More books & short stories?

[Joseph DeMartino]

B5 fan Mac Breck posted a note on the Del Rey Books Website asking about the publisher's plans for future B5 projects. Surprisingly enough he got an e-mail from Del Rey Executive Editor Steve Saffel. To paraphrase, briefly:

1) Del Rey is negotiating for the rights to reprint the old Dell B5 paperbacks. If the deal goes through, Del Rey will issue the two most-requested titles first: To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Kathryn M. Drennan, and The Shadow Within by Jeanne Cavelos.

2) Del Rey is analyzing sales data on the first two Technomage books, and will base its decision on the results. Saffel doesn't say anything about how sales were for the previous two trilogies, or why they don't seem to figure into Del Rey's thinking at the moment.

He does mention that two of their prime methods of advertising these books to their target audience, B5 Magazine and Amazing Stories are gone now. Maybe they fear that this will hurt sales and they don't want to proceed until they see how the latest books are doing.

Saffel also points out that they can't control how bookstores display their books, which again sounds like sales might be soft.

3) Del Rey is considering printing a collection of short B5 fiction. They're looking into rights issues now.

4) It doesn't sound like they're ruling out new novels, either, JMS willing.

Kind of a mixed report, to say the least, but it offers at least a couple of words of hope. I'm surprised that Mac got an answer to his post, since a couple of my snail mails on the subject have gone unanswered, and in my experience letters are more likely to get a reply. But I'm glad he did, and that he passed along what Saffel wrote.

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[Technomage Roanna]

This is the most promising B5 book news in quite some time. Thanks for sharing it, Joe.

We should point Steve the thread over at ISN where people are rummaging the internet for copies of the books. Hehheheh...

And suggest that there's a couple of websites that wouldn't be a bad place to advertise either, eh?

Couldn't hurt...

Ro

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A ship in a port is safe, but that's not what ships are for.

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Well, thats some good news on the book and short story front. I allready have a copy of the To Dream in the City of Sorrows from the amazon.co.uk site. And I was able to track down The Shadow Within from somebodies personal online garage sale.

Its good to see that they are at least considering the possibilities. I would definitely buy the collection of short stories, though I allready have them. I would hope that sales of the Technomage Book would do well for them, or at least to a point where it would justify future novels. When the 3rd book comes out I plan on buying my own copies of the first 2 as well as 2 copies of #3 (my brother owns the first 2).

It is odd that they answered his question from the web site rather than a snail mail from JoeD. Just goes to show that either has the possibility of being effective.

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"I didn't think so, but if I was wrong, I was wrong. I'd rather do something, and make a mistake than be frightened and be doing nothing. That's the problem back home. Folks have been conned to thinking they can't change the world, have to accept what is. I'll tell you something my friends. The world is changing every day, the only question is who's doing it."
-- Rev. Dexter in Babylon 5:"And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place"

[This message has been edited by Chai (edited August 22, 2001).]

 

[The One Who Was]

Sounds hopeful at least....

And this part

"Saffel also points out that they can't control how bookstores display their books, which again sounds like sales might be soft."

To me that doesn't sound like a soft books sales comment but maybe a response to your friend asking how the books are displayed or complaining about the way a store did display them....



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"Faith Manages"

 

[Jomar]

At least it wasn't a straight NO, so there is always hope.

I have three bookstores close by which are all owned by the same company but they all have different names (tricky

Anyway I have searched the shelves for B5 books and they all handle them differently. One has them filed under author's last name, one has them under the Bs, for Babylon 5, and the other has them right at the beginning of all the Star Trek books. Sometimes I move them around, if no one is watching, and put them in a more visible location.

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[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sounds good!

I especially hope the short story collection gets printed, since I haven't been able to find the Amazing Stories issues with the JMS fiction yet...

If they print it, I'll buy it...

And the books are a good idea too, even though I already have the other versions... others are less lucky, and will certainly appreciate being able to get those novels too.

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"ShadowScout"
Roman Alexander

"Go on, watch out for Shadows - we'll watch you right back!"

What do you want?
ShadowShips!

 

[terrytvgal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jomar:
At least it wasn't a straight NO, so there is always hope.

I have three bookstores close by which are all owned by the same company but they all have different names (tricky

Anyway I have searched the shelves for B5 books and they all handle them differently. One has them filed under author's last name, one has them under the Bs, for Babylon 5, and the other has them right at the beginning of all the Star Trek books. Sometimes I move them around, if no one is watching, and put them in a more visible location.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That sounds like my local Chapters. While I can't say for sure about the B5 books, I know that they don't handle all media related series in the same way. The Star Trek books are all together under 'S'. Dr. Who books are arranged by Author for the most part, which is a real pain. I like your idea of doing some creative relocation

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The avalance has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>By Jomar...Sometimes I move them around, if no one is watching, and put them in a more visible location.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We all must do our part

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I have no one to envy...
I envy you having me to envy...

 

[Derian]

My lcoal bookstore only ever has one b5 novel -- Armies of Light & Dark. They don't even have the whole trilogy, and according to them, the FIRST book in the technomage trilogy only came out 2 months ago.... My bookstore blows.

I either get my stuff from a friend who manages a big Waldenbooks in NC, or from Amazon.

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I'm lobbying for someplace more comfortable for our next gathering place. A nice resort with a beach. A bunch of pale skinned technomages in black robes would fit right in.

http://www.kellishaver.com/webring - technomage webring