Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Dispatches from the Border, September 2017

Sarah Gailey, THE TASTE OF MARROW (Tor.com, Trade Paperback, $14.99), and Seanan McGuire, THE BRIGHTEST FELL (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) Saturday, September 9th at 5:00 pm

Writers With Drinks (at the Make Out Room, 3225 22nd St, San Francisco) with authors Natasha Dennerstein, Juba Kalamka, Meredith May, Alvin Orloff, and Daniel H. Wilson, Saturday September 9th at 6:30 pm

SF in SF (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) with authors Becca Gomez Farrell and Early Gregory, hosted by Terry Bisson, Sunday, September 10th at 6:30 pm

Max Gladstone, THE RUIN OF ANGELS (Tor.com, Trade Paperback, $24.99) Saturday, September 16th at 3:00 pm

IT: The Book, The Miniseries, The Movie Panel Discussion with Meg Elison, Marc Kate, Jeremy Lassen, and Chad Lott, Sunday, September 17th at 3:00 pm

Ferrett Steinmetz, THE UPLOADED (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 23rd at 3:00 pm

Peter Clines, PARADOX BOUND (Crown, Hardcover, $26.00) Tuesday, September 26th at 6:00 pm

Mishell Baker, PHANTOM PAINS (Saga, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Thursday, September 28th at 6:00 pm

Ann Leckie, PROVENANCE (Orbit, Hardcover, $26.00) Friday, September 29th at 6:00 pm

Annalee Newitz, AUTONOMOUS (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Saturday, September 30th at 3:00 pm

Loren Rhoads, 199 CEMETERIES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE (Black Dog & Leventhal, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, October 7th at 3:00 pm

Serena Valentino, MISTRESS OF ALL EVIL (Disney, Hardcover, $17.99) Saturday, October 7th at 6:00 pm

Litquake LitCrawl Phase 2 (Borderlands Books) with authors Sarah Gailey, Sarah Kuhn, Loren Rhoads, and Carter Scholz, Saturday, October 14th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm

Litquake LitCrawl Phase 3 (Borderlands Cafe) with authors Robyn Bennis, Dana Fredsti, Ayize Jama-Everett, and Ellen Klages, Saturday, October 14th from 8:00 - 9:00 pm

Editors Nick Mamatas and Molly Tanzer with guests Jim Nisbet, Tim Pratt, and Dominica Phetteplace, MIXED UP: COCKTAIL RECIPES (AND FLASH FICTION) FOR THE DISCERNING DRINKER (AND READER) (Skyhorse, Hardcover, $14.99) Sunday, October 15th at 3:00 pm

Kevin Hearne (A PLAGUE OF GIANTS), Chuck Wendig (DAMN FINE STORY: MASTERING THE TOOLS OF A POWERFUL NARRATIVE), Fran Wilde (HORIZON) Panel, Tuesday, October 17th at 6:00 pm

Hugh Howey, MACHINE LEARNING (John Joseph Adams, Hardcover, $28.00 and Trade Paperback $15.99) Thursday, October 19th at 6:00 pm

(for more information check the end of this newsletter)

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News
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* One of our customers has a question, and we're hoping y'all can help!  He says: "I'm looking for science fiction (novels, preferably) which use physics as their central premise.  Best is nuts & bolts SF of the Campbell variety which explain physics concepts in a fictional context; Mission of Gravity would be a good example.  These books will be posted on The Tech Challenge website <https://www.thetech.org/thetechchallenge>, included in our list of student resources.  Fiction's a great gateway for kids who seemingly have no interest in science or engineering.  Here's the challenge: we're not interested in astrophysics, nuclear physics, quantum physics or relativity.  We're looking for books that touch on gravity or the laws of motion - pretty strictly Newtonian or classical.  Our program's for 4-12 graders, so books appealing to any age group are fine.  I'll scan everything for "inappropriate" content, so people can suggest anything and I'll just remove any later Heinlein or Pohl from the list."  Do you have any suggestions that will help?  Please email them to office@borderlands-books.com, and we'll pass them on!

* Frances Glessner Lee's "Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death" will be on display at the Smithsonian!  (Jude absolutely loves the book of the Nutshell Studies. . . you can check it out on her "Recommended" shelf.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dollhouse-death-scenes-are-being-refurbished-for-smithsonian-exhibit/2017/08/26/d7d6cec4-89be-11e7-961d-2f373b3977ee_story.html

* "How Great Science Fiction Works" -- a college-level course for science fiction fans from Gary K. Wolfe: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/how-great-science-fiction-works/

* We're sorry to report the death of Tobe Hooper, director of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Poltergeist". https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/27/movies/tobe-hooper-texas-chainsaw-massacre.html

* Unfortunately, science-fiction legend Brian Aldiss has died at age 92.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/24/books/brian-aldiss-author-of-science-fiction-and-much-more-dies-at-92.html

* A steampunk Venus rover! https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6933

* This is a pretty wild story.  We wondered what was going on when we got a cryptic email from the New York Times' reporting folks -- it looks like a highly improbable group of people worked together to unfairly place a book at the #1 spot on the Young Adult list.  http://ew.com/books/2017/08/24/handbook-for-mortals-pulled-new-york-times-bestseller-list/amp/ (Sidenote: if one of us ever dies suspiciously, we want YA Twitter to investigate!)

* Build your own incredibly deadly dinosaur theme park! https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/20/jurassic-park-evolution/

* 18 space suits, ranked from worst to best: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/19/16104004/science-fiction-space-suit-worst-best-the-martian-alien-sunshine-gravity

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Award News
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* Local author Dominica Phetteplace is one of six winners of the 2017 Rona Jaffe Award for "women writers of exceptional talent," with emphasis on those "in the early stages of their writing careers".  Check out all the winners and learn more about the purpose of this cool award here: http://www.ronajaffefoundation.org/index.html

* UNDERGROUND AIRLINES by Ben Winters has won the 2017 Sidewise Award for novel: http://www.uchronia.net/sidewise/

* "The Blue Widow" by J.P. Sullivan has won the 2017 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award. http://www.baen.com/baenfantasyaward2017

* Congratulations to this year's Hugo Award winners; N.K. Jemisin took home the Best Novel award for the second year in a row! http://www.thehugoawards.org/

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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for August, 2017

Hardcovers
1. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
2. Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory
3. The Delirium Brief by Charles Stross
4. Kill Society by Richard Kadrey
5. Shattered Minds by Laura Lam
6. Gork the Teenage Dragon by Gabe Hudson
7. The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey
8. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
9. Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
10. Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson

Trade Paperbacks
1. Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
2. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
3. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
4. Lamb by Christopher Moore
5. Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
6. Noumenon by Marina J. Lostetter
7. Passing Strange by Ellen Klages
8. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
9. Dark Forest by Cixin Liu
10. Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn

Mass Market Paperbacks
1. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
2. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
4. The Gunslinger by Stephen King
5. Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn
6. Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
7. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
8. Night Without Stars by Peter F. Hamilton
9. Feedback by Mira Grant
10. United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas

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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, September 10, at 5 pm to discuss ETHAN OF ATHOS by Lois McMaster Bujold.  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, September 17th, at 6 pm to discuss SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson.  The book for October 15th is LOOK TO WINDWARD by Iain M. Banks.  Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.

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Upcoming Event Details
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Sarah Gailey, THE TASTE OF MARROW (Tor.com, Trade Paperback, $14.99), and Seanan McGuire, THE BRIGHTEST FELL (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) Saturday, September 9th at 5:00 pm - We are so excited to welcome these two awesome, hilarious authors to Borderlands!  If you've attended one of Seanan's events before, you know that they are a high-energy, music-filled delight.  If you've never attended one before, now is the perfect time to start!  This time around, Seanan will be joined by Sarah Gailey, who will be showing off THE TASTE OF MARROW, the exciting, feral-hippo-filled sequel to RIVER OF TEETH!  Seanan will be presenting THE BRIGHTEST FELL, the next October Daye novel, and the first one in hardcover.  We'll also have the full-on Circus with musicians, readings, raffle prizes, and silliness guaranteed!  Get your questions answered, bring your books to be signed, and prepare to sing along.

Writers With Drinks (at the Make Out Room, 3225 22nd St, San Francisco) with authors Natasha Dennerstein, Juba Kalamka, Meredith May, and Daniel H. Wilson, Saturday September 9th at 6:30 pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, usually hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, and we're always happy to participate! The amazing lineup this month includes authors Natasha Dennerstein (Triptych Caliform), Juba Kalamka (Son of Byford, Oogabooga Under Fascism), Meredith May (I, Who Did Not Die) Alvin Orloff (I Married an Earthling, The Unsinkable Bambi Lake), and Daniel H. Wilson (The Clockwork Dynasty, Robopocalypse)!  Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds.  All proceeds benefit local non-profits.  Doors open at 6:30 and Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.

SF in SF (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) with authors Becca Gomez Farrell and Early Gregory, hosted by Terry Bisson, Sunday, September 10th at 6:30 pm - (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 participate in the Science Fiction in San Francisco reading series! The authors will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson.  The 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.

Max Gladstone, THE RUIN OF ANGELS (Tor.com, Trade Paperback, $24.99) Saturday, September 16th at 3:00 pm - We're always delighted to welcome Max Gladstone to Borderlands!  Check out the write up from the publisher's website for the newest Craft novel, THE RUIN OF ANGELS: "The God Wars destroyed the city of Alikand. Now, a century and a half and a great many construction contracts later, Agdel Lex rises in its place.  Dead deities litter the surrounding desert, streets shift when people aren’t looking, a squidlike tower dominates the skyline, and the foreign Iskari Rectification Authority keeps strict order in this once-independent city -- while treasure seekers, criminals, combat librarians, nightmare artists, angels, demons, dispossessed knights, grad students, and other fools gather in its ever-changing alleys, hungry for the next big score.  Priestess/investment banker Kai Pohala (last seen in FULL FATHOM FIVE) hits town to corner Agdel Lex's burgeoning nightmare startup scene, and to visit her estranged sister Lei.  But Kai finds Lei desperate at the center of a shadowy, and rapidly unravelling, business deal.  When Lei ends up on the run, wanted for a crime she most definitely committed, Kai races to track her sister down before the Authority finds her first. But Lei has her own plans, involving her ex-girlfriend, a daring heist into the god-haunted desert, and, perhaps, freedom for an occupied city. Because Alikand might not be completely dead -- and some people want to finish the job." RSVP here if you do the Facebook thing:  https://www.facebook.com/events/257966844709642

IT: The Book, The Miniseries, The Movie Panel Discussion with Meg Elison, Marc Kate, Jeremy Lassen, and Chad Lott, Sunday, September 17th at 3:00 pm - Join panelists Meg Elison, Marc Kate, Jeremy Lassen, and Chad Lott for a fascinating panel discussion on Stephen King's IT: The Book, The Minseries, and the Movie!  We'll explore the enduring popularity and various interpretations of this utterly terrifying novel.  Bring your questions and opinions.  And, we've been informed that there may well be clowns in attendance!

Ferrett Steinmetz, THE UPLOADED (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 23rd at 3:00 pm - Join us to meet the incomparable Ferrett Steinmetz and check out his new post-singularity thriller THE UPLOADED, wherein (as it was described to me) "people are uploaded to giant servers after their death and are, quite frankly, hideous to the living".  You can check out Ferrett's summary here: http://www.theferrett.com/ferrettworks/the-uploaded-my-new-novel-about-the-dark-side-of-digital-immortality-coming-in-september/ .  The author's only visiting three cities to promote this book, and the others are Cleveland and Cambridge; missing Ferrett Steinmetz is a damn shame, and you should avoid it if you can.  Also, we're expecting donuts!

Peter Clines, PARADOX BOUND (Crown, Hardcover, $26.00) Tuesday, September 26th at 6:00 pm - We are always happy to welcome author Peter Clines, who has been a great supporter of Borderlands!  This time, the author that Kikus Reviews calls a "professional noodle-bender" brings us a "full barrell adventure novel" that "also teaches a non-ironic lesson in American civics".  We're going to let you read that excellent Kirkus review to find out more, and we heartily encourage you to come meet Peter Clines and check out PARADOX BOUND! https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/peter-clines/paradox-bound/

Mishell Baker, PHANTOM PAINS (Saga, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Thursday, September 28th at 6:00 pm - Join us to meet the fabulous Mishell Baker, author of the Arcadia Project books BORDERLINE, PHANTOM PAINS, and the forthcoming IMPOSTER SYNDROME!  This will be an informal, meet-and-chat signing, and we've heard credible rumors there will be cupcakes.  You an hear an excerpt from BORDERLINE here: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Borderline/Mishell-Baker/The-Arcadia-Project/9781508225263

Ann Leckie, PROVENANCE (Orbit, Hardcover, $26.00) Friday, September 29th at 6:00 pm - Ann Leckie's first novel ANCILLARY JUSTICE won the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Locus Award, the BSFA Award, and the British Fantasy Award, was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award, John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and made the James Tiptree, Jr. Award Honor List, and the rest of the series garnered addtional awards!  WOW!  Now she's back with a whole new novel, PROVENANCE, and it sounds fantastic.  From the author's website: "A power-driven young woman has just one chance to secure the status she craves and regain priceless lost artifacts prized by her people.  She must free their thief from a prison planet from which no one has ever returned.  Ingray and her charge will return to her home world to find their planet in political turmoil, at the heart of an escalating interstellar conflict. Together, they must make a new plan to salvage Ingray's future, her family, and her world, before they are lost to her for good."  We hold you'll join us to meet this record-shattering author and check out her new work.

Annalee Newitz, AUTONOMOUS (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Saturday, September 30th at 3:00 pm - We're thrilled to welcome local author Annalee Newitz back to the store!  Annalee's written reams of articles, and two nonfiction books, but this is her first novel: "AUTONOMOUS features a rakish female pharmaceutical pirate named Jack who traverses the world in her own submarine.  A notorious anti-patent scientist who has styled herself as a Robin Hood heroine fighting to bring cheap drugs to the poor, Jack's latest drug is leaving a trail of lethal overdoses across what used to be North America -- a drug that compels people to become addicted to their work.  On Jack's trail are an unlikely pair: an emotionally shut-down military agent and his partner, Paladin, a young military robot, who fall in love against all expectations.  AUTONOMOUS alternates between the activities of Jack and her co-conspirators, and Joe and Paladin, as they all race to stop a bizarre drug epidemic that is tearing apart lives, causing trains to crash, and flooding New York City."

Loren Rhoads, 199 CEMETERIES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE (Black Dog & Leventhal, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, October 7th at 3:00 pm - We're delighted to welcome local author and Borderlands sponsor Loren Rhoads, who will be showing off her new book 199 CEMETERIES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE!  From Loren's website: "People are buried everywhere, once you start to notice.  Every tourist destination has a cemetery, from New York City to Hong Kong to Isle of Iona.  Some tourist destinations are tombs: the Great Pyramids of Egypt or the Taj Mahal or the Royal Mounds in Gamla Uppsala in Sweden, for instance.  There are permanent residents in museums, houses of worship, ghost towns, battlegrounds. . . even in national parks.  You may have already visited someone's grave without giving it a second thought, if you’ve been to Pompeii or Westminster Abbey or the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.  Why would anyone go out of the way to visit a graveyard intentionally?  In addition to the fascinating stories they contain, cemeteries can be open-air sculpture parks full of one of a kind artwork.  They provide habitats for birds and wildlife, as well as arboretums and gardens of surprising beauty.  Cemeteries appeal to art lovers, amateur sociologists, birdwatchers, master gardeners, historians, hikers, genealogists, picnickers, and anyone who just wants to stop and smell the roses.  Our relationships with the places we visit can be deepened and enriched by learning the stories of those who came -- and stayed -- before us."  We do hope you'll join us to check out this fascinating and unconventional travel guide!

Serena Valentino, MISTRESS OF ALL EVIL (Disney, Hardcover, $17.99) Saturday, October 7th at 6:00 pm - Join us for an informal, meet-and-chat signing with the fabulous Serena Valentino, and check out her newest Disney villain extravaganza MISTRESS OF ALL EVIL, which is Maleficent's story!  Find out more about Serena and her work here: http://www.serenavalentino.com/

Litquake LitCrawl Phase 2 (Borderlands Books) with authors Sarah Gailey, Sarah Kuhn, Loren Rhoads, and Carter Scholz, Saturday, October 14th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm - We are delighted to once again take part in one of the most exciting literary events in San Francisco - the LitCrawl.  This is a three-hour pub-crawl-style literary event with dozens of venues and hundreds of authors, all taking place right here in the Mission District.  Phase 2 will take place in the bookstore, and will feature: Sarah Gailey, an internationally published author of fiction and nonfiction, and a regular contributor for Tor.com and Barnes & Noble.  She tweets @gaileyfrey.  Learn more at www.sarahgailey.com; Sarah Kuhn, the author of the Heroine Complex series—starring Asian American superheroines—and assorted comics about love, geeks, aliens, and Barbie; Loren Rhoads, who zips from space operas called THE DANGEROUS TYPE and NO MORE HEREOS to nonfiction about the 199 CEMETERIES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE; and Carter Scholz, a Bay Area writer, composer, and pianist whose recent novella, Gypsy, was nominated for the Sturgeon Award!

Litquake LitCrawl Phase 3 (Borderlands Cafe) with authors Robyn Bennis, Dana Fredsti, Ayize Jama-Everett, and Ellen Klages, Saturday, October 14th from 8:00 - 9:00 pm - We are delighted to once again take part in one of the most exciting literary events in San Francisco - the LitCrawl.  This is a three-hour pub-crawl-style literary event with dozens of venues and hundreds of authors, all taking place right here in the Mission District. Phase 3 will take place in the Cafe and will feature Robyn Bennis, who works in biotech but dreams of airships. She lives in Mountain View and THE GUNS ABOVE is her debut novel; Dana Fredsti, the author of the Ashley Parker series, touted as Buffy meets The Walking Dead, and the dark fantasy series Spawn of Lilith; Alize Jama-Everett, who was born in Harlem NYC in 1974.  His books are THE LIMINAL PEOPLE, THE LIMINAL WAR, and THE ENTROPY OF BONES; and Ellen Klages, an award-winning genre-bending author (PASSING STRANGE) who lives in San Francisco in a small house full of strange and wondrous things.

Editors Nick Mamatas and Molly Tanzer with guests Jim Nisbet, Tim Pratt, and Dominica Phetteplace, MIXED UP: COCKTAIL RECIPES (AND FLASH FICTION) FOR THE DISCERNING DRINKER (AND READER) (Skyhorse, Hardcover, $14.99) Sunday, October 15th at 3:00 pm - We're happy to welcome Nick Mamatas, Molly Tanzer, and a bunch of wonderful contributors to this event for a cool new mash-up of cocktail recipes and flash fiction!  From the editor: "A cocktail is like an excellent story -- bitter and sweet and over too quickly, but the memory of it stays with you.  From the Pimm's Cup to Smoking Bishop, the Manhattan to the Moscow Mule, MIXED UP features not only more than two dozen classic recipes and hot tips on ingredients and preparations, but new cocktail-themed short stories from some of today's most popular and acclaimed writers, including Jeff VanderMeer, Cara Hoffman, Benjamin Percy, and many more."

Kevin Hearne (A PLAGUE OF GIANTS), Chuck Wendig (DAMN FINE STORY: MASTERING THE TOOLS OF A POWERFUL NARRATIVE), Fran Wilde (HORIZON) Panel, Tuesday, October 17th at 6:00 pm - We're thrilled to welcome these three amazing authors to Borderlands!  Kevin, Chuck, and Fran will be discussing their new titles and signing books.  Bring your questions and your sense of humor!

Hugh Howey, MACHINE LEARNING (John Joseph Adams, Hardcover, $28.00 and Trade Paperback $15.99) Thursday, October 19th at 6:00 pm - We're thrilled to host the somewhat-elusive sometime circumnavigator Hugh Howey!  Here's what the publisher has to say about his new collection: "Hugh Howey is known for crafting riveting and immersive page-turners of boundless imagination, spawning millions of fans worldwide, first with his best-selling novel WOOL, and then with other enthralling works such as SAND and BEACON 23.  Now comes MACHINE LEARNING, an impressive collection of Howey's science fiction and fantasy short fiction, including three stories set in the world of Wool, two never-before-published tales written exclusively for this volume, and fifteen additional stories collected here for the first time.  These stories explore everything from artificial intelligence to parallel universes to video games, and each story is accompanied by an author’s note exploring the background and genesis of each story."

Borderlands event policy - all events are free of charge.  You are welcome to bring copies of an author's books purchased elsewhere to be autographed (but we do appreciate it if you purchase something while at the event).  For most events you are welcome to bring as many books as you wish for autographs.  If you are unable to attend the event we will be happy to have a copy of any of the author's available books signed or inscribed for you.  We can then either hold the book(s) until you can come in to pick them up or we can ship to you.  Just give us a call or drop us an email.  If you live out of town, you can also ship us books from your collection to be signed for a nominal fee.  Call or email for details.