Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm
Greg Bear, KILLING TITAN (Orbit, Hardcover, $26.00) and Ann Leckie, ANCILLARY MERCY (Orbit, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, October 10th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF presents authors Laura Anne Gilman and Loren Rhoads, hosted by Terry Bisson, Monday, October 12th at 6:30 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 2, "Mysterious Borderlands" with William C. Gordon, Jim Nisbet, Terry Shames, and Kelli Stanley, Saturday, October 17th at 7:15 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 3, "New Worlds at Borderlands Cafe" with Alyc Helms, Nancy Jane Moore, Tim Pratt, and Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, Saturday, October 17th at 8:30 pm
San Francisco in Mystery: Past, Present, and Future with Reece Hirsch, Kirk Russell, and Kelli Stanley, Sunday, October 25th at 3:00 pm
Mark Oshiro, AN INSIDIOUS THING, Sunday, November 1st at 3:00 pm
Kate Elliot, BLACK WOLVES (Orbit, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, November 7th at 3:00 pm
Event Details
October 07, 2015
Media Matters
by Alan Beatts
As much as I love books, SF, horror, fantasy and mystery as a whole are still my first and greatest love. Which means that movies, TV shows, and even video games within our field have a place very close to my heart. The last few months have included some good news and neat discoveries that I thought I'd share with you.
The Expanse TV Series
James S. A. Corey's excellent Expanse novels, which begin with LEVIATHAN WAKES, is one of my favorite SF series in recent years. So I was concerned and pleased in equal parts when I heard that Syfy was going to be producing a series based on the books. But, I've seen both the regular trailer < http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/videos/the-expanse-season-1-trailer > and the background trailer, which includes interviews with the cast, < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydKmedH336Q >. I've got to say that it looks pretty darn good and the casting also seems impressive. Of course, it's hard to tell from such limited information, but I'm hopeful that we'll be getting a big treat this December.
And, regardless of whether the series is any good, we fans of the books win at least a little bit because there's an original prequel story, Drive, available on line as part of the promotion for the show < http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/drive/prequel.php >.
As much as I love books, SF, horror, fantasy and mystery as a whole are still my first and greatest love. Which means that movies, TV shows, and even video games within our field have a place very close to my heart. The last few months have included some good news and neat discoveries that I thought I'd share with you.
The Expanse TV Series
James S. A. Corey's excellent Expanse novels, which begin with LEVIATHAN WAKES, is one of my favorite SF series in recent years. So I was concerned and pleased in equal parts when I heard that Syfy was going to be producing a series based on the books. But, I've seen both the regular trailer < http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/videos/the-expanse-season-1-trailer > and the background trailer, which includes interviews with the cast, < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydKmedH336Q >. I've got to say that it looks pretty darn good and the casting also seems impressive. Of course, it's hard to tell from such limited information, but I'm hopeful that we'll be getting a big treat this December.
And, regardless of whether the series is any good, we fans of the books win at least a little bit because there's an original prequel story, Drive, available on line as part of the promotion for the show < http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/drive/prequel.php >.
September Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. NO HARD FEELINGS by Mark Coggins
2. UPDRAFT by Fran Wilde
3. THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN by Terry Pratchett
4. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
5. LUNA: NEW MOON by Ian McDonald
6. SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore
7. DRAGON COAST by Greg Van Eekhout
8. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
9. THREE MOMENTS OF AN EXPLOSION by China Mieville
10. KILLING PRETTY by Richard Kadrey
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. RED-ROSE CHAIN by Seanan McGuire
2. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
3. THE WINTER LONG by Seanan McGuire
4. THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
5. LOCK IN by John Scalzi
6. KOKO TAKES A HOLIDAY by Kieran Shea
7. POCKET APOCALYPSE by Seanan McGuire
8. REPUBLIC OPF THIEVES by Scott Lynch
9. DRAGONS OF HEAVEN by Alyc Helms
10. THE SHADOW THRONE by Django Wexler
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
2. BLACK HOLE by Bucky Sinister
3. ANCILLARY SWORD by Ann Leckie
4. ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie
5. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
1. NO HARD FEELINGS by Mark Coggins
2. UPDRAFT by Fran Wilde
3. THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN by Terry Pratchett
4. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
5. LUNA: NEW MOON by Ian McDonald
6. SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore
7. DRAGON COAST by Greg Van Eekhout
8. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
9. THREE MOMENTS OF AN EXPLOSION by China Mieville
10. KILLING PRETTY by Richard Kadrey
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. RED-ROSE CHAIN by Seanan McGuire
2. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
3. THE WINTER LONG by Seanan McGuire
4. THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
5. LOCK IN by John Scalzi
6. KOKO TAKES A HOLIDAY by Kieran Shea
7. POCKET APOCALYPSE by Seanan McGuire
8. REPUBLIC OPF THIEVES by Scott Lynch
9. DRAGONS OF HEAVEN by Alyc Helms
10. THE SHADOW THRONE by Django Wexler
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
2. BLACK HOLE by Bucky Sinister
3. ANCILLARY SWORD by Ann Leckie
4. ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie
5. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
October News Roundup
* Overheard in the store:
"Do you have CAT'S CRADLE by Vonnegut? My boyfriend has never read it. I wish I'd known that before I committed."
"This is my two-handed bastard sword of a cat. FEAR ME!"
"Have you _touched_ this book?!"
"Yes, it's LORD OF THE RINGS. We have 4."
"But this LORD OF THE RINGS is super-pettable!"
* A scholarship in Sir Terry Pratchett's name has been announced at the University of Southern Australia. Endowed by the late author's estate, it will provide $100,000 to a grad student every two years in perpetuity. More information here: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Media-Centre/Releases/Perpetual-Sir-Terry-Pratchett-Scholarship-announced-for-UniSA/
* Chris Hall at The Guardian explores the dystopian themes in JG Ballard's HIGH-RISE and discusses the new feature film adaptation: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/03/jg-ballards-high-rise-takes-dystopian-science-fiction-to-a-new-level
* The Spectrum Fantastic Art Live exhibition is moving next year from Kansas City, MO to our very own San Francisco's Academy of Art for 2016. The press release is here: http://fleskpublications.com/blog/2015/09/23/spectrum-fantastic-art-live-moves-to-san-francisco/
* The Museum of Science Fiction has announced its intention to begin publishing a Journal of Science Fiction, free online for everyone. The first issue will launch January 2016; more details on the SFWA website: https://www.sfwa.org/2015/09/call-for-submissions-to-the-journal-of-science-fiction/
* Despite the mixed reception the film received, there are apparently talks to revive Alan Moore's "Watchmen," with Zach Snyder at the helm again, for a television series. Nothing is definite yet, owing to Snyder's current work in the DC universe, but it may be a chance for the director to redeem himself in the eyes of many: http://sciencefiction.com/2015/10/02/hbo-zack-snyder-talks-watchmen-tv-series/
* Pop singer Morrissey will release his first novel, this year, a ghost/demon story called LIST OF THE LOST, and by all accounts it's not good: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/04/list-of-the-lost-morrissey-review-publishers-ashamed (Although maybe I'm misunderstanding when a reviewer says the publishers should be ashamed of themselves.)
* The second of Marvel's Netflix series "Jessica Jones" has finally been revealed in a number of teaser trailers. It looks much better than "Daredevil," and we've only seen a few seconds of it. http://www.cnet.com/news/marvels-jessica-jones-drinks-fight-in-netflix-trailers/
* Huffington Post talked to a number scientists and "science enthusiasts" to find out their favorite science fiction films. The answers are pretty standard, but there are a few surprises peppered throughout the list: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/top-scientists-tel-you-thier-favorite-boks-and-movies_55e9b22de4b093be51bb3ff8
* Iskander Krayenbosch has created a hilarious animated video to illustrate what he thinks are the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey. Using imagery from iconic stories, he makes an excellent argument: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/the-12-steps-that-basically-every-hero-in-a-movie-goes-1734258433
* Author Jay Swanson has created the world's first real-time fantasy blog, INTO THE NANTEN. In addition to Jay's unfolding story of the exiled Marceles na Tetrarch, the site features incredible original artwork from artist Nimit Malavia and the voice talents of Dennis Kleinman. You really should check it out: http://intothenanten.com/about-into-the-nanten/
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The Copper Cylinder Award for Canadian fantastic literature has announced its fourth annual winners. The Adult award went to Thomas King for THE BACK OF THE TURTLE and the Young Adult award to Caitlin Sweet for THE DOOR IN THE MOUNTAIN. More details on the award and winners here: http://coppercylinderaward.ca/2015-winners
* The Science Fiction Poetry Association has announced their 2015 Dwarf Stars (for short poems 1-10 lines) and Elgin Award (for books and chapbooks of poetry) winners. Full details here: http://www.sfpoetry.com/ds/15dwarfstars.html and here: http://www.sfpoetry.com/el/15elgin.html
* The National Book Award longlist has been announced, and while the adult categories have no speculative nominees, the Young Adult category boasts M.T. Anderson, Rae Carson, Noelle Stevenson and others: http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2015.html
* The Parsec Awards for speculative podcasting have announced their winners. http://www.parsecawards.com/2015-parsec-awards/2015-parsec-awards-finalists/
* Stephen King was one of those awarded a National Medal of Arts this past month. http://arts.gov/honors/medals/stephen-king
"Do you have CAT'S CRADLE by Vonnegut? My boyfriend has never read it. I wish I'd known that before I committed."
"This is my two-handed bastard sword of a cat. FEAR ME!"
"Have you _touched_ this book?!"
"Yes, it's LORD OF THE RINGS. We have 4."
"But this LORD OF THE RINGS is super-pettable!"
* A scholarship in Sir Terry Pratchett's name has been announced at the University of Southern Australia. Endowed by the late author's estate, it will provide $100,000 to a grad student every two years in perpetuity. More information here: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Media-Centre/Releases/Perpetual-Sir-Terry-Pratchett-Scholarship-announced-for-UniSA/
* Chris Hall at The Guardian explores the dystopian themes in JG Ballard's HIGH-RISE and discusses the new feature film adaptation: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/03/jg-ballards-high-rise-takes-dystopian-science-fiction-to-a-new-level
* The Spectrum Fantastic Art Live exhibition is moving next year from Kansas City, MO to our very own San Francisco's Academy of Art for 2016. The press release is here: http://fleskpublications.com/blog/2015/09/23/spectrum-fantastic-art-live-moves-to-san-francisco/
* The Museum of Science Fiction has announced its intention to begin publishing a Journal of Science Fiction, free online for everyone. The first issue will launch January 2016; more details on the SFWA website: https://www.sfwa.org/2015/09/call-for-submissions-to-the-journal-of-science-fiction/
* Despite the mixed reception the film received, there are apparently talks to revive Alan Moore's "Watchmen," with Zach Snyder at the helm again, for a television series. Nothing is definite yet, owing to Snyder's current work in the DC universe, but it may be a chance for the director to redeem himself in the eyes of many: http://sciencefiction.com/2015/10/02/hbo-zack-snyder-talks-watchmen-tv-series/
* Pop singer Morrissey will release his first novel, this year, a ghost/demon story called LIST OF THE LOST, and by all accounts it's not good: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/04/list-of-the-lost-morrissey-review-publishers-ashamed (Although maybe I'm misunderstanding when a reviewer says the publishers should be ashamed of themselves.)
* The second of Marvel's Netflix series "Jessica Jones" has finally been revealed in a number of teaser trailers. It looks much better than "Daredevil," and we've only seen a few seconds of it. http://www.cnet.com/news/marvels-jessica-jones-drinks-fight-in-netflix-trailers/
* Huffington Post talked to a number scientists and "science enthusiasts" to find out their favorite science fiction films. The answers are pretty standard, but there are a few surprises peppered throughout the list: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/top-scientists-tel-you-thier-favorite-boks-and-movies_55e9b22de4b093be51bb3ff8
* Iskander Krayenbosch has created a hilarious animated video to illustrate what he thinks are the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey. Using imagery from iconic stories, he makes an excellent argument: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/the-12-steps-that-basically-every-hero-in-a-movie-goes-1734258433
* Author Jay Swanson has created the world's first real-time fantasy blog, INTO THE NANTEN. In addition to Jay's unfolding story of the exiled Marceles na Tetrarch, the site features incredible original artwork from artist Nimit Malavia and the voice talents of Dennis Kleinman. You really should check it out: http://intothenanten.com/about-into-the-nanten/
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The Copper Cylinder Award for Canadian fantastic literature has announced its fourth annual winners. The Adult award went to Thomas King for THE BACK OF THE TURTLE and the Young Adult award to Caitlin Sweet for THE DOOR IN THE MOUNTAIN. More details on the award and winners here: http://coppercylinderaward.ca/2015-winners
* The Science Fiction Poetry Association has announced their 2015 Dwarf Stars (for short poems 1-10 lines) and Elgin Award (for books and chapbooks of poetry) winners. Full details here: http://www.sfpoetry.com/ds/15dwarfstars.html and here: http://www.sfpoetry.com/el/15elgin.html
* The National Book Award longlist has been announced, and while the adult categories have no speculative nominees, the Young Adult category boasts M.T. Anderson, Rae Carson, Noelle Stevenson and others: http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2015.html
* The Parsec Awards for speculative podcasting have announced their winners. http://www.parsecawards.com/2015-parsec-awards/2015-parsec-awards-finalists/
* Stephen King was one of those awarded a National Medal of Arts this past month. http://arts.gov/honors/medals/stephen-king
September 09, 2015
Upcoming Events
Mark Coggins, NO HARD FEELINGS (Down & Out Books, Signed & Limited Edition (Hardcover, 225 copies) $30.00) Sunday, September 13th at 3:00 pm
Tacos and Tecate with Seanan McGuire, Greg van Eekout, and Fran Wilde, Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 pm
Russian Avant Garde Art Event with artist Evgeny Avilov and art critic Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph. D., Saturday, September 19th at 5:30 pm
Borderlands Sponsors' Open Mic Night, Friday, September 25th at 7:00 pm
Ian McDonald, LUNA: NEW MOON (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 26th at 3:00 pm
QUEERS DESTROY SCIENCE FICTION (Lightspeed, Trade Paperback, $29.99) event with Chaz Brenchley, Tim Susman, Rachel Swirsky, and Jessica Yang, Sunday, October 4th at 3:00 pm
Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm
Greg Bear, KILLING TITAN (Orbit, Hardcover, $26.00) and Ann Leckie, ANCILLARY MERCY (Orbit, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, October 10th at 3:00 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 2, "Mysterious Borderlands" with William C. Gordon, Jim Nisbet, Terry Shames, and Kelli Stanley, Saturday, October 17th at 7:15 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 3, "New Worlds at Borderlands Cafe" with Alyc Helms, Nancy Jane Moore, Tim Pratt, and Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, Saturday, October 17th at 8:30 pm
Tacos and Tecate with Seanan McGuire, Greg van Eekout, and Fran Wilde, Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 pm
Russian Avant Garde Art Event with artist Evgeny Avilov and art critic Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph. D., Saturday, September 19th at 5:30 pm
Borderlands Sponsors' Open Mic Night, Friday, September 25th at 7:00 pm
Ian McDonald, LUNA: NEW MOON (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 26th at 3:00 pm
QUEERS DESTROY SCIENCE FICTION (Lightspeed, Trade Paperback, $29.99) event with Chaz Brenchley, Tim Susman, Rachel Swirsky, and Jessica Yang, Sunday, October 4th at 3:00 pm
Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm
Greg Bear, KILLING TITAN (Orbit, Hardcover, $26.00) and Ann Leckie, ANCILLARY MERCY (Orbit, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, October 10th at 3:00 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 2, "Mysterious Borderlands" with William C. Gordon, Jim Nisbet, Terry Shames, and Kelli Stanley, Saturday, October 17th at 7:15 pm
Litquake LitCrawl, Phase 3, "New Worlds at Borderlands Cafe" with Alyc Helms, Nancy Jane Moore, Tim Pratt, and Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, Saturday, October 17th at 8:30 pm
From the Office
bp Alan Beatts
It's been about six months since we almost closed the shop. It seems like a good time to update everyone on where the business stands, how things are going generally, and where we are relative to our long-term goals.
If you're not familiar with the whole story about what happened in February, you can read all about this blog. But, you might enjoy an article that recently appeared in Guernica Magazine that gives a nice overview and a different perspective <https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/katrina-woznicki-how-to-save-a-book-store/>.
In general, business has been going quite well. Sales have been solid and are modestly up compared to last year (thank you all for that). We've done several quite large author events (Paolo Bacigalupi, Richard Kadrey, Seanan McGuire, John Scalzi, and Jo Walton, among others) along with a whole slew of smaller but fun and well-attended events with other authors.
Our two newest employees, Scott Cox and Maddy Hubbert, are both settling in well, though they're still in the process of learning "all the things". It's surprising when I think about it but it usually takes around a year for someone to truly learn how to do all the aspects of the job. But, that's the consequence of having everyone learn all the jobs around the store (aside from the back-office financial work, that is).
Of course, we are all learning constantly even after a decade and a half on the job. Our field is constantly expanding and the history of it is so deep that I don't think it's possible to know in its entirety. It is a source of constant pleasure to all of us to be part of a tradition that has such a long and rich history.
Personally, I'm doing quite well, though still working a bit more than I like. Setting up the sponsorship program was more work than I anticipated but it has mostly been the fiddly bits of putting systems in place and getting it all running smoothly. However, all that is close to done and Scott has taken over much of the day-to-day work from me. I expect that next year will give me the chance to start really digging into other projects.
Speaking of the future and other projects, back in May I talked a bit about long-term plans, specifically getting some improvements in place at the store and, much more importantly, starting a long-term plan to purchase a building to house the business.
It's been about six months since we almost closed the shop. It seems like a good time to update everyone on where the business stands, how things are going generally, and where we are relative to our long-term goals.
If you're not familiar with the whole story about what happened in February, you can read all about this blog. But, you might enjoy an article that recently appeared in Guernica Magazine that gives a nice overview and a different perspective <https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/katrina-woznicki-how-to-save-a-book-store/>.
In general, business has been going quite well. Sales have been solid and are modestly up compared to last year (thank you all for that). We've done several quite large author events (Paolo Bacigalupi, Richard Kadrey, Seanan McGuire, John Scalzi, and Jo Walton, among others) along with a whole slew of smaller but fun and well-attended events with other authors.
Our two newest employees, Scott Cox and Maddy Hubbert, are both settling in well, though they're still in the process of learning "all the things". It's surprising when I think about it but it usually takes around a year for someone to truly learn how to do all the aspects of the job. But, that's the consequence of having everyone learn all the jobs around the store (aside from the back-office financial work, that is).
Of course, we are all learning constantly even after a decade and a half on the job. Our field is constantly expanding and the history of it is so deep that I don't think it's possible to know in its entirety. It is a source of constant pleasure to all of us to be part of a tradition that has such a long and rich history.
Personally, I'm doing quite well, though still working a bit more than I like. Setting up the sponsorship program was more work than I anticipated but it has mostly been the fiddly bits of putting systems in place and getting it all running smoothly. However, all that is close to done and Scott has taken over much of the day-to-day work from me. I expect that next year will give me the chance to start really digging into other projects.
Speaking of the future and other projects, back in May I talked a bit about long-term plans, specifically getting some improvements in place at the store and, much more importantly, starting a long-term plan to purchase a building to house the business.
August Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
2. KILLING PRETTY by Richard Kadrey
3. THREE MOMENTS OF AN EXPLOSION by China Mieville
4. HALF A WAR by Joe Abercrombie
5. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
6. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
7. THE PHILOSOPHER KINGS by Jo Walton
8. DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
9. FOOL’S QUEST by Robin Hobb
10. NEVERWHERE: AUTHOR'S PREFERRED TEXT by Neil Gaiman
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. LOCK IN by John Scalzi
2. KOKO TAKES A HOLIDAY by Keiran Shea
3. EXO by Steven Gould
4. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
5. NEXUS by Ramez Naam
6. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
7. RED: FIRST LIGHT VOL. 1 by Linda Nagata
8. DRAGONS OF HEAVEN by Alyc Helms
9. SPELLCASTING IN SILK by Juliet Blackwell
10. THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
2. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
3. BLACK HOLE by Bucky Sinister
4. ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie
5. GENE MAPPER by Taiyo Fujii
1. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
2. KILLING PRETTY by Richard Kadrey
3. THREE MOMENTS OF AN EXPLOSION by China Mieville
4. HALF A WAR by Joe Abercrombie
5. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
6. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
7. THE PHILOSOPHER KINGS by Jo Walton
8. DARK FOREST by Cixin Liu
9. FOOL’S QUEST by Robin Hobb
10. NEVERWHERE: AUTHOR'S PREFERRED TEXT by Neil Gaiman
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. LOCK IN by John Scalzi
2. KOKO TAKES A HOLIDAY by Keiran Shea
3. EXO by Steven Gould
4. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
5. NEXUS by Ramez Naam
6. THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
7. RED: FIRST LIGHT VOL. 1 by Linda Nagata
8. DRAGONS OF HEAVEN by Alyc Helms
9. SPELLCASTING IN SILK by Juliet Blackwell
10. THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin
2. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
3. BLACK HOLE by Bucky Sinister
4. ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie
5. GENE MAPPER by Taiyo Fujii
September News Roundup
* Because we'll soon be losing two beloved Cafe employees who are moving on to further awesome life adventures, we're looking to hire an additional employee for the Cafe, ideally for weekday afternoons and mornings. We're asking you because we always prefer to "keep it in the family," and hire our customers and associates with whom we already have a rapport. If you're interested or know someone who is, please send a resume to abeatts@borderlands-books.com.
* Master of Horror Wes Craven has sadly passed away after a battle with brain cancer. There is hardly a person in Western society who can say they haven’t been affected by Craven’s work. From the 80’s horror classic "Nightmare on Elm Street" to his "Scream" series (a deconstruction of the horror genre from the inside out,) his impact on genre is undeniable. We at Borderlands mourn his passing, as do millions of others. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34104752
* This Bustle article does a good job of explaining why who won the Hugos was important while also acknowledging that LGBTQ, POC and women have been writing science fiction since the beginning, from W.E.B. Du Bois to Arthur C. Clarke to Naomi Mitchison to Samuel Delany and Octavia Butler. We’ve always been here. http://www.bustle.com/articles/106132-the-2015-hugo-awards-winners-were-announced-and-diversity-prevails
* Speaking of Octavia Butler, DAWN, the first book in her Xenogenesis (or Lilith’s Brood trilogy, depending on your age,) has been optioned for a television series. Charlie Jane Anders from io9 asked Allen Bain, who secured the rights, a few questions about his intentions. http://io9.com/how-the-tv-show-of-octavia-butlers-dawn-will-stay-true-1728791278
* Artist CarlosDanger101 has drawn the cast of "Game of Thrones" in the style of "Bob’s Burgers". It’s fantastic, intricate and ridiculous. Check out the post at Nerdist for the full cast: http://nerdist.com/game-of-thrones-drawings-send-the-cast-to-bobs-burgers/
* Webcomic XKCD perfectly captures and summarizes the draw of the novel (and the puzzling nature of THE MARTIAN becoming a big-budget film starring Matt Damon) with this comic: https://xkcd.com/1536/
* In comic book news, the longtime Hulk companion and fan favorite Amadeus Cho, (the Korean-American boy genius introduced in 2006) has been revealed as the new Hulk. Amadeus has already challenged governments and gods with nothing but his smarts -- it’ll be great to see what he does with the power of the Hulk behind him. http://sciencefiction.com/2015/09/04/marvel-comics-reveals-amadeus-cho-new-totally-awesome-hulk/
* In other Hulk news, a quote from Mark Ruffalo via an Italian website has revealed that his character, The Hulk, will not be present in "Civil War", perhaps because of something big planned for him in the future. ("World War Hulk", perhaps?) http://www.blastr.com/2015-9-3/mark-ruffalo-reveals-hulk-was-cut-captain-america-civil-war-heres-why
* If you’ve ever been interested in studying the papers of feminist SFF authors Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ, Kate Wilhelm, Suzette Haden Elgin, Sally Miller Gearhart, Kate Elliott, Molly Gloss, Laurie Marks or Jessica Salmonson, the 2015 Le Guin Feminist Science Fellowship is now open to applications. http://csws.uoregon.edu/the-le-guin-feminist-science-fiction-fellowship/ . Their website also reveals they are in the process of acquiring some of James Tiptree Jr.’s papers, as well.
* What about a world where you’re allowed to be single for no more than 45 days before being turned into the animal of your choice? That’s the premise of the new film "Lobster", directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Colin Farrell, Lea Seydoux, Rachel Weisz and more. Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAxMksPWGXI
* Mika McKinnon over at io9 gathered a number of images released by the Perimeter Institute about 13 science fiction visions that are already here, or right around the corner. http://space.io9.com/13-ways-the-future-from-back-to-the-future-is-closer-th-1725749080
* Force Friday, the wonder of "Star Wars", and the realities of capitalism collided recently when all the new merchandise for the new "Star Wars" film was released. Some toys looked amazing, some looked cheesy and some were awe-inspiring. Check out the best things from Gizmodo: http://gizmodo.com/the-best-star-wars-loot-from-force-friday-1728756436
* For those who missed it, the "Suicide Squad" trailer has been out for a while and it looks much better than "Batman V. Superman" in our opinion. Viola Davis, Will Smith, and Jared Leto mean this superhero film has a lot of Academy Award winners on board: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLLQK9la6Go
* For some people, 2015 is iconic because it is one of the years that Marty McFly traveled to in the classic "Back To the Future" series. To a younger generation, though, it’s important for being the year that Harry Potter’s first child starts Hogwarts. http://sciencefiction.com/2015/09/02/harry-potter-ginny-potter-eldest-son-heads-hogwarts/
* Stan Lee has a very simple explanation for why the newest reboot of "The Fantastic Four" flopped so badly. http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/2015/09/03/why-was-fantastic-four-such-a-fail-because-stan-lee-didnt-have-a-cameo/
* Charlie Jane Anders makes the new film "Dragon Blade" sound like an absolute must-see, with the Chinese army led by Jackie Chan versus a rogue Roman legion led by John Cusack on the run from his commander Adrien Brody. Oh, also? Trained attack birds. Read the entire fantastic thing here: http://io9.com/that-ancient-romans-vs-chinese-movie-is-a-total-so-ba-1728660272
* Great interview with Brian Hibbs from Comix Experience about their passion for comics and their graphic novel club (which was CE's answer to the rising minimum wage in San Francisco): http://www.examiner.com/article/comix-experience-promoting-graphic-novels-and-comics
* A marvelous article from journalist Katrina Woznicki about Borderlands and the sponsorship program from Guernica Magazine: https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/katrina-woznicki-how-to-save-a-book-store/ . Thank you, Katrina!
-----------------
Awards News
-----------------
(There has been so much awards news of late that we decided to give it its own heading!)
* The winners of the Hugo Awards and the Campbell were announced at this year's Worldcon, with the dark horse Noah Ward taking many trophies. Here is the full statistical breakdown of voting: http://www.thehugoawards.org/content/pdf/2015HugoStatistics.pdf
* Speaking of the Hugos, it has been announced that Helsinki won the bid to host the World Science Fiction Convention in 2017. Guests of Honor include: John-Henri Holmberg, Nalo Hopkinson, Johanna Sinisalo, Claire Wendling, and Walter Jon Williams. Check out all the details here: http://www.worldcon.fi/
* The Chesley Awards for Science Fiction and Fantasy Art were also announced. http://asfa-art.org/
* The Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire Awards for excellence in French Science Fiction and Fantasy have been announced. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2015/08/2015-grand-prix-de-limaginaire-winners/
* The Second Annual Baen Fantasy Adventure Award has announced their winners. The winner will be published on the Baen Books website, along with receiving an engraved award and $500 worth of Baen Books. http://www.baen.com/baenfantasyaward.asp
* The Parsec Awards, which celebrate excellence in speculative fiction podcasting, have announced their full list of finalists for 2015. Check out the full list here and pick up a few things to listen to on your commutes:
http://www.parsecawards.com/2015-parsec-awards/2015-parsec-awards-finalists/
* Master of Horror Wes Craven has sadly passed away after a battle with brain cancer. There is hardly a person in Western society who can say they haven’t been affected by Craven’s work. From the 80’s horror classic "Nightmare on Elm Street" to his "Scream" series (a deconstruction of the horror genre from the inside out,) his impact on genre is undeniable. We at Borderlands mourn his passing, as do millions of others. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34104752
* This Bustle article does a good job of explaining why who won the Hugos was important while also acknowledging that LGBTQ, POC and women have been writing science fiction since the beginning, from W.E.B. Du Bois to Arthur C. Clarke to Naomi Mitchison to Samuel Delany and Octavia Butler. We’ve always been here. http://www.bustle.com/articles/106132-the-2015-hugo-awards-winners-were-announced-and-diversity-prevails
* Speaking of Octavia Butler, DAWN, the first book in her Xenogenesis (or Lilith’s Brood trilogy, depending on your age,) has been optioned for a television series. Charlie Jane Anders from io9 asked Allen Bain, who secured the rights, a few questions about his intentions. http://io9.com/how-the-tv-show-of-octavia-butlers-dawn-will-stay-true-1728791278
* Artist CarlosDanger101 has drawn the cast of "Game of Thrones" in the style of "Bob’s Burgers". It’s fantastic, intricate and ridiculous. Check out the post at Nerdist for the full cast: http://nerdist.com/game-of-thrones-drawings-send-the-cast-to-bobs-burgers/
* Webcomic XKCD perfectly captures and summarizes the draw of the novel (and the puzzling nature of THE MARTIAN becoming a big-budget film starring Matt Damon) with this comic: https://xkcd.com/1536/
* In comic book news, the longtime Hulk companion and fan favorite Amadeus Cho, (the Korean-American boy genius introduced in 2006) has been revealed as the new Hulk. Amadeus has already challenged governments and gods with nothing but his smarts -- it’ll be great to see what he does with the power of the Hulk behind him. http://sciencefiction.com/2015/09/04/marvel-comics-reveals-amadeus-cho-new-totally-awesome-hulk/
* In other Hulk news, a quote from Mark Ruffalo via an Italian website has revealed that his character, The Hulk, will not be present in "Civil War", perhaps because of something big planned for him in the future. ("World War Hulk", perhaps?) http://www.blastr.com/2015-9-3/mark-ruffalo-reveals-hulk-was-cut-captain-america-civil-war-heres-why
* If you’ve ever been interested in studying the papers of feminist SFF authors Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ, Kate Wilhelm, Suzette Haden Elgin, Sally Miller Gearhart, Kate Elliott, Molly Gloss, Laurie Marks or Jessica Salmonson, the 2015 Le Guin Feminist Science Fellowship is now open to applications. http://csws.uoregon.edu/the-le-guin-feminist-science-fiction-fellowship/ . Their website also reveals they are in the process of acquiring some of James Tiptree Jr.’s papers, as well.
* What about a world where you’re allowed to be single for no more than 45 days before being turned into the animal of your choice? That’s the premise of the new film "Lobster", directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Colin Farrell, Lea Seydoux, Rachel Weisz and more. Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAxMksPWGXI
* Mika McKinnon over at io9 gathered a number of images released by the Perimeter Institute about 13 science fiction visions that are already here, or right around the corner. http://space.io9.com/13-ways-the-future-from-back-to-the-future-is-closer-th-1725749080
* Force Friday, the wonder of "Star Wars", and the realities of capitalism collided recently when all the new merchandise for the new "Star Wars" film was released. Some toys looked amazing, some looked cheesy and some were awe-inspiring. Check out the best things from Gizmodo: http://gizmodo.com/the-best-star-wars-loot-from-force-friday-1728756436
* For those who missed it, the "Suicide Squad" trailer has been out for a while and it looks much better than "Batman V. Superman" in our opinion. Viola Davis, Will Smith, and Jared Leto mean this superhero film has a lot of Academy Award winners on board: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLLQK9la6Go
* For some people, 2015 is iconic because it is one of the years that Marty McFly traveled to in the classic "Back To the Future" series. To a younger generation, though, it’s important for being the year that Harry Potter’s first child starts Hogwarts. http://sciencefiction.com/2015/09/02/harry-potter-ginny-potter-eldest-son-heads-hogwarts/
* Stan Lee has a very simple explanation for why the newest reboot of "The Fantastic Four" flopped so badly. http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/2015/09/03/why-was-fantastic-four-such-a-fail-because-stan-lee-didnt-have-a-cameo/
* Charlie Jane Anders makes the new film "Dragon Blade" sound like an absolute must-see, with the Chinese army led by Jackie Chan versus a rogue Roman legion led by John Cusack on the run from his commander Adrien Brody. Oh, also? Trained attack birds. Read the entire fantastic thing here: http://io9.com/that-ancient-romans-vs-chinese-movie-is-a-total-so-ba-1728660272
* Great interview with Brian Hibbs from Comix Experience about their passion for comics and their graphic novel club (which was CE's answer to the rising minimum wage in San Francisco): http://www.examiner.com/article/comix-experience-promoting-graphic-novels-and-comics
* A marvelous article from journalist Katrina Woznicki about Borderlands and the sponsorship program from Guernica Magazine: https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/katrina-woznicki-how-to-save-a-book-store/ . Thank you, Katrina!
-----------------
Awards News
-----------------
(There has been so much awards news of late that we decided to give it its own heading!)
* The winners of the Hugo Awards and the Campbell were announced at this year's Worldcon, with the dark horse Noah Ward taking many trophies. Here is the full statistical breakdown of voting: http://www.thehugoawards.org/content/pdf/2015HugoStatistics.pdf
* Speaking of the Hugos, it has been announced that Helsinki won the bid to host the World Science Fiction Convention in 2017. Guests of Honor include: John-Henri Holmberg, Nalo Hopkinson, Johanna Sinisalo, Claire Wendling, and Walter Jon Williams. Check out all the details here: http://www.worldcon.fi/
* The Chesley Awards for Science Fiction and Fantasy Art were also announced. http://asfa-art.org/
* The Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire Awards for excellence in French Science Fiction and Fantasy have been announced. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2015/08/2015-grand-prix-de-limaginaire-winners/
* The Second Annual Baen Fantasy Adventure Award has announced their winners. The winner will be published on the Baen Books website, along with receiving an engraved award and $500 worth of Baen Books. http://www.baen.com/baenfantasyaward.asp
* The Parsec Awards, which celebrate excellence in speculative fiction podcasting, have announced their full list of finalists for 2015. Check out the full list here and pick up a few things to listen to on your commutes:
http://www.parsecawards.com/2015-parsec-awards/2015-parsec-awards-finalists/
August 17, 2015
Upcoming Events
John Scalzi, THE END OF ALL THINGS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Monday, August 24th at 12:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, A RED-ROSE CHAIN (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 5th at 5:00 pm
Mark Coggins, NO HARD FEELINGS (Down & Out Books, Hardcover, $30.00) Sunday, September 13th at 3:00 pm
Tacos and Tecate with Seanan McGuire, THE DOLL COLLECTION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99), Greg van Eekout, DRAGON COAST (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Fran Wilde, UPDRAFT (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 pm
Russian Avant Garde Art Event with artist Evgeny Avilov and art critic Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph. D., Saturday, September 19th at 6:30 pm
Ian McDonald, LUNA: NEW MOON (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 26th at 3:00 pm
Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm
And coming up in the Fall, we'll host Greg Bear and Ann Leckie (yes, together!), the fabulous Litquake LitCrawl, Mira Grant, and many, many others!
John Scalzi, THE END OF ALL THINGS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Monday, August 24th at 12:00 pm - Spend your Monday lunch break with JOHN SCALZI! We're always ecstatic to welcome John and revel in his wit, intelligence, charm, and good humor. In THE END OF ALL THINGS, John returns to the OLD MAN'S WAR universe in a direct sequel to THE HUMAN DIVISION. John will read a bit, answer as many of your questions as he can, and sign books. We think you should take a long lunch, skip school, or just "call in Scalzi," but don't miss this one! More info about the book, including an excerpt, can be found here: http://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765376077
Seanan McGuire, A RED-ROSE CHAIN (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 5th at 5:00 pm - Join us to celebrate the newest Toby Daye book with Seanan McGuire and the whole crazy caboodle! In RED-ROSE CHAIN, October Daye finds herself in the unlikely position of diplomat, trying to avert a war and save herself and her friends in a hostile kingdom where nothing is what it seems. If you've attended one of Seanan's events before, you know that they are a high-energy, music-filled delight. If you've never attended one before, now is the perfect time to start! There will be reading, raffle prizes, and silliness guaranteed. Get your questions answered, bring your books to be signed, and prepare to sing along! In addition to her many, many books, we'll also have some of Seanan's super-cool t-shirts available for sale at this event.
Mark Coggins, NO HARD FEELINGS (Down & Out Books, Hardcover, $30.00) Sunday, September 13th at 3:00 pm - Mark Coggins continues the cult classic August Riordin series with this latest thrilling installment! From the publisher:"Winnie doesn’t remember the last time she felt anything below her neck. Her spine is severed at the seventh vertebrae, but thanks to implants from a sabotaged biomedical start-up, she has regained mobility. She is a prototype: a living, breathing -- walking -- demonstration of revolutionary technology that never made it to market. Her disability has become her armor. Because she doesn’t register fatigue, she has trained relentlessly. Her hand, arm, and leg strength are off the scales. . . and she has honed self-defense techniques to channel that strength. . . . When the sociopath who torpedoed the start-up sends killers to harvest the implants from her body, Winnie must team up with broken-down private investigator August Riordan to save both their lives -- and derail sinister plans for perverse military applications of the technology." We hope you'll come by to meet Mark and check out his awesome new novel.
Tacos and Tecate with Seanan McGuire, THE DOLL COLLECTION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99), Greg van Eekout, DRAGON COAST (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Fran Wilde, UPDRAFT (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 pm - A special treat from Tor Books: a tremendous Tuesday of tacos, Tecate, and three terrific tellers of tales! We do hope you'll come to check out Seanan's creepy story in the Ellen Datlow-edited anthology THE DOLL COLLECTION, Greg's newest release in the California Bones series, and Fran's exciting debut novel, UPDRAFT. The authors will discuss and sign their works, hopefully not while holding tacos. More details to come soon!
Russian Avant Garde Art Event with artist Evgeny Avilov and art critic Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph. D., Saturday, September 19th at 6:30 pm - We hope you can join us for an unusual Modern Russian Avant-Garde event at Borderlands Cafe: "The Arts Resistance is proud to present the watercolor and oil paintings by Evgeny Avilov, the Russian artist behind the infamous "Exorcism at the Mausoleum" and other extreme activism actions of the art collective "Blue Rider." Based in Moscow, Avilov represents the open opposition, a small number of artists and activists still protesting the authoritarian power at risk of their freedom and life. Avilov will talk about the lack of freedom of expression, human rights, and rising militarism in Russia. The Arts Resistance will give a brief presentation on the arts protest movement, reviewing art collectives Pussy Riot, Voina and Blue Rider. San Francisco-based writers will read their work exploring the theme "Home, Patriotism, and War," and Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph.D., an internationally acclaimed art critic, will make a presentation on Kandinsky, his "Blue Rider" art group and European avant-garde before World War I." Mr. Avilov's work will be on display in the Cafe until September 30th. If you are of the Facebook persuasion, RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1056292531062782/
Ian McDonald, LUNA: NEW MOON (Tor, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 26th at 3:00 pm - We're delighted to welcome Ian McDonald to Borderlands! Mr. McDonald is best known for his extremely successful, cerebral science fiction, but he also writes smart, incredibly entertaining space adventure. Here's the publisher's info for his newest novel: "The Moon wants to kill you. Whether it’s being unable to pay your per diem for your allotted food, water, and air, or you just get caught up in a fight between the Moon’s ruling corporations, the Five Dragons. You must fight for every inch you want to gain in the Moon’s near feudal society. And that is just what Adriana Corta did. As the leader of the Moon’s newest 'dragon,' Adriana has wrested control of the Moon’s Helium3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family’s new status. Now, at the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation, Corta Helio, surrounded by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies. . . and each other."
Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm - We're always happy to see the charming Brandon Sanderson back at Borderlands! (Do you know we hosted a signing for his very first novel, ELANTRIS, when it first came out? I think there were only about a dozen people in the audience!) This time Brandon will be showing off the new novel in the Mistborn world, SHADOWS OF SELF. This one's a sequel to ALLOY OF LAW, and takes place about 300 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy. The author will read, answer questions, and sign, so take a long lunch and come hang out with us and Brandon! Excerpts from the new novel can be found here: http://brandonsanderson.com/shadows-of-self-previews-updates/
Seanan McGuire, A RED-ROSE CHAIN (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 5th at 5:00 pm
Mark Coggins, NO HARD FEELINGS (Down & Out Books, Hardcover, $30.00) Sunday, September 13th at 3:00 pm
Tacos and Tecate with Seanan McGuire, THE DOLL COLLECTION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99), Greg van Eekout, DRAGON COAST (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Fran Wilde, UPDRAFT (Tor Books, Hardcover, $25.99) Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 pm
Russian Avant Garde Art Event with artist Evgeny Avilov and art critic Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph. D., Saturday, September 19th at 6:30 pm
Ian McDonald, LUNA: NEW MOON (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 26th at 3:00 pm
Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm
And coming up in the Fall, we'll host Greg Bear and Ann Leckie (yes, together!), the fabulous Litquake LitCrawl, Mira Grant, and many, many others!
John Scalzi, THE END OF ALL THINGS (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Monday, August 24th at 12:00 pm - Spend your Monday lunch break with JOHN SCALZI! We're always ecstatic to welcome John and revel in his wit, intelligence, charm, and good humor. In THE END OF ALL THINGS, John returns to the OLD MAN'S WAR universe in a direct sequel to THE HUMAN DIVISION. John will read a bit, answer as many of your questions as he can, and sign books. We think you should take a long lunch, skip school, or just "call in Scalzi," but don't miss this one! More info about the book, including an excerpt, can be found here: http://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765376077
Seanan McGuire, A RED-ROSE CHAIN (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 5th at 5:00 pm - Join us to celebrate the newest Toby Daye book with Seanan McGuire and the whole crazy caboodle! In RED-ROSE CHAIN, October Daye finds herself in the unlikely position of diplomat, trying to avert a war and save herself and her friends in a hostile kingdom where nothing is what it seems. If you've attended one of Seanan's events before, you know that they are a high-energy, music-filled delight. If you've never attended one before, now is the perfect time to start! There will be reading, raffle prizes, and silliness guaranteed. Get your questions answered, bring your books to be signed, and prepare to sing along! In addition to her many, many books, we'll also have some of Seanan's super-cool t-shirts available for sale at this event.
Mark Coggins, NO HARD FEELINGS (Down & Out Books, Hardcover, $30.00) Sunday, September 13th at 3:00 pm - Mark Coggins continues the cult classic August Riordin series with this latest thrilling installment! From the publisher:"Winnie doesn’t remember the last time she felt anything below her neck. Her spine is severed at the seventh vertebrae, but thanks to implants from a sabotaged biomedical start-up, she has regained mobility. She is a prototype: a living, breathing -- walking -- demonstration of revolutionary technology that never made it to market. Her disability has become her armor. Because she doesn’t register fatigue, she has trained relentlessly. Her hand, arm, and leg strength are off the scales. . . and she has honed self-defense techniques to channel that strength. . . . When the sociopath who torpedoed the start-up sends killers to harvest the implants from her body, Winnie must team up with broken-down private investigator August Riordan to save both their lives -- and derail sinister plans for perverse military applications of the technology." We hope you'll come by to meet Mark and check out his awesome new novel.
Tacos and Tecate with Seanan McGuire, THE DOLL COLLECTION (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99), Greg van Eekout, DRAGON COAST (Tor Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Fran Wilde, UPDRAFT (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 pm - A special treat from Tor Books: a tremendous Tuesday of tacos, Tecate, and three terrific tellers of tales! We do hope you'll come to check out Seanan's creepy story in the Ellen Datlow-edited anthology THE DOLL COLLECTION, Greg's newest release in the California Bones series, and Fran's exciting debut novel, UPDRAFT. The authors will discuss and sign their works, hopefully not while holding tacos. More details to come soon!
Russian Avant Garde Art Event with artist Evgeny Avilov and art critic Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph. D., Saturday, September 19th at 6:30 pm - We hope you can join us for an unusual Modern Russian Avant-Garde event at Borderlands Cafe: "The Arts Resistance is proud to present the watercolor and oil paintings by Evgeny Avilov, the Russian artist behind the infamous "Exorcism at the Mausoleum" and other extreme activism actions of the art collective "Blue Rider." Based in Moscow, Avilov represents the open opposition, a small number of artists and activists still protesting the authoritarian power at risk of their freedom and life. Avilov will talk about the lack of freedom of expression, human rights, and rising militarism in Russia. The Arts Resistance will give a brief presentation on the arts protest movement, reviewing art collectives Pussy Riot, Voina and Blue Rider. San Francisco-based writers will read their work exploring the theme "Home, Patriotism, and War," and Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph.D., an internationally acclaimed art critic, will make a presentation on Kandinsky, his "Blue Rider" art group and European avant-garde before World War I." Mr. Avilov's work will be on display in the Cafe until September 30th. If you are of the Facebook persuasion, RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1056292531062782/
Ian McDonald, LUNA: NEW MOON (Tor, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 26th at 3:00 pm - We're delighted to welcome Ian McDonald to Borderlands! Mr. McDonald is best known for his extremely successful, cerebral science fiction, but he also writes smart, incredibly entertaining space adventure. Here's the publisher's info for his newest novel: "The Moon wants to kill you. Whether it’s being unable to pay your per diem for your allotted food, water, and air, or you just get caught up in a fight between the Moon’s ruling corporations, the Five Dragons. You must fight for every inch you want to gain in the Moon’s near feudal society. And that is just what Adriana Corta did. As the leader of the Moon’s newest 'dragon,' Adriana has wrested control of the Moon’s Helium3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family’s new status. Now, at the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation, Corta Helio, surrounded by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies. . . and each other."
Brandon Sanderson, SHADOWS OF SELF (Tor Books, Hardcover, $27.99) Friday, October 9th at 12:00 pm - We're always happy to see the charming Brandon Sanderson back at Borderlands! (Do you know we hosted a signing for his very first novel, ELANTRIS, when it first came out? I think there were only about a dozen people in the audience!) This time Brandon will be showing off the new novel in the Mistborn world, SHADOWS OF SELF. This one's a sequel to ALLOY OF LAW, and takes place about 300 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy. The author will read, answer questions, and sign, so take a long lunch and come hang out with us and Brandon! Excerpts from the new novel can be found here: http://brandonsanderson.com/shadows-of-self-previews-updates/
Urban Conservation
by Alan Beatts
1. "Bright Light, Big City"
I love New Orleans. It is one of my favorite cities in the world and the only one, other than San Francisco, in which I feel at home. I had a chance recently to spend a week there and it was just as lovely as always. But, while I was there, I was struck by how that city is facing some of the same problems that we have in San Francisco, despite it being almost, but not completely, unlike San Francisco.
That led to ruminating on a change that I've noticed over the past thirty years or so. It used to be that big cities were not the preferred choice of residence for most of the population of the US. The growth of the suburbs, starting in the 1950s and driven by the post-war boom, ubiquitous automobiles, and the expansion of freeways, began the process of moving people out of cities. Following that, rising crime levels in cities prompted more people to move out, which drained revenue from cities, which further aggravated crime and a general decay of basic infrastructure.
Between 1970 and 1980 the population of New York dropped by more than 10%. In fact, eight of the ten cites in the US that were the largest in 1950 showed huge drops in population between 1970 and 1980 (the two exceptions were Los Angeles, which has had a constantly growing population throughout, and Boston, which had a population drop of 19% the decade previous). The population decrease in those cites through that decade ranges mostly between 10 and 20% despite the US population as a whole increasing by 10% in the same decade.
So, between 1970 and 1980 people were leaving major cities in the US in droves. Even a decade later, 1990, most of those cities were below the population level of 1970. In a number of cases, the drop was continuing through the '90s and even into the new century.
1. "Bright Light, Big City"
I love New Orleans. It is one of my favorite cities in the world and the only one, other than San Francisco, in which I feel at home. I had a chance recently to spend a week there and it was just as lovely as always. But, while I was there, I was struck by how that city is facing some of the same problems that we have in San Francisco, despite it being almost, but not completely, unlike San Francisco.
That led to ruminating on a change that I've noticed over the past thirty years or so. It used to be that big cities were not the preferred choice of residence for most of the population of the US. The growth of the suburbs, starting in the 1950s and driven by the post-war boom, ubiquitous automobiles, and the expansion of freeways, began the process of moving people out of cities. Following that, rising crime levels in cities prompted more people to move out, which drained revenue from cities, which further aggravated crime and a general decay of basic infrastructure.
Between 1970 and 1980 the population of New York dropped by more than 10%. In fact, eight of the ten cites in the US that were the largest in 1950 showed huge drops in population between 1970 and 1980 (the two exceptions were Los Angeles, which has had a constantly growing population throughout, and Boston, which had a population drop of 19% the decade previous). The population decrease in those cites through that decade ranges mostly between 10 and 20% despite the US population as a whole increasing by 10% in the same decade.
So, between 1970 and 1980 people were leaving major cities in the US in droves. Even a decade later, 1990, most of those cities were below the population level of 1970. In a number of cases, the drop was continuing through the '90s and even into the new century.
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