Frequently Asked Questions
What is Grim Oak Press?
Only the coolest Science Fiction & Fantasy small press around! We are what happens when the highest quality in books meets the highest quality in customer service. We love to publish everything from original stories, coffee table art books, as well as our specialty: collector editions of the best books out there.
Every project we choose starts with a passion for Science Fiction & Fantasy and ends with a book of such quality that it deserves a place on any shelf! These books have their own life and style. We try to match the best artists in SF&F with the story to make a perfect match. We work directly with the authors and artists, giving them a creative freedom to re-envision their worlds like never before. New wrap around cover art, new interiors, and full color foldouts make these books extremely unique and beautiful.
What types of projects does Grim Oak Press pursue?
The projects we take on start with what we have always wanted on our shelf. These are books we read and loved growing up and influenced our reading choices and lives. Every book we publish has a vision and purpose behind it. New artwork with the best in the business printed on the best materials available. Our books aren't just great stories, they feel good in your hands and look beautiful on your shelves.
- Collector editions: Limited, lettered, and rare
- Anthologies: Collections of short stories from various bestselling authors
- Original publications: First time publications from up-and-coming and best-selling authors that might not fit in their traditional "lane"
What is the difference between a "Limited" and "Lettered" edition of a book?
When we take on a new collector edition project we will produce two different variations of the book to sell directly on our site, both with common and distinct features and rareness: A Limited Edition (signed and numbered) and a Lettered Edition (signed and lettered).
For each, new artwork may be commissioned to create a wrap around cover and new interiors that have been re-imagined in the eyes of the author and artist. Both editions are printed on the highest quality paper, cloth bound, and wrapped in a rawhide or bonded leather material. They also include a sewn in ribbon for easy reading and handling.
Our Lettered Editions share many of the same qualities as the Limited Edition with a few unique exceptions. Instead of a dust jacket you will receive a full color foldout of the cover and receive a custom clamshell to store the book in. This acts as both a protector of this rare edition and looks great on your shelf. The interior will also unique and colorful end papers, sometimes additional interior artwork, and other little goodies that make these a must own.
Did I mention there are only 52-78 of the Lettered Editions ever printed? Our Limited Editions range from 500-2000 produced, depending on the demand from customers.
How do you package your books to ensure they don't get damaged during shipping?
Our books are just as precious to us as they are to you. With that in mind, the last thing we want to see is a beautiful Limited or Lettered Edition of a book get damaged during shipping. We carefully wrap the books in a protective layer of bubble wrap (all sides) and choose the proper sized box. These books cannot move around during transit, so tightly packaging them keeps some of those bumps and bruises of our postal system from happening.
Even with all of the care we take to properly package and ship, stuff happens...and we have seen some very interesting photos of boxes arriving with giant holes and tears. Kind of makes you wonder what really goes on during transit, doesn't it? We highly recommend spending the extra money on USPS Priority Mail. It limits the time and amount of handling that occurs as it heads to your destination.
We treat our original publications and art books the same. We take time and care for each book, no matter how much you paid for it or what you will do with it once you are done reading.
Is there a limit to how many books I purchase?
We want everyone to be happy. There are many collectors and fans out there that would like a copy of a book and if we have people that order many copies than a lot of people go unhappy. Our policy with Grim Oak Press is pretty simple:
- Limited Editions: Maximum of 5 books of any single title
- Lettered Editions: Maximum of 1 book of any single title
- Standard Trade Hardcovers: Free for all, limited only by stock
For the Lettered Editions, we will give each person who purchased a copy the chance to match their letter with addition books within that series. We will hold for a small period of time and send a special email and code to buy. IF you do not buy within the period the book will go up to the public for purchase. This only applies within a series. Example: Shannara Trilogy. If you owned YY of The Sword Of Shannara we would have given you first crack at The Elfstones of Shannara but it does not entitle you the same letter or preference for Uprooted.
I ordered a limited edition book months ago. Why haven't I received it?
There are a couple of reasons you might not have your Limited or Lettered Edition book yet: First and foremost, we always have a PRESALE period that allows our customers to order early and for us to begin the number matching process on the back end. We want return customers to get the same number as previous books whenever possible. This helps make each book we produce unique to YOU. Also, during the PRESALE period, we are soliciting feedback on artwork and design. Tune into our social media pages and subscribe to our newsletter to always be updated on where each project stands. You can also review our Project Status page for the most up to date news on current projects and estimated publish dates.
Another reason we may not have shipped your book, even though it is in stock and published, is your order had other items on it. For Domestic USA purchases, we will try to split and partially fulfill an order as the cost to ship via USPS Media Mail is mostly weight-based. But for international orders, the cost to send a single package, no matter the weight, can be very high. We cannot split those and do partial fulfillment, therefore we hold the book until all books on your order have published and ship at one time. If you wish to receive your books as they publish, we recommend doing multiple orders. This will cover the international shipping charges properly so you can get your books sooner!
I'm not really a book "collector". Should I still purchase a Limited Edition book?
Do you love the feel of a real book in your hands as you read it? We do too. With the effort and quality we put into our editions, these books are both readable and a collector item. There is something special about a leather bound book with superior quality paper and killer artwork as you read it. A perfect weight and balance.
Oh yea, did we tell you these make pretty awesome gifts as well? We have had multiple customers order for special occasions and we can ship just about anywhere you need it to go!
Why does it take so long to complete a new project?
As my dad used to say: "Son, you can't rush good quality." It took me many years to understand that, but he was right. For Grim Oak Press, it can't be closer to the truth. Creating beautiful books is our craft and we take pride in it.
There are many steps in the process that can be time consuming and require coordination from different parties, including the author and artist. Yes, we know the story has already been written, but the artwork and design are a remastering. We want everything to be perfect. So taking the time to understand what the author would like to see and what the artist envisions is extremely important. Not to mention new layouts, fonts, coordinating printing, signatures, shipping, and more. Take a look at our Projects page to see exactly where we are with each!
Do you accept returns?
Absolutely. When your book arrives, if you are not happy with it for any reason, we will happily take a return and refund your purchase within 30 days. In certain cases additional shipping charges may be applied and the book will need to arrive back in our warehouse in the same condition it left it. Please contact us directly to discuss options. We are always willing to work with you so you remain a happy customer for life.
What if my book arrives damaged, or not at all?
Even though we take great care in the packaging and shipping of our books, damage and/or loss can occur. Please contact us immediately for options. Damages need to be reported within 30 days of receipt.
With a book that was damaged during shipping, we will ask that you send us pictures of the damage so we can assess and figure out the best path forward. If you book was shipped and has a tracking number that shows delivered by your local postal service but you never received it, we recommend you go directly to your local post office. We have no control of an item once it leaves our warehouse and are not responsible for items that get lost or stolen. With the threat of package theft these days, we suggest looking at safe places to have your items shipped to. There are many options including PO Boxes and using business addresses instead of your residential.
These books are highly sought after and limited in the number printed. There may be occasions where we do not have another copy the book so please reach out immediately if something occurs. We want you to be a happy customer.
How long does it take to fulfill my order once received?
We are a small family business and do our best to get your items to you as soon as possible. I know how impatient I am when I am excited to receive something I just ordered. As a rule of thumb, anything that we currently have in stock in our warehouse will ship out within 2-3 business days. There are occasions where we are taking time off with our families or unable to meet those expectations, so we can only ask for your patience and understanding.
When a new project completes and we receive thousands of books from the printer, please allow for at least a week to get everything sorted out, packaged, and shipped. These are pretty busy days in the warehouse as we take great time and care in packaging each book. This includes making sure we match up numbered sets, track what you already own, inspect the book for any damage, and finally get it boxed and out the door.
How long will it take to receive my book once shipped?
Today, Grim Oak Press exclusively uses the United States Postal Service for all shipping. For domestic USA packages, Media Mail can be 7-10 days while Priority Mail can take 2-3 days for delivery. Both are options at checkout.
For International shipments, times can vary widely. Depending on the calculated weight of your items, you will be able to choose Priority International or First Class International. Most of the time, these packages will arrive within 2 weeks of shipment. However, with customs and local postal services involved we have seen longer time periods. Keep an eye on your package with the tracking number. If it seems to be stuck somewhere, make sure you call the appropriate postal provider for inquiries.
Do you ship internationally?
Absolutely! You can choose either Priority or First Class International mail or DHL when you checkout. If your package will weigh more than 4 lbs. the only option is Priority International.
Do I have to create an online account with Grim Oak Press to order?
Yes, for security purposes we require each customer to create an account with a valid email address. We do not sell or distribute any information you provide and you may opt out of any future correspondence.
What payment types do you support?
We support just about everything except cash (crazy huh?) including:
- VISA
- MasterCard
- Discover
- American Express
- PayPal
- Shopify Pay
- Amazon Payments
Will you match my new purchase with the same number of previous books I ordered?
Heck yea! We are collectors too and the cool-factor of having matching numbers is something we strive for. If you make a purchase while a book is in the PREORDER stage, we do our absolute best to line up your number with previous books you own in the seires. There are rare occasions where someone else may already own that number and we cannot match, but please understand that one of the main reasons we do PREORDER is to allow for some wiggling before books get shipped.
Can I have my book personalized?
For our collector edition books we do not offer personalization. The books are signed by the author and artist and hand numbered/lettered. But hey, we here at Grim Oak Press happen to know a great author who is also a co-owner, so if you order one of Shawn Speakman's books online (The Dark Thorn, Twilight Dragon, or Unbound) you may request it to be personalized for you in the notes section.
If I order multiple items, will you ship what is in stock today or wait until the whole order can be fulfilled?
For orders in the domestic USA we can perform a partial fulfillment on an order that contains multiple items. This will cost us a little more on the packaging side but we think this is a great extra touch for those looking to get what we have in stock right away.
For international orders we will hold all items until we can completely fulfill the order. This is due to the extremely high costs of international shipping. If you wish to receive certain books first, you will need to split them up into multiple orders and properly pay the shipping.
I've heard rumors of a very rare, tome-like edition of your books. Can I buy one?
Rumors...all rumors...or maybe not?!? With may of our collector edition books we will produce a couple of extremely rare copies. One we give to the author as an extra thank you. The others, mysteriously, are donated by Grim Oak Press for charity purposes. These go up for auction periodically. It is our way of "paying it forward."
If you happen to win one of these auctions or receive one of these rare books, I fully expect pictures to prove they exist!