I mentioned last week that I had received a short print run of MYTEK THE MIGHTY volumes 1 and 2. Well, they are now available via Ebay and I've already sold a couple of sets, so the whole system seems to be working smoothly. These orders come through to me rather than to the printer, so they get processed and usually posted out the same day on 48 hour tracking, so there won't be the same problem as happened in July.
The printers are still having problems delivering in a timely manner. but I'll be avoiding the problems faced by the first two MYTEK volumes by ordering up more copies than I normally would so that the books are here when I announce the third volume's release. That should be some time in September. I've signed the contract and the proofs look great. We'll be full steam ahead once the printed copies arrive.
And MYTEK volume 4 is also ready to go. As soon as 3 arrives, I'll ask Rebellion to sort out contracts for the final volume — I've been doing each release separately to help spread costs, especially now that I'm going to have to carry so much stock, and I've also added an additional print run to my license deal relating to PHANTOM PATROL.
I spent the bank holiday weekend writing an introduction to a book, details of which I'll discuss once I have some further information. It was a Kickstarter project that hit its target within six days of going live and was still taking pledges until mid-August (now stopped). I've seen most of the book and I'm told that it should be out in hardback in October.
I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to publishing and haven't changed how I publish books since Bear Alley put out its first books back in 2011. However, with the amount of stock I now have to carry, and trying to resolve the problems I had with late delivery of books recently, I'm beginning to wonder whether Kickstarter might be one way to go so that money comes in ahead of printing. Something to think about.
It would mean any book announced would have to be written and completed in a timely fashion. Just about everything I've published has been based on a whim. I usually have no idea what book I'll be working on next until I'm close to finishing the last one. I rely on some information or some images arriving that means I favour one project over another. There's rarely a deadline or anniversary that I think I need to hit, although that's going to be the case of the book I'm working on now while a wait on bits of information to trickle in so that I can complete the AIR ACE COMPANION. And, yes, the next one will be the long-stalled ACTION INDEX that I started back in 2020 but which stalled when I ran out of money. Same thing happened with the VALIANT INDEX, and several other projects. It would be lovely to be independently wealthy and have the time/cash to finish all these half-completed books.
And talking of other authors who have been involved in Bear Alley Books, I had a nice lunch with John Chisnall (author of AND THE WHEELS WENT ROUND) and George Coates (author of A LAVERDA JOURNEY), both of which books I designed and helped see through to printed copies. As our original choice of pub was closed, we ended up at the "recently re-opened" (actually it has been open quite a while) pub The Flag, which has been very nicely done out but is on the pricier side for pub grub. The food was good, mind you, so it's another venue we can consider if we fancy going out, along with the other five pubs that the town has: The Horse & Groom, The Greyhound, The Station, The Rose & Crown and the Black Buoy. I don't want you to get the idea that nobody cooks in Wivenhoe, but they all do food and there are some nice restaurants, too.
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