Cemetery Dance discussion thread

[DanHocker]

I am curious as to how it's decided what hits the printer first? Night Shift was announced quite awhile before Best of CD 2 yet Best of is at the printer before NS.....

The Best of Cemetery Dance 2 was actually announced long before Night Shift, which is why it was sent first.

Brian

Yep and to add to that Night Shift has different printer restrictions than Best of CD 2. Since currently we only have one specific printer that can handle Night Shift, and that printer only has one press that can do it. Where Best of CD 2 can be printed at pretty much any of our printers.

[Br!an]

Will my set be completed in 13 years?

Yes.

Brian

I'm going to hold you to that, Brian.

[Brian James Freeman]

Will my set be completed in 13 years?

Yes.

Brian

I'm going to hold you to that, Brian.

Ha! I should have added:

* Guarantee only valid while I'm still employed by CD.

[Beverly Marsh]

I am curious as to how it's decided what hits the printer first? Night Shift was announced quite awhile before Best of CD 2 yet Best of is at the printer before NS.....

The Best of Cemetery Dance 2 was actually announced long before Night Shift, which is why it was sent first. (Like, a decade before... ugh.)

Brian

Oh dang, I didn't realize that! I'm glad I didn't order it or would be even more frustrated!

[Beverly Marsh]

Will my set be completed in 13 years?

Yes.

Brian

I'm going to hold you to that, Brian.

Ha! I should have added:

* Guarantee only valid while I'm still employed by CD.

Think we should get it written in blood

[Brian James Freeman]

I don't know how to ask this over a computer without sounding rude so please do not take this as rude

By the way, I never take any of these questions as "rude," even when they're meant to be rude! People have a right to be upset about the wait on things that are long overdue. I appreciate how cool and calm 99% of CD's customers are on that point! And if Dan and I ran the world, a lot of things would be very different, including CD's book schedule.

Unfortunately, I don't really have a new answer for the question of why are certain things done faster than others. (A bunch of our books actually come out on time, but I don't blame people for focusing on the ones they've been waiting on forever -- it's human nature and perfectly understandable considering you have been waiting on some of these titles forever!)

I've learned a lot of valuable lessons in my 17 years (so far!) at CD, and I'm always putting those lessons to good use when working on "other" things (like my Patreon page and LetterPress Publications).

Dan and I are both hoping for a big 2020 from CD, one that fills your bookcase with many long-awaited books, and we're poking and nudging in the ways we can to try to make that happen.

Brian

[Brian James Freeman]

I do have some good news to share on Strange Weather by Joe Hill. The artist who lives outside the US who was working to get all of his signature sheets signed finished them last month and then actually brought the signature sheets back to the states with him last week while he was visiting family. So, he was able to ship them out to us from inside the country, meaning we didn't have to risk the sheets traveling through several foreign postal systems. I haven't seen the box at the office yet, but Dan and Mindy are watching for it to arrive.

In addition, I just wrote the other artist we are waiting on to see what's up since he's had the sheets since July... Once those are signed, the four volumes will be sent to the printer.

I'm really looking forward to getting this set into everyone's hands. It should be a neat set.

Brian

[Beverly Marsh]

Thanks for your replies Brian. I know you keep getting these same questions over and over and your patience can wear thin. No one would blame you! But you always answer prompt and courteous and I know myself and others appreciate it. I think it just boils down to needing the occasional reassurances and you and Dan both come through.

[Hunchback Jack]

I am curious as to how it's decided what hits the printer first? Night Shift was announced quite awhile before Best of CD 2 yet Best of is at the printer before NS.....

The Best of Cemetery Dance 2 was actually announced long before Night Shift, which is why it was sent first. (Like, a decade before... ugh.)

Brian

Oh dang, I didn't realize that! I'm glad I didn't order it or would be even more frustrated!

It was originally announced under a different title - CD 10th Anniversary Celebration, I think? - and was later retitled to Best of CD 2. A lot more stories have been added to it over time.

I think I have a copy on order; It was one of the freebies of an earlier CDCC, if I recall.

HBJ

[Brian James Freeman]

It was originally announced under a different title - CD 10th Anniversary Celebration, I think?

Yeah, it was Cemetery Dance: A 15 Year Celebration, which just never came together. That would have been 1/3 of the size of The Best of Cemetery Dance 2, so this is indeed a much larger book than it was originally meant to be. I'm just relieved all of the signature sheets finally made it back safely, and we were able to get this one sent to the printer. (There are three separate sheets for each of the signed editions!)

Brian

[Brian861]

The only real way to effect change in a business as a customer is to stop patronizing that business as a group. We on these forums and CD's forum are probably in the extreme minority of CD's customer base so trying to effect that change here is like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. It's just not going to happen. Plus, we as customers, have made it an allowed business practice in willing to endure extreme wait times for some productions. Unfortunately, pulling the rug out from under CD would leave Brian, Dan, Mindy, etc in a very bad way I'd image. Can't be a personal matter but a business one. Get Richard's attention that this just isn't acceptable any longer. Nor is it acceptable for Brian and Dan to have to answer for how this business is being ran. I know CD is a family business but at the end of the day, aren't Brian and Dan just Richard's employees? Brian hints at it above that if he and Dan had any say in matters, things would be a lot different.

Brian, I support you 110% over on Patreon and LPP and love the things you are doing over there and the way you're going about them. I hope you know the comment above doesn't diminish that support for you at all.

[Hunchback Jack]

Mid-January is just a week away and I gotta admit I'm getting pretty excited.
So... whats the latest story on this one? did I miss a posting?
I'm not hearing any noise (just the crickets in the background)

Now that I'm back on my computer, I was able to grab this photo the office sent me this week:



Brian

Excited to see the final volume appear, at last!

(Whispers) Psst! Hey, Brian! An after-market slipcase for this volume would be much appreciated. The one you did for The Twelve was very nice.

HBJ

[richardsrarebooks]

I'm hoping for a slipcase for all three volumes!

[Kingfan24]

The only real way to effect change in a business as a customer is to stop patronizing that business as a group. We on these forums and CD's forum are probably in the extreme minority of CD's customer base so trying to effect that change here is like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. It's just not going to happen. Plus, we as customers, have made it an allowed business practice in willing to endure extreme wait times for some productions. Unfortunately, pulling the rug out from under CD would leave Brian, Dan, Mindy, etc in a very bad way I'd image. Can't be a personal matter but a business one. Get Richard's attention that this just isn't acceptable any longer. Nor is it acceptable for Brian and Dan to have to answer for how this business is being ran. I know CD is a family business but at the end of the day, aren't Brian and Dan just Richard's employees? Brian hints at it above that if he and Dan had any say in matters, things would be a lot different.

Brian, I support you 110% over on Patreon and LPP and love the things you are doing over there and the way you're going about them. I hope you know the comment above doesn't diminish that support for you at all.

100% agree. Once the doubleday years set is complete i will not be purchasing any further titles from CD. My money is tied up for FAR too long and its just not acceptable anymore. Pretty disgusting how quickly magic feather can come together but books that have been languishing for years continue to do so.

[Roseannebarr]

The only real way to effect change in a business as a customer is to stop patronizing that business as a group. We on these forums and CD's forum are probably in the extreme minority of CD's customer base so trying to effect that change here is like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. It's just not going to happen. Plus, we as customers, have made it an allowed business practice in willing to endure extreme wait times for some productions. Unfortunately, pulling the rug out from under CD would leave Brian, Dan, Mindy, etc in a very bad way I'd image. Can't be a personal matter but a business one. Get Richard's attention that this just isn't acceptable any longer. Nor is it acceptable for Brian and Dan to have to answer for how this business is being ran. I know CD is a family business but at the end of the day, aren't Brian and Dan just Richard's employees? Brian hints at it above that if he and Dan had any say in matters, things would be a lot different.

Brian, I support you 110% over on Patreon and LPP and love the things you are doing over there and the way you're going about them. I hope you know the comment above doesn't diminish that support for you at all.

100% agree. Once the doubleday years set is complete i will not be purchasing any further titles from CD. My money is tied up for FAR too long and its just not acceptable anymore. Pretty disgusting how quickly magic feather can come together but books that have been languishing for years continue to do so.

If you go to the #1 post on this thread you will see people complaining about delayed books since 2007. It is why this thread was originally started. Kudos to Brian and Dan for responding all the time.

[RC65]

Get Richard's attention that this just isn't acceptable any longer. Nor is it acceptable for Brian and Dan to have to answer for how this business is being ran. I know CD is a family business but at the end of the day, aren't Brian and Dan just Richard's employees? Brian hints at it above that if he and Dan had any say in matters, things would be a lot different.

I suspect Brian’s “running the world” comment was referring more to the logistics of their printers and other suppliers...as I recall, on the Nov. 21, 2019 episode of Brian Keene’s Horror Show podcast, interviewee Richard Chizmar indicated he has been much less involved in the daily operations of CD than he used to be, that he was relying largely on his employees to keep the day-to-day wheels turning — including, presumably, empowering them with the issues of production and warehouse scheduling.

[webstar1000]

The only real way to effect change in a business as a customer is to stop patronizing that business as a group. We on these forums and CD's forum are probably in the extreme minority of CD's customer base so trying to effect that change here is like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. It's just not going to happen. Plus, we as customers, have made it an allowed business practice in willing to endure extreme wait times for some productions. Unfortunately, pulling the rug out from under CD would leave Brian, Dan, Mindy, etc in a very bad way I'd image. Can't be a personal matter but a business one. Get Richard's attention that this just isn't acceptable any longer. Nor is it acceptable for Brian and Dan to have to answer for how this business is being ran. I know CD is a family business but at the end of the day, aren't Brian and Dan just Richard's employees? Brian hints at it above that if he and Dan had any say in matters, things would be a lot different.

Brian, I support you 110% over on Patreon and LPP and love the things you are doing over there and the way you're going about them. I hope you know the comment above doesn't diminish that support for you at all.

100% agree. Once the doubleday years set is complete i will not be purchasing any further titles from CD. My money is tied up for FAR too long and its just not acceptable anymore. Pretty disgusting how quickly magic feather can come together but books that have been languishing for years continue to do so.

If you go to the #1 post on this thread you will see people complaining about delayed books since 2007. It is why this thread was originally started. Kudos to Brian and Dan for responding all the time.

I have to agree here. Brian has been nothing but polite and I am sure he is tired of the 'fires' he has to continually put out. Dan as well. I think Richard is the one at fault here.. as much as I like the guy... he needs to realize that this stuff hurts his brand. Magic Feather should NOT have been released before thee titles we have been waiting for but such is life.. he was probably super excited to get his book out there. We could have Brian/Dan saying 'screw this....' and not respond so thank you guys for taking the time our of your days for us.

[Brian James Freeman]

I suspect Brian’s “running the world” comment was referring more to the logistics of their printers and other suppliers...as I recall, on the Nov. 21, 2019 episode of Brian Keene’s Horror Show podcast, interviewee Richard Chizmar indicated he has been much less involved in the daily operations of CD than he used to be, that he was relying largely on his employees to keep the day-to-day wheels turning — including, presumably, empowering them with the issues of production and warehouse scheduling.

At the end of the day, Richard is the only one who can cut the checks. He is the only person authorized to do so, which means ultimately he sets the schedule by what he chooses to send to the printer, etc.

But yes, Dan and Mindy and I basically do all of the heavy lifting these days in terms of production and running the office.

Best,
Brian

[jeffingoff]

The last time it felt like Richard was closely involved with the operation of CD was when he sent that "From the Publisher's Desk" post about all the incredible things CD had in store. In that post is when he was promoting the relationship with McCammon and the wonderful new book on the horizon which became The Listener. This was years ago. Since then, his communications have been entirely about Widow's Point (book and movie), Gwendy 1 & 2, Trapped, and other personal projects that have little to do with what's in CD's pipeline. It's obvious his heart isn't in CD anymore. And it's also obvious he hasn't fully empowered those who do still care. I love CD and have about 20-ish books on preorder as well as hundreds in CD credit. I've never cancelled a single order and I don't plan to. But it feels like the owner doesn't care and that maybe I should worry about that.

[DanHocker]

The only real way to effect change in a business as a customer is to stop patronizing that business as a group. We on these forums and CD's forum are probably in the extreme minority of CD's customer base so trying to effect that change here is like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. It's just not going to happen. Plus, we as customers, have made it an allowed business practice in willing to endure extreme wait times for some productions. Unfortunately, pulling the rug out from under CD would leave Brian, Dan, Mindy, etc in a very bad way I'd image. Can't be a personal matter but a business one. Get Richard's attention that this just isn't acceptable any longer. Nor is it acceptable for Brian and Dan to have to answer for how this business is being ran. I know CD is a family business but at the end of the day, aren't Brian and Dan just Richard's employees? Brian hints at it above that if he and Dan had any say in matters, things would be a lot different.

Brian, I support you 110% over on Patreon and LPP and love the things you are doing over there and the way you're going about them. I hope you know the comment above doesn't diminish that support for you at all.

100% agree. Once the doubleday years set is complete i will not be purchasing any further titles from CD. My money is tied up for FAR too long and its just not acceptable anymore. Pretty disgusting how quickly magic feather can come together but books that have been languishing for years continue to do so.

If you go to the #1 post on this thread you will see people complaining about delayed books since 2007. It is why this thread was originally started. Kudos to Brian and Dan for responding all the time.

I have to agree here. Brian has been nothing but polite and I am sure he is tired of the 'fires' he has to continually put out. Dan as well. I think Richard is the one at fault here.. as much as I like the guy... he needs to realize that this stuff hurts his brand. Magic Feather should NOT have been released before thee titles we have been waiting for but such is life.. he was probably super excited to get his book out there. We could have Brian/Dan saying 'screw this....' and not respond so thank you guys for taking the time our of your days for us.

Brian and I both understand your frustrations, but using GMF is a really bad example here. Richard didn't have to have CD publish GMF, the THC for that could have easily gone to Scribner, who's publishing the paperback. Instead CD published it, which arguably is bad for his overall sales figures on that book, we just don't have the reach, resources, and pull in the industry that Scribner does. What big projects like GMF, GBB, and Flight or Fright do are injects "life" into the business (in more than just the financial sense). It puts the CD name in front of other people bringing in new customers, it puts us in front of new authors, and gives us a bit more pull in the industry as a whole. They just overall improve and strengthen the health of the company, which in turn allows us to make progress on fulfilling our obligations to our customers.

In the grand scheme of things CD would be sitting in a great spot as far as catching up on releases if it had not been for the printer disasters of the past 2 years. Loosing both of our main printers in a short time span really ground to a halt all the progress we were set up to make over that time frame. Now we're set up to make some really good progress this year and we have the array of printers too make that happen. That said we're always going to be mixing in new announcements while working on old projects too. The new stuff always has to continue to move forward while we work on the old stuff. Brian and my focus is to keep the new stuff focused on things we can turn around quickly while we work on the old stuff, so we're not adding projects to the "wait" list so to speak.

This is turning a bit rambling, but if you look back over say the past 7 to 10 years we've made pretty big progress on the backlog of announced but unpublished titles and we're continuing to chip away at them. The biggest thing is that the stuff that sticks in peoples heads as having to wait a long time for just happens to be the stuff that people seem to want the most.

[zachip]

to lighten things up, Brian any news about 'the night eternal' ? ;-)
i know you busy with letterpress, but i hope this will finally see the light of day before mid 2020 ?
thanks in advance.

[Brian James Freeman]

to lighten things up, Brian any news about 'the night eternal' ? ;-)
i know you busy with letterpress, but i hope this will finally see the light of day before mid 2020 ?
thanks in advance.

Hey, something I can have good news about!

The Night Eternal and a surprise project are both just about printer-ready. My personal goal would be for both of these to be rolling at the printer before the formal announcements and preorder listings go out. That way, folks don't have to wait as long as for some of the previous books.

Brian

[BigJoeHillfan]

What ever happened to Grave Tales comics??? I loved reading them and ordered the next 3 in a bundle about 5 years ago but nothing has ever been published.

Mindy and our designer are working on three issues now, with plans to send them to the printer all at the same time this summer, so they ship together. Thanks for asking!

Brian

Brian,

Thanks for the update. I can't wait!!!

Any update on the 3 Grave Tales comics? Your last response was on 3-25-19

[Brian James Freeman]

What ever happened to Grave Tales comics??? I loved reading them and ordered the next 3 in a bundle about 5 years ago but nothing has ever been published.

Mindy and our designer are working on three issues now, with plans to send them to the printer all at the same time this summer, so they ship together. Thanks for asking!

Brian

Brian,

Thanks for the update. I can't wait!!!

Any update on the 3 Grave Tales comics? Your last response was on 3-25-19

I haven’t heard anything from Mindy on them, so I will ask!

Brian

[BigJoeHillfan]

Thanks Brian