The majority of my signed & personalized books are sent to the USA via Royal Mail International. It is the least expensive option I can offer and takes 42 days. With that said, many have told me their order arrives much faster which is fantastic.
7 days ago, Royal Mail International was hacked and went down. I have a few unfortunate orders that I’ve not sent out yet as I was hoping that Royal Mail would be up and running quickly. No such luck.
I have been turned away 3 times now and their website seems to be expecting a long ‘winter’ of digging out from all the backed-up packages.
I am having to raise my prices and switch to another international carrier until the situation is resolved. I will keep you informed. If you are planning on ordering and have checked my prices out already, please do keep in mind the situation with my apologies for the price rise.
I’ve also had a few returns which has never happened to me since I have been signing books and personally sending them out in 2016.
From now on, I will be using a Tracking Number and need to make it clear that a signed and personalized book with the buyer’s name on it can’t be returned as I can’t resell them with someone else’s name written on the inside of the book.
I do buy them myself from the partner publisher. I am not a corporation and everything is handled out of my own home. In the age of Amazon, it is easy to forget that small, independents can’t operate in the same 24/7 manner.
All authors will agree with me when I say that this is not an easy occupation. It can take years of training, research, and 6 months to a year to write a book that can be read in a relatively short time. It is more than a full-time job and often at odd hours of the day and night which means having a ‘reliable job’ – impossible.
I have been very blessed to have built up positive online friendships with so many readers, fellow researchers, and podcasters! I have wonderful Patrons who have made my work possible. I have been blessed with appearances on The Curse of Oak Island and now with director Luca Centoni. I’m getting there! But it’s an uphill climb.
Thank you for understanding the changes regarding shipping and a non-refundable policy going forward on the signed books.
The following is a website link for Royal Mail’s current status:
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/…/detail/a_id/12556
Thank you for your understanding,
All my best wishes to you and yours,
Gretchen Cornwall
Well done, Lady Getchen! Like our Templar predecessors you are unstoppable! 🙂
A note to those who returned: Common courtesy dictates that signed books are non-returnable?!? Duh!
Flame on, Chevalière! The world needs more LIGHT!
If allowed by law, I bet you would find me and others willing to purchase a “returned” book, regardless of the name it was previously autographed to or for.
Thank you for the update Gretchen! Looking forward to it! The cartoon shows you a fellow Lefty?
Wow! Very disappointing as an Englishman living abroad that you have to put up with Royal Mail International service and their issues.
Hope things sort themselves out and while I wanted all my books signed by Gretchen ( I have all 3) , I would prefer meeting at a conference or a visit to a Templar sitte and having a full signing and chat too… !!!
Keep your head up Gretchen XX