ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER

DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER

Events and News from Borderlands Books

NOVEMBER, 2003

Chapter One - Event Information and News

Borderlands 6th Anniversary Sale, Sunday, November 8th, from 12 pm until 8 pm

M. Christian, THE BACHELOR MACHINE, Saturday, November 15th, at 2 pm

Happy Tree Friends, SECOND SERVING, Saturday, December 6th from 7-9 pm

(for more information check the end of this section)

News

We at Borderlands are sorry to bid farewell to Ghost Story Press. We should have copies of their final publications 'They Might Be Ghosts' and 'Tales of the Grotesque', just as soon as they are printed.  The following item appeared in the Durtro News email October 20th:

Ghost Story Press 1993-2003

On the tenth anniversary of the Ghost Story Press, we have decided to stop publishing. The publication of 'They Might Be Ghosts' and reprint of 'Tales of the Grotesque' brings to an end our programme. Durtro Press will continue to print books, but all GSP activities have now finished. Thanks to all those who have supported us over the years from David Tibet, Kat McKain and Richard Dalby.

San Francisco Independents In The Washington Post!

An article in the Washington Post by Mija Riedel featured a number of San Francisco bookstores, including Borderlands.  The article ran in the travel section of the Friday, October 17th, 2003 issue.  The complete text can be found at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42060-2003Oct17.html

September's Tachyon Anniversary Party and the Norton Awards were reported in Locus Magazine.  Click here to read the article and check out the pictures: http://www.locusmag.com/2003/News/09_Tachyon.html

Because we don't think she works enough, Cary Heater has been promoted to Events Coordinator/Newsletter Editor.  We're very excited about Cary taking over this position.  She's already made some changes in the newsletter layout (with more coming in the next few months).  We expect they you'll see a considerable improvement in our content.

Congratulations to 'our' Jeremy Lassen &  the rest of the folks at Nightshade Press.  Their newly published anthology,  THE THACKERY T. LAMBSHEAD POCKET GUIDE TO ECCENTRIC & DISCREDITED DISEASES made the American Booksellers Association's Book Sense 76 picks for October 2003.  Book Sense 76 is a bi-monthly selection of eclectic new books chosen by independent booksellers.

(See our Book Listings section below for more information.)

World Fantasy Convention 2003 takes place in Washington, DC October 30th through November 2nd.  We'll have a table in the dealer's room so stop by and say "Hi" if you're at the con.

Borderlands' Holiday Schedule

Our traditional holiday blackout season (um, EVENT blackout season) begins Thanksgiving Day, and runs until after the first of the year. We will, however, take one evening off from our blackout to host a SECOND SERVING Happy Tree Friends DVD release party (see the end of this section for details).

As we do every year, Borderlands will be open extended hours during the holidays.  In addition, we'll be happy to stay open late or open early by appointment - just give us a call and we'll work something out.

Thursday, November 28th through Thursday, December 25th our hours will be as follows:

Sunday to Tuesday - Noon to Eight

Friday and Saturday - Noon to Ten

Closed Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 27th

Closed early Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24th (time TBA but not before 4 PM)

Closed Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th

Closed New Years Day, Thursday, January 1st

For our mail order customers, we will do everything we can to get your orders to you by Christmas and we'll make a special run to the post office on the 23rd to send any Express Mail orders.  December 22nd is the deadline for mail order delivery by Christmas.

Finally, starting right after Thanksgiving we'll have complementary coffee, tea and sweets every day along with the usual comfortable place to sit and good books to read.  So, if you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all the holiday craziness, come by and relax for a minute or two.  Oh, and one last thing, we DO NOT play Christmas music.  Ever.

From The Office

Welcome to the new version of Borderlands' newsletter.  We made a few changes to the layout and, over the next few months, we'll be adding a few extra features.  One of the layout changes in this issue is the addition of this column.  In the past I've combined my general musings and comments with store news.  It seemed to work at least passably well but there were a few problems.  Most notably, I could never decide whether to use the editorial "we" (making my personal comments seem like the official opinion of Borderlands -- possibly a disservice to Borderlands and almost undoubtedly a disservice to my staff) or the more informal first person.  Consequently I found that I was switching back and forth, no doubt making myself seem even more mad than usual and furthermore making all the editors and writers out there cringe.

No longer.  Now I have my own little space to say whatever comes into my mind without confusing it with actual news.  Be comforted, however, this section has been scientifically located in one of the easiest spots to skip in the entire newsletter.  So, if you're looking for the book listings, scroll down, but if you interested in getting a little idea what goes on behind the scenes at Borderlands (and behind the eyes of the owner), read on.

Given the length of that preamble, I'll keep this first column on the short side.  This evening I was out for dinner with a few very smart and experienced professionals in my field.  Over some very nice seafood the following question came up: "What do you think of the health of the field right now?"  The question was based on the common statement of pundits that can be summed up as, "SF is dead or at least dying".  The census around the table was that the field (by which I mean SF, Fantasy and Horror) is actually doing quite well. Granted, the output of speculative hard SF (i.e. what happens when [fill in your choice of technology] starts to _really_ change the way we live) has slowed down a great deal, probably due to a certain difficulty in predicting with any confidence where technology is taking us.  But otherwise things seem really very good.

Led by primarily British writers, the sweeping far-future space opera has been reinvented such that there is actually some very solid content and social commentary (i.e. Iain M. Banks, Alastair Renolds, and Neal Asher).  The door to some truly original fantasy that was wedged open by authors like Graham Joyce, Neil Gaiman and Paul Di Filippo seems to have been blown right off its hinges by the unexpected success of China Mieville's Perdido Street Station.  As a result, I think we can look forward to a whole new crop of fantasy that is completely free of Elves and Wizards-in-Pointy-Hats.  Horror as a genre is taking some important baby steps, as younger authors who started writing after the boom and bust in the 80s polish their craft.  It'll be interesting to see where those steps will take them over the next five to ten years.  Even the speculative hard SF that I dismissed has collected some new and very talented practitioners -- Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross both spring to mind -- and I expect others very shortly.

Of course there is quite a bit of crap and also a good deal of what other people call beach reading and I call bathtub reading.  But light reading is what the genres were founded on and it is still a vital part of our field.  And in regards to the crap, remember Sturgeon's Law . . . "90% of everything is crap."

But honestly, I think that our genres do better than that lamentable average.  Especially right now.

Book Club Information

The Gay Men's Book Club will meet on Sunday, November 9th at 5 pm to discuss ANGRY YOUNG SPACEMAN by Jim Munroe. The book for December is I MARRIED AN EARTHLING by Alvin Orloff.  Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.

The Classic SF and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, November 16th at 6 pm to discuss THE DOORS OF HIS FACE, THE LAMPS OF HIS MOUTH by Roger Zelazny. The book for December is GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.   Please contact Jude at jfeldman@borderlands-books.com for more information.

Upcoming Event Details

Saturday, November 8th from 12:00 pm until 8:00 pm: Borderlands 6th Anniversary Sale:

Borderlands will be celebrating our 6th anniversary on Saturday, November 8th by having a big one-day sale.  Buy any two used books and get a third one of equal or lesser value for free!  Collectable books are not included in this deal but they will be 10% off all day long. And finally, everything else in the store will be 20% off (artwork excluded).  We'll be giving out door prizes until they run out.  The sale will only run for one day, and this sale only happens once a year, so mark your calendars for Saturday, November 8th. THANK YOU all for your support.

Saturday, November 15th at 2 pm: M. Christian, THE BACHELOR MACHINE (Green Candy Press)

M. Christian, author of the critically acclaimed and best selling collections Dirty Words, and Speaking Parts, will be reading from his most recent collection of speculative fiction/erotica, THE BACHELOR MACHINE.  In the words of Paul Di Filippo, "Portraying a world where erotic life has spilled from the bedroom into the street, and been shattered into a million sharp shards, these tales undercut and mutate the old verities concerning memory, desire and loyalty.  Truly a book for our post-everything 21st century."

Saturday, December 6th from 7-9 pm: SECOND SERVING - HAPPY TREE FRIENDS, VOL. 2 (Mondo Media, DVD, $19.95)

Borderlands Books is happy, happy, happy to host a DVD screening and discussion with the folks from Mondo Media, creators of Happy Tree Friends.  Enjoy a SECOND SERVING of terribly bad things happening to cute & cuddly characters.  This DVD release has been specially "Fortified With Over 2 Hours of Satisfying Violence!" containing "Tasteless Adventures In Every Single Bite"  Not recommended for small children or big babies.

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

THE THACKERY T. LAMBSHEAD POCKET GUIDE TO ECCENTRIC &

DISCREDITED DISEASES edited by Dr. Jeff Vandermeer and Dr. Mark Roberts (Night Shade Books, Trade Hardcover , $24.00) - Over 70 authors ended up contributing to this 'pocket' guide.  To view the whole sordid saga as told by Jeff Vandermeer, click below. http://www.booksense.com/people/index.jsp

"This is the Ultimate Bathroom reading material book.  It has dethroned Morbid Curiosity in that category... and anybody who likes Morbid Curiosity will like this book.  Graphic novel fiends will like this book.  Its weird.  It makes a great Xmas gift for hypochondriacs." -- Jeremy Lassen

"Mentioned in whispers for decades; burned in Manchuria; worshipped in Peru; the only book to be listed on the Vatican's Index Librorum Prohibitorum twice, for emphasis; available again at last, in this definitive edition. Welcome to the Lambshead Guide. Disease-mongers, shudder." -- Dr. China Mieville

THE STORMWATCHER by Graham Joyce (Night Shade Books, Signed Limited First Edition, Hardcover, $40.00 (limited to 1000)) - From the publisher's website, "Night Shade Books is proud to present the first hardcover and U.S. publication of this standout novel from one of the most exciting, literate, and compelling authors around. Any fan of genre bending writers such as Jonathan Lethem, Dan Simmons, or Jonathan Carroll should not miss this book."

THE RHINOCEROS WHO QUOTED NIETZSCHE, Peter S. Beagle     (Tachyon Press, Hardcover, $40.00) - This signed, 3rd edition printing has a plain black cover with title foil-stamped in bronze, and cover artwork from previous editions tipped in. Though not officially a numbered or limited edition, only 197 copies were printed.

DANGEROUS RED by Mehitobel Wilson (Necro Publications, Hardcover (limited to 100 signed and numbered copies), $45.00, and Trade Paperback, $14.95 (limited to 300 signed and numbered copies)) - "Caustic, classic, classy, nasty, elegant, relevant post-punk horror for people who give a shit." --China Mieville 

IN FOR A PENNY by James P. Blaylock (Subterranean Press, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover, $40.00 (limited to 750 copies)) - Readers familiar with James Blaylock's most recent collection, THIRTEEN PHANTASMS, know he's a master of quirky, evocative tales set in a California that exists only in the imagination. He's spent the past eighteen months mapping that territory, and IN FOR A PENNY is the result.

THE DEVILS IN THE DETAILS by James P. Blaylock and Tim Powers (Subterranean Press, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover, $35.00 (limited to 1250 copies))

BUBBA HO-TEP by Joe R. Lansdale (Night Shade Books, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover, $40.00 (limited to 750 numbered copies)) - Includes the original novella, the shooting script, introductions by Joe and Don [Coscarelli], and a whole bunch of still shots from the movie.

UNINTENDED CONSQUENCES by Alex Irvine (Subterranean Press, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover, $40.00 (limited to 600 copies))

THE BEST OF HORRORFIND, VOL. 2 edited by Brian Keene (Horrorfind, Trade Paperback, $14.95)

NEVERLAND by Douglas Clegg (Bloodletting Press, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover, $45.00 (limited to 400 copies))

New and Notable

• NEVERWHERE directed by Dewi Humphreys, starring Gary Bakewell and Laura Fraser, and written by Neil Gaiman (BBC, DVD, $39.95) - The two disk set includes all the episodes of the BBC mini-series written by Neil Gaiman.  This series was the basis for the novel of the same name.  Also includes both audio commentary and a BBC interview with Gaiman.
• HOUSE OF CHAINS - MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN VOL. 4 by
• Steven Erikson (Bantam, British Mass Market, $14.59) - We're expecting  more copies in a couple weeks, and MIDNIGHT TIDES - MALAZAN VOL. 5 is due in December.  Reserve your copies soon, since they tend to sell out quickly.
• LINE OF POLITY BY Neal Asher (Tor, British Trade Paperback, $19.60) - Finally back in stock!
• LOST BOY, LOST GIRL by Peter Straub (Random House, First Edition, Hardcover, $24.95) -  The Publishers Weekly review calls it "one of his finest books to date."
• SANDMAN: ENDLESS NIGHTS by Neil Gaiman (Vertigo/DC Comics, First Edition Hardcover, $24.95) - This latest installment in the saga of the Endless is fragmentary.  Each of seven short sections feature a different member of the family, and each individual section is strong.  The definate stand-out, however, is "Fifteen Portraits of Despair" - it's chilling, absorbing, and somewhat banal, which makes it all the more bitter and poignant.  Although I missed the larger narrative structure that links vignette to vignette in some of the other graphic novels, and felt that this collection was just too darn short, overall it is an impressive achievement, with all of the power and emotion of the earlier works.  Recommended by Jude.
• It's a Snicket fest!
• THE DILEMMA DEEPENS - A BOX OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
• by Lemony Snicket (Harper, Other Hardcover, $32.99) - Boxed set the third includes volumes 7-9.
• THE BAD BEGINNING - A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, VOL1 by Lemony Snicket (Harper, Other Hardcover, $14.99) - This is a  slipcased volume with a "disturbing" new cover, and "an alarming portrait of the heroes and villains of this tale."
• LEMONY SNICKET'S CALENDAR OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS 2004 (Harper, Calendar, $14.99)  - Thirteen Alarming Months!
• THE SKY SO BIG AND BLACK by John Barnes (Tor, Mass Market, $6.99) - Barnes' fourth book set in the universe of the "Meme Wars".  One of his best so far. - Recommended by Alan
• MILLENNIUM PEOPLE by J.G. Ballard (Flamingo, True First Edition, British Hardcover, $29.62)
• THE SANDMAN - KING OF DREAMS by Alisa Kwitney (Chronicle Books, First Edition, Oversized Hardcover, $35.00)
• MONSTROUS REGIMENT by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, First British Edition, Hardcover, $31.29)
• THE DARK by Ellen Datlow (Tor, First Edition, Hardcover, $25.95)
• PALADIN OF SOULS by Lois McMaster Bujold (Eos, Signed First Edition, Hardcover, $24.95)
• THE OUTSTRETCHED SHADOW by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory (Tor, First Edition, Hardcover, $27.95)
• THE LAIR OF BONES - RUNELORDS, VOL. 4 by David Farland (Tor, First Edition, Hardcover, $27.95)
• TOOTH AND CLAW by Jo Walton (Tor, First Edition, Hardcover,  $24.95)
• THE LORD OF LIES - EA CYCLE, VOL. 2  by David Zindell (Voyager, Trade Paperback, $22.94)
• THE GOLDEN TRANCENDENCE - GOLDEN AGE VOL.3 by John C. Wright (Tor, First Edition, Hardcover, $25.95)
• THE PHOENIX EXULTANT - GOLDEN AGE VOL.2 by John C. Wright (Tor, Mass Market, $6.99)
• EXILE'S HONOR - A NOVEL OF VALDEMAR by Mercedes Lackey  (DAW, Mass Market, $6.99)
• THE HOUSE OF GAIAN by Anne Bishop (Roc, Mass Market, $6.99)
• SKINNER by Neal Asher (Tor, British Mass Market, $12.92)
• THE HOUSE ON ORCHID STREET by T.M. Wright  (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99)
• BLOOD GAMES by Richard Laymon (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99)
• THE HELVERTI INVASION - Lizard War vol.2 by John Dalmas (Baen, Mass Market, $6.99)

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 - Cary Heater
• Assistant Editor - Alan Beatts
• Contributors - Francis Carr, Jude Feldman, Jeremy Lassen

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