Drive Through Our Favorite Novels

Stu Tinker's van, equipped with an image of 'It' on its side, that he drives around Bangor when giving one of his SK Tours.

I really enjoyed Emily Burnham's article in Bangor Daily News about former Betts Bookstore owner, Stu Tinker. The article is titled “A Stephen King tour of Bangor, led by an expert.” Cool! It's like driving through your favorite books.

Burnham says that Tinker leads the tours almost every day of the week . . . in warmer months!  She writes:

There are just that many King fans who want to come to Bangor to see for themselves the inspiration for so many iconic scenes in his books and movies — from Bangor International Airport, the setting for the TV movie of “The Langoliers,” to the Bangor Auditorium, known as the Derry Civic Center in the book “Insomnia.”

Tinker says that people come from all over the world to take the tour, naming in particular:South Africa, New Zealand, England, Australia.  He has been leading tours since the early 90's.  

Burnham notes that Bangor and Derry are virtually indistinguishable from one another.  

Several major landmarks are included in the tour, such as the Standpipe, the Barrens — also known as the Kenduskeag Stream Trail — and the Paul Bunyan statue that comes alive in “It.” But there are plenty of other lesser-known spots, such as the Rite Aid on Union Street that figures in “Bag of Bones,” the apartment King lived in when he sold “Carrie” to Doubleday Publishing, and the spot in Mt. Hope Cemetery that was the scene of King’s cameo appearance in the film “Pet Sematary.” There are also a lot of new Derry locations in “11/22/63,” King’s critically-acclaimed 2011 book.

BDN includes this info:

To book a tour with SK Tours, visit sk-tours.com or call 947-7193. A tour is $39.95 for two people; each additional person is $25. You can also like them on Facebook at SK Tours of Maine.

The full article is HERE

Check out the video!

Charlie Fried's (SUPER COLLECTOR) Scrapbook, 1

(updated)

A while back I bought a grab bag from Betts Bookstore. It was a box of strange, wonderful things. My favorite thing -- perhaps the thing that has given me the most pleasure -- is a simple scrap book. 

It belonged, I am sure, to Charlie Fried. Fried was a "super-collector," meaning he owned LOTS of unique Stephen King items.  He was the subject of an interview in Stephen J. Spignesi's THE ESSENTIAL STEPHEN KING.  Spignesi titled this portion, "10 Questions With Stephen King Super Collector Charlie Fried."

Spignesi described Fried as the definition of the term "low profile."  He also noted that he had one of the five most important Stephen King collections in the world.  "I think the term supercollector was coined for him," Spignesi wrote.  Fried called King the "ultimate storyteller."

After his death, Fried's collection was broken up and sold through Betts Bookstore. Including, I guess, his scrapbook.  I'm in no way a "supercollector."  But I'm a fan of the supercollector!  Is it strange, one of my favorite Stephen King items is just Charlies ragtag notebook.  I find it endearing, fun and kind of sweet.

Fried's scrapbook is a little bit of absolutely everything! I like it because it's personal, it's not a book, it's pictures he took and essays he wrote. . I'm inviting you to come with me as I dig through Charlie's scrapbook. This will be fun! It will also be a lot of pictures, so the page might load slow for a while. . The scrap book is kept in a simple notebook with permanent binding. (hard to describe) The items are kept in simple page protectors. Good stuff!

A newsletter from Betts bookstore.

Charlie's review of The Mangler. I'll type and put it up as a post soon, because it's quite good.

Charlie's notes: "My visit to Bangor Maine -- or the pleasure of hearing Stephen King read to about 3,100 plus people." This is actually the first page of the notebook.

Ad for "An evening with Stephen King." Attached are Charlie's tickets at the bottom of the page. "All seats $5." Friday, Sept. 15, 7:30 pm, Bangor Auditorium. "Spend a memorable evening with one of America's favorite storytellers reading from a selection of personally chosen material." Hosted by Tabitha King, proceeds will benefit The Bangor Public Library Capital Campaign.

A map of Bangor. Charlie pasted a paper to it and identified places in Stephen King books.

Signed Is Better

taped inside Pet Sematary
ebay.com current bid: $6.50

When it comes to collecting books -- signed is better.  I own a lot of signed books.  Unfortunately, only one of them is signed by Stephen King!  (Under the Dome)  I made a decision a while back that I wasn't going to go to spend a lot of family money on Stephen King's handwriting.

Why not to mess with signed editions: Because publishers have figured out signed is better and have made it a business.  The days of sending your personal copy of a book to the author and getting it signed  and returned are gone.  Authors no longer do as may signings, and publishers don't like the author to sign books when they run into fans because it devalues their signature.  So what was fun is now just a money game.

Taped inside a copy of Pet Sematary is a note signed by King.  Now the book itself is not signed, it's on paper.  But, think about this -- it's the same signature.  So I'm asking -- what's special about his handwriting inside a book as opposed to on a paper?

I think inscribed books are better than flatsigned.  I love seeing the ones where little personal notes have been written from the author to the book owner. Some people prefer flatsigned books.  They don't want the writing that is directed to someone else.  However, that is part of the books history -- part of the signing -- and I think it's delightful.  I don't own a book King has insribed,but I own other boosk with little  notes from the author, and it's great!

Here's a couple I spotted that I think are cool:

• Four Past Midnight: "For Rick, don't stay out late."
• Firestarter: "To Dianne -- on her 25th -- with love from Scott and Stephen King, 8/19/90."

Someone should put together a list (book) of the things King has written to fans when autographing them.

An interesting thing is that the more expensive signed books are the old ones and the more recent ones.  A copy of Doctor Sleep signed is $400+.  Why?  Because that's where Cemetery Dance set the price, and people were ready to fork that over.  I think at $400 you should also get a couple of new tires and a Walmart gift card.

Know what I notice?  Signed books from the mid portion of King's writing don't cost as much.  Check it out on ebay!  (Not that I recommend buying signed items on ebay.)

• Bag of Bones, $250
• Christine, $150  (Hold on!  Why is this so low and Doctor Sleep so high?  A signed Christine seems like it would be very valuable because it's more rare to have those than the current super novel)
• Rose Madder, $175
• Eyes of the Dragon, $195
• Bag of Bones, $150 (advanced reading copy)
• Four Past Midnight, $149
• Firestarter, $375
• Full Dark No Stars, 112.50 (current bid, not final selling price)
• The Shining, $2,800 (seriously -- that's a lot of money.)
• BETTS BOOKSTORE: Dolores Claiborne, $75 (www.bettsbooks.com)

Okay, my point is really just how subjective this all is.  The books prices are pretty standard until  King autographs them, and then BAM! the price can go anywhere.  Salem's Lot signed goes for about $3,000.  That doesn't mean anyone will pay that, but it is what someone is asking.

Tell me -- 

how  important is a signature?  

How much would you be willing for fork over?

What King books do you have signed?

Stephen King Tours With Stu Tinker

Here's some interesting news from very fine books, a great place to find some of the rare -- usually signed -- King items. Emmanuel Manetakis writes, Did you ever want to go on a Stephen King tour? Then check this out. Just got this in my inbox a couple days ago:
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"Starting the first of July (hopefully) we are launching Stephen King Tours of the Bangor (Derry) area. At this time it looks like it will be a 3 hour tour, I have purchased a Chrysler 7 passenger van with all wheel drive (for those nasty winter tours!) and hope to get the new web page up in a couple of weeks. The tour will hit about 25 key places and we will sell T-shirts and other memorabilia along with it. The new e-mail address of SK-Tours@msn.com is effective as of today. Wish me luck!! Stu Tinker"
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(as you probably already know, Stu Tinker is the former owner of Betts Books )
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that is pretty exciting news. Stu was great at betts bookstore, and he's a personal fan of King's.
http://www.veryfinebooks.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=76

THE MIST: Transferring Tapes to CD

As I shared earlier, Dave at Betts Bookstore came up with a copy of the Mist on audio tape for me. This was an edition I had long hunted for, since it is not the mass produced "The Mist in 3D sound" stage production. This is a simple unabridged recording by Frank Muller.

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Of course, as soon as Dave sent me the tapes, I wanted to listen to them. I rushed to my office -- the last place on earth that still has a tape recorder -- and began to listen. Time is not kind to tapes, and I could tell that while Muller's voice was still clear, it was losing crispness, and soon the tape would stretch and be lost for good. Now Dave included with my purchase some detailed notes on how to perform the task of transferring tapes to CD. However, I don't change my own oil -- a rather simple task -- and I had to get a friends help to rebuild a fallen fence, so I decided I did not want to risk a "learn as you go" process in transferring my tapes.

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There are actually several companies that specialize in this. None of them are what I would consider cheap. Bottom line, if you're transferring tapes to CD, figure about $10 per tape.

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We went with "Reel 2 Reel 2 CD" and were very pleased with the results. Here's what they did:

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1. Each tape was put on CD.

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2. Each side of the tape was given it's own CD.

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3. Each CD was given short "tracts" which makes it easy to skip around and find things.

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4. This one is important: They appear to have digitally enhanced the recording. Background fuzz and the wear of the years disappeared. Muller's voice is once again crisp. Now, there are sections where what was just said can be faintly heard repeating itself -- but I don't think that is a big deal. The CD's are actually much much superior to the tapes.

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5. Each CD was labeled, clearly marking which CD it was with a picture of the original art work on the CD. So the label reads, "Disk 1, tape 1, side 1" and so on.

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The company contacted us when they received the tapes and gave us an estimate of the costs before they proceeded. As soon as the work was complete they billed and quickly sent back out.

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Anyway, from my chair, I've got to say that this was a great decision. I feel like something special was preserved, and made much better.

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http://www.reel2reel2cd.com/

Betts Bookstore Spotlighted

Under the headline, "Laid off, Fairfielder finds new career selling Stephen King collectibles" Karen Kovacs of Fairfield Citizen offers a great person of interest story on David Williamson. Williamson is the owner of Betts Bookstore. A collector himself, Williamson bought the store when he was laid off.

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Just a personal note -- I really liked this article. I hope you'll check it out. More than that, I am hopeful that the King community will continue to support Williamson the way they did when the store was located in Bangor. Our contact with Williamson has been fantastic. He certainly knows the market, and has a keen eye for being able to find exactly what you're looking for. Also, when dealing with King collections it's important to know what things are worth. As the article notes, "Williamson knows first-hand how the collectible market operates, because he has been one of its consumers for almost two decades." Anyway, back to the story . . .

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What was Stu Tinker's response to the idea of selling Betts to Williamson? "He said he would rather sell his business to someone like me because he knew it would be in good hands," Williamson explained.

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This is the best quote: "I love what I am doing. It's such a gift to me to be able to be with my family on a day-in, day-out basis, too."

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By the way, he is also the model Michael Whelan (a personal friend of his) used for the character Father Callahan in the Discordia project.

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If you're going to purchase Full Dark, No Stars you might as well purchase from Betts. http://www.bettsbooks.com/w95020ai.html

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The artcle is here: http://www.fairfieldcitizenonline.com/news/article/Laid-off-Fairfielder-finds-new-career-selling-450447.php

you can also read an interview with David Williamson at King's website:

http://www.stephenking.com/darktower/interview1.html

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The photo is from stephenking.com

Hunting The Mist Unabridged -- Alas

Well, at last, I found a copy of The Mist Unabridged. Not the 3D version, but the old audio tape edition read by Frank Muller. An ex-library copy that came from a collector. So how did I find it? Well, it turned out not to be so hard.

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David at Betts bookstore has the amazing ability to find Stephen king books. He had posted recently that he likes helping people find books, so we sent him an email. A tough order, he acknowledged, but he might know a source. Sure enough, he came through! The tapes arrived today, with very kind instructions on how to properly transfer them to CD for personal use. So, from me, a big thanks once again to Betts bookstore. Not sure if he could ever find another copy of the Mist, but if you're looking for a particular King book then Betts is still a great place to start. http://www.bettsbooks.com/w95020ai.html

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I know, the masses are eating up the 3D edition and the movie. But I really like this edition for a couple of reasons reasons. First, it's read by Frank Muller. He was absolutely the best reader ever when it came to Stephen King. Frank reads with a clear voice that keeps a steady pace without rushing. He doesn't give long pauses or play with words, but he also doesn't ram right through it. His reading was truly unique.

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I also like this recording because it's King's words building the story, not special effects (either audio or visual) And, when it comes down to it, that's why we read Stephen King, because he has the ability to draw pictures in our minds that cameras just can't catch. As the New York Times put it, "The first sentence starts the reader's internal movie projector humming."

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Take special note of the Publishers Weekly quote. If ever there is a case for bringing this edition back, they have hit a home run. "Muller's reading is one of the best audio adaptations of king's work that has yet been done and there are moments in it that are truly frightening even without special audio effects and eerie music. Relying only on Muller's talents, Recorded Books has made a movie for the mind and given a sometimes unsettling life to one of the best horror stories of the last 25 years," Publishers Weekly.

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"King's classic tale of a nightmare invasion of monsters receives a vivid, memorable narration by Frank Muller: It's hard to stop listening to this compelling psychological thriller."

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Just an FYI, it was published in arrangement with NAL. which means that if anyone wants to write and ask that this be re-published on CD, best to contact NAL.

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Seems like Recorded Books was primarily selling to three groups in the 80's and 90's (when this was in print) 1. Libraries. 2. The Blind. 3. Lending club. They had a popular system where you could rent books on tape. Remember, audio books really didn't get super popular until the late 80's, at least as a product for mainstream sales.

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http://talkstephenking.blogspot.com/2010/03/hunting-mist-unabridged.html

Betts Bookstore

David, from Betts Bookstore has a very heartfelt / newsy post on his website. As he states below, David is not just businessman running a bookstore, he's a fan and constant reader of Stephen King. I'm re-posting it with his permission.
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For me, Betts has always proven to be the best place to buy Stephen King -- anything! From books to magazines to magnets, they have it all. Since they know the market, what prices ought to be, and what really is valuable and what isn't. For me, they've proven reliable.
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A FEW WORDS FROM DAVID
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As the new owner of Betts Books, I thought I would share my story/background with you.
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I have been a Stephen King fan and Constant Reader for a significant portion of my life and an avid collector of his works for 15 years. I purchased a first edition copy of the 1978 version of The Stand from Betts as my first King collectible and have not looked back since. Up until recently, I was fortunate enough to have a great job that afforded me the privilege of feeding my “collectors bug.” Over the years, I have amassed a personal collection that I am proud of and have met and become friends with many other collectors as well as people who are well known in the community, such as renowned artists Michael Whelan and Jae Lee. The Dark Tower series is perhaps my personal favorite, and I have been fortunate to add many Dark Tower books (as well as other King novels) to my collection that have original art drawn into the books by the artist. These sketches are referred to as remarques, and I have posted pictures of two that Michael Whelan did for me in copies of The Gunslinger (see images above). I think Michael inspired some other artists into doing remarques, because both Ned Dameron (The Waste Lands) and Don Maitz (Desperation) have recently done several remarques which have been sold to collectors.
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I also recently had the honor of being a model for Michael Whelan in the new artwork he did for Stephen King’s Discordia project which launched in early December at www.stephenking.com. I am the new face of Father Callahan.
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My purchase of Betts Books last December came about in an unexpected way. Last March, like millions of other Americans, I was laid off of my job. For the last 18 years, I have been a research analyst for an overseas bank. Finding new work in the Financial Services industry has been difficult to say the least, so last fall, when Stu decided to try to sell Betts (or close it down if no buyer stepped forward), my family was supportive of my acquiring the business. Sadly, the store in Bangor was closed and I have relocated the business to Connecticut. I am committed in my heart and soul to continuing the service and high level of trust and integrity that you all expect from Betts.
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That said, I still must find additional work to support my wife and three children in our home. Times are still tough for many people, myself included. That is just the reality of the situation today, but that will not prevent me from providing to all of you the best service, new inventory, and the most care I can offer. Thank you loyal customers for supporting Betts Books in the past, present and future.
David, http://www.bettsbooks.com/w95020ai.html#girl

Note From Betts New Proprietor

This note is on Betts Bookstores current inventory page. No, it was not bought by Mr. Gaunt -- which is probably good since I can imgine S.K. fans gladly playing tricks on each other to get their hands on some of the stuff in that store! Anyway, here's the note from Mr. David Williams.
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Dear Loyal Customers, Friends and Constant Readers,
It is with great honor and enthusiasm that I assume the role of caretaker of Betts Books. My name is David Williamson and I have been a King fan and collector for many years. My predecessor, Stuart Tinker, held the position for nearly 20 years, and he is a well-known and respected figure in the Stephen King community. I would like to thank Stu for his dedication over the past years and for inspiring in so many of us a passion for all things Stephen King. My first King collectible was purchased from Stu almost 15 years ago.
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Betts Books is synonymous with authenticity, quality and service, and I intend to uphold these values as the new owner. One of my long-term goals is to help expand people’s knowledge and appreciation for the literary works of Stephen King and to be an advocate for reading in general. I also plan to continue my support of one of Stephen’s charities, The Haven Foundation, a national, nonprofit organization making grants to freelance writers and artists experiencing career-threatening trauma.
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I simply could not be more delighted to be the new proprietor of Betts Books, and I look forward to providing you with the utmost care and consideration. I have several ideas for taking the business in new directions, so stay tuned! Also a major renovation of the web site is planned for spring.In the meantime, I am able to process orders but am still working feverishly to get all the behind-the-scenes workings up and running and to unpack the inventory. So, please do contact me with your orders but I ask your patience and understanding as I get the process of running this on-line bookstore running smoothly.Many thanks and happy holidays to all of you.David
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http://www.bettsbooks.com/w95020ai.html

Betts Bookstore -- Sold

The following note was added to the bookstore website this week:

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BETTS BOOKSTORE HAS BEEN SOLD!
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As of December 1, 2009 Betts will be owned and operated by David Williamson. Many of you know David because of his interest in Stephen King, and especially his Dark Tower Series Collection.
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Until David takes over, Penney and Stu will continue running the store as we have for the past 19 years. We are still buying and selling every day,and the e-mail address, telephone numbers and mailing address all remain the same. We have enjoyed every day spent here at the storeand cherish the friendships we have made over the years.

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For those of us who never met Penny and Stu, all we can say is thank you for all the hard work. They made buying Stephen King a reliable thing. (Please don't buy signed items off ebay!) Every order was dealt with professionally. Stu has always been able to describe exactly what he has in stock, assess what it's fair value is, and give his honest opinion.

Simon and Schuster Cuts Libraries

David Rothman reports that Simon and Schuster will not be supplying e-books to public libraries—but 5,400 public libraries are lending other publishers’ e-titles.

Rothman writes, "You may be out of luck if you want to borrow a library e-book by Stephen King or Bob Woodward or other titles published by Simon & Schuster."

Spokesman Adam Rothberg said, “We have not found a business model that works for us and our authors.”

I'll say! Remember the frustration Betts Bookstore expressed in Simon and Schuster's decision not to sell any of their limited copies through bookstores. Bookstores got no special rate (making it pointless to sell King). Now the latest on S&S radar, Libraries.

S&S has a right to desire to make a healthy profit. However, by cutting out bookstores and libraries, they may be biting the hand that feeds them.

http://talkstephenking.blogspot.com/2009/08/betts-bookstore-comments-on-publishing.html

http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/15/why-simon-schuster-isnt-supplying-e-books-to-public-libraries-nyt-writes-up-5400-public-libraries-leading-e/

My Impossible Stephen King Wish List

Or. . . why my wife is crying.
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So, here it is. The great dream list all in one place. If I just had another thousand. . . ten. . . twenty thousand. . . well, about fifty thousand dollars to shop at Betts.
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THE STAND - 1991 Signed and numbered Limited Edition - As New In The Wooden Box - ($2,600) So what if a Charles Dickens first edition of David Copperfield is half the price. . .
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CARRIE - UK First Edition - FLAT SIGNED - Hardcover in Dust Jacket as issued. On title page: Flat signed by Stephen King in blue felt tip pen. ($2,500)
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Dark Tower Series - Donald M. Grant - Complete set of signed and numbered limited edition Dark Tower Books I - VII Signed Fine ($9,500)
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The Plant - Philtrim Press 1982, 1983 US - Proof Publisher's proof manuscript set for Parts I & II with hand corrections by Stephen King & Michael Alpert. ($4,250)
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Legends Package received from Robert Silverberg, book editior & contributor. It contains a copy of edited unbound manuscript that would be used for setting the book in type. Includes the original submission manuscripts from all contributors including, King's story "The Little Sisters of Eluria", edited & assembled by Silverberg. Proof copy with corrections by Silverberg before being transferred to master galley proofs. The manuscript that was delivered to TOR in agents (Ralph Vincenza) box. Complete SK correspondence file between King & Silverberg including letters, hologram letter from King talking about his story, copy of fax from King (on thermal paper, very fragile) discussing editorial comments. Signed. ($19,000) -- see why my wife is weeping?
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The Green Mile - Numbered Edition. ($1,600)
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Danse Macabre Everest House 1981 US - Proof Master galley proofs. Unbound long sheets with hand corrections by King and the proofreader throughout. ($5,000.00)
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Desperation - Grant Gift Edition - In maroon slipcase - Fully illustrated ($75.00)
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The Colorado Kid - Signed and numbered limited Edition ($1,600)
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DOLAN'S CADILLAC - #230 of 1,000 ($450)
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Skeleton Crew - S/L Scream Press ($900)
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ROADWORK - US First ($75.00) Of course, I'd like all the Bachman books in their original state. Actually, these are surprisingly well priced.
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CHRISTINE - S/L - #813 ($1,250)
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HEARTS IN ATLANTIS, Proof Copy ($50.00)
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ART: GUNSLINGER ON THE BEACH- 32" X 22" - signed and numbered ($195.00) Wouldn't my walls look pretty? Actually, I'd probably hang it in the closet. . . wouldn't want it stolen. ?
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British edition: SKELETON CREW Macdonald 1985 1ST EDITION BOOK ($150.00)
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FANGORIA #28 - On the Dead Zone Set ($10.00)
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FANGORIA #130 3/94 THE STAND ($8.00)
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PEOPLE 12/9-1/5/81 KING TOP 25 1980 TWO PAGE ARTICLE ($15.00)
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Oh yeah, and one impulse item:
Betts Bookstore "Stephen King Tote Bag" ($10.00)
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And. . .
License Plate Frame: "My Other Car Is Christine" ($2.95)
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Oh yeah, and 1 Stephen King magnet. ($2.50)
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_________________________________________
Total: $49,243.45
Tax: ?
Shipping ?
Grand Total: TOTALLY WORTH IT!

My wife is getting superly ticked.

But hey, lookie there: I'm still under the $50,000 mark.

Ebay Under The Dome

Ebay is a great way to build a Stephen King collection. Last week I watched a lot of 37 King books, most of them red leather bound Stephen King library editions go on auction. I held back from bidding -- and then forgot. They went for 31.00. !!! Yikes!

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But there are a few things that irritate me. For one, advanced copies of Under The Dome for sale. Isn't this a breach of the agreement the reader/reviewer made when receiving the book?

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Another irritation is people who blatantly violate copywrite laws. Both The Stand and IT are often offered on MP3 download. But. . . something stinks here because you can't buy these books in audio edition from any legal, credible source. Something very naughty is up and I doubt Santa will be visiting their houses. Or better yet, lock them in under the Dome.

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What I don't buy from ebay -- ever : Signed copies of King books. I'm sure some are legit, but I'm doubtful. Too easy for forget Kings signature. If you want signed stuff, buy from either the publisher or Betts Bookstore.

The History Of SKIN

SKIN: Stephen King Information Network
The following is by Lori Zuccaro. I'm reprinting it from a 2 page typed document -- I found it very interesting.
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They say that there's a time and place for everything. well, if that's true, it's obviously the time for Stephen King newsletter. The last King newsletter was publishedbetween 1985 and 1989. It was called Castle Rock. In one of the last issues of this newletter, Ray Rexer wrote a poem titled, "I don't care what people say, Castle Rock is here to stay." It has been said many times that SKIN is the next Castle Rock. Maybe it is. . . I don't know, but what I do know is that it's an honest attempt to simply combine the knowledge of many people who admire and study King's works and share them with others.
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I don't like people to call it a "Fan Club" or a "Fanzine" beause I think there's much more to King than stardom. In fact, his stardom is the least interesting to me personally. What I like about King is his love of writing and his honest attempt (and success) of putting thoughts onto paper and making them come alive. It's his literary abilities that I try to incoperate in SKIN and try to avoid being too fanish. OF course, you can't avoid all of this, and not all of that is necessarily bad. It's okay for us to idolize someone who is extremely talented. But it's not okay to distort the true talent someone has and create a Hollywood image of them. Anyway, let's move on to the heart of what SKIN is and where it's come from.
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SKIN (Stephen King Information Network) began in April, 1994 on a computer online system called America online. One night I sat down and typed a message on one of the bulletin boards dedicated to King. I wrote and asked people who wanted to participate to email me any news or comments they have regarding King. I then promised to summerize the responses on a monthly basis.
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That was the beginning of what I didn't know at the time, a Stephen King newsletter. I had many many responses. People wrote and asked me questions and asked to be included on my mailing list. I got so much mail that I decided the best way to summerize this news would be in a newsletter format. So I did it. I sent the first issue in May and had loads of wonderful letters asking for more SKIN. Once July came around, I had people asking for subscriptions to the newsletter, especially those who didn't have access to America Online. Things moved very quickly. . . and still are I might add! I established a subscription fee that would simply cover the cost of producing the newsletter, mailing it, etc. During the following month I also made business cards, letterheads, registered the name of the newsletter, consulted the copywright office, etc. I guess you could say things were pretty official and busy once July started.
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I had the fortune of meeting many wonderful people who helped me more than I can say. This newsletter would not exist if weren't for the many devoted members and friends of SKIN. One of my first members, Charlie Fried has become an indisposable friend and contributor. He's helped me decide on subscription fees, how distribute SKIN, contributes monthly articles, plus hundres of other things.
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In September, Louise Dragon created the logo of SKIN. It made its appearance in the October issue and is now a sort of trademark you could say. Then I began to have the pleasure of corrospondance of Steve Spignesi, George Behm, Michael Collings, Dave Hinchberger, Stu Tinker and too many other to mention. My point is that I didn't create SKIN by myself. It was created by many people who wrote to me often with ideas, news, comments, etc., and contributed time and love to the newsletter. SKIN has become more than an internet of people who enjoy King and his works. It has become an internet of friends which will last a lifetime. I have had many compliments on the newsletter and hope that all will continue to enjoy it as much as I enjoy producing it.

http://www.librarything.com/author/zuccarolori

Stephen King From A to Z article: (this is a good book)
http://books.google.com/books?id=2BcECkYB7uoC&lpg=PA195&ots=XaI3xq7qdj&dq=Lori%20zuccaro%22&pg=PA195#v=onepage&q=Lori%20zuccaro%22&f=false

The overlook says: "From 1994 to 1995, SKIN (Stephen King Information Network) produced eighteen newsletters. SKIN began as a newsletter on the internet, but soon discovered that people with no access to computers, also wanted to receive current King information. With news, illustrations, and articles by authors Stephen Spignesi, George Beahm and others. Each newsletter is stamped Certified Skin Original' as issued.'"
http://overlookconnection.com/product_info.php?products_id=1312

Betts Bookstore -- A Home Run!

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Since we live in California our contact with Betts bookstore has been solely by phone -- we call in an order, and they faithfully fill it. We find their pricing and knowledge right on. Of course, sometimes ebay is chaper, but often people on the internet don't reall know what they're working with.

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The other day my wife bought me a "Stephen King grab-bag." A what?, I asked. What's a grab bag? "They were cleaning out their back room and put a bunch of stuff in a grab bag. It's all Stephen King, you'll like it," she promised. I was very excited because I knew it was coming from Betts, and they don't let down -- ever. I knew that if my wife paid $75 for a "grab-bag" then we would get more than our money's worth.

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When my wife talked to Stu he said, "This should get there on Friday." He was right. The box was heavy, which excited me. So what was inside? I was afraid I had just paid for some old shirts. No -- it was a box full of. . . stuff. Lots of stuff. Odds and ends. It took a while to process. Soon our kitchen table was full as we spread out the items. Our children gathered round, interested in all the things coming out of the box. We were thrilled.

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A few things:

• Posters.


• Postcards.
  
• Bookcovers (paperback and hardcover).
  
• Newsletters.
  
• Ticket stubs.
  
• Wizard and glass booklet.
  
• Photo's.
  
• The Dark Tower comic book series.
  
• IT promotional booklet.
  
• Paperwork. Like legal briefs and more.
  
• Bookmarks.
  
• Tickets from Stephen King readings.
  
• Lawnmowerman VHS cover, and stickers to cover up King's name.
  
• The Collector, a new introduction by S.K.
  
• Phantasmayoria. (Bookelt/newsletter by George Beahm)
  
• Promotional brochure of the stage production of Misery.
  
• Tickets to the halloween showing of Carrie.
  
• Large set of "The Red Letter" (a newsletter booklet by Greg Htchkiss).
  
• Trading Cards.
  
• Dustjackets.
  
• SKIN, Stephen King Information Network newletters.
  
• Ads clipped or torn from papers.
  
• Magazine pages.

And, one more thing: A scrap book. Who's scrap book? Charlie Fried's, I think. Actually, I'm pretty sure. It has his picture, and lots of persnal notes to himf rom editors. Charlie Fried was a well known super-collector. I read an interview with him in The Essential Stephen King. So there I sat with this little scrap book of really, really cool stuff -- and I'm thinking: Wow, Charlie Fried put this together! (In other words: Someone know knows what they're doing).

The Scrapbook is full of his personal notes. A lot about his trip to Maine, and ersonal pictures of things in Bangor related to King. A personal picture of King's home and the sandpipe. It is, to me at least, priceless. Not just that it can't be bought in a bookstore, but the feeling that it was assembled by someone who really thought highly of King. I thumbed through it once to figure out what it was, then kept going back to it, ralizing it was the real prize in the box. A big thanks to Betts for making this available.

Betts Bookstore comments on publishing practices

This is posted on Bett's website. Just as a personal note, I totally agree with them. I also fell for the below described "$75.00 rip off edition" and worse, found out after ordering it that it's much, much cheaper on Amazon. As explained below, Scribner's practices certainly set out to benefit the big dogs in the business and cut out the little guy.
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"Since Scribner has announced three states of this book, they have changed plans faster than most people change socks. As of today (07/31/2009) it looks like there will be the $35.00 trade edition, a $75.00 rip off edition that will have colored end papers (big whoop!), a slipcase, and some cards of the illustrations. Then the biggy is of course, the signed limited edition.
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And that brings up this: Scribner has now decided that the this $200 signed edition is carrying no discount, cannot be ordered by stores, and will only be available for sale to consumers online at either King's web site or Simon & Schusters/Scribners. Great news you say. But, as a business trying to make a living selling books, it is a huge slap in the face, be it us here at Betts Bookstore, or a Borders or Barnes and Noble store. If we have to compete with the very people we buy the books from, why bother? As it is we compete with the Costco's and Sam's Clubs. So we will make a decision about selling Under The Dome at all. We probably will just hold our nose and do it." http://www.bettsbooks.com/
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what makes me hang my head is when Betts calls the book i just paid $75 for a "rip off edition." why? Bill Gates telling you your computer isn't any good. . . he's in a position to know. If anyone knows what's valuable in the world of S.K., Betts does.

Betts: Where I Want To Go On Vacation

We're off on our Summer vacation. After the birth of a baby and a pretty grueling year of work, it's time for a couple of weeks of work. Where ae we going? To usual haunts. There is a palce I'd love to go -- Betts Book Store.
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It may be best I don't go, since the reality is probably not as cool as how I imagine it. I imagine a place full of every King book as well as stuff I didn't know existed. Just the website is cool! I've certainly given Betts a good chunk of my money, they are the safest place to buy King stuff from. I would never buy a signed item from the internet; Betts is the best place. They're great because they know what they are dealing with.

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Now, just to be clear: Such a vacation would not be fun without a bunch of cash! A whole lot. Maybe 100k. Funny, I don't have any need to meet Mr. King or see his house. . . just visit the official (unofficial?) bookstore. That would be fun! Besides, it would be fun to see the Maine countryside after reading about it all these years.

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http://www.bettsbooks.com/