Collect ‘Em All, Kids!

December 18th, 2012 by Max Allan Collins

Last week, Amazon offered for sale the new Thomas & Mercer trade paperbacks (and corresponding e-books) of fourteen of my novels, including two by Barb and myself appearing for the first time under our “Barbara Allan” byline (REGENERATION, BOMBSHELL).

These are outstanding packages, with outstanding covers, really just beautiful. I’m thrilled that these novels – all out of print, some out of print for years – are available again. It’s any author’s dream to have his or her work perpetually available, and one positive aspect of the changing world of publishing is that that dream has come true for many writers, myself included.

The five Mallory novels and the six “disaster” mysteries make up the bulk of the list, with the Barbara Allan titles and the standalone eco-thriller MIDNIGHT HAUL rounding it out. Virtually everything of mine is in print now – Perfect Crime has the Nolan and Quarry series, and Speaking Volumes has Eliot Ness.

The new Thomas & Mercer titles are priced very reasonably, and look for great promo deals from Amazon after the first of the year. I have done interviews on both Mallory and the disaster books, and Barb and I did a “Barbara Allan” interview, and I’ll let you know when and where those are going to show up. [Note from Nate: Click each cover for links to purchase Kindle, trade paperback, and audiobook editions at Amazon, major booksellers, as well as local independent booksellers via Indiebound]

Barb and I appeared at Centuries & Sleuths in Forest Park, Illinois, on Sunday. This was a great event – lots of fans, plus we were generously made a part of the Midwest chapter of the Mystery Writers of America’s Christmas party. In fact, my Q and A was the entertainment. It was a treat seeing so many wonderful writers, particularly my friends Bob Goldsborough and Raymond Benson, who are with me in the very small club of writers being chosen to continue great series (Nero Wolfe, James Bond and Mike Hammer respectively). Centuries & Sleuths, with its history and mystery theme, is one cool bookstore. The book tour has one last stop, in nearby Davenport’s BAM! on Dec. 22.

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook tragedy, be prepared for books, comic books, video games, rap music, movies, and other popular culture to be served up as a safe, convenient scapegoat. This is a very old, sour tune that our society just can’t get enough of – just like it can’t get enough of violent entertainment. Personally, I would like to see the assault rifle ban reinstated, and a campaign of education to advise people of the risks taken by owning a hand gun in a home where mentally disturbed and/or depressed people live. If you have a troubled loner son, maybe taking him to the shooting range to “learn responsibility” isn’t such a great idea.

The second of three installments of Dan Luft’s in-depth look at the Nolan series has just appeared. Smart stuff.

Take a look at this incredible TARGET LANCER review.

And speaking of censoring pop culture, here’s another nice advance review of SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT.

M.A.C.

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4 Responses to “Collect ‘Em All, Kids!”

  1. mike doran says:

    Just a bread&butter note to thank you and Barb for your kindness to me at the C&S/MWA party.
    I won’t trouble everyone here with my transit travails, as I did you. Suffice it to say that by the time I got to the store, I was about at the point of taking hostages. Fortunately, the cheer and good will at C&S prevailed, and a grand time was had by me.

    The display of your newly-refurbished backlist is most impressive indeed. It almost makes me regret that I already have all the books – and in their original editions yet.
    With so many titles available, has your publisher considered offering box sets of the various series?
    *A Great Gift Idea!*

    Seriously, I’d consider getting some of these new editions if my income was a little more disposable than it is these days.
    As it is, I’ve got some fair-sized sums earmarked for the near future: some of the DVD sets we mentioned (87TH PRECINCT at the top of the list), plus Mike Nevins’s upcoming Ellery Queen book, some McFarland and BearManor titles, and other things that I’ll probably remember just as soon as I hit Submit.

    Anyhow, here’s hoping that it’s not nearly as long until the next time you and Barb get to town. I promise I’ll have a boxload of your old stuff for you to sign by sundown (:-D).

    So in the immortal words of M/Sgt. Slaughter:
    “Until that time, Eustis … until that time.”

  2. stephen borer says:

    What a swell Christmas present ! The return of the Mallory novels, and that spiffy Cold War novel about Hollywood and …you know. Many thanks to the Thomas and Mercer folks.

  3. Nathan Collins says:

    Well, after a week of silence, the NRA finally spoke out, and aside from calling for more guns in schools and a national database of the mentally ill, they finally found the true culprit: violent media!

    “And here’s another dirty little truth that the media try their best to conceal: There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people. Through vicious, violent video games…” etc etc etc.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/full-text-nra-remarks-gun-control-debate-newtown-article-1.1225043

  4. Thanks to Mike and Stephen, two of our most devoted readers. I don’t know who this “Nathan Collins” character is.