Kage Baker loved receiving the boxes of her books when they came – the promotional copies, the author’s copies. She’d gloat over them, inhaling their scent and checking out the covers and illustrations (if any).
One copy would go on the Brag Shelf by her desk right away, officially On Display. She’d keep the others in their boxes by her desk for a few days – to pet them, I think – before they moved to the big closet in my room. That closet was the Official Book Repository – also where we kept the holiday deco, and our various assorted costumes. All the products and tools of mind and heart, you see.
At the moment, the Brag Shelf is not completely re-constructed. Soon it will be, though. The extras are all in storage, not as close as a bedroom closet but still of easy access when I need to pull a copy of something. And just now, the UPS man came staggering up on the front porch with three big boxes for me; brand new books!
The Corgi and the parrot went nuts, at least half a block before he got here. They can tell the UPS truck at a vast distance, and are both convinced the poor man who drives it is a ravening monster. And they egg one another on, yelling and barking at him; if Harry gets especially excited, he also meows at the unfortunate driver. God only knows what kinds of wild beasts the guy thinks live here. He wasn’t too thrilled at the three boxes, either, and wanted to know what the heck was in them? Some kind of enormous Amazon Books delivery?
Not quite. It’s my copies of The Best of Kage Baker. Three leather-bound copies, a dozen hard-covers, and another dozen soft covers. I think. They’re gorgeous – covers by Kage’s very favourite illustrator, J. K. Potter, and interior illustrations, too! I need to sort them all out – some are already spoken for – and see precisely what I have before I put them safe away.
And then – why, I’ll be able to tell how many I can spare as goodies for you faithful Dear Readers. Because I will have a few to give away as my heart wills, and not as marketing expedience demands; and I mean to offer them to you.
And in the meanwhile, the UPS man better get used to this. These are not the only boxes that will be arriving here. Not if my luck holds!
Kathleen, Kage and the Company 
Hurrah! What a lovely, lovely delivery. Enjoy!
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There are few things as delicious as a leather bound book.
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Oh how splendid. Bound in leather, ain’t it grand. With illustrations and all. looking forward to a look see. I know that the volumes we have, of the high toned editions of Kage’s books, are simply pleasing to hold and read because of the care of the Publishers. These sound spectacular.
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It was a good day down here in San Diego as well. I received my dear copy of The Best of Kage Baker as well (#58!). Everything Kage did was wonderful…How can this truly be the Best? I still miss having her here with us all.
-Brad
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Brad – the title should have been “The Best of Kage Baker that fits in a sanely-sized book and hasn’t been reprinted too often somewhere else.” But the publisher didn’t think it really sang. Still, I tried to include the stuff I really did think was best, and/or that Kage herself liked. The things of which she was proud.
Do read the dedication, though. That’s from my head.
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That’s a far better title. Thank you.
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There really is nothing quite as exciting! What a great day!
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Few things as splendid as KAGE’S leathe bound books!
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You’ll love this one, Anne – I have a copy set aside for you. Not only is the cover illustration lovely, there’s an interior illustration for every story!
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Thank you!!!!! See you this Saturday? (did my e-mail drop into spam?)
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Anne – no, I got it AND sent an answer. I’ll send it again.
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I can’t wait to see it/them! Congratulations – You made this happen!
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This is far beyond wonderful, Kate. Congratulations – you make so many good things happen.
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The days Kage’s books would arrive were some of the happiest of my life. Thank you, Kathleen, for seeing this one through, and making it happen. I can’t wait to read your dedication, I have and assorted menagerie of meows, woofs ,neighs,chirps here too, but on a day a new Kage Baker book would arrive, I was probably making all those sounds myself.
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I make excellent baked goods (chocolate chip cookies, salted caramels, macarons, coconut cake…), not that I’m trying to bribe you for one of those lovely leatherbound books or anything. Nope, nothing of the sort.
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I pre-ordered this as soon as Subterranean notified me of it–months and months ago, it seems. But I got a note that it’s been shipped and I’m hoping it will be there waiting for me when I get home. Congratulations! It looks like a lovely book.
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