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ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER

DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER

Events and News from Borderlands Books

January, 2013

Chapter One - Event Information, News, and Special Features

Upcoming Author Events

Ramez Naam, NEXUS (Angry Robot, Trade Paperback, $14.99) Saturday, January 12th at 1:00 pm

Rudy Rucker, TURING & BURROUGHS (Transreal Books, Trade Paperback, $16.00) and COMPLETE STORIES VOLS. 1 & 2 (Transreal Books, Trade Paperbacks, $20.00 each volume) Saturday, January 12th at 3:00 pm

John R. Fultz, SEVEN KINGS (Orbit, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, January 19th at 1:00 pm

SF in SF at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building (582 Market Street) with authors Steven Gould and Laura Mixon, Saturday January 19th at 7:00 pm

Cory Doctorow, HOMELAND (Tor, Hardcover, $17.99) Friday, February 8th at 7:00 pm

Brandon Sanderson, MEMORY OF LIGHT (Tor, Hardcover, $34.99) Saturday, February 9th at 3:00 pm

Marie Brennan. A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS: A MEMOIR BY LADY TRENT (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Sunday, February 10th at 3:00 pm

Peter Brett, THE DAYLIGHT WAR (Del Rey, Hardcover, $28.00) Sunday, February 17th at 3:00 pm

Editor John Joseph Adams with special guest Seanan McGuire, THE MAD SCIENTIST'S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99 and Trade Paperback, $14.99) Saturday, February 23rd at 3:00 pm

(for more information check the end of this section)

News

* Borderlands Cafe is hosting a class through University of the Commons on SF Short Stories starting January 7th.  For more details see www.meetup.com/uotcsf/events/92794082/ .

* Saturday, January 26th at 9:00 pm, you can watch the 1922 silent movie "Nosferatu" at stunning Grace Cathedral, accompanied by Dorothy Papadakos on the great Aeolian-Skinner organ.  Tickets are $20, $10 for students and seniors. http://www.cityboxoffice.com/orderticketsarea.asp?p=6175&a=5452&backurl=%2Feventperformances.asp%3Fevt%3D1771%26SearchMonth%3D%26monthsubmit%3D%26SearchText%3D%26Go.x%3D%26Go.y%3D%26pg%3D%26spg%3D1%26c%3D

* Watch A MEMORY OF LIGHT being printed step by step! Thanks, Irene Gallo and Tor.com for bringing this to our attention. http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/a-memory-of-light-being-printed-step-by-step

* The NY Times' Bestseller List has Max Brooks' ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE listed under "Paperback Nonfiction".  (It is currently #9 on the list.) Worried yet? http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2013-01-13/paperback-nonfiction/list.html

* 27 Science Fictions That Became Science Fact last year: http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/27-science-fictions-that-became-science-facts-in-2

* We have an unusual job opening at Borderlands Cafe.  It's not glamorous, but it would be great for a local high schooler or a nearby person with a flexible schedule.  The hours would be 7 pm - 9 pm, Monday - Friday, and the job would include cleaning, busing tables, and doing the closedown work at the Cafe.  Considering how short the hours are, the person really should live quite close to the cafe.  Pay is SF minimum wage, but you get to work with a great group of people and you get a discount at the bookstore!  Email jfeldman@borderlands-books.com for more information before sending a resume.

From The Office

"Mostly dead is slightly alive" or How Faith Beats Math
by Alan Beatts

A recent spate of articles make much of reports from Nielson Bookscan about last years print book sales.  It seems that the rate of decline has seemingly leveled out.  At a paltry 9% per year.  Hooray!  According to Nielson, sales of all categories of books have dropped by that amount each year since 2009.

Ann Betts, who is Nielson's commercial director was quoted as saying, "In the context of a stagnant economy, challenging retail conditions and the growing adoption of ebooks [it] shows an underlying resilience in the market," (note 1)

The same news, combined with a Pew Research Center survey (note 2), was heralded by the Wall Street Journal in an article titled "Don't Burn Your Books—Print Is Here to Stay" (note 3).  That article goes on to say that "The initial e-book explosion is starting to look like an aberration."  The author notes just one paragraph earlier that the annual growth rate for e-book sales fell  down to the abysmal pit of _only_ 34%.  Wow.  I wish my business could get some of that aberration action.

The Christian Science Monitor is less enthusiastic in an article titled "Print book sales fell in 2012 – but no faster than they did in 2011, says Nielsen" (note 4) though they do close with, "Only time will tell exactly what roles print and e-books will play in the lives of readers."

You know, the last time I fell out of an airplane, I was deeply relived when the speed that I fell the second 1000 feet was no faster than the first 1000 feet.  And I thought to myself, "So far, so good.  Only time will tell how this will end."

Not surprisingly, Publishers Weekly was the most direct in their coverage, "Print Units Fell 9 Percent in 2012" (note 5).  But even PW's tone was more like Joe Friday ("Just the facts, please") than makes sense to me.

To be clear, in the past _three_ years the total dollars spent in the United States on print books dropped _25%_.

25% goddam percent and the WSJ is saying print is here to stay?

Let's put it this way.  If your employer cut your pay by 9% each year for three years straight, would you be thinking, "This job is here to stay."?  Or perhaps, "In the context of a stagnant economy this shows an underlying resilience in my job"?

Or would you be looking for a new profession?

Just to belabor the point, let's extrapolate the figures for the next three years, now that the "decline in print book sales versus e-books has stabilized to some degree." (note 6).  Continuing that 9% per year loss to 2015 gives a total sales loss of 44% compared to 2009.  Three more years?  58% loss.  Obviously, at that point Zeno's Paradox is starting to really kick in (i.e. you can keep reducing a number by 9% forever without reaching zero).

For most businesses, a 58% loss in sales means game over.

But I don't think it'll take six years to get there.  Because expecting the decline to actually remain stable at 9% per year overlooks factors that argue for an acceleration of the decline.  First, the Pew survey I cited earlier make it clear younger people are more likely to have read e-books.  As the population ages, the number of people who read e-books will increase.  Second, as fewer copies of print books are sold, the price per book will increase due to lack of economy of scale, which will make print books less attractive. Third, as print book sales decrease, stores will close and deprive buyers of convenient places to buy print books.  Their choice will be to wait for a print copy to be shipped to them (which will include a shipping charge, further increasing the price) or to buy an e-book, which they'll have instantly.  Please note, both the second and the third of these factors will accelerate all by themselves.  As they drive more e-book sales, the sales thus created drive even more e-book sales.

The print book business is in serious, serious trouble.  But people have faith that nobody wants printed books to go away.  I've been hearing that phrase for almost ten years now.  And my answer is still the same: no one really wants it but we're all heading to that point.  It's just a matter of time.

But please, don't worry about Borderlands.  First off, _we_ haven't seen that sort of sales loss.  In fact, our sales have been up (just a tiny bit) for the past two years running.  And more importantly, I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeve that should keep us going for something like another decade, assuming I'm up for it.  Want to know more about that?  Watch for next month's article where I'll talk about some of the things we are planning (and, the ways the same things can work for other bookstores).

Links to notes

(1) http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jan/09/printed-book-sales-2012
(2) http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/12/27/e-book-reading-jumps-print-book-reading-declines/
(3) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323874204578219563353697002.html?mod=WSJ_Books_LS_Books_5
(4) http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2013/0108/Print-book-sales-fell-in-2012-but-no-faster-than-they-did-in-2011-says-Nielsen
(5) http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/55357-print-units-fell-9-percent-in-2012.html
(6) http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2414068,00.asp

Top Sellers At Borderlands

Hardcovers
1. Cold Days by Jim Butcher
2. Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M. Banks
3. The Fractal Prince by Hannu Rajaniemi
4. I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus by S.G. Browne
5. Outer Space, Inner Lands Vols. 1 & 2 by Ursula K. LeGuin
6. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
7. Blood and Bone by Ian Cameron Esslemont
8. Hobbit 75th Anniversary Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien
9. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold
10. Velveteen vs. the Junior Super Patriots by Seanan McGuire

Mass Market Paperbacks
1. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2. Snuff by Terry Pratchett
3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
5. Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
6. Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
7. Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
8. Earthbound by Joe Haldeman
9. Feed by Mira Grant
10. Timeless by Gail Carriger

Trade Paperbacks
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
2. World War Z by Max Brooks
3. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
4. Hobbit 75th Anniversary Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Book Club Info

The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, January 13th, at 5 pm to discuss THE HIGHEST FRONTIER by Joan Slonczewski.  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, January 20th , at 6 pm to discuss THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO by Junot Diaz.  The book for February is THE STRESS OF HER REGARD by Tim Powers.  Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.

Upcoming Event Details

Ramez Naam, NEXUS (Angry Robot, Trade Paperback, $14.99) Saturday, January 12th at 1:00 pm - We're delighted to welcome renowned futurist Ramez Naam to Borderlands, and we certainly hope you'll join us!  From the book description: "In the near future, the experimental nano-drug Nexus can link human together, mind to mind. There are some who want to improve it. There are some who want to eradicate it. And there are others who just want to exploit it.  When a young scientist is caught improving Nexus, he’s thrust over his head into a world of danger and international espionage – for there is far more at stake than anyone realizes."  Read an excerpt from the book here: http://angryrobotbooks.com/books/nexus-by-ramez-naam/#extract

Rudy Rucker, TURING & BURROUGHS (Transreal Books, Trade Paperback, $16.00) and COMPLETE STORIES VOLS. 1 & 2 (Transreal Books, Trade Paperbacks, $20.00 each volume) Saturday, January 12th at 3:00 pm - It's always a joy to welcome Rudy, one of the godfathers of cyberpunk: he's a professor, a genius, an artist, and of course a very prolific author!  TURING AND BURROUGHS is a wild beatnik ride.  Here's the summary from Rudy's site: "TURING AND BURROUGHS is an SF novel set in style of a 1950s-movie "alien invasion" story.  Computer pioneer Alan Turing and the Beat author William Burroughs connect in Tangier and begin a love affair. The novel fuses SF themes with beatnik styles and attitudes, switching between Turing's and Burroughs's points of view. Turing and Burroughs find a way to shapeshift into telepathic slugs, and society's reaction serves as a symbol of the 1950's horror of artists, intellectuals and political outsiders.  As our heroes flee the feds, the story becomes a road novel. In traditional 1950's SF style, they head for a nuclear test site in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  En route, Turing and Burroughs visit Mexico City and have a heavy encounter with Burroughs's murdered wife.  The story comes to a head with a thermonuclear blast and a final transcendence."  You'll also be able to check out a show of Rudy's trippy, trans-real art, which will be hanging in the Cafe starting January 11th, and we'll have prints available for sale.

John R. Fultz, SEVEN KINGS (Orbit, Trade Paperback, $15.99) Saturday, January 19th at 1:00 pm - We're happy to welcome John R. Fultz back to Borderlands.  Last year he appeared on the scene with the epic SEVEN PRINCES, and now he returns with the second Book of the Shaper.  Fans of fast-paced, Conan-style fantasy will love these books! We do hope you'll join us to meet John and check out this mind-blowing new novel.

SF in SF at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building (582 Market Street) with authors Steven Gould and Laura Mixon, Saturday January 19th 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.

Cory Doctorow, HOMELAND (Tor, Hardcover, $17.99) Friday, February 8th at 7:00 pm - We're always thrilled to welcome Cory Doctorow to Borderlands!  This time we've partnered with the awesome folks at Noisebridge hackspace https://noisebridge.net to bring you an event for the long-awaited sequel to LITTLE BROTHER. Don't miss this opportunity to meet Cory - bring your questions on the future of internet privacy and the future in general!

Brandon Sanderson, MEMORY OF LIGHT (Tor, Hardcover, $34.99) Saturday, February 9th at 3:00 pm - We are delighted to welcome Brandon Sanderson back to Borderlands!  We've been fans of Brandon's since the very beginning, and we couldn't be happier about all of the acclaim and attention he's currently getting.  Join us to meet Brandon, hear about the creation of the final Wheel of Time novel, A MEMORY OF LIGHT, and get your books signed!  As usual, there are no tickets or purchase required for this event.  We expect it will be very crowded, and seating is limited, so arrive early.  Brandon has always been great about signing everyone's books, but please be advised that it may take a while to get your books signed; we'll try to be entertaining in the interim.
Meanwhile, we think you'll appreciate this short, touching video explaining how Brandon was chosen to finish the series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja3QAV_t3vs . Enjoy,  and we'll see you February 9th!

Marie Brennan. A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS: A MEMOIR BY LADY TRENT (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Sunday, February 10th at 3:00 pm - We're very excited to present Marie Brennen's newest book, an absolutely charming memoir of the world's preeminent dragon naturalist! "All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day. Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever."  Please join us to meet Marie and the unforgettable Lady Trent.

Peter Brett, THE DAYLIGHT WAR (Del Rey, Hardcover, $28.00) Sunday, February 17th at 3:00 pm - Peter Brett grabbed the world's attention with his fantastic debut THE WARDED MAN.  Now join us to meet Peter and check out THE DAYLIGHT WAR, the third volume in the best-selling Demon Cycle, about humanity's last stand against the demons that rise each night to prey on them.  

Editor John Joseph Adams with special guest Seanan McGuire, THE MAD SCIENTIST'S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99 and Trade Paperback, $14.99) Saturday, February 23rd at 3:00 pm - From the book description: "From Victor Frankenstein to Lex Luthor, from Dr. Moreau to Dr. Doom, readers have long been fascinated by insane plans for world domination and the madmen who devise them. Typically, we see these villains through the eyes of good guys. This anthology, however, explores the world of mad scientists and evil geniuses -- from their own wonderfully twisted point of view.  An all-star roster of bestselling authors -- including Diana Gabaldon, Daniel Wilson, Austin Grossman, Naomi Novik, and Seanan McGuire…twenty-two great storytellers all told -- have produced a fabulous assortment of stories guaranteed to provide readers with hour after hour of high-octane entertainment born of the most megalomaniacal mayhem imaginable."  Join us to meet John Joseph Adams, the evil genius behind the anthology, and contributor Seanan McGuire!  We promise the contemplation of lots of nefarious deeds, and cackling!

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 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

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