Alcatraz out?

[Phaz]

I preordered a copy of Alcatraz from Amazon.  A day or two ago I got an email saying it would be in sooner than they expected, today I got an email saying it shipped. 

Isn't this supposed to be out much later?

Also, is the site going really slow for anyone else?  The main page with the topics works fine, but when I click on a link (like for the MB3 cover) it takes a really long time, then times out.

[WriterDan]

Has been happening sporadically for me too.  Doesn't seem to make a difference if I'm logged in or not.

[EUOL]

I don't know what was up with the site slowdown.  Seems to have passed.  Maybe we'd gotten close to our bandwith here for the month, and so things were lethargic?

It's really strange that they'd say Alcatraz has shipped.  Let me know if you actually get it.  It isn't odd for books to ship or appear on shelves a week or so before the release date, but a month early?  That's kind of odd.  Keep me posted.

[EUOL]

UPDATE:

My agent found a copy on shelves this morning, so I guess it IS coming out early.  Uh...surprise?

[Phaz]

Yea, Amazon is definitely shipping it early.  My copy just got here.  I can't wait to read it.

The cover looks really good on the book, even better than the digital picture.

[Tink]

Yay! I was waiting to order Well of Ascension when I had two books to order from Amazon so I could get free shipping. I just ordered both. Yay! Yay! Granted, it says it likely won't ship till the 12th and then it's 5-9 days for shipping, but oh well. They're on their way (sort of). Thanks for letting us know it was released early (though I really am surprised that it was a month early. That's EARLY!).

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Ours arrived today. This is one good-looking book.

What kind of marketing push is it getting?

[EUOL]

So so.  We wanted more, but they're doing some things, at least.  Flying me to Ala Reno and to Mountains and Plains independent Booksellers conference.  No co-op money on the hardback, but I've never gotten hardback co-op. 

[stacer]

Is that next year's summer ALA? Midwinter is in Philadelphia, I think. For the next year I'll be at both of those, guaranteed, because I'm on the Publishers Liaison Committee.

[EUOL]

Stacy,

No, it's not the actual ALA.  It's a regional one for the west; it's in Reno this year in late October. 

[Aen Elderberry]

Will there be a local booksigning for Alcatraz?

[EUOL]

Yes indeed there will!  Most of them will happen in late October and early November, since I'm on book tour all through the first weeks of October.  I'll be back in Salt Lake on the 18th, I think, and in Provo somewhere around the 19th.  Then, we hope to have a signing somewhere in the area every weekend up through Christmas.

Two are set right now:  Black Friday (the Friday after thanksgiving) at the Provo Waldenbooks and BYU preview night in November. 

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Here's hoping the word of mouth is good.

Did a review copy get sent to Locus?

[stacer]

No, it's not the actual ALA.  It's a regional one for the west; it's in Reno this year in late October. 

I'm not familiar with the regional shows; never been to one. They do tend to attract the librarians who can't afford to travel all the way to the national, though, and with it being in D.C. this year, there will probably have been a lot of Western people who couldn't make it.

[Nessa]

I bought my copy, I'm about halfway through it and enjoying it. But I must say...


You are a silly, silly man.