Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Dispatches from the Border, December 2018

DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News From Borderlands Books
December 2018

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Upcoming Events
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Adam Plantinga, POLICE CRAFT (Quill Driver Books, Trade Paperback, $16.95) Thursday, January 10th at 6:00 pm

Writers With Drinks (at The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with authors John Briscoe, Izzy Oneiric, Simon Sheppard, and Colin Winnette, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! Saturday, January 12th at 7:30 pm

BCAF (Black and Brown Comix Arts Festival), at the San Francisco Public Library and City View at Metreon, Sunday, January 20th from 1:00 - 5:00 pm, and Monday, January 21st from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

SF in SF (at The American Bookbinder's Museum, 355 Clementina Street, San Francisco) with authors Howard Hendrix, Cecelia Holland, and Kim Stanley Robinson, hosted by Terry Bisson, Sunday, January 20th at 6:00 pm

Rudy Rucker, RETURN TO THE HOLLOW EARTH (Transreal Books, Trade Paperback, $13.95 and Hardcover, $22.95) and others, and art show premiere! Saturday, January 26th at 3:00 pm

(for more information check the end of this newsletter)

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2019 Gift Guide
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Hello All and Sundry!

This year seems to have flown by.  The explanation I've heard for the seeming acceleration of time I'm experiencing is that as we age, time seems to go by faster, because any given amount of time is a smaller fraction than it used to be of your life overall (i.e. when you're five years old, one year is one-fifth of your life, but when you're thirty-five, one year is a thirty-fifth of your life, so it is comparatively a much shorter time).  Regardless of why it happens, recognizing this disconcerting speeding up is a reminder to me to enjoy all the time we've got as best we can.  I'm working on it, and in that spirit -- I wish you all the very best, and hope that this season and next year both treat you all very well, and that you have much to celebrate both now and in the future!

As we hurtle seemingly increasingly quickly toward this gift-giving season, we here present our usual Opinionated (and Digression-Filled) Gift Guide to help you out.  However, if you don't see something appropriate here, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life.  We'll even wrap 'em for you!  (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're glad to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it.  It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape.  For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say.  However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)

Onward!

- Jude Feldman

New and Exciting:

FIRE & BLOOD by George R.R. Martin - This first of two parts of the Targaryen history that begins 300 years before the events in GAME OF THRONES is getting excellent reviews, but some readers don't want to pick it up because the book keeps stubbornly refusing to be WINDS OF WINTER.

THE CALCULATING STARS and THE FATED SKY by Mary Robinette Kowal - EVERYONE on staff read and loved THE CALCULATING STARS.  All of us.  We can't say enough good things about this alternate history starring the indomitable Elma York, who wishes to be an astronaut despite all the obstacles in her way.  Come in to the store and hear us rave about these novels!

WORLDS SEEN IN PASSING: TEN YEARS OF TOR.COM SHORT FICTION edited by Irene Gallo - an absolutely astonishing collection.  Everything in here is at the very, very least "totally solid", and the stories range from there to mind-blowingly good.

HOW LONG 'TIL BLACK FUTURE MONTH? By N.K. Jemisin - History's first black female author (and author, period) to win 3 sequential Hugos for Best Novel presents her first short fiction collection, and it is getting fantastic reviews from everyone.  I loved this description from the publishers: ". . . Jemisin equally challenges and delights readers with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption." But don't take my word for it: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/books/review/nk-jemisin-how-long-til-black-future-month.html

THIN AIR by Richard Morgan - The creator of ALTERED CARBON is back with a new futuristic noir thriller which I think is his best since THIRTEEN.

REJOICE, A KNIFE TO THE HEART - Steven Erikson, best known for the epic and massive Malazan fantasy series, has written a new science fiction novel that neither Jim nor Scott can stop rating about -- both of them are saying "It's SO GOOD!".

RED MOON by Kim Stanley Robinson  - This is a "black licorice" book -- people either love it or they hate it, but no one has been neutral.  I'm firmly in the "love it!" camp.

ALL I EVER DREAMED by Michael Blumlein - Do yourself a favor and check out the transcendental short fiction of local author Michael Blumlein.  This collection is a keeper.

SOULLESS ILLUSTRATED EDITION by Gail Carrier - The light and funny steampunk romp, now with lovely Edward-Gorey-style illustrations by Jensine Eckwall!

SOMEONE LIKE ME by M.R. Carey - I couldn't put down this new novel from the author of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS.  It's a totally unconventional thriller and like nothing else I've read recently.
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Better Together:

We've curated a handful of book pairings for you!

A Noir 2-Pack: For the noir fan in your life, pick up the rollicking novel NOIR by Christopher Moore, and the decidedly grim and exceptionally good SANTA CRUZ NOIR edited by Susie Bright!

Haunting Non-Fiction 2-Pack: CAPTIVE OF THE LABYRINTH by Mary Jo Ignoffo is the riveting true story of the life of Sarah Winchester (of Mystery House & Winchester heiress fame).  Everything we thought we knew is wrong!  Pair this with GHOSTLAND: AN AMERICAN HISTORY IN HAUNTED PLACES by Colin Dickey for the person on your list who thinks the Truth is out there.

If They Liked THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET 2-Pack: Grab THE WRONG STARS by Tim Pratt and NOUMENON by Marina Lostetter!

Ugly Surf 2-Pack: Two older, amazing super-dark surf-crime novels!  TAPPING THE SOURCE by Kem Nunn and THE DAWN PATROL by Don Winslow.

Unconventional Superhero 2-Pack: VELVETEEN VS. THE JUNIOR SUPER PATRIOTS by Seanan McGuire, and PREPARE TO DIE! by Paul Tobin.  These are definitely not your parents' superheroes.

Overcoming Darkness 2-Pack: SMOKE by Dan Vyletta, and THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins.  Both of these novels explore transcending the darkness of the human condition to find completion.

Feminist Mythology 2-Pack: CIRCE by Madeline Miller and THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI by Helene Wecker.  Scott says that both books have in common women reaching beyond their societally proscribed roles in a mythological context.

"Keep the Government Out of My Science" 2-Pack: THE FOLD by Peter Clines and INFLUX by Daniel Suarez -- bureaucracy destroys creativity.

Start Them Off Right Coloring Book 2-Pack: HER HIGHNESS BUILDS ROBOTS by Laura and Beth Winters and THE JAMES TIPTREE JR. AWARD SPACE BABE COLORING BOOK by Jeanne Gomoll - for the empowered kid in your life!
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In Memory of Ursula K. Le Guin, 1929 - 2018 --

The world is so much poorer for the loss of Ursula K. Le Guin, who passed away in January of 2018.  It is some consolation that we still have her magnificent work.  Explore these (mostly) posthumously published works:

THE BOOKS OF EARTHSEA: THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED EDTION is an absolutely stunning volume celebrating the 50th anniversary of A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA.  With more than 50 illustrations by Charles Vess, it weighs nearly 6 pounds and contains not only the original four novels, but also TALES FROM EARTHSEA, THE OTHER WIND, "The Rule of Names", "The Word of Unbinding", "The Daughter of Odren", and "Earthsea Revisioned: A Lecture at Oxford University".  This is definitely one for you, or the collector in your life!

LATE IN THE DAY: POEMS 2010 - 2014, and SO FAR SO GOOD: FINAL POEMS 2014 - 2018 - poetry collections you should not miss.

CONVERSATIONS WITH URSULA K. LE GUIN by Carl Freedman - "In the pieces collected here, Le Guin takes every interview not as an opportunity to recapitulate long-held views but as an occasion for in-depth intellectual discourse."

URSULA K. LE GUIN: CONVERSATIONS ON WRITING with David Naimon - "Ursula K. Le Guin discusses her fiction, nonfiction, and poetry -- both her process and her philosophy -- with all the wisdom, profundity, and rigor we expect from one of the great writers of the last century."
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Classics and Old Favorites:

We've got beautiful hardcover editions of enduring classics - GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, THE STUPIDEST ANGEL and LAMB, THE BIBLE VERSION (both signed!) by Christopher Moore, THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman (R.I.P.) (we have a gorgeous illustrated edition and also the 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), DUNE by Frank Herbert, THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS by Ursula K. Le Guin, THE NEVERENDING STORY by Michael Ende, PARABLE OF THE SOWER and PARABLE OF THE TALENTS by Octavia Butler (_stunning_ cover art by Paul Lewin!), and NEUROMANCER by William Gibson, THE COMPLETE FICTION OF H.P. LOVECRAFT in a lovely slipcased edition, plus many many more.
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Weird Stuff:

No idea what they'd like?  How about one of these amazing oddities?

BORN TO BE POSTHUMOUS: THE ECCENTRIC LIFE AND MYSTERIOUS GENIUS OF EDWARD GOREY by Mark Dery -  pair with a slim volume of Edward Gorey stickers!

Krampus cards, stickers, postcards, and coloring books - The Devil of Christmas is definitely making a comeback.

THE SECRET ART OF DR. SEUSS by Theodor Suess Geisel - propaganda, weirdness, and stuffed and mounted heads of Suessian creations are just the beginning!

THE NUTSHELL STUDIES OF UNEXPLAINED DEATH by Corinne May Botz - explore the work of the criminally unknown Frances Glesner Lee, a feminist pioneer and creator of astoundingly intricate dollhouse murder scenes that are still being used as a forensic teaching tool 70+ years after their creation! <https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/nutshells>

THE LEAGUE OF REGRETTABLE SUPERHEROES by Jon Morris - a whole volume of real-life, ill-advised superheroes from comics history, like Doctor Hormone, Lady Satan, Fantomah, and Stardust the Super Wizard!

THE COCKTAIL GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: RECIPES FROM THE CELEBRATED DR. WHO BAR by Andy Heidel - Learn how to make cocktails like The Blue Blazer, Gin Buck Rogers, Close Encounters of the Third Lime, Cognac the Barbarian, and dozens more!
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Books for the writer in your life:

WONDERBOOK by Jeff Vandermeer, WANDERINGS ON WRITING by Jane Linskold (packed with musings and good advice), THE THORN NECKLACE: HEALING THROUGH WRITING AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS by Francesca Lia Block, STORYTELLER by Kate Wilhelm, STEERING THE CRAFT: A 21ST-CENTURY GUIDE TO SAILING THE SEA OF STORY by Ursula K. Le Guin, DAMN FINE STORY: MASTERING THE TOOLS OF A POWERFUL NARRATIVE by Chuck Wendig, and the classic ON WRITING by Stephen King.

We've also got fantastic journals -- everything from a super-shiny Cthuluhu journal, to a rainbow 10-pack of Pantone blank books, to Compact Novel Journals, where the book's text (in light type) makes the lines you write on!
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Bestsellers:

Some of our most popular titles this year:

AUTONOMOUS by Annalee Newitz, ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders, WHO FEARS DEATH? By Nnedi Okorafor, THE FIFTH SEASON and sequels by N.K. Jemisin, THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Liu Cixin (translated by Ken Liu), THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers, EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire, ALL SYSTEMS RED by Martha Wells, THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION by Peter Watts, and oh-so-many more incredible titles!
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Art!

We have many unique items from local artists!  Gorgeous art prints from Christine Rhee <https://www.christinerhee.com/>; meaningful jewelry from Luminous Darlings <http://luminousdarlings.com/storeFront.html>; cool steampunk one-offs from Fire Selkie Creations <http://www.fireselkiecreations.com/>; and fancy lapel pins and hair clips from Fly By Night Gifts.

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As always, we're happy to make personalized recommendations and practice our Psychic Bookseller Skills when you're stumped.  If you just can't decide, we also offer gift certificates in any amount.

We deeply appreciate your support of independent booksellers; proudly keeping America thoughtful and weird!  Here's to a bright, peaceful, and optimistic 2019.

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News
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* R.I.P. to Stan Lee, the creator of so many famous superheroes and a man who inspired many people: https://www.tor.com/2018/11/12/stan-lee-1922-2018/

* We're sorry to report the death of William Goldman, Oscar-winning screenwriter and more importantly, author of THE PRINCESS BRIDE. https://variety.com/2018/film/news/william-goldman-dead-dies-butch-cassidy-and-the-sundance-kid-1203030474/

* We're extremely sorry to hear that Endgame in Oakland will be closing at the end of January.  Please drop by and give them some support this month to assist with their closing expenses -- pick up a board or card game or a miniature, and also let them know they'll be sorely missed. http://www.endgameoakland.com/

* The classic vampire book THE GILDA STORIES by Jewelle Gomez is being adapted for TV by Cheryl Dunye and we are so excited.  Pick up the collection now while you can. https://shadowandact.com/afrofuturistic-novel-on-bisexual-vampire-the-gilda-stories-is-being-developed-for-tv-by-cheryl-dunye

* ANOTHER great adaptation on the way: this time Mira Grant's killer mermaid novella! https://www.tor.com/2018/11/15/mira-grant-rolling-in-the-deep-adaptation-seanan-mcguire-killer-mermaids/

* If you weren't lucky enough to make it to WorldCon this summer, check out George R.R. Martin's talk about a number of his works and techniques here: https://winteriscoming.net/2018/12/05/george-r-r-martin-interview-research-fantasy-fiction/

* Yeah this movie sounds . . . bad.  BUT, it sounds like it might be on the border of so bad it's good, so we sorta still want to check it out. https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/20-sci-fi-takes-fantasy-turn-706699.html

* Na'amen's only read one of the five novels on this list, but it was one of his favorite reads this year (THE POPPY WAR), and some of the others are on all of our lists, so we think it checks out: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/the-5-best-science-fiction-and-fantasy-novels-of-2018/2018/11/13/14451af0-cbef-11e8-920f-dd52e1ae4570_story.html?utm_term=.24c85e8ddeac

* A list of the Top 5 Science Fiction movies of the year -- but your mileage may vary; some of these are questionable: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2018/12/03/the-5-best-science-fiction-movies-of-2018/#409819b5174f

* "Nightflyers" doesn't look like it's the quite the runaway hit that Syfy thought it was getting. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/nightflyers-attempts-apply-george-r-r-martin-s-game-thrones-ncna944761

* So there seems to be some debate as to whether "It's A Wonderful Life" is a speculative movie or not.  Na'amen's always thought of it as a speculative movie, and a bad one -- but if you disagree you can go to the io9.com article and argue in the comments. https://io9.gizmodo.com/is-holiday-classic-its-a-wonderful-life-secretly-or-ac-1830726913

* Here are nine of the most important British science fiction stories, many of which were part of waves that launched entire subgenres. https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/books-comics/62079/the-9-most-important-british-science-fiction-stories

* If you don't mind subtitles and are into some interesting and gripping Alt-History, you should definitely check out Netflix's "1983" which is set in a world where the Iron Curtain never fell and the Cold War continues. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/netflix-s-new-show-1983-tightly-paced-well-written-polish-ncna942511?icid=related

* Check out this great interview with Lisa Yaszek about her book THE FUTURE IS FEMALE!: 25 Classic Science Fiction Stories by Women, from Pulp Pioneers to Ursula K. Le Guin and the things that we get wrong about the history of women writing in science fiction: https://loa.org/news-and-views/1439-lisa-yaszek-we-get-the-history-of-women-in-science-fiction-thoroughly-wrong

* A list of 10 new science fiction and fantasy books coming out this month that you should consider adding to your collection. https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/1/18109892/science-fiction-fantasy-books-recommendation-december-2018

* Using science fiction to discuss the ethics of actual controversial science such as gene-editing on children.  https://www.marketplace.org/2018/11/29/tech/can-science-fiction-help-us-grapple-gene-editing-technology

* For those who are interested in exploring other countries' speculative fiction that might not have made it over here, there's the new book A BRILLIANT VOID, which is a collection of Irish Science Fiction.  https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/a-brilliant-void-a-selection-of-classic-irish-science-fiction-1.3709937

* How many times have you watched the "Avengers: Endgame" trailer?  Did you catch these nine easter eggs?  https://www.inverse.com/article/51550-avengers-4-endgame-trailer-breakdown-secrets-spoilers-easter-eggs

* Look for our future corporate overlords to start hiring science fiction writers with an eye toward predicting future trends and inventions. https://boingboing.net/2018/12/07/brian-david-johnson.html

* If you haven’t been watching "The Good Place", we recommend you begin.  Immediately.  This article argues that Janet is the most optimistic AI on TV, although Janet would be the first to tell you "Not a Robot/AI."  https://www.wired.com/story/the-good-place-janet-optimistic-ai/

* What does science fiction say about the place where the author resides, where they grew up, and what their country is going through? http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20181203-what-our-science-fiction-says-about-us

* We just heard about this game and we are so into it.  A pulp sci-fi RPG?!? Sign us up!  https://in.ign.com/the-outer-worlds/130908/preview/the-outer-worlds-is-bringing-fun-back-to-science-fiction

* Scotland is having its first book festival dedicated to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.  https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17244634.scotlands-first-book-festival-dedicated-to-fantasy-science-fiction-and-horror-is-launched/

* The Best Sci Fi movies of 2018 that star women.  This list actually convinced us to check out a few movies that we had written off. https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a25323468/best-sci-fi-movies-2018/

* The discussion and debate of Tolkien and racism continues with author Andy Duncan weighing in, along with others.  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6428971/Science-Fiction-writer-claims-Lord-Rings-series-racist.html

* Here's a list of 15 of the greatest hard science movies. http://whatculture.com/film/15-greatest-hard-science-fiction-movies-of-all-time

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Award News
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* The Nebula Awards have announced a new category for Game Writing.  https://www.geekwire.com/2018/first-ever-nebula-award-game-writers-approved-professional-science-fiction-writers-organization/

* The 2018 Ignotus Winners, the equivalent to the Hugo for Spain, have announced their winners including Kameron Hurley.  http://locusmag.com/2018/11/2018-ignotus-winners/

* Congratulations to local author & sponsor Ellen Klages for winning the 2018 Best Novel Gaylactic Spectrum Award!  http://www.spectrumawards.org/2018.htm

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From The Office
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Hi Everyone,

Here we are at the end of another year.  It's been an interesting one for Borderlands, in the good, bad, and ugly(-ish) ways.  Mostly good, however.

Obviously, the biggest thing going on for us is the slow process of moving.  As regular readers know, I had expected the process to move faster, but the logic of doing the work ourselves versus hiring contractors has made the process slower but much, much cheaper.  All in all, it's to our advantage, but it has made for a substantially longer process that I expected going into it.

Last month was the one year anniversary of starting work and it's kind of fun to look back on all that we've done.  Some of the highlights have been:

Taking a mass of ivy and concrete in the backyard and turning it into a set of lovely planters with actual plants growing in them.

Replacing the falling-down plywood and scrap around the yard with new redwood fences.

Building a shearwall across the back of the building so that it will withstand earthquakes much better than before.

Nailing reinforcing clips on to the ceiling joists to further improve the seismic resistance of the building.  Forty-five joists, four clips per joist, eight nails per clip, for a total of 1440 nails.  That is, in contractor terms, a s**t-ton of nails.

Patching and repairing about 1000 square feet of sheetrock and plaster wall (roughly half of the exterior walls).

Shifting 8 tons of brick for the backyard (which is still to be set in place, so we'll move it one more time before we're done).

Installing a 400-lb steel I-beam in the basement, and excavating well over 5 cubic yards of dirt for foundations.

Pouring 5 cubic yards of concrete into the holes we excavated.

Taking delivery of more than $3500 worth of wooden beams, some weighing 300-400 lbs, and then using them to reinforce the floor (that's a work still in progress but should be finished this weekend).

And, of course, endless dump-runs, sweeping, nail-pulling, more sweeping, and all the day-to-day of a construction job.

At times the work seems like it will never end but, in actuality, it's going quite well.  A job like this is always slow and all the work we're doing now to make sure that the place will suit for the next ten, or twenty, or thirty years is well worth the extra time.  But, darn it, at times I'd really like to just get moved and be done with it.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our sponsors and the folks who lent us the money to buy the building.  It also wouldn't have been possible without the hard-core crew of people who have been volunteering their time over the last year.  Many people have been kind enough to come by and lend a hand for a day or two, and I've very grateful to all of them. But, there is also a group of about a dozen people who have come to help regularly on many Sundays for months.  They are a great group and an absolute pleasure to work with.  It is their help, encouragement, good humor, and hard work that has made this the best construction job I've ever worked on. They are: Caroline Kaster, Jutta Degener, Canute Haroldson, Kelsey Dietz, David Gates, Jo Falcon, Bill Spears, Laura Mazzola, Emily Schaeffer, Josie Schaeffer, Carl Ueber, Dave La Point, Jim Lively, Melinda Rose, Cassie Beckley, and Zach Harper.  How they put up with me, week after week, is a bit of a mystery but I'm very glad that they do.

Where we stand now on the building is pretty good.  The concrete is all poured and so that brings to an end the Saga of the Beam of Eye, which I have posted for you amusement here - <https://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-tale-of-beam-cautionary-and.html>.  To say that I'm happy about it is the understatement of 2018.  With that done, we're working on reinforcing the floor joists (the big boards that support the actual floor).  Once that's finished, we're on to doing the last big structural work - reinforcing the front of the building (which is two posts, 10 feet long and 4" by 8", plus two beams 17' long and 7 1/4" by 9") and putting in the supports so we can expand the bathroom (also two posts, 12 feet long and 6" by 6" plus three beams, the biggest of which is 15 feet long and 5 1/4" by 16").  Those are both pretty big jobs since the beams weight hundreds of pounds each and are going 10-13 feet in the air.  But, once that's done, we can start doing the actual building of the walls and so forth.  So, it's all very exciting.

I still don't have a completion date and I'm not going to for a while since we're still at the "it'll take as long as it takes" stage.  But, we'll keep plugging along and I'll keep you posted on how it's going.

In closing, I hope that the holiday season treats you well and, more so, I wish you a peaceful and happy New Year.

Warmest Regards,
Alan

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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for November, 2018

Hardcovers
1) Red Moon by Kim Stanley Robinson
2) The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi
3) Soulless: Illustrated Edition by Gail Carriger
4) Rejoice, a Knife to the Heart by Steven Erikson
5) Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin
6) Labyrinth Index by Charles Stross
7) How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin
8) Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey
9) The Monster Baru Comorant by Seth Dickinson
10) Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch

Trade Paperbacks
1) The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
2) The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, trans by Ken Liu
3) The Omega Objection by Gail Carriger
4) The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
5) All Systems Red by Martha Wells
6) Autonomous by Annalee Newitz
7) Hannah Green and Her Unfeasibly Mundane Existence by Michael Marshall Smith
8) All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
9) Freeze-Frame Revolution by Peter Watts
10) The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

Mass Market Paperbacks
1) Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
2) Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
3) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
4) The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
5) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
6) Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
7) Who Fears Death? by Nnedi Okorafor
8) Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
9) Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
10) The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, January 13th, at 5 pm to discuss NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey.  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, December 16th, at 6 pm to discuss THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood. The book for the following month will be THE CALCULATING STARS by Mary Robinette Kowal.  Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information

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Upcoming Event Details
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Adam Plantinga, POLICE CRAFT (Quill Driver Books, Trade Paperback, $16.95) Thursday, January 10th at 6:00 pm - This event is outside our usual genres, but we think it will be of interest to you -- particularly mystery fans!  Adam Plantinga is a sergeant at Mission Station in San Francisco, just a few blocks from Borderlands.  He'll be at the store to share his second non-fiction title, and we think it's fascinating!  From the publisher: "A veteran police officer gives his thoughtful, balanced views on every aspect of policing -- and he'll change what you think about the police.  POLICE CRAFT is a thought-provoking and revelatory examination of policing in America, as seen by a working police officer. Adam Plantinga, a sergeant with the San Francisco Police Department, gives an inside view of the police officer's job, including police techniques, police culture, and the sociology of crime and criminals.  Hard-boiled, humorous, and compassionate, Plantinga wrestles with the complexities and contradictions of a job he loves in which he witnesses so much suffering.  Transcending today's strident pro-cop/anti-cop rhetoric, POLICE CRAFT will give every reader a greater respect for the police and greater understanding of the job they do.  Adam Plantinga has been a police officer for 17 years.  Plantinga's first book, 400 THINGS COPS KNOW, received rave reviews from star crime writers such as Lee Child, Edward Conlon, George Pelecanos and Joseph Wambaugh and was hailed as 'the new bible for crime writers' by The Wall Street Journal."

Writers With Drinks (at The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with authors John Briscoe, Izzy Oneiric, Simon Sheppard, and Colin Winnette, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! Saturday, January 12th at 7:30 pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, and we're always happy to participate! The amazing lineup this month includes authors John Briscoe (Crush: The Triumph of California Wine), Izzy Oneiric (The Year Is Sunday: a lyric memoir), Simon Sheppard (Man on Man: The Best of Simon Sheppard), and Colin Winnette (The Job of the Wasp).  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.

BCAF (Black and Brown Comix Arts Festival), at the San Francisco Public Library and City View at Metreon, Sunday, January 20th from 1:00 - 5:00 pm, and Monday, January 21st from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm - We're always honored and delighted to participate in the Black and Brown Comix Arts Festival!  BCAF "celebrates the creativity of people of color in the comic arts and popular visual culture and is dedicated to the notion that all audiences deserve to be subject in the culture in which we participate."  Panels, artists, authors, creators, films, cosplay, kids events, and much more await you at this amazing free event, which takes place over three days and in two locations.  Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.  For the schedule, more details, and updates on the incredible list of guests, see http://sfmlkday.org/bcafcon/#schedule

SF in SF (at The American Bookbinder's Museum, 355 Clementina Street, San Francisco) with authors Howard Hendrix, Cecelia Holland, and Kim Stanley Robinson, hosted by Terry Bisson, Sunday, January 20th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10.)  We're so happy to participate in the Science Fiction in San Francisco reading series!  It has become a tradition to welcome Cecelia Holland and Kim Stanley Robinson in January each year, and this time they'll be joined by science fiction author Howard Hendrix!  The authors 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.  Seating is limited, so first come, first seated.  Doors and bar open at 6:00 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm.  Donations benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.

Rudy Rucker, RETURN TO THE HOLLOW EARTH (Transreal Books, Trade Paperback, $13.95 and Hardcover, $22.95) and others, and art show premiere! Saturday, January 26th at 3:00 pm - It's always a treat to welcome the quirky and irrepressible genius Rudy Rucker to the store!  Rudy is an author, artist, mathematician and one of the godfathers of Cyberpunk.  Join us to check out his newest book, RETURN TO THE HOLLOW EARTH, and celebrate the reprints of two other titles.  Rudy will also lead a "guided tour" of his current art show at Borderlands Cafe.

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 Gobert 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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