Events and News From Borderlands Books-
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Upcoming Events
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Coffee With a Cop at Borderlands Cafe, Wednesday, March 8th at 6:30pm
Kim Stanley Robinson, NEW YORK 2140 (Orbit, Hardcover, $28) on Wednesday, March 15th at 6:00pm
Erika Lewis, GAME OF SHADOWS (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) and Veronica Rossi, RIDERS (Tor Teen, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 1:00pm
Richard Kadrey, THE WRONG DEAD GUY (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with author Peter S. Beagle at the American Bookbinders Museum (355 Clementina) on Saturday, March 18th at 6:30pm
Steven Brust and Skylar White, THE SKILL OF OUR HANDS (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) on Sunday, March 19th at 3:00pm
Mishell Baker PHANTOM PAINS (Saga Press, Hardcover, $29.99; Trade Paperback, $15.99) and Seanan McGuire, MAGIC FOR NOTHING (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) & the Circus! on Saturday, March 25th at 5:00pm
Drop-by signing with Ilana C. Myer, LAST SONG BEFORE NIGHT (Tor, Hardcover, $26.99) on Thursday, April 6th at 6:00pm
Griffin Barber, 1636: MISSION TO THE MUGHALS (Baen, Hardcover, $25.00) on Saturday, April 8th at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd St) with authors Peter S. Beagle, Hari Kunzru, Ilana C. Myer and Shelley Wong on Saturday, April 8th at 7:30pm
Yoon Ha Lee, NINEFOX GAMBIT (Solaris, Trade Paperback, $9.99) on Saturday, April 15th at 3:00pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
And coming up in the Spring, we'll be delighted to host Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi, Marie Brennan, and many, many others!
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News
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* Overheard in the Store:
"I think I've been looking at too many catalogs. I just read 'The Four Tendencies' as 'The Four Tentacles'."
"[Actor] Jim Carrey is a skin suit filled to the brim with sentient weasels."
"I have the VERY best conversations about alcohol here!"
"There are lots worse curses to have, but she writes them SO SLOWLY, and I read them SO FAST!"
"It was not a consensual sing-along."
* If you love cats and "Star Trek", then this is the book for you . . . or it will kill your soul. Either way it's worth a look! http://nerdist.com/star-treks-original-crew-recast-as-cats-in-new-illustrated-book/
* Cory Doctorow's novel LITTLE BROTHER was pulled from a Florida high school reading list "following . . . concerns from the school's principal over its questioning of authority and its 'lauding' of hacker culture." Cory and his publisher, Tor, responded in the best way possible: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/10/cory-doctorow-novel-pulled-school-reading-questioning-authority
* Ursula K. LeGuin and Junot Diaz were among the authors recently voted into the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Letters. http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Ursula-K-Le-Guin-Ann-Patchett-voted-into-arts-10962614.php
* Philip Pullman announces new trilogy with ties to the His Dark Materials trilogy. Lyra will return in the first and second volumes of this new trilogy, entitled The Book of Dust. First Lyra will appear as a baby in the first book and then in the second one, ten years after the conclusion of His Dark Materials. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/15/philip-pullman-unveils-epic-fantasy-trilogy-the-book-of-dust
* To celebrate the print release of BOOKBURNERS, a serial novel by Margaret Dunlap, Max Gladstone, Mur Lafferty and Brian Francis Slattery, the great folks at SerialBox.com have created a special discount code for Borderlands buyers! Anyone with the code "BorderlandsBookburners" will get 50% off a purchase of Bookburners Season 2 on SerialBox.com. All you have to do is navigate to https://www.serialbox.com/redeems, input the code, and follow on from there.
* R.I.P. Susan Casper, a dedicated and talented writer and editor. https://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/02/susan-casper-1947-2017/
* Remembering the brilliant writer Andre Norton on the 105th anniversary of her birth. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/monkeymind/2017/02/recalling-andre-norton-grand-dame-science-fiction-fantasy.html
* An interview with Hugo winner N.K. Jemisin on coming up with her ideas, and a number of other topics. https://www.wbez.org/shows/nerdette/the-past-present-and-future-of-sci-fi-with-nk-jemisin/3aed7a8c-4de4-4f97-8bb9-8dcd5044c450
* A great article on Afrofuturism: the history, the participants, the present and the future of it. Of course it's only a little bit of what Afrofuturism actually is in scope, but it's a fantastic place to start. http://atlantablackstar.com/2017/03/02/science-fiction-afrofuturism-african-americans-creating-deep-space/
* Cambridge University opens the UK's first ever SF/F center for university-based research! http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2017-02-16/uks-first-sci-fi-and-fantasy-centre-opens-in-cambridge/
* A review of the new Latin@ Science Fiction & Fantasy Anthology - Latin@ Rising. http://www.themonitor.com/entertainment/article_f3275164-0028-11e7-adde-83efa1a298a8.html
* Why does science fiction almost always get shafted by The Oscars? A historical perspective - https://www.inverse.com/article/27692-oscars-scifi-science-fiction-arrival-star-wars-2001-kubrik
* Keanu Reeves has done a lot of science fiction, some good, some bad, and some so horrific we hear it turns your brain to mush like seeing the face of an Elder God. In any case here's a ranking from the latter to the former. http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-19-scifi-and-fantasy-movies-of-keanu-reeves-ranked-1792200545
* The Riverside Art Museum is holding an exhibition of Michael Whelan's iconic art. If you don't recognize the name, you'll absolutely recognize the art he's produced. http://boingboing.net/2017/02/08/beyond-science-fiction-the-al.html
* A fantastic interview with A.M. Dellamonica on the world of Stormwrack just as the third book in the trilogy, THE NATURE OF A PIRATE, is released. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-teitelbaum/fantasy-of-the-high-seas-_b_14641446.html
* Finally a CW DC show that has us excited! They announced they will be doing a "Black Lightning" TV pilot, which we were sort of excited about, but then Deadline Hollywood announced that China Anne McClain and Nafessa Williams have been cast as Black Lightning's daughters, Anissa a.k.a. Thunder and Jennifer a.k.a. Lightning. Now the show has gone from "sort of excited" to "OMG-give-it-to-us-now". There’s only a pilot order currently, but we have hope. https://blavity.com/china-anne-mcclain-nafessa-williams-cast-as-superheroines-thunder-lighting-in-dcs-black-lightning
* Joyce Corrington wrote the original script for "The Omega Man" in 1971 with her husband Bill. She was also an executive producer for MTV's "Real World" for over a decade. Hear her story: http://wwno.org/post/science-fiction-writers-valence-street
* A discussion on the state of science fiction in Australia featuring Australian SF authors Amie Kaufman, David Henley and Cat Sparks. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandarts/the-state-of-science-fiction-in-australia/8313662
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Award News
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It’s finalist seasons for awards, it seems!
* The final ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards has been released! http://horror.org/2016-bram-stoker-awards-final-ballot/
* The Horror Writers Association has just announced the winner of its Specialty Press Award. http://horror.org/2016-specialty-press-award-winner-omnium-gatherum/
* The Reader Awards finalists for Asmiov’s magazine have been released. http://www.asimovs.com/about-asimovs/readers-awards-finalists/
* The British science Fiction Awards have announced their finalists as well. http://www.bsfa.co.uk/bsfa-2016-awards-voting-form/
* The Aurealis Awards which celebrate Australian speculative fiction have announced their finalists too! https://aurealisawards.org/
* Nebula finalists! Norton finalists! Bradbury finalists! http://nebulas.sfwa.org/sfwa-announces-2016-nebula-norton-bradbury-award-nominees/
* A new award for science fiction and related genres in Pakistan. Check out more details here: http://thesalamaward.com/
* Jo Walton has won the Edward E. Smith Memorial Award for Imaginative Fiction, also known as the Skylark Award: https://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/02/walton-wins-skylark/ For a full list of all the previous years' winners, see http://www.nesfa.org/awards/skylark.html
* The winner of the 2017 Crawford award has been announced and it is Borderlands’ good friend Charlie Jane Anders. Congratulations Charlie Jane! Check out the other shortlisted authors at the link. https://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/02/2017-crawford-award/
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for February, 2017:
Hardcovers
1. NORSE MYTHOLOGY by Neil Gaiman
2. IN CALABRIA by Peter S. Beagle
3. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
4. A CONJURING OF LIGHT by V.E. Schwab
5. THE STARS ARE LEGION by Kameron Hurley
6. KINDRED: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL by Octavia Butler and John Jennings
7. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
8. UNIVERSAL HARVESTER by John Darnielle
9. MIRANDA AND CALIBAN by Jacqueline Carey
10. CHASING SHADOWS: VISIONS OF OUR COMING TRANSPARENT WORLD by David Brin
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, trans. by Ken Liu
2. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
3. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
4. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
5. PASSING STRANGE by Ellen Klages
6. BINTI: HOME by Nnedi Okorafor
7. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
8. WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE by Joseph Fink
9. DUSK OR DARK OR DAWN OR DAY by Seanan McGuire
10. THE BOOK OF ETTA by Meg Elison
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE HANGING TREE by Ben Aaronovitch
2. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. THE DISPOSSESSED by Ursula K. Le Guin
5. IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE by Sinclair Lewis
6. FIRE TOUCHED by Patricia Briggs
7. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
8. KUSHIEL'S DART by Jacqueline Carey
9. SHADOWS OF SELF by Brandon Sanderson
10. THE SEVERED STREETS by Paul Cornell
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, March 12th, at 5 pm to discuss BRILLIANCE by Marcus Sakey. The book for April will be THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers. 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, March 19th, at 6 pm to discuss A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ by Walter M. Miller. The book for April will be THE PLAYER OF GAMES by Iain M. Banks. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Coffee With a Cop at Borderlands Cafe, Wednesday, March 8th at 6:30pm - Borderlands is pleased to host a social meeting at the cafe with SF Police Department officers from the Mission District. This is a great opportunity to meet the officers that work in our district, ask any questions you have about policing in the Mission or in the City in general, and raise any concerns you may have, without a specific agenda. We'll hope to see you at this chance to have "Coffee with a Cop". We're certainly looking forward to seeing some of the officers, especially since a couple of them are regular customers at the store.
Kim Stanley Robinson, NEW YORK 2140 (Orbit, Hardcover, $28) on Wednesday, March 15th at 6:00pm - We're delighted to welcome Kim Stanley Robinson, author of The Mars Trilogy, AURORA, 2312, and many, many other titles amazing back to the store! Mr. Robinson will be showing off his newest novel, NEW YORK 2140. From the publisher's website: "As the sea levels rose, every street became a canal. Every skyscraper an island. For the residents of one apartment building in Madison Square, however, New York in the year 2140 is far from a drowned city. There is the market trader, who finds opportunities where others find trouble. There is the detective, whose work will never disappear --- along with the lawyers, of course. There is the internet star, beloved by millions for her airship adventures, and the building's manager, quietly respected for his attention to detail. Then there are two boys who don't live there, but have no other home -- and who are more important to its future than anyone might imagine. Lastly there are the coders, temporary residents on the roof, whose disappearance triggers a sequence of events that threatens the existence of all-- and even the long-hidden foundations on which the city rests." Don't miss the opportunity to meet this visionary author and check out NEW YORK 2140!
Erika Lewis, GAME OF SHADOWS (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) and Veronica Rossi, RIDERS (Tor Teen, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 1:00pm - We're happy to welcome these two Macmillan authors to Borderlands! From the publisher: "In GAME OF SHADOWS, a young man plagued by the ability to see ghosts races to save the mythical land of Tara from a terrible fate. GAME OF SHADOWS has been receiving glowing advance praise, with Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee calling the book a 'riveting page-turner,' TV host and founder of Nerdist Industries Chris Hardwick called Game of Shadows 'smart, fun and addictive' and Booklist recommends the novel for 'fans of Rick Riordan and Celtic-mythology buffs alike.'" In Veronica Rossi's RIDERS, "For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does. Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can't remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse. . . ." We hope you'll join us to meet two extraordinary authors!
Richard Kadrey, THE WRONG DEAD GUY (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 3:00pm - It's always a treat to welcome local favorite Richard Kadrey to Borderlands! Richard's recently been writing some comedic fantasy along with his ultra-noir Sandman Slim series - "In this fast-paced sequel to THE EVERYTHING BOX -- the second entry in New York Times bestselling author Richard Kadrey's comedic supernatural series -- chaos ensues when Coop and the team at DOPS steal a not-quite-dead and very lovesick ancient Egyptian mummy wielding some terrifying magic. Coop, a master thief sort-of gone legit, saved the world from an ancient doomsday device -- heroism that earned him a gig working for the Department of Peculiar Science, a fearsome top secret government agency that polices the odd and strange. Now Woolrich, Coop's boss at the DOPS, has Coop breaking into a traveling antiquities show to steal a sarcophagus containing the mummy of a powerful Egyptian wizard named Harkhuf. With the help of his pals Morty, Giselle, and a professor that's half-cat, half-robotic octopus, Coop pulls off the heist without a hitch. It's not Coop's fault that when DOPS opened the sarcophagus they didn't find the mummy they were expecting. Well, it was the right mummy, but it wasn't exactly dead -- and now it's escaped, using a type of magic the organization hasn't encountered before. Being a boss, Woolrich blames his underling for the screw up and wants Coop to find the missing Harkhuf and make it right, pronto." You won't want to miss Richard and THE WRONG DEAD GUY!
SF in SF with author Peter S. Beagle at the American Bookbinders Museum (355 Clementina) on Saturday, March 18th at 6:30pm - Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to participate in the Science Fiction in San Francisco reading series! The author will read a selection from his 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.
Steven Brust and Skylar White, THE SKILL OF OUR HANDS (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) on Sunday, March 19th at 3:00pm - We're delighted to welcome these two distinguished authors back to Borderlands, where they'll show off the sequel to THE INCREMENTALISTS! From the publisher's description: "The new novel continues the adventure of the Incrementalists, the secret society of near-immortals that aspires to nudge the world into being just a little bit better. . . Just like THE INCREMENTALISTS, the new novel engages with highly salient issues. In this case, we see the post-9/11 militarization of local police departments and the deep racial divides that continue to grow in the Southwest's border country. With history and politics added to the magical mix, THE SKILL OF OUR HANDS is perfect for any speculative fiction and fantasy lover!" Do not miss the chance to meet Steven Brust and Skylar White.
Mishell Baker PHANTOM PAINS (Saga Press, Hardcover, $29.99; Trade Paperback, $15.99) and Seanan McGuire, MAGIC FOR NOTHING (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) & the Circus! on Saturday, March 25th at 5:00pm - It's always a treat to welcome author Seanan McGuire to Borderlands! This round, she'll be joined again by the awesome Mishell Baker, and we know you're going to love this urban fantasy duo! Mishell will be showing off her novel PHANTOM PAINS, second of the Arcadia Project novels: "Four months ago, Millie left the Arcadia Project after losing a friend to the lethal magic of an Unseelie fey countess. Now, on what's meant to be a last visit to the scene of the crime, Millie and her former boss Caryl encounter what seems to be her friend’s tormented ghost. One problem: according to Caryl, ghosts don’t exist." Seanan will be showing off MAGIC FOR NOTHING, the newest InCryptid book. With this volume, we get to hear from Antimony, the youngest of the three Price children, as things go, as they tend to in any InCryptid novel, very dangerously out of control. We're also glad to welcome back the full-on musical Circus! 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! There will be reading, raffle prizes and silliness guaranteed. Get your questions answered, bring your books to be signed, and prepare to sing along.
Drop-by signing with Ilana C. Myer, LAST SONG BEFORE NIGHT (Tor, Hardcover, $26.99) on Thursday, April 6th at 6:00pm - We're delighted to welcome Ilana C. Myer, author of LAST SONG BEFORE NIGHT, to the store for an informal signing. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and chat with the author in a low-key setting, and get your books signed!
Griffin Barber, 1636: MISSION TO THE MUGHALS (Baen, Hardcover, $25.00) on Saturday, April 8th at 3:00pm - We're so happy to welcome local author Griffin Barber, who will be showing off his first novel, co-written with Eric Flint! MISSION TO THE MUGHALS is the latest entry in the multiple New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series, set in 17th-century Europe, in which the small fictional town of Grantville, West Virginia, in the year 2000 was sent to the past in central Germany in the year 1631, during the Thirty Years' War. "After carving a free state for itself in war-torn 17th century Europe, citizens of the modern town of Grantville, West Virginia go on a quest for the makings of medicines that have yet to be invented in 17th century Europe." We hope you'll join us to meet Griffin and check out the most recent installment of this major alternate history series!
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd St) with authors Peter S. Beagle, Hari Kunzru, Ilana C. Myer and Shelley Wong on Saturday, April 8th at 7:30pm - 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 Peter S. Beagle (IN CALABRIA, THE LAST UNICORN), Hari Kunzru (WHITE TEARS), Ilana C. Myer (FIRE DANCE), and Shelley Wong (RARE BIRDS). 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.
Yoon Ha Lee, NINEFOX GAMBIT (Solaris, Trade Paperback, $9.99) on Saturday, April 15th at 3:00pm - We're happy to welcome author Yoon Ha Lee to Borderlands! NPR attempts to summarize the wonderfully complicated plot of NINEFOX GAMBIT here: "In the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a 'calendrical rot' has begun altering the fabric of reality. It is the result of heretical forces allied against this world's rulers, and someone is going to have to go in there and purge the non-conformist thought from the system. Two someones, actually. A living soldier named Cheris with an unlikely facility for mathematics, and Jedao, the centuries-old ghost of a brilliant general and known mass-murderer who lives in her shadow and in her head. I know, right? But stick with me here a minute, because here's where it gets cool. . . ." Please enjoy the excellent review from NPR in its entirety: http://www.npr.org/2016/06/25/482023715/beautifully-alien-ninefox-gambit-mixes-math-and-magic. We hope to see you here to meet the author and check out this mind-blowing novel!
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
* * * * * * *
Monday, March 6, 2017
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Dispatches from the Border, February 2017
DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News From Borderlands Books
February 2017
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Upcoming Events
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Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm
Coffee with a Cop at Borderlands on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00am
GENUS LOCI: TALES OF THE SPIRIT OF PLACE (Ragnarok Publications, Trade Paperback, $18.95) event with Jason Daniel Batt, Chaz Brenchley, Sunil Patel, Vivienne Pustell, z.m. quynh, and Carrie Ratajski on Saturday, February 18th at 2:00pm
Meg Pontecorvo, MURDER IN THE GENERATIVE KITCHEN (World Weaver Press, Mass Market, $9.99) on Sunday, February 19th at 2:00pm
Meg Elison, THE BOOK OF ETTA (47North, Trade Paperback, $14.95) on Saturday, February 25th at 3:00pm
Joe Lansdale, RUSTY PUPPY (Mulholland Books, Hardcover, $26) on Saturday, March 4th at 2:00pm
Erika Lewis, GAME OF SHADOWS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) and Veronica Rossi, SEEKER (Tor Teen, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 1:00pm
Richard Kadrey, THE WRONG DEAD GUY (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 3:00pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* R.I.P. William Peter Blatty, who had a long and varied career in literature, film and newspapers. His most successful creation was the novel The Exorcist. http://www.avclub.com/article/rip-william-peter-blatty-author-exorcist-248396
* We're also sorry to report the passing of actor John Hurt. Here, i09.com presents clips from some of his most memorable genre roles: http://io9.gizmodo.com/john-hurts-8-most-memorable-scifi-and-fantasy-movie-rol-1791735959
* Efforts to revise or repeal California's terrible autograph law AB5170 have resulted in AB228, a revised piece of legislation that is due to be voted on as soon as February 26th, 2017. It's not how we would have re-written it, but it does have the positive effects of exempting most regular bookstores and booksellers from the law. You can read the text of it here: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB228/2017 . We'll keep you posted if it passes!
* Unfortunately, local San Francisco bookstore Adobe Books was broken into for the second time this year: https://missionlocal.org/2017/01/thieves-at-adobe-books-take-the-cash-and-leave-the-books/
* Locus Magazine has released their 2016 Recommended Reading List -- everything from novels to novellas to shorts. Check out the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/01/2016-locus-recommended-reading-list/
* Strange Horizons has released their 2016 Readers Poll: http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/azimuth/editorials/the-2016-readers-poll/
* The first recipients of the Young Adult Write Now Endowment (endowed by the Horror Writers Association) have been announced. The five libraries will receive $500 each to help fund teen writing programs. More details here: http://horrorscholarships.com/first-recipients-of-the-young-adult-write-now-endowment-announced
* Fantastic Stories of the Imagination will be shutting down after their special People of Color Take Over issue because of financial issues. More details in the Publisher's letter: http://www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/message-from-the-publisher/
* In more sad news SFF.net, long a hub for SF writers, has announced that it will be closing by the end of March. Their full statement is here: https://www.sff.net/closingnotice.asp
* You can help in naming the World Science Fiction Society’s new award for Best Young Adult Book by voting. The name Worldcon seems kind of meh to us, but all of the others are pretty great. Check out the options with small explanations on the choices here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPJlnD7hXaVI7Q5vntFW3OpEp2PqF6QhqGu2VmP71JR3Fn9Q/viewform
* If you're feeling down, here's a list of some inspirational quotes from science fiction. http://www.guidingtech.com/64248/top-science-fiction-quotes/
* An essay on how the use of allegory to represent oppression can actually erase the very people it's meant to be helping. http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/science-fiction/261921/how-allegory-in-sci-fi-can-narrow-representation
* YAY! The Expanse is back! We're still behind, but if you're caught up, check out this article on why it's so relevant to our current times. http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/1/14429646/expanse-season-2-syfy-relevant-science-fiction-show-television
* A great list that explores many of the ways that consuming science fiction can make the world a better place. https://qz.com/894823/science-fiction-films-and-novels-could-help-us-save-the-world/
* We can't wait for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. More Rey! More Poe!! More Finn!!! Here's a little article where the director reveals the three films that influence his ideas of the Star Wars universe. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/30/what-three-films-influenced-rian-johnsons-take-on-star-wars-the-last-jedi/
* They've been talking about a Highlander reboot for years, but now we have a lot more information. Check here if the cheesiness of Highlander was a huge part of your childhood. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/31/can-there-be-only-one-chad-stahelski-talks-highlander-reboot
* Author Marlon James talks about his upcoming fantasy trilogy, cultural perspectives on what fantasy is, and goes more into more detail on what he's called an "African Game of Thrones". Read the whole interview here: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/01/26/books-marlon-james-dark-star-fantasy-trilogy
* Science fiction has created some of the most political shows in recent memory. Here are five upcoming shows in 2017 that are ready to carry that torch forward. https://www.inverse.com/article/26263-4-ways-shows-political-health-care-immigration
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Award News
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* The Horror Writers Association has released the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards. Check out all the nominees here: http://horror.org/2016-bram-stoker-awards-preliminary-ballot-announced/
* The Philip K. Dick Award has announced their 2016 nominees! For the list go here: http://www.norwescon.org/con/p-k-dick-award/
* The judges for the 2017 World Fantasy Award have been announced: http://wfc2017.org/wfc2017/awards/judges/
* The 2016 SF&F Hall of Fame Inductees have been announced, and not only have the rules of eligibility been expanded, but in honor of their 20th anniversary they inducted 20 extra creators and works into the Hall of Fame. See the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/01/2016-sff-hall-of-fame-inductees/
* Mystery Writers of America announces the shortlist for the Edgar Award, and many of the nominees are of definite interest to speculative fiction fans. The full list is here: http://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announces-the-2017-edgar-nominations/
* The nomination period for the Hugos is open. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/01/2017-hugo-awards-nomination-period-open/
--------------------
From The Office
--------------------
Once again, we've made our minimum goal for sponsors. So, we'll be staying open throughout 2017. If you're not familiar with our Sponsorship Program and how it is critical for the continued operation of Borderlands Books, you can find information about it here - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com/p/why-sponsorships.html .
I want to personally thank all our 2017 sponsors for allowing us to continue to do what we love -- run a fine shop and put great books in the hands of readers. If you're not a sponsor or if you haven't renewed your sponsorship yet, you're welcome to do so anytime this year. There are some nice benefits <http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-benefits-and-privilidges.html> to being a sponsor and, each sponsor who supports us over the minimum gets us one step closer to our long-term goal of buying a building before our current lease expires in 2021. You can sign up on-line <https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship17.html>, in person at the store, by phone with a credit card (toll free 888 893-4008), or with a check by physical mail. We sincerely appreciate everyone's support.
That said, I'm going to jump to a mostly unrelated topic.
It has been my policy since opening Borderlands to keep the business as thoroughly separated from politics as possible. It's not that I (and the rest of the staff) lack political convictions. But, the staff and customers at Borderlands are a very diverse group with a range of political and social views as broad as the general public. If I were to take political positions in my role as the owner of this business, to some extent I would be demanding that my customers, fellow members of our community like authors and publishers, and, most of all, my staff make a choice. They could either tacitly support my views by continuing to be associated with Borderlands or they could sever their relationship. Although that tacit support would be minor and of small degree, it would be present.
Since I don't think it would be right for me to place people whom I respect in that position and, more so, because I don't think that my views are something that I should force on anyone, I have always maintained that apolitical standard for our business. The one exception to that standard has been the very rare laws that directly affect bookselling and booksellers (such as the recent California autograph law - AB1570). Beyond that, the larger political arena has been off-limits. We won't even put up signs for local candidates or host meetings for them.
But, there are times when political matters transcend mere questions of governance and begin to touch upon more vital questions of essential civil rights and the rule of law. I believe that, when politics treads into the territory of civil rights, I have an ethical obligation to not be silent. Likewise, if the fundamental legal bases of our nation and society are threatened or abridged, I feel a duty to speak out.
I believe we are living through a remarkable period of American politics. We are truly seeing history being made and we are witnessing events that will be discussed 50 and 100 years from now. And I am concerned that we are also living through a period in which matters of civil rights and the rule of law may be sharply contested. And so, this note is along the lines of giving fair warning: if my ethics or duty require that I speak up, I will do so -- regardless of the discomfort it might cause me or other people associated with Borderlands.
I'm aware that there's a possibility that, were I to take political positions in my capacity as the owner of Borderlands, it will be a slippery slope that leads farther than I would wish. I also know that I might offend some of our customers in the process. I hope that, if I go to farther into the realm of the political than the guidelines I mentioned would allow, you'll let me know. And I also hope that, if you disagree with something I've said or are offended by it, you'll write or call and hopefully we can have a useful and respectful conversation about it.
But, most of all, I hope that the next few years will not hold anything that I feel I have to comment on. I think that really would be best, for me and for our country.
Warm Regards,
Alan
----------------
Best Sellers
----------------
Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for January, 2017
Hardcovers
1. KINDRED: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL by Octavia Butler and John Jennings
2. BABYLON’S ASHES by James S.A. Corey
3. EMPIRE GAMES by Charles Stross
4. MINIATURES: THE VERY SHORT FICTION OF JOHN SCALZI by John Scalzi
5. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
6. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
7. THE COLD EYE by Laura Anne Gilman
8. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
9. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff
10. EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
2. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
3. PASSING STRANGE by Ellen Klages
4. THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson
5. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
6. THE BURNING PAGE by Genevieve Cogman
7. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
8. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
9. PRIVILEGE OF THE SWORD by Ellen Kushner
10. A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE HANGING TREE by Ben Aaronovitch
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. AMERICAN GODS: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Neil Gaiman
4. DISSIDENCE by Ken MacLeod
5. THE BLOCKADE by Jean Johnson
6. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
7. INSURGENCE by Ken MacLeod
8. BATTLE HILL BOLERO by Daniel Jose Older
9. THE CONCLAVE OF SHADOWS by Alyc Helms
10. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, February 12th, at 5 pm to discuss CALIBAN’S WAR by James S.A. Corey. The book for March will be BRILLANCE by Marcus Sakey. 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, January 15th, at 6 pm to discuss AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman. The book for the following month will be A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ by Walter M. Miller. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm - February is Women in Horror Month. To celebrate, join Horror Writers Association President Lisa Morton (GHOSTS: A HAUNTED HISTORY), Bram Stoker Award winner Rena Mason (THE EVOLUTIONIST and EAST END GIRLS), Shirley Jackson Award nominee Kate Jonez (CEREMONY OF FLIES), and local author Loren Rhoads (LOST ANGELS) as they demonstrate the breadth of what women are doing in horror writing!
Coffee with a Cop on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00am - Borderlands is pleased to host a social meeting at the cafe with SF Police Department patrol officers from the Mission District, along with the Captain of Mission Police Station, Daniel Perea and members of his staff. This is a great opportunity to meet the officers that work in our district, ask any questions you have about policing in the Mission or in the City in general, and raise any concerns you may have. As some of you may remember, we've worked with Capt. Perea on his project to create a free library at Garfield Park. He's very much "our" sort of person - a SF native who still lives in San Francisco and who obviously understands the importance of reading, literacy and local small businesses. We'll hope to see you at this chance to have "Coffee with a Cop". We're certainly looking forward to seeing some of the officers, since a couple of them are regular customers at the store (not to mention one of them whose first science fiction novel will be published this year).
GENUS LOCI: TALES OF THE SPIRIT OF PLACE (Ragnarok Publications, Trade Paperback, $18.95) event with Jason Daniel Batt, Chaz Brenchley, Sunil Patel, Vivienne Pustell, z.m. quynh, and Carrie Ratajski on Saturday, February 18th at 2:00pm - We are delighted to welcome 6 brilliant local authors, all contributors to the anthology GENIUS LOCI, to Borderlands! From the publisher: "Guardian spirits. Divine presences. Demonic powers. Ghosts. The concept of 'genius loci' is indeed an ancient one, found in nearly every human mythology. GENIUS LOCI is a huge anthology of 31 all-new fantasy and science fiction stories drawing on the rich tradition of place-as-person. Within its pages, the authors present stories of sentient deserts, beneficent forests, lonely shrubs, and protective planetary spirits, highlighted by the fantastic art of Lisa A. Grabenstetter and Evan M. Jensen, and edited by Jaym Gates." We hope you'll join us for an unforgettable event!
Meg Pontecorvo, MURDER IN THE GENERATIVE KITCHEN (World Weaver Press, Mass Market, $9.99) on Sunday, February 19th at 2:00pm - We're delighted to welcome San Francisco author Meg Pontecorvo, as she shows off her amazing debut novella! From the book description: "MURDER IN THE GENERATIVE KITCHEN intertwines parallel plots: the Chicago murder trial of McConnery Ellis, a wealthy middle aged woman accused of poisoning her husband with a gourmet meal prepared with the help of her AI "smart kitchen"; and the efforts of juror Julio Gonzalez to hook up with Iris, a beautiful fellow juror, at the Acapulco resort where they have been sent to watch trial footage. The futuristic trial system, "Vacation Jury Duty," enables the lucky jurors to stream daily testimony through sleek headsets as they enjoy the amenities at the court-owned resort. But there's a catch: as in jury trials today, they are forbidden to communicate with other jurors. Under constant surveillance by the resort's security guards, Julio struggles to devise ways to catch Iris's attention. He also becomes fascinated by the trial, in which attorney-manipulated sims interrogate a lively parade of human witnesses. The plots converge when Julio returns to Chicago for deliberation and valiantly attempts to seduce Iris with his command of the facts, as the jurors clash over whether the murderer is Mrs. Ellis, or a high tech kitchen capable of intuiting--and fulfilling--its owner's innermost desires." We hope you'll join us to meet Meg and check out MURDER, which has been praised by David Brin, Amazing Stories and Terry Bisson!
Meg Elison, THE BOOK OF ETTA (47North, Trade Paperback, $14.95) on Saturday, February 25th at 3:00pm - We're happy to welcome Oakland-based author Meg Elison back to Borderlands! From the publisher: "Meg Elison’s Philip K. Dick Award-winning debut THE BOOK OF THE UNNAMED MIDWIFE tells the story of an unnamed woman who survives a plague that wipes out most women and children in weeks, leaving 10 male survivors for every woman. Donning male clothing and making it her mission to provide the few surviving women with birth control and medical care, she must navigate her way through a world she once knew to find her place in a dangerous new one. In her gripping sequel, THE BOOK OF ETTA, Elison takes readers deeper into her post-apocalyptic world. The story continues many years after the midwife delivered her first child to survive birth. The inhabitants of Nowhere continue to struggle with vestiges of the plague that nearly wiped out earth’s population. Women are scarce and childbearing is dangerous, yet desperately necessary for humankind’s future. While Mothers and midwives are considered sacred in Nowhere, Etta – a young transgender male – has a different calling as a scavenger. Taking the name Eddy, he roams the desolate territory beyond salvaging useful relics of the ruined past and braving the threat of brutal slave traders, who are seeking women and girls to sell and subjugate. When those he loves are put in danger, Eddy will risk both body and spirit not only to save lives, but also to liberate a new world’s destiny."
Joe Lansdale, RUSTY PUPPY (Mulholland Books, Hardcover, $26) on Saturday, March 4th at 2:00pm - We're thrilled to welcome Joe Lansdale to Borderlands! We've been fans since THE DRIVE IN, but it's never quite worked to get Joe to the store, until now! Joe's currently touring for RUSTY PUPPY, the new Hap and Leonard novel. Here's the synopsis from the publisher: "By now, readers are familiar with the opposites-attract partners -- Hap Collins, a white-trash rebel, and Leonard Pine, a gay, black, Republican Vietnam vet --and they've got another heated case to work on. A grieving mother turns to Hap to seek justice both for her murdered son -- a straight-A student destined for better things than the projects, until he began asking too many questions about the racist police force -- and for her daughter, who was sexually harassed by a bullying cop. Hap enlists the help of his best friend, Leonard, to navigate the murky waters of investigation. . .. As the two men start to unpack the mystery at hand, it isn't long before all signs point to a calculated "boys club" of corrupt cops the neighboring town over, who happen to be running an illegal fighting circuit. Though the two have faced their share of bigotry and intimidation, could Hap and Leonard have finally met their match?" We hope you'll join us to meet Joe and check out this exciting new novel!
Erika Lewis, GAME OF SHADOWS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) and Veronica Rossi, SEEKER (Tor Teen, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 1:00pm - We're happy to welcome these two Macmillan authors to Borderlands! From the publisher: "In GAME OF SHADOWS, a young man plagued by the ability to see ghosts races to save the mythical land of Tara from a terrible fate. GAME OF SHADOWS has been receiving glowing advance praise, with Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee calling the book a 'riveting page-turner,' TV host and founder of Nerdist Industries Chris Hardwick called Game of Shadows 'smart, fun and addictive' and Booklist recommends the novel for 'fans of Rick Riordan and Celtic-mythology buffs alike.'" In Veronica Rossi's SEEKER, "[t]he sequel to RIDERS follows Daryn and the riders as they attempt to save Sebastian from Samrael's dark dimension. Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer." We hope you'll join us to meet two extraordinary authors!
Richard Kadrey, THE WRONG DEAD GUY (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 3:00pm - It's always a treat to welcome local favorite Richard Kadrey to Borderlands! Richard's recently been writing some comedic fantasy along with his ultra-noir Sandman Slim series - "In this fast paced sequel to THE EVERYTHING BOX -- the second entry in New York Times bestselling author Richard Kadrey's comedic supernatural series -- chaos ensues when Coop and the team at DOPS steal a not-quite-dead and very lovesick ancient Egyptian mummy wielding some terrifying magic. Coop, a master thief sort-of gone legit, saved the world from an ancient doomsday device -- heroism that earned him a gig working for the Department of Peculiar Science, a fearsome top secret government agency that polices the odd and strange. Now Woolrich, Coop's boss at the DOPS, has Coop breaking into a traveling antiquities show to steal a sarcophagus containing the mummy of a powerful Egyptian wizard named Harkhuf. With the help of his pals Morty, Giselle, and a professor that's half-cat, half-robotic octopus, Coop pulls off the heist without a hitch. It’s not Coop's fault that when DOPS opened the sarcophagus they didn't find the mummy they were expecting. Well, it was the right mummy, but it wasn't exactly dead -- and now it's escaped, using a type of magic the organization hasn't encountered before. Being a boss, Woolrich blames his underling for the screw up and wants Coop to find the missing Harkhuf and make it right, pronto." You won't want to miss Richard and THE WRONG DEAD GUY!
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
* * * * * * *
Events and News From Borderlands Books
February 2017
----------------------
Upcoming Events
----------------------
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm
Coffee with a Cop at Borderlands on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00am
GENUS LOCI: TALES OF THE SPIRIT OF PLACE (Ragnarok Publications, Trade Paperback, $18.95) event with Jason Daniel Batt, Chaz Brenchley, Sunil Patel, Vivienne Pustell, z.m. quynh, and Carrie Ratajski on Saturday, February 18th at 2:00pm
Meg Pontecorvo, MURDER IN THE GENERATIVE KITCHEN (World Weaver Press, Mass Market, $9.99) on Sunday, February 19th at 2:00pm
Meg Elison, THE BOOK OF ETTA (47North, Trade Paperback, $14.95) on Saturday, February 25th at 3:00pm
Joe Lansdale, RUSTY PUPPY (Mulholland Books, Hardcover, $26) on Saturday, March 4th at 2:00pm
Erika Lewis, GAME OF SHADOWS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) and Veronica Rossi, SEEKER (Tor Teen, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 1:00pm
Richard Kadrey, THE WRONG DEAD GUY (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 3:00pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
-------
News
-------
* R.I.P. William Peter Blatty, who had a long and varied career in literature, film and newspapers. His most successful creation was the novel The Exorcist. http://www.avclub.com/article/rip-william-peter-blatty-author-exorcist-248396
* We're also sorry to report the passing of actor John Hurt. Here, i09.com presents clips from some of his most memorable genre roles: http://io9.gizmodo.com/john-hurts-8-most-memorable-scifi-and-fantasy-movie-rol-1791735959
* Efforts to revise or repeal California's terrible autograph law AB5170 have resulted in AB228, a revised piece of legislation that is due to be voted on as soon as February 26th, 2017. It's not how we would have re-written it, but it does have the positive effects of exempting most regular bookstores and booksellers from the law. You can read the text of it here: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB228/2017 . We'll keep you posted if it passes!
* Unfortunately, local San Francisco bookstore Adobe Books was broken into for the second time this year: https://missionlocal.org/2017/01/thieves-at-adobe-books-take-the-cash-and-leave-the-books/
* Locus Magazine has released their 2016 Recommended Reading List -- everything from novels to novellas to shorts. Check out the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/01/2016-locus-recommended-reading-list/
* Strange Horizons has released their 2016 Readers Poll: http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/azimuth/editorials/the-2016-readers-poll/
* The first recipients of the Young Adult Write Now Endowment (endowed by the Horror Writers Association) have been announced. The five libraries will receive $500 each to help fund teen writing programs. More details here: http://horrorscholarships.com/first-recipients-of-the-young-adult-write-now-endowment-announced
* Fantastic Stories of the Imagination will be shutting down after their special People of Color Take Over issue because of financial issues. More details in the Publisher's letter: http://www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/message-from-the-publisher/
* In more sad news SFF.net, long a hub for SF writers, has announced that it will be closing by the end of March. Their full statement is here: https://www.sff.net/closingnotice.asp
* You can help in naming the World Science Fiction Society’s new award for Best Young Adult Book by voting. The name Worldcon seems kind of meh to us, but all of the others are pretty great. Check out the options with small explanations on the choices here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPJlnD7hXaVI7Q5vntFW3OpEp2PqF6QhqGu2VmP71JR3Fn9Q/viewform
* If you're feeling down, here's a list of some inspirational quotes from science fiction. http://www.guidingtech.com/64248/top-science-fiction-quotes/
* An essay on how the use of allegory to represent oppression can actually erase the very people it's meant to be helping. http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/science-fiction/261921/how-allegory-in-sci-fi-can-narrow-representation
* YAY! The Expanse is back! We're still behind, but if you're caught up, check out this article on why it's so relevant to our current times. http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/1/14429646/expanse-season-2-syfy-relevant-science-fiction-show-television
* A great list that explores many of the ways that consuming science fiction can make the world a better place. https://qz.com/894823/science-fiction-films-and-novels-could-help-us-save-the-world/
* We can't wait for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. More Rey! More Poe!! More Finn!!! Here's a little article where the director reveals the three films that influence his ideas of the Star Wars universe. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/30/what-three-films-influenced-rian-johnsons-take-on-star-wars-the-last-jedi/
* They've been talking about a Highlander reboot for years, but now we have a lot more information. Check here if the cheesiness of Highlander was a huge part of your childhood. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/31/can-there-be-only-one-chad-stahelski-talks-highlander-reboot
* Author Marlon James talks about his upcoming fantasy trilogy, cultural perspectives on what fantasy is, and goes more into more detail on what he's called an "African Game of Thrones". Read the whole interview here: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/01/26/books-marlon-james-dark-star-fantasy-trilogy
* Science fiction has created some of the most political shows in recent memory. Here are five upcoming shows in 2017 that are ready to carry that torch forward. https://www.inverse.com/article/26263-4-ways-shows-political-health-care-immigration
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The Horror Writers Association has released the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards. Check out all the nominees here: http://horror.org/2016-bram-stoker-awards-preliminary-ballot-announced/
* The Philip K. Dick Award has announced their 2016 nominees! For the list go here: http://www.norwescon.org/con/p-k-dick-award/
* The judges for the 2017 World Fantasy Award have been announced: http://wfc2017.org/wfc2017/awards/judges/
* The 2016 SF&F Hall of Fame Inductees have been announced, and not only have the rules of eligibility been expanded, but in honor of their 20th anniversary they inducted 20 extra creators and works into the Hall of Fame. See the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/01/2016-sff-hall-of-fame-inductees/
* Mystery Writers of America announces the shortlist for the Edgar Award, and many of the nominees are of definite interest to speculative fiction fans. The full list is here: http://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announces-the-2017-edgar-nominations/
* The nomination period for the Hugos is open. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2017/01/2017-hugo-awards-nomination-period-open/
--------------------
From The Office
--------------------
Once again, we've made our minimum goal for sponsors. So, we'll be staying open throughout 2017. If you're not familiar with our Sponsorship Program and how it is critical for the continued operation of Borderlands Books, you can find information about it here - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com/p/why-sponsorships.html .
I want to personally thank all our 2017 sponsors for allowing us to continue to do what we love -- run a fine shop and put great books in the hands of readers. If you're not a sponsor or if you haven't renewed your sponsorship yet, you're welcome to do so anytime this year. There are some nice benefits <http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-benefits-and-privilidges.html> to being a sponsor and, each sponsor who supports us over the minimum gets us one step closer to our long-term goal of buying a building before our current lease expires in 2021. You can sign up on-line <https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship17.html>, in person at the store, by phone with a credit card (toll free 888 893-4008), or with a check by physical mail. We sincerely appreciate everyone's support.
That said, I'm going to jump to a mostly unrelated topic.
It has been my policy since opening Borderlands to keep the business as thoroughly separated from politics as possible. It's not that I (and the rest of the staff) lack political convictions. But, the staff and customers at Borderlands are a very diverse group with a range of political and social views as broad as the general public. If I were to take political positions in my role as the owner of this business, to some extent I would be demanding that my customers, fellow members of our community like authors and publishers, and, most of all, my staff make a choice. They could either tacitly support my views by continuing to be associated with Borderlands or they could sever their relationship. Although that tacit support would be minor and of small degree, it would be present.
Since I don't think it would be right for me to place people whom I respect in that position and, more so, because I don't think that my views are something that I should force on anyone, I have always maintained that apolitical standard for our business. The one exception to that standard has been the very rare laws that directly affect bookselling and booksellers (such as the recent California autograph law - AB1570). Beyond that, the larger political arena has been off-limits. We won't even put up signs for local candidates or host meetings for them.
But, there are times when political matters transcend mere questions of governance and begin to touch upon more vital questions of essential civil rights and the rule of law. I believe that, when politics treads into the territory of civil rights, I have an ethical obligation to not be silent. Likewise, if the fundamental legal bases of our nation and society are threatened or abridged, I feel a duty to speak out.
I believe we are living through a remarkable period of American politics. We are truly seeing history being made and we are witnessing events that will be discussed 50 and 100 years from now. And I am concerned that we are also living through a period in which matters of civil rights and the rule of law may be sharply contested. And so, this note is along the lines of giving fair warning: if my ethics or duty require that I speak up, I will do so -- regardless of the discomfort it might cause me or other people associated with Borderlands.
I'm aware that there's a possibility that, were I to take political positions in my capacity as the owner of Borderlands, it will be a slippery slope that leads farther than I would wish. I also know that I might offend some of our customers in the process. I hope that, if I go to farther into the realm of the political than the guidelines I mentioned would allow, you'll let me know. And I also hope that, if you disagree with something I've said or are offended by it, you'll write or call and hopefully we can have a useful and respectful conversation about it.
But, most of all, I hope that the next few years will not hold anything that I feel I have to comment on. I think that really would be best, for me and for our country.
Warm Regards,
Alan
----------------
Best Sellers
----------------
Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for January, 2017
Hardcovers
1. KINDRED: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL by Octavia Butler and John Jennings
2. BABYLON’S ASHES by James S.A. Corey
3. EMPIRE GAMES by Charles Stross
4. MINIATURES: THE VERY SHORT FICTION OF JOHN SCALZI by John Scalzi
5. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
6. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
7. THE COLD EYE by Laura Anne Gilman
8. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
9. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff
10. EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
2. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
3. PASSING STRANGE by Ellen Klages
4. THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson
5. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
6. THE BURNING PAGE by Genevieve Cogman
7. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
8. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
9. PRIVILEGE OF THE SWORD by Ellen Kushner
10. A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE HANGING TREE by Ben Aaronovitch
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. AMERICAN GODS: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Neil Gaiman
4. DISSIDENCE by Ken MacLeod
5. THE BLOCKADE by Jean Johnson
6. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
7. INSURGENCE by Ken MacLeod
8. BATTLE HILL BOLERO by Daniel Jose Older
9. THE CONCLAVE OF SHADOWS by Alyc Helms
10. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, February 12th, at 5 pm to discuss CALIBAN’S WAR by James S.A. Corey. The book for March will be BRILLANCE by Marcus Sakey. 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, January 15th, at 6 pm to discuss AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman. The book for the following month will be A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ by Walter M. Miller. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm - February is Women in Horror Month. To celebrate, join Horror Writers Association President Lisa Morton (GHOSTS: A HAUNTED HISTORY), Bram Stoker Award winner Rena Mason (THE EVOLUTIONIST and EAST END GIRLS), Shirley Jackson Award nominee Kate Jonez (CEREMONY OF FLIES), and local author Loren Rhoads (LOST ANGELS) as they demonstrate the breadth of what women are doing in horror writing!
Coffee with a Cop on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00am - Borderlands is pleased to host a social meeting at the cafe with SF Police Department patrol officers from the Mission District, along with the Captain of Mission Police Station, Daniel Perea and members of his staff. This is a great opportunity to meet the officers that work in our district, ask any questions you have about policing in the Mission or in the City in general, and raise any concerns you may have. As some of you may remember, we've worked with Capt. Perea on his project to create a free library at Garfield Park. He's very much "our" sort of person - a SF native who still lives in San Francisco and who obviously understands the importance of reading, literacy and local small businesses. We'll hope to see you at this chance to have "Coffee with a Cop". We're certainly looking forward to seeing some of the officers, since a couple of them are regular customers at the store (not to mention one of them whose first science fiction novel will be published this year).
GENUS LOCI: TALES OF THE SPIRIT OF PLACE (Ragnarok Publications, Trade Paperback, $18.95) event with Jason Daniel Batt, Chaz Brenchley, Sunil Patel, Vivienne Pustell, z.m. quynh, and Carrie Ratajski on Saturday, February 18th at 2:00pm - We are delighted to welcome 6 brilliant local authors, all contributors to the anthology GENIUS LOCI, to Borderlands! From the publisher: "Guardian spirits. Divine presences. Demonic powers. Ghosts. The concept of 'genius loci' is indeed an ancient one, found in nearly every human mythology. GENIUS LOCI is a huge anthology of 31 all-new fantasy and science fiction stories drawing on the rich tradition of place-as-person. Within its pages, the authors present stories of sentient deserts, beneficent forests, lonely shrubs, and protective planetary spirits, highlighted by the fantastic art of Lisa A. Grabenstetter and Evan M. Jensen, and edited by Jaym Gates." We hope you'll join us for an unforgettable event!
Meg Pontecorvo, MURDER IN THE GENERATIVE KITCHEN (World Weaver Press, Mass Market, $9.99) on Sunday, February 19th at 2:00pm - We're delighted to welcome San Francisco author Meg Pontecorvo, as she shows off her amazing debut novella! From the book description: "MURDER IN THE GENERATIVE KITCHEN intertwines parallel plots: the Chicago murder trial of McConnery Ellis, a wealthy middle aged woman accused of poisoning her husband with a gourmet meal prepared with the help of her AI "smart kitchen"; and the efforts of juror Julio Gonzalez to hook up with Iris, a beautiful fellow juror, at the Acapulco resort where they have been sent to watch trial footage. The futuristic trial system, "Vacation Jury Duty," enables the lucky jurors to stream daily testimony through sleek headsets as they enjoy the amenities at the court-owned resort. But there's a catch: as in jury trials today, they are forbidden to communicate with other jurors. Under constant surveillance by the resort's security guards, Julio struggles to devise ways to catch Iris's attention. He also becomes fascinated by the trial, in which attorney-manipulated sims interrogate a lively parade of human witnesses. The plots converge when Julio returns to Chicago for deliberation and valiantly attempts to seduce Iris with his command of the facts, as the jurors clash over whether the murderer is Mrs. Ellis, or a high tech kitchen capable of intuiting--and fulfilling--its owner's innermost desires." We hope you'll join us to meet Meg and check out MURDER, which has been praised by David Brin, Amazing Stories and Terry Bisson!
Meg Elison, THE BOOK OF ETTA (47North, Trade Paperback, $14.95) on Saturday, February 25th at 3:00pm - We're happy to welcome Oakland-based author Meg Elison back to Borderlands! From the publisher: "Meg Elison’s Philip K. Dick Award-winning debut THE BOOK OF THE UNNAMED MIDWIFE tells the story of an unnamed woman who survives a plague that wipes out most women and children in weeks, leaving 10 male survivors for every woman. Donning male clothing and making it her mission to provide the few surviving women with birth control and medical care, she must navigate her way through a world she once knew to find her place in a dangerous new one. In her gripping sequel, THE BOOK OF ETTA, Elison takes readers deeper into her post-apocalyptic world. The story continues many years after the midwife delivered her first child to survive birth. The inhabitants of Nowhere continue to struggle with vestiges of the plague that nearly wiped out earth’s population. Women are scarce and childbearing is dangerous, yet desperately necessary for humankind’s future. While Mothers and midwives are considered sacred in Nowhere, Etta – a young transgender male – has a different calling as a scavenger. Taking the name Eddy, he roams the desolate territory beyond salvaging useful relics of the ruined past and braving the threat of brutal slave traders, who are seeking women and girls to sell and subjugate. When those he loves are put in danger, Eddy will risk both body and spirit not only to save lives, but also to liberate a new world’s destiny."
Joe Lansdale, RUSTY PUPPY (Mulholland Books, Hardcover, $26) on Saturday, March 4th at 2:00pm - We're thrilled to welcome Joe Lansdale to Borderlands! We've been fans since THE DRIVE IN, but it's never quite worked to get Joe to the store, until now! Joe's currently touring for RUSTY PUPPY, the new Hap and Leonard novel. Here's the synopsis from the publisher: "By now, readers are familiar with the opposites-attract partners -- Hap Collins, a white-trash rebel, and Leonard Pine, a gay, black, Republican Vietnam vet --and they've got another heated case to work on. A grieving mother turns to Hap to seek justice both for her murdered son -- a straight-A student destined for better things than the projects, until he began asking too many questions about the racist police force -- and for her daughter, who was sexually harassed by a bullying cop. Hap enlists the help of his best friend, Leonard, to navigate the murky waters of investigation. . .. As the two men start to unpack the mystery at hand, it isn't long before all signs point to a calculated "boys club" of corrupt cops the neighboring town over, who happen to be running an illegal fighting circuit. Though the two have faced their share of bigotry and intimidation, could Hap and Leonard have finally met their match?" We hope you'll join us to meet Joe and check out this exciting new novel!
Erika Lewis, GAME OF SHADOWS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) and Veronica Rossi, SEEKER (Tor Teen, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 1:00pm - We're happy to welcome these two Macmillan authors to Borderlands! From the publisher: "In GAME OF SHADOWS, a young man plagued by the ability to see ghosts races to save the mythical land of Tara from a terrible fate. GAME OF SHADOWS has been receiving glowing advance praise, with Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee calling the book a 'riveting page-turner,' TV host and founder of Nerdist Industries Chris Hardwick called Game of Shadows 'smart, fun and addictive' and Booklist recommends the novel for 'fans of Rick Riordan and Celtic-mythology buffs alike.'" In Veronica Rossi's SEEKER, "[t]he sequel to RIDERS follows Daryn and the riders as they attempt to save Sebastian from Samrael's dark dimension. Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer." We hope you'll join us to meet two extraordinary authors!
Richard Kadrey, THE WRONG DEAD GUY (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, March 18th at 3:00pm - It's always a treat to welcome local favorite Richard Kadrey to Borderlands! Richard's recently been writing some comedic fantasy along with his ultra-noir Sandman Slim series - "In this fast paced sequel to THE EVERYTHING BOX -- the second entry in New York Times bestselling author Richard Kadrey's comedic supernatural series -- chaos ensues when Coop and the team at DOPS steal a not-quite-dead and very lovesick ancient Egyptian mummy wielding some terrifying magic. Coop, a master thief sort-of gone legit, saved the world from an ancient doomsday device -- heroism that earned him a gig working for the Department of Peculiar Science, a fearsome top secret government agency that polices the odd and strange. Now Woolrich, Coop's boss at the DOPS, has Coop breaking into a traveling antiquities show to steal a sarcophagus containing the mummy of a powerful Egyptian wizard named Harkhuf. With the help of his pals Morty, Giselle, and a professor that's half-cat, half-robotic octopus, Coop pulls off the heist without a hitch. It’s not Coop's fault that when DOPS opened the sarcophagus they didn't find the mummy they were expecting. Well, it was the right mummy, but it wasn't exactly dead -- and now it's escaped, using a type of magic the organization hasn't encountered before. Being a boss, Woolrich blames his underling for the screw up and wants Coop to find the missing Harkhuf and make it right, pronto." You won't want to miss Richard and THE WRONG DEAD GUY!
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
* * * * * * *
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Dispatches from the Border, January 2017
DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News From Borderlands Books
January 2017
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Upcoming Events
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Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, $14.00) Release Party on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks with authors Jeff Chang, Jennifer Dronsky, Antonio Garcia-Martinez, Aya de Leon, and Wendy C. Ortiz at The Make Out Room on Saturday, January 14 at 6:30pm
Black Comix Arts Festival at the San Francisco Public Library on Sunday, January 15th starting at 12:00 pm
Alex Lamb, ROBOTEER (Trade Paperback, Gollancz, $13.99) on Saturday, January 21st at 3:00pm
Laura Anne Gilman, THE COLD EYE (Hardcover, Saga Press, $27.99) on Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Cecelia Holland and Kim Stanley Robinson at The American Bookbinders Museum on Sunday, January 22nd at 6:30pm
Ellen Klages, PASSING STRANGE (Trade Paperback, Tor.com, $14.99) on Saturday, January 28th at 3:00pm
Laurel Anne Hill, THE ENGINE WOMAN'S LIGHT on Saturday, February 4th at 3:00pm
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, Kate Jonez, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
Coming up later this year, we're thrilled to welcome Meg Elison, Erike Lewis and Veronica Rossi, Joe R. Lansdale, Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi, and many, many other excellent writers!
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News
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* Despite any number of people (including the author of the law, who failed to be re-elected in November, and an ill-informed commenter on our blog), saying, in essence; "Oh, don't worry about it -- it's not meant to affect books", California's AB1570 autograph law is being taken seriously by publishers. Easton Press, publisher of lovely, leather-bound editions of classics, is no longer shipping signed copies of Neil Gaiman's OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE to California. So, yeah, it's a really stupid law - http://eurekabooksellers.com/repeal-californias-autograph-law-ab1570/.
* Overheard in the store:
"I wish the cyberpunk dystopia that we actually live in had more ninjas and day-glo colors."
* Rest in peace, dear Carrie Fisher. Actress. Writer. Feminist. Icon. Jedi. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/arts/carrie-fisher-a-princess-a-rebel-and-a-brave-comic-voice.html
* We're sorry to report the death of author Richard Adams, who wrote many books, although his best-known works are the classics WATERSHIP DOWN and THE PLAGUE DOGS - both of which were turned into animated films that traumatized many a child across generations. http://deadline.com/2016/12/watership-down-author-richard-adams-dies-at-96-1201876180/
* In the grand tradition of the beginning of the year, both The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/2017/1/5/13811144/sci-fi-fantasy-book-recommendations-2017) and Culturess (http://culturess.com/2017/01/01/12-science-fiction-fantasy-books-cant-wait-read-2017/) have released their lists of anticipated speculative fiction coming out in 2017.
* If you are seeking a roundtable on diversity that features diverse voices, you can head here (https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/01/06/nerds-on-whitewashing-and-more-diverse-scifi) and listen to three nerds of color list their recommendations and talk about whitewashing in Hollywood.
* Author and Borderlands sponsor Kate Elliot suggests a re-jiggering of the beginning of "Rogue One" and talks about the importance of relationships in narrative, taking the time to list the stories this year that presented compassionate and complex relationships. http://thebooksmugglers.com/2017/01/narratives-from-2016-with-compassionate-and-complex-relationships.html
* Bustle give us a list of 9 Modern Women Science Fiction Writers that we should be celebrating. How many of them have you read and how many do you need to add to your reading list? https://www.bustle.com/p/9-modern-women-science-fiction-writers-you-need-to-be-celebrating-27287
* An interview with Sigourney Weaver about her latest genre film, "A Monster Calls" and her long history with science-fiction on the screen. http://gulfnews.com/leisure/movies/features/sigourney-weaver-the-queen-of-science-fiction-1.1958178
* Entertainment Weekly gives us (an unfortunately not very elaborate) list of the most anticipated YA of 2017. (Still, it's a good jumping-off point for more research on the titles that interest you.) http://ew.com/books/2017/01/05/ya-novels-2017/
* We are huge fans of Tarsem Singh's lush visuals and gorgeous cinematography, plus we love a meta remake. So we're hoping the NBC series "Emerald City" manages to deliver on both fronts. It looks quite promising. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/26/dust-wind-check-two-new-promos-nbcs-emerald-city/
* More and more people are discussing the ideas of AI and human rights, as demonstrated in this article in Open Democracy (https://www.opendemocracy.net/openglobalrights/jonathan-drake/beyond-science-fiction-artificial-intelligence-and-human-rights). (Although no one seems to be thinking about the rights of the AIs themselves ,which is an article we would love to see.)
* Wired Magazine focuses on science fiction in their latest issue, and the Editor-in-Chief explains why science fiction is so important to our future. https://www.wired.com/2016/12/editors-letter-january-2017/
* Inverse features the stories of four African-American people who contributed to science fiction and who are sometimes forgotten. Even for those of us who know their names, there are some interesting and little-known facts in the write-ups. https://www.inverse.com/article/26052-hidden-figures-of-science-fiction-star-trek-butler-delany
* There's probably. . . maybe? . . . going to be another attempt to bring DUNE to the big screen. We could say a lot, because we've heard this many times, but we'll just settle on -- We'll believe it when we see it.
http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/books/could-denis-villeneuves-dune-prove-that-the-science-fiction-classic-is-after-all-adaptable
* Inquisitr lists some classic "forgotten" science fiction films. There are a couple of great films on the list that do not get the recognition they deserve for sure. http://www.inquisitr.com/3801931/classic-science-fiction-films-that-time-forgot/
* There is no official announcement or plans, or anything, really, but director James Gunn has tweeted that he would love to do a "Moonknight" film, and as hardcore Moonknight fans we're pretty stoked that someone with some power might feel the same. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/05/james-gunn-wants-bring-moon-knight-big-screen/
* Five different takes on cashless societies from science fiction authors. What does a cashless society look like to you? https://scroll.in/article/825628/what-happens-in-cashless-societies-five-answers-from-science-fiction
* Cthuluhu help us all! Rob Liefeld is trying to bring his EXTREME! universe to the screen. The only way we can see this working, is full camp. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/04/rob-liefeld-signs-deal-bring-extreme-universe-big-screen/
* An editor speaks on the reshoots of "Rogue One". We hope an extended version is soon released! http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/04/rogue-one-editors-talk-reshoots/
* We pray that this is some kind of hoax, because otherwise these are the fish that will be appearing in our nightmares until the day we die. http://www.chron.com/news/science-environment/article/These-Russian-fish-look-like-something-straight-10811405.php#photo-12080052
* Beijing-based Cristal Pictures is getting into the business of disaster films, a genre that is a favorite for many. There's a science fiction element since what messes everything up is engineering by us in an effort to save our world. ("Snowpiercer" already did this but there's always room for more.) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bejing-based-cristal-pictures-produce-science-fiction-disaster-movie-imago-955791
* Not enough people are talking about the new "Power Rangers" film, in our opinion. For a generation of nerds this is the guiltiest of pleasures and many of us will be seeing this film. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/04/first-super-tiny-glimpse-zordon-sabans-power-rangers/
* We want this to work out -- heaven knows we're tired of walking, but we've been promised science fictional transport frequently before. If the hyperloop appears, it will most likely be hellishly expensive but really, really cool. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-transport-systems-of-science-fiction-will-be-here_us_5859793ee4b0630a2542360c
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Award News
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* The Cybils, which celebrate children's and young adults authors, and have both graphic novel and speculative fiction categories, have announced their 2016 finalists: http://www.cybils.com/2017/01/the-2016-finalists.html
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From The Office
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At the beginning of 2015 Borderlands was getting ready to close. San Francisco voters had passed an increase in the minimum wage that was going to end the financial viability of the store, probably by the middle of July that year. If not at that point, then the second increase scheduled for July of this year was certainly going to do the job. Although I and the rest of the staff strongly support minimum wage laws in general and we suspected that San Francisco's local increase would be generally positive for the city as a whole, we were trapped by the idiosyncrasy of the book business. Unlike most products, books have a price printed on them. That makes the usual business solution of increasing prices to cover higher expenses impossible for us. Rather than ride the business down into the grave, I and the rest of the staff decided it was better to close quickly, at the time of our choosing and at the top of our game.
Our customers were very much opposed to this and, out of their comments & suggestions and in consultation with the staff, we decided to try an experiment. We would ask that a minimum of 300 people sponsor the store for $100 each. If that many people were willing, it would offset the added expense of the wage increases that were scheduled to raise the wage to $15 per hour by the middle of next year. Since that increased expense would be on-going, a basic assumption was that the sponsorship would need to recur each year.
We outlined a few benefits that we could offer sponsors at little or no cost to the business, and then announced the program. It was an almost immediate success and, last year, we succeeded again. And now, the new year has rolled around and we once again need sponsors. 2015 ended with 844 sponsors. In 2016 the count was 679. Of course, a drop from year one to year two was expected. When closing seemed imminent, people were impassioned and enthusiastic to support us (and I'm grateful to every one of them) but, a year later, some of those people were bound to conclude that they'd made their contribution and it was time to move on to other worthy causes.
What I'm hoping is that we can match the number from last year, or at least come close to it. That will be a sign that what we've created is sustainable over the long term. If the numbers continue to drop, the long-term prognosis won't be known until the numbers stop dropping (or, we'll know when we fail to meet 300 and close).
If you've never been a sponsor, I'd like to suggest you consider it this year. Aside from keeping our doors open, there are some nice things that come along with sponsorship - you'll find a full list here - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-benefits-and-privilidges.html. We also have some sort of sponsor event every month. Last year some of them were - a tour of The Interval and an explanation of the goals and accomplishments of The Long Now Foundation, intimate receptions with authors like Patrick Rothfuss and Charles Stross, a series of presentations about the business of writing and publishing from experts in the field, a tour of the fascinating American Bookbinders' Museum, and a picnic in Golden Gate Park. But, all the neat things we've done with and do for sponsors are just our way of saying, "Thank you" -- sponsorship is an opportunity to support bookstores, independent business, the local character of San Francisco, and our genres.
You can become a sponsor on-line at https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship17.html, or you can call 888 893-4008, email office@borderlands-books.com or come into the store in person.
There's only one thing left to say:
I and everyone else at Borderlands salute the 844 people in 2015 who decided that bookstores matter and that Borderlands mattered enough to save. And we further salute the 679 people who did it again, a year later. And, last but far from least, we salute the people who will do it this time in 2017. We are here today because of you. You have our heartfelt gratitude.
Sincerely,
Alan Beatts
PS In case you're wondering what we're doing with the money from the sponsorships over the 300 we need: the extra money is being put aside so that we can buy a building when our lease expires in 2021. We need $300,000 to $800,000 for the down payment. If we get enough sponsors over the next few years, I think we can make it.
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for December, 2016
Hardcovers
1. BABYLON'S ASHES by James S.A. Corey
2. ARCANUM UNBOUNDED by Brandon Sanderson
3. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
4. MISTBORN (Leatherbound Special Edition) by Brandon Sanderson
5. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
6. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
7. FANTASTIC BEAST AND WHERE TO FIND THEM By J.K. Rowling,
8. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
9. CROSSTALK by Connie Willis
10. DEATH'S END by Cixin Liu
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey
3. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
4. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
5. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
6. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
7. NORMAL by Warren Ellis
8. THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson
9. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
10. JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
2. GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
3. THE WISE MAN'S FEAR by Patrick Rothfuss
4. LEAGUE OF DRAGONS by Naomi Novik
5. DISSIDENCE by Ken MacLeod
6. AMERICAN GODS: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Neil Gaiman
7. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
8. NIGHT'S MASTER by Tanith Lee
9. INSURGENCE by Ken MacLeod
10. MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, February 12th, at 5 pm to discuss CALIBAN'S WAR by James S.A. Corey. The book for March will be BRILLIANCE by Marcus Sakey. 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, January 15th, at 6 pm to discuss CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar. The book for the following month will be AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, $14.00) Release Party on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm - We're always delighted to welcome Shaenon K. Garrity! Along with co-creator Jeffrey C. Wells, Shaenon is the genius behind the long-running and indisputably brilliant webcomic SKIN HORSE! The 6th collection has just been successfully Kickstarted, and we hope you'll join us to celebrate. From the description: "You'd think helping inhuman monstrosities with their personal problems would be simple. But as the Project Skin Horse field team heads to California to parlay with the Zombie Emperor of Colma, nothing can be trusted except for Tip's ability to find a date for a wine country weekend. All it takes to tear Skin Horse apart is one really bad day. . . ." Join us for an informal meet-and-greet and signing with Shaenon in the bookstore! Cupcakes have been promised.
Writers With Drinks with authors Jeff Chang, Antonio Garcia-Martinez, Aya de Leon, and Wendy C. Ortiz at The Make Out Room on Saturday, January 14 at 6:30pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, and we're always happy to participate! This month WWD will be guest-hosted by Baruch Porras-Hernandez, and the amazing lineup includes authors: Jeff Chang (Who We Be, We Gon' Be Alright, Can't Stop Won't Stop), Jennifer Dronsky (Winner of the Alameda Comedy Competition), Antonio Garcia-Martinez (Chaos Monkeys), Aya de Leon (Uptown Thief), and Wendy C. Ortiz (Bruja). Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30 and Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.
Black Comix Arts Festival at the San Francisco Public Library on Sunday, January 15th starting at 12:00 pm - We're delighted to be hanging out and selling books at the Black Comix Arts Festival! This special celebration of black writers and artists is a can't-miss event. Guests this year include Tananarive Due, John Jennings, Nisi Shawl, and Na'amen Tilahun among many other luminaries. We hope you'll join us. The full schedule is here: http://sfmlkday.org/bcafcon/
Alex Lamb, ROBOTEER (Trade Paperback, Gollancz, $13.99) on Saturday, January 21st at 3:00pm - We are happy to welcome local hard science fiction author Alex Lamb! Here's the description of his awesome new novel from the publisher: "The starship Ariel is on a mission of the utmost secrecy, upon which the fate of thousands of lives depend. Though the ship is a mile long, its six crew are crammed into a space barely large enough for them to stand. Five are officers, geniuses in their field. The other is Will Kuno-Monet, the man responsible for single-handedly running a ship comprised of the most dangerous and delicate technology that mankind has ever devised. He is the Roboteer. Roboteer is a hard-SF novel set in a future in which the colonization of the stars has turned out to be anything but easy, and civilization on Earth has collapsed under the pressure of relentless mutual terrorism. Small human settlements cling to barely habitable planets. Without support from a home-world they have had to develop ways of life heavily dependent on robotics and genetic engineering. Then out of the ruins of Earth's once great empire, a new force arises - a world-spanning religion bent on the conversion of all mankind to its creed. It sends fleets of starships to reclaim the colonies. But the colonies don't want to be reclaimed. Mankind's first interstellar war begins. It is dirty, dangerous and hideously costly. Will is a man bred to interface with the robots that his home-world Galatea desperately needs to survive. He finds himself sent behind enemy lines to discover the secret of their newest weapon. What he discovers will transform their understanding of both science and civilization forever. . . but at a cost."
Laura Anne Gilman, THE COLD EYE (Hardcover, Saga Press, $27.99) on Sunday January 22nd at 3:00pm - Laura Gilman returns to Borderlands for the sequel to SILVER ON THE ROAD. From the publisher: "In the anticipated sequel to SILVER ON THE ROAD, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory. Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss -- better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists -- sometimes wild and perilous. But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil's West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what's happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory."
SF in SF with Cecelia Holland with Kim Stanley Robinson at The American Bookbinders Museum on Sunday January 22nd at 6:30pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're always happy to participate in SF in SF, particualrly with these beloved authors! 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.
Ellen Klages, PASSING STRANGE (Trade Paperback, Tor.com, $14.99) on Saturday, January 28th at 3:00pm - We're always very happy to welcome the hilarious and whip-smart Ellen Klages to the store. This time around, Ellen will be showing off her gorgeous new novella from Tor.com, PASSING STRANGE. The catalog copy is very intriguing: "San Francisco in 1940 is a haven for the unconventional. Tourists flock to the cities within the city: the Magic City of the World's Fair on an island created of artifice and illusion; the forbidden city of Chinatown, a separate, alien world of exotic food and nightclubs that offer "authentic" experiences, straight from the pages of the pulps; and the twilight world of forbidden love, where outcasts from conventional society can meet. Six women find their lives as tangled with each other's as they are with the city they call home. They discover love and danger on the borders where mystery, science, and art intersect." We hope you join us to check out this awesome new offering. You can see the beautiful cover art here: http://www.tor.com/2016/09/22/cover-reveals-ellen-klages-passing-strange-gregory-manchess/
Laurel Anne Hill, THE ENGINE WOMAN'S LIGHT on Saturday, February 4th at 3:00pm - We're happy to welcome Laurel Anne Hill back to Borderlands! She'll be showing off her awesome new novel THE ENGINE WOMAN'S LIGHT. From the publisher: "A mystical vision of an airship appears to fifteen-year-old Juanita in 1894. The long-dead captain commands her to prevent California's thrown-away people -- including young children -- from boarding trains to an asylum. That institution's director plots murder to reduce the inmate population. Spirits watch over Juanita. But who is she? A mystic in love who holds life sacred? Or a ghost-possessed railroad-saboteur? To save innocent lives Juanita must take lives of the corrupt. How can she reconcile her assignment with her belief in the sacredness of all human life? And will she survive to marry her betrothed? Juanita sets out despite inner trepidation to sabotage the railroad. Her ancestor Billy, the ghost of a steam locomotive engineer, guides her. Then bit by bit, she discovers the gut-wrenching truths all of her ancestors neglected to reveal."
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, Kate Jonez, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm - February is Women in Horror Month. To celebrate, join Horror Writers Association President Lisa Morton (GHOSTS: A HAUNTED HISTORY), Bram Stoker Award winner Rena Mason (THE EVOLUTIONIST and EAST END GIRLS), Shirley Jackson Award nominee Kate Jonez (CEREMONY OF FLIES), and local author Loren Rhoads (LOST ANGELS) as they demonstrate the breadth of what women are doing in horror writing!
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Featured Upcoming Titles
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(These titles have not arrived yet. You may pre-order any of these books by calling or emailing us. Prices may be subject to change. Of course, we have many more titles arriving each week . . . call or email us if you're curious about a particular upcoming title not listed here.)
Anderson, Poul * The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 7: Question and Answer * (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
Barker, Clive * Infernal Parade * (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Beagle, Peter S. * In Calabria * (Tachyon Publications, hc)
Beaulieu, Bradley P. * With Blood Upon the Sand * (DAW, hc)
Broaddus, Maurice * The Voices of Martyrs * (Rosarium Publishing, cln, tpb)
Carey, Jacqueline * Miranda and Caliban * (Tor, hc)
Chizmar, Richard, & Brian James Freeman * Darkness Whispers * (Scarlet Galleon, nva, hc)
Danielewski, Mark Z. * The Familiar: Volume 4: Hades * (Random House/Pantheon, tpb)
Datlow, Ellen, ed. * Black Feathers: Dark Avian Tales * (Pegasus, anth, hc)
Donnelly, Lara Elena * Amberlough * (Tor, hc)
Dornbusch, Betsy * Enemy * (Skyhorse/Night Shade Books, hc)
Duncan, Dave * Portal of a Thousand Worlds * (Open Road, tpb)
Gannon, Charles E. * Caine's Mutiny * (Baen, tpb)
Gevers, Nick, ed. * Extrasolar * (PS Publishing, anth, hc)
Guran, Paula, ed. * The Mammoth Book of the Mummy * (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
Harrison, Kim * The Turn * (Simon & Schuster/Gallery, hc)
Hurley, Kameron * The Stars Are Legion * (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, hc)
Kadrey, Richard * The Wrong Dead Guy * (Harper Voyager US, hc)
Kiernan, Caitlin R. * Agents of Dreamland * (Tor.com, tpb)
Latham, Rob, ed. * Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings * (Bloomsbury Academic US, nf, hc/tpb)
Martinez, Juan * Best Worst American * (Small Beer Press, cln, tpb)
Nix, Garth * Frogkisser! * (Scholastic Press, nvl-ya, hc)
Palmer, Ada * Seven Surrenders * (Tor, hc)
Resnick, Mike * The Castle in Cassiopeia * (Prometheus/Pyr, tpb)
Resnick, Mike * Voyages * (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Reynolds, Alastair * Revenger * (Orbit US, tpb)
Reynolds, Alastair * Slow Bullets * (Orion/Gollancz, hc)
Sagara, Michelle * Grave * (DAW, hc)
Saunders, George * Lincoln in the Bardo * (Random House, hc)
Schwab, V. E. * A Conjuring of Light * (Tor, hc)
Sparks, Cat * Lotus Blue * (Skyhorse/Talos Press, hc)
Spencer, Wen * The Black Wolves of Boston * (Baen, hc)
Spinrad, Norman * The People's Police * (Tor, hc)
Tem, Steve Rasnic * Ubo * (Rebellion/Solaris US, tpb)
Wallace, Matt * Idle Ingredients * (Tor.com, nva, tpb)
Wendig, Chuck * Thunderbird * (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, hc)
Abbreviations indicate --
hc=hardcover; tpb=trade paperback; otherwise mass-market pb, or we're not sure
cln=collection; om=omnibus; anth=anthology; nva=novella; otherwise novel
h=horror; nf=nonfiction; a=associational [non-sffh]; otherwise sf/fantasy
1st US editions (+) are books previously published in the UK or other countries; otherwise US and UK books listed as originals are 1st English language editions.
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
* * * * * * *
Events and News From Borderlands Books
January 2017
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Upcoming Events
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Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, $14.00) Release Party on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks with authors Jeff Chang, Jennifer Dronsky, Antonio Garcia-Martinez, Aya de Leon, and Wendy C. Ortiz at The Make Out Room on Saturday, January 14 at 6:30pm
Black Comix Arts Festival at the San Francisco Public Library on Sunday, January 15th starting at 12:00 pm
Alex Lamb, ROBOTEER (Trade Paperback, Gollancz, $13.99) on Saturday, January 21st at 3:00pm
Laura Anne Gilman, THE COLD EYE (Hardcover, Saga Press, $27.99) on Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Cecelia Holland and Kim Stanley Robinson at The American Bookbinders Museum on Sunday, January 22nd at 6:30pm
Ellen Klages, PASSING STRANGE (Trade Paperback, Tor.com, $14.99) on Saturday, January 28th at 3:00pm
Laurel Anne Hill, THE ENGINE WOMAN'S LIGHT on Saturday, February 4th at 3:00pm
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, Kate Jonez, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
Coming up later this year, we're thrilled to welcome Meg Elison, Erike Lewis and Veronica Rossi, Joe R. Lansdale, Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi, and many, many other excellent writers!
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News
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* Despite any number of people (including the author of the law, who failed to be re-elected in November, and an ill-informed commenter on our blog), saying, in essence; "Oh, don't worry about it -- it's not meant to affect books", California's AB1570 autograph law is being taken seriously by publishers. Easton Press, publisher of lovely, leather-bound editions of classics, is no longer shipping signed copies of Neil Gaiman's OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE to California. So, yeah, it's a really stupid law - http://eurekabooksellers.com/repeal-californias-autograph-law-ab1570/.
* Overheard in the store:
"I wish the cyberpunk dystopia that we actually live in had more ninjas and day-glo colors."
* Rest in peace, dear Carrie Fisher. Actress. Writer. Feminist. Icon. Jedi. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/arts/carrie-fisher-a-princess-a-rebel-and-a-brave-comic-voice.html
* We're sorry to report the death of author Richard Adams, who wrote many books, although his best-known works are the classics WATERSHIP DOWN and THE PLAGUE DOGS - both of which were turned into animated films that traumatized many a child across generations. http://deadline.com/2016/12/watership-down-author-richard-adams-dies-at-96-1201876180/
* In the grand tradition of the beginning of the year, both The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/2017/1/5/13811144/sci-fi-fantasy-book-recommendations-2017) and Culturess (http://culturess.com/2017/01/01/12-science-fiction-fantasy-books-cant-wait-read-2017/) have released their lists of anticipated speculative fiction coming out in 2017.
* If you are seeking a roundtable on diversity that features diverse voices, you can head here (https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/01/06/nerds-on-whitewashing-and-more-diverse-scifi) and listen to three nerds of color list their recommendations and talk about whitewashing in Hollywood.
* Author and Borderlands sponsor Kate Elliot suggests a re-jiggering of the beginning of "Rogue One" and talks about the importance of relationships in narrative, taking the time to list the stories this year that presented compassionate and complex relationships. http://thebooksmugglers.com/2017/01/narratives-from-2016-with-compassionate-and-complex-relationships.html
* Bustle give us a list of 9 Modern Women Science Fiction Writers that we should be celebrating. How many of them have you read and how many do you need to add to your reading list? https://www.bustle.com/p/9-modern-women-science-fiction-writers-you-need-to-be-celebrating-27287
* An interview with Sigourney Weaver about her latest genre film, "A Monster Calls" and her long history with science-fiction on the screen. http://gulfnews.com/leisure/movies/features/sigourney-weaver-the-queen-of-science-fiction-1.1958178
* Entertainment Weekly gives us (an unfortunately not very elaborate) list of the most anticipated YA of 2017. (Still, it's a good jumping-off point for more research on the titles that interest you.) http://ew.com/books/2017/01/05/ya-novels-2017/
* We are huge fans of Tarsem Singh's lush visuals and gorgeous cinematography, plus we love a meta remake. So we're hoping the NBC series "Emerald City" manages to deliver on both fronts. It looks quite promising. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/26/dust-wind-check-two-new-promos-nbcs-emerald-city/
* More and more people are discussing the ideas of AI and human rights, as demonstrated in this article in Open Democracy (https://www.opendemocracy.net/openglobalrights/jonathan-drake/beyond-science-fiction-artificial-intelligence-and-human-rights). (Although no one seems to be thinking about the rights of the AIs themselves ,which is an article we would love to see.)
* Wired Magazine focuses on science fiction in their latest issue, and the Editor-in-Chief explains why science fiction is so important to our future. https://www.wired.com/2016/12/editors-letter-january-2017/
* Inverse features the stories of four African-American people who contributed to science fiction and who are sometimes forgotten. Even for those of us who know their names, there are some interesting and little-known facts in the write-ups. https://www.inverse.com/article/26052-hidden-figures-of-science-fiction-star-trek-butler-delany
* There's probably. . . maybe? . . . going to be another attempt to bring DUNE to the big screen. We could say a lot, because we've heard this many times, but we'll just settle on -- We'll believe it when we see it.
http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/books/could-denis-villeneuves-dune-prove-that-the-science-fiction-classic-is-after-all-adaptable
* Inquisitr lists some classic "forgotten" science fiction films. There are a couple of great films on the list that do not get the recognition they deserve for sure. http://www.inquisitr.com/3801931/classic-science-fiction-films-that-time-forgot/
* There is no official announcement or plans, or anything, really, but director James Gunn has tweeted that he would love to do a "Moonknight" film, and as hardcore Moonknight fans we're pretty stoked that someone with some power might feel the same. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/05/james-gunn-wants-bring-moon-knight-big-screen/
* Five different takes on cashless societies from science fiction authors. What does a cashless society look like to you? https://scroll.in/article/825628/what-happens-in-cashless-societies-five-answers-from-science-fiction
* Cthuluhu help us all! Rob Liefeld is trying to bring his EXTREME! universe to the screen. The only way we can see this working, is full camp. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/04/rob-liefeld-signs-deal-bring-extreme-universe-big-screen/
* An editor speaks on the reshoots of "Rogue One". We hope an extended version is soon released! http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/04/rogue-one-editors-talk-reshoots/
* We pray that this is some kind of hoax, because otherwise these are the fish that will be appearing in our nightmares until the day we die. http://www.chron.com/news/science-environment/article/These-Russian-fish-look-like-something-straight-10811405.php#photo-12080052
* Beijing-based Cristal Pictures is getting into the business of disaster films, a genre that is a favorite for many. There's a science fiction element since what messes everything up is engineering by us in an effort to save our world. ("Snowpiercer" already did this but there's always room for more.) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bejing-based-cristal-pictures-produce-science-fiction-disaster-movie-imago-955791
* Not enough people are talking about the new "Power Rangers" film, in our opinion. For a generation of nerds this is the guiltiest of pleasures and many of us will be seeing this film. http://sciencefiction.com/2017/01/04/first-super-tiny-glimpse-zordon-sabans-power-rangers/
* We want this to work out -- heaven knows we're tired of walking, but we've been promised science fictional transport frequently before. If the hyperloop appears, it will most likely be hellishly expensive but really, really cool. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-transport-systems-of-science-fiction-will-be-here_us_5859793ee4b0630a2542360c
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Award News
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* The Cybils, which celebrate children's and young adults authors, and have both graphic novel and speculative fiction categories, have announced their 2016 finalists: http://www.cybils.com/2017/01/the-2016-finalists.html
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From The Office
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At the beginning of 2015 Borderlands was getting ready to close. San Francisco voters had passed an increase in the minimum wage that was going to end the financial viability of the store, probably by the middle of July that year. If not at that point, then the second increase scheduled for July of this year was certainly going to do the job. Although I and the rest of the staff strongly support minimum wage laws in general and we suspected that San Francisco's local increase would be generally positive for the city as a whole, we were trapped by the idiosyncrasy of the book business. Unlike most products, books have a price printed on them. That makes the usual business solution of increasing prices to cover higher expenses impossible for us. Rather than ride the business down into the grave, I and the rest of the staff decided it was better to close quickly, at the time of our choosing and at the top of our game.
Our customers were very much opposed to this and, out of their comments & suggestions and in consultation with the staff, we decided to try an experiment. We would ask that a minimum of 300 people sponsor the store for $100 each. If that many people were willing, it would offset the added expense of the wage increases that were scheduled to raise the wage to $15 per hour by the middle of next year. Since that increased expense would be on-going, a basic assumption was that the sponsorship would need to recur each year.
We outlined a few benefits that we could offer sponsors at little or no cost to the business, and then announced the program. It was an almost immediate success and, last year, we succeeded again. And now, the new year has rolled around and we once again need sponsors. 2015 ended with 844 sponsors. In 2016 the count was 679. Of course, a drop from year one to year two was expected. When closing seemed imminent, people were impassioned and enthusiastic to support us (and I'm grateful to every one of them) but, a year later, some of those people were bound to conclude that they'd made their contribution and it was time to move on to other worthy causes.
What I'm hoping is that we can match the number from last year, or at least come close to it. That will be a sign that what we've created is sustainable over the long term. If the numbers continue to drop, the long-term prognosis won't be known until the numbers stop dropping (or, we'll know when we fail to meet 300 and close).
If you've never been a sponsor, I'd like to suggest you consider it this year. Aside from keeping our doors open, there are some nice things that come along with sponsorship - you'll find a full list here - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-benefits-and-privilidges.html. We also have some sort of sponsor event every month. Last year some of them were - a tour of The Interval and an explanation of the goals and accomplishments of The Long Now Foundation, intimate receptions with authors like Patrick Rothfuss and Charles Stross, a series of presentations about the business of writing and publishing from experts in the field, a tour of the fascinating American Bookbinders' Museum, and a picnic in Golden Gate Park. But, all the neat things we've done with and do for sponsors are just our way of saying, "Thank you" -- sponsorship is an opportunity to support bookstores, independent business, the local character of San Francisco, and our genres.
You can become a sponsor on-line at https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship17.html, or you can call 888 893-4008, email office@borderlands-books.com or come into the store in person.
There's only one thing left to say:
I and everyone else at Borderlands salute the 844 people in 2015 who decided that bookstores matter and that Borderlands mattered enough to save. And we further salute the 679 people who did it again, a year later. And, last but far from least, we salute the people who will do it this time in 2017. We are here today because of you. You have our heartfelt gratitude.
Sincerely,
Alan Beatts
PS In case you're wondering what we're doing with the money from the sponsorships over the 300 we need: the extra money is being put aside so that we can buy a building when our lease expires in 2021. We need $300,000 to $800,000 for the down payment. If we get enough sponsors over the next few years, I think we can make it.
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for December, 2016
Hardcovers
1. BABYLON'S ASHES by James S.A. Corey
2. ARCANUM UNBOUNDED by Brandon Sanderson
3. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
4. MISTBORN (Leatherbound Special Edition) by Brandon Sanderson
5. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
6. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
7. FANTASTIC BEAST AND WHERE TO FIND THEM By J.K. Rowling,
8. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
9. CROSSTALK by Connie Willis
10. DEATH'S END by Cixin Liu
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey
3. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
4. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
5. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
6. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
7. NORMAL by Warren Ellis
8. THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson
9. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
10. JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
2. GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
3. THE WISE MAN'S FEAR by Patrick Rothfuss
4. LEAGUE OF DRAGONS by Naomi Novik
5. DISSIDENCE by Ken MacLeod
6. AMERICAN GODS: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Neil Gaiman
7. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
8. NIGHT'S MASTER by Tanith Lee
9. INSURGENCE by Ken MacLeod
10. MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, February 12th, at 5 pm to discuss CALIBAN'S WAR by James S.A. Corey. The book for March will be BRILLIANCE by Marcus Sakey. 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, January 15th, at 6 pm to discuss CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar. The book for the following month will be AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, $14.00) Release Party on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm - We're always delighted to welcome Shaenon K. Garrity! Along with co-creator Jeffrey C. Wells, Shaenon is the genius behind the long-running and indisputably brilliant webcomic SKIN HORSE! The 6th collection has just been successfully Kickstarted, and we hope you'll join us to celebrate. From the description: "You'd think helping inhuman monstrosities with their personal problems would be simple. But as the Project Skin Horse field team heads to California to parlay with the Zombie Emperor of Colma, nothing can be trusted except for Tip's ability to find a date for a wine country weekend. All it takes to tear Skin Horse apart is one really bad day. . . ." Join us for an informal meet-and-greet and signing with Shaenon in the bookstore! Cupcakes have been promised.
Writers With Drinks with authors Jeff Chang, Antonio Garcia-Martinez, Aya de Leon, and Wendy C. Ortiz at The Make Out Room on Saturday, January 14 at 6:30pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, and we're always happy to participate! This month WWD will be guest-hosted by Baruch Porras-Hernandez, and the amazing lineup includes authors: Jeff Chang (Who We Be, We Gon' Be Alright, Can't Stop Won't Stop), Jennifer Dronsky (Winner of the Alameda Comedy Competition), Antonio Garcia-Martinez (Chaos Monkeys), Aya de Leon (Uptown Thief), and Wendy C. Ortiz (Bruja). Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30 and Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.
Black Comix Arts Festival at the San Francisco Public Library on Sunday, January 15th starting at 12:00 pm - We're delighted to be hanging out and selling books at the Black Comix Arts Festival! This special celebration of black writers and artists is a can't-miss event. Guests this year include Tananarive Due, John Jennings, Nisi Shawl, and Na'amen Tilahun among many other luminaries. We hope you'll join us. The full schedule is here: http://sfmlkday.org/bcafcon/
Alex Lamb, ROBOTEER (Trade Paperback, Gollancz, $13.99) on Saturday, January 21st at 3:00pm - We are happy to welcome local hard science fiction author Alex Lamb! Here's the description of his awesome new novel from the publisher: "The starship Ariel is on a mission of the utmost secrecy, upon which the fate of thousands of lives depend. Though the ship is a mile long, its six crew are crammed into a space barely large enough for them to stand. Five are officers, geniuses in their field. The other is Will Kuno-Monet, the man responsible for single-handedly running a ship comprised of the most dangerous and delicate technology that mankind has ever devised. He is the Roboteer. Roboteer is a hard-SF novel set in a future in which the colonization of the stars has turned out to be anything but easy, and civilization on Earth has collapsed under the pressure of relentless mutual terrorism. Small human settlements cling to barely habitable planets. Without support from a home-world they have had to develop ways of life heavily dependent on robotics and genetic engineering. Then out of the ruins of Earth's once great empire, a new force arises - a world-spanning religion bent on the conversion of all mankind to its creed. It sends fleets of starships to reclaim the colonies. But the colonies don't want to be reclaimed. Mankind's first interstellar war begins. It is dirty, dangerous and hideously costly. Will is a man bred to interface with the robots that his home-world Galatea desperately needs to survive. He finds himself sent behind enemy lines to discover the secret of their newest weapon. What he discovers will transform their understanding of both science and civilization forever. . . but at a cost."
Laura Anne Gilman, THE COLD EYE (Hardcover, Saga Press, $27.99) on Sunday January 22nd at 3:00pm - Laura Gilman returns to Borderlands for the sequel to SILVER ON THE ROAD. From the publisher: "In the anticipated sequel to SILVER ON THE ROAD, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory. Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss -- better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists -- sometimes wild and perilous. But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil's West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what's happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory."
SF in SF with Cecelia Holland with Kim Stanley Robinson at The American Bookbinders Museum on Sunday January 22nd at 6:30pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're always happy to participate in SF in SF, particualrly with these beloved authors! 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.
Ellen Klages, PASSING STRANGE (Trade Paperback, Tor.com, $14.99) on Saturday, January 28th at 3:00pm - We're always very happy to welcome the hilarious and whip-smart Ellen Klages to the store. This time around, Ellen will be showing off her gorgeous new novella from Tor.com, PASSING STRANGE. The catalog copy is very intriguing: "San Francisco in 1940 is a haven for the unconventional. Tourists flock to the cities within the city: the Magic City of the World's Fair on an island created of artifice and illusion; the forbidden city of Chinatown, a separate, alien world of exotic food and nightclubs that offer "authentic" experiences, straight from the pages of the pulps; and the twilight world of forbidden love, where outcasts from conventional society can meet. Six women find their lives as tangled with each other's as they are with the city they call home. They discover love and danger on the borders where mystery, science, and art intersect." We hope you join us to check out this awesome new offering. You can see the beautiful cover art here: http://www.tor.com/2016/09/22/cover-reveals-ellen-klages-passing-strange-gregory-manchess/
Laurel Anne Hill, THE ENGINE WOMAN'S LIGHT on Saturday, February 4th at 3:00pm - We're happy to welcome Laurel Anne Hill back to Borderlands! She'll be showing off her awesome new novel THE ENGINE WOMAN'S LIGHT. From the publisher: "A mystical vision of an airship appears to fifteen-year-old Juanita in 1894. The long-dead captain commands her to prevent California's thrown-away people -- including young children -- from boarding trains to an asylum. That institution's director plots murder to reduce the inmate population. Spirits watch over Juanita. But who is she? A mystic in love who holds life sacred? Or a ghost-possessed railroad-saboteur? To save innocent lives Juanita must take lives of the corrupt. How can she reconcile her assignment with her belief in the sacredness of all human life? And will she survive to marry her betrothed? Juanita sets out despite inner trepidation to sabotage the railroad. Her ancestor Billy, the ghost of a steam locomotive engineer, guides her. Then bit by bit, she discovers the gut-wrenching truths all of her ancestors neglected to reveal."
Women in Horror event with Rena Mason, Lisa Morton, Kate Jonez, & Loren Rhoads on Sunday, February 5th at 3:00pm - February is Women in Horror Month. To celebrate, join Horror Writers Association President Lisa Morton (GHOSTS: A HAUNTED HISTORY), Bram Stoker Award winner Rena Mason (THE EVOLUTIONIST and EAST END GIRLS), Shirley Jackson Award nominee Kate Jonez (CEREMONY OF FLIES), and local author Loren Rhoads (LOST ANGELS) as they demonstrate the breadth of what women are doing in horror writing!
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Featured Upcoming Titles
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(These titles have not arrived yet. You may pre-order any of these books by calling or emailing us. Prices may be subject to change. Of course, we have many more titles arriving each week . . . call or email us if you're curious about a particular upcoming title not listed here.)
Anderson, Poul * The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 7: Question and Answer * (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
Barker, Clive * Infernal Parade * (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Beagle, Peter S. * In Calabria * (Tachyon Publications, hc)
Beaulieu, Bradley P. * With Blood Upon the Sand * (DAW, hc)
Broaddus, Maurice * The Voices of Martyrs * (Rosarium Publishing, cln, tpb)
Carey, Jacqueline * Miranda and Caliban * (Tor, hc)
Chizmar, Richard, & Brian James Freeman * Darkness Whispers * (Scarlet Galleon, nva, hc)
Danielewski, Mark Z. * The Familiar: Volume 4: Hades * (Random House/Pantheon, tpb)
Datlow, Ellen, ed. * Black Feathers: Dark Avian Tales * (Pegasus, anth, hc)
Donnelly, Lara Elena * Amberlough * (Tor, hc)
Dornbusch, Betsy * Enemy * (Skyhorse/Night Shade Books, hc)
Duncan, Dave * Portal of a Thousand Worlds * (Open Road, tpb)
Gannon, Charles E. * Caine's Mutiny * (Baen, tpb)
Gevers, Nick, ed. * Extrasolar * (PS Publishing, anth, hc)
Guran, Paula, ed. * The Mammoth Book of the Mummy * (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
Harrison, Kim * The Turn * (Simon & Schuster/Gallery, hc)
Hurley, Kameron * The Stars Are Legion * (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, hc)
Kadrey, Richard * The Wrong Dead Guy * (Harper Voyager US, hc)
Kiernan, Caitlin R. * Agents of Dreamland * (Tor.com, tpb)
Latham, Rob, ed. * Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings * (Bloomsbury Academic US, nf, hc/tpb)
Martinez, Juan * Best Worst American * (Small Beer Press, cln, tpb)
Nix, Garth * Frogkisser! * (Scholastic Press, nvl-ya, hc)
Palmer, Ada * Seven Surrenders * (Tor, hc)
Resnick, Mike * The Castle in Cassiopeia * (Prometheus/Pyr, tpb)
Resnick, Mike * Voyages * (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Reynolds, Alastair * Revenger * (Orbit US, tpb)
Reynolds, Alastair * Slow Bullets * (Orion/Gollancz, hc)
Sagara, Michelle * Grave * (DAW, hc)
Saunders, George * Lincoln in the Bardo * (Random House, hc)
Schwab, V. E. * A Conjuring of Light * (Tor, hc)
Sparks, Cat * Lotus Blue * (Skyhorse/Talos Press, hc)
Spencer, Wen * The Black Wolves of Boston * (Baen, hc)
Spinrad, Norman * The People's Police * (Tor, hc)
Tem, Steve Rasnic * Ubo * (Rebellion/Solaris US, tpb)
Wallace, Matt * Idle Ingredients * (Tor.com, nva, tpb)
Wendig, Chuck * Thunderbird * (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, hc)
Abbreviations indicate --
hc=hardcover; tpb=trade paperback; otherwise mass-market pb, or we're not sure
cln=collection; om=omnibus; anth=anthology; nva=novella; otherwise novel
h=horror; nf=nonfiction; a=associational [non-sffh]; otherwise sf/fantasy
1st US editions (+) are books previously published in the UK or other countries; otherwise US and UK books listed as originals are 1st English language editions.
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
* * * * * * *
Friday, December 9, 2016
Dispatches from the Border, December 2016
DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News From Borderlands Books
December 2016
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Upcoming Events
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Sisters in Crime / Mystery Writers of America Northern California Holiday Party on Saturday, December 10th from 2:00 - 4:00pm
James S. A. Corey, BABYLON'S ASHES (Hardcover, Orbit, $27.00) on Saturday, December 10th at 5:00pm
Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, Couscous Collective, $14.00) on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm.
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* Overheard in the store:
"Alright, then! Let's hear it for characters that aren't dumb!"
"It's a fire-juggling Santa-clown. I hate clowns but I love fire. I'm kind of having a crisis right now."
"Gee, who knew that writers were so moist?"
"I wish the cyberpunk dystopia that we actually live in had more ninjas and Day-Glo colors."
* Please help keep SF in SF at the American Bookbinders' Museum. We've been working with SF in SF (Science Fiction in San Francisco) for a decade now, and they are wonderful people who have presented dozens of brilliant authors. We received the following from Madeleine Robins; local author, sponsor, and Operations Manager for the ABM: ". . .[I]n 2016 the ABM became the new home for SF in SF, hosting eleven monthly readings and discussions in our beautiful museum space. We hope to be the program's home for 2017 and beyond, but to do so we are asking for your support. The ABM is a relatively new museum, filled with equipment, archives, and ephemera that tells the history of bookbinding--particularly of binding and the innovations of the Industrial Revolution. In addition to telling this story, the American Bookbinders Museum is committed to supporting the book community in the Bay Area: this year, in addition to SF in SF, we have hosted events for Litquake, Quiet Lightning, and the Lantern Review. In order to continue doing so, and to continue to provide programming to reach and enrich our community, we rely on the generosity of individuals and businesses. . . ." If you'd like to help support the American Bookbinders Museum and help ensure a home for SF in SF, you can use this link to donate to the ABM: http://bookbindersmuseum.org/support/donate/?mc_cid=4720e1f973&mc_eid=48692d0e31
* Renowned author Jane Yolen recently became the 33rd person to be named a SFWA Grand Master, which honors a lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy. You can find SFWA’s full profile on Yolen here: http://nebulas.sfwa.org/grand-masters/jane-yolen/
* Both Analog and Asimov’s magazines are moving to a bimonthly schedule. Locus Magazine has more details here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/11/analog-and-asimovs-go-bimonthly/
* James Whitbrook over at Gizmodo has given us his own personal list of hopeful science-fiction. (Just in case you, like many of us, are looking for some reason to be hopeful for the future): http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-science-fiction-that-makes-me-hopeful-1789613928
* Author N.K. Jemisin reviews some of the most recent hot speculative fiction books in The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/books/review/the-latest-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy.html
* If you’re interested in some new reading material, the wonderful Indigenous Reads podcast's current book is a speculative collection by Drew Hayden Taylor. Check it out here: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/watching-virtual-reality-reading-science-fiction-and-learning-michif-1.3876855/indigenous-reads-drew-hayden-taylor-blends-science-fiction-with-indigenous-story-1.3878567
* Inverse makes a very compelling argument for why interest in Chinese science fiction is growing, and why it just might be the future of science fiction as a genre, using the new Invisible Planets anthology as an example. https://www.inverse.com/article/24099-invisible-planets-chinese-science-fiction-ken-liu
* Jagadish Chandra Bose, recently granted the dubious honor of a Google doodle for his scientific achievements, was also a very early writer of science-fiction. Read all about it here: https://mic.com/articles/160724/in-1896-jagadish-chandra-bose-proved-science-fiction-wasn-t-a-white-man-s-game#.5rcy41lu6
* The Guardian has an interesting and thorough look at all the great sf/f that came out in 2016 from diverse voices at various stages of their writing careers. Check it out: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/30/best-sf-and-fantasy-books-2016-adam-roberts
* Check out Alternative Nation’s list of the top 10 Underrated Sci-Fi movies of the 1970s. The inclusion of Westworld makes us inclined to trust it, but the last movie on the list makes the whole thing suspect: http://www.alternativenation.net/top-ten-underrated-70s-science-fiction-films/
* Paste Magazine tackles the question of "Does TV’s Science Fiction Need to Be So Grim?". Spoiler: they come down on the side of yes, but check out their nuanced reasoning, and their hope for a future where we can return to hopeful science fiction: https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/11/does-tvs-science-fiction-need-to-be-so-grim.html
* The U.S. Army hosts a science fiction short story contest, which sounds like the beginning to a real dark science fiction story. Check out the full information here: http://www.dailypress.com/news/military/dp-nws-army-science-fiction-20161128-story.html
* Comic fans of all ages are excited for the upcoming America Chavez solo series and the writer/artist team has just been announced: http://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/03/marvel-comics-announces-creative-team-miss-americas-upcoming-solo-series/
* Signature lists 5 authors they think you should read now if you’re interested in science fiction for social change. http://www.signature-reads.com/2016/11/science-fiction-for-social-change-5-authors-to-read-now/
* After ten long years we are finally getting another Justice League cartoon on the air. Check out how the concept went from solo Batman cartoon to a Justice League series with over one hundred rotating characters. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/01/justice-league-action-go-another-solo-batman-toon-including-152-dc-characters/
* An excellent article on how fantasy fiction will often used the trappings of race without acknowledging race at all. Zeba Blay traces this trend through the new film "Fantastic Beasts," to "X-men," and beyond. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-fantasy-film-plays-on-the-black-experience-while-erasing-black-people_us_583f36e6e4b09e21702c5de2
* The makers of The Guardians of the Galaxy film know how to give us what we want in the trailer for the sequel: Baby Groot! http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/12/new-trailer-for-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-rocks-out-to-sweets-fox-on-the-run-watch/
* Bustle gives a list of their 8 best fiction books out this December that spans all genres:
https://www.bustle.com/articles/197126-the-8-best-fiction-books-coming-out-this-december-that-are-perfect-for-holiday-snuggles
* A wonderful article on the science fiction that was written before knowledge of science was widespread, or the province of more than the privileged few: http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/the-science-fiction-that-came-before-science/508067/
* Listen to the latest episode of Wired’s Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast, where Aimee Bender talks about the way fairy tales influenced, and continue to influence, her writing. https://www.wired.com/2016/11/geeks-guide-aimee-bender/
* We may have reached "peak San Francisco": we now have a BitCoin ATM in the Cafe.
* We'd like to bring your attention to TREMONTAINE, which we'll have in book form next year! Set in the world of the SWORDSPOINT books, "In a city that never was, sex, scandal, and swordplay combine in deadly fashion. Enter a world inspired by Elizabethan London, 18th century Paris, and 1980s New York where your wit must be as sharp as your steel. Intrigue is afoot when a Duchess, a scholar, a swordswoman, and a genius, are brought together by long-buried lies and truths that cannot be denied." "TREMONTAINE is a team-written serial presented by Serial Box. Created by Ellen Kushner (SWORDSPOINT), she is joined by authors Tessa Gratton, Joel Derfner, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Malinda Lo, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Racheline Maltese, Patty Bryant, and Paul Witcover. TREMONTAINE is currently in its second season and is available at https://www.serialbox.com/serials/556fb8faada6e270f8e264d5, in the Serial Box app, or at all major eBook retailers. A print edition of Season 1 will be available in 2017 from SAGA Press."
* Brandon Sanderson is doing an absolutely gorgeous signed & numbered, leather-bound limited edition of MISTBORN, and we'll be getting copies! Please reserve yours now, since our copies of the leather-bound ELANTRIS sold out very quickly, and then they were gone. More details on the lovely book here: http://store.brandonsanderson.com/mistborn-leather-bound-book/ Copies are $100 each. Email office@borderlands-books.com to reserve.
* If you happen to be heading to NYC anytime soon, check out this list of 8 literary hotspots you should explore while there. https://www.bustle.com/articles/196553-8-literary-spots-in-nyc-that-every-book-lover-needs-to-visit
* Writer and sponsor Katrina Woznicki (who wrote an excellent article last year about Borderlands' Sponsor program for Guernica Magazine that can be found here <https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/katrina-woznicki-how-to-save-a-book-store/>) wanted everyone to know about the Cuba Writers Program <https://cubawritersprogram.com>.
From Katrina: "A Writer’s Paradise in Cuba, by Katrina Woznicki - Picture it: those mid-century cars, palm trees, colonial architecture, music in the streets. Yes, it's exactly like that. This past May, I had the privilege to visit Cuba as part of the inaugural Cuba Writers Program, an innovative writers’ retreat founded by Tim Weed and Alden Jones, two New England-based authors with extensive experience in both publishing and traveling. The Cuba Writers Program is now accepting applications for 2017, and I encourage you to not miss this unique mix of writing and cultural exploration. Maybe you think group tours aren't your thing, which is how I often thought about them, but Tim's knowledge of Cuba is encyclopedic -- and everyone in Cuba knows Tim. What do I mean by that? We visited a Santeria priest in Trinidad, a World UNESCO Heritage site, who was also a friend of Tim's. Our bus pulled over on this country road in central Cuba to sample the honey at a fruit stand run by a local farmer who happened to know Tim. Get an inside look at Cuba you never thought imaginable. And bring a journal and plenty of pens, because in between sightseeing you'll want to write about your experiences. Who knows? What you see, hear and do may become future fodder for your novel or short story. Work directly with critically-acclaimed novelist Ann Hood, author of the recently-published "The Book That Matters Most," and author of "The Italian Wife" and "The Knitting Circle." Or have your piece workshopped by Alden Jones, author of "Unaccompanied Minors," which recently won the the New American Fiction Prize, and of "The Blind Masseuse," a travel memoir. Both authors give one-on-one feedback and provide constructive criticism to move your writing forward. I enjoyed it so much that I plan to go back next spring, a decision that feels increasingly relevant now given the current political vitriol in our country. America's divisiveness makes it even more important to engage with the outer world; travel inspires new points of view, shared experiences, community and tolerance -- takeaways that will last longer than any souvenir you bring home. Hope to see you there!"
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Award News
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* Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, an alternate history where the underground railroad is an actual, physical railroad, won the National Book Award in fiction. http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2016.html#.WEN_bMmo1f0
* For any bilingual speculative fans - the Ignotus Awards, which are the Spanish equivalent of the Hugos, have announced their winners for this year. Go here to get some new reading material: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/11/2016-ignotus-awards-winners/
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Holiday Gift Guide
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Winter has well and truly come to San Francisco, which means that we're now hitting a (for the City) quite chilly 42 degrees at night. Definitely the perfect time for curling up with hot cocoa and a good book, and for picking up some great books for holiday gifts. We here present our usual Opinionated Gift Guide to help you out. However, 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 happy 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.)
Let's start with some awesome signed books. We have signed copies of brand-new ARCANUM UNBOUNDED and ELANTRIS, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson, BABYLON'S ASHES by James S.A. Corey, FEEDBACK by Mira Grant, pretty much everything including all three of the VELVETEEN books by Seanan McGuire, GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal, most of the Sandman Slim books by Richard Kadrey, a handful of signed Dan Wells titles including the just-released EXREME MAKEOVER, BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks, IMPRUDENCE by Gail Carriger, SNOWED by Maria Alexander, A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall, and so many, many more.
If your gift-ee just has to have the newest and the latest, check out the anthology CYBER WORLD edited by Jason Heller and Joshua Viola (which is SO cyberpunk that it comes with a soundtrack CD!), a gorgeous boxed set of the entire DARK TOWER series by Stephen King as well as the in-joke children's book CHARLIE THE CHOO CHOO by Beryl Evans, PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling, SLIPPING (a collection of short works) by Lauren Beukes, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR edited by Ellen Datlow, THE FAMILY PLOT by Cherie Priest, INVISIBLE PLANETS (a collection of fascinating Chinese science fiction in translation) edited by Ken Liu, and an absolutely stunning brick of a book: SELECTED SHORT FICTION OF URSULA K LE GUIN: THE FOUND AND THE LOST AND THE REAL AND THE UNREAL.
"To H.P. Lovecraft, with all my conflicted feelings," reads the dedication of Victor LaValle's amazing novella THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM. It almost has a "Robert Johnson deal with the Devil at the crossroads" feel, but it's steeped in Lovecraft and just wonderful. Additional great unconventional new takes on Lovecraft are LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff, CARTER AND LOVECRAFT by Johnathan L. Howard, REANIMATORS by Pete Rawlick, I AM PROVIDENCE by Nick Mamatas (takes place at a Lovecraft convention and is narrated by the hated murder victim), HARRISON SQUARED by Daryl Gregory, and DREAM-QUEST OF VELLITT BOE by Kij Johnson. (Another great title that's coming out next spring and deserves a mention is WINTER TIDE, by Ruthanna Emrys.)
Some other excellent new books we're recommending are THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson (just out in trade paperback), the lovely and haunting new novel SUMMERLONG by Peter S. Beagle, THE OBELISK GATE (the follow-up to the Hugo-winning FIFTH SEASON) by N.K. Jemisin, EVERYTHING UNDER THE MOON (an unconventional, ultra-noir werewolf-crime novel,) and THE ARRIVAL, which is the movie-tie-in-cover version of STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang.
Not brand-new but still well worth a look is JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor, the first in a series about time-traveling historians who dislike the term "time travel" -- they simply "investigate historical events in contemporary time"! The series is like a mash-up of Connie Willis, Kage Baker, and Becky Chambers, and is thoroughly addictive.
Some great mysteries that may be of interest to you are the bleak, brilliant and noir THE LAST GOOD KISS by James Crumley, the utterly quirky CLAIRE DE WITT AND THE CITY OF THE DEAD by Sara Gran, or one of my all-time favorites, THE CORONER'S LUNCH by Colin Cotterill. If you'd like something lighter, check out the Charles Lenox mysteries (about a Victorian gentleman detective in London) by Charles Finch, or the delightful Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley: our twelve-year-old protagonist is a brilliant chemist and would-be poisoner who solves mysteries in the 1950's English countryside.
For the George R.R. Martin fan in your life, we've got a gorgeous illustrated hardcover of the GAME OF THRONES 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION as well as the stunningly beautiful (but lesser-known) map set that came out a few years back, THE LANDS OF ICE AND FIRE.
One of my very favorite new releases is REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath. This is the book version of the wonderful website that's "[p]art art project, part standup routine, part book report, this site imagines what if we made animated musicals about the women of history and myth who refused to behave. Rejected Princesses is not for kids. Unless your kid is awesome." This book makes a fantastic companion volume to HER HIGHNESS BUILDS ROBOTS, which is an empowering princess coloring book.
We have 2017 calendars galore, with something for everyone, including Astronomy, Alice in Wonderland, Dragons, Fairy Houses, Hyperboyle and a Half, Dr. Suess, Tolkien, and dozens of others!
As usual, we wish you a Gorey Christmas with a plethora of Edward Gorey-themed items. From the classic Gashlycrumb Tinies to the Bibliophile With Cats Puzzle, to the massive collection AMPHIGOREY, we have a little bit of Gorey to suit anyone. My personal favorite is the "Fruitcake" holiday card that shows the solemn ritual of everyone gathering after dark to throw their fruitcakes into a hole in the ice!
Classics that never go out of style are hardcovers of DUNE, GOOD OMENS, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, NEUROMANCER and THE HOBBIT. Less traditional, not in hardcover, but just as classic -- SLEIGHT OF HAND (wonderful short stories from Peter S. Beagle), MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs, THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey, LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey, and THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers.
Two local artists have graced us with one-of-a-kind gifts: we've got some lovely steampunk-influenced jewelry from Oakland's Fire Selkie creations, and gift boxes, hair clips, pins, and hand-made cards from San Francisco's Fly By Night Gifts!
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.
Happy holidays to all. We fervently wish you a safe, peaceful, and bright 2017.
- Jude Feldman
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for November, 2016
Hardcovers
1. ARCANUM UNBOUNDED by Brandon Sanderson
2. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
3. GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal
4. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
5. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
6. CROSSTALK by Connie Willis
7. DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
8. THE BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks
9. GOLDENHAND by Garth Nix
10. ALIEN MORNING by Rick Wilber
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
2. ROMANCING THE INVENTOR by Gail Carriger
3. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
4. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
5. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
6. MYSTIC by Jason Denzel
7. CYBER WORLD edited by Jason Heller and Joshua Viola
8. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
9. EXTREME MAKEOVER: APOCALYPSE EDITION by Dan Wells
10. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. BREAK THE CHAINS by Megan E. O’Keefe
2. MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
5. AMERICAN GODS: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Neil Gaiman
6. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
7. WILLFUL CHILD by Steven Erikson
8. EMPIRE ASCENDANT by Kameron Hurley
9. ONCE BROKEN FAITH by Seanan McGuire
10. THE MIRROR EMPIRE by Kameron Hurley
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, December 11th, at 5 pm to discuss THREE BODY PROBLEM by CIxin Liu. The book for January will be DUNE by Frank Herbert. 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 18th, at 6 pm to discuss THE QUANTUM THIEF by Hannu Rajaniemi. The book for the following month will be CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Sisters in Crime / Mystery Writers of America Holiday Party on Saturday, December 10th from 2:00 - 4:00pm - Join us and more than two dozen fabulous local mystery writers for a fun holiday party! There will be light refreshments and the chance to mingle with, and get books signed by, fantastic authors. Don't miss this chance to meet so many writers all at the same time, and enjoy a rousing kick-off to the party season -- we'll be joined by Elin Barnes, Diana Chambers, Dana Fredsti, Nick Mamatas, CJ Verberg and many, many more! This event is open to the public.
James S. A. Corey BABYLON'S ASHES (Hardcover, Orbit, $27.00) on Saturday, December 10th at 5:00pm - Collectively known as James S.A. Corey, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck will be on hand to celebrate their book release by reading from and signing the latest novel. The writing duo that has taken the science fiction world by storm with their series known as The Expanse, now bring us book 6, BABYLON'S ASHES. From the publisher: "A revolution brewing for generations has begun in fire. It will end in blood. The Free Navy -- a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships -- has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them. James Holden and his crew know the strengths and weaknesses of this new force better than anyone. Outnumbered and outgunned, the embattled remnants of the old political powers call on the Rocinante for a desperate mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network. But the new alliances are as flawed as the old, and the struggle for power has only just begun. As the chaos grows, an alien mystery deepens. Pirate fleets, mutiny, and betrayal may be the least of the Rocinante's problems. And in the uncanny spaces past the ring gates, the choices of a few damaged and desperate people may determine the fate of more than just humanity." Don't miss this opportunity to meet this amazing duo at the height of their writing genius!
Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, Couscous Collective, $14.00) on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm. - We're always delighted to welcome Shaenon K. Garrity! Along with co-creator Jeffrey C. Wells, Shaenon is the genius behind the long-running and indisputably brilliant webcomic SKIN HORSE! The 6th collection has just been successfully Kickstarted, and we hope you'll join us to celebrate. From the description: "You'd think helping inhuman monstrosities with their personal problems would be simple. But as the Project Skin Horse field team heads to California to parlay with the Zombie Emperor of Colma, nothing can be trusted except for Tip's ability to find a date for a wine country weekend. All it takes to tear Skin Horse apart is one really bad day. . . ." Join us for an informal meet-and-greet and signing with Shaenon in the bookstore!
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
* * * * * * *
Events and News From Borderlands Books
December 2016
----------------------
Upcoming Events
----------------------
Sisters in Crime / Mystery Writers of America Northern California Holiday Party on Saturday, December 10th from 2:00 - 4:00pm
James S. A. Corey, BABYLON'S ASHES (Hardcover, Orbit, $27.00) on Saturday, December 10th at 5:00pm
Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, Couscous Collective, $14.00) on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm.
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* Overheard in the store:
"Alright, then! Let's hear it for characters that aren't dumb!"
"It's a fire-juggling Santa-clown. I hate clowns but I love fire. I'm kind of having a crisis right now."
"Gee, who knew that writers were so moist?"
"I wish the cyberpunk dystopia that we actually live in had more ninjas and Day-Glo colors."
* Please help keep SF in SF at the American Bookbinders' Museum. We've been working with SF in SF (Science Fiction in San Francisco) for a decade now, and they are wonderful people who have presented dozens of brilliant authors. We received the following from Madeleine Robins; local author, sponsor, and Operations Manager for the ABM: ". . .[I]n 2016 the ABM became the new home for SF in SF, hosting eleven monthly readings and discussions in our beautiful museum space. We hope to be the program's home for 2017 and beyond, but to do so we are asking for your support. The ABM is a relatively new museum, filled with equipment, archives, and ephemera that tells the history of bookbinding--particularly of binding and the innovations of the Industrial Revolution. In addition to telling this story, the American Bookbinders Museum is committed to supporting the book community in the Bay Area: this year, in addition to SF in SF, we have hosted events for Litquake, Quiet Lightning, and the Lantern Review. In order to continue doing so, and to continue to provide programming to reach and enrich our community, we rely on the generosity of individuals and businesses. . . ." If you'd like to help support the American Bookbinders Museum and help ensure a home for SF in SF, you can use this link to donate to the ABM: http://bookbindersmuseum.org/support/donate/?mc_cid=4720e1f973&mc_eid=48692d0e31
* Renowned author Jane Yolen recently became the 33rd person to be named a SFWA Grand Master, which honors a lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy. You can find SFWA’s full profile on Yolen here: http://nebulas.sfwa.org/grand-masters/jane-yolen/
* Both Analog and Asimov’s magazines are moving to a bimonthly schedule. Locus Magazine has more details here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/11/analog-and-asimovs-go-bimonthly/
* James Whitbrook over at Gizmodo has given us his own personal list of hopeful science-fiction. (Just in case you, like many of us, are looking for some reason to be hopeful for the future): http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-science-fiction-that-makes-me-hopeful-1789613928
* Author N.K. Jemisin reviews some of the most recent hot speculative fiction books in The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/books/review/the-latest-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy.html
* If you’re interested in some new reading material, the wonderful Indigenous Reads podcast's current book is a speculative collection by Drew Hayden Taylor. Check it out here: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/watching-virtual-reality-reading-science-fiction-and-learning-michif-1.3876855/indigenous-reads-drew-hayden-taylor-blends-science-fiction-with-indigenous-story-1.3878567
* Inverse makes a very compelling argument for why interest in Chinese science fiction is growing, and why it just might be the future of science fiction as a genre, using the new Invisible Planets anthology as an example. https://www.inverse.com/article/24099-invisible-planets-chinese-science-fiction-ken-liu
* Jagadish Chandra Bose, recently granted the dubious honor of a Google doodle for his scientific achievements, was also a very early writer of science-fiction. Read all about it here: https://mic.com/articles/160724/in-1896-jagadish-chandra-bose-proved-science-fiction-wasn-t-a-white-man-s-game#.5rcy41lu6
* The Guardian has an interesting and thorough look at all the great sf/f that came out in 2016 from diverse voices at various stages of their writing careers. Check it out: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/30/best-sf-and-fantasy-books-2016-adam-roberts
* Check out Alternative Nation’s list of the top 10 Underrated Sci-Fi movies of the 1970s. The inclusion of Westworld makes us inclined to trust it, but the last movie on the list makes the whole thing suspect: http://www.alternativenation.net/top-ten-underrated-70s-science-fiction-films/
* Paste Magazine tackles the question of "Does TV’s Science Fiction Need to Be So Grim?". Spoiler: they come down on the side of yes, but check out their nuanced reasoning, and their hope for a future where we can return to hopeful science fiction: https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/11/does-tvs-science-fiction-need-to-be-so-grim.html
* The U.S. Army hosts a science fiction short story contest, which sounds like the beginning to a real dark science fiction story. Check out the full information here: http://www.dailypress.com/news/military/dp-nws-army-science-fiction-20161128-story.html
* Comic fans of all ages are excited for the upcoming America Chavez solo series and the writer/artist team has just been announced: http://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/03/marvel-comics-announces-creative-team-miss-americas-upcoming-solo-series/
* Signature lists 5 authors they think you should read now if you’re interested in science fiction for social change. http://www.signature-reads.com/2016/11/science-fiction-for-social-change-5-authors-to-read-now/
* After ten long years we are finally getting another Justice League cartoon on the air. Check out how the concept went from solo Batman cartoon to a Justice League series with over one hundred rotating characters. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/12/01/justice-league-action-go-another-solo-batman-toon-including-152-dc-characters/
* An excellent article on how fantasy fiction will often used the trappings of race without acknowledging race at all. Zeba Blay traces this trend through the new film "Fantastic Beasts," to "X-men," and beyond. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-fantasy-film-plays-on-the-black-experience-while-erasing-black-people_us_583f36e6e4b09e21702c5de2
* The makers of The Guardians of the Galaxy film know how to give us what we want in the trailer for the sequel: Baby Groot! http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/12/new-trailer-for-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-rocks-out-to-sweets-fox-on-the-run-watch/
* Bustle gives a list of their 8 best fiction books out this December that spans all genres:
https://www.bustle.com/articles/197126-the-8-best-fiction-books-coming-out-this-december-that-are-perfect-for-holiday-snuggles
* A wonderful article on the science fiction that was written before knowledge of science was widespread, or the province of more than the privileged few: http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/the-science-fiction-that-came-before-science/508067/
* Listen to the latest episode of Wired’s Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast, where Aimee Bender talks about the way fairy tales influenced, and continue to influence, her writing. https://www.wired.com/2016/11/geeks-guide-aimee-bender/
* We may have reached "peak San Francisco": we now have a BitCoin ATM in the Cafe.
* We'd like to bring your attention to TREMONTAINE, which we'll have in book form next year! Set in the world of the SWORDSPOINT books, "In a city that never was, sex, scandal, and swordplay combine in deadly fashion. Enter a world inspired by Elizabethan London, 18th century Paris, and 1980s New York where your wit must be as sharp as your steel. Intrigue is afoot when a Duchess, a scholar, a swordswoman, and a genius, are brought together by long-buried lies and truths that cannot be denied." "TREMONTAINE is a team-written serial presented by Serial Box. Created by Ellen Kushner (SWORDSPOINT), she is joined by authors Tessa Gratton, Joel Derfner, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Malinda Lo, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Racheline Maltese, Patty Bryant, and Paul Witcover. TREMONTAINE is currently in its second season and is available at https://www.serialbox.com/serials/556fb8faada6e270f8e264d5, in the Serial Box app, or at all major eBook retailers. A print edition of Season 1 will be available in 2017 from SAGA Press."
* Brandon Sanderson is doing an absolutely gorgeous signed & numbered, leather-bound limited edition of MISTBORN, and we'll be getting copies! Please reserve yours now, since our copies of the leather-bound ELANTRIS sold out very quickly, and then they were gone. More details on the lovely book here: http://store.brandonsanderson.com/mistborn-leather-bound-book/ Copies are $100 each. Email office@borderlands-books.com to reserve.
* If you happen to be heading to NYC anytime soon, check out this list of 8 literary hotspots you should explore while there. https://www.bustle.com/articles/196553-8-literary-spots-in-nyc-that-every-book-lover-needs-to-visit
* Writer and sponsor Katrina Woznicki (who wrote an excellent article last year about Borderlands' Sponsor program for Guernica Magazine that can be found here <https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/katrina-woznicki-how-to-save-a-book-store/>) wanted everyone to know about the Cuba Writers Program <https://cubawritersprogram.com>.
From Katrina: "A Writer’s Paradise in Cuba, by Katrina Woznicki - Picture it: those mid-century cars, palm trees, colonial architecture, music in the streets. Yes, it's exactly like that. This past May, I had the privilege to visit Cuba as part of the inaugural Cuba Writers Program, an innovative writers’ retreat founded by Tim Weed and Alden Jones, two New England-based authors with extensive experience in both publishing and traveling. The Cuba Writers Program is now accepting applications for 2017, and I encourage you to not miss this unique mix of writing and cultural exploration. Maybe you think group tours aren't your thing, which is how I often thought about them, but Tim's knowledge of Cuba is encyclopedic -- and everyone in Cuba knows Tim. What do I mean by that? We visited a Santeria priest in Trinidad, a World UNESCO Heritage site, who was also a friend of Tim's. Our bus pulled over on this country road in central Cuba to sample the honey at a fruit stand run by a local farmer who happened to know Tim. Get an inside look at Cuba you never thought imaginable. And bring a journal and plenty of pens, because in between sightseeing you'll want to write about your experiences. Who knows? What you see, hear and do may become future fodder for your novel or short story. Work directly with critically-acclaimed novelist Ann Hood, author of the recently-published "The Book That Matters Most," and author of "The Italian Wife" and "The Knitting Circle." Or have your piece workshopped by Alden Jones, author of "Unaccompanied Minors," which recently won the the New American Fiction Prize, and of "The Blind Masseuse," a travel memoir. Both authors give one-on-one feedback and provide constructive criticism to move your writing forward. I enjoyed it so much that I plan to go back next spring, a decision that feels increasingly relevant now given the current political vitriol in our country. America's divisiveness makes it even more important to engage with the outer world; travel inspires new points of view, shared experiences, community and tolerance -- takeaways that will last longer than any souvenir you bring home. Hope to see you there!"
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Award News
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* Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, an alternate history where the underground railroad is an actual, physical railroad, won the National Book Award in fiction. http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2016.html#.WEN_bMmo1f0
* For any bilingual speculative fans - the Ignotus Awards, which are the Spanish equivalent of the Hugos, have announced their winners for this year. Go here to get some new reading material: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/11/2016-ignotus-awards-winners/
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Holiday Gift Guide
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Winter has well and truly come to San Francisco, which means that we're now hitting a (for the City) quite chilly 42 degrees at night. Definitely the perfect time for curling up with hot cocoa and a good book, and for picking up some great books for holiday gifts. We here present our usual Opinionated Gift Guide to help you out. However, 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 happy 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.)
Let's start with some awesome signed books. We have signed copies of brand-new ARCANUM UNBOUNDED and ELANTRIS, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson, BABYLON'S ASHES by James S.A. Corey, FEEDBACK by Mira Grant, pretty much everything including all three of the VELVETEEN books by Seanan McGuire, GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal, most of the Sandman Slim books by Richard Kadrey, a handful of signed Dan Wells titles including the just-released EXREME MAKEOVER, BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks, IMPRUDENCE by Gail Carriger, SNOWED by Maria Alexander, A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall, and so many, many more.
If your gift-ee just has to have the newest and the latest, check out the anthology CYBER WORLD edited by Jason Heller and Joshua Viola (which is SO cyberpunk that it comes with a soundtrack CD!), a gorgeous boxed set of the entire DARK TOWER series by Stephen King as well as the in-joke children's book CHARLIE THE CHOO CHOO by Beryl Evans, PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling, SLIPPING (a collection of short works) by Lauren Beukes, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR edited by Ellen Datlow, THE FAMILY PLOT by Cherie Priest, INVISIBLE PLANETS (a collection of fascinating Chinese science fiction in translation) edited by Ken Liu, and an absolutely stunning brick of a book: SELECTED SHORT FICTION OF URSULA K LE GUIN: THE FOUND AND THE LOST AND THE REAL AND THE UNREAL.
"To H.P. Lovecraft, with all my conflicted feelings," reads the dedication of Victor LaValle's amazing novella THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM. It almost has a "Robert Johnson deal with the Devil at the crossroads" feel, but it's steeped in Lovecraft and just wonderful. Additional great unconventional new takes on Lovecraft are LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff, CARTER AND LOVECRAFT by Johnathan L. Howard, REANIMATORS by Pete Rawlick, I AM PROVIDENCE by Nick Mamatas (takes place at a Lovecraft convention and is narrated by the hated murder victim), HARRISON SQUARED by Daryl Gregory, and DREAM-QUEST OF VELLITT BOE by Kij Johnson. (Another great title that's coming out next spring and deserves a mention is WINTER TIDE, by Ruthanna Emrys.)
Some other excellent new books we're recommending are THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson (just out in trade paperback), the lovely and haunting new novel SUMMERLONG by Peter S. Beagle, THE OBELISK GATE (the follow-up to the Hugo-winning FIFTH SEASON) by N.K. Jemisin, EVERYTHING UNDER THE MOON (an unconventional, ultra-noir werewolf-crime novel,) and THE ARRIVAL, which is the movie-tie-in-cover version of STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang.
Not brand-new but still well worth a look is JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor, the first in a series about time-traveling historians who dislike the term "time travel" -- they simply "investigate historical events in contemporary time"! The series is like a mash-up of Connie Willis, Kage Baker, and Becky Chambers, and is thoroughly addictive.
Some great mysteries that may be of interest to you are the bleak, brilliant and noir THE LAST GOOD KISS by James Crumley, the utterly quirky CLAIRE DE WITT AND THE CITY OF THE DEAD by Sara Gran, or one of my all-time favorites, THE CORONER'S LUNCH by Colin Cotterill. If you'd like something lighter, check out the Charles Lenox mysteries (about a Victorian gentleman detective in London) by Charles Finch, or the delightful Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley: our twelve-year-old protagonist is a brilliant chemist and would-be poisoner who solves mysteries in the 1950's English countryside.
For the George R.R. Martin fan in your life, we've got a gorgeous illustrated hardcover of the GAME OF THRONES 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION as well as the stunningly beautiful (but lesser-known) map set that came out a few years back, THE LANDS OF ICE AND FIRE.
One of my very favorite new releases is REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath. This is the book version of the wonderful website that's "[p]art art project, part standup routine, part book report, this site imagines what if we made animated musicals about the women of history and myth who refused to behave. Rejected Princesses is not for kids. Unless your kid is awesome." This book makes a fantastic companion volume to HER HIGHNESS BUILDS ROBOTS, which is an empowering princess coloring book.
We have 2017 calendars galore, with something for everyone, including Astronomy, Alice in Wonderland, Dragons, Fairy Houses, Hyperboyle and a Half, Dr. Suess, Tolkien, and dozens of others!
As usual, we wish you a Gorey Christmas with a plethora of Edward Gorey-themed items. From the classic Gashlycrumb Tinies to the Bibliophile With Cats Puzzle, to the massive collection AMPHIGOREY, we have a little bit of Gorey to suit anyone. My personal favorite is the "Fruitcake" holiday card that shows the solemn ritual of everyone gathering after dark to throw their fruitcakes into a hole in the ice!
Classics that never go out of style are hardcovers of DUNE, GOOD OMENS, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, NEUROMANCER and THE HOBBIT. Less traditional, not in hardcover, but just as classic -- SLEIGHT OF HAND (wonderful short stories from Peter S. Beagle), MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs, THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey, LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey, and THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers.
Two local artists have graced us with one-of-a-kind gifts: we've got some lovely steampunk-influenced jewelry from Oakland's Fire Selkie creations, and gift boxes, hair clips, pins, and hand-made cards from San Francisco's Fly By Night Gifts!
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.
Happy holidays to all. We fervently wish you a safe, peaceful, and bright 2017.
- Jude Feldman
----------------
Best Sellers
----------------
Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for November, 2016
Hardcovers
1. ARCANUM UNBOUNDED by Brandon Sanderson
2. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
3. GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal
4. INVISIBLE PLANETS edited by Ken Liu
5. PIRATE UTOPIA by Bruce Sterling
6. CROSSTALK by Connie Willis
7. DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
8. THE BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks
9. GOLDENHAND by Garth Nix
10. ALIEN MORNING by Rick Wilber
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
2. ROMANCING THE INVENTOR by Gail Carriger
3. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
4. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
5. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
6. MYSTIC by Jason Denzel
7. CYBER WORLD edited by Jason Heller and Joshua Viola
8. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
9. EXTREME MAKEOVER: APOCALYPSE EDITION by Dan Wells
10. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. BREAK THE CHAINS by Megan E. O’Keefe
2. MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
5. AMERICAN GODS: TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Neil Gaiman
6. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
7. WILLFUL CHILD by Steven Erikson
8. EMPIRE ASCENDANT by Kameron Hurley
9. ONCE BROKEN FAITH by Seanan McGuire
10. THE MIRROR EMPIRE by Kameron Hurley
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, December 11th, at 5 pm to discuss THREE BODY PROBLEM by CIxin Liu. The book for January will be DUNE by Frank Herbert. 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 18th, at 6 pm to discuss THE QUANTUM THIEF by Hannu Rajaniemi. The book for the following month will be CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
Sisters in Crime / Mystery Writers of America Holiday Party on Saturday, December 10th from 2:00 - 4:00pm - Join us and more than two dozen fabulous local mystery writers for a fun holiday party! There will be light refreshments and the chance to mingle with, and get books signed by, fantastic authors. Don't miss this chance to meet so many writers all at the same time, and enjoy a rousing kick-off to the party season -- we'll be joined by Elin Barnes, Diana Chambers, Dana Fredsti, Nick Mamatas, CJ Verberg and many, many more! This event is open to the public.
James S. A. Corey BABYLON'S ASHES (Hardcover, Orbit, $27.00) on Saturday, December 10th at 5:00pm - Collectively known as James S.A. Corey, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck will be on hand to celebrate their book release by reading from and signing the latest novel. The writing duo that has taken the science fiction world by storm with their series known as The Expanse, now bring us book 6, BABYLON'S ASHES. From the publisher: "A revolution brewing for generations has begun in fire. It will end in blood. The Free Navy -- a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships -- has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them. James Holden and his crew know the strengths and weaknesses of this new force better than anyone. Outnumbered and outgunned, the embattled remnants of the old political powers call on the Rocinante for a desperate mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network. But the new alliances are as flawed as the old, and the struggle for power has only just begun. As the chaos grows, an alien mystery deepens. Pirate fleets, mutiny, and betrayal may be the least of the Rocinante's problems. And in the uncanny spaces past the ring gates, the choices of a few damaged and desperate people may determine the fate of more than just humanity." Don't miss this opportunity to meet this amazing duo at the height of their writing genius!
Shaenon Garrity, SKIN HORSE VOL. 6 (Trade Paperback, Couscous Collective, $14.00) on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm. - We're always delighted to welcome Shaenon K. Garrity! Along with co-creator Jeffrey C. Wells, Shaenon is the genius behind the long-running and indisputably brilliant webcomic SKIN HORSE! The 6th collection has just been successfully Kickstarted, and we hope you'll join us to celebrate. From the description: "You'd think helping inhuman monstrosities with their personal problems would be simple. But as the Project Skin Horse field team heads to California to parlay with the Zombie Emperor of Colma, nothing can be trusted except for Tip's ability to find a date for a wine country weekend. All it takes to tear Skin Horse apart is one really bad day. . . ." Join us for an informal meet-and-greet and signing with Shaenon in the bookstore!
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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