Betts Books

[Patrick]

Hoping the best for you, David!

[wizardsrainbow]

Still safe and healthy here.... a limiting my "exposure" as much as I can...CERTAINLY less shipping and excursions to the store for "necessities." I think activity here will be even more limited next couple of weeks...For now, my "real" job continues....waiting for Japanese owner to announce earnings (fiscal year ended March 31). If they are going to close up our unit, it will be with earnings announcement I think...so next 2 weeks will have to wait and see.

Keeping fingers crossed !

Update needed! What did the earnings report say?

Nomura MOVED their reporting day to May 8th, so still waiting.

[Beverly Marsh]

Fingers crossed for you. I hope all goes well.

[wizardsrainbow]

yeah, me too! In last 10 years, I've had two firms shut down, putting me as unemployed...not fun finding a new job....and who is hiring these days other than Walmart and Amazon?

[Beverly Marsh]

Another random drive by question:
(But first a little story) I recently bought a signed 1/1 Skeleton Crew and included was the original receipt from Betts when it was a brick and mortar store. Price at the time, $250. I paid a tad more than that. Anyway, it got me wondering what everyone's first purchase was from David when he took over. Just for fun!
Mine wasn't even a book, it was an IT press kit!

[OldCrow88]

Fun turn of the crank on the way back machine! For my part: a lettered Dark Forces with remarque by Alex McVey.

[webstar1000]

Dolans. A PC copy with the marbled boards. We became good friends cause of that sale. Im thankful. My 40th birthday was spent with David and Whelan... my wife and David's surprise... to date... the best Bday I have ever had

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I don't remember.

[MikeDuke]

I think the first book I bought was my lib version but inscribed Night Shift back in 2010.

[lotuz]

I don't remember.

I've seen you post a receipt from a bookstore from the early 80s - time to open each of your King books until you find a Betts one

My first purchase was not too long ago (2018 or 2019) and it was a beautiful double-signed copy of The Talisman with the cleanest, nicest book block I've ever seen and just a beauty of a jacket. I'll probably even post pictures one day!

[vincent]

Another random drive by question:
(But first a little story) I recently bought a signed 1/1 Skeleton Crew and included was the original receipt from Betts when it was a brick and mortar store. Price at the time, $250. I paid a tad more than that. Anyway, it got me wondering what everyone's first purchase was from David when he took over. Just for fun!
Mine wasn't even a book, it was an IT press kit!

I'm curious about this IT press kit. Do you have a picture? Was it promotional material for the release of the hardback first edition?

[webstar1000]

Another random drive by question:
(But first a little story) I recently bought a signed 1/1 Skeleton Crew and included was the original receipt from Betts when it was a brick and mortar store. Price at the time, $250. I paid a tad more than that. Anyway, it got me wondering what everyone's first purchase was from David when he took over. Just for fun!
Mine wasn't even a book, it was an IT press kit!

I'm curious about this IT press kit. Do you have a picture? Was it promotional material for the release of the hardback first edition?

I have one at home. I will send pics if you need them

[vincent]

Another random drive by question:
(But first a little story) I recently bought a signed 1/1 Skeleton Crew and included was the original receipt from Betts when it was a brick and mortar store. Price at the time, $250. I paid a tad more than that. Anyway, it got me wondering what everyone's first purchase was from David when he took over. Just for fun!
Mine wasn't even a book, it was an IT press kit!

I'm curious about this IT press kit. Do you have a picture? Was it promotional material for the release of the hardback first edition?

I have one at home. I will send pics if you need them

Thanks a lot Kris. I'd like to find out if it's something I haven't seen before, so pics are very very welcome! Is this the four-page promo pamphlet that was sent to bookstores?

[becca69]

Another random drive by question:
(But first a little story) I recently bought a signed 1/1 Skeleton Crew and included was the original receipt from Betts when it was a brick and mortar store. Price at the time, $250. I paid a tad more than that. Anyway, it got me wondering what everyone's first purchase was from David when he took over. Just for fun!
Mine wasn't even a book, it was an IT press kit!

Mine wasn't King, nor did I pay for it... my parents bought be some signed Gaiman books from his collection. I think my first King item was an Insomnia S/L.

[amd013]

My first was 1/1 Night Shift. Had a bookplate, but it completed my collection of 1/1 ( until my burglary, but I have since reaquired everything)

[Roseannebarr]

Mine looks to be Roman numbered six stories. January 2011. Fun thread. My latest was black magic!

[Lurker]

I show a DTV Grant ARC in early 2010. First book was numbered Dolan's.

[George at C-Springs]

Eyes of the Dragon S/L #7, back in 2010.

[kingfan2323]

Dolans. A PC copy with the marbled boards. We became good friends cause of that sale. Im thankful. My 40th birthday was spent with David and Whelan... my wife and David's surprise... to date... the best Bday I have ever had

Never knew that story, Kris. Wow. I would fear the "never meet your heroes" advice being true but sounds like it was an amazing evening. Were you Nervous about asking "dumb" questions?

seeking: anything DT related #246

[kingfan2323]

Eyes of the Dragon S/L #7, back in 2010.

What a great first purchase. Makes me envious that I cannot remember. I want to say it may have been a Buick 8 Gift Edition.

seeking: anything DT related #246

[The Library Policeman]

The IT special collectors edition paperback back in 1986. I still have it.

[peripheral]

I remember accidentally stumbling over the Betts website - this little, no frills list with rarities I couldn't believe. I thought I had stumbled into the Dark Web. I bought a bunch of proofs...

[webstar1000]

Dolans. A PC copy with the marbled boards. We became good friends cause of that sale. Im thankful. My 40th birthday was spent with David and Whelan... my wife and David's surprise... to date... the best Bday I have ever had

Never knew that story, Kris. Wow. I would fear the "never meet your heroes" advice being true but sounds like it was an amazing evening. Were you Nervous about asking "dumb" questions?

seeking: anything DT related #246

It was the best birthday of my life. We went out for a family dinner. Everyone was there. It was just a normal bday dinner. I opened my gifts and the last one was from my wife. IT was a little booklet she made me... telling me that we are flying out in 12 hours to NYC. Spending three days seeing New York City which I had never done! I LOVED IT THERE. Then I got to go to David's and spend the day with him showing me all his artwork and every remarque. It was amazing... David's collection is far more vast than many realize. It was HOURS. I then was given a Six Stories S/L while there for a gift from her too. The trip could not get better. I talk to Audrey and Michael often as most of you know BUT TO MEET ONE'S IDOL???? That cannot happen many times in life for people. It happened for me. The next day David picked us up at our hotel. We stopped as I wanted to get flowers for Audrey and Michael loves chocolate so I wanted to bring them something. I was nervous... shaking and well.. scared. Walking into their home was like a museum. It was breathtaking. The home is beautiful and art is EVERYWHERE. I got to see my favorite paintings and Michael toured me his private studio. An honor... is not even how I felt. He told me so many insights and showed me so many things. He has a sketch book from the early 80's when he was asked to do Gunslinger. It is a priceless artifact... he rips a page out of it and gives it to me. Ill never forget it. He also laid out a bunch of DT pieces for me and David to see and we each bought one. He then had us (and my wife) arrange a dozen or more "gremlins" , he calls then' from what we felt was the most to least valuable. That was unreal fun for us. I am sure I am rambling but it was such as amazing time. I also seen a piece on the wall and Michael told me he only kept it cause he wasn't happy with some things about it and wanted to fix it. I loved it.... six months later? Audrey asks if I wanted to buy it becuase Michael wanted me to have it. I will sell my King collection before my Whalens. We asked if we could take them out for supper and we got to! We went to Michaels favorite restaurant. I got to sit with him and drive him crazy with questions. We were on a deck overlooking a lake.. it was so pretty. It was the best trip of my life. The last day David took us to some of his favorite spots, Bett's bookstore (which is a climate controlled storage unit BUT it is packed with stuff and he gave me some cool IT stuff which I still have!) and to a nice beach his family loves, his fav sandwich shop and that day was perfect. We left the next day. I have everything saved from that trip. It makes me happy to think about it and write this even now. DAVID... if you are reading this, thank you again my man. Your a great person and friend and I hope to come back someday and see your family again. Thank you.

[webstar1000]

Here is my favourite pic from the trip




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[webstar1000]

Here is the piece of that sketch book Michael gave me. He told me to hide it cause Audrey hates him giving stuff away so I got David to put it into a Gunslinger he was getting signed to hide it for me. Lol




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk