Just about snuck this one into January! It’s been a difficult start to the year I’m sad to say. My kids’ school was closed due to snow for the first week so had to split childcare with my wife. Then both children picked up two consecutive colds/viruses, so more childcare juggling… such is self-employed life.
Now you aren’t here to listen to me moan about life’s hurdles, you want some fine-press book action! I’m busier than I can remember at the moment and working flat out to hit our 2025 plan. Progress is being made on all titles, some are moving quicker than others, and vice versa.
We’re also very close to releasing the new website, which is exciting. It did get put on the back burner due to the amount of work needed on the books themselves but we’re catching up now. The site will be released in two phases. The first phase will be the new look site and shop, and will hopefully be a more pleasant browsing experience. The second phase is going to involve the members area. A place where you have a list of your rights tracks and denominations, and the ability to transfer rights once you have sold a book. This will take some testing, as we cannot mess this up.
Other than that, we’ll be doing more prints this year! The run of John Anthony di Giovanni’s cover for The Fifth Season is being printed as we speak and John will be signing them before going up on the site. Mid-February most likely, but I’ll put out a separate newsletter when confirmed. After that we’ll be doing a run of the two endpapers by Jaime Jones for our edition of Hyperion in the Spring.
Onto the books then!
Before They are Hanged
We’re very close to shipping the Standard Edition of BTAH! We’re using a different distributor for the Standard this time, so these will be going out in one shipment. Anybody who bought a Standard + Deluxe/Lettered will receive their Standard before the Deluxe is ready (even if you secured a partial shipping refund). I’m expecting these to go out w/c Feb 6th.
The Deluxe and Lettered will follow this, and they will be shipped out by the bindery. This means owners of Lettered + Deluxe (and who had a partial shipping refund) will need to wait until the Lettered is finished before their package is sent out. Regarding the Deluxe, the book blocks are finished with the top edges done. The cases have been finished and stamped and they should be cased-in soon. The slipcases are nearly ready, and will progress much quicker once the Standards have left the building. The Lettered Edition is also underway, the blocks are done and have been gilded. We have the cases still to make and solanders finished.
When will they all be out the door? I’ve been advised mid-late February, but I’ve learned to take these estimations with a pinch of salt. I will of course keep everyone updated via social media and newsletter!
Legend
We’ve finally started printing Legend, which is great news. The interiors were ready back in October for printing, but Hand & Eye have been making necessary improvements to their workshop, as they have acquired a second machine. The machine is in and Legend is first up.
Printing should be done by March for binding, so this is looking like April/May for shipping!
I know you’re all waiting to see what the dustjacket art looks like, and you’ve been very patient. When we’re closer to binding we’ll make sure we share it far and wide. All I can say is. Druss.
The Fall of Hyperion
We’re ahead of schedule on TFoH which is great news. The incredible Jaime Jones has handed in his interior B&W artwork already and has done 42 pieces! Yes, 42 pieces and they are some of his best work in my opinion. These have been dropped into the layout and we’re just proofing it at the moment ready for platemaking.
Nomad Letterpress are printing this edition as they also did the first, and we’re looking at a summer slot currently. Then to binding, and shipping. Expect this one Q3/Q4 2025.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The interiors are DONE. They are not only done, they are by far the best interiors of any book I have published so far. Gary Gianni and Marcelo Anciano have done a wonderful job, and I genuinely believe it’s the best iteration of this legendary story ever done.
We will be offset printing the colour images on this one with Gomer Press, then it goes back to Hand & Eye for two-colour letterpress printing. This is currently scheduled for printing in late Spring, then onto binding. Again, I would expect this one Q4 2025 – earlier if it can be done!
