Printer's Proof Received

Calidar takes another step forward.

The printer delivered the book's proof copy yesterday.  The UPS fellow left the box outside, at my door, and drove away without ringing my bell.  Since it was a stormy day, this could have been bad.  But I was expecting his visit, so I rushed downstairs and grabbed it.  Before going further, I'll post a few pictures of the book for a sneak preview of the real thing.

 

Finally, I'm very happy to hold the real thing in my hands.  The good news is that the initial printer's hardcover proof came through with flying colors.  This means that another round of corrections isn't needed.  On the other hand, the files' approval process with DTRPG and their printer and ordering the mandatory printer's proof turned out to be much slower than I had foreseen, even when paying for rush delivery which saved at least a week's worth of time.

So what's left?  Before I begin sending everyone's Kickstarter rewards, I need to obtain the Admiral backers' copies from DTRPG so I can autograph and mail them as promised along with everyone else's.  I've already ordered these books, and it may take a few weeks for DTRPG to print and deliver them.  Shipping all of the backers' rewards, included those at the Admiral tier will take probably as long.  Books for backers at all the other levels and online PDFs will be delivered directly from DTRPG.  All of the poster maps and their cloth version have already been packaged and are sitting in my entrance, all six USPS bins overflowing with bubble-padded mailers.  I suspect most of these will reach you before the books, as they are shipped separately.

Since the hardcover book is good to go, I have submitted to DTRPG the files for the softcover version.  I'm not expecting trouble with them so the softcover book should be approved and checked before I'm ready to send off your Kickstarter rewards.  The same is true with online digital files (In Stranger Skies, and Under the Great Vault--the promotional short stories).  All said, the final fulfillment process will therefore happen in September.  Considering the time needed for DTRPG to print and deliver, with about half of you residing outside the United States, don't expect the books until the second half of September at the very earliest.  Those intended for Europe and Asia will be printed and mailed directly from the UK, which should help limit delivery times.  This is much later than I wanted, but control at this level is out of my hands.  Books and poster maps will not become available for general public sales until after all the Kickstarter rewards are in the mail.

I hope this update answered all of your questions.  We're moving, more slowly than ideal, but we're getting ahead at last, and everything looks great.  That's the real good news here.  For a first attempt at publishing a big book with a lot of strings attached (who gets what, digital files, two book versions, separate poster maps, cloth maps, bookmarks, etc.) in an environment that is now so utterly alien to the one with which I'd grown familiar at old TSR some twenty years ago, it's immensely reassuring (to me, certainly).  The project has been a huge learning (or re-learning) experience, which will most definitely have an impact on the follow-up project.  Thank you all for you kindness and patience. 

Published by Calidar Publishing, PO BOX 625, Burlington WI 53105 USA
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©2014 Bruce A. Heard. All Rights Reserved.