DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News From Borderlands Books
August 2016
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Upcoming Events
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Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Carlos Allende, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Wendy Newman, Emmanuel Saadia, and Roberto F. Santiago - Saturday, August 13th at 7:30 pm
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th
Michael J. Martinez, INCEPTION: A MAJESTIC 12 THRILLER (Night Shade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Tuesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm
Curtis Chen, WAYPOINT KANGAROO (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Patrick Swenson, THE ULTRA BIG SLEEP (Fairwood Press, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 10th at 1:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, ONCE BROKEN FAITH (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 10th at 5:00 pm
Why (and How) Writers Write: A Panel with S.G. Browne, Dana Fredsti, and Loren Rhoads - Sunday, September 11th at 12:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, September 11th at 4:30 pm (PLEASE NOTE EARLY START TIME)
J. Patrick Black, NINTH CITY BURNING (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) Saturday, September 24th at 1:00 pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* Overheard in the store:
"What he SAID: 'You'll surely have an unforgettable travel experience.' What I HEARD: 'You'll surely have an on-board cannibal experience.'"
* Borderlands Cafe is currently on the lookout for some stalwart adventurers to join our Caffeinated Coalition (i.e. the Cafe is hiring!). Our adventuring schedule is flexible and occupies 20 - 40 hours per week. No prior experience in either making coffee or slaying dragons is necessary, but fluent English is required and avid readers are preferred. Strong work ethic, active imagination, & sense of humor also all pluses. Resumes may be left at the cafe counter, and inquiries may be directed to Z. Jenerik, Cafe Manager, zjenerik@borderlands-books.com.
* Borderlands and Comix Experience were profiled in SF Weekly. Read the article Open Borders: Keeping a Mission Bookstore Open here: http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/open-borders-keeping-a-mission-bookstore-open-borderlands-books-minimum-wage-gentrification-alan-beatts-comix-experience/Content?oid=4828224
* SFist also included Borderlands among its list of The 12 Best Independent Bookstores in San Francisco. How wonderful! (It’s also important to remember how lucky we are to live in an area that has more than 12 independent bookstores.) http://sfist.com/2016/07/21/the_best_independent_bookstores_in.php
* The first footage from the upcoming "American Gods" television show has been released. All the fans who thought it would never be made can now let out a huge gust of air, and then proceed to hold their breath again and hope it’s everything they want it to be: http://www.tor.com/2016/07/22/feast-your-eyes-on-the-first-footage-from-american-gods/
* Local author Nick Mamatas is teaching a class in "Fabulist Fiction: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mysteries, Young Adult, Magical Realism, Chick Lit & More" from August 13th - October 1st for the SF Creative Writing Institute. The class meets for six sessions and costs $395. More information is available, and you can also sign up here: https://sfwriting.institute/portfolio/fabulist-fiction/
* SFWA has started to admit Game Writers to its ranks. For all the rules and regulations, go here: http://www.sfwa.org/2016/07/sfwa-admit-game-writers-starting-august-1st-2016/
* Over at the Mary Sue there’s a great article written by Emma Newman on why feminism in fantasy is so important to so many people: http://www.themarysue.com/why-is-feminism-in-fantasy-so-important/
* In an interesting compliment to the above article, Cecilia D’Anastasio has an article in The Nation asking "Where is the new cyberfeminism?" Especially in light of all the progress on the horizon.
https://www.thenation.com/article/where-is-the-new-cyberfeminism/
* When satire gets too close to truth: Cthulhu and the British government? Seems like a match made by the Elder Gods: https://thedailybelter.com/2016/07/01/cthulhu-launches-bid-for-conservative-leadership/
* Speculative magazine Fireside Fiction did a special report on the state of black speculative fiction, showing that as many as half of science fiction magazines published no black writers in 2015, and that looking at the numbers, the probability of that being random chance are astronomical. Read the full report, all the data and accompanying essays here: https://medium.com/fireside-fiction-company/blackspecfic-571c00033717#.okiqxdeum
* The daily cycle on Jupiter’s moon Io would fit into many a science fiction story: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/232891-science-fiction-becomes-science-fact-with-a-better-look-at-jupiters-moon-io
* The Big Book of Science Fiction is over 1,100 pages of science fiction, interesting not only for the stories it contains but also the research and history it covers. Much like The Weird anthology (also edited by Jeff & Ann VanDerMeer) it is quite large and much more a coffee table book than a pocket book. http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/21/12187852/the-big-book-of-science-fiction-vandermeer-anthology
* Personally we miss a lot of the campier subgenres of science fiction that are no longer with us. Bring back science fantasy! Here are a list of the scientific breakthroughs that killed some of them: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/08/9-scientific-breakthroughs-that-killed-science-fiction-subgenres/
* Award-winning Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu disabused people of the idea that Africa is somehow not interested in science fiction or has no connection with the genre with a recent speech. Article and link to her full presentation here: http://qz.com/743683/without-allowing-space-for-imagination-we-lose-hope/
* It’s summer! Here’s have a list of movies where temperature change tries to kill us!: http://io9.gizmodo.com/8-science-fiction-tales-where-heatwaves-nearly-killed-u-1784668775
* Harry Potter & The Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2 has been released, and although it seems already to be a huge fan favorite, most of the reviews have been less-than-stellar. Case in point: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-disappointed_us_57a2c2fce4b0456cb7e1799b
* Here’s a list of books to read after finishing The Cursed Child (or for some people, instead of). We're especially glad they mentioned Kathleen Duey’s series, which is very underrated: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/what-read-after-cursed-child/
* Over at geek.com, the origin of elves as a species is explored with much attention to history and literature: http://www.geek.com/news/the-origin-of-the-species-elves-1663330/
* Ana Grilo explores a number of newer superheroines in comics that refuse to be bound by the misogynistic ideas that box in many female characters. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/comics-superheroines-difference/
* Many long term GRRM fans have been agitating for an adaptation of his Wild Cards anthology series, about a disease that alters people into heroes, villains and jokers. Well, it looks like it’s finally going to happen. http://www.hitfix.com/harpy/george-rr-martin-is-bringing-wild-card-superheroes-sci-fi-to-tv
*Speaking of having hope for adaptations! A Wrinkle of Time is being adapted with Jessica Lee (Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Zootopia) as screenwriter, Ava DuVernay as director and Oprah Winfrey as Mrs. Which. We're excited! http://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/news/a38126/oprah-ava-duvernay-a-wrinkle-in-time/
* An interview with Harry Turtledove where he talks about what got him started, how he plays with history, and what interests him about certain eras: https://www.inverse.com/article/19307-harry-turtledove-alternate-history-fallout
* The most expensive film in Chinese history, "The Great Wall" has understandably angered many people, including many Asian communities, because it seems to be another white savior movie along the lines of Dances with Wolves, but with dragons and Matt Damon. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/08/03/first-trailer-the-great-wall-receives-massive-backlash-asian-community/
* The 10 Speculative Fiction Beach Reads of 2016 according to Inverse and Zebbie Watson: https://www.inverse.com/article/18922-sci-fi-fantasy-books-summer-2016-beach-reads
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Award News
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* The winners of the Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced. The full list is here: http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/award-winners/2015-shirley-jackson-awards-winners/
* The 2016 World Fantasy Awards have announced their nominees and Locus Online News has the full list: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/07/11044/
* The winners of the 2016 Seiun Awards have been announced. Most of the details are in Japanese, but the winners and categories are translated to English. http://www.sf-fan.gr.jp/awards/2016result.html
* The Sunburst Award Society, which celebrates excellence in Canadian Literature of the fantastic, have announced their nominees for 2016: http://www.sunburstaward.org/node/105
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for July, 2016
Hardcovers
1. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
2. STILETTO by Daniel O’Malley
3. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 by Jack Thorne & J.K. Rowling
4. RISE: A NEWSFLESH COLLECTION by Mira Grant
5. POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL by Serena Valentino
6. THE PERDITION SCORE by Richard Kadrey
7. IMPRUDENCE by Gail Carriger
8. PRESSURE by Brian Keene
9. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
10. UNDERGROUND by Ben Winters
Trade Paperbacks
1. HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn
2. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
3. POISON OR PROTECT by Gail Carriger
4. THE LAST DREAMKEEPER by Amber Benson
5. EVERYONE PAYS by Seth Harwood
6. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by CIXIN LIU, translated by Ken Liu
7. MECHANICAL FAILURE by Joe Zieja
8. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
9. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
10. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor Lavelle
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher
2. THE ANNIHILATION SCORE by Charles Stross
3. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
4. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
5. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman
6. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
7. THE PRICE OF VALOR by Django Wexler
8. A CALL TO DUTY by David Weber & Timothy Zahn
9. THE CONCLAVE OF SHADOW by Alyc Helms
10. THE INTERMINABLES by Paige Orwin
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, August 14th, at 5 pm to discuss AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson. The book for August will be PROXIMA by Stephen Baxter. 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, August 17th, at 6 pm to discuss THE NAME OF THE WIND. The book for the following month will be LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS by Ursula K. LeGuin. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm - We're very happy to welcome Sonia Orin Lyris, who will be showing off her compelling new fantasy THE SEER! From the publisher's website: "In a remote mountain village, a single mother sells her younger sister Amarta's prophecies to keep them and her infant child from starving. It's a dangerous game, when Amarta's predictions gain more mistrust than coin. In a tapestry of loyalty, intrigue, magic, and gold, Amarta becomes the key to everyone's ambitions. To survive, Amarta must do more than predict the future. She must create it." Meet Sonia and have your book signed! If you'd like a preview of the novel, you can read the first chapter here: http://lyris.org/seer/ch1/
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Carlos Allende, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Wendy Newman, Emmanuel Saadia, and Roberto F. Santiago - Saturday, August 13th at 7:30 pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! August's lineup includes the following amazing authors: Carlos Allende, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Wendy Newman, Emmanuel Saadia, and Roberto F. Santiago! Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30, readings start at 7:30. Borderlands will be on hand to sell books. More info here: http://www.writerswithdrinks.com/
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF! 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.
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th - Becky will be stopping by at some point to sign copies of her debut novel, which Jude thought was fantastic. Feel free to request inscribed copies!
Michael J. Martinez, MJ-12: INCEPTION, A MAJESTIC 12 THRILLER (Night Shade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Tuesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm - We are very excited to welcome Michael J. Martinez as he kicks off his new paranormal spy thriller series MAJESTIC-12 with the first installment, MJ-12: INCEPTION! From the author's website: "From the ashes of World War II, a Cold War ignites. And from the nuclear fire of Hiroshima, something else has arisen. Normal people around the world have been changed by an unknown phenomenon and now possess extraordinary, super-human abilities. And the government conspiracy known as MAJESTIC-12 is gathering them together -- to use them if it can, to destroy them if it cannot." Learn more about the conspiracy at https://mj-12.net/
Curtis Chen, WAYPOINT KANGAROO (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Patrick Swenson, THE ULTRA BIG SLEEP (Fairwood Press, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 10th at 1:00 pm - Join us to meet two authors of fast-paced science fiction adventure! Curtis Chen's novel WAYPOINT KANGAROO sounds like great fun - check out this synopsis from the publisher: "Kangaroo isn't your typical spy. Sure, he has extensive agency training, access to cutting-edge technology, and a ready supply of clever (to him) quips and retorts. But what sets him apart is "the pocket." It's a portal that opens into an empty, seemingly infinite, parallel universe, and Kangaroo is the only person in the world who can use it. But he's pretty sure the agency only keeps him around to exploit his superpower. After he bungles yet another mission, Kangaroo gets sent away on a mandatory "vacation:" an interplanetary cruise to Mars. While he tries to make the most of his exile, two passengers are found dead, and Kangaroo has to risk blowing his cover. It turns out he isn't the only spy on the ship -- and he's just starting to unravel a massive conspiracy which threatens the entire Solar System."
Joining Curtis will be fellow Seattle-ite Patrick Swenson, who will be showing off his new novel, THE ULTRA BIG SLEEP, the sequel to THE ULTRA THIN MAN: "Dave Crowell is a hero of the eight worlds of the Union, but he doesn't want fame or fortune. These days he just wants to run his private detective business with his partner and forget about the Ultras, the insidious aliens that attacked the Union, then vanished. But a client turns up dead under mysterious circumstances, and Crowell knows the Ultras have not gone away. With the help of a beautiful alien, he uncovers fragments of memory that might lead to his missing father. When it becomes clear that Crowell's past also contains the information he needs to save the Union, he is caught up in a conspiracy beyond his understanding and pulled into an underworld drug war on a hostile planet. With the crisis deepening, Crowell must learn the answer to the biggest question of all: Where are the Ultras?" Don't miss this awesome event!
Seanan McGuire, ONCE BROKEN FAITH (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 10th at 5:00 pm - Any new Seanan McGuire book calls for a celebration, but the release of the tenth October Daye book calls for a Circus! We're happy to host Seanan and friends, who will show off the newest Toby book. . . here's the description from the book jacket: "Politics have never been October "Toby" Daye's strong suit. When she traveled to the Kingdom of Silences to prevent them from going to war with her home, the Kingdom of the Mists, she wasn't expecting to return with a cure for elf-shot and a whole new set of political headaches. Now the events she unwittingly set in motion could change the balance of modern Faerie forever, and she has been ordered to appear before a historic convocation of monarchs, hosted by Queen Windermere in the Mists and overseen by the High King and Queen themselves. Naturally, things have barely gotten underway when the first dead body shows up. As the only changeling in attendance, Toby is already the target of suspicion and hostility. Now she needs to find a killer before they can strike again --and with the doors locked to keep the guilty from escaping, no one is safe. As danger draws ever closer to her allies and the people she loves best, Toby will have to race against time to prevent the total political destabilization of the West Coast and to get the convocation back on track. . . ." Join us for the typical music, raffles, and revelry!
Why (and How) Writers Write: A Panel with S.G. Browne, Dana Fredsti, and Loren Rhoads - Sunday, September 11th at 12:00 pm - We're happy to welcome three successful local authors, who will be discussing their creative processes! Scott, Dana, and Loren will cover dealing with writer's block and distractions, developing writing routines and habits, balancing writing and day-to-day jobs/life, along with what made them want to become writers in the first place, what drives them to write, and why they tell the stories they tell! This will be a fascinating event for aspiring writers and avid readers alike.
SF in SF with authors Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, September 11th at 4:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 3:30 pm, event begins at 4:30 pm - please note the earlier-than-usual start time. Robert Silverberg and his biographer will discuss the new biography published by Fairwood Press, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Patrick Swenson, the publisher, will also be in attendance. PLEASE NOTE: there will be signing restrictions for this event; email sfinsfevents@gmail.com for more info. 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.
Ferrett Steinmetz, FIX (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 17th at 3:00 pm - We are thrilled to host Ferrett Steinmetz with the third and final installment of his popular 'Mancer series, FIX. Featuring a cast of unusual magicians -- chief among them Paul Tsabo, a bureaucromancer, and his daughter Aliyah Tsabo-Dawson, a videogamemancer -- FIX follows fugitive Paul and his family across the globe as they are hunted by the terrifying and hive-minded Unimancers, agents of the government's anti-'mancer squad. Author Ken Liu praises the series: "With the ‘Mancer series, Ferrett Steinmetz has achieved something rare in contemporary fantasy: a world that feels both truer and more magical than our own." Don't miss Ferrett and the conclusion of his electrifying and inventive series!
J. Patrick Black, NINTH CITY BURNING (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) Saturday, September 24th at 1:00 pm - We are very excited to host J. Patrick Black with his debut science fiction novel NINTH CITY BURNING. Here's the official synopsis: "We never saw them coming. Entire cities disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but dust and rubble. When an alien race came to make Earth theirs, they brought with them a weapon we had no way to fight, a universe-altering force known as thelemity. It seemed nothing could stop it--until we discovered we could wield the power too. Five hundred years later, the Earth is locked in a grinding war of attrition. The talented few capable of bending thelemity to their will are trained in elite military academies, destined for the front lines. Those who refused to support the war have been exiled to the wilds of a ruined Earth. But the enemy’s tactics are changing, and Earth's defenders are about to discover this centuries-old war has only just begun. As a terrible new onslaught looms, heroes will rise from unlikely quarters, and fight back." You can read an excerpt from the book here: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/19/ninth-city-burning-cover-excerpt?xid=IFT-Section. We hope you'll join us for a memorable afternoon with this talented new author!
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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