Saturday, May 16, 2020

The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories limited edition

Our forthcoming The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, volume 1 is probably the most ambitious thing we've ever done. We read literally hundreds of stories originally written in close to 20 languages, from around 40 different countries. We chose our favorites, 21 of them, from 18 different countries, originally written in 13 languages. Twenty of the stories are translated into English for the first time ever, while the remaining story was published in English in the Philippines but has never been available in the U.S. or U.K. There's never been an anthology like this one (and that's not just marketing hype!)

For the first time ever, we are producing a deluxe limited edition hardcover. The book will be printed by the same printer used by Centipede Press for their limited hardcovers and will be a high-quality book.

The hardcover edition will be printed on 60# heavyweight paper and bound traditionally (like books used to be) in cloth and Smyth-sewn for durability. The cloth will feature decorative foil stamping, and the book will be dust jacketed. There will be a ribbon bookmark and decorative head and tail bands on the spine. Other bells and whistles may be announced later.

The book will be limited to 300 copies for sale.  Because it's expensive to print small runs of high-quality books, the price will be $60.  However, we are offering them at a special preorder price of $50.

Q.: I live in the U.K. Why is shipping $35, when shipping for one book on your site is normally $3.99 to the U.K.?

All our other books can be printed to order in the U.K. and shipped from there, which makes the shipping cheaper. These books will be printed in the U.S. and shipped from our office in Virginia. The book, plus packing materials, will weigh about 3 lbs (1.5 kg), and the U.S. Postal Service offers no options for economy, surface, or book rate mail -- the books have to be sent Global Priority Rate, and it is expensive. 

Q.: I ordered the paperback edition already but want to switch to the hardcover. How do I do that?

Just send us an email, and we'll be happy to apply the price you already paid for the paperback towards the hardcover edition and send you a Paypal invoice for the difference.

Q.: When will the hardcovers ship?  

The official publication date for the book is Dec. 8, so they will ship by that date, though we hope to have them in the mail sometime in October.

Q.: Will the books be signed?

Sadly, no. It's just not logistically feasible to get twenty authors in eighteen countries to sign them. It wouldn't be easy at any time, and in this age of coronavirus, it might be well nigh impossible. However, they will be individually numbered.