What a pickle: An update on the signed editions
23 April 2024
Distribution update (further fay-fickle news):
This project has been uncannily beleaguered with temporal issues for decades, it seems shipping the signed editions is no different...
Just as Deep Vellum was preparing to begin distribution early this month, they discovered their offices were to undergo complete renovations that had not previously been communicated to them by their landlord. They are working on a new flow to carefully package and ship these books with the care and attention they deserve -- while also moving every piece of furniture and office supply around and navigating construction crews! Understandably, this has slowed down the distribution process.
The Lettered edition should all be sent by mid week and then the Numbered edition will finally begin shipping. With the current arrangement, we now expect it to take most of May to get all 300 packaged and sent... fay willing!
Numbered edition customers: if you have not confirmed your address in the past year, please email sales@littlebig25.com to do so. After these pre-sold copies are distributed, we will have a small quantity of this signed edition to offer. Email if you want to be added to the wait-list.
1 April 2024
Distribution update:
Things are running a little slow as every care is being taken to assure packing will be sufficient for the irreplaceable numbered and lettered editions. Distribution should finally commence next week, starting with the lettered edition and then working forward through the 300 numbered copies. It will take a couple weeks to package and ship all of these -- you'll receive a tracking email when your volume ships.
11 March 2024
Further felicitous news:
The numbered and lettered editions were delivered to Deep Vellum's warehouse a few days ago! The books are currently being sorted and the safest packing method is being assessed for securely shipping these irreplaceable signed editions. Shipping should commence towards the end of March -- you will receive a tracking email when your volume ships.
We've gotten numerous queries about the additional availability of signed editions. We are currently determining this and should eventually have a small quantity of the signed numbered edition to offer. We will announce details some time after the pre-sold copies have been shipped. If you want to be added to the wait-list, email sales@littlebig25.com
19 February 2024
Felicitous news:
At long last the slipcases are complete! They are currently being put on the numbered and lettered editions, these are then shrink-wrapped, labelled and boxed. This week the boxes will be loaded on a truck to begin their journey from Brilliant Graphics in Exton, Pennsylvania to Deep Vellum in Dallas, Texas. Once they arrive and are warehoused with Deep Vellum, the staff there can begin carefully packing each signed volume for safe shipment to your eager hands! Thus, we would expect shipping to you long pre-paid customers to begin in March [you will receive an email with tracking when your volume ships]. We will post additional info soon!
22 January 2024
Quite close:
We had estimated, and most sincerely hoped, that we'd now be announcing that the numbered & lettered editions would be on their way to you this month... but the Fay have always kept their own time. We are now looking to later in February.
In late November, the printer had given us the impression that domestic production of the slipcases was commencing. Since the new year, we've been anticipating confirmation that fabrication was complete and awaiting news on when the slipcases would be boxed with their signed editions and trucked to Deep Vellum for distribution... Well, we just received word from the notably taciturn Brilliant Graphics that all of this is still at least several weeks away. Eagerness and frustration aside, all we will say with certainty is that the signed editions are quite close. As soon as we have further news we will post it here.
23 November 2023
Progress - Third Time's Charm?:
After two batches of slipcases for the numbered & lettered editions vanished in transit from China this year, the printer, Brilliant Graphics, is now working with a domestic US fabricator. Earlier this month, John Berry made the requisite adjustments to the slipcase design layout. Last week we received word that they are now "in production". We had hoped the slipcases would be completed in time for the signed, numbered & lettered editions to be sent to the distributor and mailed out to everyone before the solstice holidays, but it is now evident this won’t be the case. The latest estimate is that the signed books should be snug in their illustrated slipcases, boxed and trucked to Deep Vellum for distribution to finally commence in January, 2024. The upside here is that there will be a much lower volume of mail after the new year, which reduces chance of mishap en route.
Felicitous news:
We are delighted to report that the trade hardcover anniversary edition of Little, Big was selected as a winner in the Publishing Professionals Network (PPN) Book Show this year, "a recognition of achieving the highest standard of book design & manufacturing"!
We were also honored to learn that a copy of our Little, Big is on prominent display (until February 25) at a Fantasy and Folklore exhibition at the British Library in London ( https://www.bl.uk/ ). Tickets to the exhibition can be purchased online - https://fantasy.seetickets.com/timeslots/filter/fantasy-realms-of-imagination
Little, Big posters and our celebrated, award-winning hardcover edition make excellent gifts. These will not be reprinted and numbers are dwindling -- get them while you can!
Books - https://store.deepvellum.org/products/little-big
Posters - https://store.deepvellum.org/products/little-big?variant=43187529875705
27 September 2023
Further Fay-fickle news:
After 3.5 months of worrying silence from the printer, Brilliant Graphics, regarding the slipcases for the numbered & lettered editions, they just acknowledged the second, replacement batch has been declared "lost in transit" from China! At this point it is difficult to not interpret this as confirmation that the project has long been laboring under some fairy hex. We are now in the process of assessing a new, North American, fabricator for the job (we can only hope the third time truly is the charm!) and expect to have this confirmed in the next week or two. We're told slipcase production will then take 3-4 weeks, with another 2-3 weeks to have the books carefully ensconced in their illustrated slipcases, boxed and trucked to Deep Vellum for distribution. So we're likely looking at early December as the soonest the signed editions will commence shipping to your eager hands.
We are beyond exasperated with these latest mishaps and delays and doing everything in our power to make sure this final part of production is completed, to the project's high standards, as quickly as possible. The Completion Team offers our deepest, heartfelt gratitude for your continuous support and truly remarkable patience!
Please note: Roberto, our heroic web-manager, will be gone all October. The next progress update will be posted upon his return.
22 June 2023
Felicitous news:
Except for the slipcases, production on the signed Numbered and Lettered editions is complete. The books have all been carefully bound with the sheets signed years ago by John Crowley, Peter Milton and Harold Bloom. These unique limited editions are in safe storage at the printer, Brilliant Graphics, awaiting the final piece of production: the gorgeous slipcases -- Ron Drummond's stunning design which utilizes original Peter Milton art not found in the book. But...
Fay-fickle news:
The slipcases were originally to be produced by a US fabricator highly esteemed by Brilliant Graphics, but unfortunately they closed shop last year. After some deliberation, Brilliant Graphics decided to go with a firm in China they've previously utilized and know their work to be of consummate quality. After several production delays these past months, we just heard from Brilliant Graphics that the slipcases were completed...but were "lost in transit" on their way to the US! We've been assured this failed shipment was insured and a new batch of slipcases is already in production. However, they have yet to provide us with a ETA...
One more mishap and delay is very frustrating, to say the least, but we have to admit it is perfectly in step with the rest of this uncannily beleaguered, fay-fickle project!
Without further news from the printer, all we can currently offer is a guesstimate on when the Numbered & Lettered editions will ship to customers. Our guess, is that, at the very least, it will be another 60-90+ days before the new lot of slipcases arrive to Brilliant Graphics in Pennsylvania, the books are all inserted, boxed and trucked to Deep Vellum in Texas for final packing and distribution to those patiently (and valorously!) awaiting their signed editions.
As soon as we have any additional concrete news we'll post it here.
Thanks to the hard work of the fine folks at Deep Vellum, the Trade hardcover edition of the book has now been shipped to everyone who pre-ordered and confirmed their order address with us. Yet there remains over 200 unconfirmed addresses in our database. If you ordered a book between 2004 and 2022, we need confirmation of your current address to ship:
With a project whose order history spans 18 years, we need to hear from all of you who have pre-ordered, before we can ship your book. We can only ship to those pre-orders whose addresses have been confirmed!
Please confirm or update your complete mailing address and contact info by completing the form at--https://littlebig25.com/Form.shtml
Do NOT fill the form out more than once, multiple submissions will not get you your books any sooner and only add to our workload and possible confusion.
All trade hardcover orders should be mailed out within a week of confirming your address! Tracking will be emailed to each customer at the time of shipment.
Deep Vellum Publishing now handles sales and fulfillment. Copies of the trade edition and posters remain available through them: https://store.deepvellum.org/products/little-big
Thank you for your legendary patience and support for this long-awaited edition!
Ben Kamm & The Completion Team