First Post Q&A

First post. Love first posts.

I'll just break down what I'm trying to accomplish with this blog in the least long-winded version possible.. and the easiest way to do that is with a terrible long-winded Q&A session.

Q: Who are you?
A: My name is Major, I have blogs and articles all over the internet under different names. I've written a book on nerdy things, and another 80's-ish adventure novel. I grew up in Winooski, otherwise known as the Brooklyn of Vermont, and moved to Florida in the mid 90's.

Q: And you collect books do you?
A: Yes. Hence the book background, and my self proclaimed Bibliophile status. I've been collecting books since middle school. My parents got remarried, and my new step mother had one of those library living rooms out of a movie, had the ladder and everything. My obsession started there.

Q: Bibilio-what!?
A: Honestly if you don't know what that means, then you are in the wrong place. I'm going to rename the blog soon to something more accepted by the masses, and lighten the whole tone of the blog to make it easier to read. I spent way too much time designing this!

Q: How long have you been collecting books?
A: Since middle school.. so yeah.. like 20+ years. (I'm old, but not that old!)

Q: What genres are your favorite to read and collect?
A: I absolutely love fantasy. I really escape when I read anything with a fantasy element. A close second is science fiction. I love that what I'm reading from the 70's is fact today, its insane. Collecting fantasy and science fiction is on the rise because of the movies based on popular books, Harry Potter doing so well and so on. Just like when I collected video games in the early 2000's I was all alone, getting everything for soo cheap. Same with the books, but not anymore. I find some gems at the swap meet, and at garage sales, and I have contacts that clean storage areas that call me when they find something.

Q: How many books do you have?
A: Good question! I don't know. When I built the book cases in my old house I counted over 2500. When I moved again, it was around 3000. When I left the condo to the new house all my book cases fell apart and I had to start over. Considering I pick up about 20 new books a week sometimes (or more!) I'm sure I'm closer to 5000 now, in the book cases. Packed up, maybe another 1000? See, I don't know. (Update, January 2016: I'm going to actually count them soon. My guess is 6-7k right now.)

Q: Do you have some really cool books in your collection? You know, Hobbit first editions, and the ever elusive Dune First edition?
A: Yeah not really. At one point or another I've owned some considerable books that have been very valuable and profitable for me. At the moment, I have a really early printing first edition Hobbit, lots of valuable vintage paperbacks, and some first edition science fiction that I could get money for. Not that I would sell! I have a few books worth $1,000+, $500+, a handful of $200 plus, and maybe over a hundred that I could get over $100 for. I have a friend who inherited a Hobbit First/First hard cover. I got to look at it once.

Q: You are in it for the money. I knew it.
A: I use the money to buy more books. It keeps the cycle going. You get a duplicate of something common that sells, make money, use said money to buy more stuff. Easy-peasey. Also, that was not really a question at all. eBay is what it is, an ends to justify the means. I only sell duplicates, or books that are not in the genre I collect. I sell about 10 books a year, or less.

Q: Why the blog? I mean, there are a ton of blogs out there.
A: I'm going to try and film pick up videos, Ie.. The Game Chasers with their retro video games. I'm pretty prolific. At one point I did what Jay and Billy had done, collected thousands of video games, then was forced to sell all my valuables when the housing market took a dive. I would never sell my books, not even in that situation, although I did sell a couple to get me out of a bind. I'm good at what I do, well at least I think I'am..I want to share my experiences and help others find the books they want. Obviously I have no ads on the site, I'm lazy and lose interest in everything I do after a while. The blog should help me keep my interest, and also keep my Photoshop skills sharp.

Q: What do you do for a living?
A: I'm in marketing for a large beer company, which you will be able to tell from some of my pictures on here. I get to travel a ton throughout Florida, and check out all the book stores, thrift stores and exchanges.. you name it! I eat really weird food and stay in crappy hotels, and always end the day with a cold beer no matter where I am.

Q: Where do you get your information from?
A: I get my info from reading about things or owning the actual book I'm talking about, the internet, and also from my mother who is an author and historian. I'm a wizard with google, and I take a lot of notes. If I'm wrong about something, I can take criticism, just let me know.

Q: What's your favorite book(s)?
A: Sherlock Holmes, The Club Dumas, Dune. Series? Forgotten Realms, Piers Anthony trilogies, Foundation, Earthsea, Discworld, Conan, Dragonlance, Thieves World. I've read most of the greats, but those are the ones that really stick out for me. I read some of the books in the R.A. Salvatore series in the Corona setting recently, and those were a lot better than I thought. I started with the Demon Wars, and moved in to The Highwayman. Single favorite of all time? The Club Dumas, then The Name of the Rose.