|
|
|
Site contents copyright
Borderlands
Books
unless
noted
otherwise.
All right reserved.
|
|
ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER
DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News from Borderlands Books
July, 2013
Chapter One - Event Information, News, and Special Features
Editor's Note - You may be aware that we have a blog where this newsletter also appears <http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/>.
At the end of major features in this newsletter you'll find permanent
links to the same item on our blog. These links can be convenient
if you want to send just a single article or if you'd like to link to it
from your website.
Upcoming Author Events
Simon Wood, NO SHOW (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $14.95) Saturday, July 13th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF (at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market
Street) with authors Nalo Hopkinson, Madeleine Robins and Deborah J.
Ross, Saturday, July 20th at 7:00 pm
Grania Davis, TREE OF LIFE, BOOK OF DEATH - THE TREASURES OF GRANIA
DAVIS (Ramble House, Trade Paperback) Sunday, July 21st from 4:00 - 6:00
pm
Max Gladstone, THREE PARTS DEAD (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99 and Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, July 27th at 3:00 pm
Sheldon Siegel, THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR (Poisoned Pen Press, Trade
Paperback $14.95 and Hardcover $24.95) Saturday, August 3rd at 3:00 pm
(for more information check the end of this section)
And coming up later on this year, look for events with Seth Harwood,
Richard Kadrey, actress and author Lara Parker, Seanan McGuire, and
many, many more!
Permalink - http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2013/07/june-upcoming-events.html
News
* Those of you going to see "Star Trek: Into Darkness" probably already have, so, hilarious Spoiler FAQ from i09.com: <http://io9.com/star-trek-into-darkness-the-spoiler-faq-508927844>
* And more from i09.com: The difference between geeks and nerds, settled by an infographic: <http://io9.com/the-difference-between-geeks-and-nerds-settled-by-a-ge-590379134>
* We unfortunately lost two of the greats this month: Iain M. Banks at age 59 <http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/scottish-author-iain-m-banks-dies-of-cancer-aged-59-8651163.html> and Richard Matheson at age 87. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/books/richard-matheson-writer-of-haunted-science-fiction-and-horror-dies-at-87.html?_r=1&>
Permalink - http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2013/07/june-news-roundup.html
From The Office
Quick Takes - B&N, Marriage, and World War Z
by Alan Beatts
Barnes & Noble's Financial Report
B&N had a very poor year based on their recent financial
filings. Their 2013 fiscal year (which ended on April 27th) showed
a total loss of $154.8 million dollars, compared to last year, which
showed less than half that loss ($65.6 million in 2012). Much of
that was a result of sales of their e-reader, the Nook, falling off a
cliff (sales down 16.8%). But sales at their retail stores were
also poor: same-store sales (the comparison between stores that have
been open for at least a year) were down 3.4%.
Most telling to me, however, are the figures for the last quarter of
this year. In the 4th quarter alone, ebook sales (both devices and
ebooks) were down 34% and same-store retail sales were down 8.8%.
That looks like an accelerating slide to me. If you dig through
the accountant-speak in the report, some of the retail store sales drop
was tied to poor Nook performance, but that could also be wishful
thinking. Likewise, that quarter lacked some big sellers like
Fifty Shades of Gray and such but still . . . it's not looking very
good. What will tell us a great deal is what the quarterly reports
for the next two look like. If the drop continues or increases,
it'll be a very bad sign for the company's future.
One thing that may change the whole equation is the possibility that
B&N's founder, Len Riggio, is reportedly looking to buy the retail
segment of the company and take it private (i.e. closely held, probably
by his family, and not publicly traded). Doing so would allow a
much greater degree of freedom in the management since concerns like
stock price would no longer stop store closures and so forth. A
few months ago I speculated that Riggio might buy one of the other two
segments of the company (which are the Nook business and the college
stores). Based on comments since from Riggio and the Board of
B&N it looks like I was totally wrong.
Certainly, if B&N were to close all the stores that are performing
in the lower 50%, it would immediately improve the company's balance
sheet. Of course it would also deliver a huge kick in the delicate
parts to the big US publishers. Under usual bookstore terms,
inventory can be returned 90 days after it was ordered for full
credit. So, the first thing that B&N would do would be to
return absolutely everything they could from stores that are
closing. A huge flood of returns would hurt publishers
twice. First there would be the lost money from the books
themselves because, once the books come back, there is little chance
that they could be resold (except for B&N itself, there is no
bookstore that could use that much inventory). Many of the books
returned would be either destroyed or sold at super low prices as
remainders. The second hit would be that B&N would have a huge
credit balance with all the publishers as a result of that
return. Which means that, for some time, B&N wouldn't be
sending the publishers any money. They would be "paying" for their
orders with credit.
Authors would also suffer since remainder sales and books that are
destroyed are charged against their royalties. For mid-level and
even some bestselling authors that might mean a year or more without any
royalty payments. Also, if the publishers are hurting for money
_and_ have lost a huge number of stores to put books into, that will
mean fewer books bought by them and smaller advance payments for the
books they do buy.
It's very weird for an independent bookseller to be thinking this but,
for the sake of my industry as a whole, I half-hope that B&N doesn't
go down. Or at least, if it does, that it's a slow process, not a
fast one.
Marriage
As a rule I avoid political topics in public. Like discussions of
sex and religion, I think that it's best kept private and among friends.
But, living in San Francisco over the past few days has affected me so
deeply that I cannot refrain from saying something.
Wednesday night the general feeling was so happy and so exuberant that I
was personally overwhelmed. I do not think I have ever
experienced such a sense of universal happiness and relief in my
life. That tone has continued since then and reached a new peak
when, yesterday afternoon, marriages started being performed at City
Hall (which is staying open today to continue performing
marriages). I fully expect that the Pride Parade and celebration
tomorrow will be something completely unique in my 25 years of
attendance.
Probably my favorite thing thus far has been this -- Yesterday
afternoon, the Attorney General of California, Kamala Harris, married
two of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case at City Hall in San
Francisco. And yesterday evening, in one of his last acts in
office, the mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, married the
other two plaintiffs.
As a nation we have decided that homosexuality is not a crime nor is
reason for discrimination. I'm not going to debate whether that is
the right decision or not (though the answer has been clear to me for a
long time). That fact is that our body of law demonstrates that
is the conclusion that our society as a whole has come to. Having
decided on that position, legalizing marriage for homosexuals is the
only logical, ethical, and legal action we can take.
I wish all the married couples out there, regardless of their gender or
orientation, all the joy that they could wish for and a happy,
productive partnership for all the years to come.
World War Z, The Film
Max Brooks' zombie novel is quite special to us at Borderlands. It
is one of three books that, in our 15 years in business, everyone on
the staff read, liked, and recommends (the other two are Little Brother
by Cory Doctorow and The Gumshoe, The Witch, and The Virtual Corpse by
Keith Hartman). If you haven't read it, you really, really,
should. It transcends the sub-genre the way that The Watchman did
for superheroes or Game of Thrones did for epic fantasy.
As a result I was very worried about the movie. As soon as it was
optioned to Brad Pitt I stopped having any hope that the movie would be
much like the book at all. But I was hoping the movie would be,
first of all, good, and second, that it would be relatively true to the
spirit and tone of the book.
I saw it Sunday night and I was very pleased. I know that there
are plenty of people who have been critical of the many, many ways that
it departed from the book but I cannot imagine a way that the book could
have been turned into a big-budget film without those sort of
changes. But the important parts are still there -- it's a
thoughtful treatment of the topic, the big action scenes are few and far
between, it almost completely lacks gratuitous explosions, and the
feeling is much like the book. Including a solution to the problem
implemented by North Korea that is clever, chilling, and very much in
keeping with the tone of the book. As Max Brooks himself
commented, it should be judged as a movie in its own right, not as a
treatment of the novel. And on that basis, I think it is very good
indeed.
I did have two quibbles but, to prevent spoilers, I'm going to put them
at the very end of this article. I'm also going to frame them in a
way that significantly reduces the spoiler chance.
WARNING - POSSIBLE SPOILERS
*
*
*
*
*
*
1) Amputated limbs bleed a whole lot. Even after they're bandaged.
2) If zombies are attracted to noise, you've got video surveillance, and
there are phones scattered around, it would be very smart to herd the
zombies out of your way by ringing the phones.
Permalink - http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2013/07/b-marriage-and-world-war-z.html
Top Sellers At Borderlands
Hardcovers
1. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
2. Scatter, Adapt and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction by Annalee Newitz
3. The Fractal Prince by Hannu Rajaniemi
4. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
5. Quarry by Iain Banks
6. The Long War by Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett
7. The Human Division by John Scalzi
8. Mending the Moon by Susan Palwick
9. Homeland by Cory Doctorow
10. Inferno by Dan Brown
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2. Blue Remembered Earth by Alastair Reynolds
3. Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
4. Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
5. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
6. The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi
7. Home From the Sea by Mercedes Lackey
8. 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
9. Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu
10. Shapeshifted by Cassie Alexander
Trade Paperbacks
1. Cold Steel by Kate Elliott
2. Sorcerer's Luck by Katharine Kerr
3. World War Z by Max Brooks
4. Abbadon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
5. Aether Age: Helios edited by Christopher Fletcher and Brandon H. Bell
Permalink - http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2013/07/june-bestsellers.html
Book Club InfoThe QSF&F Book Club will meet on
Sunday, July 14th, at 5 pm to discuss BETTER TO BEG FORGIVENESS by
Michael Z. Williamson. Please contact the group leader, Christopher
Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, July
21st, at 6 pm to discuss PRELUDES & NOCTURNES: THE SANDMAN VOL.
1. The book for August 18th is ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by
Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Please contact
bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.Upcoming Event Details
Simon
Wood, NO SHOW (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $14.95) Saturday,
July 13th at 3:00 pm - We're delighted to welcome Simon Wood back to
Borderlands! In his newest novel, NO SHOW, "Englishman Terry
Sheffield has just arrived in San Francisco to start his new life with
Sarah, the investigative journalist he married after a transatlantic
love affair. But Sarah never shows up at the airport. . . . When Terry
reports his wife as missing, the police chalk it up to a new bride with
cold feet. Then one murdered woman after another turns up, all with
something in common: they had exposed scandals just before their deaths.
. . and their names appear on a list that Sarah composed. As a
journalist, Sarah's exposed her share of scandals, and Terry realizes
that she's not missing -- she's on the run." Don't miss this
chance to meet Simon and check out this pulse-pounding new thriller!
SF in SF (at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market
Street) with authors Nalo Hopkinson, Madeleine Robins and Deborah J.
Ross, Saturday, July 20th at 7:00 pm - We are happy to help SF in SF
welcome these authors! Each author will read a selection from
their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author
Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after in the
lounge. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books.
Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds
benefit Variety Childrens Charity - learn more at <http://www.varietync.org/>.
We REALLY encourage you to take BART into the City, or use MUNI to get
here - parking can be problematic in San Francisco, to say the
least. We are less than one block away from the Montgomery St.
station. Trust us - you don't want to be looking for parking and
be late for the event! Phone (night of (night of event)
415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Grania Davis, TREE OF LIFE, BOOK OF DEATH - THE TREASURES OF GRANIA
DAVIS (Ramble House, Trade Paperback) Sunday, July 21st from 4:00 - 6:00
pm - Please join us to celebrate both the release of this incredible
short story collection (which includes a memoir!) and Ms. Davis' 70th
birthday! Grania Davis is a well-respected author and editor, and a
hub of the Bay Area science fiction scene. We're delighted to host this
reading, signing and party for her, and we hope to see you there!
Max Gladstone, THREE PARTS DEAD (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99 and Trade
Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, July 27th at 3:00 pm - "A god has died, and
it's up to Tara, first-year associate in the international necromantic
firm of Kelethres, Albrecht, and Ao, to bring Him back to life before
His city falls apart. Her client is Kos, recently deceased fire
god of the city of Alt Coulumb. Without Him, the metropolis's steam
generators will shut down, its trains will cease running, and its four
million citizens will riot. Tara's job: resurrect Kos before chaos
sets in. Her only help: Abelard, a chain-smoking priest of the dead
god, who's having an understandable crisis of faith. When Tara and
Abelard discover that Kos was murdered, they have to make a case in Alt
Coulumb's courts-and their quest for the truth endangers their
partnership, their lives, and Alt Coulumb's slim hope of survival. Set
in a phenomenally built world in which justice is a collective force
bestowed on a few, craftsmen fly on lightning bolts, and gargoyles can
rule cities, THREE PARTS DEAD introduces readers to an ethical landscape
in which the line between right and wrong blurs." Max Gladstone is
fascinating and we think you'll love THREE PARTS DEAD!
Sheldon Siegel, THE TERRORIST NEXT DOOR (Poisoned Pen Press, Trade
Paperback $14.95 and Hardcover $24.95) Saturday, August 3rd at 3:00 pm -
We're happy to welcome Sheldon Siegel and showcase the hardcover
edition of his novel! From the synopsis "He\u2019s Homeland
Security\u2019s worst nightmare. More than a decade after 9/11, someone
is setting off fire bombs in Chicago using untraceable cell phones. . ."
Detective David Gold, who had thwarted an earlier terror plot at the
cost of his partner's life, is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game
against a brilliant and cunning mind. Join us to check out this
timely and compelling new thriller. You can read the first three
chapters here: http://www.sheldonsiegel.com/ttnd/Borderlands event policy - all events are free of charge unless
otherwise stated. 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
any of the author's available books signed or inscribed for you.
We can then either hold the book(s) until you can come in to pick them
up or we can ship 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 for a nominal fee. Call or email for
details.
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
BACK ISSUES OF NEWSLETTER
2012
JUNE, 2013
MAY, 2013
APRIL, 2013
MARCH, 2013
FEBRUARY, 2013
JANUARY, 2013
2012
DECEMBER, 2012
NOVEMBER, 2012
OCTOBER, 2012
SEPTEMBER, 2012
AUGUST, 2012
JULY, 2012
JUNE, 2012
MAY, 2012
APRIL, 2012
MARCH, 2012
FEBRUARY, 2012
JANUARY, 2012
2011
DECEMBER, 2011
NOVEMBER, 2011
OCTOBER, 2011
SEPTEMBER, 2011
AUGUST, 2011
JULY, 2011
JUNE, 2011
MAY, 2011
APRIL, 2011
JANUARY, 2011
2010
DECEMBER, 2010
NOVEMBER, 2010
OCTOBER, 2010
SEPTEMBER, 2010
AUGUST, 2010
JULY, 2010
JUNE, 2010
MAY, 2010
MARCH, 2010
FEBURARY, 2010
JANUARY, 2010
2009
DECEMBER, 2009
NOVEMBER, 2009
OCTOBER, 2009
SEPTEMBER, 2009
AUGUST, 2009
JULY, 2009
JUNE, 2009
MAY, 2009
APRIL, 2009
MARCH, 2009
FEBRUARY, 2009
JANUARY, 2009
2008
NOVEMBER, 2008
OCTOBER, 2008
SEPTEMBER, 2008
AUGUST, 2008
JULY, 2008
JUNE, 2008
MAY, 2008
APRIL, 2008
MARCH, 2008
FEBRUARY, 2008
JANUARY, 2008
2007
DECEMBER, 2007
NOVEMBER, 2007
OCTOBER, 2007
SEPTEMBER, 2007
AUGUST, 2007
JULY, 2007
JUNE, 2007
MAY, 2007
APRIL, 2007
MARCH, 2007
FEBRUARY, 2007
JANUARY, 2007
2006
DECEMBER, 2006
NOVEMBER, 2006
OCTOBER, 2006
SEPTEMBER, 2006
AUGUST, 2006
JULY, 2006
JUNE, 2006
MAY, 2006
APRIL, 2006
MARCH, 2006
FEBRUARY, 2006
JANUARY, 2006
2005
DECEMBER, 2005
NOVEMBER, 2005
OCTOBER, 2005
SEPTEMBER, 2005
AUGUST, 2005
JULY, 2005
JUNE, 2005
MAY, 2005
APRIL, 2005
MARCH, 2005
FEBRUARY, 2005
JANUARY, 2005
2004
DECEMBER, 2004
NOVEMBER, 2004
OCTOBER, 2004
SEPTEMBER, 2004
AUGUST, 2004
JULY, 2004
JUNE, 2004
MAY, 2004
APRIL, 2004
MARCH, 2004
FEBRUARY, 2004
JANUARY, 2004
2003
DECEMBER, 2003
NOVEMBER, 2003
|