Update: The Special Limited Pre-Order for MFA Thesis Novel is over, but you can still order a signed copy and get a free bookmark! See my webstore for updated info.
Many of you have been asking about the best way to get a signed copy of MFA Thesis Novel when it comes out on April 19th. Others have been asking how to buy the novel in the way that gives me the largest amount of royalties.
Whelp, you can kill two birds with one stone during the Special Limited MFA Thesis Novel Pre-Order Period!
Order a copy of the novel through my webstore by clicking here, and not only will I sign it and write you a cool personalized message (if you want one), but you’ll also get some super-cool FREE swag, including…
- A limited edition MFA Thesis Novel bookmark designed by Jessica Bell!
- A 3″x2″ You Don’t Pay Me to Care sticker inspired by the But I Also Have a Day Job blog!
- The satisfaction of knowing that more of your money went toward supporting me as a small-press indie writer and not toward Jeff Bezos sending billionaires into space! (Technically not swag, but still important!)
Also, if you missed your chance to get a copy of my 2018 chapbook Eikaiwa Bums, or the Erochikan zine collection, I’ve included these in a special markdown bundle too.
Hurry, though, because the bookmark and sticker offer ends Thursday, March 10th. This is also the last day I can guarantee delivery by the April 19th release, so don’t delay in ordering!
About the Swag
I love bookmarks, especially unique ones, and Vine Leaves Press publisher and designer Jessica Bell (who also did the novel’s cover and interior images) put together this amazing design featuring a real-life quote from S.R. Stewart on the front and four quotes from the novel’s characters on the back.
The bookmark, like the cover and my new webstore design, is of course toned in Prairie Fire orange, the color of the novel’s fictitious midwestern university football team, a cool effect that I was insanely happy about.
During the special two-week pre-order period you’ll also get the first ever piece of But I Also Have a Day Job merch, this 3″x2″ “You Don’t Pay Me to Care” sticker featuring a a row of postal clerks:
You Don’t Pay Me to Care was the title of a 2017 post I wrote about staying in the right mindset about jobs you’re not fully interested in, and it’s been a hallmark of my own thoughts about Day Job work these past few years. As a big fan of stickers, I definitely wanted to offer something that people could slap on on a notebook, laptop, or whatever else people slap stickers on.
If you’d like a copy of the sticker but don’t want the actual novel, that’s cool too—you can pre-order one for a mere $3 plus shipping.
Why a Special Limited Pre-Order?
As part of my contract with Vine Leaves Press, I’m allowed to order discounted copies of the novel that I can give away or sell. The press also offered me free shipping and bulk discounts on larger orders, which means there’s a BIG difference in price if I order 5 copies, 50 copies, or 500 copies all at once. (Those of you who work in retail or wholesale should know how this works.)
Due to supply chain issues and general mail slowdown, March 10th is the last day I can place an order with the press and ensure that I’ll have enough time to get the books, sign them, and ship them out to arrive before April 19th. I also need to plan order amounts for the bookmarks and stickers, so knowing the number beforehand ensures I won’t get stuck with too many or not enough after the novel comes out.
Of course, you can still order signed copies after March 10th, but the price might change and your order won’t include the swag bundle (sad face).
Why Signed Copies
Short answer: because they’re awesome.
I have fond memories of going up to David Sedaris, Nicholson Baker, and Ernest Hebert, three authors I admire tremendously, after in-person readings and asking them to sign my well-worn copies of their books. (David Sedaris wrote “To Ian: You can’t spell ‘brains’ without you” before realizing his mistake and apologizing. To his credit, he seemed pretty tired.)
During my last semester as an undergrad at Bennington, I also nervously knocked on the office doors of some of my writing mentors, Steven Bach, Annabel Davis-Goff, and Christopher Miller, and asked them to sign copies of their books, which they seemed quite flattered by, and these books served as special mementos from my time at Bennington. Steven Bach also passed away in 2009, two years after I graduated, which made me all the happier that I got to tell him how much I enjoyed his work.
I’ve got a few other signed copies in my collection as well: Salmon Rushdie‘s memoir, the rest of the Darby series by Ernest Hebert, fellow Vine Leaves Press author Gina Troisi’s The Angle of Flickering Light, and a bound copy of the Clerks 2 script signed by Kevin Smith. While I bought all of these pre-signed, I was able to buy most of them through independent bookstores as a way of supporting small businesses I believe in.
In recent years I’ve also found more cases where supporting independent artists and sellers directly can get you some pretty cool perks like signed books, unique swag, your name on a piece of art, or a chance to meet the creator. As I become an actual small-press indie author myself, I want to create more of those opportunities for other people too, so they can get something they can’t get from the big-box stores or an ad-filled Amazon page. I want to form connections with people who enjoy my work so they get as excited about it as I am.
Final Thoughts
So if you haven’t already, head on over to my webstore and pre-order your signed copy of MFA Thesis Novel before March 10th. Or for an extra ten bucks, get the novel bundled with some cool zines and a copy of Eikaiwa Bums. And if you want me to write something cool in your copy, just choose “Signed with Personalized Message!” and leave me a note at checkout.
Finally, a BIG thanks to those who already ordered their copies over the weekend through my email newsletter (you are signed up for my newsletter, right?) or early word of mouth. Your support means a lot, and it definitely keeps me going.