After some unanticipated supply chain delays Hail to the Victors 2020 is finally being printed and bound. We have also been informed that shipping is going to be terrible this year, and even in normal circumstances we've had significant mail delays in the past. HTTV sponsor HomeSure Lending is bumping us up a mail class to ameliorate some of those delays. But it's 2020 and the mail.

So we're going to try to distribute these by hand wherever possible, starting with two outdoor pickup events at two establishments chosen for having a big, open, outdoor seating area, very good food, and extraordinarily good beer. They're also both owned by two very good friends. They are August 29th at Cultivate in Ypsilanti, and September 5th at Five Shores Brewing in Beulah.

KICKSTARTER BACKERS: PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP (email [email protected]) if you'd like to pick up your copy/copies from one of these two locations instead of putting them in the mail. You can check the status of your order (updated daily) on my Google Sheet:

Note: Hand pickup is not available for pre-sale orders, because those are through our store. This is only if you're a Kickstarter backer.

WASHTENAW COUNTY: AUG 29 at CULTIVATE in YPSI

When: Saturday, August 29. Q&A 5pm to 6pm. Pickup from 2pm to 10pm
Where: Cultivate Coffee & Tap House Beer Garden, 307 N River St., Ypsilanti, MI 48198 (map link)
Entertainment: Brian and I will be there for a Q&A session.

Cultivate founders Ryan and Bekah transformed an auto shop into the the most welcoming watering hole in Washtenaw County, and Sara Demorest is in the process of buying it. They have a community garden on site that is maintained by volunteers, with the food distributed to local food pantries. Volunteers also come and serve, with all tips at the register going to the non-profits (list here) that they work with.

COVID PLAN:

The garden is perfect for our needs. We're going to have tables set up around the yard—alphabetically by last name—where one person at a time can pick their book(s) without being within six feet of anyone. The only person who will have touched them is me. I've been locked down and I'll have a recent test; if it comes up positive the event is off.

IF YOU MISS IT: We'll mail it to you.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP (email [email protected]) if you'd like to pick up your copy.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN: SEPT 5 at FIVE SHORES BREWING in BEULAH

When: Saturday, Sept. 5. Q&A 5pm to 6pm. Pickup from 2pm to 10pm
Where: Five Shores Brewing, 163 S Benzie Blvd, Beulah, MI 49617
Entertainment: I'm flying solo on this one. Well me and my guitar.

Beulah is on the eastern shore of Crystal Lake, where once upon a summer I was a camp counselor (at Crystalaire Camp, which has since moved). After years of Oliver Roberts and Matt Demorest talking about when they're going to open a brewery up north when I've been trying to watch a game or recover from one at Wolverine State Brewing (where Oliver was the brewmaster for 10 years), they finally opened Five Shores Brewing just in time for /gestures at all of it.

COVID PLAN:

Again, they have a beer garden space that is perfect for our needs. They have some tables but a lot of guests sit on the lawn or bring folding chairs, and a Steelhead Cafe food truck serving broasted fish and stuff. As with the Ypsi plan, we'll have unmanned pickup tables set up by last name so that you can pick up your copy/copies without breaking contain.

IF YOU MISS IT: We'll mail it to you. 

OTHER VENUES:

If you are interested in hosting a pickup location for your area please contact me. We had 10 or more people indicate they would be interested in something in the GR/KZoo area, Chicago, Greater NYC, and Cincy/Indianapolis.

ONCE AGAIN:

KICKSTARTER BACKERS: PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP (email [email protected]) if you'd like to pick up your copy/copies from one of these two locations instead of putting them in the mail. You can check the status of your order (updated daily) right here. If you told us in your Kickstarter survey that you'd be interested in these options just check your email; there will be a message from me in there.

FAQ:

Where's my stuff? Expedited t-shirt orders should have arrived. Non-Expedited t-shirt orders are being made now (I think the More Perfect Union ones are the only ones printed so far). Books are still being printed and bound. But if you backed the Kickstarter you should have the Digital Edition already, and if you did the Sinful Seven thing you should have gotten an email from Jason Kirk with directions to download it.

Digital Edition? If you backed the Kickstarter you should have it already. Here's the link again. If you can't see a message it's because you're not logged in or didn't back the Kickstarter.

Is this the greatest season preview magazine of a season that won't happen that's ever been written? We're checking but yes.

Can I come to one of these pickup events and buy a copy? Sure.

Can I get it online? Sure. Our store is carrying the pre-sale and a digital-only version. You can also get a Kindle Edition that's a bit different.

Can I get it in stores? When we have copies, which will be after the Sat, Aug 29 event I think, it will be on shelves at Underground Printing (all locations in Ann Arbor), the Bo Store, and Nicola's Books.

Will you guys sign it? Probably not going to be able to do that. The social distancing thing is hard enough.