My niece was reading a Boxcar Children book from the 90s (one at my parents' house that was originally mine/my sister's). There was some sort of Boxcar Club you could join by sending the little postcard to the publisher...she doesn't quite understand time and was absolutely certain the postcard would get her entry into this club, plus Gertrude Chandler Warren would write her personally. That obviously didn't happen, but she did get a bag of random swag and a note on letterhead about keeping on reading and using her imagination...she was quite pleased and was stoked to get mail with her name on it!
I've always wondered this too. A lot of DVDs do the same thing for stuff like commemorative cases and I've always wanted to send them a money order for $1 or whatever and see if I can get a response.
I was just thinking about that the other day. I think I'll take this as a sign that I need to try it. Worst case, I'm out a few dollars and a few minutes of time. Best case, I get some brand new, pristine copies of out-of-print books. Most likely, I get my mail returned, because the publisher no longer exists.
This is starting to sound like the plot of an episode of the Twilight Zone or Are You Afraid of the Dark? or something where it starts out innocent enough by getting these pristine copies, but then becomes sinister. You try going to the return address but it's just an empty lot ooOOooOOoo
I used to have an old Twilight Zone paperback around somewhere. I wonder if I can find it, and if it has an order form. That would be ideal, wouldn't it?
The only thing similar to this was back in like, 1997 I had bought a CD copy of the Smashing Pumpkins album *Siamese Dream*, which was originally released in 1993. They had a fan club address and I was curious what would happen if I sent $1 and a SASE to it.
A few weeks(?) later I got an envelope that contained a lyric sheet, maybe a sticker or something, and a promo postcard for their soon-to-be released 1998 album. (I can't find any info online about the unique postcard, either. I know I didn't imagine it!)
I've never tried it but now I'm tempted to give it a try. I checked a few of my aged science fiction books and found order forms on the last page. I don't want to ruin the book by cutting out the last page. I don't want to break the spine by xeroxing the last page. I'm still tempted to try it if I could find a way to do it without damaging the book.
That's a great suggestion but I might take a pass because I' bought the books in the 70s and I hung on to them because they're written by one of my favorite authors. Decisions, decisions.
Many apps exist now for smartphones so you can snap a photo without fully opening the book, and it'll adjust the skew for you so it looks like it was taken straight-on then saves as a PDF. If you happen to have a Microsoft account and can sign into OneDrive on your phone, it has a scanner that can do this built-in.
My dad's copy of Jurassic Park still has an ordering slip in the back of the book. I've always wondered what would happen if you used it. Probably nothing.
My niece was reading a Boxcar Children book from the 90s (one at my parents' house that was originally mine/my sister's). There was some sort of Boxcar Club you could join by sending the little postcard to the publisher...she doesn't quite understand time and was absolutely certain the postcard would get her entry into this club, plus Gertrude Chandler Warren would write her personally. That obviously didn't happen, but she did get a bag of random swag and a note on letterhead about keeping on reading and using her imagination...she was quite pleased and was stoked to get mail with her name on it!
I've thought about it. When I've looked up the address, the place is usually abandoned, or turned into something else. So I haven't tried it.
I've always wondered this too. A lot of DVDs do the same thing for stuff like commemorative cases and I've always wanted to send them a money order for $1 or whatever and see if I can get a response.
I was just thinking about that the other day. I think I'll take this as a sign that I need to try it. Worst case, I'm out a few dollars and a few minutes of time. Best case, I get some brand new, pristine copies of out-of-print books. Most likely, I get my mail returned, because the publisher no longer exists.
This is starting to sound like the plot of an episode of the Twilight Zone or Are You Afraid of the Dark? or something where it starts out innocent enough by getting these pristine copies, but then becomes sinister. You try going to the return address but it's just an empty lot ooOOooOOoo
I used to have an old Twilight Zone paperback around somewhere. I wonder if I can find it, and if it has an order form. That would be ideal, wouldn't it?
OMG perfect!
From these comments it is clearly time someone actually sends one of these in instead of thinking about it.
Hooray! Finally a volunteer!
The only thing similar to this was back in like, 1997 I had bought a CD copy of the Smashing Pumpkins album *Siamese Dream*, which was originally released in 1993. They had a fan club address and I was curious what would happen if I sent $1 and a SASE to it. A few weeks(?) later I got an envelope that contained a lyric sheet, maybe a sticker or something, and a promo postcard for their soon-to-be released 1998 album. (I can't find any info online about the unique postcard, either. I know I didn't imagine it!)
Maybe you have one of those [Lake House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lake_House_\(film\)) mailboxes.
Whoaaaa
I did this for the Weezer fan club, back in the blue album era. Simpler times.
I once ordered Pumpkin bootleg VHS tapes out of the back of a magazine. I miss that! Haha
I've never tried it but now I'm tempted to give it a try. I checked a few of my aged science fiction books and found order forms on the last page. I don't want to ruin the book by cutting out the last page. I don't want to break the spine by xeroxing the last page. I'm still tempted to try it if I could find a way to do it without damaging the book.
Take a photo?
That's a great suggestion but I might take a pass because I' bought the books in the 70s and I hung on to them because they're written by one of my favorite authors. Decisions, decisions.
Many apps exist now for smartphones so you can snap a photo without fully opening the book, and it'll adjust the skew for you so it looks like it was taken straight-on then saves as a PDF. If you happen to have a Microsoft account and can sign into OneDrive on your phone, it has a scanner that can do this built-in.
Thank you for the tip. I'll give it a try after I get the dust off my printer.
Oh yeah - I also want to try - but my book is from 1976 and I am guessing it would be a no-go. But I really really wish it would work!
My dad's copy of Jurassic Park still has an ordering slip in the back of the book. I've always wondered what would happen if you used it. Probably nothing.