Borderlands To Open Soon

by Alan Beatts

I'm going to jump in here right at the beginning of the newsletter since I'm sure folks are wondering about our plans for this month in terms of reopening the shop.  Based on the current (but subject to change) plan for San Francisco, we will be able to allow customers into the store starting on Monday, June 15th.  As we did with curbside pickup, I think that we'll take a slightly slower approach and we'll actually open for customers on Wednesday, the 17th.  That gives us time to make sure that we have everything in place to make the process comfortable for everyone.  It also gives us time to see what other businesses are doing and spot possible problems.  Likewise, just as we did last month, I think that we'll start with only Jude and myself working and then we'll bring the rest of the staff in the following week.

I'm still in the process of working out all the details.  Obviously we'll be doing all the expected things (hand sanitizing left and right (pun intended), masks required all the time for everyone in the shop, asking everyone to stay 6' apart, and so forth) but there will be a few other steps that we'll take as well.  What has been decided so far is that we'll be using a bunch of HEPA air filters that, in total, are able to cycle the air in the shop four to five times per hour.  Though there isn't a rigorous scientific conclusion that they are effective in reducing the risks in an enclosed space, I have found no guidance that suggest that they will be harmful in any way and it's reasonable to conclude that they will be helpful, if to an unknown degree.

We'll also be restricting the total number of people in the shop.  The exact number is still to be determined, absent guidance from the SF Department of Public Health, but my sense is that it will be in the 8-10 person range, inclusive of staff.  So, if you come by the shop after we're open and, upon entry, are asked to come back later, I hope that you'll understand our reasons and be patient with us.  We will also be open by appointment outside of normal business hours.  I'm still working on the exact details of that, but it's in the works.

You can expect a mid-month update email with all the details, once they're ironed out.  I've got to say, we're all very excited at the prospect of seeing you all again.  We've missed you.

Haight Street Update

by Alan Beatts

Last month we finally got back to work on the new shop.  And we made some really great progress.  So much that I've got some pictures for you to look at - https://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/p/haight-st-photos.html.  The high points are:

The sheet rock is mostly complete.  There are still some small areas that I'll be completing (because they're tricky) but the crew from Pat Trainor Drywall <https://www.marinbuilders.com/list/member/pat-trainor-drywall-inc-736> came by and banged it out faster than I would have thought possible.  They are the same company that did the work at the cafe and they're just the best.  It took them only one day to hang the entire 1400 square foot ceiling plus 300 square feet of wall.  And then just two more days to do all the mud. The difference is like night and day.

Tile is also mostly complete.  Simon Firth of Canterbury Tile, who set the tile for the bathroom, did the work for the front wall and about half of the vestibule.  We changed the design partway through and so we needed more red tiles than we had on hand.  Once we finalize the design for the entry floor, he'll be back and we'll get the job finished off.  It looks so good. Even moreso, it's especially exciting because it's the first piece of final and finished work on the exterior.

And, finally, we have a mural.  Paint The Void <https://paintthevoid.org> is a cooperative effort on the part of two non-profits whose goal is, "Helping keep artists engaged and paid as guardians of hope and beauty in the wake of COVID-19".  Basically they raise funds to pay local artists to paint murals on boarded-up storefronts around town.  My friend Aaron referred me to them and, despite telling them that it was a construction site rather than someplace boarded up because of the shelter-in-place order, they said they would love to get us a mural.  A few days later I met up with Eli The Man <https://elitheman.com> who did the coolest damn thing on the front of the shop.  I think it's kind of a shame that it's temporary but, who knows, perhaps we'll figure out something neat to do, once the plywood comes down and we have windows?

This month my plan is to get the final work done on the walls in the bathroom and then I'll get the plumbers back in to finish off that job.  Beyond that, there's a tiny bit of framing in the ceiling right outside the door, followed by sheetrock and then the bathroom is done.  We'll see how getting that work done goes, with everything else that's going on.  Wish me luck!

June News

* Massive, enormous, huge "thank you"s to the wonderful folks who did incredibly successful fund-raising benefits for us over the last month -- Annalee Newitz and Short Story Club <https://www.shortstory.club/>; Charlie Jane Anders, N.K. Jemisin, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Maggie Tokuda-Hall via We Love Bookstores <https://welovebookstores.org/>; and all of you who turned up virtually to show your support!  We appreciate it more than we can express, and it has made an immense difference in allowing us to continue paying our staff during the shutdown and moving forward with the construction plans for our permanent home on Haight Street.  We can't thank you all enough.

* We're also thrilled and grateful to artist Eli the Man <https://elitheman.com/> and Paint the Void for this amazing mural that now graces the temporary doors at 1377 Haight Street, our permanent-home-to-be: <https://twitter.com/borderlands_sf/status/1267174129683202048/photo/1>. Paint the Void is keeping artists engaged and paid during the shutdown; check out more of the stunning work they've been doing here: <https://paintthevoid.org/>

* In very sad news, Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore, the oldest independent science fiction and fantasy bookstore in the US, and Uncle Edgar's Mystery Bookstore (which shared the building) were both completely destroyed by fire during riots at the end of May.  Owner Don Blyly has claimed the Go Fund Me page originally set up by a fan: https://www.gofundme.com/f/let-us-help-save-uncle-hugo039s.  In addition, Greg Ketter's DreamHaven Bookstore, also in Minneapolis, "was trashed," according to Greg, but is still standing, and volunteers are coming to assist in the cleanup.  Dreamhaven is doing fine but the folks at Uncle Hugo's could really use your support.

May Bestsellers

Hardcovers
1. Shakespeare for Squirrels by Christopher Moore
2. Network Effect by Martha Wells
3. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
4. The Last Emperox by John Scalzi
5. House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
6. If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Trade Paperbacks
1. Defy or Defend by Gail Carriger
2. Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
3. Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
4. Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
5. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
6. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alex Harrow

Mass Market Paperbacks

(Since we've only been doing mail order and curbside pickup sales, we didn't have enough mass market sales in May to make a reasonable list.)

This Week's Audiobook Recommendation

by Melinda Rose


We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, read by Orlagh Cassidy

There was a trend in the 1970's to raise chimpanzees as part of the family.  But what happens to those human children when they grow up?  What are the long-term effects on their psyche and emotional development?  And what happens to the chimps if the experiment doesn't work out?
From infancy until they were five years old, Rosemary and Fern were raised as twins.  Rosemary is now an undergrad at UC Davis, and grappling with the long-ago losses of her sister and older brother. She's trying to piece together her early childhood and understand why she's always had such difficulty making friends and fitting in with other people.  As events trigger memories of childhood, various timelines intersect and a picture of Rosemary's family comes into focus.
I absolutely devoured this book.  I listened to it in two days. If you're looking for something character-driven, compelling and bittersweet; something that explores the human condition and identity in interesting ways, then this listen is for you.

https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781101623312-we-are-all-completely-beside-ourselves?bookstore=borderlands

This Week's Audiobook Recommendation

by Melinda Rose

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Written and performed by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman has said that this is his most personal story; although it's not autobiographical, he channeled his seven-year-old self while writing it.  And when he reads the story, every intended emotional note comes through in a way that simply reading it off the page may not.  I read this with an online bookclub when it was new, and across the board those who listened to it enjoyed it the most.
A young boy's life is changed when a strange family moves into the farm at the end of the lane.  They are magical in a way that is all about love and understanding, and the scenes where he's talking to the mother or the grandmother are stirring.  He becomes very close with the daughter and they have adventures, sometimes into other realms.  Things go wrong, as they often do, and the children have to find a way to fix the imbalance they've created.
So much of this story is about how it feels to be seven years old; feeling powerless over changes in your life, frustrated when the adults won't believe you, and so totally open to all the magic the world has to offer, even when it's scary. There is a vulnerability and sweetness in the telling that warms my heart. It's a quick listen, only about five hours, but the story will stay with you, and it just may be the salve you're looking for right now.

https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780062255686?bookstore=borderlands?bookstore=borderlands

Curb-Side Pickup Coming Soon

Hi Everyone,

As you've probably heard, both California and San Francisco are relaxing some of the restrictions on business operations.  Specifically, retail businesses like Borderlands will be allowed to start offering "curb-side pickups" to the public starting on Monday, the 18th.  We are, as you'd expect, very excited to start being able to handle business in a slightly more "normal" way.  It's also going to be really nice not to need to pack up every single book that we sell and send them by mail.

However, we aren't going to start immediately.

The guidance from the city Health Department has been a bit scant so far, and that is part of the reason that we're going to delay a little bit.  But, moreso, I want to have time to think through our procedures carefully and get the supplies and equipment that we'll need on hand before we start.  As I see it, there is no reason to rush headlong into this and, given the risks associated with making mistakes, there is a very good reason to move slowly and thoughtfully.

We will start a trial of doing curb-side sales on Wednesday, May 20th, from 11 am to 5 pm and we'll continue on Thursday and Friday, the 21st and 22nd.  Then we will close for the weekend, assess how it went and, assuming that we have a good system in place, we will start a regular schedule on Monday, May 25th.  For the first three days, Jude and I will be the only people working at the shop.  Starting on the 25th, I anticipate that we'll be bringing staff back to the store, opening for longer hours (probably 10 or 11 am to 6 or 7 pm), and be operating seven days per week.  Below you'll find an explanation from Jude about how the process will work.

It saddens me that we not be able to allow any customers into the store during this stage of reopening, and I also regret that we won't be able to spend much time at all socializing with you when you stop by.  But, this is much better than the circumstances that we've been working under and, although we'll only see you for a short time, it makes me very happy that we'll be able see our favorite people in the world -- you, our customers.

Warm Regards,
Alan


We're happy to be able to provide front-of-store ("curbside") pickup by appointment for your book orders!  In keeping with directives from San Francisco's Health Department, we've developed the following system to keep our customers and employees safe while getting you the books you need.

How it works: just call us (415 824-8203) or email orders@borderlands-books.com to place your order.  If you call us, we'll ask for your book selections and credit card info for payment, and we'll set up a time for to pick up your order.  If you email, please send us your book selections and your phone number; we'll call you to get payment information and set up an appointment for pickup --  please DON'T email us credit card info -- it's not secure.

Please arrive on-time for your pick up appointment, or call us and let us know if you need to reschedule.  Once you arrive, call the store to let us know you're here.  We'll bring your bag of books and receipt outside to you and wave cheerily.  (Cheer levels may vary by employee.)  Confirm that your order is correct and you're on your way!

All Best,
Jude

This Week's Audiobook Recommendation

by Melinda Rose

The Down Days by Ilze Hugo

This is either the best time or the worst time to read Ilze Hugo's The Down Days, depending on how you look at things. Unless she's an incredibly fast writer with some super-highway to editing and publishing, Ms. Hugo started this story well before the current situation began. In her write-up on John Scalzi’s blog (https://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/05/08/the-big-idea-ilze-hugo/) she talks about being fascinated with the way viruses and pandemics shape culture. In this story, it's years after a major pandemic hit Cape Town, South Africa. The residents are isolated from the rest of the world, and finding new ways to survive; some jobs have become obsolete and people are making a living in ways they wouldn't have imagined in the "before times". Wearing masks, and regular mandatory med checks have become a way of life.

There are several main characters, and the audiobook splits up the narration in an interesting way, with Gideon Emery reading the male POV's and Bianca Amato reading the female POV's. Both performers are excellent, and it works well with the pacing of the story, which takes place over one week.  The narration switches rapidly between the characters whose lives all end up intersecting, as they solve mysteries of missing persons while questioning reality. It culminates in a dramatic and surprising climax.

This is not exactly an uplifting story, as everyone is carrying around a deep sense of loss and fear, but it does have elements of hope and redemption. And it may well be the relatable disaster cozy you've been looking for.

https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781797108667-the-down-days?bookstore=borderlands

This Week's Audiobook Recommendation

by Melinda Rose

Becoming Bulletproof written and read by Evy Poumpouras

I received this as an advanced listening copy, and it stood out to me because you don't see many women in this author's line of work, and I thought it would be an interesting perspective.  Evy was a secret service agent through several administrations, and interweaves her experiences in the field with how the skills she learned can be applied to everyday life.  It's a memoir with lots of practical advice.  Some may call it a self-help book, but it's more personal than that.
Evy starts off with her story of September 11, 2001.  She was at the federal offices of the World Trade Center when the towers were hit.  She talks about the people she helped, the people who helped her, and what it means to be someone who runs back into a burning, collapsing building.
And it goes from there, talking about finding strength in difficult situations, and how to be prepared for whatever life throws your way.  I found her story intriguing and the information useful.
There's bonus content for the audiobook only; conversations between her and her husband after each major section.  The dynamic is endearing, and it gives her a chance to go a little deeper into some aspects of her story.  I really appreciate it when authors take advantage of working in a different medium.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to work in the security business, or are interested in learning how to move through the world with more strength and confidence, this is the listen for you.

https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781797100470-becoming-bulletproof?bookstore=borderlands

Upcoming Event - N.K. Jemisin and Rebecca Roanhorse

N.K. Jemisin and Rebecca Roanhorse read and chat, hosted by Maggie Tokuda-Hall -- a virtual event to benefit Borderlands Books, thanks to Charlie Jane Anders and the wonderful I Love Bookstores Folks! Wednesday, May 27th at 12:00 pm PST  - We Love Bookstores is the brain-child of our friend Charlie Jane Anders, the author of The City In The Middle Of The Night, and was set up in response to concerns about the effects of the economic shut-down on Bay Area bookstores.  They're doing weekly events on Zoom and each event benefits a specific bookstore.  The two best parts of these events is that We Love Bookstores does all the work and all the proceeds from the ticket sales go to the specified bookstore.  It's a wonderful and completely spontaneous "happening" (in the very much 60's sense of the word) and we're just speechless with gratitude for what they're doing.

The event that they're doing to benefit Borderlands is on May 27th and will feature N.K. Jemisin, Hugo Award winning author of The City We Became, and Rebecca Roanhorse, Hugo and Nebula Award winning author of Trail Of Lightening, in conversation, hosted by Maggie Tokuda-Hall.  This promises to be a really wonderful exchange between two hugely influential modern writers in our field and one super-talented up-and-comer!  You can get tickets here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nk-jemisin-and-rebecca-roanhorse-for-borderlands-books-tickets-103364449852

(Given the current circumstances, all of our in-person events have been cancelled indefinitely.  We'll let you know as soon as it's safe to restart them!)