course substituting the 'and' and the 'dots' it is ndotasheratvirgindotnet

Graeme. said...

I'll take a copy of Hilldiggers and 2 tins of coconut milk please.

Neal Asher said...

Ho ho Graeme. I had to keep them somewhere - went to one of those ho-hing shops that supply restaurans and bought a whole box of them.

Neal Asher said...

Oh, and has anyone noticed at the other end of that same shelf a nice big shrink-wrapped pack of copies of Mindgames?

Graeme. said...

:)

how can I get a hold of the short stories listed on your web site, that weren't included in Runcible Tales or The Engineer Reconditioned ?

How about your unpublished stuff ?
(even if unfinished)

Neal Asher said...

They're in various anthologies, or in the original small press mags if you could find an old copy. Now I could pull them all together and publish another collection, but I would have to spend a lot of time reworking them. I will not just publish them as they stand because my writing has improved since then and I wouldn't want to be judged on them as they stand.