A brief look at the psychology of collecting seems to indicate that we are trying to replace something that has been lost.  If we are to believe Freud, it’s that first poop that we traumatically said goodbye to when it was flushed (and my wife might say I’ve been collecting crap ever since); others its a loss of a loved one; or the memories that an item invokes.  Ultimately, collecting is a passion and you know whether you are a collector or not.  The key to successful collecting, is to remember that smart collecting, while very pleasurable, is also information based, limited in scope, and supported by adequate resources.  As a book collector this means you need to define what you are collecting; set (and stick to) a budget; and develop a trusted network of people, books, and websites.  The first two you need to decide on and then consciously review your collection and budget on a regular basis to ensure you’re staying true to your goals.  The third happens over time as you find books, websites, and people who become invaluable to your collection’s growth and refinement.

I’ll be doing individual posts on the three elements of a successful collection.  Until then, why do you feel you need to collect?  If you don’t collect, why not?

So what impact has the win had on the immediate availability and prices of Among Others and Jo Walton’s other novels?

The first thing I’ve noticed is I can’t find any signed copies of the hardcover edition and only one signed paperback that is a later printing.  There are either not a whole lot of signed copies around or people who have them, want them.  Either way, this may increase the value of a signed copy of Among Others.  

Second thing I’ve noticed is that there has been an increase in the availability of signed copies of her previous novels.  The prices are consistent with prior to her Nebula win, so the supply has increased, it’ll be interesting to watch to see if the demand also increases.  If so, will classic economic theory then see an increase in asking prices.  I’ll continue to watch the markets and report back in the future.

Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor)

Among Others is Jo Walton’s ninth novel (tenth if you count the self-published The Rebirth of Pan).  The novel has been well received from both fans and reviewers.  From the publisher:

Startling, unusual, and irresistibly readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and science fiction, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.

Combining elements of autobiography with flights of imagination, this is a stunning new novel by an author whose genius has already been hailed by dozens of her peers.

In addition, she has won multiple awards for her previous novels, including the  John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2002; her novel, Tooth and Claw won the 2004 World Fantasy award; Ha’penny was a co-winner of the 2008 Prometheus Award; and Lifelode won the 2010 Mythopoeic Award awarded by the Mythopoeic Society.

From the collector’s point of view, is Jo Walton collectible?  There are a few copies of her earlier works available.  They range from $10-20 and signed copies are typically $30-80.  She has multiple awards and nominations, but she doesn’t have the home run that would bring her broad recognition.  Would a Nebula win push her into the collector’s spotlight?  There is no doubt that she is a capable and eloquent writer but even with a Nebula win, I don’t see her novels becoming hot commodities.

Will she win the Nebula, keep reading to see what I think.

Embassytown, China Miéville (Macmillan UK; Del Rey; Subterranean Press)

Embassytown is China Miéville’s ninth novel.  His tenth novel, Railsea was released two days ago.  (See my post about it here.)  The novel was well received when it was published last year.  Ursula K Le Guin stated in her May 7, 2011 review in The Guardian stated:

In Embassytown, his metaphor – which is in a sense metaphor itself – works on every level, providing compulsive narrative, splendid intellectual rigour and risk, moral sophistication, fine verbal fireworks and sideshows, and even the old-fashioned satisfaction of watching a protagonist become more of a person than she gave promise of being. And all along we thought she was only a simile . . .

The book is not the type to read at the end of long day when all you want is a plot you already know with stereotypical characters to eavesdrop on while you shut down for the evening.  It takes commitment, focus, and effort to read, but it’s worth it.

Mr. Miéville has a number of nominations and wins for his previous works.  Embassytown alone has been nominated for the 2011 Nebula; the 2012 Hugo; 2012 Locus Award; 2011 BSFA (British Science Fiction Association) Award; 2012 Arthur C. Clarke Award; and the 2012 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.

Mr. Miéville is already on many collector’s radar.  A Nebula win will create a small increase in demand for Embassytown.  The true first edition of the novel would be considered to be the UK edition published by Macmillan.  Both the US edition published by Del Ray and the Macmillan edition were published on May 17, 2011.  Given the “tie” on the dates, the author’s country of origin/residence breaks the tie.  The bonus to a collector is there was a smaller first printing in the UK, so the book could appreciate more quickly.  I have my signed copy tucked away in my personal collection.  Do I think Embassytown wins on Saturday?  Keep reading…

Firebird, Jack McDevitt (Ace Books)

Firebird is Jack McDevitt’s eighteenth novel and the sixth in the Alex Benedict series.  The series has received three Nebula Award nominations (including this year’s); one Nebula Award winner (Seeker); and a John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nomination.  It is interesting to note that Mr. McDevitt has never been a Hugo finalist for one of his novels.  This is important from a collector’s point of view because demand for a novel is a necessary component for its value to increase.

The reviews for the novel are good.  Many point out it’s the sixth book in a series that could easily be seen as formulaic, but that Mr. McDevitt ideas and characters carry the book.

As a collector, there is never anything wrong with collecting what you love, and there are definitely people out there who love the novels of Jack McDevitt.  However, in these collecting scenarios, supply will almost always outstrip demand and therefore the value of the books remains stable.  Would another Nebula win increase the demand for the book?  It might, but it will be from people who are discovering the writing of Jack McDevitt, not likely from book collectors.

God’s War, Kameron Hurley (Night Shade Books)

God’s War is the debut novel for Kameron Hurley.  It is the first novel in a planned trilogy.  The second book, Infidel, was released last October and the third book, Rapture, is set to be published this coming November.  Her fourth novel, Legion (at least for now), is currently in the works and is a departure from the trilogy, which is a positive because it will expand her readership and therefore create a demand for her back catalogue.

The reviews for the book are positive with emphasis on the unique world-building; strong female lead character; and, of course, the bugs.  The second book has also received strong reviews.

So is Kameron Hurley worth collecting?  There were no hard cover editions printed for her first two novels and the trade paperback editions likely had small print runs.  (I will do my best to confirm this in the near future.)  She actively writes new projects, short stories, and her blog.  My inclination here is to pick up a couple mint copies of her books and take a wait and see approach.  A Nebula win for her debut novel would increase value of her works.  (Currently, a first edition / first printing of God’s War can be picked up for around $6.  A cursory search did not find any signed copies.)  So, will Ms. Hurley win the Nebula?  Just a few more words and I’ll share my thoughts.

Mechanique:  A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, Genevieve Valentine (Prime Books)

Another debut novel in the mix.  This stand alone novel by Genevieve Valentine is about a steampunk-flavored circus.  Along with the novel, she has also published (or will be published shortly) nearly four dozen short stories.    The novel has been described as a long prose poem, alluding to Ms. Valentine’s wordsmithing talents.  This also an indication that the novel’s length, especially in the science fiction & fantasy genre, is a brief 284 pages.  From my searches, I haven’t found any reference to additional novels in the works.

From a collector’s perspective, it appears that Mr. Valentine’s focus and forté is the short story format.  However, the initial print run appears to have been fairly small and the Nebula nomination has created a second printing.    It appears you can find first printings for about $15 (a signed, first printing is listed for $60 – although she will be signing at the Nebula Awards weekend so there may be more copies coming available)  and a Nebula win or future novels could see the book’s value increase.  It might be worthwhile to squirrel away a copy into your collection.

The Kingdom of  Gods, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

The Kingdom of Gods is the third book in the Inheritance Trilogy.  The first book, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms,  was nominated for a 2011 Hugo; a 2010 Nebula; and won the 2011 Locus Award for First Novel.  The trilogy has been well received, as can be seen from the nominations.   Her fourth  book (and a new series), The Killing Moon, was released at the beginning of the month, and her fifth book, The Shadowed Sun, will be released in June.  In addition, Ms. Jemisin also has over a dozen published short stories.

Her novels put her squarely in the fantasy realm.  The Inheritance Trilogy is being touted as one of the best fantasy series in the past couple of decades and she has shifted gears and presented a different world with the Dreamblood series.

From a collector’s point of view, is N. K. Jemisin worth collecting?  With multiple award nominations for multiple works she has demonstrated an ability to create compelling stories on a  consistent basis.  One of the foundations of a collectible author.  All of her books have been published as trade paperbacks and you could pick up a first edition / first printing set of all three for about $35.  I was able to find a couple of signed copies of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for around $35-40.  For the moment, it appears that Ms. Jemisin will remain in the fantasy genre.  This will limit the collectible demand on her works, but because of her creative abilities and output, I believe her books will gradually increase in value.  A Nebula win would definitely help with this.  Does she win?

And the 2011 Nebula Award for Novel is…

China Miéville’s Embassytown.  The award is voted on by other Science Fiction and Fantasy writers so because  I believe the story is well crafted, inventive, and Mr. Miéville’s awards pedigree may help set him in good standing, I believe other writers may think the same way.

Of course, my wrist was a little sore when I was throwing the darts, so I could be wrong…

Railsea

Railsea is ultimately a fun and quick read, the kind of book that younger readers will love for its rollicking high-sea adventure while more mature fans of Miéville will appreciate the incisive observations on power, ambition, and philosophies of all kinds.

It looks like it will be a great read and because of Mr. Miéville’s track record with the awards nominations it’s likely a worthwhile book to add to a collection.  So the question is, which edition do you add?  Really, the first question is what editions are there to consider?

Technically, the true first edition comes out today from Del Ray (Random House).  It is the first published trade edition.

A complication arises for some because Mr. Miéville is born (Norwich, England) and lives (Willesden, England) in the UK.  Some collectors prefer to collect the edition that is published in the author’s home country.  The UK version of the book will be released next week (May 24, 2012 – MacMillan).

At the same time the UK trade edition comes out, the Book Depository is releasing a  limited signed slipcased edition of 500 copies of the book.  A second limited edition is being produced by Subterranean Press and will be published later this summer.  It also will be 500 signed copies of the book with the cover being illustrated by Vincent Chong.

So again, which one do you collect?

The purest will say it’s simply a matter of which came first (and there’s no chicken and egg thing going on here).  This one is simple, it’s the Del Ray copy available today.

There is some argument for the UK copy being chosen, but the country of origin thing is more of a tie breaker.  So if it was published both in the UK and US on the same day, then the true first would default to the country of origin.  The UK also will be a smaller first print run which will increase it’s desirability.

The limited editions add a wrinkle.  Signed books are more collectible and a signed limited edition ensures that the signature is authentic.  So there are an easier way to get your hands on a signed copy of the book.  In addition, the limited editions have exclusive features (like slipcases, custom dust jackets) that the trade editions don’t have.

Historically, limited editions retain their value, but don’t increase in value significantly.  Primarily because they are perceived as more valuable people take care of them.  Thus, a run of 500 copies will have the vast majority of the copies still in pristine condition.  A look at the majority of Easton Press releases over the years support this.  Of course, there are always exceptions where the classic laws of supply and demand kick in.

Ultimately, the answer is always to follow your passion.  If you’re a huge China Miéville fan, you may want a complete collection of all of the Railsea editions.  Based upon the advance reviews of the book and the wider spectrum of readers the book will do well and is likely to contribute to Mr. Miéville’s long list of award nominations and wins.

If you’re looking for your biggest potential bang for your buck I would suggest the Del Ray edition that is released today and ideally an opportunity to get it signed sometime in the near future.  No matter what your inclination is regarding Railsea, it appears that Mr. Miéville has another winner on his hands, now it’s time for you to pick yours.

Bookworms

The term comes from the late 16th century and refers to what one would expect it would, insects in books.  There actually isn’t a specific insect, but a number of insects ( anolium beetle, silverfishes, and book lice for instance) that the term represented.  It later transitioned to also refer to anyone who spend excessive time in a book devouring its contents (like the insects did).  My intent for Black Tusk Books is to introduce new authors to my audience that they may simply want to read.  As I’ve said before, long before you’re a collector, you are a reader.

Collecting Curious

A portion of my posts will be about the science and art of book collecting.  I will do my best to write it for the beginner.  One of the daunting tasks when you first start to think about collecting books is the myriad of terms, acronyms, and subtle use of language to describe a physical item.  I hope to demystify the magical (and therefore restrictive to outsiders) language of book collecting.  Ideally, I want this site to be the primary location for collecting resources and answers.  With that said, please ask me questions so that I am providing the answers that matter to you.

A subset of the collector curious are those who just want to know how much are Grandma’s books worth.  I will be doing a regular feature on how I determine the value of a specific book, and this should help those who are wanting to know what a book may be worth by showing the paths to follow.  Now for disclaimer time, never blindly assume your book is worth the highest value you find on the internet, and never accept someone’s assessment of your book who has not physically examined it.  I’m sure I will provide posts on both in the future, but neither can be said enough.  Hopefully, by following my site you can learn the basics of determining an appropriate value for your own books.

Collectors

Any posts related to new releases and authors will always have my analysis and opinions related to whether I believe the books are collectible.  The site will primarily focus on what is defined as hyper-modern editions and simply because I can’t review everything (at least not yet ) my insights are on what I most enjoy, science fiction and fantasy and literary fiction.  Hopefully, the same way a bookworm will discover a new author to read, the collector will discover a new author to collect.  Additionally, the pieces on collecting should also be useful to the seasoned collector too.

Black Tusk Books is about how to collect hyper-modern first editions, with a focus on science fiction & fantasy and literary fiction.  I will demystify the art of collecting to the best of my abilities and will hopefully point you in the direction of some gems (both books and authors).  If this is what you crave to know more about, then you’re in the right place.  If you’re looking for information on NASCAR memorabilia, you may want to look elsewhere.

Step One – The Story

The first criteria is simply the story.  If I’m not intrigued, then I move on.  This is one reason the focus of my collection is science fiction and literary fiction.  Over the decades, these have been the type of story I have enjoyed.  Both types force me to think beyond the written word.  My biggest test for a story (and therefore the author) is whether I think about the book after I have finished reading the final words.  If it feels like the main character has just moved out of town and I’m not going to here from them again, then it’s been worth reading.  If I find myself thinking about my own past, like I did after reading The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, then I know the writer spoke to me.

Step Two – The Opinions

My second step is to scan reviews.  I consider two types of reviews.  There are the professional reviews and then there are, what I’ll call,  ”community” reviews.  I find it worthwhile to scan both for a book.  It’s the “establishment” vs. the “street”.  Critical support from either can help identify a whether a book has collectible potential.

Step Three – The Body of  Work

The third step is to do a scan of the author’s previous published works.  A debut novel is intriguing.  Most times, an author will become very collectible after they have produced a strong body of work.  Think of a prolific author with a huge following like Stephen King.  His first novel, Carrie, sells in the $1500 range.  However, it also came out 38 years ago.  Other debut novels have lots of fanfare, their value goes up quickly and then falls back.  Last year’s debut novel by Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus, has followed this trajectory.  It doesn’t mean she is not collectible, it simply means the hype has died down.  (It will increase again, there is a signed movie deal that will be backed by a lot of promotion).

It’s sometimes helpful if there are a couple of well received earlier novels, but the author has not had the breakout success to make them wildly popular.  This allows you to gauge their writing stamina, whether they are learning their craft as they publish, and if they are locked into a genre or sub-genre that is rarely noticed.  I’ll also check the value of their previous works in the book markets.  This is as much to gauge whether it might be worthwhile to pick up their debut novel / series before they hit it big and the prices for their body of work increase.

Ultimately, for the moment, it all comes down to a gut feeling for me.  As I identify other criteria that I notice that I’m consistently using, I’ll do an updated post.  Until then, I’ll be sharing my picks (weekly, monthly, or sporadically) with you here.

You can read more about the Kickstarter project here, and find a ton of interesting posts on Tobias’ website here.

The 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction will not be awarded.  The official story from the Pulitzer organization is traditionally the judging committee picks the finalists and the board decides the winner.  According to prize administrator Sig Gissler, the board “failed to reach a majority” and thus did not award a fiction prize.

This is the first time in 35 years that a prize for fiction has not been awarded.  More interesting is it’s the first time we know which three books were presented to the Pulitzer Board and ultimately rejected. 

The Board takes its direction as outlined in  The Plan of Award.  It states “If in any year all the competitors in any category shall fall below the standard of excellence fixed by The Pulitzer Prize Board, the amount of such prize or prizes may be withheld.”

I find it difficult to accept that there were no books published in 2012 in the United States that met the “standard of excellence” the Pulitzer Prize demands.  This is not a failure of the American writers, it’s a failure of the Pulitzer bureaucracy.  Whether it’s the judging committee using poor judgement in presenting their finalists or a failure of the Pulitzer Prize Board to come to a decision, only time may tell.

From Black Tusk Book’s perspective, what will this mean to the collector?  As I stated earlier, it’s the first year we are aware of the three books presented to the Prize Board, but where none are chosen.  Since 1980, the Pulitzer organization has announced the winner along with the two finalists and the last “No Award” occurred in 1977.  The impact on collecting is unprecedented.  I’m going to assume my guesswork will have to continue on the impact of the decision has on the collecting community.  I’ll give it a few days to see if any more details emerge from the Judging Committee or the Prize Board itself.  Stay tuned…

Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

From a collector’s perspective, Buddha in the Attic is an affordable (for now) selection and likely to appreciate in value.  It’s her second book, but there is no sophomore jinx.  Even if I’m wrong about it winning today (and by shot in the dark, I mean, a big unlit football stadium) the book and her debut novel, When the Emperor was Divine are both worth spending some time hunting down and adding to your collection.

The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction also names two finalists along with the winner.  It’s like being told by the best looking girl (or guy) at high school that she thought about going with you to the prom after the last dance has played.  As a collector, the value of the “finalists” books doesn’t appreciate post-announcement the same way the winner does.  Last year’s winner, A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan is valued at more than twice that of  The Unsurrendered by Chang-Rae Lee and is about six times that of The Privileges by Jonathan Dee.

As a way of hedging my bets, I’m going to name my two finalists:

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

Open City by Teju Cole

Of the two, Open City is definitely more collectible.  It is a debut novel with a significantly smaller print run.  It will hold it’s initial value for some time, and depending on what Mr. Cole produces in the future, it has the potential to go up substantially in value.

We’ll know the winner and finalists in the next few hours.  I’ll do a quick analysis before the end of the day on the actual winner and finalists to help you in your hunt for your perfect books.

• Among Others, Jo Walton (Tor)
• A Dance With Dragons, George R. R. Martin (Bantam Spectra)
• Deadline, Mira Grant (Orbit)
• Embassytown, China Miéville (Macmillan / Del Rey)
• Leviathan Wakes, James S. A. Corey (Orbit)

I predicted four out of the five nominations.  The variation in my “formula” seems to be there were two “Young Adult” titles and no “mainstream” selections.  I’ll have a closer look at the nominated books in the coming weeks with a focus on their collectible status.  Congratulations to all of the authors nominated.