Hey, so guess how I spent my lunch break today? That’s right, watching book files upload. I managed to put the wraps on GameSpite Quarterly 5 on this train to work, and it is now ready to be transmuted into an actual physical object through the magic of commerce. Let me say, it is a huge — unspeakably huge — relief to be done with this issue. We very nearly bit off more than we could chew with such a beast of a book, and I pretty much have had zero free time for the past six weeks. I’ve learned an important life lesson about the importance of moderation! Yay, Care Bear hug.
The issue is available in two versions: The paperback edition, which is priced at $21, and the deluxe hardcover, which is $43. This is more expensive than usual, but the book is also more than twice the size of GameSpite Quarterly 1. Seriously, the proof issue was dense enough to kill a man, and that wasn’t even printed in hardcover.
It seems like that free shipping offer works for everyone and it runs through the end of the month, so if you’re interested in picking up a copy I’d recommend doing so in August rather than September. In fact, I blitzed this thing last night to make sure everyone has the widest window of opportunity possible for getting the shipping break; Blurb’s postal fees are a bit excessive, so anything I can do to mitigate them for everyone is always welcome. Be sure to input the code SHIPPINGFREE at checkout (or SHIPPINGFREE1 if you’re paying with UK currency, which incidentally exchanges rather favorably at the moment).
As for the book itself, I really do hope everyone likes it. We’ve put a ridiculous amount of work into it. And yeah, we’ve written about the NES and Famicom a fair amount over the years; this book is sort of our definitive personal statement on the matter. I did a ton of research and fact-checking for my articles, and I know everyone else put forth the same effort. I think the results are pretty solid, a good mix of fact, history, and personal anecdote. It’s kind of hard for me to judge until I get a little distance from the production process, though. I’ll have a clearer perspective in a year or so.
Naturally, no one is ever under any obligation to buy our books. Our writing isn’t some precious gem that can only be appreciated for an exchange of capital. As ever, the contents of this issue will make their way to the site over the coming months (along with the remainder of content from issues three and four), so if money is of greater scarcity to you than time, your patience will be rewarded with a bumper crop of words and images about NES games.
Anyway, my lunch hour ended about five minutes ago, so I guess I will stop babbling about this. Please to enjoy the books, and keep checking back for content postings.
Guess I’ll get started on issue six tonight….
Totally ordering this and the other couple GameSpite books I don’t have yet immediately, even though I really shouldn’t spend money on anything other than the essentials for the next, like, 6 months. You folks are just too intelligent/witty/informative/entertaining with your writing.
Man, don’t break the bank for this stuff. It’ll be in print indefinitely.
Ordered! You guys are keeping me grounded in paper books for the time being! ;)
“Sorry, this promotion has reached its maximum use.” Looks like we killed Blurb again.
Did you order anything with it yesterday? It’s one use per account. I have trouble believing they’d offer a discount for two weeks and then “run out” the next day.
In for 1! I figure softcover should hold up fine over the years if I keep good care of it.
Also, the coupon code worked just fine for me.
Coupon code worked for me as well.
“I have trouble believing they’d offer a discount for two weeks and then “run out” the next day.”
Remember the KFC free chicken debacle last summer?
But KFC is a different business model! It is not chicken-on-demand!
Ah yeah, I used it yesterday for Year 1 part Dos. Should’ve waited!
…And I just found a book to add to my birthday list. Thanks GameSpite!
Yeah…that promotion turned into riots on demand…brought to you by Oprah and The Colonel!
Oh no! Why didn’t I wait a day! Ordered GSYear1 Vol2 yesterday with freeship code. Now I wanna order GSQ5, but when I put in coupon I get this. “This promotion has reached its maximum use.”
But all ends well. Made a new Blurb account with a new credit card and bingo 7$ shipping saved!
So key thing is code only works once with your account. Make a new one if you are dumb and used it yesterday to order books like me and want to order the new one now.
Been aspiring to picking up one of these for a while. I almost bit the bullet with 4, but I was moving around too much back then. But, that has been remedied. I just ordered copies of 4 and 5. I’ll be looking forward to them excitedly. You don’t even KNOW. ;)
SHIPPINGFREE4 coupon code for anyone needing shipment to Canada =D
Just under £24 for a well written 440 page book is incredible value for money. I never actually owned an NES (my gaming was done on a Commodore 64 at the time) so will find this incredibly useful in working out which games I should be playing!
ordered paperback, an absolute bargain with free shipping to UK
When I’ve read it I might add it to the Sumo Digital library
Thanks for the rush job, Jeremy. Mine is ordered, SHIPPINGFREE.
Too bad the free shipping offer doesn’t apply to France…but I bought it anyway. I had to go for the soft cover because of that, but… I like soft covers. Now i just have to wait!
Ordered mine, free shipping and all.
Now if only you had a booth at PAX from which to sell these…
Parish, you have bested my wife’s attempts to give birth prior to this book’s release. Now I will have reading material appropriate for short sessions between baby crying jags late into the night. Me thanks you.
Just ordered, with free shipping. Thanks for the rush job, it’s greatly appreciated!
Ordered. I am unreasonably (or perhaps, reasonably?) excited for this issue.
Maybe it should become Gamespite Trimesterly? Or Gamespite Semesterly? I love the work you do, but I don’t want you to burn out.
@parish: I guess I should’ve been more specific. I shouldn’t be spending money on non-essentials because I threw some money around to buy some of the Dragon Quest games I didn’t have (as well as some records and books. Non-DQ ones, I mean). Plus, hey, free shipping!
Could you outsource the design element? GSQ5 looks really good, but surely your talents lie in the writing?
It’s not really a question of burn-out, at least not in this case. It’s more Parish going “Wait! Stop the presses! We need to write a gigantic issue covering every single NES game ever made!*” This involved both shifting gears a fair deal into the writing cycle and, seriously, writing an insane number of articles.
*Not a guarantee.
Wooooo! What an excellent crossroads of events. New GSQ + Free Shipping + first raise-enhanced paycheck = the perfect time to pick up the Year One books as well.
Looks great, Jeremy, can’t wait to get it! Just out of curiosity, did you study design?
My major was graphic design, as a matter of fact.
Thanks, ordered. I wonder though: would you sell more copies if you didn’t release the material online?
I doubt it, matt, at least not a huge number. People buying the print releases are doing it because they *want* print – something they can read while not staring at a monitor all day. And it takes several months for the articles to trickle out online, so people who enjoy the early adopter glow can get that, too.
Also, we authors enjoy the fact that our stuff can be read (eventually) even by people who can’t really justify dropping $20 on frivolities. It’s not like we’re doing this hobby-level publication in search of big cash dividends.
The point isn’t really to sell books in any case.
How do you become a contributor?
You must survive… the Gom Jabbar.
That’s his kind-hearted attempt to tell you walk-ons are as welcome as a gay westerner in Saudi Arabia, sir!
I thought it was just an attempt to segue into a Frank Herbert discussion.