by Jude Feldman
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.
December 09, 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.
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.
November Bestsellers
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
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
December News
* 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
"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
November 07, 2016
November Upcoming Events
Chris Roberson, FIREWALK (Night Shade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, November 12th at 2:00pm
Megan E. O'Keefe, BREAK THE CHAINS (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) on Sunday, November 13th at 1:00pm
Mary Robinette Kowal, GHOST TALKERS (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, November 13th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Nick Mamatas and Rick Wilber (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, November 13th at 6:30pm
CYBER WORLD (Hex Publishers, Trade Paperback, $14.99) event with Richard Kadrey, Aaron Lovett, Josh Viola, Isabel Yap, and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro on Saturday, November 19th at 2:00pm
Dan Wells, EXTREME MAKEOVER: APOCALYPSE EDITION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99 and Trade Paperback $17.99) on Saturday, November 19th at 5:00pm
Richard Lupoff, WHERE MEMORY HIDES: A WRITER'S LIFE (Bold Venture Press, Trade Paperback (Black & White Edition), $22.95, and Trade Paperback (Collector's Color Edition), $49.95) on Sunday, November 20th at 3:00pm
Jason Denzel, MYSTIC (Tor Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) and Brandon Sanderson, ARCANUM UNBOUNDED: THE COSMERE COLLECTION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) on Wednesday, November 30th at 5:00pm
Sisters in Crime / Mystery Writers of America Holiday Party on Saturday, December 10th from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Megan E. O'Keefe, BREAK THE CHAINS (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) on Sunday, November 13th at 1:00pm
Mary Robinette Kowal, GHOST TALKERS (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, November 13th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Nick Mamatas and Rick Wilber (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, November 13th at 6:30pm
CYBER WORLD (Hex Publishers, Trade Paperback, $14.99) event with Richard Kadrey, Aaron Lovett, Josh Viola, Isabel Yap, and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro on Saturday, November 19th at 2:00pm
Dan Wells, EXTREME MAKEOVER: APOCALYPSE EDITION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99 and Trade Paperback $17.99) on Saturday, November 19th at 5:00pm
Richard Lupoff, WHERE MEMORY HIDES: A WRITER'S LIFE (Bold Venture Press, Trade Paperback (Black & White Edition), $22.95, and Trade Paperback (Collector's Color Edition), $49.95) on Sunday, November 20th at 3:00pm
Jason Denzel, MYSTIC (Tor Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) and Brandon Sanderson, ARCANUM UNBOUNDED: THE COSMERE COLLECTION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) on Wednesday, November 30th at 5:00pm
Sisters in Crime / Mystery Writers of America Holiday Party on Saturday, December 10th from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
October Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. THE BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks
2. GOLDENHAND by Garth Nix
3. EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
4. GHOSTLAND by Colin Dickey
5. FEEDBACK by Mira Grant
6. DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
7. CROSSTALK by Connie Willis
8. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
9. THE WALL OF STORMS by Ken Liu
10. INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
3. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
4. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
5. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
6. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
7. TO HOLD THE BRIDGE by Garth Nix
8. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
9. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
10. MANNERS AND MUTINY by Gail Carriger
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
2. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
3. ONCE BROKEN FAITH by Seanan McGuire
4. BREAK THE CHAINS by Megan E. O’Keefe
5. AN ENGLISH GHOST STORY by Kim Newman
6. SHADOWS OF SELF by Brandon Sanderson
7. POSEIDON’S WAKE by Alastair Reynolds
8. ALTERED STARSCAPE by Ian Douglas
9. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
10. SOLAR EXPRESS by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
1. THE BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks
2. GOLDENHAND by Garth Nix
3. EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
4. GHOSTLAND by Colin Dickey
5. FEEDBACK by Mira Grant
6. DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
7. CROSSTALK by Connie Willis
8. REJECTED PRINCESSES by Jason Porath
9. THE WALL OF STORMS by Ken Liu
10. INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
3. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
4. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
5. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
6. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
7. TO HOLD THE BRIDGE by Garth Nix
8. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
9. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
10. MANNERS AND MUTINY by Gail Carriger
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
2. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
3. ONCE BROKEN FAITH by Seanan McGuire
4. BREAK THE CHAINS by Megan E. O’Keefe
5. AN ENGLISH GHOST STORY by Kim Newman
6. SHADOWS OF SELF by Brandon Sanderson
7. POSEIDON’S WAKE by Alastair Reynolds
8. ALTERED STARSCAPE by Ian Douglas
9. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
10. SOLAR EXPRESS by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
November News
* Overheard at WFC:
"It has been AGES since I knitted you a uterus."
* The 2017 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award Contest is now open to submissions of stories focusing on manned space exploration in the near future of 50-60 years. There’s no entry fee and you should enter! Check out full details on themes, length and jury here: http://www.baen.com/baenmemorialaward
* The University of Maine in Orono has endowed a Stephen E. King Chair in Literature; a renewable five-year faculty position. https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2016/10/19/umaine-created-stephen-king-chair-literature-ap-reports/
* We are sad to hear of the passing of prolific author Sheri S. Tepper. Her books Grass and The Gate To Women’s Country are considered by many to not only be classics of general science-fiction but feminist science-fiction classics as well. She will be missed.
http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/10/sheri-s-tepper-1929-2016/
* The Cubs won the World Series, so one of science fiction's most consistent jokes may be lost!
http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/30/13470836/chicago-cubs-science-fiction-world-series-john-scalzi
* A list of the books and movies that inform the conversation about A.I. -- although the list looks a little anemic to us; which classics do you think are missing? http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/us/robots-science-fiction-movies-books.html
* Leaked video shows that the government, or at least the Pentagon, acknowledges that our future will resemble a science-fiction dystopia. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/10/bizarre-leaked-pentagon-video-is-a-science-fiction-story-about-the-future-of-cities/
* An article on how the science-fiction genre is really growing in China (although we wonder if it’s just our awareness of it that’s growing): http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1015141.shtml
* For an example of our growing interest and awareness of Chinese science fiction, check out this review of the bestselling contemporary chinese science-fiction anthology INVISIBLE PLANETS, edited by Ken Liu. http://www.avclub.com/review/invaluable-invisible-planets-introduces-world-chin-244991
* The adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel ANNIHILATION has not even hit the screen yet, but his next book has already been optioned as well. http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/20/13344490/borne-jeff-vandermeer-movie-adaptation-paramount-annihilation
* A discussion of the TV series Torchwood: the things it did and the legacy it left behind in SF television. http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/torchwood/259365/torchwood-at-10-what-is-its-science-fiction-legacy
* This may not be about science fiction specifically, but it is about the exclusion of genre writing and the ways in which we decide which genres are worthy of attention. http://www.themarysue.com/romance-novels-not-just-love-stories/
* Looking for something to watch? Why not check this list of 10 underrated TV shows. (We would add The Dresden Files to the list; the show was also more diverse, in terms of main cast, than most of the shows mentioned here:) http://whatculture.com/tv/10-hugely-underrated-fantasy-tv-shows-from-the-last-decade
* The ways in which Westworld is succeeding and where it’s failing in imagination and awareness: a review of the show in the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/24/the-meta-politics-of-westworld
* Kim Stanley Robinson rips into Elon Musk’s Mars vision. Basically, if his Mars vision was a book? No one would buy it. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-17/why-elon-musk-s-mars-vision-needs-some-real-imagination
* A profile of Yasser Bahjatt, an engineer and Tedx host, about his beliefs in the connections between science and science fiction, integrating Arabian culture and science fiction, what it’s like to have his book pulled from shelves in Saudi Arabia and what he did in response. Great read. http://scifiaddicts.com/yasser-bahjatt-science-fiction/
* A chatbot that helps you find lesser known science fiction movies to watch? We're there! http://venturebeat.com/2016/10/13/how-the-and-chill-chatbot-helped-me-find-more-science-fiction-movies/
* An article about Ted Chiang and his interactions with Hollywood. We can’t wait to see The Arrival, and can think of at least two more stories of his that we wish they would adapt. http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-new-story-in-sci-fi-writer-ted-chiangs-life-hollywood-1478015805
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The Geffen Awards, given by the Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy, have announced their 2016 winners which include Robin Hobb, John Scalzi and more! http://geffen.sf-f.org.il/?page_id=79
* The inaugural Imadjinn Awards, formed to celebrate small press and independently published authors, have been announced. Check out these titles you may not have heard about! http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/2016/10/14/winners-of-film-festival-and-imadjinn-awards-posted/
* The 2016 Gaylactic Spectrum Award for novel has been awarded to Ian McDonald for LUNA: NEW MOON. Check out the short and long list of other novel nominees, plus past winners and nominees here: http://www.spectrumawards.org/2016.htm
* The 2016 World Fantasy Awards were announced. The award for best novel went to Anna Smaill for THE CHIMES. Winners also included Alyssa Wong for the amazing "Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers," which made her the first Filipina to win a World Fantasy Award. Check out all the other winners and nominees here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/10/world-fantasy-awards-winners-3/
"It has been AGES since I knitted you a uterus."
* The 2017 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award Contest is now open to submissions of stories focusing on manned space exploration in the near future of 50-60 years. There’s no entry fee and you should enter! Check out full details on themes, length and jury here: http://www.baen.com/baenmemorialaward
* The University of Maine in Orono has endowed a Stephen E. King Chair in Literature; a renewable five-year faculty position. https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2016/10/19/umaine-created-stephen-king-chair-literature-ap-reports/
* We are sad to hear of the passing of prolific author Sheri S. Tepper. Her books Grass and The Gate To Women’s Country are considered by many to not only be classics of general science-fiction but feminist science-fiction classics as well. She will be missed.
http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/10/sheri-s-tepper-1929-2016/
* The Cubs won the World Series, so one of science fiction's most consistent jokes may be lost!
http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/30/13470836/chicago-cubs-science-fiction-world-series-john-scalzi
* A list of the books and movies that inform the conversation about A.I. -- although the list looks a little anemic to us; which classics do you think are missing? http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/us/robots-science-fiction-movies-books.html
* Leaked video shows that the government, or at least the Pentagon, acknowledges that our future will resemble a science-fiction dystopia. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/10/bizarre-leaked-pentagon-video-is-a-science-fiction-story-about-the-future-of-cities/
* An article on how the science-fiction genre is really growing in China (although we wonder if it’s just our awareness of it that’s growing): http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1015141.shtml
* For an example of our growing interest and awareness of Chinese science fiction, check out this review of the bestselling contemporary chinese science-fiction anthology INVISIBLE PLANETS, edited by Ken Liu. http://www.avclub.com/review/invaluable-invisible-planets-introduces-world-chin-244991
* The adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel ANNIHILATION has not even hit the screen yet, but his next book has already been optioned as well. http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/20/13344490/borne-jeff-vandermeer-movie-adaptation-paramount-annihilation
* A discussion of the TV series Torchwood: the things it did and the legacy it left behind in SF television. http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/torchwood/259365/torchwood-at-10-what-is-its-science-fiction-legacy
* This may not be about science fiction specifically, but it is about the exclusion of genre writing and the ways in which we decide which genres are worthy of attention. http://www.themarysue.com/romance-novels-not-just-love-stories/
* Looking for something to watch? Why not check this list of 10 underrated TV shows. (We would add The Dresden Files to the list; the show was also more diverse, in terms of main cast, than most of the shows mentioned here:) http://whatculture.com/tv/10-hugely-underrated-fantasy-tv-shows-from-the-last-decade
* The ways in which Westworld is succeeding and where it’s failing in imagination and awareness: a review of the show in the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/24/the-meta-politics-of-westworld
* Kim Stanley Robinson rips into Elon Musk’s Mars vision. Basically, if his Mars vision was a book? No one would buy it. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-17/why-elon-musk-s-mars-vision-needs-some-real-imagination
* A profile of Yasser Bahjatt, an engineer and Tedx host, about his beliefs in the connections between science and science fiction, integrating Arabian culture and science fiction, what it’s like to have his book pulled from shelves in Saudi Arabia and what he did in response. Great read. http://scifiaddicts.com/yasser-bahjatt-science-fiction/
* A chatbot that helps you find lesser known science fiction movies to watch? We're there! http://venturebeat.com/2016/10/13/how-the-and-chill-chatbot-helped-me-find-more-science-fiction-movies/
* An article about Ted Chiang and his interactions with Hollywood. We can’t wait to see The Arrival, and can think of at least two more stories of his that we wish they would adapt. http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-new-story-in-sci-fi-writer-ted-chiangs-life-hollywood-1478015805
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The Geffen Awards, given by the Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy, have announced their 2016 winners which include Robin Hobb, John Scalzi and more! http://geffen.sf-f.org.il/?page_id=79
* The inaugural Imadjinn Awards, formed to celebrate small press and independently published authors, have been announced. Check out these titles you may not have heard about! http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/2016/10/14/winners-of-film-festival-and-imadjinn-awards-posted/
* The 2016 Gaylactic Spectrum Award for novel has been awarded to Ian McDonald for LUNA: NEW MOON. Check out the short and long list of other novel nominees, plus past winners and nominees here: http://www.spectrumawards.org/2016.htm
* The 2016 World Fantasy Awards were announced. The award for best novel went to Anna Smaill for THE CHIMES. Winners also included Alyssa Wong for the amazing "Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers," which made her the first Filipina to win a World Fantasy Award. Check out all the other winners and nominees here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/10/world-fantasy-awards-winners-3/
October 14, 2016
Upcoming Events
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 2 with Alex Dolan, Janet Dawson, Daryl Gregory and Eliot Fintushel on Saturday, October 15th at 7:15pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 3 with Skye Allen, Chaz Brenchley, and Becky Chambers on Saturday, October 15th at 8:30pm
Kristen Cast and P.C. Cast, THE SCENT OF SALT AND SAND (Diversion Publishing, Trade Paperback, $9.99) on Sunday, October 16th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Garth Nix and Helene Wecker (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, October 16th at 6:30pm
Drop-by signing with Jeff Johnson, EVERYTHING UNDER THE MOON (Soft Skull Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Wednesday, October 19th at 6:00pm
Borderlands Sponsors' Open Mic on Friday, October 21st at 7:00pm
Brent Weeks, THE BLOOD MIRROR (Orbit, Hardcover, $28.00) on Tuesday, October 25th at 6:00pm
Jewelle Gomez, THE GILDA STORIES 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (City Lights Publisher, Trade Paperback, $16.95) on Sunday, October 30th at 3:00pm
Maria Alexander, SNOWED (Raw Dog Screaming Press, Trade Paperback, $14.95) on Sunday, November 6th at 3:00pm
Chris Roberson, FIREWALK (Night Shade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) on Saturday, November 12th at 2:00pm
Megan E. O'Keefe, BREAK THE CHAINS (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) on Sunday, November 13th at 1:00pm
Mary Robinette Kowal, GHOST TALKERS (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, November 13th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Nick Mamatas and Rick Wilber (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, November 13th at 6:30pm
CYBER WORLD (Hex Publishers, Trade Paperback, $14.99) event with Richard Kadrey, Aaron Lovett, Josh Viola, Isabel Yap, and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro on Saturday, November 19th at 2:00pm
Dan Wells, EXTREME MAKEOVER: APOCALYPSE EDITION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99 and Trade Paperback $17.99) on Saturday, November 19th at 5:00pm
Richard Lupoff, WHERE MEMORY HIDES: A WRITER'S LIFE (Bold Venture Press, Trade Paperback (Black & White Edition), $22.95, and Trade Paperback (Collector's Color Edition), $49.95) on Sunday, November 20th at 3:00pm
And stay tuned for more amazing authors including Brandon Sanderson in November before we take our holiday event hiatus!
From The Office
by Alan Beatts
It's been a while since I wrote something for this newsletter (just been too damn busy of late -- mostly in a good way) and I hope that the following won't be a disappointment to you. Because it's got nothing to do with our field, or books at all. In fact, it treads very close to my self-imposed restriction about not talking about politics.
But, all that aside, I've got some information that it is important to me to get spread around and, for reasons that you'll hear about in a moment, it's been surprisingly hard to get people to listen. Curious? Then please read on.
I've never served in the armed forces, either in the US or elsewhere, but I've worked with and for a lot of veterans. On top of that, I've numbered many of them among my friends. Something that has been a huge source of frustration and disgust for me over the years is how damn hard it can be for veterans to get access to the benefits that they deserve, especially health care. When I was in my teens and 20s I used to go with my friend Maureen to wait at the VA in Palo Alto for her doctors appointments. She had been discharged from the Marine Corps (she was one of the very first women to work in Marine Intelligence, which we always joked was one of the biggest oxymorons in history) after a catastrophic car accident while on-duty. The resulting injuries left her with chronic pain and memory problems for the rest of her life. One of the reasons that I'd go with her was that when the pain was especially bad she couldn't drive. We used to wait for hours and hours at a stretch to see a doctor. On top of that there were constant problems with her eligibility for health care. To be fair, the doctors and other staff did their best but the whole system was inefficient and over-loaded. It is, to this day, one of the worst health-care systems I've seen in the US.
I've heard about that sort of experience from many other vets that I've known. But, if the process of getting care was difficult, then the process of signing up in the first place was unbelievable. As of a few years ago, that signup process involved a very long paper form that had to be filled out completely and accurately. Then that form was sent off to a single office, in Atlanta, where an understaffed office manually reviewed the forms, manually checked them against an ancient database and then, if everything was correct and worked properly, then manually entered information into yet another, ancient database.
In short, it was exactly the sort of Kafka-esque process that arises when the paper-pushing side of the US Military and the paper-pushing side of the Federal government spend one drunken night together and then have a really ugly baby. Delays of over a year were not uncommon and, if the forms weren't filled out properly, it could be over a year before the applicant ever heard about it.
However, that whole process has changed recently due to a project that my friend John worked on. John is one of our sponsors and he's working with the United States Digital Service <https://www.usds.gov>. Until John mentioned it, I'd never heard of the USDS but it's pretty neat. Basically it is an organization put together by the current administration designed to attract top level technical experts from the private sector, pair them with government administrators and then ask them to sort out some of the technical and IT problems that interfere with the government providing services to the public. They've done some great work since 2014 when they started and it makes me feel pretty proud that at least four of our sponsors are working with them right now.
It's been a while since I wrote something for this newsletter (just been too damn busy of late -- mostly in a good way) and I hope that the following won't be a disappointment to you. Because it's got nothing to do with our field, or books at all. In fact, it treads very close to my self-imposed restriction about not talking about politics.
But, all that aside, I've got some information that it is important to me to get spread around and, for reasons that you'll hear about in a moment, it's been surprisingly hard to get people to listen. Curious? Then please read on.
I've never served in the armed forces, either in the US or elsewhere, but I've worked with and for a lot of veterans. On top of that, I've numbered many of them among my friends. Something that has been a huge source of frustration and disgust for me over the years is how damn hard it can be for veterans to get access to the benefits that they deserve, especially health care. When I was in my teens and 20s I used to go with my friend Maureen to wait at the VA in Palo Alto for her doctors appointments. She had been discharged from the Marine Corps (she was one of the very first women to work in Marine Intelligence, which we always joked was one of the biggest oxymorons in history) after a catastrophic car accident while on-duty. The resulting injuries left her with chronic pain and memory problems for the rest of her life. One of the reasons that I'd go with her was that when the pain was especially bad she couldn't drive. We used to wait for hours and hours at a stretch to see a doctor. On top of that there were constant problems with her eligibility for health care. To be fair, the doctors and other staff did their best but the whole system was inefficient and over-loaded. It is, to this day, one of the worst health-care systems I've seen in the US.
I've heard about that sort of experience from many other vets that I've known. But, if the process of getting care was difficult, then the process of signing up in the first place was unbelievable. As of a few years ago, that signup process involved a very long paper form that had to be filled out completely and accurately. Then that form was sent off to a single office, in Atlanta, where an understaffed office manually reviewed the forms, manually checked them against an ancient database and then, if everything was correct and worked properly, then manually entered information into yet another, ancient database.
In short, it was exactly the sort of Kafka-esque process that arises when the paper-pushing side of the US Military and the paper-pushing side of the Federal government spend one drunken night together and then have a really ugly baby. Delays of over a year were not uncommon and, if the forms weren't filled out properly, it could be over a year before the applicant ever heard about it.
However, that whole process has changed recently due to a project that my friend John worked on. John is one of our sponsors and he's working with the United States Digital Service <https://www.usds.gov>. Until John mentioned it, I'd never heard of the USDS but it's pretty neat. Basically it is an organization put together by the current administration designed to attract top level technical experts from the private sector, pair them with government administrators and then ask them to sort out some of the technical and IT problems that interfere with the government providing services to the public. They've done some great work since 2014 when they started and it makes me feel pretty proud that at least four of our sponsors are working with them right now.
September Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. NINTH CITY BURNING by J. Patrick Black
2. THE LAST DAYS OF NEW PARIS by China Mieville
3. DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
4. WAYPOINT KANGAROO by Curtis C. Chen
5. EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
6. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
7. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
8. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 by Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling, and John Tiffany
9. TOO LIKE THE LIGHTNING by Ada Palmer
10. INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
Trade Paperbacks
1. TRAVELER OF WORLDS: CONVERSATIONS WITH ROBERT SILVERBERG by Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
2. WHEN THE BLUE SHIFT COMES by Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
3. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
4. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
5. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
6. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
7. MECHANICAL FAILURE by Joe Zieja
8. THE DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
9. HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn
10. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor Lavelle tie with PEOPLE OF COLO(U)R DESTROY SCIENCE FICTION edited by Nalo Hopkinson and Kristine Ong Muslim
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. ONCE BROKEN FAITH by Seanan McGuire
2. FIX by Ferrett Steinmetz
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. FLEX by Ferrett Steinmetz
5. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
6. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
7. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
8. POSEIDON’S WAKE by Alastair Reynolds
9. THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher
10. ROSEMARY AND RUE by Seanan McGuire
1. NINTH CITY BURNING by J. Patrick Black
2. THE LAST DAYS OF NEW PARIS by China Mieville
3. DEATH’S END by Cixin Liu
4. WAYPOINT KANGAROO by Curtis C. Chen
5. EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
6. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
7. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
8. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 by Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling, and John Tiffany
9. TOO LIKE THE LIGHTNING by Ada Palmer
10. INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
Trade Paperbacks
1. TRAVELER OF WORLDS: CONVERSATIONS WITH ROBERT SILVERBERG by Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
2. WHEN THE BLUE SHIFT COMES by Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
3. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
4. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
5. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
6. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
7. MECHANICAL FAILURE by Joe Zieja
8. THE DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
9. HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn
10. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor Lavelle tie with PEOPLE OF COLO(U)R DESTROY SCIENCE FICTION edited by Nalo Hopkinson and Kristine Ong Muslim
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. ONCE BROKEN FAITH by Seanan McGuire
2. FIX by Ferrett Steinmetz
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. FLEX by Ferrett Steinmetz
5. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
6. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
7. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
8. POSEIDON’S WAKE by Alastair Reynolds
9. THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher
10. ROSEMARY AND RUE by Seanan McGuire
October News
* Overheard in the store (and elsewhere):
"What surprises you the most about the way the future has turned out?" Robert Silverberg: "That I am still here!"
"Twitter: it helps us badger people into hiring our friends."
* You'll probably be hearing a lot more about an ill-conceived, poorly-written, and thoroughly over-reaching California law, AB 1570 (signed in early September and supposed to go into effect in January of 2017) that would require dealers to provide insanely detailed "Certificates of Authenticity" for ANY autographed item over $5 that they sell. The item doesn't even have to be autographed by a celebrity or person of note, just "autographed". So that means this would apply not only to any $7.99 mass market paperback signed by Seanan McGuire, Neil Gaiman, or Brent Weeks that we sell when the authors are not on the premises, for example, but the law is so poorly written that it would also apply to Green Apple Books selling textbooks with the student's signature in them, or a grandmother's collection of hand-written recipes, if she happened to sign them. The bookseller would need to provide a customized Certificate of Authenticity for these items, or expose themselves to the possibility of extremely expensive litigation.
Obviously independent booksellers are watching this carefully. Eureka Books posted a long and passionate statement detailing just some of the myriad potential problems with the law: http://eurekabooksellers.com/california-just-made-it-harder-to-sell-your-signed-books-and-art/ We urge you to contact your local California representative (you can find them here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/) and ask them to demand the rewriting, or better, the repeal of this law, which DOES NOT APPLY to the very worst offenders of the type of fraud it seeks to combat (Ebay and Amazon, among others), and could have a severe impact on independent bookstores, including Borderlands.
"What surprises you the most about the way the future has turned out?" Robert Silverberg: "That I am still here!"
"Twitter: it helps us badger people into hiring our friends."
* You'll probably be hearing a lot more about an ill-conceived, poorly-written, and thoroughly over-reaching California law, AB 1570 (signed in early September and supposed to go into effect in January of 2017) that would require dealers to provide insanely detailed "Certificates of Authenticity" for ANY autographed item over $5 that they sell. The item doesn't even have to be autographed by a celebrity or person of note, just "autographed". So that means this would apply not only to any $7.99 mass market paperback signed by Seanan McGuire, Neil Gaiman, or Brent Weeks that we sell when the authors are not on the premises, for example, but the law is so poorly written that it would also apply to Green Apple Books selling textbooks with the student's signature in them, or a grandmother's collection of hand-written recipes, if she happened to sign them. The bookseller would need to provide a customized Certificate of Authenticity for these items, or expose themselves to the possibility of extremely expensive litigation.
Obviously independent booksellers are watching this carefully. Eureka Books posted a long and passionate statement detailing just some of the myriad potential problems with the law: http://eurekabooksellers.com/california-just-made-it-harder-to-sell-your-signed-books-and-art/ We urge you to contact your local California representative (you can find them here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/) and ask them to demand the rewriting, or better, the repeal of this law, which DOES NOT APPLY to the very worst offenders of the type of fraud it seeks to combat (Ebay and Amazon, among others), and could have a severe impact on independent bookstores, including Borderlands.
September 13, 2016
Upcoming Events
Ferrett Steinmetz, FIX (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) on Saturday, September 17th at 3:00 pm
J. Patrick Black, NINTH CITY BURNING (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, September 24th at 1:00 pm
Reading Along the Aqueduct, with Susan diRende, Liz Henry, Ellen Klages, Claire Light, Nancy Jane Moore, and Lori Selke on Sunday, September 25th at 3:00 pm
Blake Charlton, SPELLBREAKER (Tor, Hardcover, $26.99) on Saturday, October 1st at 3:00 pm
Nisi Shawl, EVERFAIR (Tor, Hardcover, $26.99) on Sunday, October 2nd at 2:00 pm
Colin Dickey, GHOSTLAND: AN AMERICAN HISTORY OF HAUNTED PLACES (Viking, Hardcover, $27.00) with guest Annalee Newitz on Saturday, October 8th at 3:00 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 2, "Thrills, Chills, Zen, and Trains" with Alex Dolan, Janet Dawson, Daryl Gregory and Eliot Fintushel, Saturday, October 15th at 7:15 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 3, "From Inside Your Head, to Under the Sea, to Beyond the Stars" with Skye Allen, Chaz Brenchley, Becky Chambers, and Serena Valentino, Saturday, October 15th at 8:30 pm
Jewelle Gomez, THE GILDA STORIES 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (City Lights Books, Trade Paperback, $16.95) on Saturday, October 30th at 3:00 pm
And, coming up in the Fall, we're thrilled to welcome even more wonderful authors including Dan Wells and Brent Weeks, among many others!
J. Patrick Black, NINTH CITY BURNING (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, September 24th at 1:00 pm
Reading Along the Aqueduct, with Susan diRende, Liz Henry, Ellen Klages, Claire Light, Nancy Jane Moore, and Lori Selke on Sunday, September 25th at 3:00 pm
Blake Charlton, SPELLBREAKER (Tor, Hardcover, $26.99) on Saturday, October 1st at 3:00 pm
Nisi Shawl, EVERFAIR (Tor, Hardcover, $26.99) on Sunday, October 2nd at 2:00 pm
Colin Dickey, GHOSTLAND: AN AMERICAN HISTORY OF HAUNTED PLACES (Viking, Hardcover, $27.00) with guest Annalee Newitz on Saturday, October 8th at 3:00 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 2, "Thrills, Chills, Zen, and Trains" with Alex Dolan, Janet Dawson, Daryl Gregory and Eliot Fintushel, Saturday, October 15th at 7:15 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 3, "From Inside Your Head, to Under the Sea, to Beyond the Stars" with Skye Allen, Chaz Brenchley, Becky Chambers, and Serena Valentino, Saturday, October 15th at 8:30 pm
Jewelle Gomez, THE GILDA STORIES 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (City Lights Books, Trade Paperback, $16.95) on Saturday, October 30th at 3:00 pm
And, coming up in the Fall, we're thrilled to welcome even more wonderful authors including Dan Wells and Brent Weeks, among many others!
August Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany, & J.K. Rowling
2. THE LAST DAYS OF NEW PARIS by China Mieville
3. POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL by Serena Valentino
4. THE PERDITION SCORE by Richard Kadrey
5. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
6. THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead
7. FOUR ROADS CROSS by Max Gladstone
8. INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
9. THE PALE BROWN THING by Fritz Leiber
10. TOO LIKE THE LIGHTNING by Ada Palmer
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
2. MECHANICAL FAILURE by Joe Zieja
3. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
4. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
5. HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn
6. THE DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
7. I AM PROVIDENCE by Nick Mamatas
8. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
9. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor Lavelle
10. NINEFOX GAMBIT by Yoon Ha Lee
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE CONCLAVE OF SHADOW by Alyc Helms
2. NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher
5. THUNDERBIRD by Jack McDevitt
6. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
7. HOT LEAD, COLD IRON by Ari Marmell
8. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
9. KOJIKI by Keith Yatshuashi
10. KOKO THE MIGHTY by Kieran Shea
1. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany, & J.K. Rowling
2. THE LAST DAYS OF NEW PARIS by China Mieville
3. POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL by Serena Valentino
4. THE PERDITION SCORE by Richard Kadrey
5. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
6. THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead
7. FOUR ROADS CROSS by Max Gladstone
8. INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
9. THE PALE BROWN THING by Fritz Leiber
10. TOO LIKE THE LIGHTNING by Ada Palmer
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
2. MECHANICAL FAILURE by Joe Zieja
3. THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman
4. THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
5. HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn
6. THE DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
7. I AM PROVIDENCE by Nick Mamatas
8. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
9. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor Lavelle
10. NINEFOX GAMBIT by Yoon Ha Lee
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE CONCLAVE OF SHADOW by Alyc Helms
2. NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
3. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher
5. THUNDERBIRD by Jack McDevitt
6. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
7. HOT LEAD, COLD IRON by Ari Marmell
8. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
9. KOJIKI by Keith Yatshuashi
10. KOKO THE MIGHTY by Kieran Shea
September News
* Our friends at the Internet Archive <https://archive.org/index.php> are looking for volunteers to help with their 20th Anniversary party, and with other projects as well! Here's some info from the Archive: "The Internet Archive is turning 20! Help us kick off the night in style on October 26th from 4pm to 10pm. Volunteer shifts are 4 hours long (4pm to 8pm and 6pm to 10pm). Volunteers who complete a shift at the Anniversary Party get full access to the party, demos, food, drinks (please consume any adult beverages after your shift), and a t-shirt to say thank you. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Archives doing other events or even core mission work, preference will be given to anyone who helped out with the Anniversary events." Use this link for more information and to sign up to volunteer: https://goo.gl/forms/vQm98P2IJwGOptyE3
* Compass Books in Terminal 3 at SFO is looking for a full-time, general interest bookseller. Is is you? http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=8142c13f55aee482&from=tellafriend
* The Locus Writers Workshop is hosting a single-day intensive workshop taught by award-winning author Daryl Gregory on Saturday, September 24th. There are still a few slots left if you'd like to sign up, and tuition even includes a tour of the Locus Magazine offices! Full details are here: http://lsff.net/awards/bay-area-locus-writers-workshop-2016-with-daryl-gregory/
* Actor Ian McKellen turned down $1.5 million to officiate a billionaire's wedding costumed as Gandalf. "Gandalf doesn't do weddings.": https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/23/ian-mckellen-turned-down-15m-to-officiate-as-gandalf-at-sean-parkers-wedding
* A rumination on Dune, 50 years on. What it meant, what it still means, and why it's so important:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/03/dune-50-years-on-science-fiction-novel-world
* Compass Books in Terminal 3 at SFO is looking for a full-time, general interest bookseller. Is is you? http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=8142c13f55aee482&from=tellafriend
* The Locus Writers Workshop is hosting a single-day intensive workshop taught by award-winning author Daryl Gregory on Saturday, September 24th. There are still a few slots left if you'd like to sign up, and tuition even includes a tour of the Locus Magazine offices! Full details are here: http://lsff.net/awards/bay-area-locus-writers-workshop-2016-with-daryl-gregory/
* Actor Ian McKellen turned down $1.5 million to officiate a billionaire's wedding costumed as Gandalf. "Gandalf doesn't do weddings.": https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/23/ian-mckellen-turned-down-15m-to-officiate-as-gandalf-at-sean-parkers-wedding
* A rumination on Dune, 50 years on. What it meant, what it still means, and why it's so important:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/03/dune-50-years-on-science-fiction-novel-world
August 09, 2016
Upcoming Events
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
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
July Bestsellers
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
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
August News
* 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/
"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/
July 07, 2016
Upcoming Events
Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman on Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
Donald Sidney-Fryer, HOBGOBLIN APOLLO: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER (Hippocampus Press, Trade Paperback, $25.00) on Saturday, July 16th at 1:00 pm (please note the unusually early start time for this event)
Early Closing - Borderlands Books and Cafe will both be closing at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th for a private event
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown & Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
Seth Harwood, EVERYONE PAYS (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Sunday, July 24th at 3:00 pm
Todd Lockwood, THE SUMMER DRAGON (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) on Wednesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm
Eliot Fintushel, ZEN CITY, (Zero Books, Trade Paperback, $11.95) on Saturday, July 30th at 3:00 pm
A celebration of Avram Davidson with Grania Davis and Ethan Davidson, reading from the new collection DAVID & SON, plus special guest Trina Robbins! (Surinam Turtle Press, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Sunday, July 31st at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE PERDITION SCORE (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, August 6th at 3:00 pm
Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci, David D. Levine, 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
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman on Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
Donald Sidney-Fryer, HOBGOBLIN APOLLO: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER (Hippocampus Press, Trade Paperback, $25.00) on Saturday, July 16th at 1:00 pm (please note the unusually early start time for this event)
Early Closing - Borderlands Books and Cafe will both be closing at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th for a private event
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown & Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
Seth Harwood, EVERYONE PAYS (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Sunday, July 24th at 3:00 pm
Todd Lockwood, THE SUMMER DRAGON (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) on Wednesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm
Eliot Fintushel, ZEN CITY, (Zero Books, Trade Paperback, $11.95) on Saturday, July 30th at 3:00 pm
A celebration of Avram Davidson with Grania Davis and Ethan Davidson, reading from the new collection DAVID & SON, plus special guest Trina Robbins! (Surinam Turtle Press, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Sunday, July 31st at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE PERDITION SCORE (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, August 6th at 3:00 pm
Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci, David D. Levine, 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
London, the Heart of the Urban Fantasy Empire
by Miranda Phaal
Modern London has become the capital of the new urban fantasy empire. Although a contemporary setting is not a requirement of urban fantasy, what makes the subgenre so appealing is its blend of the old and the new. The ancient historical and literary -- and, most importantly, rural -- tradition of magic is adapted to a new setting: the city. The supernatural is thus made less fantastic, and more familiar. With urban fantasy, the reader need not conjure up an unreachable realm long ago and far away to immerse herself in the world of the novel and experience its magic. All that is required, at least for the city-dweller, is to step out the front door.
Urban fantasy makes the impossible credible in our own world. Typically, it does this by taking tenets of traditional or high fantasy, placing them some distance back in the history of the imagined world, and deducing how they would have evolved over time to function in a contemporary urban environment. Something old becomes something new.
It is no coincidence that about half of all urban fantasy novels since the subgenre's inception have been set in London. Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and a handful of other subsequent seminal works in the subgenre have no doubt influenced other authors to write about London's magic, but that magic was already there.
Modern London has become the capital of the new urban fantasy empire. Although a contemporary setting is not a requirement of urban fantasy, what makes the subgenre so appealing is its blend of the old and the new. The ancient historical and literary -- and, most importantly, rural -- tradition of magic is adapted to a new setting: the city. The supernatural is thus made less fantastic, and more familiar. With urban fantasy, the reader need not conjure up an unreachable realm long ago and far away to immerse herself in the world of the novel and experience its magic. All that is required, at least for the city-dweller, is to step out the front door.
Urban fantasy makes the impossible credible in our own world. Typically, it does this by taking tenets of traditional or high fantasy, placing them some distance back in the history of the imagined world, and deducing how they would have evolved over time to function in a contemporary urban environment. Something old becomes something new.
It is no coincidence that about half of all urban fantasy novels since the subgenre's inception have been set in London. Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and a handful of other subsequent seminal works in the subgenre have no doubt influenced other authors to write about London's magic, but that magic was already there.
June Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
2. THE CITY OF MIRRORS by Justin Cronin
3. RISE: A NEWSFLESH COLLECTION by Mira Grant
4. THE LONG COSMOS by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter
5. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
6. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
7. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
8. LEAGUE OF DRAGONS by Naomi Novik
9. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
10. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
2. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
3. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
4. JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor
5. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
6. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
7. GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
8. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
9. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
10. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
3. SILENT HILL by N.S. Dolkart
4. VICKY PETERWALD: REBEL by Mike Shepherd
5. THE PRICE OF VALOR by Django Wexler
6. FROM A HIGH TOWER by Mercedes Lackey
7. THE DINOSAUR LORDS by Victor Milan
8. ARTEFACT by Jamie Sawyer
9. LAWLESS AND THE DEVIL OF EUSTON SQUARE by William Sutton
10. ASSASSIN QUEEN by Anna Kashina
1. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
2. THE CITY OF MIRRORS by Justin Cronin
3. RISE: A NEWSFLESH COLLECTION by Mira Grant
4. THE LONG COSMOS by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter
5. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
6. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
7. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
8. LEAGUE OF DRAGONS by Naomi Novik
9. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
10. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
2. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
3. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
4. JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor
5. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
6. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
7. GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
8. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
9. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
10. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
3. SILENT HILL by N.S. Dolkart
4. VICKY PETERWALD: REBEL by Mike Shepherd
5. THE PRICE OF VALOR by Django Wexler
6. FROM A HIGH TOWER by Mercedes Lackey
7. THE DINOSAUR LORDS by Victor Milan
8. ARTEFACT by Jamie Sawyer
9. LAWLESS AND THE DEVIL OF EUSTON SQUARE by William Sutton
10. ASSASSIN QUEEN by Anna Kashina
July News
* A warm welcome to Borderlands' publicity and marketing intern, Miranda Phaal! Miranda is a Borderlands sponsor and a student at Tufts University. She'll be helping us out with events, hopefully helping with our elusive YouTube channel, and writing some promotional material and other items for the store, including this month's From the Office piece. You'll mostly see Miranda at events or in the office, so feel free to say hi when you do!
* Overheard in the store:
[Author]: "I'm not really very collectible. My audience is primarily composed of people who shoplift books."
"I _really_ need to finish what I'm reading right now. But this one just looks so cool. . . AND this one. . . ."
* PLEASE NOTE: Because of a sponsor rental, we'll be closing both the bookstore and cafe early, at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th.
* Science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer was just appointed to the Order of Canada for his contribution to science fiction and futurism. Presented twice a year, it is one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. The full list of appointments is here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/governor-general-announces-113-appointments-to-the-order-of-canada/article30686986/
* The Horror Writers' Association (HWA) has announced a new program that will fund endowments to help libraries set up and maintain teen writing programs! The whole announcement is here: http://horrorscholarships.com/young-adults-write-now-endowment-program/
* Person of Interest started as a weekly criminal procedural with an interesting science fiction element, and through its run (which just ended after 5 seasons), became one of the best recent science fiction shows. Io9 goes into all the details. http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-person-of-interest-became-essential-science-fiction-1782518427
* Although Kotaku argues that Metal Gear Solid is one of the best science fiction stories in any medium, perhaps a Person of Interest/Metal Gear Solid deathmatch to settle the question? http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/07/metal-gear-solid-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-science-fiction-stories-in-any-medium/
* With Oculus on the horizon and other gaming companies coming out with their own VR headsets, this article tracing the idea of virtual reality through science fiction is especially timely. http://venturebeat.com/2016/07/03/how-science-fiction-writers-predicted-virtual-reality/
* This article in Women’s News states what many of us have always known: women love science fiction and read it just as often as men. http://womensenews.org/2016/07/in-science-fiction-the-race-for-female-readers-should-be-underway/
* Two great science fiction voices, Ann VanderMeer and Annalee Newitz were interviewed and gave their picks for the best summer reads. http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-07-02/best-science-fiction-books-your-summer-reading-list
* Many of us noticed that most of our favorite military SF writers are veterans. This article explores the reasons behind those connections and introduces us to some newer voices in military SF: http://www.stripes.com/former-troops-building-second-careers-in-military-science-fiction-1.417224
* Blastr gives us a list of 12 female presidents in science fiction, some wonderful and some absolutely terrible: http://www.blastr.com/2016-6-30/commandresses-chief-top-12-female-presidents-science-fiction
* Great in-depth review/article on Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera novel NINEFOX GAMBIT which combines space, math, and religion into an unforgettable novel. http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/06/ninefox-gambit-is-military-science-fiction-for-people-who-love-mathematics/
* The latest New York Times speculative fiction reviews by N.K. Jemisin! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/books/review/the-latest-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy.html
* And The Washington Post's monthly science fiction reviews! https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/best-science-fiction-novels-to-read-this-month/2016/06/21/6dd0f2f2-33e3-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html
* In geek fandoms/actors crossing-the-streams news, Tom Felton (DRACO MALFOY, WE LOVE YOU!) will be a series regular in Season 3 of "The Flash".
http://sciencefiction.com/2016/07/03/draco-nian-casting-tom-felton-announced-series-regular-flash-season-3/
* Interesting conversation about science, fiction, and religion featuring two scientists, a science-fiction writer, and a theologian -- (it sounds like the beginning to a really bad joke, but it's a good article):
http://wnpr.org/post/imagining-aliens-conversation-science-fiction-and-theology-0#stream/0
* You’ll never look at classic SF authors the same way again, once you see these ads.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/all-the-times-science-fiction-authors-have-shilled-rand-1777851410
* A really interesting discussion about comics targeted at girls that actually had a lot of science fiction and fantasy adventures. Many dismissed the comics Bunty and Mandy, but there were a lot of great ideas in those pages. http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/girls-comics/40252/a-girl-like-you-genre-adventures-in-girls-comics
* The New Yorker talks to the the talented Catherynne Valente about her Fairyland series, which started online and has since become a phenomenon for both kids and adults. http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-wildly-inventive-fantasy-series-that-began-on-the-web-and-became-a-best-seller
* This article argues that Indian fantasy writers are not simply rewriting their mythological epics (as has been argued), but that there is a diversity in Indian fantasy for those who wish to look for it. http://scroll.in/article/810251/indian-fantasy-writers-are-creating-worlds-beyond-the-epics-but-readers-must-know-where-to-look
* Wired has a great interview with author N.K. Jemisin where she talks Patreon, writing, inspiration, and choices. Check it out! http://www.wired.com/2016/06/wired-book-club-nk-jemisin/
* In honor of Fathers' Day this past month, let's take a look at (arguably) the worst fictional fathers in SF/F: https://www.inverse.com/article/17120-the-10-worst-fictional-fathers-in-sci-fi-fantasy-stories
* The always-brilliant Ursula K. LeGuin responds to a note that "technology is studiously avoided" in her works : http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Note-Technology.html
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The inaugural Eugie Foster Award has announced its first nominees! http://www.eugiefoster.com/eugieaward
* The Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) has announced the winners of the 2016 Rhysling Awards. Check them out on their (very retro-1996 Geocities) webpage here:
http://www.sfpoetry.com/ra/pages/16rhysling.html
* The Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ) has announced the winner for their 2016 Sir Julius Vogel Awards, which recognize excellence in SF/F/H by New Zealanders. Check out all the winners here: http://www.sffanz.org.nz/sjv/sjvResults-2016.html
* The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel has announced their 2016 nominees: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell-finalists.htm
* New Award Alert: Nalo Hopkinson has announced The Lemonade Award to honor five people/groups which are doing something to foster joy and positive change in the science fiction community. More information and links on how to donate if you feel inclined are here: http://www.strangehorizons.com/blog/2016/06/announcement_the_lemonade_awar.shtml
* The Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists have announced the nominees for the 2016 Chesley Awards. Full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-chesley-awards-finalists/
* The British Fantasy Society has announced its nominees for the 2016 British Fantasy Award. Full list here: http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/british-fantasy-awards/british-fantasy-awards-2016-the-nominees/
* The Lambda Awards were announced and Locus has a list of the winners of interest to SF/F/H fans. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/28th-annual-lambda-awards-winners/
* Locus has also announced the winners of their annual awards and have a complete list of their nominees and winners here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-locus-awards-winners/
* Overheard in the store:
[Author]: "I'm not really very collectible. My audience is primarily composed of people who shoplift books."
"I _really_ need to finish what I'm reading right now. But this one just looks so cool. . . AND this one. . . ."
* PLEASE NOTE: Because of a sponsor rental, we'll be closing both the bookstore and cafe early, at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th.
* Science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer was just appointed to the Order of Canada for his contribution to science fiction and futurism. Presented twice a year, it is one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. The full list of appointments is here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/governor-general-announces-113-appointments-to-the-order-of-canada/article30686986/
* The Horror Writers' Association (HWA) has announced a new program that will fund endowments to help libraries set up and maintain teen writing programs! The whole announcement is here: http://horrorscholarships.com/young-adults-write-now-endowment-program/
* Person of Interest started as a weekly criminal procedural with an interesting science fiction element, and through its run (which just ended after 5 seasons), became one of the best recent science fiction shows. Io9 goes into all the details. http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-person-of-interest-became-essential-science-fiction-1782518427
* Although Kotaku argues that Metal Gear Solid is one of the best science fiction stories in any medium, perhaps a Person of Interest/Metal Gear Solid deathmatch to settle the question? http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/07/metal-gear-solid-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-science-fiction-stories-in-any-medium/
* With Oculus on the horizon and other gaming companies coming out with their own VR headsets, this article tracing the idea of virtual reality through science fiction is especially timely. http://venturebeat.com/2016/07/03/how-science-fiction-writers-predicted-virtual-reality/
* This article in Women’s News states what many of us have always known: women love science fiction and read it just as often as men. http://womensenews.org/2016/07/in-science-fiction-the-race-for-female-readers-should-be-underway/
* Two great science fiction voices, Ann VanderMeer and Annalee Newitz were interviewed and gave their picks for the best summer reads. http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-07-02/best-science-fiction-books-your-summer-reading-list
* Many of us noticed that most of our favorite military SF writers are veterans. This article explores the reasons behind those connections and introduces us to some newer voices in military SF: http://www.stripes.com/former-troops-building-second-careers-in-military-science-fiction-1.417224
* Blastr gives us a list of 12 female presidents in science fiction, some wonderful and some absolutely terrible: http://www.blastr.com/2016-6-30/commandresses-chief-top-12-female-presidents-science-fiction
* Great in-depth review/article on Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera novel NINEFOX GAMBIT which combines space, math, and religion into an unforgettable novel. http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/06/ninefox-gambit-is-military-science-fiction-for-people-who-love-mathematics/
* The latest New York Times speculative fiction reviews by N.K. Jemisin! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/books/review/the-latest-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy.html
* And The Washington Post's monthly science fiction reviews! https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/best-science-fiction-novels-to-read-this-month/2016/06/21/6dd0f2f2-33e3-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html
* In geek fandoms/actors crossing-the-streams news, Tom Felton (DRACO MALFOY, WE LOVE YOU!) will be a series regular in Season 3 of "The Flash".
http://sciencefiction.com/2016/07/03/draco-nian-casting-tom-felton-announced-series-regular-flash-season-3/
* Interesting conversation about science, fiction, and religion featuring two scientists, a science-fiction writer, and a theologian -- (it sounds like the beginning to a really bad joke, but it's a good article):
http://wnpr.org/post/imagining-aliens-conversation-science-fiction-and-theology-0#stream/0
* You’ll never look at classic SF authors the same way again, once you see these ads.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/all-the-times-science-fiction-authors-have-shilled-rand-1777851410
* A really interesting discussion about comics targeted at girls that actually had a lot of science fiction and fantasy adventures. Many dismissed the comics Bunty and Mandy, but there were a lot of great ideas in those pages. http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/girls-comics/40252/a-girl-like-you-genre-adventures-in-girls-comics
* The New Yorker talks to the the talented Catherynne Valente about her Fairyland series, which started online and has since become a phenomenon for both kids and adults. http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-wildly-inventive-fantasy-series-that-began-on-the-web-and-became-a-best-seller
* This article argues that Indian fantasy writers are not simply rewriting their mythological epics (as has been argued), but that there is a diversity in Indian fantasy for those who wish to look for it. http://scroll.in/article/810251/indian-fantasy-writers-are-creating-worlds-beyond-the-epics-but-readers-must-know-where-to-look
* Wired has a great interview with author N.K. Jemisin where she talks Patreon, writing, inspiration, and choices. Check it out! http://www.wired.com/2016/06/wired-book-club-nk-jemisin/
* In honor of Fathers' Day this past month, let's take a look at (arguably) the worst fictional fathers in SF/F: https://www.inverse.com/article/17120-the-10-worst-fictional-fathers-in-sci-fi-fantasy-stories
* The always-brilliant Ursula K. LeGuin responds to a note that "technology is studiously avoided" in her works : http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Note-Technology.html
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The inaugural Eugie Foster Award has announced its first nominees! http://www.eugiefoster.com/eugieaward
* The Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) has announced the winners of the 2016 Rhysling Awards. Check them out on their (very retro-1996 Geocities) webpage here:
http://www.sfpoetry.com/ra/pages/16rhysling.html
* The Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ) has announced the winner for their 2016 Sir Julius Vogel Awards, which recognize excellence in SF/F/H by New Zealanders. Check out all the winners here: http://www.sffanz.org.nz/sjv/sjvResults-2016.html
* The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel has announced their 2016 nominees: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell-finalists.htm
* New Award Alert: Nalo Hopkinson has announced The Lemonade Award to honor five people/groups which are doing something to foster joy and positive change in the science fiction community. More information and links on how to donate if you feel inclined are here: http://www.strangehorizons.com/blog/2016/06/announcement_the_lemonade_awar.shtml
* The Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists have announced the nominees for the 2016 Chesley Awards. Full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-chesley-awards-finalists/
* The British Fantasy Society has announced its nominees for the 2016 British Fantasy Award. Full list here: http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/british-fantasy-awards/british-fantasy-awards-2016-the-nominees/
* The Lambda Awards were announced and Locus has a list of the winners of interest to SF/F/H fans. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/28th-annual-lambda-awards-winners/
* Locus has also announced the winners of their annual awards and have a complete list of their nominees and winners here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-locus-awards-winners/
June 07, 2016
Upcoming Events
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 6:30 pm
Brian Keene, PRESSURE (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Friday, July 1st at 6:00 pm
Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown and Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
And, coming up later this year, we're delighted to host Todd Lockwood, Eliot Fintushel, Seth Harwood, Grania Davis, Donald Sidney-Fryer, Curtis Chen and Patrick Swenson, and many, many, more!
May Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
2. THE CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY by Guy Gavriel Kay
3. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
4. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
5. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
6. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
7. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
8. A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall
9. SLEEPING GIANTS by Sylvain Neuvel
10. KING OF THE WORLDS by M. Thomas Gammarino
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
3. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
4. THE ETERNA FILES by Leanna Renee Hieber
5. THE SILKWORM by Robert Galbraith
6. DEAD ICE by Laurell K. Hamilton
7. STRAITS OF HELL by Taylor Anderson
8. ULTIMA by Stephen Baxter
9. ZERO WORLD by Jason Hough
10. ALPHA by Greg Rucka
Trade Paperbacks
1. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
2. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
3. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
4. CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar
5. THE FOREST OF MEMORY by Mary Robinette Kowal
6. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaVelle
7. THE GHOST BRIDE by Yangsze Choo
8. SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore
9. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
10. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
1. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
2. THE CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY by Guy Gavriel Kay
3. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
4. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
5. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
6. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
7. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
8. A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall
9. SLEEPING GIANTS by Sylvain Neuvel
10. KING OF THE WORLDS by M. Thomas Gammarino
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
3. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
4. THE ETERNA FILES by Leanna Renee Hieber
5. THE SILKWORM by Robert Galbraith
6. DEAD ICE by Laurell K. Hamilton
7. STRAITS OF HELL by Taylor Anderson
8. ULTIMA by Stephen Baxter
9. ZERO WORLD by Jason Hough
10. ALPHA by Greg Rucka
Trade Paperbacks
1. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
2. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
3. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
4. CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar
5. THE FOREST OF MEMORY by Mary Robinette Kowal
6. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaVelle
7. THE GHOST BRIDE by Yangsze Choo
8. SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore
9. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
10. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
June News
* Overheard in the store:
"They're publishing a 'Classroom Edition' of THE MARTIAN in the fall." "Of course they are; it's made of Science!"
"Coffee -- because adulting is hard."
* One year ago Ursula K. LeGuin urged people to stop using Amazon. Her reasoning is still sound. http://electricliterature.com/ursula-k-le-guin-i-keep-asking-you-not-to-buy-books-from-amazon/
* Speaking of alternatives to Amazon, we're happy to announce that our neighbor Dog Eared Books has opened up another store on Castro Street! They're having a gala opening party on June 20th from 6 pm - 10 pm with so many wonderful local authors: Armistead Maupin, Rebecca Solnit, Peter Orner, Brontez Purnell, Alejandro MurguÃa, Katrina Dodson, and Amy Berkowitz, along with their MC, Baruch Porras-Hernandez! Come down to mix 'n' mingle with their staff, drink swanky cocktails, eat fancy hors d'oeuvres, and listen to brief readings! http://www.dogearedbooks.com/castro.html
* Bookriot suggests 100 science fiction and fantasy novels by women that you should read. There are a few surprises on the list, but overall it’s a great selection. Organized, somewhat oddly, (mostly) alphabetical by title. http://bookriot.com/2016/05/02/100-must-read-sci-fi-fantasy-novels-by-female-authors/
* Bids for NASFiC 2017 and bids for WorldCon 2018: since WorldCon 2017 will be held outside the U.S. (in Helsinki), NASFiC will be running in North America. There are currently two bids for it: San Juan, PR (http://www.sanjuan2017.org/) and Valley Forge, PA (http://www.valleyforge2017.org/). (We know which place we'd rather vacation.)
* As for WorldCon 2018, the bids are coming in from New Orleans, LA (http://neworleansin2018.org/wp2018/) and San Jose, CA (http://www.sjin2018.org/). We'd love for it to be local to the Bay Area again, but. . . we also know where we'd rather go for a weekend. Head over to the websites to check out the bids.
"They're publishing a 'Classroom Edition' of THE MARTIAN in the fall." "Of course they are; it's made of Science!"
"Coffee -- because adulting is hard."
* One year ago Ursula K. LeGuin urged people to stop using Amazon. Her reasoning is still sound. http://electricliterature.com/ursula-k-le-guin-i-keep-asking-you-not-to-buy-books-from-amazon/
* Speaking of alternatives to Amazon, we're happy to announce that our neighbor Dog Eared Books has opened up another store on Castro Street! They're having a gala opening party on June 20th from 6 pm - 10 pm with so many wonderful local authors: Armistead Maupin, Rebecca Solnit, Peter Orner, Brontez Purnell, Alejandro MurguÃa, Katrina Dodson, and Amy Berkowitz, along with their MC, Baruch Porras-Hernandez! Come down to mix 'n' mingle with their staff, drink swanky cocktails, eat fancy hors d'oeuvres, and listen to brief readings! http://www.dogearedbooks.com/castro.html
* Bookriot suggests 100 science fiction and fantasy novels by women that you should read. There are a few surprises on the list, but overall it’s a great selection. Organized, somewhat oddly, (mostly) alphabetical by title. http://bookriot.com/2016/05/02/100-must-read-sci-fi-fantasy-novels-by-female-authors/
* Bids for NASFiC 2017 and bids for WorldCon 2018: since WorldCon 2017 will be held outside the U.S. (in Helsinki), NASFiC will be running in North America. There are currently two bids for it: San Juan, PR (http://www.sanjuan2017.org/) and Valley Forge, PA (http://www.valleyforge2017.org/). (We know which place we'd rather vacation.)
* As for WorldCon 2018, the bids are coming in from New Orleans, LA (http://neworleansin2018.org/wp2018/) and San Jose, CA (http://www.sjin2018.org/). We'd love for it to be local to the Bay Area again, but. . . we also know where we'd rather go for a weekend. Head over to the websites to check out the bids.
May 11, 2016
Upcoming Events
Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm
Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, with authors Kwan Booth, Yangsze Choo, Guy Gavriel Kay, David Lau, and Ariel Waldman, on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm
SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30pm
Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm
Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm
Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm
Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm
Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, with authors Kwan Booth, Yangsze Choo, Guy Gavriel Kay, David Lau, and Ariel Waldman, on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm
SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30pm
Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm
Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm
Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm
Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm
April Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
3. WHEN WE ARE NO MORE by Abby Smith Rumsey
4. IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES by Marie Brennan
5. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
6. FELLSIDE by MR Carey
7. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
8. VISITOR by CJ Cherryh
9. THE BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
10. FALL OF LIGHT by Steven Erikson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. ROSEMARY & RUE by Seanan McGuire
4. DAY SHIFT by Charlaine Harris
5. THE DRAFTER by Kim Harrison
6. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
7. DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON by Seanan McGuire
8. UNDERCITY by Catherine Asaro
9. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
10. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
3. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
4. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
5. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker
1. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
3. WHEN WE ARE NO MORE by Abby Smith Rumsey
4. IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES by Marie Brennan
5. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
6. FELLSIDE by MR Carey
7. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
8. VISITOR by CJ Cherryh
9. THE BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
10. FALL OF LIGHT by Steven Erikson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. ROSEMARY & RUE by Seanan McGuire
4. DAY SHIFT by Charlaine Harris
5. THE DRAFTER by Kim Harrison
6. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
7. DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON by Seanan McGuire
8. UNDERCITY by Catherine Asaro
9. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
10. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
3. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
4. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
5. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker
May News
* Mission Local attended the Sponsors' General Meeting on March 31st and wrote a detailed article where several of our sponsors are quoted: http://missionlocal.org/2016/04/sponsors-support-save-sf-mission-genre-bookstore/
* An article on Forbes.com talks about San Francisco's $15 minimum wage and its effects on three independent stores including Borderlands: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2016/03/31/what-a-15-minimum-wage-means-for-three-small-businesses-in-san-francisco/#a820faf17779
* Beloved Hugo-winning website SF Signal is shutting down. They will no longer be updating and are looking into ways to preserve the archives of their work beyond this month. Check out their full announcement here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2016/05/all-good-things/
* An article on Forbes.com talks about San Francisco's $15 minimum wage and its effects on three independent stores including Borderlands: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2016/03/31/what-a-15-minimum-wage-means-for-three-small-businesses-in-san-francisco/#a820faf17779
* Beloved Hugo-winning website SF Signal is shutting down. They will no longer be updating and are looking into ways to preserve the archives of their work beyond this month. Check out their full announcement here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2016/05/all-good-things/
April 11, 2016
Oh, Poor North Carolina
by Alan Beatts
A fine local bookstore in North Carolina is suffering from the national reaction to a recent discriminatory law passed by the state legislature. Though I understand the underlying reasons, I think that there's some unfortunate ally-harming going on. In a recent open letter, Linda-Marie Barrett, general manager of Malaprop's Bookstore, explained that authors canceling appearances could be very harmful and is perhaps not really justified. http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2728#m32075
Speaking from personal experience, Malaprop's is a lovely shop that embodies everything that is good about independent bookstores. It's located in Asheville, N.C., which is a hot-bed of liberal attitudes in a mostly conservative state. Honestly, they might as well have a sign at the entrance to town saying, "San Franciscans Welcome". But, due to the recent passage of HB2, many businesses, organizations and individuals have chosen to protest by refusing to do business in the state. (For details about HB2 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Facilities_Privacy_%26_Security_Act). Probably the highest profile protest thus far was Bruce Springsteen's cancelation of his Greensboro concert -- with only two days notice.
HB2 is a loathsome law. The headlines about it have focused on bathroom access for transgender people but some of the other parts are much more serious. Notably, it requires that a person's legal gender is fixed at birth and cannot be changed. And it sharply restricts legal enforcement of the state's existing anti-discrimination statutes in the state courts.
I agree with the prevailing attitude that the best way to hit almost any government or organization is in the pocketbook and that refusing to conduct business in states that promote discrimination is an outstanding way to foster change. But, just like anytime you start hitting someone or something, it's important to avoid collateral damage.
Bookstores have been a bastion of free expression and the free exchange of ideas from their very beginning. Certainly, in the last century, bookstores have consistently stood up to attempts to censure thought, most notably in their resistance to banning books. In addition, bookstores have opposed other attempts to restrict civil rights -- in the early part of this century many stores erased customer purchase records and stopped collecting that information due to concerns about over-reaching search warrants derived from the original Patriot Act.
Recently, Sherman Alexie canceled an event that he had scheduled with Malaprop's, for exactly the reasons you would expect. While I applaud his convictions, both generally and in this specific case, I think that his situation is very different from Bruce Springsteen's. We all know that bookselling has been suffering financial challenges for decades and we also know that independent bookstores are strong supporters of freedom of speech and other civil rights (with the exception of one type of specialty bookshop - I think you can guess what kind). Author events are a hugely important source of income for bookstores. They are also a critical part of a bookstore's mission to spread ideas and inspire readers and future writers.
I hope that other authors who might be considering canceling or refusing to do events in North Carolina would consider alternatives that would allow them to help overturn HB2 while still supporting the bookstores that are fellow-travelers in the fight for civil rights. It seems to me that donating the royalty from each book sold to organizations opposed to HB2 would be a possibility; as would using the opportunity of a public event to speak out against HB2 and rally opposition.
It is ultimately the duty of each individual to decide what course their ethics demand and I support anyone who makes that sort of principled and ethical decision. But I hope that my fellow professionals in the "business of words" will consider all the possibilities before making the decision to boycott North Carolina (or, for that matter, Mississippi).
Upcoming Events
SF in SF with authors Peter S. Beagle and Carter Scholz (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, April 17th at 5:30 pm
InsideStorytime SUPERPOWERS at The Armory Club (1799 Mission Street @ 14th Street) on Thursday, April 21st at 7:00 pm
Paolo Bacigalupi, THE WATER KNIFE (Vintage, Trade Paperback, $16) on Friday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, EVERY HEART A DOORWAY (Tor.com, Trade Paperback, $17.99) on Saturday, April 23rd at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE EVERYTHING BOX (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, April 24th at 3:00 pm
Abby Smith Rumsey, WHEN WE ARE NO MORE: HOW DIGITAL MEMORY WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURE (Bloomsbury, Hardcover, $28.00) (at the Internet Archive, 300 Funston Street, San Francisco) on Tuesday, April 26th at 6:30 pm
And coming up in the summer, we'll have a drop-in signing with Joe Hill, and you can meet Amber Benson, Mira Grant, Sarah Kuhn, Charles Stross, Na'amen Tilahun, and many, many others!
InsideStorytime SUPERPOWERS at The Armory Club (1799 Mission Street @ 14th Street) on Thursday, April 21st at 7:00 pm
Paolo Bacigalupi, THE WATER KNIFE (Vintage, Trade Paperback, $16) on Friday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, EVERY HEART A DOORWAY (Tor.com, Trade Paperback, $17.99) on Saturday, April 23rd at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE EVERYTHING BOX (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, April 24th at 3:00 pm
Abby Smith Rumsey, WHEN WE ARE NO MORE: HOW DIGITAL MEMORY WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURE (Bloomsbury, Hardcover, $28.00) (at the Internet Archive, 300 Funston Street, San Francisco) on Tuesday, April 26th at 6:30 pm
And coming up in the summer, we'll have a drop-in signing with Joe Hill, and you can meet Amber Benson, Mira Grant, Sarah Kuhn, Charles Stross, Na'amen Tilahun, and many, many others!
March Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
2. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff
3. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
4. FIRE TOUCHED by Patricia Briggs
5. MARKED IN FLESH by Anne Bishop
6. ARKWRIGHT by Allen Steele
7. QUANTUM NIGHT by Robert J. Sawyer
8. LADY MIDNIGHT by Cassandra Clare
9. THE GIRL WHO RACED FAIRYLAND ALL THE WAY HOME by Catherynne M. Valente
10. MEDUSA’S WEB by Tim Powers
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
3. MADNESS IN SOLIDAR by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
4. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
5. A RED ROSE CHAIN by Seanan McGuire
6. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
7. THE CUSTODIAN OF MARVELS by Rod Duncan
8. VISION IN SILVER by Anne Bishop
9. ALLIANCE by SK Dunstall
10. THE LONG UTOPIA by Terry Pratchett
Trade Paperbacks
1. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker
2. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
3. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
4. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
5. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
6. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaVelle
7. THE FOLD by Peter Clines
8. WOMEN UP TO NO GOOD by Pat Murphy
9. TRANSREAL CYBERPUNK by Rudy Rucker and Bruce Sterling
10. LAGOON by Nnedi Okorafor
1. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
2. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff
3. THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES by Ken Liu
4. FIRE TOUCHED by Patricia Briggs
5. MARKED IN FLESH by Anne Bishop
6. ARKWRIGHT by Allen Steele
7. QUANTUM NIGHT by Robert J. Sawyer
8. LADY MIDNIGHT by Cassandra Clare
9. THE GIRL WHO RACED FAIRYLAND ALL THE WAY HOME by Catherynne M. Valente
10. MEDUSA’S WEB by Tim Powers
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
3. MADNESS IN SOLIDAR by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
4. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
5. A RED ROSE CHAIN by Seanan McGuire
6. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
7. THE CUSTODIAN OF MARVELS by Rod Duncan
8. VISION IN SILVER by Anne Bishop
9. ALLIANCE by SK Dunstall
10. THE LONG UTOPIA by Terry Pratchett
Trade Paperbacks
1. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker
2. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
3. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
4. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
5. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
6. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaVelle
7. THE FOLD by Peter Clines
8. WOMEN UP TO NO GOOD by Pat Murphy
9. TRANSREAL CYBERPUNK by Rudy Rucker and Bruce Sterling
10. LAGOON by Nnedi Okorafor
April News
* Overheard in the store:
"Asking me for wedding planning advice is like asking Patrick Stewart for hair-styling tips."
* "Batman Vs. Superman" has raked in a massive amount of money and a massive amount of criticism. Rob Bricken has returned with his alway- hilarious FAQ review series to make you laugh whether you are staying as far away as possible or loved it and saw it twice: http://io9.gizmodo.com/batman-v-superman-spoiler-faq-of-justice-1767720335
* For the price of a latte, you can support Litquake for a month! Donors receive special perks and help with Litquake's great work. More info here: http://www.litquake.org/donate-litquake
* The competition for Oddest Book Title of 2016 has many competitors, from an academic study of anuses, to a study of the ancient Greek art of divining the gods’ will by using intestines, to a study of cult film. Want to know the titles? Click here: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/oddest-book-title-of-the-year-2016-cultural-history-of-the-anus-up-against-soviet-bus-stops-a6897221.html
* Uncanny Magazine is open to speculative poetry submissions until April 15th. Write a SciFaiku or a villainous villanelle or Space Opera Sonnet and submit! http://uncannymagazine.com/submissions/
* KILLER ROBOT ARMY ON ITS WAY! World leaders throw up their hands! Billionaires and world leaders (which world leaders? We'd like to see that attendee list!) met in January to discuss the fear of robots going to war. http://www.albanydailystar.com/science/science-fiction-might-become-science-fact-killer-robot-army-fontana-daily-news-15706.html
* Sadly the Bay Area is losing another bookstore. The Castro Books Inc. location, which hosted many wonderful events and has been a book-lover's haven, has lost their lease and will be closing in June. https://www.hoodline.com/2016/03/castro-books-inc-loses-lease-will-close-in-mid-june
* In better Bay Area book news, Dog Eared Books is opening a Castro location where the much-beloved Different Light bookstore used to be. http://hoodline.com/2016/03/dog-eared-books-to-open-castro-location-in-former-a-different-light-space
* Jeff Nichol’s new speculative film "Midnight Special", about a father, a son (who may not be what he seems), and friend escaping from a cult, is getting great reviews and good word of mouth from science-fiction fans. http://substreammagazine.com/2016/04/midnight-special-review-2016/
* A list of the Top Ten Coolest Bookstores in San Francisco was released and we made the list! Check out the other SF bookstores that are almost as cool as we are -- almost. http://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/san-francisco-s-10-coolest-bookstores-you-should-visit/
* Calvin & Hobbes and "The Force Awakens" mashup! Stop what you are doing and go read!
http://imgur.com/gallery/UnZEU
* Luc Besson gave us the visually stunning science fiction classic "The Fifth Element", and in the nearly twenty years since its release he’s kept busy making films. Arguably none of his films since "The Fifth Element" have had the same lasting cultural impact, but some are hoping his new science-fiction film will be a return to form. (Those of us who remember "Columbiana" and "Lucy" might have some more skepticism than hope at this point.) http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/luc-bessons-new-science-fiction-film-looks-bananas-and-we-love-it
* Simon Moya-Smith over at "Indian Country" takes the recent J.K. Rowling controversy and places it within the Western context where all Native Americans are dead or else living stereotypes. A great article that looks at the larger picture while not ignoring the individual instances of Native racism that we participate in everyday. http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/03/09/moya-smith-jk-rowlings-got-nothing-us-history-textbook-fiction-163705
* So the first season of the television adaptation of "The Expanse" has come to an end, and NPR is ready to crown it the best science-fiction television in a decade. Adam Frank, a fan of the book series, lays out exactly why and how the adaptation worked so well for so many people. http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/03/10/469626620/the-expanse-best-science-fiction-show-in-a-decade
* Speaking of "The Expanse", Andrew Liptak over at io9 gives us twelve Easter eggs in the first season that you might have missed. (We haven’t looked them over yet only because we're not done with the whole season yet. We know, we know, we are ashamed.) http://io9.gizmodo.com/heres-12-easter-eggs-from-the-expanse-you-might-have-mi-1756115458
* Jesse Bullington has announced that he’s actually Alex Marshall (and vice-versa , we would assume). (And any of you who haven’t read the fantastic "A Crown For Cold Silver", you should jump on that!) http://jessebullington.com/announcement/
* Charles Stross is contemplating writing far-future SF and in preparation has assembled a list of cliches in a variety of sub-sections of far-future stuff. A great list to check out if you plan to write some far-future SF -- avoid tropes, embrace them, or break them into pieces, whichever you prefer! http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2016/03/towards-a-taxonomy-of-cliches-.html
* Nisi Shawl has worked up a post to give newbies a crash course in Black Science Fiction: both authors and specific creations of theirs. She states that this is not a comprehensive list, but it stretches from 1859 - 2015 and is sure to introduce readers to many new names and stories. http://www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/a-crash-course-in-the-history-of-black-science-fiction/
* Science fiction author Jack McDevitt recently had an asteroid named after him. This inspired one fan to go on a bit of a research binge for asteroids named after their favorite authors. Check out the list and star maps here: http://visiblesuns.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-asteroids-of-science-fiction.html
* The lawsuit between Writer Beware and Publish America/America Star Books has been settled. Details are not that forthcoming (probably because of conditions in the settlement,) but here is Writer Beware’s announcement of the news: http://www.victoriastrauss.com/2016/03/23/publishamerica-america-star-books-lawsuit-against-writer-beware-settled/
* Artist Robert Altbauer makes amazing fantasy maps on his site, but it’s his other illustrations that are catching everyone’s attention now. In the style of medieval art, Altbauer takes you to an alternate world where Lovecraft’s creations are a very real threat! http://io9.gizmodo.com/lovecrafts-creatures-would-have-made-excellent-opponent-1768666924
* Friend of the bookstore, sponsor and Tachyon publisher Jacob Weisman was profiled recently in JWeekly. Click here to read the interview, which covers Jacob’s personal history and connections between science fiction and Jewish culture. http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/77238/small-s.f.-publisher-nurtures-jewish-sci-fi-tradition/
* We're so sorry we missed this -- it's the ultimate anti-social social event; a silent reading party! Hopefully we can attend the next one: http://www.newsweek.com/silent-reading-parties-san-francisco-444787
------------------
Award News
------------------
* One of the SF Awards we look forward to every year is the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, which celebrates speculative fiction that explores and expands our ideas of gender. Their winners and honor list always provide a great and diverse reading list. This year the winners are a short story and a YA novel, and the honors list contains everything from a comic anthology, to short story, to novel, to graphic novel, to cartoon. Check out the whole list here: http://tiptree.org/award/2015-james-tiptree-jr-award
* The Kitschies, which celebrate progressive, intelligent, and entertaining speculative fiction have announced their winners! http://www.thekitschies.com/margaret-atwood-tade-thompson-jet-purdie-square-enix-and-patrick-ness-take-home-tentacles-from-the-kitschies/
* The finalists for the 28th Lambda Literary Awards have been announced, and not only do they have an entire LGBT SF/F/H category, but books in plenty of the other categories have speculative elements as well. Check out the full list here: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/news/03/08/28th-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-announced/
* The winner and runners-up for the 2016 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Contest have been announced --we hopefully will be able to read the winning story on Baen.com soon. Announcement of the 2016 winners and lists with links to previous winners here: http://www.baen.com/baenmemorialaward
* The winners of the 2015 Aurealis Awards, which celebrate speculative fiction in Australia, have announced their winners: https://aurealisawards.org/2016/03/25/the-winners-of-the-2015-aurealis-awards/
For the shortlist/full nominee list, go here: https://aurealisawards.org/2016/02/17/announcement-2015-aurealis-awards-shortlists/
* The British Science Fiction Awards have announced their winners and one of the editor's personal favorites, Aliette de Bodard, became the first author to win both best novel and best short story in the same year. Check out the full list of winners here: http://www.bsfa.co.uk/bsfa-awards/
* The 2016 Seiun Awards, which celebrate SF published in Japan and translated into Japanese, have announced their finalists. Locus has the nominees for translated works on their website and a link to the full list of nominees if you happen to read Japanese: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/03/2016-seiun-awards-nominees/
* The 2016 Auroras, which celebrate speculative fiction by Canadians in 2015, have announced their finalist, and the list looks great. So many more things to read! http://www.prixaurorawards.ca/2016-aurora-award-ballot/
"Asking me for wedding planning advice is like asking Patrick Stewart for hair-styling tips."
* "Batman Vs. Superman" has raked in a massive amount of money and a massive amount of criticism. Rob Bricken has returned with his alway- hilarious FAQ review series to make you laugh whether you are staying as far away as possible or loved it and saw it twice: http://io9.gizmodo.com/batman-v-superman-spoiler-faq-of-justice-1767720335
* For the price of a latte, you can support Litquake for a month! Donors receive special perks and help with Litquake's great work. More info here: http://www.litquake.org/donate-litquake
* The competition for Oddest Book Title of 2016 has many competitors, from an academic study of anuses, to a study of the ancient Greek art of divining the gods’ will by using intestines, to a study of cult film. Want to know the titles? Click here: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/oddest-book-title-of-the-year-2016-cultural-history-of-the-anus-up-against-soviet-bus-stops-a6897221.html
* Uncanny Magazine is open to speculative poetry submissions until April 15th. Write a SciFaiku or a villainous villanelle or Space Opera Sonnet and submit! http://uncannymagazine.com/submissions/
* KILLER ROBOT ARMY ON ITS WAY! World leaders throw up their hands! Billionaires and world leaders (which world leaders? We'd like to see that attendee list!) met in January to discuss the fear of robots going to war. http://www.albanydailystar.com/science/science-fiction-might-become-science-fact-killer-robot-army-fontana-daily-news-15706.html
* Sadly the Bay Area is losing another bookstore. The Castro Books Inc. location, which hosted many wonderful events and has been a book-lover's haven, has lost their lease and will be closing in June. https://www.hoodline.com/2016/03/castro-books-inc-loses-lease-will-close-in-mid-june
* In better Bay Area book news, Dog Eared Books is opening a Castro location where the much-beloved Different Light bookstore used to be. http://hoodline.com/2016/03/dog-eared-books-to-open-castro-location-in-former-a-different-light-space
* Jeff Nichol’s new speculative film "Midnight Special", about a father, a son (who may not be what he seems), and friend escaping from a cult, is getting great reviews and good word of mouth from science-fiction fans. http://substreammagazine.com/2016/04/midnight-special-review-2016/
* A list of the Top Ten Coolest Bookstores in San Francisco was released and we made the list! Check out the other SF bookstores that are almost as cool as we are -- almost. http://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/san-francisco-s-10-coolest-bookstores-you-should-visit/
* Calvin & Hobbes and "The Force Awakens" mashup! Stop what you are doing and go read!
http://imgur.com/gallery/UnZEU
* Luc Besson gave us the visually stunning science fiction classic "The Fifth Element", and in the nearly twenty years since its release he’s kept busy making films. Arguably none of his films since "The Fifth Element" have had the same lasting cultural impact, but some are hoping his new science-fiction film will be a return to form. (Those of us who remember "Columbiana" and "Lucy" might have some more skepticism than hope at this point.) http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/luc-bessons-new-science-fiction-film-looks-bananas-and-we-love-it
* Simon Moya-Smith over at "Indian Country" takes the recent J.K. Rowling controversy and places it within the Western context where all Native Americans are dead or else living stereotypes. A great article that looks at the larger picture while not ignoring the individual instances of Native racism that we participate in everyday. http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/03/09/moya-smith-jk-rowlings-got-nothing-us-history-textbook-fiction-163705
* So the first season of the television adaptation of "The Expanse" has come to an end, and NPR is ready to crown it the best science-fiction television in a decade. Adam Frank, a fan of the book series, lays out exactly why and how the adaptation worked so well for so many people. http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/03/10/469626620/the-expanse-best-science-fiction-show-in-a-decade
* Speaking of "The Expanse", Andrew Liptak over at io9 gives us twelve Easter eggs in the first season that you might have missed. (We haven’t looked them over yet only because we're not done with the whole season yet. We know, we know, we are ashamed.) http://io9.gizmodo.com/heres-12-easter-eggs-from-the-expanse-you-might-have-mi-1756115458
* Jesse Bullington has announced that he’s actually Alex Marshall (and vice-versa , we would assume). (And any of you who haven’t read the fantastic "A Crown For Cold Silver", you should jump on that!) http://jessebullington.com/announcement/
* Charles Stross is contemplating writing far-future SF and in preparation has assembled a list of cliches in a variety of sub-sections of far-future stuff. A great list to check out if you plan to write some far-future SF -- avoid tropes, embrace them, or break them into pieces, whichever you prefer! http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2016/03/towards-a-taxonomy-of-cliches-.html
* Nisi Shawl has worked up a post to give newbies a crash course in Black Science Fiction: both authors and specific creations of theirs. She states that this is not a comprehensive list, but it stretches from 1859 - 2015 and is sure to introduce readers to many new names and stories. http://www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/a-crash-course-in-the-history-of-black-science-fiction/
* Science fiction author Jack McDevitt recently had an asteroid named after him. This inspired one fan to go on a bit of a research binge for asteroids named after their favorite authors. Check out the list and star maps here: http://visiblesuns.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-asteroids-of-science-fiction.html
* The lawsuit between Writer Beware and Publish America/America Star Books has been settled. Details are not that forthcoming (probably because of conditions in the settlement,) but here is Writer Beware’s announcement of the news: http://www.victoriastrauss.com/2016/03/23/publishamerica-america-star-books-lawsuit-against-writer-beware-settled/
* Artist Robert Altbauer makes amazing fantasy maps on his site, but it’s his other illustrations that are catching everyone’s attention now. In the style of medieval art, Altbauer takes you to an alternate world where Lovecraft’s creations are a very real threat! http://io9.gizmodo.com/lovecrafts-creatures-would-have-made-excellent-opponent-1768666924
* Friend of the bookstore, sponsor and Tachyon publisher Jacob Weisman was profiled recently in JWeekly. Click here to read the interview, which covers Jacob’s personal history and connections between science fiction and Jewish culture. http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/77238/small-s.f.-publisher-nurtures-jewish-sci-fi-tradition/
* We're so sorry we missed this -- it's the ultimate anti-social social event; a silent reading party! Hopefully we can attend the next one: http://www.newsweek.com/silent-reading-parties-san-francisco-444787
------------------
Award News
------------------
* One of the SF Awards we look forward to every year is the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, which celebrates speculative fiction that explores and expands our ideas of gender. Their winners and honor list always provide a great and diverse reading list. This year the winners are a short story and a YA novel, and the honors list contains everything from a comic anthology, to short story, to novel, to graphic novel, to cartoon. Check out the whole list here: http://tiptree.org/award/2015-james-tiptree-jr-award
* The Kitschies, which celebrate progressive, intelligent, and entertaining speculative fiction have announced their winners! http://www.thekitschies.com/margaret-atwood-tade-thompson-jet-purdie-square-enix-and-patrick-ness-take-home-tentacles-from-the-kitschies/
* The finalists for the 28th Lambda Literary Awards have been announced, and not only do they have an entire LGBT SF/F/H category, but books in plenty of the other categories have speculative elements as well. Check out the full list here: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/news/03/08/28th-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-announced/
* The winner and runners-up for the 2016 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Contest have been announced --we hopefully will be able to read the winning story on Baen.com soon. Announcement of the 2016 winners and lists with links to previous winners here: http://www.baen.com/baenmemorialaward
* The winners of the 2015 Aurealis Awards, which celebrate speculative fiction in Australia, have announced their winners: https://aurealisawards.org/2016/03/25/the-winners-of-the-2015-aurealis-awards/
For the shortlist/full nominee list, go here: https://aurealisawards.org/2016/02/17/announcement-2015-aurealis-awards-shortlists/
* The British Science Fiction Awards have announced their winners and one of the editor's personal favorites, Aliette de Bodard, became the first author to win both best novel and best short story in the same year. Check out the full list of winners here: http://www.bsfa.co.uk/bsfa-awards/
* The 2016 Seiun Awards, which celebrate SF published in Japan and translated into Japanese, have announced their finalists. Locus has the nominees for translated works on their website and a link to the full list of nominees if you happen to read Japanese: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/03/2016-seiun-awards-nominees/
* The 2016 Auroras, which celebrate speculative fiction by Canadians in 2015, have announced their finalist, and the list looks great. So many more things to read! http://www.prixaurorawards.ca/2016-aurora-award-ballot/
March 15, 2016
A Note from Alan Beatts
Hi Folks. This month I was going to give an in-depth explanation about our long-term plans for the businesses, especially focusing on the possible purchase of a building to house the store. However, I have spent the last week out sick with the worst cold I have ever had the misfortune to experience. I'm back now, mostly recovered, but I've so much pressing work to take care of due to my absence that I'm not going to have time to write much of anything. Rather than delaying this newsletter even further, I'm going to postpone that explanation for a month. So, look for that in the April newsletter, and wish me luck trying to get caught up between now and then.
Upcoming Events
Pwning Tomorrow, Today! at the Internet Archive (300 Funston Avenue San Francisco CA) with authors Cory Doctorow, Eileen Gunn, Carolyn Jewel, Ramez Naam, Annalee Newitz, Hannu Ranjaniemi, and Rudy Rucker on Saturday, March 19th at 2:00 pm
Glen Hirshberg, GOOD GIRLS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $26.99) on Saturday, March 26th at 3:00 pm
Brian Staveley, THE LAST MORTAL BOND (Tor Books, Hardcover, $28.99) on Tuesday, March 29th at 7:00 pm
Marie Brennan, IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, April 9th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Peter S. Beagle and Carter Scholz (American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, April 17th at 6:30 pm
InsideStorytime SUPERPOWERS at The Make Out Room (The Armory Club. 1799 Mission Street @ 14th) with Charlie Jane Anders, Elwin Cotman, Daryl Gregory, guest MC Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, Jessica May Lin, and Seanan McGuire on Thursday, April 21st at 7:00 pm
Paolo Bacigalupi, THE WATER KNIFE (Vintage, Trade Paperback, $16.00) on Friday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, EVERY HEART A DOORWAY (Tor.com, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, April 23rd at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE EVERYTHING BOX (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, April 24th at 3:00 pm
And coming up in the summer, we'll welcome Mary Robinette Kowal, Charles Stross, and many, many others!
Glen Hirshberg, GOOD GIRLS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $26.99) on Saturday, March 26th at 3:00 pm
Brian Staveley, THE LAST MORTAL BOND (Tor Books, Hardcover, $28.99) on Tuesday, March 29th at 7:00 pm
Marie Brennan, IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, April 9th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Peter S. Beagle and Carter Scholz (American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, April 17th at 6:30 pm
InsideStorytime SUPERPOWERS at The Make Out Room (The Armory Club. 1799 Mission Street @ 14th) with Charlie Jane Anders, Elwin Cotman, Daryl Gregory, guest MC Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, Jessica May Lin, and Seanan McGuire on Thursday, April 21st at 7:00 pm
Paolo Bacigalupi, THE WATER KNIFE (Vintage, Trade Paperback, $16.00) on Friday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, EVERY HEART A DOORWAY (Tor.com, Hardcover, $17.99) on Saturday, April 23rd at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE EVERYTHING BOX (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) on Sunday, April 24th at 3:00 pm
And coming up in the summer, we'll welcome Mary Robinette Kowal, Charles Stross, and many, many others!
February Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
2. A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab
3. GENTLEMAN JOLE AND THE RED QUEEN by Lois McMaster Bujold
4. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff
5. MORNING STAR by Pierce Brown
6. BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
7. KINGFISHER by Patricia A. McKillip
8. BIGFOOTLOOSE AND FINN FANCY FREE by Randy Henderson
9. POSEIDON’S WAKE by Alastair Reynolds
10. CALAMITY by Brandon Sanderson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
2. INTO THE MAELSTROM by David Drake & John Lambshead
3. THE GOBLIN EMPEROR by Katherine Addison
4. THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
5. FLASH - ARCHFORM: BEAUTY VOL. 2 by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
6. THE TERRANS by Jean Johnson
7. THE CUSTODIAN OF MARVELS by Rod Duncan
8. THE LONG UTOPIA by Terry Pratchett
9. STEAL THE SKY by Megan E. O’Keefe
10. MIDNIGHT TAXI TANGO by Daniel Jose Older
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab
3. CITY OF BLADES by Robert Jackson Bennett
4. VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab
5. INDEXING: REFLECTIONS by Seanan McGuire
1. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
2. A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab
3. GENTLEMAN JOLE AND THE RED QUEEN by Lois McMaster Bujold
4. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY by Matt Ruff
5. MORNING STAR by Pierce Brown
6. BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
7. KINGFISHER by Patricia A. McKillip
8. BIGFOOTLOOSE AND FINN FANCY FREE by Randy Henderson
9. POSEIDON’S WAKE by Alastair Reynolds
10. CALAMITY by Brandon Sanderson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
2. INTO THE MAELSTROM by David Drake & John Lambshead
3. THE GOBLIN EMPEROR by Katherine Addison
4. THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
5. FLASH - ARCHFORM: BEAUTY VOL. 2 by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
6. THE TERRANS by Jean Johnson
7. THE CUSTODIAN OF MARVELS by Rod Duncan
8. THE LONG UTOPIA by Terry Pratchett
9. STEAL THE SKY by Megan E. O’Keefe
10. MIDNIGHT TAXI TANGO by Daniel Jose Older
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab
3. CITY OF BLADES by Robert Jackson Bennett
4. VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab
5. INDEXING: REFLECTIONS by Seanan McGuire
March News
* Harper Lee, author of the classic novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and the related work GO SET A WATCHMAN has passed away: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/arts/harper-lee-dies.html
* In other sad news, Umberto Eco, the Italian novelist whose career spanned almost every genre, has also passed away. Although he was most famous for the historical mystery THE NAME OF THE ROSE, his work included fiction, essays, art criticism and more.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/20/italian-author-umberto-eco-dies-aged-84
* Local author and Borderlands favorite Seanan McGuire had an adventure with an owl that is completely hilarious and could only happen to her. Read the Storify of her amazing Tweets here: https://storify.com/lilrongal/seanan-s-epic-owl-adventure . Caution: not-safe-for-work language.
* A recent episode of Wired’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast interviewed authors Nisi Shawl, Nalo Hopkinson and Sunil Patel about diversity in speculative fiction: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/geeks-guide-diversity-destroy-scifi/
* For those of us who have always longed to summon the Elder Gods through our laptops, there is now a font exclusively for that! http://www.neatorama.com/neatogeek/2014/05/12/A-Cthulhuian-Font-You-Can-Download-And-Use-To-Summon-Strange-Beings/
* Congratulations to C.J. Cherryh, whose writing career has spanned almost four decades, multiple subgenres, and numerous awards -- she has been named a SFWA grand master! http://www.sfwa.org/2016/02/35732/
* In, WHAT THE!? . . . okay? . . . news: The movie crossover plan you thought was just a joke is moving forward; merging the Men In Black movie franchise with the 21 Jump Street movie franchise. Is it just us, or does this sound like it might actually work? http://variety.com/2016/film/news/23-jump-street-men-in-black-james-bobin-1201715020/
* The short post-apocalyptic film "King Ripple" is a gorgeous and terrifying tale penned by science fiction scribe Josh Malerman and directed by Luke Jaden: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-post-apocalyptic-short-film-king-ripple-with-keith-stanfield-20160303
* Teleportation may be here soon(ish)! No news on if the method will just kill you and create a identical copy at your destination like many theorize; I’m sure they’ll mention it when you get there. http://zeenews.india.com/news/science/star-trek-science-fiction-turns-science-fact_1862604.html
* In sad news for critics and reviewers (and also Torrenters worldwide), HBO has decided that no one will be seeing any of Game of Thrones season 6 until the premiere date. Collider breaks it down: http://collider.com/game-of-thrones-season-6-premiere-screeners/
* A lovely article on the first science fiction author to win a MacArthur Genius Grant -- Octavia Butler. It contains some history about her and a link to Clockshop, which is the non-profit doing a year-long retrospective on this shy and hugely talented author: http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/2016/03/03/46914/remembering-unsung-science-fiction-hero-genius-gra/
* N.K. Jemisin provides some great reviews for the New York Times, including one of Sofia Samatar’s new novel: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/books/review/on-the-edge-of-gone-by-corinne-duyvis-and-more.html?_r=0
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been championing the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s "Sandman" into a film for years. He brought in Gaiman as executive producer and seemed to be a real fan of the graphic novels. His stepping away from the project does not feel like a good thing. Read his whole statement: http://sciencefiction.com/2016/03/06/joseph-gordon-levitt-departs-sandman/
* For a couple years now there’s been talk of bringing Joe Lansdale’s classic Hap & Leonard to the small screen, and it’s finally happened on Sundance! Starring James Purefoy, Michael K. Williams, and Christina Hendricks in a six-episode miniseries, you can catch the first two episodes online for free: http://www.sundance.tv/series/hap-and-leonard
* Inverse has an interesting theory that very soon the superhero genre will be consumed whole by the science-fiction genre, as real-life fears begin to parallel those themes more than the military imbalance that fuels superhero themes. https://www.inverse.com/article/12012-science-fiction-will-consume-the-superhero-industry-and-become-the-genre-to-beat
* Filmmakers around the world survive without the movie industry of Hollywood, or even the other revenue streams that exist for indie films, and they do this through determination and hustling. That is how Nicholas Attin completed what he calls Trinidad & Tobago’s first science fiction thriller film: "Tomb". Read about what it took to get it made and check out the first trailer here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-trailer-for-tomb-a-rare-sci-fi-thriller-feature-film-from-trinidad-tobago-20160304
* Speaking of resourceful filmmakers, congratulations to Arwen Curry, creator of the documentary "The Worlds of Ursula K. LeGuin," which has been fully funded by a combination of a hugely successful Kickstarter and a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. We're anxiously looking forward to the finished film! [Assistant Editor's Note: In an amusing bonus, Borderlands' newsletter editor Na'amen Tilahun has a tiny appearance in the film of which he wasn't even aware.]
* J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has achieved a level of success rarely seen -- movies, plays, encyclopedias, theme parks, and even more to come. Newsweek takes a look at how Rowling kept the "cult" of Harry Potter alive: http://www.newsweek.com/how-jk-rowling-kept-potter-cult-alive-433628
* An NPR piece from January focuses on Finnish authors who are finally having some of their works translated into English. These include Johanna Sinisalo, whose novel THE CORE OF THE SUN was published in Finland over three years ago. http://www.npr.org/2016/01/24/463878369/finnish-authors-heat-up-the-speculative-fiction-world
* The Daily Beast has an in-depth interview with Samuel Delany on the subject of art, specifically cover art. He discusses his own covers, his favorite Tolkien covers, and how much cover art matters (or doesn’t) in speculative fiction. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/05/sci-fi-hero-samuel-delany-s-outsider-art.html
------------------
Award News
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* The 2015 Nebula Award nominees have been announced. Check out the full list here: https://www.sfwa.org/2016/02/2015-nebula-awards-nominees-announced/
* The Horror Writers' Association has decided to honor both Alan Moore and George A. Romero with Lifetime Achievement Awards. More information here: http://horror.org/hwa-names-alan-moore-george-a-romero-as-2016-lifetime-achievement-award-winners/
* The Kitschies, which celebrate progressive, intelligent, and entertaining speculative fiction, have announced their nominees:
http://www.thekitschies.com/the-kitschies-2015-shortlists-revealed/
* The 23rd Annual Spectrum Award nominations (with the artwork!) are available to look at here: http://fleskpublications.com/blog/2016/02/29/spectrum-23-awards-nominations/
* The Bram Stoker Awards final ballot has been announced. The full list is here: http://horror.org/the-bram-stoker-awards-final-ballot/
* The Norma K. Hemming Award (which is given every year to a work that explores themes of race, gender, sexuality, class, and disability in speculative fiction first published in Australia or by an Australian citizen,) has announced its shortlist: http://www.asff.org.au/hemming-award-2016-shortlist.htm
* In other sad news, Umberto Eco, the Italian novelist whose career spanned almost every genre, has also passed away. Although he was most famous for the historical mystery THE NAME OF THE ROSE, his work included fiction, essays, art criticism and more.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/20/italian-author-umberto-eco-dies-aged-84
* Local author and Borderlands favorite Seanan McGuire had an adventure with an owl that is completely hilarious and could only happen to her. Read the Storify of her amazing Tweets here: https://storify.com/lilrongal/seanan-s-epic-owl-adventure . Caution: not-safe-for-work language.
* A recent episode of Wired’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast interviewed authors Nisi Shawl, Nalo Hopkinson and Sunil Patel about diversity in speculative fiction: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/geeks-guide-diversity-destroy-scifi/
* For those of us who have always longed to summon the Elder Gods through our laptops, there is now a font exclusively for that! http://www.neatorama.com/neatogeek/2014/05/12/A-Cthulhuian-Font-You-Can-Download-And-Use-To-Summon-Strange-Beings/
* Congratulations to C.J. Cherryh, whose writing career has spanned almost four decades, multiple subgenres, and numerous awards -- she has been named a SFWA grand master! http://www.sfwa.org/2016/02/35732/
* In, WHAT THE!? . . . okay? . . . news: The movie crossover plan you thought was just a joke is moving forward; merging the Men In Black movie franchise with the 21 Jump Street movie franchise. Is it just us, or does this sound like it might actually work? http://variety.com/2016/film/news/23-jump-street-men-in-black-james-bobin-1201715020/
* The short post-apocalyptic film "King Ripple" is a gorgeous and terrifying tale penned by science fiction scribe Josh Malerman and directed by Luke Jaden: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-post-apocalyptic-short-film-king-ripple-with-keith-stanfield-20160303
* Teleportation may be here soon(ish)! No news on if the method will just kill you and create a identical copy at your destination like many theorize; I’m sure they’ll mention it when you get there. http://zeenews.india.com/news/science/star-trek-science-fiction-turns-science-fact_1862604.html
* In sad news for critics and reviewers (and also Torrenters worldwide), HBO has decided that no one will be seeing any of Game of Thrones season 6 until the premiere date. Collider breaks it down: http://collider.com/game-of-thrones-season-6-premiere-screeners/
* A lovely article on the first science fiction author to win a MacArthur Genius Grant -- Octavia Butler. It contains some history about her and a link to Clockshop, which is the non-profit doing a year-long retrospective on this shy and hugely talented author: http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/2016/03/03/46914/remembering-unsung-science-fiction-hero-genius-gra/
* N.K. Jemisin provides some great reviews for the New York Times, including one of Sofia Samatar’s new novel: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/books/review/on-the-edge-of-gone-by-corinne-duyvis-and-more.html?_r=0
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been championing the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s "Sandman" into a film for years. He brought in Gaiman as executive producer and seemed to be a real fan of the graphic novels. His stepping away from the project does not feel like a good thing. Read his whole statement: http://sciencefiction.com/2016/03/06/joseph-gordon-levitt-departs-sandman/
* For a couple years now there’s been talk of bringing Joe Lansdale’s classic Hap & Leonard to the small screen, and it’s finally happened on Sundance! Starring James Purefoy, Michael K. Williams, and Christina Hendricks in a six-episode miniseries, you can catch the first two episodes online for free: http://www.sundance.tv/series/hap-and-leonard
* Inverse has an interesting theory that very soon the superhero genre will be consumed whole by the science-fiction genre, as real-life fears begin to parallel those themes more than the military imbalance that fuels superhero themes. https://www.inverse.com/article/12012-science-fiction-will-consume-the-superhero-industry-and-become-the-genre-to-beat
* Filmmakers around the world survive without the movie industry of Hollywood, or even the other revenue streams that exist for indie films, and they do this through determination and hustling. That is how Nicholas Attin completed what he calls Trinidad & Tobago’s first science fiction thriller film: "Tomb". Read about what it took to get it made and check out the first trailer here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-trailer-for-tomb-a-rare-sci-fi-thriller-feature-film-from-trinidad-tobago-20160304
* Speaking of resourceful filmmakers, congratulations to Arwen Curry, creator of the documentary "The Worlds of Ursula K. LeGuin," which has been fully funded by a combination of a hugely successful Kickstarter and a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. We're anxiously looking forward to the finished film! [Assistant Editor's Note: In an amusing bonus, Borderlands' newsletter editor Na'amen Tilahun has a tiny appearance in the film of which he wasn't even aware.]
* J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has achieved a level of success rarely seen -- movies, plays, encyclopedias, theme parks, and even more to come. Newsweek takes a look at how Rowling kept the "cult" of Harry Potter alive: http://www.newsweek.com/how-jk-rowling-kept-potter-cult-alive-433628
* An NPR piece from January focuses on Finnish authors who are finally having some of their works translated into English. These include Johanna Sinisalo, whose novel THE CORE OF THE SUN was published in Finland over three years ago. http://www.npr.org/2016/01/24/463878369/finnish-authors-heat-up-the-speculative-fiction-world
* The Daily Beast has an in-depth interview with Samuel Delany on the subject of art, specifically cover art. He discusses his own covers, his favorite Tolkien covers, and how much cover art matters (or doesn’t) in speculative fiction. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/05/sci-fi-hero-samuel-delany-s-outsider-art.html
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Award News
------------------
* The 2015 Nebula Award nominees have been announced. Check out the full list here: https://www.sfwa.org/2016/02/2015-nebula-awards-nominees-announced/
* The Horror Writers' Association has decided to honor both Alan Moore and George A. Romero with Lifetime Achievement Awards. More information here: http://horror.org/hwa-names-alan-moore-george-a-romero-as-2016-lifetime-achievement-award-winners/
* The Kitschies, which celebrate progressive, intelligent, and entertaining speculative fiction, have announced their nominees:
http://www.thekitschies.com/the-kitschies-2015-shortlists-revealed/
* The 23rd Annual Spectrum Award nominations (with the artwork!) are available to look at here: http://fleskpublications.com/blog/2016/02/29/spectrum-23-awards-nominations/
* The Bram Stoker Awards final ballot has been announced. The full list is here: http://horror.org/the-bram-stoker-awards-final-ballot/
* The Norma K. Hemming Award (which is given every year to a work that explores themes of race, gender, sexuality, class, and disability in speculative fiction first published in Australia or by an Australian citizen,) has announced its shortlist: http://www.asff.org.au/hemming-award-2016-shortlist.htm
February 09, 2016
Sponsorships
by Alan Beatts
Last month I announced that we had reached our goal of 300 sponsors and would remain open for at least another year. I also explained that, because the sponsorship program had been so successful, I have raised our sights beyond merely remaining open until our lease ran out in five years. Our sponsors have been so constant and enthusiastic that I'm not really concerned about the near-term viability of that model to support us in the face of mandatory wage increases. Of course, something could change but overall our situation seems stable for the next few years.
With that concern addressed, I've been looking forward at the next major concern -- what we're going to do when our lease expires in 2021. Given the current rental market in San Francisco and the historical trends (even during hard times economically), we will not be able to find a space that we can afford and that will house the store in 2021. So, we are either going to need to move out of San Francisco, or we need to come up with another plan. Moving is unattractive, but I'll keep that as a backup. My preferred plan is to buy a building to house the store (and, perhaps, similar businesses -- more on that next month).
If we're going to do that, we need to raise a bunch of money for the down payment. I've done the math, and I'm sure that we can cover the mortgage, maintenance, and taxes with what we currently pay in rent. But we've got to have that down payment. I have many ideas about how to raise that money and I'll pursue them all, but there is one thing happening already that's helping a lot -- the sponsorships. Right now we have more than 500 sponsors. Last year we had 844. If we can continue getting many more sponsors than we need to cover the higher payroll, we can make it most of the way to our goal. And so, despite our success in reaching the 300 sponsors we needed to say open, if you've been considering becoming a sponsor, please do. To perhaps help you with your decision, here are a few reasons to become a sponsor.
1) You believe that the continued existence of physical bookstores is important.
The most common cause of bookstore closures is rent increases. In addition, bookselling has always been an only-marginally-profitable business. More and more people are choosing to live in urban areas (check out my article about that http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2015/08/urban-conservation.html ) and that is increasing rents in all cities in the US. Bookstores, especially specialty bookstores, need a minimum population density to be viable (especially in these days of Amazon and ebooks, people are unlikely to drive 50 miles to shop) so it is harder for them to survive outside cities. That shifting population trend combined with the limitations inherent in bookselling means that it is going to get harder and harder for bookstores to locate in cities and, by extension, it is going to make it harder for them to survive.
Last month I announced that we had reached our goal of 300 sponsors and would remain open for at least another year. I also explained that, because the sponsorship program had been so successful, I have raised our sights beyond merely remaining open until our lease ran out in five years. Our sponsors have been so constant and enthusiastic that I'm not really concerned about the near-term viability of that model to support us in the face of mandatory wage increases. Of course, something could change but overall our situation seems stable for the next few years.
With that concern addressed, I've been looking forward at the next major concern -- what we're going to do when our lease expires in 2021. Given the current rental market in San Francisco and the historical trends (even during hard times economically), we will not be able to find a space that we can afford and that will house the store in 2021. So, we are either going to need to move out of San Francisco, or we need to come up with another plan. Moving is unattractive, but I'll keep that as a backup. My preferred plan is to buy a building to house the store (and, perhaps, similar businesses -- more on that next month).
If we're going to do that, we need to raise a bunch of money for the down payment. I've done the math, and I'm sure that we can cover the mortgage, maintenance, and taxes with what we currently pay in rent. But we've got to have that down payment. I have many ideas about how to raise that money and I'll pursue them all, but there is one thing happening already that's helping a lot -- the sponsorships. Right now we have more than 500 sponsors. Last year we had 844. If we can continue getting many more sponsors than we need to cover the higher payroll, we can make it most of the way to our goal. And so, despite our success in reaching the 300 sponsors we needed to say open, if you've been considering becoming a sponsor, please do. To perhaps help you with your decision, here are a few reasons to become a sponsor.
1) You believe that the continued existence of physical bookstores is important.
The most common cause of bookstore closures is rent increases. In addition, bookselling has always been an only-marginally-profitable business. More and more people are choosing to live in urban areas (check out my article about that http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2015/08/urban-conservation.html ) and that is increasing rents in all cities in the US. Bookstores, especially specialty bookstores, need a minimum population density to be viable (especially in these days of Amazon and ebooks, people are unlikely to drive 50 miles to shop) so it is harder for them to survive outside cities. That shifting population trend combined with the limitations inherent in bookselling means that it is going to get harder and harder for bookstores to locate in cities and, by extension, it is going to make it harder for them to survive.
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