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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Loompanics?
Loompanics Unlimited is a publishing and bookselling company specializing in odd, unusual, controversial, and wild-ass books, with an emphasis on questioning authority. We have been in business for 28 years now. We are a small business, bringing out about 15 of our own titles a year, and offering approximately 150 new titles per year from other publishers. Our current Catalog with Supplements contains more than 800 titles. We have a staff that takes orders and answers questions daily from 7:00am through 6:00pm Monday through Friday.
Q: Why is your Catalog dedicated to the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
The Second Law of Thermodynamics is the tendency towards universal entropy – in short, over time, chaos will prevail. "Things fall apart, the center cannot hold..." (Yeats). Within society, Loompanics favors more entropy, i.e., less government laws and other social restrictions – increased anarchy. Within our own bodies, Loompanics favors less entropy, i.e., less degeneration and death. So the Second Law of Thermodynamics is at once a friend indeed, and a worthy adversary. America needs to loosen up.
Q: What is the Loompanics logo? Is that some kind of space ship or something?
Yes, our logo is an orbiting space colony of the type proposed by Gerard K. O'Neil in his 1976 book The High Frontier. Mike was very impressed by the idea that a relatively small group of people could get off this planet and out by themselves, and literally have their own world. Unfortunately for just about everybody, the idea has been co-opted by the government, in order to militarize outer space (“Star Wars”) and right now it doesn't look like we, the people, are ever going to be able to live like that. But Mike likes the idea, so he has kept it as the company logo.
Q: Why the name “Loompanics?” Does that mean something?
The first booklet Mike ever published (in early 1974) was an index to the first four years of National Lampoon magazine. Mike was in awe of NatLamp as it was before the original founders sold their stakes. He still thinks that those issues were the single finest examples of satire and social criticism that have ever been published in America. His favorites were Henry Beard and, especially, the late Michael O'Donahue. Nothing was sacred with those guys, and that makes for good writing! Mike liked NatLamp so much in those days that he even had a couple of small jokes published in there, something he still likes to brag about whenever he gets the chance (such as now).
Mike's theory was that if he named his publishing company something that sounded like “Lampoon” that it would help the sales of the Index when he advertised it in NatLamp. Then, when he started to publish other stuff, he just kept it for all his publishing projects, and for his bookselling Catalog, too.
Q: Is your Web site ordering system secure?
Yes – Please read the security provision in our privacy statement.
Q: Can overseas customers order Loompanics books?
Yes – We mail to virtually every country in the world.
(Please note we are not responsible for books or videos seized by customs or any government agency.) Please check out Shipping Information to find out about prices and available shipping methods.
Q: How long does it take to receive an order once it's placed?
All orders are shipped the same day we receive your order and payment. Orders received after 1:00pm Pacific Daylight Time, or on weekends, will be filled the following business day. Backorders will be filled as soon as the backordered item arrives in house. Backordered items placed on overseas orders will be cancelled and you will be asked to order that title again at a later date. If you have a question about your order, please email customer service or call 1-360-385-2230 between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday – Friday.
Q: Do you have a return policy?
We trust you will enjoy your order – If you are dissatisfied with an item we want to quickly correct the problem. You may return items that are un-satisfactory within 30 days of receipt, providing they are unused and in resalable condition for a credit against future orders. Video tapes and DVD's are non-returnable. Shipping and handling charges are nonrefundable. We encourage you to call Customer Service at 1-360-385-2230 before returning a product that is used so we can provide you with the best service options.
Items Damaged in Shipping or Defective
Although we package every order carefully to prevent damage in transit, occasionally an item will arrive damaged or defective. Please call Customer Service at 1-360-385-2230 so we can correct this problem immediately at our expense.
Items Sent to You in Error
We follow careful order picking procedures to ensure every item in your order is correct, but occasionally we do make mistakes. Please call Customer Service at 1-360-385-2230 so we can correct this problem immediately at our expense, please have your order number available to ensure a quick response
Q: How do I get on your mail list?
The only way to get on our mail list is by placing an order.
Q: How can I get a copy of your paper catalog?
Our catalog is "FREE" with any order, or you can place an order for the catalog online or by calling customer service. The low $5.00 price includes shipping and handling. On the left is our category list, one of the links in this list leads to a link to ordering the paper catalog. The online order form will show a price of $5.00 for the catalog plus shipping charges, please note the shipping fee will be removed and you will only be charged the $5.00 price of the catalog.
Q: Can I call and get phone numbers or address's of Authors I would like to contact?
We are happy to forward any and all requests to contact an Author on to the person in question. Please send your request to: Authors Name, c/o Loompanics Unlimited, PO Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368. It is the Author's responsibility to reply to your request.
Q: Why does the Loompanics Catalog and Supplements contain features and articles as well as book write-ups?
Mike likes to have a couple features that reflect the Catalog's general orientation: individual freedom. Over the years, he has collected the best of these articles into four anthologies: Loompanics' Greatest Hits, Loompanics' Golden Records, Loompanics Unlimited Live! In Las Vegas, and Loompanics Unlimited Conquers the Universe.
Q: What do you look for in a book to publish or sell?
What we really like to see is someone who knows what he's talking about, take a subject that is little-known, or even abhorrent, and then write a straightforward how-to-do-it book about it. Books such as The Art & Science of Dumpster Diving, Methods of Disguise, Making Crime Pay, Rancho Costa Nada: The Dirt Cheap Desert Homestead, If We Can Keep a Severed Head Alive…, How to Start Your Own Country, Did Jesus Exist?, Practical LSD Manufacture, Combat Knife Throwing, The $51 Fantasy, etc., etc.
We like challenging books, funny books, exciting books, crazy books. Useful books, outrageous books, beyond-the-pale books, over-the-top books. How to Build Your Own Log Home for Less Than $15,000, Stealth Juror, Home Workshop Professional Lock Tools, How to Make Driver's Licenses and Other ID on Your Home Computer, They Were White and They Were Slaves, Everything You Know is Wrong, How to Be an Ass-Whipping Boxer, Guns Save Lives, etc., etc. We literally cannot get enough of this stuff.
Q: How do you get your manuscripts? Do people just send them in, or what?
Well, by now, as little-known as we are, Loompanics is well-known enough that we do get a lot of manuscripts that just come in over the transom. But Mike will also think of ideas for books he'd like to see, and then look for an author to write the book. Loompanics is very proud to be the publisher of writers like Ace Backwords, eddie the wire, Jon Fisher, Claire Wolfe, John Q. Newman, Uncle Fester, and many others whose first books were published by Loompanics. These are all intelligent writers, with great senses of humor, who have a lot to say that is important.
Q: For many of the people reading these questions, this will be their first introduction to Loompanics Unlimited. Is there anything special you would like to say to these people?
Yes. Have fun, think for yourself, and buy some books.
Unusual Moneymaking and Self Employment Opportunities
We are interested in articles, features, and interviews for our Catalog and Supplements. Same guidelines as for books. Address all queries to:
Mike Hoy, Book Editor
Loompanics Unlimited
PO Box 1197
Port Townsend, WA 98368
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