FAQ about signed books from Chuck Palahniuk
Q: I ordered a signed book. When will it arrive?
A: Chuck Palahniuk's signed books are available year-round, limited to stock on hand. We ship these books to you as quickly as we can, using priority mail. A good estimate for domestic orders is a week. If we are waiting for more signed copies of a particular book, we will notify you, and it will ship the next time we meet with Mr. Palahniuk, generally every 6-8 weeks. For a better estimate of his next visit date, check the main Chuck Palahniuk page.
Q: I ordered an inscribed book. When will it arrive?
A: If you order inscribed hardcover copies, they will ship after the next time we meet with Mr. Palahniuk, generally every 6-8 weeks. For a better estimate of his next visit date, check the main Chuck Palahniuk page.
Q: I ordered a signed t-shirt. When will it arrive?
A: After Mr. Palahniuk signs our first batch this October, the signed t-shirts will be available but limited to stock on hand. We will ship them to you as quickly as we can, using priority mail. A good estimate for domestic orders is a week. If we are out of stock of a particular size, we will notify you and give you an expected date or refund your order. T-Shirt outages will also be listed on the t-shirt page.
Q: What is the cutoff date? Is it set in stone?
A: On the cutoff date for a round of signed/inscribed books, we begin preparing all the orders to go to Mr. Palahniuk and be signed. All orders and changes to your order (adding books, changing shipping addresses, etc) must be in by midnight on the cutoff date to be part of that signing batch. An order placed the next day may possibly wiggle in depending on time and availability of books, but it's not guaranteed. Place your order by the cutoff date to be sure of receiving your book in that batch.
Q: What exactly are inscribed books? Are they also signed by Mr. Palahniuk?
A: Inscribed books are addressed to a certain person, either you or the person you're giving the book to. (I.E, "To Joe".) If you wish a book to be personalized, type the person's name in the inscription box next to the book you wish to purchase. Yes, inscribed books are also signed.
Q: Can I write a detailed message for Mr. Palahniuk to include in my book? What if I want it to say Happy Birthday, Joe?
A: If the book is for a special occasion or person, you may indicate it. Mr. Palahniuk generally tries to incorporate this, but please remember it is as his time permits. Examples are "It's for my daughter's birthday" or "It's a graduation gift." Please do not enter a detailed message to have Mr. Palahniuk write verbatim, as out of respect for Mr. Palahniuk's time, we are unable to pass these messages onto him. Please also refrain from requesting expressions of love or asking for the book to be signed from someone other than the author. Mr. Palahniuk frequently makes the hardcover books special in his own unique way, incorporating the tone and theme of the book he's signing into the inscription; it's almost as though he's hand writing a little introduction for you. Let the writer do the writing, and we think you'll be pleased with the results.
Q: Why don't some books have an inscription option?
A: Due to the amount of time Mr. Palahniuk spends on each book, right now he is only personalizing hardcover editions. So, hardcovers may be ordered as signature or inscription. Paperbacks are signature only.
Q: Can I send you my copy of one of Mr. Palahniuk's books to sign?
A: Unfortunately, we cannot accept books that you already own for signatures. Check the official Chuck Palahniuk website for his tour dates.
Q: Can I return a book that I bought?
A: If there is a problem with your order, please send an email to order at sthelensbookshop dot com so that we can figure out the best way to solve the problem. Otherwise, you can return a signed book within 30 days, and we'll credit the price of the book when we receive it. Shipping is not refundable, and the return shipping is at your expense. Sorry, inscribed books are not returnable
Q: What if I want to order a bunch of signed copies and resell them?
A: A great deal of time and effort goes into these books, with the goal of offering Mr. Palahniuk's fans something truly special. Therefore we discourage reselling and reserve the right to limit or refuse orders from known resellers or orders we suspect run counter to this spirit. Our current guideline is that unless each volume is inscribed to a specific person, orders for more than two copies of any single title will not be accepted.
Q: Where do you ship? How much does shipping cost?
A: We ship worldwide. Please select the appropriate shipping line at checkout and your total will appear. Please note that for orders of 5+ books (USA) or 3+ books (international), additional charges may apply. To calculate your estimated shipping, see our shipping & handling page.
Q: What if I move between placing the order and receiving it? What if the book never arrives?
A: Please, please notify us of any changes in address. If you do this before the cutoff date, we will ship to the new address and there will be no problems. If a book is returned to us because of our error in shipping, we will do whatever we can to make the situation right, including reshipping the book. If a book is returned to us for any other reason, we will contact the customer to arrange a solution based on the individual circumstances. This may involve refunding the price of the book or reshipping at an additional cost.
Q: How come my order is marked completed, but I don't have my book?
A: Basically, "Completed" means the book is in the mail. We mark orders completed when we have the book signed and packed to send, and it generally ships within 48 hours. Books generally arrive within a week domestically, 2 weeks internationally.
Q: Can you make my shipping cheaper?
A: We ship all domestic orders USPS Priority and international orders Express, because those are the most cost-effective options that still provide tracking numbers and delivery confirmation. The shipping and handling also reflects the extensive process of getting the books (and t-shirts) inscribed/signed. Each book receives white glove service as it is inspected for damage, assigned an order, prepared for inscription, personally delivered to Mr. Palahniuk, and then picked up after a few days, at which time the book is doublechecked, matched with its customer, carefully packaged and sent. It's a time-consuming, meticulous process, but the end result is really something special. Mr. Palahniuk is able to make each book unique and personalized in a way that would not otherwise be possible.
Q: I heard you had some half-price mis-inscribed books. What and where are those?
A: Chuck Palahniuk signs & personalizes many many books for us, and he rarely makes a mistake. However, sometimes we give him the wrong information, or a customer never picks up their book. So we might end up with an extra Fight Club addressed "To Amy", for example. We did have a bunch of these from over the years, but the first batch sold out quickly. Whenever we have any available, they will be listed here.
Q: Can I get a Fight Club DVD signed? What about the old paperback of Choke, or...?
A: Sorry, these products are no longer available. All books and audio books that we are able to get are listed on the main Chuck Palahniuk page. Items we no longer carry include: signed Fight Club DVDs, signed Choke DVDs, the 2000 edition of Survivor (white with the airplane - it's out of print), and the paperback of Choke with the movie tie-in cover. Other requested stock: Invisible Monsters was never printed in hardcover, and the Haunted hardcover is sold out at the publisher and waiting for a reprint.
Q: What about first editions of Fight Club?
A: Be aware that Fight Club in hardcover has never been out of print, so technically all copies are first editions. But the book is currently in its 15th or 16th printing, and that has no collectors' value. Only 1st edition, 1st printing would have value for collectors, and those books are only available from rare book dealers. We do not have any 1st printings available.
Q: Can I send you mail for Chuck Palahniuk, or contact him through you?
A: Sorry, no. To learn about contacting Mr. Palahniuk or for details about his biography, please see the FAQ page at the official website, chuckpalahniuk.net. They have the most up-to-date information for you.
Q: How do other people feel about signed Chuck Palahniuk books?
A: Well! Just check out these testimonials from happy signed-book customers.
Q: So what does Chuck Palahniuk's signature look like, anyway? Is he one of those authors who does a chicken scratch signature, or is it interesting and distinctive?
A: Glad you asked. Here's a picture fresh from the Tell-All signing.
If your question was not answered here, you may contact the Orders Manager at order at sthelensbookshop dot com.
