This is going to be a long post. If you want to know how to get numbered copies of Shadows of Self, scroll down to the general release events info, the info on the BYU signing, on the Denver signing, or on the Weller Book Works signing-by-mail.

Item #1: The Tour

Here are the places I’m stopping at on my tour: Provo, Denver, Houston, San Diego, San Fransisco, San Jose, Portland, Chicago, Lansing, Boston, Manchester, London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds, and Nottingham. For details, plus a few conventions I’ll be at later in the year, check my events page.

The focus of my tour stops will be on getting everyone’s books signed. I do plan to do a reading and answering questions at every stop, but I will also try to pre-sign some stock so that if you want a signed book and don’t want to stand in line for me to personalize it for you, you can just grab the book and go. But depending on scheduling, I may not have time to do this at every stop.

Some of the events are ticketed, which means that the bookstore requires you to buy the book from them in order to get it signed. I’ve asked for this to happen at as few booksellers as possible, but each store has the final call. Why would they do this? Well, a lot of stores have to bring in extra staff (or even rent extra space) in order to handle an enormous event like this. In the past, they’ve spent this money and then had everyone bring in books they bought from Amazon to get signed. It can be disheartening, as they lose money after all the work they put into holding an event. (In one famous case I heard of, a small bookstore held a signing where they spent hundreds on staff, promotion, and cookies, only to have over a hundred people, out of the hundred and twenty who came, bring in books they bought from Amazon.)

As I said, I’ve requested that the signings all be open to anyone. However, I can see the bookstores’ point. Please be respectful and realize one of the reasons that places like Amazon can give you the books so cheaply is that they don’t have to maintain or pay rent on expensive storefronts in retail areas. Support your local booksellers; it’s because of them that we can have signing events. If possible, I’d ask that you go and buy the book from the store where you’re planning to see me. You can buy it early and keep the receipt. If you bring the receipt with you to the signing, that’s as good as buying the book at the signing. Check each individual event description for each store’s detailed policy. Sometimes, at ticketed events, as long as you buy any hardcover book, they will let you get your other books signed. So, for instance, you could buy the Elantris Tenth Anniversary Author’s Definitive Edition (which also comes out on October 6th in the US) and then get it, The Way of Kings, and Steelheart (or any of my other books) signed. And even if you don’t buy your copy of Shadows of Self at the signing, it’s nice to support the store hosting me by buying at least one book (by any author) while you’re there.

I don’t yet have full details on which events are ticketed. I’ll add more information to the events page as it trickles in.

Finally, there may be a cap on the number of books I will personalize for you at a time. I’ll sign all your books, but personalizations can take a while, so if there’s a large crowd, to keep the line moving I may only personalize three books at a time. However, it’s just fine if you want to go to the end of the line again and wait to get three more books personalized. I will sign paperbacks. I will not sign books I did not write—e.g. the Wheel of Time books before The Gathering Storm. (Yes, people have asked; often about one per signing.)

The ebook and audiobook will be released the same day as the hardcover: October 6th in the US/Canada and October 8th in the UK/Australia/New Zealand. (If you live elsewhere, you’ll probably be able to import either the US or UK version.) I will sign audiobook CD sets, and even ebook readers, or anything else within reason (I don’t sign body parts).

Item #2: Release Events

I will be doing three special signings in conjunction with the book’s release on October 6th. As with my previous books, I will be numbering copies at these release events. The three events are: the BYU Store midnight release, the Weller Book Works mail order event, and the The Tattered Cover signing in Denver.

What does it mean to get a numbered copy? Well, just what it sounds like. If you get a book from one of the three release events, I’ll write a number on the title page that I sign. I intend to give out as many numbers as there are people who participate in those events (unless we run out of books). In a way, these numbers are less about being limited editions and more about getting a special add-on, an indication that you made it to one of the initial events. This is something I started doing for fun with my first book, and I had originally intended to limit the numbers to the first fifty people who got to me. However, I found that I felt bad stopping numbering if someone went to all the trouble to come to a release event, so I shifted to doing it this way.

I generally stagger my numbering so that lower numbers can be picked up from each signing. Each number is unique. I will rotate by 100s. (So, 1–100 are at BYU, 101–200 are at Weller Book Works, 201–300 are at The Tattered Cover, 301–400 are at BYU, etc.)

Each event will have its own rules regarding how you get your number and which number you get. Read on for info.

Item #3: BYU Midnight Release

At 12:00 a.m. on October 6th, I will be doing the world’s first signing for Shadows of Self. We are going to be doing this signing a little differently from previous signings. In past years some readers have enjoyed camping out at the bookstore to get a low-numbered copy. This year, for various reasons, we’re trying something new: a digital line. Numbers 1–100 in the line will be assigned by raffle, and higher numbers will be assigned by the order you enter the digital line. Further details from the BYU Store and my signing assistant Kara are below. The entry form will become available on Friday, September 18th (the signup form is now live right here at this link), and you must enter within the first 24 hours after that to get into the raffle for the top 100 numbers.

Only one submission per person. This is a line! (Duplicates will be deleted.)

You will be required to preorder Shadows of Self by October 1st in order to be assigned a number and guarantee that a book will be there for you to pick up on October 6th. Books can be ordered online at byubookstore.com (choose the shipping option “Pick Up Signed & Numbered Copy at Oct. 5 Event” for pickup at the midnight release party), or order in the store. Books ordered through byubookstore.com will not be charged to your credit card until October 2nd.

You must pick up your number in person from the BYU Store on Monday, October 5, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Bring a photo ID and your receipt or proof of purchase.

The BYU Store will reopen at 10:00 p.m. to host the book release party with some fun activities as well as prizes to be given out throughout the evening.

Around 10:45 p.m. Brandon will hold a reading and Q&A downstairs.

At 11:45 p.m., guests will be asked to begin lining up in numerical order in preparation for the distribution of books at midnight.

Once guests have picked up their signed & numbered book, they are free to leave or to get into a separate line to have their books personalized by Brandon.

If you do not pick up your number before 9:00 p.m., your number will be given to someone else. If you show up after this point to pick up your book you will be given a different number or a refund.

Cash registers will close at 1:00 a.m. All purchases must be made by this time.

Can’t attend? You can preorder a book and the BYU Store will send you a signed and numbered copy of Shadows of Self after the Midnight Release Party. You must purchase your copy by Oct. 1, and the numbers for these copies will be assigned after the event.

The bookstore has asked me to get there a bit early so I can be finished signing and numbering all the books by 10:00 or so. Once I am done, they will let everyone in and we’ll have a meet & greet where you can talk to me, ask me your burning questions, take pictures, etc. (The idea is that this will help the personalization line move more quickly after midnight.) There will also be things like trivia contests going on during this time.

Based on past events, I should be able to personalize everyone’s books, even if it takes until 3:00 a.m. Since all of the books will be pre-signed and numbered, everyone will get a numbered edition if they come. As I’m local, you can always just come, pick up a book, and leave—then get it personalized at some other signing when things aren’t so crazy. This will probably be a busy event, but it should be very easy to just come, get a pre-signed/numbered book, then buy it and take off without waiting in any lines after midnight.

Now, here’s the important part. It’s hard for stores to judge how many copies to order for this sort of event, and I’m worried that BYU might not order enough. They might run out. Therefore, they are letting you preorder to be assured you get a book. If you preorder, you are guaranteed a book. If you don’t preorder, it’s first come first served. If a lot of people preorder, they will get in more books to make sure everyone who ordered early is covered.

So, for this event, I strongly encourage you go to the website and order your book ahead of time. It will save you money and will make things easier for us. Let me say one more time, however, that you do not get your number based on when you preorder, though you do have to have paid for the book before you can get your number. You get the number based on when you signed up for the digital line. Preordering just guarantees that you get a copy, not that you get a low number—you have to sign up in the first 24 hours in order to be entered into the raffle for a low number. Still—please, please preorder soon so they can be sure to have enough books for the event. They have ordered a ton of copies, but it’s always possible they could underestimate and some readers could go home empty-handed. At the midnight release of A Memory of Light they were able to get a book to everyone only after a dozen people who had reserved more than one copy agreed to put off picking up their second copy until the next shipment came in!

Details:
BYU Store, Provo, UT
8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. October 5th (numbers distributed — sign up for a number here.)
10:00 p.m. October 5th (doors open)
12:00 a.m. October 6th (Monday night/Tuesday morning) (book released)
Preorder by going to the BYU Store website. (For the shipping option, choose “Pick Up Signed & Numbered Copy at Oct. 5 Event.”) You’ll need to bring your receipt or proof of purchase as well as your photo ID to the BYU Store before 9:00 p.m. in order to get your book number.

Item #4: The Tattered Cover

My signing at The Tattered Cover in Denver will run like most of the other signings I’ve done there in the past, except that since it’s taking place on release day, all copies of Shadows of Self that I sign there will also get numbered. The numbers will start at #201 and rotate every third hundred with the other two events.

Free numbered tickets for the signing line will be available beginning Tuesday, October 6, at 9:00 am, with the purchase of Shadows of Self at any Tattered Cover location (excluding the airport stores). Seating at the event is “open seating” and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Signing restrictions may apply. Please check back closer to the event for complete information.
Can’t make it to the signing? Request an autographed copy here: books@tatteredcover.com.

Since you can pick up your book starting Tuesday morning, hours before I arrive, obviously I won’t be able to pre-number the books. I’ll probably just put the numbers in while I sign after doing my reading and Q&A.

Item #5: Weller Book Works by Mail

I will be going to Weller Book Works on September 17th to sign, number, and personalize 750 copies. Weller will then ship them out; they will try to time the shipping so the book arrives at your door on October 6th. However, they’re not allowed to deliver before that date, so they can’t cut things too close and some books may arrive after the 6th. If that’s the case, though, they’ll try to keep the delay as short as possible. International orders will be shipped first, since those have the longest transit time. (Note that Weller Book Works cannot track packages internationally. They’ve tried.) Details from Weller Book Works:

The book will officially hit the shelves on October 6th, 2015, but if you order now, you can receive a signed and numbered copy with the inscription of your choice on your doorstep on or shortly after that date! We’re also offering a 20% discount from the retail price of $27.99, making the final price $22.39.
A bit of information about how this promotion works:

• All orders will be processed through PayPal. Now sold out. We will not accept orders via email, phone, or any other means.
• Local customers (any with Utah shipping addresses) will have the option to pick up the book in-store. These books will not be available until the release date of October 6th, 2015.
• All other customers will have the option of receiving a book packaged in a padded envelope (Economy) or a box (Standard.) Both options are shipped USPS Priority Mail, so there will be no speed difference between the two—all books will be shipped to arrive on, or shortly after, October 6th, 2015.
• All customers are limited to 2 orders of 1 book each. Any orders past this limit will be cancelled. Each order must be placed separately.

If you order by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, September 15 you will have the option to request an inscription. All requests will be passed onto Mr. Sanderson verbatim as he is signing. Just before you click ‘Pay Now’ there is an order review screen. In the middle of that screen, you will see a small link to add your inscription request. Filling that out will help us streamline the signing process. If there is no inscription request, we will assume that you would like the book simply signed and numbered.

Finally, PLEASE VERIFY YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS BEFORE PLACING YOUR ORDER!

Thank you all for reading, and I hope to sign a book for you at one of the tour events. Let me apologize in advance for how sloppy my signature is.