Here’s a heads up for people who collect signed copies of my stuff, especially the completists:

Twelve and a half years ago, I pretty much gave up having a home and possessions to go out into the world as a traveling housesitter.  Most of our stuff was given away or thrown away, except for a few family heirlooms of more sentimental than monetary value.

I had some copies of my books, some of them given to me by publishers as per the contracts, and some of them I’d picked up myself at used bookstores.  Twelve years ago is an awful long time for someone with my dysfunctional memory, and I could not have told you last month what I used to have.

It turns out my sons had put quite a few items in storage.  I was surprised when I opened a couple of boxes and saw copies of the original Maxwell Macmillan Canada edition of Fools Errant, including a couple of hardcovers (of which only 700 were ever printed, mostly for the library trade).

And then a gentleman who used to teach my two younger sons in elementary school, and who started collecting me decades ago, got in touch to tell me that he is downsizing to a condo and wanted to give me duplicates from his collection, to do with as I saw fit.

He had quite a range of books, including rarities like The Farouche Assemblage, issued as a high-quality chapbook by a couple of Seattle superfans who called themselves Payseur and Schmidt, and the Advanced Reading Copy paperbacks of Black Brillion.

Altogether, there are dozens of hardcovers and trade paperbacks.  I’ve decided I’m going to start signing and selling all of them, a few at a time, on eBay.  Actually, I won’t be doing it, since I’m five hundred miles away from where the books are.  Instead, my sons will find someone who’s experienced and willing to do the selling for a commission.  For the ones that aren’t already signed, I’ll sign bookplates.

I don’t know how long it is going to take to get organized, but I expect to get the process rolling in the summer.  I’ll make sure everybody knows what’s on offer, via Facebook, Twitter, and my monthly emailed newsletter.

So if you’re a collector, keep an eye out.