The points of issue
Hardcover, published 31 August 2021, 405 pp, ISBN 9781982137632. The first printing shows a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, with a first-state jacket priced as issued. Won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel for 2021.
Is this the true first?
The US Saga Press 2021 hardcover is the true first; the UK Titan edition appeared about a week later and is a separate edition. Signed indie-store first printings are sought after. Note a separate small-press limited edition also exists and is its own collectible.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings show a number line whose lowest digit is greater than 1. Saga Press uses the number line rather than a 'First Edition' slug; confirm the full line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of My Heart Is a Chainsaw a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover, published 31 August 2021, 405 pp, ISBN 9781982137632. The first printing shows a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, with a first-state jacket priced as issued. Won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel for 2021.
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. The US Saga Press 2021 hardcover is the true first; the UK Titan edition appeared about a week later and is a separate edition. Signed indie-store first printings are sought after. Note a separate small-press limited edition also exists and is its own collectible.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings show a number line whose lowest digit is greater than 1. Saga Press uses the number line rather than a 'First Edition' slug; confirm the full line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of My Heart Is a Chainsaw — 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.