OCCUPY 2013: Ambannon Books Stephen King Collection

To All Ambannon Books Friends & Family,

Hello, and welcome to Occupy Day. I know a lot of you are excited about hearing what I have to say (which totally strokes my ego, by the way, ha!), so let’s get right into it.

As a Stephen King collector, one of my favorite things to collect are books in a designated set. Books in a series that have the same style as each other, whether they’re paperback or hardcover, in English or a foreign language. I love them. I love the way they all look similar, I love the way they look on my bookshelves, I just love to display them. See examples below, in case you don’t know what I am talking about:

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4334/16506936.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/78/66248746.gif

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/4195/65098928.jpg

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/1600/66799929.jpg

At this moment, there is no complete Stephen King "set" in which his entire catalog is collected.

Well, I would like to change that.

Ambannon Books is going to produce a series of dustjackets for your Stephen King collection. From Carrie to Doctor Sleep (or, rather, continuing forever), we will release one dustjacket a month at the price of $9.99, not including shipping. These dustjackets will be limited to 100 copies each, and they will be numbered and signed by the artist.

Speaking of the artist, please allow me to introduce Kelsey East. I stumbled across Kelsey’s work and fell in love. An amazing artist and photographer, she owns her own design company and did a mock-up of some Stephen King covers as an example of some of the book design work she can do.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/6795/kelseyeast1.jpg

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3636/kelseyeast2.jpg

I absolutely love the concept behind what she did, and with a few tweaks (The Boogeyman is only a short story, for example. The Game of Thrones-type banner design on the spine, for another), these are exactly what I have envisioned in my head for our Ambannon Books Stephen King Collection. So what did I do? I enlisted Kelsey to have a long-term partnership with Ambannon Books, creating these wonderful dustjackets for years to come. Also, I have already gone ahead and have received the approval from Marsha, Stephen King’s assistant, to do this type of project. I would hate to get sued by my favorite writer sometime down the road, as the only things I could pay him with is Stephen King books!

There is a question of size that keeps coming up in my head. Ummm, dustjacket size. My original thought for these dustjackets was that they could be married to book club edition books and make them actually worthwhile to have around. Book club editions, for anyone now in the know, are pretty much worthless in terms of monetary value. So, that would be great. And then we’ll figure something out later for the oversized books and the paperback books. But rest assured, this project is something that both Kelsey East and Ambannon Books are very interested in and excited to be doing. We won’t let you down. So be excited! More updates as we get closer, but Carrie, of course, will be the first dustjacket we produce.

Thanks, and let me know what you think in the comments below. Always interested in hearing honest feedback.

Shannon

P.S. Just an idea I had right now, but I'm pretty sure we'll be doing some kind of $9.99 per dustjacket or "Sign up for a year of dustjackets (12 jackets) for $100!" deal. More to come.

Congrats!!!!! I love it!!!! Sign me up!!

I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but this wasn't it! Of course this would now mean I have to go out and buy BCEs on purpose ... then at least one additional bookcase ... one jacket a month times how many months? ... hmmmmmmmmmm ....

Maybe!

10 bucks is more than I pay for most of my books. Lets haggle.

Great idea, Shannon!!!

Interesting and outside the box. I need to think on this for a bit. :thumbsup:

Hmmm...interesting..... :)

Dood! If for some reason you get to meet Sai King due to this don't be surprised if you mind my ass cramped and crammed into your luggage.

g

Hey, this looks really cool! :)

I'm in for the books I have.

This is actually awesome, to me.

I remember when someone posted that pic a few weeks back and I thought it would be so cool to have all the books on a shelf (shelves) with matching covers like that.

I'm IN!!!

I actually have many/most of his books in BCE and may have a few multiples, this will give me a reason to get them all organized and see if I can help anyone out on this forum that needs the ones I have multiples of. :)

Congratulations Shannon, great idea!

Although the art is nice, I will have to pass. I stopped buying comics due to all of the variant covers, and these dust jackets remind me of that. I am sure some will like it, but I can't buy everything with King's name on it. I wish you good luck and I hope others enjoy.

Very innovative Shannon - that's thinking way outside the box :excited:

One question Shannon... Is this going to be the original BCE size like from the 70's or the newer BCE size?

I vote for the newer size, only cause that is the size I have of them. :)

I will go for this, I like the idea.

Cool idea Shannon

So if someone starts with the first one do they have right of refusal on future ones? Basically what I mean is say demand picks up after people start seeing them and at some point exceeds supply are the people who started with the first guaranteed first option to buy subsequent dustjackets...presumably with the number oyu started with?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brice

So if someone starts with the first one do they have right of refusal on future ones? Basically what I mean is say demand picks up after people start seeing them and at some point exceeds supply are the people who started with the first guaranteed first option to buy subsequent dustjackets?

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Don't figure on an answer until tomorrow. The "One Percenters" are having a "dinner party" this evening at their local Burger King to dry each others tears!!!

:wtf::wtf::wtf:

Muwhahahahaha!!!

Awww! :(


LOL

Dustjacket Design

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/6795/kelseyeast1.jpg

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3636/kelseyeast2.jpg

We will be tweaking Kelsey's original design. These are the first things that come to mind:

1) The cracked ice/foggy windshield background seems to have the same texture marking in each spot. That will be changed so that each title doesn't have the same exact carbon-copy background.

2) The "Stephen King 50th Novel" banners on the spine will be changed to something else. Not so crazy about those.

3) The fake publishing emblem will be changed to the Ambannon Books emblem.

4) We will be getting the size problem sorted out, and we will probably go with the most common version of the book that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I mean, who is going to cover their first edition Night Shift with one of our dustjackets? No one. But a common book club edition? Of course.

5) Should we include the Bachman books? All of the first edition paperbacks have been released in later reprinted paperback editions (i.e. Signet) except for Rage. If we include them, we can continue the "Book One," "Book Two," style through them. If not, we will pass them by and forget they existed. Paperback dustjackets work the same way as hardcover ones, by the way.

I want to hear your ideas. I will be posting one of these each month, in regards to the specific book. This one is for the dustjacket design itself. The post for Carrie will be coming in a week or so. Your feedback is much appreciated, thank you.

Please do the Bachman books. Will these jackets be mailed folded flat or in a tube? I will probably get a frame thick enough for all of them, or maybe two frames, and display them that way, changing the jackets around every once in a while.

Edit - By the way - I really like those jackets you've shown, and all your ideas sound good to me!

On the fence about the Bachman Books, maybe just a DJ for the HC compiled version.

Would like to know what you are thinking as per Brice's inquiry.

Shannon, I'm sorry, I don't really like the dust jacket idea. The original dust jacket is part of the book and replacing it devalues it to me.
Maybe for a reader copy?
I was hoping you were going to have a matching set of nice slipcases for all King novels. I've got at least 20 different slipcases by
different parties, they are all nice but it would be cool to have them all match and be protected.

The sizes will be for the most common US edition of that book.

Yes, if you purchase #50 Carrie, when Salem's Lot is released, i will ask you if you'd like to purchase #50 as well.

Sentinel, these will be dust jackets for books that aren't worth much to begin with. If anything, our dust jackets will make them more valuable.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shannon

If anything, our dust jackets will make them more valuable.

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Maybe I am in the very small minority here, but I would have to humbly disagree. I just don't see how a third-party dust jacket is going to increase the value of the book. You're changing the original state of the book as issued, book club or not. If I designed my own dust jacket and had it professionally printed and covered a book, making it a "1 of 1 collectible," would the value suddenly increase? I just don't see it. They certainly will look nice on a bookshelf. Who knows, I could end up being wrong in the long run...

I look at it as art which could be used on the book or framed or just kept separate. Having one signed by King and framed would look nice.

To me the desirability is more in having the uniform look on the bookcases than in actually raising the value of the book club editions. I don't think they'll really do that. Personally I don't know that I'd even put them on books myself. I do like the design though and the idea.

"To me the desirability is more in having the uniform look on the bookcases than in actually raising the value of the book club editions."

Yes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shannon

The sizes will be for the most common US edition of that book.

Yes, if you purchase #50 Carrie, when Salem's Lot is released, i will ask you if you'd like to purchase #50 as well.

Sentinel, these will be dust jackets for books that aren't worth much to begin with. If anything, our dust jackets will make them more valuable.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Coulrophobia

I look at it as art which could be used on the book or framed or just kept separate. Having one signed by King and framed would look nice.

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I'd have to agrree with you both. Good Luck!!!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

I like the designs but... that's it. Except if books didnt have any covers, i wouldnt like to put a new/different one from the original on a book, and i dont see bookcollector doing it.

May i say that there is no actual BOOGEYMAN Stephen King book? ^^

I want these for the simple fact of being able to have a matching set of his books on my self. No I don't expect them to change the value of a bce, but I love the idea of having them all lined up on my shelves in a uniform way. JMO

And since I already have most of his books in bce form it works well for me. :)

I'd sign on now for the whole run if I could get #1.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brice

I'd sign on now for the whole run if I could get #1.

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The Man... has dibs on #1

Well, if it's possible to call dibs.

Can't call dibs yet, just be the first one to request #1 when they are officially announced and it's yours until you don't want it anymore, lol.

Below is the list of Stephen King books that we will be doing, chronologically. The ones with question marks we are unsure about. I guess we'll figure it out when the time comes.

Speaking of which, for Carrie's most common book club edition, what is the size of the dustjacket? Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

Carrie
‘Salem’s Lot
The Shining
Rage (Bachman)
Night Shift
The Stand
The Long Walk (Bachman)
The Dead Zone
Firestarter
Roadwork (Bachman)
Danse Macabre
Cujo
The Running Man (Bachman)
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
Creepshow (???)
Different Seasons
Christine
Cycle Of The Werewolf
Pet Sematary
The Talisman (King and Straub)
Thinner (Bachman)
Skeleton Crew
The Bachman Books
IT
The Eyes Of The Dragon
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing Of The Three
Misery
The Tommyknockers
Nightmares In The Sky (???)
The Dark Half
The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition
Four Past Midnight
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
Needful Things
Gerald’s Game
Dolores Claiborne
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
Insomnia
Umney’s Last Case (???)
Rose Madder
The Green Mile, Part 1: The Two Dead Girls
The Green Mile, Part 2: The Mouse On The Mile
The Green Mile, Part 3: Coffey’s Hands
The Green Mile, Part 4: The Bad Death Of Eduard Delacroix
The Green Mile, Part 5: Night Journey
The Green Mile, Part 6: Coffey On The Mile
Desperation
The Regulators (Bachman)
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard And Glass
Bag Of Bones
Storm Of The Century
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Hearts In Atlantis
On Writing
Secret Windows
Dreamcatcher
Black House (King and Straub)
Everything’s Eventual
From A Buick 8
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger: The Revised Edition
The Dark Tower V: Wolves Of The Calla
The Dark Tower VI: Song Of Susannah
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
Faithful
The Colorado Kid
‘Salem’s Lot: The Illustrated Edition
Cell
Lisey’s Story
Blaze
Duma Key
Just After Sunset
Under The Dome
Blockade Billy
Full Dark, No Stars
11/22/63
The Wind Through The Keyhole
Joyland
Doctor Sleep
... and so on.

Wow, Shannon!!! That's a great list!!! Nothing but the best of luck to you. Now, I am not an expert on BOMC editions (except how to spot them passed off as 1/1 lol) EACH of the above listed titles got BOMC treatment?

Oh, and do me a favor? Scratch "Faithful". I'll just buy it and burn it!!! LOL

I'm not so sure if all of them got BOMC editions once they started having 1,000,000+ first printings and such. But our goal is for the dustjacket to fit the cheapest, most easily accessible American edition of that title. For example, Rage, Roadwork, etc., will probably be sized to the paperback Signet editions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shannon

I'm not so sure if all of them got BOMC editions once they started having 1,000,000+ first printings and such. But our goal is for the dustjacket to fit the cheapest, most easily accessible American edition of that title. For example, Rage, Roadwork, etc., will probably be sized to the paperback Signet editions.

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Very interesting. I think I may just keep my eye on this and wait until you've got a few published and then see what I can do. Color me intrigued!!