Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Dispatches from the Border: May 2016

Events and News From Borderlands Books

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Upcoming Events
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Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm

Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm

Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, with authors Kwan Booth, Yangsze Choo, Guy Gavriel Kay, David Lau, and Ariel Waldman, on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm

SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30pm

Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm

Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm

Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm

Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm

SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm

(for more information check the end of this newsletter)

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News
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* Mission Local attended the Sponsors' General Meeting on March 31st and wrote a detailed article where several of our sponsors are quoted: http://missionlocal.org/2016/04/sponsors-support-save-sf-mission-genre-bookstore/

* An article on Forbes.com talks about San Francisco's $15 minimum wage and its effects on three independent stores including Borderlands:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2016/03/31/what-a-15-minimum-wage-means-for-three-small-businesses-in-san-francisco/#a820faf17779

* Beloved Hugo-winning website SF Signal is shutting down.  They will no longer be updating and are looking into ways to preserve the archives of their work beyond this month.  Check out their full announcement here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2016/05/all-good-things/

* io9 took suggestions and created a Spotify playlist of the 30 SF/F songs guaranteed to get stuck in your head.  Check out the list and the runners-up here: http://io9.gizmodo.com/30-science-fiction-and-fantasy-songs-absolutely-certain-1775094591

* The Guardian provides their monthly list of the best recent SF/F novels here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/05/eric-brown-science-fiction-roundup

* When "Ghostbusters" announced an all-female reboot many of us celebrated -- until we saw the trailer, which has since become one of the most disliked movie trailers of all time on Youtube.  Melissa McCarthy shares her thoughts on the trailer and agrees that it makes no sense.  http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Ghostbusters-Trailer-Was-Confusing-According-Melissa-McCarthy-128577.html

* Spike TV is planning a series adaptation of the Stephen King novel THE MIST, with 10 one-hour long episodes.  Although this book has already been made into a film, perhaps the longer arc will lend itself to more expansive storytelling.  http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/06/spikes-adaptation-the-mist-gains-director-pilot-episode/

* Slate draws our attention to this beautifully shot, dark, short film on the topic of body-swapping.  As the article says, some of the twists and turns won't be new to the speculative fiction fan but the atmosphere, acting and sinister hints make "Trial" one to watch.  http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/05/03/trial_a_science_fiction_short_film_by_the_brothers_lynch_features_a_mind.html

* Read about the "Star Wars" saga as it was originally intended: a twelve-movie epic that included much more Boba Fett.  http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/06/boba-fett-originally-intended-main-villain-star-wrs-return-jedi/

* Indian science fiction thriller "24" has been getting a lot of press and attention.  This article lists 10 other science fiction movies from India that you should check out if you're in need of something new and interesting.  http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2016/05/05/top-10-science-fiction-films-made-in-india-apart-from-24411437/

* Vice has a great article up about African-American contributions to science fiction, and the soon-to-be released documentary "Invisible Universe" that will tackle this often-ignored topic.  http://www.vice.com/read/black-sci-fi-documentary-speculative-fiction

* Save "Supergirl"!  The freshman superhero show has dropped in ratings despite fairly good reviews and much anticipation.  There are several ideas in motion to save the show including moving it to The CW (which would hopefully mean more crossovers with The Flash).  http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/05/saving-supergirl-will-show-shift-cbs-cw/

* The 13 Most Devastating Deaths in Science Fiction.  Sure, there are some missing from the list, but at least a couple of these are sure to get you choked up.  http://www.outerplaces.com/science-fiction/item/11874-13-most-devastating-deaths-in-science-fiction

* Actor Jason Momoa, who will be playing Aquaman in the upcoming Justice League movies, released a photo of himself on the set and decided to lace it with a decidedly political statement that not only fits his own politics but is also definitely something Aquaman would fight for.  http://movieweb.com/justice-league-aquaman-photo-jason-momoa/

* A look back at five of Disney's most notable movie flops, although we think at least "Dick Tracy" has redeemed itself in the fullness of time, and also - dare we say it - "The Rocketeer"?   http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2016/05/05/cant-blockbusters-look-back-5-notable-disney-flops/

* Author Peter Tieryas, who will be appearing at Borderlands on June 5th, talks about his personal history, inspiration for novel THE UNITED STATES OF JAPAN, and mecha in a post over at geekdad.com.  https://geekdad.com/2016/05/author-peter-pieryas-geeks-out-about-mecha/

* Ever since the announcement that we were getting a Captain Marvel movie, fans have eagerly waited to see Carol on the big screen, and it looks like we may get our chance before her solo film: it seems Carol Danvers will be appearing in "Avengers: Infinity War".  http://screenrant.com/avengers-infinity-war-captain-marvel/

* "Doctor Who" spin-off "Torchwood" has been gone for a number of years now.  Although starting with a large fanbase, much of that seemed to fizzle out by the fourth season.  Luckily the gang (those who are still alive) are returning, in comic book form, and written by John Barrowman, the actor who played Captain Jack Harkness.  http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/captain-jack-returns-titans-new-torchwood-ongoing

* The reboot of "Power Rangers" (including the white-washing of Rita Repulsa,) has already been met with skepticism and criticism, and now we have a glimpse of the new uniforms, which remind us of the old science fiction film "Guyver" in five different colors -- but you be the judge.  http://collider.com/power-rangers-reboot-costumes-image/

* Small Beer Press has launched their first Kickstarter, to publish three hardcover editions of John Crowley's version of The Chemical Wedding, illustrated by Theo Fadel and designed by Jacob McMurray.  They're also  planning to publish the book as a trade paperback and DRM-free ebook in November.  More information here: http://smallbeerpress.com/forthcoming/2016/03/13/the-chemical-wedding-by-christian-rosencreutz/ and info on the Kickstarter here:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2142694884/the-chemical-wedding-by-john-crowley

* Local author Nick Mamatas, who will be appearing at Borderlands on May 21st, will again be teaching a genre fiction writing class at SF Creative Writing Institute.  This class starts Saturday May 14 and runs until June 18th, and the cost is $395.  Nick's students are getting published left and right; many sell their first short story after taking his class and one landed her very first book deal.  More details here: https://sfwriting.institute/fabulist-fiction

* More local authors teaching: In 2014, Litquake launched their Master Class Mixers, intensive seminars with an award-winning author who teaches an aspect of craft.  Best of all, each class is followed by a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception for teachers and students to mingle.  This May features classes with Beth Lisick and Cara Black.  More details can be found here: http://www.litquake.org/event-series/master-class-mixers

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Award News
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* The 2016 Locus Award nominees have been announced.  Check out the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/05/2016-locus-awards-finalists/

* Despite the thoroughly inflammatory title of their article, The Guardian has an interesting point in suggesting that no award system is immune from bias: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/may/06/have-the-locus-awards-myopic-sexism-ya-fiction

* The 2016 Hugo Award nominees have been announced.  http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2016-hugo-awards/
The Hugos continue controversial.  If you missed last year's brouhaha, Wikipedia has a relatively drama-free explanation of the history of this controversy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sad_Puppies.  While this year's nominees (and process) are seemingly not as contested as last year's, folks are still having plenty of strong reactions to this year's lineup.
- The statement of Thomas Mays who removed his story from competition: https://improbableauthor.com/2016/04/26/regarding-my-2016-hugo-award-nomination/
- The statement from Black Gate Magazine which also withdrew from consideration: https://www.blackgate.com/2016/05/01/black-gate-declines-hugo-nomination/
- And the story of the anonymous porn author, Chuck Tingle, who not only wrote a meta-story about the situation but has taken his nomination and used it as a platform to troll the Sad and Rabid Puppies: http://www.dailydot.com/lol/chuck-tingle-trolling-hugo-zoe-quinn-genius/

* The Shirley Jackson Award nominees have been announced: http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/nominees/

* Those eligible for inclusion in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Hall of Fame have been announced and they include Neil Gaiman, Nichelle Nichols, Lana & Lilly Wachowski and many more.  If you would like to vote, go here: http://empmuseum.org/vote

* The shortlist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award has been announced; see the nominees here: https://www.clarkeaward.com/2016-shortlist-announced/

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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for April, 2016

Hardcovers
1. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
3. WHEN WE ARE NO MORE by Abby Smith Rumsey
4. IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES by Marie Brennan
5. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
6. FELLSIDE by MR Carey
7. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
8. VISITOR by CJ Cherryh
9.  THE  BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
10. FALL OF LIGHT by Steven Erikson

Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. ROSEMARY & RUE by Seanan McGuire
4. DAY SHIFT by Charlaine Harris
5. THE DRAFTER by Kim Harrison
6. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
7. DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON by Seanan McGuire
8. UNDERCITY by Catherine Asaro
9. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
10. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
3. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
4. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
5. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker

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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, June 12th, at 5 pm to discuss THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA by Matthew Reilly.  Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, May 15th, at 6 pm to discuss THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu.  The book for the following month will be SINGULARITY SKY by Charles Stross. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.

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Upcoming Event Details
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Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm - We're pleased to host two disparate authors for one fantastic event!  Nick Mamatas' new novel is called THE LAST WEEKEND, and it's a wonderful, cynical dystopian nightmare.  Think Charles Bukowski meets George Romero, in San Francisco.  From the publisher: "Nick Mamatas takes a high-powered drill to the lurching, groaning conventions of zombie dystopias and conspiracy thrillers, sparing no cliche about tortured artists, alcoholic "genius," noir action heroes, survivalist dogma, or starry-eyed California dreaming.  Starting in booze-soaked but very clear-eyed cynicism and ending in gloriously uncozy catastrophe, THE LAST WEEKEND is merciless, uncomfortably perceptive, and bleakly hilarious." Steve Toutonghi's debut novel is getting great reviews.  Here's the synopsis from the author's website: "What if you could live multiple lives simultaneously, have constant, perfect companionship, and never die? That's the promise of Join, a revolutionary technology that allows small groups of minds to unite, forming a single consciousness that experiences the world through multiple bodies. But as two best friends discover, the light of that miracle may be blinding the world to its horrors."  Read an excerpt from JOIN here: http://sohopress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Join-INT-fin.pdf  We hope you'll JOIN us to meet this outstanding pair of authors!

Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm - We are thrilled to welcome distinguished fantasist and brilliant author Guy Gavriel Kay to Borderlands!  Check out the synopsis of his newest title, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY, from the publisher's website: "From the small coastal town of Senjan, notorious for its pirates, a young woman sets out to find vengeance for her lost family.  That same spring, from the wealthy city-state of Seressa, famous for its canals and lagoon, come two very different people: a young artist traveling to the dangerous east to paint the grand khalif at his request - and possibly to do more - and a fiercely intelligent, angry woman, posing as a doctor's wife, but sent by Seressa as a spy.  The trading ship that carries them is commanded by the accomplished younger son of a merchant family, ambivalent about the life he's been born to live.  And farther east a boy trains to become a soldier in the elite infantry of the khalif - to win glory in the war everyone knows is coming.  As these lives entwine, their fates - and those of many others - will hang in the balance, when the khalif sends out his massive army to take the great fortress that is the gateway to the western world . . . ."  Don't miss this chance to meet Guy Gavriel Kay!

Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders!  May's lineup includes the following amazing authors:  Kwan Booth (Black Futurists Speak: An Anthology of New Black Writing), Yangsze Choo (The Ghost Bride), Guy Gavriel Kay (Children of Earth and Sky), David Lau (Virgil and the Mountain Cat), and Ariel Waldman (What's It Like in Space?)  Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds.  All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture.  Doors open at 6:30.  Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.

SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30 - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.)  Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm.  We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue!  Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson.  Authors will schmooze & sign books after.  Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books.  Seating is limited, so first come, first seated.  Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum.   Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015.  Questions?  Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.

Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm - We're happy to host an art show with Katie Morton in the Cafe, and hope you'll join us for this science-fiction inspired opening event!  Morton's new series consists of oil-painted master copies of classic sci-fi film dystopias, inspired by the smogscapes she painted during her four years in Beijing.  They will be exhibited at Borderlands Cafe from June 1st through August 29th.  We're kicking off this show with an opening event including readings of original sci-fi compositions by Borderlands sponsor Louis Evans, Philip K. Dick award-winner Meg Elison, and Danielle Truppi, along with light refreshments.  There will also be a contest -- the first three attendees to correctly identify all of the films depicted in Morton's paintings will have the opportunity to take home a signed print of a painting from the show.   One of our featured speakers will be Louis Evans, presenting WHAT WAS ART: A FORWARD-LOOKING RETROSPECTIVE.  Dr. Evans, a professor at the New Stanford Institute of Pre-Crisis Studies, is visiting briefly from his dark future, and will share some comparative and historical remarks on contemporary art and future artlessness to commemorate the Re-imagining Film Futures opening.  RSVP here, if you do the Facebook thing: https://www.facebook.com/events/1784328881802851/

Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm - We're happy to welcome two exciting mystery authors!  Janet Dawson and Wendy Hornsby are both seasoned writers who have each penned multiple excellent novels.  This time around, Janet is showing off the followup to DEATH RIDES THE ZEPHYR, starring Zephyrette Jill McLeod as she deals with everything from troublesome passengers to unexpected death on the train from Chicago to the Bay Area.  Janet is presenting DISTURBING THE DARK, the latest in the Maggie McGowen series, about an irrepressibly curious investigative filmmaker.  We hope you'll join us to meet this dynamic duo from Perseverance Press!

Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm - We are beyond delighted to welcome local author and long time Borderlands employee Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, who is presenting his debut novel (first in the trilogy) THE ROOT!  From the publisher's website: "When a secret government agency trying to enslave you isn't the biggest problem you're facing, you're in trouble.  Erik, a former teen star living in San Francisco, thought his life was complicated; having his ex-boyfriend in jail because of the scandal that destroyed his career seemed overwhelming.  Then Erik learned he was Blooded: descended from the Gods.  Struggling with a power he doesn't understand and can barely control, Erik discovers that a covert government agency is selling off Blooded like lab rats to a rival branch of preternatural beings in 'Zebub -- San Francisco's mirror city in an alternate dimension.  Lil, a timid apprentice in 'Zebub, is searching for answers to her parents' sudden and mysterious deaths.  Surrounded by those who wish her harm and view her as a lesser being, Lil delves into a forgotten history that those in power will go to dangerous lengths to keep buried.  What neither Erik nor Lil realize is that a darkness is coming, something none have faced in living memory.  It eats.  It hunts.  And it knows them. In THE ROOT, the dark and surging urban fantasy debut from Na'amen Tilahun, two worlds must come together if even a remnant of one is to survive." We hope you'll join us.  RSVP here if you're on Facebook thing: https://www.facebook.com/events/776101015824427/

Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm - We are delighted (and a little trepidatious) about welcoming these four awesome authors to Borderlands! Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas are reading/diatribing/commenting and raving about robots, goons, and their views on the strangeness of daily existence at Borderlands Books.  Come out and join us for the fireworks!  More details about the authors can be found here:
https://www.evensi.us/robots-amp-goons-a-reading-at-borderlands-books-borderlands/176800658

SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.)  Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm.  Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson.  Authors will schmooze & sign books after.  Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books.  Seating is limited, so first come, first seated.  Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum.   Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015.  Questions?  Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.

This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.


Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Na'amen Tilahun
Assistant Editor - Jude Feldman


All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415 824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com


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