Publication question for DCloyceSmith

DCLOYCE SMITH: Got a two-part question.

Not to seem like I'm peeing in everyone's Cheerios -- 'cause I am as "stoked" as they are about many of the forthcoming publications (Le Guin, Jackson, Butler and more) -- but...

1) Is it probable that the LeGuin volume AND the Shirley Jackson volume will have their publications delayed until 2021? I ask, because I noticed the volume featuring Western Novels from the 1940s and '50s was pushed back from May until September. And since both the Le Guin AND the Shirley Jackson novels are scheduled for October, well...

2) IF the publication delays continue, how much earlier will subscribers to LOA be getting THEIR copies (a month? Two months?)

Thanks!

P.S. I'm assuming that even the planned 2020 availability (for LOA subscribers) of the first Butler volume has already been pushed back to 2021 -- am I right in making that assumption?

The official publication date for the Westerns volume was postponed from May until September because of the pandemic, in the hope that things had returned somewhat to "normal" by the fall. We expect this book to sell well in bookstores, which it really wouldn't have done if most of the stores were going to be closed (as they were and are) when the reviews and publicity appeared. As it happens, books have already arrived from the printer and have begun shipping to subscribers, and the jacketed edition is available for sale on our website.

As for the rest of the year: I anticipate no delays at this point. At least three fall titles (including the Jackson and Hemingway) are going to press in the next two or three weeks and will being shipping to subscribers later this summer. The Butler is well under way and we still expect to release it in January (November/December to subscribers).

--David

DCLOYCESMITH: Many thanks, David, for the detailed answer. Hope you know I wasn't inquiring in a "snarky" or sarcastic manner; I was, mainly, asking because I am planning to "give another go" (to borrow the lingo of the natives, here) at an LOA subscription. Although I knew about the greedy and conniving behavior of Bezos & his "Execs", I still often used Amazon because it was one of the few, sure, ways of getting books (Companies like Book Depository and the Aussie-run -- and often greedy -- Booktopia were pretty spotty, delivery-wise and service-wise. But, now, Amazon AND the USPS has been making Book Depository look positively timely and courteous, in comparison.

In truth, I've even tried to order directly from publishers (Simon & Schuster, etc.) -- something one used to be able to do -- but had no luck. I was even gonna try and order directly from Criterion Colleciton (yup, I'm one of "those" who still watch DVDs; unfortunately, they have an inane house rule that prohibits them from shipping outside of North America (inane, because they referenced Copyright as the reason, but since people the world over enjoy Criterion, and since one CAN own and operate a region player outside of North America, well...)

So, my questions were helping me decide -- once and for all -- whether or not to try and subscribe with LOA (again). And I have done so. While the subscriber's books are shipped early, I've a feeling I'll still be in for a wait, considering how slowly things have been moving in this Covid-19 world (the USPS -- to which I had an inside view, when I was in the Army, on "special detail" -- has been ESPECIALLY "FUBAR"ed of late, for which, in my opinion, there is no really good explanation outside of ignorance -- a LOT of people still think Covid-19 can easily spread via surfaces and such -- it can't). (I've an "in-house" Microbiology PhD who keeps me au courant).

Now, I'll just have to go back and research past threads, so I can figure out how to back order dustjackets, since those don't come with subscription books, and I actually like 'em! :)

Anyway, thanks, again, for the info!

Cheers!
Truett

>3 Truett: If I recall correctly, subscribers can order dust jackets with a phone call to LOA Customer Service. E-mail might work, too.

To inquire about getting jackets, send an e-mail to info@loa.org. (We store surplus jackets in our NYC offices rather than in the Des Moines warehouse.)

--David

PODRAS: Thanks, I'll definitely go with email (calling long distance from Australia gets a tad expensive -- even with "800" lines and such. :)

DCLOYCESMITH: Thanks, again, for the helpful info. Looking forward to finally becoming an official member. :)

Are LOA books shipping outside of USA at this time?

>7 gatsby61: I had two orders ship in late March. Still waiting on the big order, but received the single book order late last week. Located in Canada.

>7 gatsby61:

We are shipping whenever and wherever possible. In some cases, books are not getting to their country of destination in a reasonable amount of time because of the lack of air transportation; in other cases, books are getting there, only to be held up by a Customs backlog or by local postal delivery. We have temporarily suspended some subscription accounts where we know there are delivery issues and have resumed (or will resume) shipping as things clear up.

The situation changes day to day, so I'd recommend you write to info@loa.org and we'll let you know whether an order to your country might be delayed or temporarily held.

--David

Gatsby61: NOT that David's word needs any verification, but...I can attest to the veracity of what he said, regarding delivery slowdowns. I live "downunda" nowadays, have done so for over a decade. The Australian Post system isn't quite as good as the USPS -- which DOES have it's share of flaws -- and it is generally much slower, but since restrictions brought about due to the pandemic, and sometimes over-cautionary methods (people were certain -- before the scientists were -- that packages could easily transmit the virus; not so), the Aus Post guys have been REALLY slow. Painfully so. In addition, I've noticed that USPS tracking has become erratic, at best.

Long story short: a book I ordered from a small press -- from which I have ordering and receiving -- via USPS, first class -- for over a decade, with no problems, and expeditiously -- only arrived here after two months time. Two months. But it DID get here. And the guy who runs the small publisher even said that he now tells customers (even some i the USA) that mail times are now, quite often, a matter of months. Not days or weeks.

Just a heads up that I reached out and indications are that shipping out of US has stopped. Hope the postal system gets back to normal soon. I missed the spring sale opportunity.

gatsby61 -- just curious: when you say you "reached out" are talking about contacting someone at Library of America? Wondering, because you say you hope "the postal system gets back to normal" and now I'm wondering if you were told by LOA that shipments out of the USA have stopped, or if you were told by someone at the US Postal system (the latter would explain a LOT, regarding some packages that went missing months ago). Thanks!

LOA told me. And that the reason is the apparent mess with the postal system on out of country shipping.

DCLOYCESMITH: Hey, David, don't know if you can pass on messages of this sort to the guys in shipping -- but since I haven't yet joined (and since they aren't shipping my way, well...): perhaps you could suggest that the folks in shipping propose -- to out of country subscribers (I imagine there are more than a few) that LOA would be happy to use, say, DHL...or some other courier, if the subscribers wouldn't mind the extra cost. I, for one, would NOT mind. I've had a few packages get here with little or (in the case of Fed Express) no problem since Covid19 lockdowns and such. DHL has been one of the couriers that did well enough.

Might be an option for the interim, since the virus will be around for the near future, and since the vaccine won't be happening for another 12 months or so.