Alas, I was kind of expecting that. Thanks for the update, I'll see if I can talk my wife in letting me go to KC, but that doesn't seem likely either.
I seem to remember somewhere that there was a way you could order a signed and personalized book? I looked in the store link but didn't see one.
Thanks again for the update and I hope he feels better soon.
My understanding was that folks who were going to attend the Chicago signing would be sent signed bookplates, though I might be mistaken. I'll poke Jim and ask.
To answer your question, you can order signed books through Jim's local independent bookstore,
Dog Eared Books. Call or email them, and they'll give you the skinny. I'm not sure how often Jim goes over to sign for them, and it may take a while for the order to be processed at this stage, given all the hubbub of the holidays, but things should calm down in the new year.