Neil Clarke

Since my last Readercon update, I’ve managed to make arrangements with Paul Park, Alexander Jablokov, Nick Mamatas, and China Mieville. Nick recently signed all our copies of the trade paperback edition of Move Underground, so I’m bringing all my remaining stock of his other books. Alexander wrote a bunch of books I enjoyed in the 90s. The good news is that he’s working on a new novel and has a story in the August Asimovs, which I should have soon.

Thanks to Paul at Earthling Books for getting us in touch with China Mieville.

Still waiting on a bunch of others to reply. I’m beginning to think I should try one more time. It’s quite possible I’m the victim of spam filters.

When I started Clarkesworld Books, I always had in my mind that someday there would be an actual storefront. The cost of rent and medical insurance have always been the two big major obstacles, but I keep dreaming about it.

I live in a small town in Northern NJ. There aren’t any good genre bookstores left in this region of the country. They’ve all been driven out by increasing rent and the combined efforts of Borders and B&N. I think our town is in a good location. We have a rail line to the city and are only 10-15 minutes from several major highways. I’ve had my eye on several stores over the years and even the old library.

As I play with the numbers, I suspect that my imaginary store would need the additional income from an online presence to make ends meet, particularly in the early years. As it stands, Clarkesworld (online) is still too small to contribute enough to make this work, so I need to do something about it.

What gets you to go to the bookstore that you frequent the most? Do you care about reviews, interviews, excerpts and such? Is it strictly price? What causes you to break your routine shopping pattern and look somewhere new? I have my own ideas, but I’d love to hear what works for you.

Yes, I’m working on a plan to speed up my progress towards my goal. Suggestions welcome.

Books
1 – Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (Signed Hardcover)
2 – Gil’s All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez (Paperback)
3 – Necroscope: The Touch by Brian Lumley (Hardcover)
4 – The Lightstone by David Zindell (Hardcover)
5 – In the Forest of Forgetting by Theodora Goss (Hardcover)

Magazines
1 – Weird Tales
2 – Fantasy & Science Fiction
3 – Paradox
4 – Asimov’s
5 – Shimmer

Overall, it was a good week for clearing out older inventory. The total volume of book sales this week was normal, but the quantity sold on titles making the top 5 were lower than normal. Magazine sales were stronger than normal.

Books
1 – Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (Signed Hardcover)
2 – Night of Knives by Ian Cameron Esslemont (Trade Paperback)
3 – The Conqueror Worms by Brian Keene (Signed Paperback)
4 – Necroscope by Brian Lumley (Signed Numbered Slipcased Hardcover)
5 – Prador Moon by Neal Asher (Trade Paperback)

Magazines
1 – Fantasy & Science Fiction
2 – Asimov’s
3 – Analog
4 – Electric Velocipede
5 – Fantasy Magazine

Just came back from the Stoker Awards and here are the final results:

NOVEL (tie)
CREEPERS by David Morrell
DREAD IN THE BEAST by Charlee Jacob

FIRST NOVEL
SCARECROW GODS by Weston Ochse

LONG FICTION
BEST NEW HORROR by Joe Hill

SHORT STORY
WE NOW PAUSE FOR STATION IDENTIFICATION by Gary Braunbeck

ANTHOLOGY
DARK DELICACIES: ORIGINAL TALES OF TERROR AND THE MACABRE by Del Howison and Jeff Gelb

FICTION COLLECTION
TWENTIETH CENTURY GHOSTS by Joe Hill

NONFICTION
HORROR: ANOTHER 100 BEST BOOKS by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman

POETRY (tie)
FREAKCIDENTS by Michael A. Arnzen
SINEATER by Charlee Jacob

Congratulations to all the winners!

-Neil