I'm half-back

Hello again (finally). Guess what I got back. That's right! I know have a working computer with a working internet again. One of my first orders of business was to check out the blog, but the first time I came (and this is slightly embarrassing to admit), I felt like I was intruding on something private. But I want to play with the big kids, too, so I decided to get over it.

Barbara, have the most fabulous of fabulous times in Bonaire! I'm sorry I didn't see you before you went. Bob, I'll be in Florida this Thursday, but cross my heart I'll be at The Attic the Thursday after and I'll stop skipping. And new year, new me: I do believe I'm actually going to write. On that line, my first order of business when I got the computer back was to tighten up some pieces I have sitting around and send them off. Let the rejections start piling up (again), but please also let an acceptance or two slip through!

I have to share an email exchange from today, too. You know how in love I am with McSweeney's, right? Well I finally emailed them about the book I ordered that came without a book jacket (See figure 1).

Dear McSweeney's,

A few months ago I ordered a copy of Brian Greenman's _Superbad_ (Order# 369692), and since I am a horrible procrastinator, I am just getting around to asking this question: The book came without a book jacket, and is it possible for me to get one? I love the craftsmanship of your books, and I particularly like that cover painting. The book, though, was on backorder when I originally ordered it, and now I can't find it in your online store, so I'm wondering if maybe you aren't printing more and I was lucky to get the book proper.

This leads me to my second question. Though I don't remember for sure, I think _Superbad_ was on sale when I ordered it. If indeed it is going out of print, should I worry about the books that are on sale now and snatch them all up while I still can? I tend to save my McSweeney's orders for treats on particularly bad or good days, but I already lost out on the re-released McSweeney's first issue because of that policy, so now I'm a little nervous.

Thanks for your help!

Jenny

And they wrote me back:

Hi Jenny:

Sadly, we had to send out about 5 Superbads without covers because they were the last ones we had (at all!). We will not be re-printing that book, so it is the last really. Sorry about that, I can make it up to you in some way, just name it! As for your question about sales: they do not necessarily mean it is close to going out of stock. In fact, usually sales mean we have overstock of that item. Basic supply-and-demand stuff.

Adam Krefman

McSweeney's

Cherries are now in season!

And they are in motion too!

And I wrote them back:

Dear Adam,

Thanks for your quick response. On the matter of making the lack of book jacket up to me, I will be willing to settle for the satisfaction of the fact that I got one of the last 5 copies, but I would also be willing to upgrade to any of these deal sweeteners (I am fully aware that none of these things may be possible, but my mother always told me to dream big):

1. A signed copy of Sheila Heti's The Middle Stories because she is giftedly twisted.

2. A bottle of 826 Valencia's buxom perfume because I am not, indeed, buxom, but I could smell like I was.

3. A copy of The Circus Journal with an added smattering of random advice, useless trivia, or tasteless doodles by McSweeney's interns because I believe that interns should take every chance they can to celebrate their wisdom and/or their crassness.

Cheers,

Jenny

And here comes the really exciting part, when they wrote me back again:

Hi Jenny:

OK, option 3 it is. Option 1 is difficult for obvious reasons. 2 is not doable because the pirate store is a different animal than McSweeney's; different management, bookkeeping, etc. 3 is awesome because the interns will like it and I think it's fun. One problem: we don't have any more Circus Journals at our office right this second, but we should have more this week, at which point I will have interns write fun things to you in it. Thanks!

Adam Krefman

How cool is that?

Jenny