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Author
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Topic: Autopens moving into publishing industry
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bookcollector
Member Posts: 27
From: North Carolina, US of A
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted 12-09-2010 09:21 PM
   
This isn't directly a space related topic, but it is one that some of us may find of interest. As my username indicates, I collect books. I like nothing better than getting a signed first edition in one of my specialty areas. There are several ways to do this: meet the author at an appearance where he signs, buy from a dealer that I trust, or pick up a copy that the publisher has had "pre-signed" by the author. This last option is what I'd like to discuss briefly. Typically, a publisher sends special signature pages (or even blank pages) to the author before the book's publication date. The author signs the loose sheets, sends them back, then the publisher binds them into the first edition of the book. You've probably seen them at your local big-box bookstore. They generally have a gold sticker saying something like "Signed First Edition" stuck to the dustjacket. Up until now, I've trusted that the books in question have been genuinely autographed by the author. Well, I work in one of the big-box stores, and recently I've come across two books by two separate publishers who have "signed" these things via autopen. The new Steve Harvey book (from Amistad) and the new Sarah Palin (from Holt) have definitely been machine signed. I know that celebrities use preprints for photos all the time, but this is the first time I've seen autopens in books. Anybody else know of other examples (or even care, I guess)? I know I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but this new development burns my bacon. Luckily, the authors I collect are still too "small" to need autopen machines, and the ASF affords me the chance to get my space-related books signed in person. |
FFrench
Member Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-09-2010 09:41 PM
Here's a story from 2005 that references autopen-signed books by Hillary Clinton, as well as pre-printed "signed" books from Barbara Bush and Rush Limbaugh. |
jam1970
Member Posts: 310
From: Chillicothe, Ohio, usa
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted 12-09-2010 10:12 PM
I agree that the Palin book and the Clinton book were misleading. I collect signed books and I was taken by the Clinton one many years ago. She actually had four different versions of her autopen so when I looked at two different books the signatures were different. Palin's book turns my stomach as well. I can't tell you how many people bought this book thinking they were getting a real signature. Even when the book was sold on Amazon it stated signed edition and didn't say that it was a machine signature. I just don't have the heart to tell them it was machine generated. The odd part is the books are still getting a premium on eBay as a signed book. I am thankful that people such as Buzz Aldrin, still actually sign their book by hand. He could have easily went to autopen years ago, especially on those $15 children books. Every time a new book of his comes out it is very easy to find genuine hand signed copies of his books at the published price. In fact, I think that every astronaut that has released a book has offered plenty of opportunities to purchase a real hand signed copy of their book at the release (Armstrong is the exception). I don't think I have ever had any trouble finding signed copies of space related books. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 12-10-2010 06:35 AM
A few years ago, I attended an author event at a local bookstore - forget who, but it was someone in the "psychic" genre. People queued up for a quote-unquote signing - and the author was handing out machine-printed bookplates rather than sign the books individually.On edit: After a moment's thought, what made it worse was that the author was personalizing the bookplates - so why not sign them to begin with? |
albatron
Member Posts: 2732
From: Stuart, Florida
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 12-10-2010 08:46 AM
They must've known in advance how many to bring too.  I agree, misleading is not good. Especially something that's been an established tradition, like the signed first editions. The Barbara Bush preprint signature has fooled a lot of folks, I see them in used book stores that I haunt and the sellers are not aware, as they are not familiar with signatures and ALWAYS rectify it when I point it out so far. Booksellers as a rule unless they dabble frequently in Antiquarian books, have no idea. I saw one seller on eBay selling a James O. Born book as signed, when it was the signature of the owner. Jim is a good friend and I know his signature. Thankfully when I pointed it out they pulled the book. But autopens - wow. Not good. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 12-10-2010 11:24 AM
There is something very deceptive about publishers supplying autopens in books. The potential buyer is fooled into thinking the book has a real signature...and is therefore more willing to buy the book. Or if they already have a copy of the book, they may be willing to buy a second copy just to obtain the signature.I see a distinction between autopens supplied to fans who write to the author/celebrity/astronaut/politician/etc. Someone is asking for a free signature...and they are supplied an autopen because the personality in question can't fulfill all of the requests. So the fan receives the next best thing...and if they are fooled into thinking the signature is genuine, then at least they didn't spend any money (other than postage) to obtain the signature. But when the autopen signature is being used as a means to convince people to part with their money...and the signature is not labeled as being an autopen...then I have a real problem with that. |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 12-10-2010 12:56 PM
I can think of two books that were published with what looked like real signatures printed on the title pages. One was Eddie Rickenbacker's autobiography and the other was Frank Lloyd Wright's autobiography. About four months ago I spotted a copy of the FLW book in a bookstore that had it priced at $250. This "signed" copy was a 1978 printing. I pointed out to the seller that Wright died in 1959. He kept arguing with me about it. And, George Bush's first book "A Charge to Keep" was released in a 'limited edition' that featured autopen signed bookplates in them. I never did understand that decision. What's the point? Why limit them? Although they did say up front it was an autopenned bookplate. These books were once going for high dollars, but I haven't checked lately. I had no idea the Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton (or Palin) titles were autopenned. As a book collector, this trend disturbs me. |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1673
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 12-10-2010 02:05 PM
It dismays me as well. The publisher and the author are creating a fraud unless it states on the book that the signature is an autopen.One other book to add to the list and mybe the earliest in the trend from 1962 is Richard Nixon's Six Crises. Most are autopen signatures. |
freshspot
unregistered
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posted 12-11-2010 07:17 AM
I'm an author of marketing books and collect first editions of astronaut biographies (and space hardware too). So I've seen both sides. I have seven books out (several bestsellers) and am published in 28 languages. I sign a lot, mainly at conferences after a speech. My record in one day is 600 copies. My greatest joy as an author is meeting fans, sharing a quick word, and signing a book. What burns me up is that there are a lot of "secretarials" out there with authors. You'd be surprised how many authors don't take the honor of signing seriously - many just have some junior editor at their publishing house scrawl a signature because they're too lazy or pompous to do it themselves. Dave Scott (not the astronaut)
www.apolloartifacts.com |
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