Andre Norton Forum

another collecting tale

Most of you, by now, know that I collect just about anything with Andre Norton's name on it. Yes, books that are supposed to have her, and don't, and books that Alice Norton wrote, and book markers, video tapes, and cover art.

Here's one of my favorite book buying stories. I'd been looking for MURDERS FOR SALE for several years. I had even gone so far as to suggest to Ms Norton that she get the book reprinted. (SNEEZE ON SUNDAY is the result). I had talked about this hunt to even 'see' a copy with some people at a weekend get away. One guy got hazy eyed and said "Library of Congress?" Well I immediately contacted them and arranged for an interlibrary loan.......But that's not the story.

The story is that one of my book dealer friends had gotten a catalogue for 'Black & White Books' a dealer in mostly mysteries. She immediately contacted me giving me the fact that he had a listing for MURDERS. Unfortunatly she was going to be busy that day, could I make the phone call myself (and still pay her finders fee)? Of course I would!!!!!!!

Well I was going to a book sale/show that day, so I figured I'd go and if the dealer wasn't there, I'd phone from a pay phone. Unfortunatly the phone in the school had a very strange company and the phone seemed to ring once and go dead. I tried on my own and with operator assistance 3 more times. By the fourth time I actually heard someone on the other end. Unfortunatly he was very unhappy with the 3 previous rings, apparently he had gotten up each time, and gotten static. (Ed M., is this why your name is so familiar to me?)

Luckily for all this trouble the book was still available. There is a happy ending, it sits on my shelf.

The moral of the story is to get friendly with several of the Science Fiction book dealers. [There was the Andre Norton intro to the Jules Verne book that Mike Walsh found for me...but that's another story.]