April 06, 2012

April Upcoming Events

SF in SF Urban Fantasy Panel with Steve Boyett and Bruce McAllister - Saturday, April 21st at 7:00 pm

Dana Fredsti, PLAGUE TOWN (Titan Books, Mass Market, $7.99) - Sunday, April 22nd at 3:00 pm

Christopher Farnsworth, RED, WHITE AND BLOOD (Putnam, Hardcover, $25.95) - Saturday, April 28th at 3:00 pm

Jack Campbell, THE LOST FLEET: BEYOND THE FRONTIER: INVINCIBLE (Ace, Hardcover, $26.95) - Friday, May 4th at 7:00 pm

Terry Bisson, ANY DAY NOW (Overlook, Hardcover, $24.95)  - Saturday, May 5th at 5:00 pm

Walter Mosley, THE GIFT OF FIRE / ON THE HEAD OF A PIN (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99) - Thursday, May 10th at 7:00 pm

Borderlands Books and Cafe Rummage Sale - May 12th and 13th from Noon to 8:00 pm.

Event details after the break

March Bestsellers

Hardcovers
1. A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. The Mirage by Matt Ruff
4. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
5. Arctic Rising by Tobias Buckell
6. Rising Thunder by David Weber
7.  Intruder by C.J. Cherryh
8. Distrust That Particular Flavor by William Gibson
9. Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik
10. Intrusion by Ken Macleod

Mass Market Paperbacks
1. Timeless by Gail Carriger
2. Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
3. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
4. Westward Weird edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
5. A Clash of KIngs by George R.R. Martin
6. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
7. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
8. Feed by Mira Grant
9. Soulless by Gail Carriger
10. Doubletake by Rob Thurman

Trade Paperbacks
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. The Pillars of Hercules by David Constantine
3. Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
4. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
5. The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Another Future for Bookstores

by Alan Beatts

If you've read this column much over the past few years, you know that my outlook for bookstores in the long term isn't very optimistic.  I think that the combination of internet sales and ebooks is going to result in most bookstores closing (although I'm not sure how soon that will happen).  I figure that a few smaller stores will stay open by gearing their business towards truly rare antiquarian material along with small press, high quality new books.

However, during a conversation with a fellow bookseller a few weeks ago, I realized that there was another possible future for some bookstores.

April News Roundup

* The Locus Science Fiction Foundation is running a Kickstarter donation campaign to fund the storage, archiving, and digitization of their huge collection of over 60 years of science fiction and fantasy ephemera, including photographs of everyone who is (or was) anyone in the field over the past five decades.  Their goal is to make the contents of the entire collection searchable and viewable online.  This is a very worthy cause that deserves the support of anyone who cares about the history of our field.  You can make a donation at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2040521099/locus-photo-and-ephemera-archive-project .

* Borderlands gets a mention in this charming Globe and Mail article called "Bookworming By the Bay": http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/destinations/travel-other-destinations/bookworming-by-the-bay/article2376933/ .

* Jack Vance is Alive and Well and ONLINE!!!
John Vance, Jack's son, would like you all to know about the fabulous website http://www.jackvance.com Spatterlight Press is up and live, and filled with photos, information and news about Grandmaster Jack Vance and his wonderful worlds of science fiction and fantasy.  Not only can you learn all about this wonderful science fiction writer, but Jack's books are available as ebooks, downloadable from the site, directly benefiting the author!  With photo albums of Jack, Norma, and the family, Jack in his prime, and commentary from family and friends, this is a wonderful resource for fans of Jack and his books alike.  More is being added - it launched in mid-March - so bookmark the site to visit and see what gets added to the shop and photo albums. You can also "like" Spatterlight Press on Facebook, and keep up to date with ebook releases via Twitter, at https://twitter.com/#!/SpatterlightPrs

* Thanks to Rina Weisman from SF in SF, who pointed out another Borderlands name-check (in an article about the unfortunately for-sale Balderdash Books,) from Seattle's free weekly paper "The Stranger".  They called us "superb": http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/03/15/balderdash-books-is-for-sale

* I don't know how we missed this over a year ago: "Mental Floss" Magazine presents 12 great bookstore cats including our own late, beloved Ripley: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/78757

* Congratulations to Andrea Hairston, whose novel REDWOOD AND WILDFIRE won the 2011 James Tiptree, Jr. Award. Complete details at http://tiptree.org/

* For those of you who collect Philip K. Dick books, the titles published by Vintage will be going out of print, and there will be new editions with an entirely new cover design being published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  We still have most of the Vintage editions if you want to complete that collection now.

* i09.com offers "10 Great Fantasy Series to Read While You're Waiting for the Next George R.R. Martin Book" http://io9.com/5876715/10-great-fantasy-series-to-read-while-youre-waiting-for-george-rr-martins-next-book?tag=gameofthrones .  We're happy to make additional suggestions once you need 'em.

* The nominees for the 2012 Arthur C. Clarke Award have been announced: http://www.clarkeaward.com/ .   And then author Christopher Priest called the list "dreadful" in The Guardian, and called for the judges to resign: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/29/arthur-c-clarke-award-christopher-priest?newsfeed=true .  (My favorite part is where Priest says that Charles Stross writes like "an internet puppy," and now Stross wants that blurb on his next novel, _and_ you can also buy the t-shirt! http://www.zazzle.co.uk/internet_puppy_t_shirt_tshirt-235730813931635704 )

* Entertainment Weekly is running a "Game of Thrones" contest.  Entrants can win a trip to Comic-Con 2012 with admission the panel, "Game of Thrones" DVDs, or copies of the books .  https://usscpromotions.com/entertainmentweekly gameofthrones_ultimate_experience/

* I think it's pretty cool that THE HUNGER GAMES books (and movie) are inspiring teens to try archery: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/hunger-games-fans-filling-lanes-queens-archery-ranges-article-1.1052892

* FREE magazines: One of our long-time customers, Roger Miller, has 40 complete, consecutive years (1968 - 2008, plus random issues from the last 4 years,) of Analog Science Fiction Magazine to give away to someone local (San Francisco / Bay Area).  He just wants them to go to a good home, and you must pick them up.  If you're interested, email Jude at jfeldman@borderlands-books.com and I'll put you in touch with Roger.