Nice idea. If this ends up happening I would be interested in one too.
Nice idea. If this ends up happening I would be interested in one too.
Hello Peter,
Thank you so much for taking the time for the Q&A, I have really enjoyed reading these posts. I feel fortunate to have lettered editions of both The Stand and The Regulators in my collection and hearing about the original concept for the box for The Stand is amazing. I have two questions for you:
1. Unlike most limited editions the S/L and Lettered edition of The Regulators are very different compared to each other. Can you tell us more about the evolution of both?
2. Is there a Stephen King title that you wish you could have made a limited edition for? Even if another publisher made a limited of that title I would love to hear what your concept was/is.
Again thank you,
Steve
“Perhaps I am simply a madman who dreamt of being sane for a little while.”
— Roland Deschain
Great Ray Bradbury story Pete thanks for sharing. On a related note we visited a book restorer/repairer in college and it was the first special edition/odd book I ever saw, I'm not sure if this guy had made it himself but it was a Martian Chronicles that had a plastic rocket like object on the front. I thought it was really really cool.
I was in meetings and missed the whole damn thing; interesting conversations though Peter, thanks for participating. Gerald, once again I can't believe your stuff ... those checks are pretty great.
Should I be the first to suggest that some of those 1000+ original brass plaques, wasting away in a box without purpose in life, poor lonely despondent creeping crud-covered plaques with no-one to love them, make their way out into the caring hands of the TDT.org community? (Nudge-Nudge Wink-Wink)
WANT LIST: Any SK #186; Dark Man Unbound 1st Proof; FDNS Unbound 1st Proof; FDNS Black Tape Spine Proof; FDNS Unbound Color Proof
Okay, this is Peter Schneider, and I'm back from mowing 1/3rd of our lawn. But please be assured that I will keep visiting this site and this Q&A and I will answer as many questions as I can. Also, I'll be posing some questions, given that I've been out of the biz so long. I'm sure that someone out there can provide an answer.
I think I've said this before, but I am truly blown away by everything I've experienced today. One goes through life, doing project after project, and it all seems to be a gray porridge at the end of the day. And then one happens on to a site like this, and so many of these episodes come back into clear focus. It's a real thrill for me -- and thank you all.
Peter, since you mentioned the Ray Bradbury Moby Dick letter, thought you might like this if you haven't seen it before:
Ray Bradbury Moby Dick Screenplay Lettered PC
WANT LIST: Any SK #186; Dark Man Unbound 1st Proof; FDNS Unbound 1st Proof; FDNS Black Tape Spine Proof; FDNS Unbound Color Proof
Okay, this reply is to racerx45. You're absolutely right that the two limiteds are very different -- yet I hope that the two of them share a connection to each book that goes beyond the usual slipcase/tip-in page. I wanted there to be a true connection to the book -- hence, my idea for the "Superflu vaccine" vial in the door of the STAND limited. And with the REGULATORS -- although the numbered editons (the Motokop toy boxes) did not turn out to be as great as both Joe Stefko and I had planned, they still had an intrinsic connection to the book itself.
THE STAND limited was, well, limited to the design specs that we could dictate within the Doubleday design/production oversight. With THE REGULATORS, we had a much broader canvas to use -- especially with the added resource of Joe Stefko. The only complication there was when I called Steve King in Colorado (on the set of his remake of "The Shining") and said that we'd have the signature pages to him within a couple of weeks. There was a second of silence, then Steve said, "Pete, I'm not going to sign these books. Richard Bachman is dead, remember?"
That is what started Joe and I on the long quest to the Bachman checks.
This is to George at C-Springs -- Wow, where did that Screenplay come from? I've never seen it. Would you mind passing on the publisher of this book?
I'm truly amazed that this edition exists.
Thanks, George.
Hi Peter -
My comments and questions I've been holding for today. I understand that there's quite a lot here, and definitely understand if you only reply to one or two of my questions. Thanks!
In looking at the Hill House production of Gaiman's American Gods (a truly beautiful production by the way), I can see why you comment as you do regarding the current state (particularly of SK) limited editions. There are some very nice ones, and some not-so-very-nice ones out there. By not so nice I assume you mean the overall quality of materials and artistic elements of a given S/L. Please correct me if I'm inaccurately interpreting your comment.
As a newer collector who has little (i.e. no) access to a Regulators lettered or even The Stand coffin S/L, most of my exposure to Limited Editions is via the newer small publishers putting out current limiteds of King's works. Only in branching out my collection to other authors have I had an opportunity to access, and on occasion actually afford, Limited Editions such as those published by Hill House, Charnel House, Land of Enchantment, and others.
There is indeed a difference in what Hill House published as a Limited Edition and what PS, or CD publish as an S/L. Subterranean has a bit of a different product, in my opinion. And Centipede Press definitely operates a different model (their books do seem to be works of art themselves as you note).
My questions for you, Peter:
-- Could you elaborate a little further on your view of the general state of the Limited Edition market?
-- Do you have concerns with the direction that Limited Editions have taken in the years since Hill House has closed it's doors?
I'd love to hear that panel discussion with you and Jeff Conner from Scream Press about how to run put a small publishing company out of business (with that comic but realistic spin, of course). There's so much the two of you surely must've learned in the years between day of 1 of publishing and the day you closed the doors for good. I've heard it put that Hill House published itself right out of business.
-- What are a few of the key things you could share that would help a specialty publisher produce Limited Editions to the standards of Hill House that was, and stay in business over the long haul?
Last comment and question: I love the inclusion of a softback 'Reading Copy' as part of the Hill House limited edition 'package' for American Gods.
-- How did this softback copy come to be produced and included? Did Hill House include reading copies with other Limited Editions? And finally are you surprised that others have not picked up on this collector oriented idea, making them available with today's Limiteds?
Thanks so much for taking time to engage with us and answer questions today!!
Peter, it was published by Subterranean Press ... here's the page link: https://subterraneanpress.com/store/...the_screenplay
It's sold out, but I'm sure copies are available on the secondary market.
WANT LIST: Any SK #186; Dark Man Unbound 1st Proof; FDNS Unbound 1st Proof; FDNS Black Tape Spine Proof; FDNS Unbound Color Proof
Thank you to Mr. Schneider for the Q&A. Awesome questions and answers.
1) Has there ever been a project (King related or not) that you have drawn the line at producing for just being to outlandish?
"A real limited edition, far from being an expensive autograph stapled to a novel, is a treasure. And like all treasures do, it transforms the responsible owner into a caretaker, and being a caretaker of something as fragile and easily destroyed as ideas and images is not a bad thing but a good one...and so is the re-evaluation of what books are and what they do that necessarily follows." - Stephen King
These are some truly trenchant and thought-provoking questions. I've got to go (Jen is coming home in a few minutes and I need to get ready), but I have many, many thoughts on the points you have raised. If you don't mind, I'm going to think on this through the night (we're on NYC time) and then post a (hopefully) coherent and comprehensive response. I'm looking forward to doing this.
Best,
Peter
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
Pete, I don't think Jerome warned you about us. Most of us here on the bulletin board are crazy!
John
This has been a very informative and interesting discussion.
Thank you Peter for taking the time to interact with us.
BTW thanks for The Cat's Pajamas you sold me. Several members here are now enjoying them.
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing all the info!
Put me down for one.
"A real limited edition, far from being an expensive autograph stapled to a novel, is a treasure. And like all treasures do, it transforms the responsible owner into a caretaker, and being a caretaker of something as fragile and easily destroyed as ideas and images is not a bad thing but a good one...and so is the re-evaluation of what books are and what they do that necessarily follows." - Stephen King
I'll have Simon's second one