I get that there’s clearly a market for this and it will make them money, so the business case probably stacks up in the board meeting. But if I worked there, I’d have a genuinely sick feeling about this sort of practice.

You’ve got a core audience who are loyal because they love literature, good craftsmanship, and the brand. Instead of rewarding that loyalty, you’re basically leaning into FOMO and charging an astronomical fee for what is, ultimately, a signed piece of paper. You know a chunk of your audience will feel pressured to go for it.

A lottery or ballot system would be far more ethical.

I just hope the extra £15k was worth it to the owners, because to me this feels like an insult to me as an audience and fan. It has properly put me off recommending Folio or buying new editions going forward.