The points of issue
Story collection. Four Walls Eight Windows hardcover, first edition/first printing; priced jacket. Title story won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novelette; also includes the Hugo-winning 'Speech Sounds'.
Is this the true first?
US Four Walls Eight Windows hardcover (1995) is the true first collection; expanded second edition (2005) adds stories.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bloodchild and Other Stories a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Story collection. Four Walls Eight Windows hardcover, first edition/first printing; priced jacket. Title story won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novelette; also includes the Hugo-winning 'Speech Sounds'.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Four Walls Eight Windows hardcover (1995) is the true first collection; expanded second edition (2005) adds stories.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Bloodchild and Other Stories — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.