ENTRY 0018
Occasionally, some of my acquisitions are items that completely surprise me. Seeing the first issue of a magazine at the newsstand. Discovering something like Sci-Fox or The DRINK on the freebie table at a convention.
This was another serendipitous incident. My collection includes a number of items relating to the Sci-Fi Channel, and not too long ago, I did a search using "sci fi channel" as the parameters. As I was looking through the results, I came across a promotional item that the channel did for the San Diego Comic-Con in 2007. The item was a "catalog" of different items appearing in the series Eureka. (I have a similar fake catalog that was produced a few years earlier for the series Invisible Man.)
I put the item on my Watch List while I made the usual inquiry of the seller. In other words, "Do you take money orders?" He said yes, and three days ago, I placed my bid.
The auction ended today, and I was online when it ended. That last hour was just a little nerve-wracking. Even though no one else had placed a bid, I am always more than a little worried that someone would swoop in at the last second to steal it from me. But those last seconds ticked away without any other activity.
Once I confirmed that I was the winner, I quickly sent a request for the total amount, and I received an invoice not too long ago. Of course, with today being Sunday, I won't be mailing the payment until tomorrow.
Today is also my birthday, so this ended up being a nice little present to myself. If only all auctions would end this easily.
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Showing posts with label thedrink. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thedrink. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
An Argument For Confidence
ENTRY 0004
In my last entry, I mentioned one item that still proves to be most elusive. On the face of it, finding a copy of The DRINK #3 would seem to be an impossible dream. But there is a part of me that is confident that I will be able to find a copy somewhere.
Why am I confident? Well, it's mainly because I tracked down something similarly elusive once before.
In this case, the item was another newsletter. The title was Sci-Fox, and it was produced by 20th Century Fox to publicize their science fiction films. Sci-Fox not only had articles on upcoming releases (such as Independence Day), but also covered some of their classic SF films, such as Planet Of The Apes and Star Wars. The latter was covered in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of its release.
Sci-Fox ran for six issues, in 1996 and 1997. I'm guessing that someone at 20th Century Fox decided that whatever money was being budgeted for it could be better used elsewhere in the publicity department. I mean, it was a really nice newsletter -- full color, and lots of photos.
My first encounter with Sci-Fox was at LACon III. The second issue was on the freebie table, and I picked up a copy, or more likely two or three, to pass out to friends when I got back home. There was a form in the issue for signing up to get on the mailing list. Once I got back to Louisville, I photocopied the page, filled out the form, and I mailed it to 20th Century Fox. I also added a letter asking if they still had any copies of issue #1. Unfortunately, this time, I was not as successful. a few weeks later, they sent me a very nice letter saying, "Sorry, but we no longer have any copies of that issue."
Sci-Fox was published quarterly. I know I found issues on the freebie tables at other conventions. I quite distinctly remember seeing Sci-Fox #2 again a couple of months after LACon III, at Windycon. But I also received all the other issues in the mail -- until it ceased publication after issue #6.
I honestly thought that the chances of acquiring a copy of Sci-Fox #1, like The DRINK #3, would be astronomical, to say the least. But then Ebay came along. I don't even know why I did it, but one day I tried a search for "sci fox." Oh, I got plenty of results -- most of them having to do with the Back To The Future movies. (Those listings mentioned both "sci-fi" and "Michael J. Fox," which of course is what the search algorithm picked up.) But much to my surprise, someone was offering a copy of Sci-Fox #1 for a low minimum bid. The minimum bid was $1, and as it turned out, I was the only bidder. Once the auction ended, I contacted the seller, did the usual where-do-I-send-payment thing, and about two or three weeks later, it was in my mailbox.
Unfortunately, my attempts to do a search for The DRINK on Ebay have not been as successful. There would be references to it in listings for books published by Del Rey, but I haven't seen anything beyond that. As I said, though, I am not going to give up. Finding Sci-Fox #1 had to be something of a miracle, and I am more than willing to believe that a miracle is perfectly capable of happening again.
-30-
In my last entry, I mentioned one item that still proves to be most elusive. On the face of it, finding a copy of The DRINK #3 would seem to be an impossible dream. But there is a part of me that is confident that I will be able to find a copy somewhere.
Why am I confident? Well, it's mainly because I tracked down something similarly elusive once before.
In this case, the item was another newsletter. The title was Sci-Fox, and it was produced by 20th Century Fox to publicize their science fiction films. Sci-Fox not only had articles on upcoming releases (such as Independence Day), but also covered some of their classic SF films, such as Planet Of The Apes and Star Wars. The latter was covered in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of its release.
Sci-Fox ran for six issues, in 1996 and 1997. I'm guessing that someone at 20th Century Fox decided that whatever money was being budgeted for it could be better used elsewhere in the publicity department. I mean, it was a really nice newsletter -- full color, and lots of photos.
My first encounter with Sci-Fox was at LACon III. The second issue was on the freebie table, and I picked up a copy, or more likely two or three, to pass out to friends when I got back home. There was a form in the issue for signing up to get on the mailing list. Once I got back to Louisville, I photocopied the page, filled out the form, and I mailed it to 20th Century Fox. I also added a letter asking if they still had any copies of issue #1. Unfortunately, this time, I was not as successful. a few weeks later, they sent me a very nice letter saying, "Sorry, but we no longer have any copies of that issue."
Sci-Fox was published quarterly. I know I found issues on the freebie tables at other conventions. I quite distinctly remember seeing Sci-Fox #2 again a couple of months after LACon III, at Windycon. But I also received all the other issues in the mail -- until it ceased publication after issue #6.
I honestly thought that the chances of acquiring a copy of Sci-Fox #1, like The DRINK #3, would be astronomical, to say the least. But then Ebay came along. I don't even know why I did it, but one day I tried a search for "sci fox." Oh, I got plenty of results -- most of them having to do with the Back To The Future movies. (Those listings mentioned both "sci-fi" and "Michael J. Fox," which of course is what the search algorithm picked up.) But much to my surprise, someone was offering a copy of Sci-Fox #1 for a low minimum bid. The minimum bid was $1, and as it turned out, I was the only bidder. Once the auction ended, I contacted the seller, did the usual where-do-I-send-payment thing, and about two or three weeks later, it was in my mailbox.
Unfortunately, my attempts to do a search for The DRINK on Ebay have not been as successful. There would be references to it in listings for books published by Del Rey, but I haven't seen anything beyond that. As I said, though, I am not going to give up. Finding Sci-Fox #1 had to be something of a miracle, and I am more than willing to believe that a miracle is perfectly capable of happening again.
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Monday, August 08, 2011
A Most Elusive Search
ENTRY 0003
Last time, I said that I wouldn't be mentioning the specifics of any current auctions, for what I think are fairly obvious reasons. This time, though, I will be talking about an item I have been trying to find for more than a few years. The problem for me is that it is proving to be a most elusive search, and there is a part of me that thinks that this may be the most difficult item that I will ever acquire -- if I do indeed acquire it.
The item in question is an issue of The DRINK. This was a promotional newsletter that Del Rey Books produced for a few years in the mid-1990s. The newsletter's title stood for "Del Rey INK." It came out three times a year -- the issues were January-April, May-August, and September-December. Each issue gave a brief rundown of what new releases would be forthcoming from Del Rey during the next four months, and featured a brief interview or two.
I once asked someone who worked for Del Rey why they only published every four months, instead of a more logical (at least to me) quarterly schedule. From what I was told, the publishing industry had three major release cycles during the year, and The DRINK's publishing schedule reflected that. Okay, I suppose that made some sense out of the rather unusual schedule.
As I recall, I picked up a copy of the second issue of The DRINK in 1995, at Dragon*Con/NASFIC in Atlanta. Del Rey had a booth at the convention, and they were passing out copies of The DRINK, as well as free books. Obviously, I picked up a copy of The DRINK #2, and I decided that I wanted to get issue #1 as well.
When I returned home from the convention, I filled out a survey form that was in the issue. (Now that I think about it, that survey form was in every issue.) Filling out the survey would put you on the mailing list for The DRINK. I photocopied the form, filled it out, and mailed it. Along with the form, I also sent a letter, asking if they still had any copies of issue #1, and requesting one if they did. Luck was with me that time -- a couple of weeks later, I received a copy of The DRINK #1.
[EDIT: I've been looking through my copies of The DRINK, and I was slightly mistaken. As it turns out, the first two issues did not have the survey form. They still had the address for Del Rey Books, so that had to be where I mailed my inquiry.]
Fast forward several months, to LACon III, the 1996 Worldcon. Once again, Del Rey had a booth at the convention, and once again, they had copies of a new issue of The DRINK. The problem (from my perspective, anyway) was that this was issue #4 -- and for some reason, I had never received a copy of issue #3. When I returned to Louisville following the convention, I wrote Del Rey, requesting a copy of The DRINK #3. This time, however, I was not so fortunate, as they did not have any more copies.
So that is the object of this particular Elusive Search. I'm looking for a copy of The DRINK #3. Based on the cover dates of issues #2 and #4, the cover date for The DRINK #3 would be January-April 1996.
Yes, I know that the information in that particular issue is long out of date. I'm interesting in acquiring a copy because I am a completist, not to mention more than a little OCD. The DRINK ran for a total of 13 issues, and I did get the other 12, whether at a convention or in the mail. I would love to find that missing issue, just so I can have a complete set.
I would say that this particular search is bordering on the impossible. But there have been other times that I found something when I thought the chances of doing so were almost impossible. I have had unusual luck before; I'm hoping for a repeat.
Of course, if there is actually anyone reading this, and by some strange chance has a copy of The DRINK #3, leave me a comment. Maybe we can do business.
-30-
Last time, I said that I wouldn't be mentioning the specifics of any current auctions, for what I think are fairly obvious reasons. This time, though, I will be talking about an item I have been trying to find for more than a few years. The problem for me is that it is proving to be a most elusive search, and there is a part of me that thinks that this may be the most difficult item that I will ever acquire -- if I do indeed acquire it.
The item in question is an issue of The DRINK. This was a promotional newsletter that Del Rey Books produced for a few years in the mid-1990s. The newsletter's title stood for "Del Rey INK." It came out three times a year -- the issues were January-April, May-August, and September-December. Each issue gave a brief rundown of what new releases would be forthcoming from Del Rey during the next four months, and featured a brief interview or two.
I once asked someone who worked for Del Rey why they only published every four months, instead of a more logical (at least to me) quarterly schedule. From what I was told, the publishing industry had three major release cycles during the year, and The DRINK's publishing schedule reflected that. Okay, I suppose that made some sense out of the rather unusual schedule.
As I recall, I picked up a copy of the second issue of The DRINK in 1995, at Dragon*Con/NASFIC in Atlanta. Del Rey had a booth at the convention, and they were passing out copies of The DRINK, as well as free books. Obviously, I picked up a copy of The DRINK #2, and I decided that I wanted to get issue #1 as well.
When I returned home from the convention, I filled out a survey form that was in the issue. (Now that I think about it, that survey form was in every issue.) Filling out the survey would put you on the mailing list for The DRINK. I photocopied the form, filled it out, and mailed it. Along with the form, I also sent a letter, asking if they still had any copies of issue #1, and requesting one if they did. Luck was with me that time -- a couple of weeks later, I received a copy of The DRINK #1.
[EDIT: I've been looking through my copies of The DRINK, and I was slightly mistaken. As it turns out, the first two issues did not have the survey form. They still had the address for Del Rey Books, so that had to be where I mailed my inquiry.]
Fast forward several months, to LACon III, the 1996 Worldcon. Once again, Del Rey had a booth at the convention, and once again, they had copies of a new issue of The DRINK. The problem (from my perspective, anyway) was that this was issue #4 -- and for some reason, I had never received a copy of issue #3. When I returned to Louisville following the convention, I wrote Del Rey, requesting a copy of The DRINK #3. This time, however, I was not so fortunate, as they did not have any more copies.
So that is the object of this particular Elusive Search. I'm looking for a copy of The DRINK #3. Based on the cover dates of issues #2 and #4, the cover date for The DRINK #3 would be January-April 1996.
Yes, I know that the information in that particular issue is long out of date. I'm interesting in acquiring a copy because I am a completist, not to mention more than a little OCD. The DRINK ran for a total of 13 issues, and I did get the other 12, whether at a convention or in the mail. I would love to find that missing issue, just so I can have a complete set.
I would say that this particular search is bordering on the impossible. But there have been other times that I found something when I thought the chances of doing so were almost impossible. I have had unusual luck before; I'm hoping for a repeat.
Of course, if there is actually anyone reading this, and by some strange chance has a copy of The DRINK #3, leave me a comment. Maybe we can do business.
-30-
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