ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER

DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER

Events and News from Borderlands Books

August, 2006

Chapter One - Event Information, News, and Special Feature

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Group Meeting, Thursday, August 10th at 6:00 pm

Mark Budz, IDOLON (Bantam), Saturday, August 12th at 1:00 pm

David Thomas Lord, BOUND IN FLESH (Kensington), Saturday, August 12th at 3:00 pm

Adrianne Ambrose, with special guest artist Ted Naifeh, CONFESSIONS OF A VIRGIN SACRIFICE (Dailey Swan Publishing), Sunday, August 13th at 3:00 pm

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Group Meeting, Thursday, August 24th at 6:00 pm

Robin Hobb, FOREST MAGE (Eos), Wednesday, September 6th at 7:00 pm

Borderlands and Variety Children's Charity present a science fiction triple feature - "Flash Gordon," "Natural City," and "Garuda" - at Variety's Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street, Thursday, September 7th at 7:00 pm

Ray Garton, LIVE GIRLS (Leisure), Saturday, September 9th at 3:00 pm

Marcus Ewert, Susan Marie Groppi, and Tim Pratt, TWENTY EPICS (All Star Stories) - Sunday, September 17th at 3:00 pm

Tachyon Publications Anniversary Party - Saturday, September 23rd from 2:00 - 6:00 pm

Alexandra Sokoloff, THE HARROWING (St. Martins), Wednesday, October 4th at 7:00 pm

Kage Baker, DARK MONDAYS (Night Shade Books) and THE MACHINE'S CHILD (Tor), Saturday, October 7th at 3:00 pm

Glen Hirshberg, AMERICAN MORONS (Earthling Publications), Saturday, October 7th at 5:00 pm

Batya Weinbaum PhD. and Ardys De Lu, "Femspec Magazine," Wednesday, October 18th at 7:00 pm

(for more information check the end of this section)

News

*The winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for 2006 have been announced!  In case you're not familliar with this august contest, (whose results are announced in July) their website explains it succinctly: "An international literary parody contest, the competition honors the memory (if not the reputation) of Victorian novelist Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873).  The goal of the contest is the essence of simplicity: entrants are challenged to submit bad opening sentences to imaginary novels."  This year's winner was submitted by Jim Guigli of Carmichael, CA: "Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open to reveal a woman whose body said you've had your last burrito for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean."  For more startlingly bad opening lines, visit <http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2006.htm>.

*A slew of news from World Horror 2007, thanks to Stephen Jones:
"Over the past couple of months, World Horror Convention 2007 has added many new pages to its website <http://www.whc2007.org>.
These updates include:
- An article about zombie movies and a zombie short story by co-Guest of Honour Nancy Kilpatrick.
- A new article about the attraction of Hallowe'en and a dark alien
abduction story by Special Publisher Guest of Honour Peter Crowther.
- Voting information with a direct link for the World Horror Convention 2007 Grand Master Award.
- Lots, lots, more!  For more information, please contact: AMANDA FOUBISTER - Chairperson / Hotel Liaison <amanda@whc2007.org>

*Penknife Press is holding its first annual Short Story Writing Contest.  For Complete rules and details, see <http://www.penknifepress.com/>

* Eos Books now has a blog!  Follow the adventures of Harper Collins' science fiction and fantasy imprint here: <http://www.outofthiseos.com>

* We received the following info from Tor Books: "Sam Raimi, best known as the director of the hugely successful SPIDER-MAN and SPIDER-MAN II films, and his producing partner Joshua Donen, have optioned film rights for Terry Goodkind's enormously popular bestselling SWORD OF TRUTH adventure series, published by Tor Books.

Having been approached by Hollywood a number of times over the past decade, Goodkind was never convinced that his 400,000 word bestselling novels could be successfully compressed into worthwhile feature films.  In a meeting at the author's home, the renowned director and producer instead conceived of a groundbreaking mini-series.  Within two hours Goodkind was sold on the concept and negotiations commenced.  Ten months later the deal was finally concluded. 'It's a dream come true to work with someone of such remarkable vision, talent, and ability,' Goodkind said. 'Given Sam's sincere love for these stories and his determination to only make great films, this mini-series will be a watershed event.'"

* We've just found out that Cheryl Morgan's awesome Emerald City <http://www.emcit.com/> webzine will be ceasing publication.  We are very sorry to hear this, but we hope it will free Cheryl up to pursue other worthwhile activities.

From The Office

Last month I promised that I would stop being such a flake and write something interesting for this column.  It's still pretty busy around here and so I'm going to cheat, but only a little.  What follows is an article I wrote for Locus magazine a few issues ago.  I suspect that many of you don't read Locus and so I hope that this will be new to you.  But, there's more -- I was also interviewed recently by SF Signal.  If you're curious about some of Borderlands' history (at least the history that won't get me arrested) and some of what goes on behind the scenes, check out <http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/004113.html>.

I hope to see many of you at the World SF Convention in a few weeks but if I don't, I'll talk to you next month.

Best,
Alan

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Horror is typically considered a genre of fiction in much the same way as science fiction or mystery.  At Borderlands Books we describe our stock as "science fiction, fantasy and horror," a decision that I made over nine years ago when the store opened.  It was based on the way that I perceived the position of horror relative to other fiction genres.

However, while considering the horror genre for this article I looked at some phenomena that caused me to question my definition of horror and its place relative to other fiction genres.  A common (and wildly inaccurate) way that we explain our sections at Borderlands is thus, "If the story takes place on a space ship, it's SF. If it's about a vampire, it's horror.  And if there's a vampire on a space ship, it's still horror."  But vampires are no longer the sole property of horror.  They appear in fantasy, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and other less defined genres and sub-genres.  Granted, some of these genres and sub-genres are merely the creation of marketing departments.  But, the fact remains that there are plenty of works that feature vampires but which really don't fall within what could even be loosely called "horror".

It would be reasonable at this point to define what "horror" means.  But, right now, those waters are too deep and far too full of bigger fish than I for the prospect of diving in to have any appeal.   However, I will define what I believe is not horror – fiction that lacks any attempt on the part of the writer to scare, disturb, or invoke fear in the reader and also fails to accomplish any of these things for the reader could safely be considered "not-horror".  Furthermore, there are works in which the main focus is not to invoke fear or horror, though they may do so in some or even many readers.  I would say these works, though perhaps failing to qualify as "not-horror", are still not in the same class as a work in which one of the primary goals is to frighten the reader.

If vampires (not to mention werewolves, ghosts, and all sorts of other supernatural beasties) can feature in fiction that is "not-horror" then they can't really be considered the sole property of the horror genre. And, conversely, the presence of a vampire is not a sure test of whether a piece of fiction is horror.  So, obviously I need to reconsider our shelving rules.  But, darn it, all the fiction with vampires in it really belongs in the same section, if for no other reason than because people who want to read about vampires will buy books which are meant to be scary as well as books that aren't.  Likewise, the books with werewolves and ghosts and things-under-the-bed all belong in the same place too because they appeal to the same group of readers; and that group is typically not interested in reading SF or fantasy.

But what is that section called, then, if "horror" really doesn't fit?

And, if horror only encompasses a fraction of the work in that section, then is horror really a genre on par with fantasy, westerns, science fiction, mystery, and so on?  I'm starting to think that it isn't.  Perhaps Horror is actually a sub-genre that appears within other, larger genres like SF (for example, Ellison's "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream"), mystery (Harris' Red Dragon), and fantasy (Gaiman's Sandman series)?

Furthermore, if one considers horror as a sub-genre it goes a long way towards explaining the boom-and-bust cycle in sales over the past 20 to 25 years.  Other fiction genres tend to have relatively stable sales.  There may be modest swings up and down or there may be slow ebbs and swells but the movements are either small or spread out over considerable time.  This is probably due to the range of material within the genres.  There may be popular trends (like "cyberpunk" in SF in the 80s or the current crop of "post-singularity" SF) that spend their time on top and then slide, sometimes quite quickly, into cliché but the genre overall is relatively stable due to its diversity.  Horror, however, has had an extreme cycle going from hugely popular and profitable in the 80s to profoundly impoverished in the 90s (so much so that it almost vanished except for best-selling authors and the small press) and now it seems to be making a comeback.  But if one takes a step back and considers all fiction that falls into the vampire, ghost, and demon genre, the sales and popularity are much more stable.

If horror is not a genre but a sub-genre, then to what genre do the vampires, ghosts, and demons belong?

We're in the process of changing the logo at Borderlands.  I'm very seriously considering changing our tag-line as well - "Welcome to Borderlands -- San Francisco's home for Science Fiction, Fantasy and the Supernatural."

Top Sellers At Borderlands

Hardcovers
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Gold Falcon by Katharine Kerr
3) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
4) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
5) Dark Mondays by Kage Baker
6) Widdershins by Charles de Lint
7) River of Gods by Ian McDonald
8) Take the Long Way Home by Brian Keene
9) How We Got Insipid by Johnathan Lethem
10) Sense of the Past: The Ghostly Stories of Henry James by Henry James

Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
3) Brass Man by Neal Asher
4) Melusine by Sarah Monette
5) Accelerando by Charles Stross
6) Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder
7) Olympos by Dan Simmons
8) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) Crimson Sword by Eldon Thompson

Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
4) The Engineer Reconditioned by Neal Asher
5) Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
              tie
     The Year's Best Science Fiction vol. 23, edited by Gardner Dozois

Notes From a DVD Geek

Welcome once again the wonderful world of cool movies.  This month I'll be talking about some of my all-time favorite weird gems of genre cinema.  First up is Cemetery Man, starring Rupert Everett.  (Yes, that Rupert Everett.)  He got his start in an Italian zombie movie.  He tends to keep Cemetery Man (AKA Dellamorte Dellamore) off of his resume.  Which is kind of silly, because its easily one of the best existential zombie love stories every told.

Cemetery Man is directed by Italian Michele Soavi, who got his start being a second unit and assistant director for such greats as Argento, Fulchi, Umberto Bava, and Terry Gilliam.  Soavi's singular and unique vision reached its apogee in Cemetery Man, but you can catch flashes of brilliance in some of his earlier work, such as The Church, The Sect, and Stagefright.  Soavi retreated from the film industry in the mid 1990s to care for his ailing son, but, in recent years, he has begun working once more in Italian television (Una Bianca was a TV-miniseries/cop/crime thriller that is now on DVD), and he was the second unit director on Terry Gilliam's flawed, yet strangely interesting film, The Brothers Grimm.

Speaking of Terry Gilliam, if you were disappointed by The Brothers Grimm, go seek out his four most successful and entertaining films; Twelve Monkeys (1995), The Fisher King (1991), The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), and Time Bandits (1981).  Oh, and that little movie called Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was pretty fun too.  For most directors, the above accomplishments would constitute an incredible body of work.  For Gilliam, they are just the high points AFTER he left the Monty Python troop.

Moving back to the realm of the super-obscure, two films that I have fallen in love with after catching them at film-festivals and special screenings in San Francisco have recently found their way to DVD. 

First is a surreal Greek exploitation/horror/noir film called Singapore Sling (1990).  This one is pretty disturbing, in unconventional ways, and will pretty much melt your head.  You've probably never heard of the director, Nikos Nikolaidis, and sadly none of his other films have been translated to English, or made available on DVD.  But the summaries of the films on IMDB are strangely alluring, and I hope Singapore Sling finds enough of an audience to merit more English language releases of his work.  In particular, The Zero Years (2005) sounds like it could be pretty cool:  "Four women, barren, under surveillance and continuous toxic control, are serving their term in a government run brothel."

The other movie that I've been waiting for is Blood (2000), directed by Charly Cantor.  This SF-cum-horror film focuses on a doctor who is haunted by his participation in a genetic engineering experiment.  The lab he works for created a girl whose blood is an addictive drug.  Years later, the teenage girl is a prisoner in the basement of some former employees/scientists turned junkies.  The doctor breaks her out of her prison, and brings her into his own household, with his wife and young son.  His attempts to provide the girl with a normal environment to live in end up failing in spectacular ways.  The story, acting and daring visual imagery of this one all come together nicely, creating an experience you aren't likely to forget.

Leaving Europe and heading over to Asia, Director Shinya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo: Iron Man, Tetsuo II: Bodyhammer) made a beautiful weird tale of sibling rivalry and murder, set in turn-of-the-century Japan, called Gemini, back in 1999.  I caught this one at the San Francisco Asian International Film Festival about five years ago, and was totally blown away.  Tsukamoto is definitely one of the important directors in contemporary Japanese cinema, and not just a flash-in-the-pan cult filmmaker.  And now you can finally check out this sumptuous film on DVD.

Finally, one of the best "last man on earth" films ever made was just re-released on DVD.  The Quiet Earth, from 1985, is a lost gem, featuring a stunning performance by New Zealand cult actor Bruno Lawrence, who is seemingly left alone on the planet after a government experiment goes awry.  This movie is a smart, wry, wonderful story, and the director has a ton of sly winks to other "last man on earth" movies hidden in the mix.  If you've never had the pleasure of seeing this one, be sure to check it out.

I'll have more movies to tell you about next month.  Until then, keep watching the movies, and let me know if there's something we should have in stock, but don't.

-Jeremy Lassen
jlassen@borderlands-books.com

Book Club Info

The Gay Men's Book Club will meet on Sunday, August 13th, at 5 pm to discuss TIME GYPSY by Ellen Klages.  Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.

The Classic Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, August 20th, at 6 pm to discuss EXCESSION by Iain M. Banks.  The book for September is A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ by Walter M. Miller, Jr.  Please contact Jude at jfeldman@borderlands-books.com for more information.

Upcoming Event Details

Thursday, August 10th at 6:00 pm - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Group Meeting - Contact Jade Livingston at sfscifi@yahoo.com for more information about this writers' group, which  meets at Borderlands the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:00 pm.

Saturday, August 12th at 1:00 pm: Mark Budz, IDOLON (Bantam Spectra) -  Borderlands is glad to welcome back Mark Budz, the Norton Award winning author of CLADE.  From the author's site: "[IDOLON] is a departure from the biopunk future of CLADE and CRACHE, and uses programmable matter to explore the affect of image on identity in a mass-mediated society.  Electronic skin – a membrane woven out of nanoscopic semiconducting threads – makes it possible for anybody to digitally 'philm' himself or herself to look like someone else.  This is done by downloading images from movies, video games, or any other digitized media.  It's a world where people can be anyone they want to be, where they pray that the change is more than skin deep, where they philm themselves to be part of a certain 'cast,' and where appearance says as much about who they are as what they are."  Join us to meet Mark and find out more about this fascinating novel.

Saturday, August 12th at 3:00 pm: David Thomas Lord, BOUND IN FLESH (Kensington) -  From the book jacket: "Art critic Jean-Luc 'Jack' Courbet and aspiring actor and model Claude Halloran have a wicked secret, one that has cost many their lives -- they are vampires.  Jack was transformed a century ago by his stepfather and he himself turned his lover Claude into a creature of the night.  From New York to Paris to Las Vegas they roam the nightclubs and streets, prowling for the men who will satisfy their desires and their hunger, and creating legions of followers who worship them -- even beyond the grave.
But one of their creations is not so helpless.  In ex-cop Mike O'Donald, Jack has mistakenly created a new type of vampire, one with a thirst for revenge -- and a powerful ally who can teach him the secrets of Tantric sex magic.  As flesh and fantasy become inseparable, Jack and Claude's fiendishly depraved empire terrorizes Sin City, and only Mike, with his new powers, stands a chance of saving the helpless from a fate far worse than death."  Nicholas Cook from the Alternative Reality Web Zine says "BOUND IN FLESH, the second installment in Lord's epic vampire saga (reportedly a five book series), raises him to the zenith of the modern vampire fiction mountain. This may be one of the most inventive takes on the classical vampire archetype I've read in many years."  Read the complete review here: <http://www.arwz.com/zinereviewNIC5.html>
 Don't miss this chance to meet David and hear him read!

Sunday, August 13th at 3:00pm: Adrianne Ambrose, CONFESSIONS OF A VIRGIN SACRIFICE, with special guest, cover artist Ted Naifeh (Dailey Swan) - Sound the alarm!  Saddle the horses!  Wake up the Village Elders!  The Sacrificial Virgin has escaped!  Jezebelle's voluptuous cousin Diz is slated for a sacrificial swan dive into the local volcano.  Not if Jez can help it!  She plots to rescue her cousin and find an eager candidate to 'disqualify' Diz from being this year's Virgin Sacrifice.  But, things go horribly wrong, and now the gals are on the run, with the furious Village Elders in hot pursuit!  Join us to meet Adrianne Ambrose and enjoy this fantasy parody romp.  Special guest, COURTNEY CRUMRIN and GLOOMCOOKIE artist Ted Naifeh will also be in attendance!

Thursday, August 24th at 6:00 pm - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Group Meeting - Contact Jade Livingston at sfscifi@yahoo.com for more information about this writers' group, which  meets at Borderlands the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:00 pm.

Thursday, September 7th at 7:00 pm: Borderlands and Variety Children's Charity present a science fiction triple feature, featuring a "midnight Monster Movie" from Thailand, at Variety's Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street - "Flash Gordon" (1980) Directed by Mike Hodges;  111 Minutes (you know... the one with the Queen Soundtrack), "Natural City" (2003, Korea) Directed by Byung-chun Min; 114 Minutes ("A Korean Blade Runner") 9:15pm SHARP start time, and "Garuda"  (2004, Thailand)  Directed by Monthon Arayangkoon; 112 minutes (a Thai "giant monster movie" with modern effects and big budget) 11:15 SHARP start time.  The screenings will take place at Variety's Preview Room, located in The Hobart Building, 582 Market Street @ Montgomery, San Francisco.  Doors open at 6:30 pm and the first movie starts at 7:00 pm.  There will be short intermissions between the films.  Seating is limited and seats are available on a first-come, first seated basis, so arrive early!  Refreshments will be available for purchase, and your purchase benefits Variety Children's Charity of Northern California, a non-profit organization that supports children in local communities who are dealing with poverty, neglect, violence, and physical disabilities.  This will be our last "first Thursday" movie for this year, but we will continue to do frequent screenings and festivals on an irregular schedule -- watch this space for updates!  For more information about upcoming movies, write movies@borderlands-books.com.  For more information on Variety Children's Charity, see their web site at  <http://www.varietync.org/> or write sffilmvariety@yahoo.com.

Wednesday, September 6th at 7:00 pm: Robin Hobb, FOREST MAGE (Eos) - From the book jacket: "The prestigious King's Cavalla of Gernia has been ravaged by the Speck plague. The deadly disease has decimated the ranks of both cadets and instructors, and the few survivors remain weak and frail. Many have been forced to relinquish their military ambi-tions and will return to their families to face lives of dependency and disappointment.
As the academy infirmary empties, cadet Nevare Burvelle also prepares to journey home. But far from being a broken man, Nevare has made an aston-ishingly robust recovery from the Speck plague. Furthermore, while in the grip of the plague, he defeated his Speck nemesis, freeing himself, he believes, from the Speck magic that infected him. As he begins the journey to his ancestral home of Widevale, he is in high spirits, expecting a jubilant homecoming, a tender reunion with his beautiful fiancée, Carsina, and a bright future as a com-missioned officer.
Yet back in the shelter of his family, Nevare finds his nights still haunted by visions of his Speck self betraying everything he holds dear in his waking life, and his days tormented by a rare side effect of the Speck plague that shames his family-and repulses Carsina. Though he expected to slip back into his family fold effortlessly, Nevare finds himself instead caught between the sensual, enchanting realm of the Specks and his own ancestry, the world he has always known.
And then the magic in Nevare's blood  -- magic that he thought he had destroyed -- roars to life, and he realizes that his most dangerous enemy, an enemy that seeks to destroy all he loves, might dwell within him. . . ."  Join us to meet famous fantasist Robin Hobb and enjoy the thrilling follow up to SHAMAN'S CROSSING!

Saturday, September 9th at 3:00 pm: Ray Garton, LIVE GIRLS (Leisure) - From the new cover copy: "The garish neon lights of New York City’s Times Square can be very seductive.  And so can the promises of dark pleasures on the seedier side streets.  To Davey Owen, the lure of a glowing sign advertising 'Live Girls' is too hard to resist.  He was looking for a little entertainment.  He finds instead a nightmare in the form of a beautiful but strangely pale woman.  A woman who offers him passion, ecstasy—and eternal life—but takes in exchange his lifeblood and his very soul."  LIVE GIRLS is a vampire classic, but it also a skillful, beautiful and terrible look at sexuality and obsession in the shabby world of 1980's Times Square.  Meet Ray Garton and celebrate the paperback re-release of the book that made him famous!

Sunday, September 17th at 3:00 pm: Marcus Ewert, Susan Marie Groppi, and Tim Pratt, TWENTY EPICS (All Star Stories) - " Epics have lost their charm. There was a time when you finished an epic. When an epic left you feeling not discontent and exhausted, but joyous, melancholy, rejuvenated, satisfied — left you feeling that you were a better person for the experience.
TWENTY EPICS will bring that feeling back.
In ten thousand words or less."  Join us to meet editor Susan Marie Groppi and contributors Marcus Ewert and Tim Pratt, and explore this thrilling new book!

Saturday, September 23rd from 2:00 - 6:00 pm - Tachyon Publications Anniversary Party - Details TBA.

Wednesday, October 4th at 7:00 pm: Alexandra Sokoloff, THE HARROWING (St. Martins) - Just in time for Halloween, Borderlands is glad to host Ms. Sokoloff, whose horror novel has received raves from Ira Levin and F. Paul Wilson!

Saturday, October 7th at 3:00 pm: Kage Baker, DARK MONDAYS (Nightshade Books) and THE MACHINE'S CHILD (Tor) - Kage Baker has not one but two fabulous books coming out!  DARK MONDAYS is a bittersweet collection of stories in which (Publisher's Weekly says) "the supernatural matter-of-factly touches the shabby lives of people in small, isolated towns, providing resolution and revelation."  THE MACHINE'S CHILD is the next Company book, picking up where CHILDREN OF THE COMPANY left off.  It is impossible to describe without spoilers, so we'll just say that the unlikely cavalry heads off to rescue Mendoza from her exile, and then. . .darnnit, you'll just have to read the book!  Come chat with Kage and find out what is next in store for this talented author and her poor, benighted characters.

Saturday, October 7th at 5:00 pm: Glen Hirshberg, AMERICAN MORONS (Earthling Publications) - "From the author of the acclaimed novel THE SNOWMAN'S CHILDREN and the award-winning collection THE TWO SAMS comes American Morons, a new collection of dazzling and haunting tales...
Two traveling college students confront their disintegrating relationship and the new American reality in a breakdown lane along the Italian Superstrade. A woman chases the ghost of her neglectful father to a vanished amusement park at the end of the Long Beach pier. Two recently retired teachers learn just how much Los Angeles has taken from them.
In these atmospheric, wide-ranging, surprisingly playful, and deeply mournful stories, grandkids and widows, ice cream-truck drivers and judges, travelers and invalids all discover — and sometimes even survive — the everyday losses from which the most vengeful ghosts so often spring." 

Wednesday, October 18th at 7:00 pm: Batya Weinbaum PhD. and Ardys De Lu, "Femspec Magazine" -  "Femspec is an interdisciplinary feminist journal dedicated to critical and creative works in the realms of SF, fantasy, magical realism, surrealism, myth, folklore, and other supernatural genres."  Articles in the current issue include "The Consequences of Disney Anthropomorphism," "Sex and the Single Starship Captain: Compulsory Heterosexuality and Star Trek: Voyager," and others, plus fiction, poetry and book reviews.  Join us to meet editor Batya Weinbaum and previous contributor Ardys De Lu and learn about this groundbreaking periodical; its origins, current activities and its future.  For more detailed information, visit Femspec's website at <http://www.femspec.org/index.html>. 

Borderlands event policy - all events are free of charge.  You are welcome to bring copies of an author's books purchased elsewhere to be autographed (but we do appreciate it if you purchase something while at the event).  For most events you are welcome to bring as many books as you wish for autographs.  If you are unable to attend the event we will be happy to have a copy of the author's books signed or inscribed for you.  We can then either hold it until you can come in to pick it up or we can ship it to you.  Just give us a call or drop us an email.  If you live out of town, you can also ship us books from your collection to be signed.  Call or email for details.

Chapter Two - Book Listings

Small Press Features

Miscellaneous Material:

Master of Adventure - The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs by Richard A. Lupoff (Bison Books, Trade Paperback, $16.95)

Horror:

The Face That Must Die by Ramsey Campbell (Millipede Press, Hardcover, $60.00, and Trade Paperback, $14.00) - The hardcovers are limited to 300 signed and numbered copies.  Introduction by Poppy Z. Brite.

World of Hurt by Brian Hodge (Earthling Publications, Hardcover, $40.00) - One of 500 signed and numbered limited edition copies.  Foreword by Stephen Jones.  Introduction by Brian Keene.

Retro Pulp Tales edited by Joe R. Lansdale (Subterranean, Hardcover, $65.00) - One of 250 signed and numbered copies.

Sinister Purposes by Gary Raisor (Cemetery Dance, Hardcover, $40.00) - One of 750 signed and numbered limited edition copies

Some of Your Blood by Theodore Sturgeon (Millipede Press, Hardcover, $50.00, and Trade Paperback, $12.00) - The hardcover is limited to 300 signed and numbered copies.  Introduction by Steve Rasnec Tem.

Dark Corners by Stephen Volk (Gray Friar Press, Hardcover, $38.50, and Trade Paperback, $15.00) -  The hardcover is a signed limited edition.  Introduction by Tim Lebbon.

Nightworld by F. Paul Wilson (Borderlands Press , Hardcover, $60.00) - One of 1000 signed and numbered limited edition copies.

Hardboiled Cthulhu by James Ambuehl (Elder Signs Press, Trade Paperback, $17.95)

Revenants by Paul Feval (Black Coat Press, Trade Paperback, $22.95) - Translated, annotated and introduced by Brian Stableford.

Cellers by John Shirley (Infrapress, Trade Paperback, $15.95) - With an introduction by Edward Lee.

The Wayward Muse by Brian M. Stableford (Black Coat Press, Trade Paperback, $20.95) - Translated, annotated and introduced by Brian Stableford.

Tales of The Chinese Zodiac by Jenn Reese (Tropism Press, Chapbook, $5.00)

Strange Birds by Gene Wolfe (DreamHaven, Chapbook, $10.00) - Inspired by the artworks of Lisa Snellings-Clark.  One of 1000 copies.

Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Fain The Socercer by Steve Aylett (PS Publishing, Hardcover, $45.00 and Trade Paperback, $18.00) - Introduction by Alan Moore.  The hardcover is limited to 300 signed and numbered copies, the trade paperback is limited to 500 signed and numbered copies.

Streetcar Dreams and Other Midnight Fancies by Riichard Bowes (PS Publishing, Hardcover, $90.00) - One of 200 signed and numbered slipcased copies.  Introduction by Jeffrey Ford.

Harp of the Grey Rose by Charles de Lint (Subterranean, Hardcover, $40.00) - One of 750 signed and numbered limited edition copies.

The Cunning Blood by Jeff Duntemann (ISFiC Press, Hardcover, $28.00)

How We Got Insipid by Jonathan Lethem (Subterranean, Hardcover, $35.00)

Three Days To Never by Tim Powers (Subterranean, Hardcover, $80.00) - One of 474 signed and numbered limited edition copies. Illustrated by J.K. Potter.  Comes with a poetry chapbook insert.

The Butterflies of Memory by Ian Watson (PS Publishing, Hardcover, $90.00) - One of 200 signed and numbered slipcased editions.  Introduction by Paul McAuley.

The Butterflies of Memory by Ian Watson (PS Publishing, Hardcover, $45.00) - One of 500 signed and numbered copies. Introduction by Paul McAuley.

Wart by Bryan Kring (Kring, Other Softcover, $10.00) - 4” x 4” chapbook.

Peephole by Bryan Kring (Kring, Other Softcover, $10.00) - 4” x 4” chapbook.

Fantasy: The Best of the Year 2006 edited by Rich Horton (Prime Books, Trade Paperback, $13.95)

Feeling Very Strange: The Slipstream Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel (Tachyon, Trade Paperback, $14.95)

Sacred Locomotive Flies by Richard A. Lupoff (Cosmos Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99)

An Exchange of Gifts by Anne McCaffrey (Wildside Press, Trade Paperback, $10.00) 

New and Notable

Nonfiction, etc:

Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting Published by Sheree Bykofsky (Alpha, Oversized Softcover, $19.95)

To Write Like a Woman: Essays in Feminism and Science Fiction by Joanna Russ (Indiana University Press, Trade Paperback, $17.08)
 
Horror:

House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski (Pantheon, Hardcover, $45.00) - Remastered full-color edition

The Next by Dav Vining (Berkley, Hardcover, $23.95)

Thelonius Monster’s Sky-High Fly Pile - A Revolting Rhyme by Judy Sierra (Knopf, Oversized Hardcover, $16.95) - Illustrated by Edward Koren

Bound in Flesh by David Thomas Lord (Kensington, Trade Paperback, $14.00) - See event description above.

High Stakes by Erin McCarthy (Berkley, Trade Paperback, $13.00)

Dark Water by Koji Suzuki (Vertical, Trade Paperback, $13.95)

Live Girls by Ray Garton (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99)

The Blood Books Volume 2 by Tanya Huff (DAW , Mass Market, $7.99) - BLOOD LINES and BLOOD PACT in one omnibus volume.

The Burning by Bentley Little (Signet, Mass Market, $7.99)

Seduced by the Night by Robin T. Popp (Warner, Mass Market, $6.50)

Rapture by Thomas Tessier (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99)

The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson (Tor, Mass Market, $4.99) - Author’s definitive edition.

Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Of Fire and Night - Saga of the Seven Suns vol. 5 by Kevin J. Anderson (Aspect, Hardcover, $25.99)

Chance Fortune and the Outlaws - Chance Fortune vol. 1 by Shane Berryhill (Starscape, Hardcover, $17.95)

The Year’s Best Science Fiction - vol. 23 edited by Gardner Dozois (St. Martin's, Hardcover, $35.00)

Phantom by Terry Goodkind (Tor, Hardcover, $29.95)

A Separate War and Other Stories by Joe Haldeman (Ace, Hardcover, $23.95)

The Space Opera Renaissance edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer (Tor, Hardcover, $39.95)

Half Life by Shelley Jackson (HarperCollins, Hardcover, $24.95)

The Blood Knight - Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone vol. 3 by Greg Keyes (Ballantine, Hardcover, $25.95)

Warrior in the Wilderness - The Guin Saga vol. 2 by Kaoru Kurimoto (Vertical, Hardcover, $22.95) - Translated by Alexander O. Smith with Elye J. Alexander

When Darkness Falls - Obsidian Trilogy vol. 3 by Mercedes Lackey (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95)

White Time by Margo Lanagan (Eos, Hardcover, $15.99)

Sorcerer’s Moon - Boreal Moon vol. 3 by Julian May (Ace, Hardcover, $25.95)

Dragon’s Fire by Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey (Del Rey, Hardcover, $24.95)

The Tourmaline by Paul Park (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95) - Sequel to A PRINCESS OF ROUMANIA

Mistborn: The Final Empire - Mistborn vol. 1 by Brandon Sanderson (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95)

Settling Accounts: The Grapple - Settling Accounts vol. 3 by Harry Turtledove (Del Rey, Hardcover, $26.95)

Dragon’s Tongue by Laura J. Underwood (Meisha Merlin, Hardcover, $25.95)

Troll Bridge: A Rock ‘N’ Roll Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple (Starscape, Hardcover, $16.95)

Pirateology - A Pirate Hunter’s Companion by Captain William Lubber (Candlewick Press, Oversized Hardcover, $19.99)

Echelon by Josh Conviser (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $13.95)

Shadowed by Wings - Dragon Temple Saga vol. 2 by Janine Cross (Roc, Trade Paperback, $14.00)

Vintage PKD by Philip K. Dick (Vintage, Trade Paperback, $11.95)

The Year’s Best Science Fiction - vol. 23 edited by Gardner Dozois (St. Martin's, Trade Paperback, $19.95)

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde (Penguin, Trade Paperback, $14.00)

Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost by Cornelia Funke (Scholastic, Trade Paperback, $4.99)

Rainbow Bridge by Gwyneth Jones (Gollancz, Trade Paperback, $25.68)

Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko (Hyperion, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - Translated from Russian by Andrew Bromfield.

House of Storms by Ian R. Macleod (Ace, Trade Paperback, $14.00)

Only You Can Save Mankind - Johnny Maxwell vol. 1 by Terry Patchett (HarperCollins, Trade Paperback, $5.99)

Dragonknight by Donita K. Paul (WaterBrook Press, Trade Paperback, $13.99)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Harry Potter vol. 6 by J.K. Rowling (Scholastic, Trade Paperback, $9.99)

Crossover by Joel Shepherd (Pyr, Trade Paperback, $15.00)

The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks (Vintage, Trade Paperback, $13.95)

Captive Moon by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp (Tor, Mass Market, $6.99)

Sunrise Alley by Catherine Asaro (Baen, Mass Market, $7.99)

Phule’s Errand by Robert Aspirin and Peter J. Heck (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99)

The Children of The Company - Company, vol. 5 by Kage Baker (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

Transcendent - Destiny’s Children vol. 3 by Stephen Baxter (Del Rey, Mass Market, $7.99)

Idolon by Mark Budz (Bantam Spectra, Mass Market, $6.99)

Bloodstone - Trickster’s Game vol. 2 by Barbara Campbell (DAW , Mass Market, $7.99)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

Princess at Sea by Dawn Cook (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99)

Touched by Venom - Dragon Temple Saga vol. 1 by Janine Cross (Roc, Mass Market, $6.99)

The Crippled Angel - Crucible vol. 3 by Sara Douglass (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

Crystal Gorge - The Dreamers vol. 3 by David Eddings (Warner, Mass Market, $7.99)

Memories of Ice - Malazan vol. 3 by Steven Erikson (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

The Rats, the Bats, and the Ugly by Dave Freer (Baen, Mass Market, $7.99)

Slaves of the Volcano God - Cineverse Cycle vol. 1 by Craig Shaw Gardner (Ace, Mass Market, $6.99)

Old Twentieth by Joe Haldeman (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99)

Freedom’s Sisters - Dead Rivers vol. 3 by Naomi Kritzer (Bantam Spectra, Mass Market, $6.99)

The Magic Toybox edited by Denise Little (DAW , Mass Market, $7.99)

WebMage by Kelly McCullough (Ace, Mass Market, $6.99)

Southern Fire by Juliet E. McKenna (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

The Eternity Artifact by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

Across the Wall - A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories by Garth Nix (Eos, Mass Market, $7.99)

Olympos by Dan Simmons (Eos, Mass Market, $7.99)

End of the Beginning by Harry Turtledove (Roc, Mass Market, $7.99)

The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks (Vintage, Mass Market, $6.99)

Gate of Gods - Fall Of Ile-Rien vol. 3 by Martha Wells (Eos, Mass Market, $7.99)

New and Notable DVDs

The 300 Spartans directed by Rudy Mate (Twentieth Century Fox, DVD, $12.98)

Akira directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (Geneon, DVD, $19.98) - Anime

Alive: Directors Cut directed by Ryuhei Kiamura (Tokyo Shock, DVD, $29.95) - Japanese Horror/SF movie based on a Manga. From the director of Versus.

Angel Sanctuary directed by Kauri Yuki (U.S. Manga, DVD, $29.95) - Anime

Apple Seed directed by Shinji Aramaki (Geneon, DVD, $19.98) - Anime

Arcadia of My Youth (Captain Harlock) directed by Katsumata Tomoharu (AnimeEigo, DVD, $24.98) - Anime; crated by Matsumoto Leiji;

Army of Darkness: Theatrical Cut directed by Sam Raimi (Universal Pictures, DVD, $14.99) - Starring Bruce Campbell.

Art of the Devil II directed by Kongiat Khomsiri (Tokyo Shock, DVD, $19.95)

Blood directed by Charly Cantor (The Asylum, DVD, $24.99)

Case of the Scorpions Tail directed by Sergio Martino (No Shame, DVD, $19.99)

Castle Freak directed by Stuart Gordon (Full Moon, DVD, $9.98)

Curse of the Demon / Night of the Demon directed by Jacques Tourneur (Tristar, DVD, $24.98)

Danger: Diabolik directed by Mario Bava (Paramount, DVD, $9.99)

Death Trance directed by Yoji Shimomura (Tokyo Shock, DVD, $19.95)

Dragonhead directed by Joiji Iida (Tokyo Shock, DVD, $29.95) - Japanese post Apacolyptic.

Final Fantasy VII: 2 Disk Special Edition directed by Teisuya Nomura (Sony Pictures, DVD, $26.96) - Anime

Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection directed by James Whale (Universal Pictures, DVD, $26.98)

Free Enterprise directed by Robert Meyer Burnett (Anchor Bay, DVD, $19.98)

Friday the 13th: From Crystal Lake to Manhattan directed by Sean S. Cunningham (Paramount, DVD, $79.99)

Full Metal Panic! The Complete Collection directed by Kôichi Chigira (ADV Films, DVD, $45.99)

GANTZ Vol. 1: Game of Death directed by Ichiroh Itano (ADV, DVD, $17.99) - Anime

Ghost in the Shell directed by Mamoru Oshi (Manga Video, DVD, $19.98) - Anime

Ghost In the Shell 2: Innocence directed by Mamoru Oshi (Dreamworks, DVD, $29.99) - Anime

Ghoulies / Ghoulies II directed by Luca Bercovici and Albert B(MGM, DVD, $14.98)

Hellsing: Eternal Damnation directed by Yasunori Urata (Geneon, DVD, $9.99)

Hills Have Eyes (2005) directed by Alexandre Aja (Twentieth Century Fox, DVD, $29.98) - Remake.

Homecoming directed by Joe Dante (Anchor Bay, DVD, $16.98) - Masters of Horror

Hostel directed by Eli Roth (Sony, DVD, $28.95) - Produced by Quentin Tarantio

Izo directed by Takashi Miike (Tokyo Shock, DVD, $29.95) - Japanese Horror / Fantasy

Jason X directed by Sean Cunningham (New Line, DVD, $12.99)

Jin-Roh: the Wolf Brigade directed by Mamoru Oshi and Hiroyuki Ohiura (Bndai, DVD, $19.98)

Kill, Baby, Kill directed by Mario Bava (Brentwood, DVD, $4.99)

Kingdom of Heaven - Director’s Cut directed by Ridley Scott (Twentieth Century Fox, DVD, $34.98) - Four Disk Director’s Cut.

Knight of the Avengers directed by Mario Bava (Image Entertainment, DVD, $24.98)

Koma directed by Lo Chi-Leung (Tartan Asia Extreme, DVD, $24.99) - Hong Kong director/film.

Land of the Dead directed by George A. Romero (Universal Pictures, DVD, $19.99)

Macross Plus: Movie Edition directed by Shoji Kawamori (Manga Video, DVD, $29.98) - Anime

Maetel Legend (Captain Herlock) directed by Reiji Matsumoto (US Manga, DVD, $9.95) - Anime

Magic directed by Richard Attenborough (Dark Sky Films , DVD, $19.98)

Metropolis directed by Osamu Tezuka (Tristar, DVD, $24.95) - Anime

Natural City directed by Byung-Cheon Min (Tartan Asia Extreme, DVD, $22.95) - Korean Science Fiction

Neo Tokyo directed by Masao Maruyama (ADV Films, DVD, $19.98) - Anime

Night Watch directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Twentieth Century Fox, DVD, $27.98)

Petite Cossette directed by Akiyuki Shinbo (Geneon, DVD, $29.98) - Anime

Post Apocalyptic Triple Feature: 1990: Bronx Warriors / 2019 After the Fall of New York / The New Barbarians directed by Enzo G. Castellari (Shriek Show, DVD, $19.95)

Pray directed by Yuichi Sato (Tartan Asia Extreme, DVD, $22.95) - Japanese Horror

R.O.D. Read Or Die directed by Kouji Masunari (Manga Video, DVD, $19.98) - Anime

Samurai X: The Motion Picture directed by Hatsuki Tsuji (ADV Films, DVD, $29.98)

Saw II directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (Lions Gate, DVD, $28.98)

Sick Girl directed by Lucky McKee (Anchor Bay, DVD, $16.98) - Masters of Horror

Sky High directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (Tokyo Shock, DVD, $29.95)

Steamboy directed by Katsuhro Otomo (Sony Pictures, DVD, $26.98)

Stir of Echoes directed by David Koepp (Artisan Entertainment, DVD, $9.98) - Based on the novel by Richard Matheson. Starring Kevin Bacon.

The First Power directed by Borbert Resnikoff (MGM, DVD, $14.98)

The Horror of Hammer directed by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (Image Entertainment, DVD, $24.98) - Documentary about Hammer Studios, and its horror movies

The Place Promised in Our Early Days directed by Makoto Shinkai (ADV Films, DVD, $29.99) - Anime

The Zombie Pack: Zombie 3 / Zombie 4: After Death / Zombie 5 Killing Birds directed by Lucio Fulci (Shriek Show, DVD, $19.95)

Tokyo Godfathers directed by Satoshi Kon (Tristar, DVD, $26.96) - Anime

Vampire Hunter D: Special Edition directed by Toyoo Ashida (Urban Vision, DVD, $29.95)

A Whisper in the Dark directed by Marcello Aliprandi (No Shame, DVD, $19.99)

Whisper of the Heart directed by Yoshifumi Kondo (Walt disney, DVD, $29.99) - Anime; A studio Ghibli production

Wishmaster / Wishmaster 2 directed by Robert Kurizman and Jack Sholder (Artisan Entertainment, DVD, $9.98)

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This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.

Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Jude Feldman
Assistant Editor - Alan Beatts

All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of

Borderlands Books
866 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA  94110
415-824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com

Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com

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