I love my fans like nobody's business. I've worked my ass off to get where I am, and I continue to do so to this day, but I never
forget that it is my readers who give me the life that I have.
"Wait a minute ," you say, "how come you're not calling us
Junkies?"
Hold yer pants up, belt-less, I'm getting to that.
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Mint condition, bitches. Get some and help a grieving father out a little bit.[/caption]
A concerned fan emailed us two days ago, telling us about
this amazing eBay auction: all five of the GFL limited-edition hardcovers, in mint condition. This includes three books (THE ROOKIE, THE ALL-PRO and THE MVP) that are completely out of print. THE ROOKIE alone can go anywhere from $60 to $250 depending on condition (and some people are selling theirs for $1,000 — no shit). We've seen people pay $300+ for brand-new condition. So all five signed and numbered books in one minty fresh set? That's a dope deal, son!
NOTE: WE DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP EXPLAINING ANYTHING TO THE PARTIES INVOLVED HERE. WE HAVE IT COVERED, THANK YOU.
The fan was concerned because he asked the seller a question, using the oh-so-common term for Sigler fans: "Junkie." The answer was not what he expected, to say the least:
That's crushing. The fan in question emailed us and let us know what had happened. We reached out to the seller with our condolences, and let him know that "Junkie" was a term of endearment. The seller thanked us for letting him know.
This auction seems genuine. We checked the book numbers against our records. In doing so, we found the Junkie's name, which made this more
real. He pre-ordered all the books. He was there for the Sigler Ascension days, for the mad rushes at our website to get the lowest number possible, to watch me go from loud-mouthed arrogant podcaster spouting off about how he would "conquer the world" to an actual New York Times best-seller. In short, this man was a
Junkie, one of the true faithful who have supported what I do year after year.
I didn't know him personally. But I love him. And I already miss him.
I've been interacting with fans for a decade now. One doesn't like to think about it, but as time passes on, so do the people we know. Grandparents, parents, siblings, relatives, friends, even children — and, in my case, the people who adore my books. The older I get, the more of you that will drop off. It's a numbers game, really. It's reality. When some of you die, I will be very aware. For others, not at all.
We all have our moments when a creator we love passes on. I've felt that sting with some of my key influences, like author
Anne McCaffrey, or monster maker
Ray Harryhausen. But how often do creators know when it's the other way around, when it is the
fan who dies? Not often, I'll wager. Again, it is a numbers game.
If not for this eBay auction, I would have never known. This is a somber reminder that my books can have a deeper impact on some, that they can become more than just mere entertainment. People
connect to my stories, enough so that they sit in front of their computer waiting for that moment to pre-order, enough to create shelf space just for my words. Junkies read. Junkies re-read.
When creators do it right, their work touches your soul. It becomes a part of you.
Now that this particular soul has passed, someone else has the opportunity to possess these books. And in my opinion? Another Junkie owning this set would be fucking awesome. Believe it or not, when A Kovacs and I started making these books, we wanted the quality to be off the charts specifically so that they would become hand-me-downs, collectors items that people would treasure for their entire life.
In this case, that's exactly what happened. We are deeply grateful for the irreplaceable time this Junkie spent with us and our works. While he can't hear it now, I say, "thank you." And I thank his father as well. Perhaps this auction is only meant to pay some bills, but that's fine. The father could have tossed these books. Instead, he's giving someone else a chance to hold and touch and smell the stories that have impacted their lives.
So to all of you, all you Junkies all over the world, who are with us now or are yet to discover the Siglerverse, know that ARealGirl and I love you. We thank you for spending some of your days with us. And when you depart for that Big Combine in the Sky and are picked up by the Tier One teams of the afterlife, know that we are rooting for you to win it all.
-Scott-
