Whose releases find you on the book shops door and why?

[drosdelnoch]

To be honest this is a question I tend to ask people as I'm always facinated by peoples responses. I still have a lot of fond memories of getting the release date for the new David Gemmell, ordering it at an independent stockist and then waiting on the doorstep with my face pressed against the door on the day of the release. I became very good friends with that seller so its been hard when I've gone back and discovered that he shut down. Its formed a huge part of my years since I originally read Legend when I was 11 back in 1986 and always been something that I've shared with my Dad.

I've always got a real kick out of David's writing and it still hurts now that he's been gone for a couple of years as I've always had his work to help me and its been a highlight of each year. I still reread his books and I'm sad to say that theres no one who even comes close to his type of books.

So go on, whose work has had you on the doorstep and why?

[Deborah J Miller]

I remember pestering the bookseller for Stephen Donaldson's 'Thomas Covenant' books as they came out. I used to feel so frustrated when they weren't in yet - of course, they were never so helpful as to check release dates for me (I can't quite remember if they had the computer stock-list thing then? 1980s?) I also remember that in those days, I didn't know anyone else who was reading the same stuff I was!

This'll make you laugh Gareth - when I first met David, I'd never read any off his books! [blush] I was on a course that he was teaching - I had originally signed up for Terry Pratchett - but I think he was ill and asked David to substitute for him. Of course David made such a massive impression on me that I rushed out to buy his books as soon as I got home - as fate would have it, the local Oxfam shop had a FULL SET so I bought them!

When I saw him again, a year later, I had confided this to a girl on the course (who later became a great friend) and she "dobbed me in" - told DG "She bought all your books from the charity shop for a fiver!" Of course I turned bright red and stammered something about lack of funds - but David was just fine - he pretended to be offended for a wee while but couldn't keep it up and we had a good laugh about it!

[drosdelnoch]

That was one thing you could always say about Dave, was that he had a cracking sense of humour. I recall that at one time he really didnt have much of a memory for faces and that he'd gone to do a signing. A guy popped up, chatted to him and he kept thinking the guy was familiar, he eventually asked how he knew the guy to which the reply was "I've just spent a week on your writing course." A real David Homer moment. LOL

I think that was one thing I really enjoyed when I chatted with him was his sense of humour that came through, he never minded taking the mick out of himself. As to the funds thing, yeah I know that one too well, I was unable to buy the books in hardback so I was lucky that originally he was out in PB at the same time. Of course theyve all been read to death and Ive had to replace a number of them so I sort of wish I'd bought hardbacks. But Ive never regretted getting those books on the day of release.

[Björn]

In recent years, only Steven Erikson has had me hanging on the doorstep, as it were. Last time this happened was the other day, when Toll the Hounds was released.

Otherwise, I usually wait until I have finished the books I have already before rushing out to buy new ones.


If there hadn't been so much good fantasy released and already published, I might have had more authors, but as it is it is hard to catch up on everything before something new comes along.

[drosdelnoch]

Did you catch Steven on tour Bjorn? He's just finished his UK signings so if you havent got a copy already you can probably get a signed one posted to you.

[Björn]

No, sadly I have not. I am in Norway for the summer, though, and as I said, I got Toll the Hounds the other day already. I wonder if he's doing a tour for the next book.

[Sharyn Lilley]

Jennifer Fallon. I like her writing style. My local bookstore has a tiny science fiction/fantasy section, as they had no genre fans working there, so they only had the books facing out the reps had hyped up to them. I'd go in and tell them I was going to make their display better. Mostly they laughed and let me go about facing out and featuring my favourite authors. I did have a quiet giggle the day I got a phone call from the manager telling me they were about to make a major display of Feist's then new book Talon of the Silver Hawke, and they wanted to check that that was ok by me, as they didn't want to put in the work if I was just going to undo it all next time I was in town.

[drosdelnoch]

I tend to find it a downfall of many a bookshop even the big chains, that they don't have enough knowledge about the products, however when theres a hell of a lot out there its easy to see how it can be missed. Yet it wouldnt take much for them to either look online at sites that deal with the genre where thier knowledge fails or to subscribe to a magazine. That way they can always be up with the trends.

One thing I'd have done would have been to ask you to write reviews of some of your choices for others to read whilst in the shop, that way theres always a recommendation.

[Sharyn Lilley]

yes, and I'd have happily agreed to do that. I am slowly getting them sorted now though, they've even bought in more science fiction because I keep hassling them to, and funnily enough, it's selling. Amazing how stocking a product will bring more sales for that product.

[Simon Haynes]

JK Rowling - to avoid spoilers and because my kids enjoyed the fuss
Lynn Flewelling - enjoyed the series (although I've yet to grab her latest)

I can't think of any others. There's such a backlog in my reading that I can afford to pick and choose.

[Graeme]

The 'Shadowmarch' books aren't his best (although I'm wondering if they'll look better once the series is complete...) but you can count on me to be loitering near a bookshop if a new Tad Williams book is due for release. Same goes for Steven Erikson...
I'll nip into a bookshop, on publication day, for a new Terry Pratchett book but that's more for the wife than for me these days.

[Deborah J Miller]

If you haven't already read it, I'd strongly recommend Tad Williams 'War of the Flowers' - brilliant book - fairies with attitude! It scored the highest of any book our book group read, ever!

[Graeme]

'War of the Flowers' is nestled quite happily on one of my shelves at the moment. It was a bit heavy going to start off with but I found myself really enjoying it by the end :o)