The 2016 Borderlands Sponsors' General Meeting was held at 6pm on Thursday, March 31st at Borderlands Cafe (870 Valencia St. SF CA 94110). Roughly 50 people attended.
After some entertainment from Alan Beatts in the form of a cautionary tale about bookshelf building, the main topics of discussion were the future of the bookstore, a (relatively) rapid-fire Q&A, the handling of sponsor funds, political involvement on the part of Borderlands, and the creation of a book subscription program.
Alan began the meeting by giving an overview of the current financial situation of both the bookstore and cafe elements of Borderlands. In brief, both are as to be expected. The bookstore is showing a slight loss before accounting for sponsorship income. That is as expected since the minimum wage increase last July was expected to produce that result. However, factoring in sponsorship income, the bookstore is doing very well. The cafe is also showing a slight loss but that is being addressed by improvements to the menu selection this year. Like the bookstore, not a matter for concern.
Next he explained the remaining terms on both the lease for the bookstore (5 and a bit years) and the cafe (9 and a half years). His concern is not for the next few years because the sponsorship program (with 611 sponsors at this time) seems to be a sustainable model for the business. Instead the concern is what to do when the current lease on the bookstore expires. It is the expectation that, barring major ("or almost Biblical") changes in the economic situation in San Francisco, the cost of rent under a new lease would be unsustainable. At this point, Alan's plan forward is to spend the next three to four years raising money (and conserving excess sponsorship income) to have a down-payment on a building one to two years before the lease expires.
After this explanation, the discussion began about how to achieve this goal.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Sponsor Letter, March 16th 2016
March Sponsor News
Happy March, Dear Sponsors! It's hard for me to believe, but it has been a year since I officially announced that you had saved the store, and wow, are things different now! The current 2016 Sponsor count stands at nearly 600, and all of us at Borderlands are very, very grateful.
The Radio Version:
1) Live-streaming has taken longer & been more complicated than we anticipated (who would have guessed?). However, we should have it functional for the March 31st General Meeting.
2) March's sponsor event will be a tour of the American Bookbinders' Museum (355 Clementina) on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6:30 pm. The cost will be $7 per person. Please RSVP to sponsors@borderlands-books.com if you'd like to join in. Capacity will be limited to 30 people and you may bring one guest, so reserve your space soon if you would like to attend.
3) Sponsors' General Meeting is on Thursday, March 31st at 7:00 pm and will take place at the Cafe (870 Valencia St. SF CA 94110). We're not sure how long it will run; it all depends on how many questions you have for me. Afterwards, there will probably be drinks at the lovely Phoenix Pub just across the street.
4) Next Sponsor Social is scheduled for Saturday, April 2nd from 7:00 - 11:00 pm. Guests will be Fly By Night Gifts and the wonderful folks at Speakeasy Ales and Lagers will be bringing a broad range of their beers for your enjoyment. As usual, one guest per sponsor. Also, this will be the last social which non-renewed 2015 sponsors may attend.
5) Speaking of sponsorship renewals, if you have not yet renewed your sponsorship for 2016 this will be the last sponsor email you'll receive. Of course, if you would like to renew now, we'd love to have you. You can stop by the store, call, email, or even send us an old-fashioned check. And, you can renew on-line right here - https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html .
The Extended Dance Remix:
1) Live-streaming has taken longer & been more complicated to set up reliably than I anticipated. We had it working for a short time, and then it went sideways. However, I have invested in some new equipment and Jeremy has done a lot of frantic studying, and we should have it fully functional so that long-distance sponsors can watch the March 31st General Meeting. I'll be sending out a quick update will the details to this list prior to the meeting.
2) Due to logistical whatnots, I have rescheduled the tour of the 3D printing/prototyping place for the summer. But, with the kind assistance of author and sponsor Madeleine Robins, we've arranged a private Borderlands' Sponsors tour of the amazing American Bookbinders' Museum for this month! The Museum houses an extensive collection of mostly-operational bookbinding equipment from the 18th and 19th centuries. It really must be seen to be believed. This quote from their website explains briefly why it is important (and fascinating) to study these tools, particularly right now: "Our relationship to the book is rapidly evolving, making it the ideal time to tell the history of [the printed book] and memorialize its significance in regards to where we are today. The American Bookbinders Museum is an important library of equipment and archive materials on bookbinding in America. We offer an authentic experience of what a factory of the day felt like and enable visitors to experience the machinery and tools."
The tour will take place on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6:30 pm. We'll meet at the Museum, which is located at 355 Clementina. The cost for the tour will be $7 per person (cash, please, payable at the venue), a 30% discount off the regular price. You can also bring drinks or snacks if you'll like; we'll have a short informal reception after the tour. Please RSVP to sponsors@borderlands-books.com to let us know you'll be attending; one guest per sponsor is welcome (but each attendee will still need to pay $7). The maximum number of attendees is 30, so reserve your space soon. More information about the museum, as well as a virtual tour if you cannot attend in person, can be found here: http://www.bookbindersmuseum.org/
PS Very sorry for the short notice for this event. As I said, "logistical whatnots".
3) The Sponsors' General Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 31st at 7:00 pm. I'd really like to have a chance to talk with you about how things have gone through our first year as a sponsored store. I want to know what we've done right, what we've done wrong, and what we can do better -- as well as answering any questions you have. Also, I need to talk with you about some ideas I have for the future. What I have in mind is something much like the meeting we had last year, which was the genesis for what saved the store. I'll outline where we stand as a business, discuss future plans and then ask for comments and ideas. If there's anything you'd like to discuss that you think I might not cover, please email me ahead of time so I can be prepared to respond. I hope to see as many of you there as possible because some of the topics on my mind are pretty important. If you can't attend in person, also feel free to email me with your comments, sponsors@borderlands-books.com.
4) The next Sponsor Social is scheduled for April 2nd from 7:00 - 11:00 pm. As usual, it will be a potluck, so bring your specialty dish to show off, or a bottle of something to share. You can bring one non-sponsor guest with you. RSVPs are appreciated but not required. Unfortunately, with all the rain we've had, I doubt the basement will be dry enough for "backstage" tours. However, I'm setting up some other exciting things:
Our guest vendor will be Fly By Night Gifts. Fly By Night will have a large and impressive selection of hand-stamped and embossed cards, hair adornments, and jewelry with a science fiction theme for sale, and the items will be 30% off for all sponsors, with a free gift with purchase over $10. Fly By Night is operated by Rina Weisman who is, among other things, one of the driving forces behind the long-running SF in SF reading series. She's really quite a renaissance woman, and her products have been great sellers at the store for years. However, we've never had her full line of items for sale before so expect to see some really neat treats.
Our beverage guest will be the fine folks from Speakeasy Ales and Lagers < http://www.goodbeer.com >. Speakeasy is not just a truly great craft brewery, but they're also 100% San Francisco local. They'll be bringing down all sorts of interesting beers, including their newest release: Phliz' Payback Coffee Porter (just coming out this Saturday - http://www.goodbeer.com/events/2016/3/19/release-party-payback-coffee-porter). Their staff will be on hand to tell you anything you could possibly want to know about their beers and brewery. Note: Since they'll be providing all the beer that we could possibly want, free of charge -- if you're going to bring something in the beverage department to share, you might want to give beer a miss this time.
And as usual, there will be much merriment, weird & fabulous raffle prizes, and probably an embarrassing story or two about the pre-history of Borderlands. Finally, as I mentioned at the beginning of this year, this will be the last social which non-renewed 2015 sponsors may attend. I hope to see all of you there.
5) Speaking of sponsorship renewals, if you have not yet renewed your sponsorship for 2016 this will be the last sponsor email you'll receive. This is not because we want to exclude you but, rather than spamming former sponsors, we will be purging our 2015 mailing list and replacing it with the current list of sponsors. If you'd still like to see what is going on with the sponsorship program, all that information will continue to appear at the sponsors' blog - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com - which is (and will remain) open for public viewing. Of course, if you would like to renew now, we'd love to have you. You can stop by the store, call, email, or even send us an old-fashioned check. And, you can renew on-line right here - https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html .
Happy March, Dear Sponsors! It's hard for me to believe, but it has been a year since I officially announced that you had saved the store, and wow, are things different now! The current 2016 Sponsor count stands at nearly 600, and all of us at Borderlands are very, very grateful.
The Radio Version:
1) Live-streaming has taken longer & been more complicated than we anticipated (who would have guessed?). However, we should have it functional for the March 31st General Meeting.
2) March's sponsor event will be a tour of the American Bookbinders' Museum (355 Clementina) on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6:30 pm. The cost will be $7 per person. Please RSVP to sponsors@borderlands-books.com if you'd like to join in. Capacity will be limited to 30 people and you may bring one guest, so reserve your space soon if you would like to attend.
3) Sponsors' General Meeting is on Thursday, March 31st at 7:00 pm and will take place at the Cafe (870 Valencia St. SF CA 94110). We're not sure how long it will run; it all depends on how many questions you have for me. Afterwards, there will probably be drinks at the lovely Phoenix Pub just across the street.
4) Next Sponsor Social is scheduled for Saturday, April 2nd from 7:00 - 11:00 pm. Guests will be Fly By Night Gifts and the wonderful folks at Speakeasy Ales and Lagers will be bringing a broad range of their beers for your enjoyment. As usual, one guest per sponsor. Also, this will be the last social which non-renewed 2015 sponsors may attend.
5) Speaking of sponsorship renewals, if you have not yet renewed your sponsorship for 2016 this will be the last sponsor email you'll receive. Of course, if you would like to renew now, we'd love to have you. You can stop by the store, call, email, or even send us an old-fashioned check. And, you can renew on-line right here - https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html .
The Extended Dance Remix:
1) Live-streaming has taken longer & been more complicated to set up reliably than I anticipated. We had it working for a short time, and then it went sideways. However, I have invested in some new equipment and Jeremy has done a lot of frantic studying, and we should have it fully functional so that long-distance sponsors can watch the March 31st General Meeting. I'll be sending out a quick update will the details to this list prior to the meeting.
2) Due to logistical whatnots, I have rescheduled the tour of the 3D printing/prototyping place for the summer. But, with the kind assistance of author and sponsor Madeleine Robins, we've arranged a private Borderlands' Sponsors tour of the amazing American Bookbinders' Museum for this month! The Museum houses an extensive collection of mostly-operational bookbinding equipment from the 18th and 19th centuries. It really must be seen to be believed. This quote from their website explains briefly why it is important (and fascinating) to study these tools, particularly right now: "Our relationship to the book is rapidly evolving, making it the ideal time to tell the history of [the printed book] and memorialize its significance in regards to where we are today. The American Bookbinders Museum is an important library of equipment and archive materials on bookbinding in America. We offer an authentic experience of what a factory of the day felt like and enable visitors to experience the machinery and tools."
The tour will take place on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6:30 pm. We'll meet at the Museum, which is located at 355 Clementina. The cost for the tour will be $7 per person (cash, please, payable at the venue), a 30% discount off the regular price. You can also bring drinks or snacks if you'll like; we'll have a short informal reception after the tour. Please RSVP to sponsors@borderlands-books.com to let us know you'll be attending; one guest per sponsor is welcome (but each attendee will still need to pay $7). The maximum number of attendees is 30, so reserve your space soon. More information about the museum, as well as a virtual tour if you cannot attend in person, can be found here: http://www.bookbindersmuseum.org/
PS Very sorry for the short notice for this event. As I said, "logistical whatnots".
3) The Sponsors' General Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 31st at 7:00 pm. I'd really like to have a chance to talk with you about how things have gone through our first year as a sponsored store. I want to know what we've done right, what we've done wrong, and what we can do better -- as well as answering any questions you have. Also, I need to talk with you about some ideas I have for the future. What I have in mind is something much like the meeting we had last year, which was the genesis for what saved the store. I'll outline where we stand as a business, discuss future plans and then ask for comments and ideas. If there's anything you'd like to discuss that you think I might not cover, please email me ahead of time so I can be prepared to respond. I hope to see as many of you there as possible because some of the topics on my mind are pretty important. If you can't attend in person, also feel free to email me with your comments, sponsors@borderlands-books.com.
4) The next Sponsor Social is scheduled for April 2nd from 7:00 - 11:00 pm. As usual, it will be a potluck, so bring your specialty dish to show off, or a bottle of something to share. You can bring one non-sponsor guest with you. RSVPs are appreciated but not required. Unfortunately, with all the rain we've had, I doubt the basement will be dry enough for "backstage" tours. However, I'm setting up some other exciting things:
Our guest vendor will be Fly By Night Gifts. Fly By Night will have a large and impressive selection of hand-stamped and embossed cards, hair adornments, and jewelry with a science fiction theme for sale, and the items will be 30% off for all sponsors, with a free gift with purchase over $10. Fly By Night is operated by Rina Weisman who is, among other things, one of the driving forces behind the long-running SF in SF reading series. She's really quite a renaissance woman, and her products have been great sellers at the store for years. However, we've never had her full line of items for sale before so expect to see some really neat treats.
Our beverage guest will be the fine folks from Speakeasy Ales and Lagers < http://www.goodbeer.com >. Speakeasy is not just a truly great craft brewery, but they're also 100% San Francisco local. They'll be bringing down all sorts of interesting beers, including their newest release: Phliz' Payback Coffee Porter (just coming out this Saturday - http://www.goodbeer.com/events/2016/3/19/release-party-payback-coffee-porter). Their staff will be on hand to tell you anything you could possibly want to know about their beers and brewery. Note: Since they'll be providing all the beer that we could possibly want, free of charge -- if you're going to bring something in the beverage department to share, you might want to give beer a miss this time.
And as usual, there will be much merriment, weird & fabulous raffle prizes, and probably an embarrassing story or two about the pre-history of Borderlands. Finally, as I mentioned at the beginning of this year, this will be the last social which non-renewed 2015 sponsors may attend. I hope to see all of you there.
5) Speaking of sponsorship renewals, if you have not yet renewed your sponsorship for 2016 this will be the last sponsor email you'll receive. This is not because we want to exclude you but, rather than spamming former sponsors, we will be purging our 2015 mailing list and replacing it with the current list of sponsors. If you'd still like to see what is going on with the sponsorship program, all that information will continue to appear at the sponsors' blog - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com - which is (and will remain) open for public viewing. Of course, if you would like to renew now, we'd love to have you. You can stop by the store, call, email, or even send us an old-fashioned check. And, you can renew on-line right here - https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html .
Monday, February 1, 2016
Sponsor Letter February 1st, 2016
Dear Sponsors,
It's been a good couple of weeks since I last wrote. The total count of 2016 sponsors is over 500 (!), which is just damn wonderful. The meet-and-greet with Pat Rothfuss went very well and we had a great time at the party on Thursday. The year is looking very, very good.
The Robert Parker Version
1) Live-streaming of events will start on February 2nd. Ustream channel link for live streaming is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/NLHFhn7KUjd . YouTube channel for archived video is "Borderlands Books" but we can't set up a link to it yet (we need more subscribers).
2) A sponsor is looking for some real world experiences in distributed project management for the book he's writing for O'Riley. Please read full details below.
3) A month of presentations on Tuesdays in February at 7:00 PM for experienced and aspiring writers, along with anyone else who's curious how the book business works. Though not required, RSVPs would be appreciated.
Feb. 2nd, Alan Beatts, "The Life-Cycle of a Book"
Feb. 9th, Jeremy Lassen, "Publishing Contracts: Good, Bad, and Ugly"
Feb. 16th, Scott Cox, "Public Reading, Tips and Tricks"
Feb. 23rd, Panel Discussion with authors Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey and Pat Murphy: "Been There, Done That, Wish I Hadn't"
4) March special event will be a tour of a 3D printing/prototyping company.
5) Sponsors' General Meeting, Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm. A chance to talk about how we're doing, where we're going, and to give us your advice.
6) Next sponsor social scheduled for April 2nd.
7) Preliminary list of special events for 2016 is ready. See all the details below.
8) Despite almost universal support from our sponsors, the Precita Eyes loan is a dead issue. It changed from a straightforward loan to something almost completely _unlike_ a straightforward loan. The risks associated with it were far too high, so I killed the deal.
It's been a good couple of weeks since I last wrote. The total count of 2016 sponsors is over 500 (!), which is just damn wonderful. The meet-and-greet with Pat Rothfuss went very well and we had a great time at the party on Thursday. The year is looking very, very good.
The Robert Parker Version
1) Live-streaming of events will start on February 2nd. Ustream channel link for live streaming is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/NLHFhn7KUjd . YouTube channel for archived video is "Borderlands Books" but we can't set up a link to it yet (we need more subscribers).
2) A sponsor is looking for some real world experiences in distributed project management for the book he's writing for O'Riley. Please read full details below.
3) A month of presentations on Tuesdays in February at 7:00 PM for experienced and aspiring writers, along with anyone else who's curious how the book business works. Though not required, RSVPs would be appreciated.
Feb. 2nd, Alan Beatts, "The Life-Cycle of a Book"
Feb. 9th, Jeremy Lassen, "Publishing Contracts: Good, Bad, and Ugly"
Feb. 16th, Scott Cox, "Public Reading, Tips and Tricks"
Feb. 23rd, Panel Discussion with authors Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey and Pat Murphy: "Been There, Done That, Wish I Hadn't"
4) March special event will be a tour of a 3D printing/prototyping company.
5) Sponsors' General Meeting, Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm. A chance to talk about how we're doing, where we're going, and to give us your advice.
6) Next sponsor social scheduled for April 2nd.
7) Preliminary list of special events for 2016 is ready. See all the details below.
8) Despite almost universal support from our sponsors, the Precita Eyes loan is a dead issue. It changed from a straightforward loan to something almost completely _unlike_ a straightforward loan. The risks associated with it were far too high, so I killed the deal.
Friday, January 22, 2016
On-Line Sale (updated)
Update
The sale is now over. Thank you to the folks who participated. It was a lot of fun. Despite the sale being over, if there are books that you saw in the pictures that you are interested in, please drop Jude Feldman an email <jfeldman@borderlands-books.com>. Everything that didn't sell will remain available to sponsors for purchase while we get the books graded and in our inventory.
Hi Everyone,
Here's the link to pictures of the books that will be going on sale at 10 AM, PST, tomorrow.
https://goo.gl/photos/r8yvJYKMfPZrzTNX6
If you're interested in purchasing any of them, you can ask questions and make purchase arrangements via email or phone (toll free in the US at 888 893-4008). If the phone is busy, it's just because we're on the other line. Please give us a call back.
Just a few details -
1) You cannot make payment arrangements until 10 AM tomorrow.
2) If you have questions about a specific title, just let us know and we'll do our best to answer them. However, I don't think we'll be able to send you pictures of the book until after 12 noon.
3) I will cover the cost of standard shipping in the US and we will be charging international shipping at our cost.
4) All the prices will be discounted by 10% for the sale. I will continue to honor that discount for the remainder of the day as well.
5) General Condition Notes:
a) Most of the volumes are first editions but there is a scattering of nice book clubs as well (i.e. Dune, Stranger in the Strange Land, Jack of Shadows, Lord of Light, and so on).
b) Many of the hardcovers are signed, especially titles by Zelazny, Leiber, Bradley, and Card.
c) The owner was a smoker who quit indoors years ago and many of the books were kept either in plastic or behind glass. Neither I nor any other staff have noticed any detectable odor of smoke. However, some of the spines are clearly tanned (i.e. darkened) as a result of smoke exposure.
d) Like many areas in San Francisco, there was some damp in the house along with dust, which equates to foxing, mostly at the top of the text block but some on the fore-edge as well. With only one or two exceptions, none of the books show any moisture damage and none have mold or mildew. (Foxing is a pattern of brown marks on paper possibly caused by some sort of poorly understood mold. It is inert and does not damage the integrity of the paper - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxing)
If you'll be able to join us in person, that is great. We'll be letting you in at 10 AM. Please come in through the cafe door (the bookstore door will be locked).
This is the first time we've done something like this, so please be patient. We'll get the kinks worked out and it'll be much smoother next time.
Thanks,
Alan
The sale is now over. Thank you to the folks who participated. It was a lot of fun. Despite the sale being over, if there are books that you saw in the pictures that you are interested in, please drop Jude Feldman an email <jfeldman@borderlands-books.com>. Everything that didn't sell will remain available to sponsors for purchase while we get the books graded and in our inventory.
Hi Everyone,
Here's the link to pictures of the books that will be going on sale at 10 AM, PST, tomorrow.
https://goo.gl/photos/r8yvJYKMfPZrzTNX6
If you're interested in purchasing any of them, you can ask questions and make purchase arrangements via email or phone (toll free in the US at 888 893-4008). If the phone is busy, it's just because we're on the other line. Please give us a call back.
Just a few details -
1) You cannot make payment arrangements until 10 AM tomorrow.
2) If you have questions about a specific title, just let us know and we'll do our best to answer them. However, I don't think we'll be able to send you pictures of the book until after 12 noon.
3) I will cover the cost of standard shipping in the US and we will be charging international shipping at our cost.
4) All the prices will be discounted by 10% for the sale. I will continue to honor that discount for the remainder of the day as well.
5) General Condition Notes:
a) Most of the volumes are first editions but there is a scattering of nice book clubs as well (i.e. Dune, Stranger in the Strange Land, Jack of Shadows, Lord of Light, and so on).
b) Many of the hardcovers are signed, especially titles by Zelazny, Leiber, Bradley, and Card.
c) The owner was a smoker who quit indoors years ago and many of the books were kept either in plastic or behind glass. Neither I nor any other staff have noticed any detectable odor of smoke. However, some of the spines are clearly tanned (i.e. darkened) as a result of smoke exposure.
d) Like many areas in San Francisco, there was some damp in the house along with dust, which equates to foxing, mostly at the top of the text block but some on the fore-edge as well. With only one or two exceptions, none of the books show any moisture damage and none have mold or mildew. (Foxing is a pattern of brown marks on paper possibly caused by some sort of poorly understood mold. It is inert and does not damage the integrity of the paper - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxing)
If you'll be able to join us in person, that is great. We'll be letting you in at 10 AM. Please come in through the cafe door (the bookstore door will be locked).
This is the first time we've done something like this, so please be patient. We'll get the kinks worked out and it'll be much smoother next time.
Thanks,
Alan
Monday, January 11, 2016
Sponsor Letter January 11th, 2016
Dear Sponsors,
I'm sorry that there have been so many emails coming to you over the past two weeks. As I've said, I've making this up as we go along and that leads to quite a few, "Oh, we'd better explain that" moments. Don't worry though, this is a short one and (hopefully) the last 'til next month.
The Dashiell Hammett Version
1) If you're a 2016 sponsor and you would like to be in the drawing for the private event with Pat Rothfuss at 5:30 pm on Friday, January 15th, please reply to this email and say so (and, do look at the details below).
2) As requested by several folks, I've set up an on-line calendar listing all of our sponsor events. The URL is https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=ud8v8s1cfutjemfeusiv72ubvo%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles. The events aren't all up there yet but they should be in a few days.
3) Also as requested by several people, we'll be videoing the presentations that we're doing in February. Probably both as live-streams and stored at Youtube. Details in the February newsletter.
4) We made a typo in one of the dates listed for the February presentations. The correct date for the final presentation, "Been There, Done That, Wish I Hadn't", with Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey, and Pat Murphy, is Tuesday, February 23rd.
5) If you were a sponsor in 2015 and haven't renewed yet, please feel free to come to the social on January 28th. If you like, you could renew on the spot but you are very welcome to just come and celebrate with us. That party is in just a few weeks, so it's time to RSVP if you're coming (as usual, one guest is welcome). You are also welcome to come to the sponsors' general meeting on Thursday, March 31st, at 7 pm.
6) I think I made a mistake by rushing into making the offer to loan money to help Precita Eyes (please see the last sponsor note for details). I'd like to know if you approve of that action or not.
I'm sorry that there have been so many emails coming to you over the past two weeks. As I've said, I've making this up as we go along and that leads to quite a few, "Oh, we'd better explain that" moments. Don't worry though, this is a short one and (hopefully) the last 'til next month.
The Dashiell Hammett Version
1) If you're a 2016 sponsor and you would like to be in the drawing for the private event with Pat Rothfuss at 5:30 pm on Friday, January 15th, please reply to this email and say so (and, do look at the details below).
2) As requested by several folks, I've set up an on-line calendar listing all of our sponsor events. The URL is https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=ud8v8s1cfutjemfeusiv72ubvo%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles. The events aren't all up there yet but they should be in a few days.
3) Also as requested by several people, we'll be videoing the presentations that we're doing in February. Probably both as live-streams and stored at Youtube. Details in the February newsletter.
4) We made a typo in one of the dates listed for the February presentations. The correct date for the final presentation, "Been There, Done That, Wish I Hadn't", with Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey, and Pat Murphy, is Tuesday, February 23rd.
5) If you were a sponsor in 2015 and haven't renewed yet, please feel free to come to the social on January 28th. If you like, you could renew on the spot but you are very welcome to just come and celebrate with us. That party is in just a few weeks, so it's time to RSVP if you're coming (as usual, one guest is welcome). You are also welcome to come to the sponsors' general meeting on Thursday, March 31st, at 7 pm.
6) I think I made a mistake by rushing into making the offer to loan money to help Precita Eyes (please see the last sponsor note for details). I'd like to know if you approve of that action or not.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Sponsor Letter January 9th, 2016
Hi, it's me again.
Before I get too far into this letter, I want to thank all the sponsors out there who will not be renewing this year . . . yeah, you read that right.
Last year, at a time when we were all ready to pack it in, over 800 people stepped up and said that Borderlands mattered. They put their money behind it but, more importantly, they let us know they cared. It was one of the nicest, coolest, and most wonderful things that has ever happened to me. At that time, I knew I was in this for the long run but, at the same time, I knew that all our sponsors were not. And that's just fine.
If you're reading this, you're one of the people who made bookselling history. No store has ever done what we achieved and, even now, people in our industry don't quite know what to make of it.
But now, we're settling in for the long trip. If we're to stay open, we need to keep on making history. On January 1st, it was time for sponsors to renew and we needed 300 sponsors by March 31st if we were to remain open through 2016.
On Thursday, the 7th, we made it. It took just one week for more than 300 sponsors to re-up.
So, if you've been thinking to yourself: "Gee, I really should renew but December was an expensive month." . . . or, as one sponsor wrote me yesterday, "The Canadian dollar is pretty weak right now but, if you need me, let me know and I'll sign up again." . . . or, for that matter, "I live in Texas and, as much as I like Alan's rambling emails, that's all I've gotten out of this sponsorship" -- Please, don't worry about renewing this year. But, do stay in touch, visit us, and read the newsletter. If we get in a jam in a few years, perhaps you'll feel like helping out.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You allowed me and all my friends here to keep on doing what we love. And in doing so you changed how we look at Borderlands and how we look at ourselves.
In short: you've done plenty, feel free to take a break.
On the other hand, if you want to stay aboard for the rest of the ride, keep on reading. I'll tell you why every single sponsor over the required 300 makes a huge difference to the future of Borderlands, as well as what we'll be doing with our sponsors this year.
All Best,
Alan
PS Sponsor or not, renewal or not; if there is something I can do for you in the future, just let me know. I owe you, big time.
The Short Version
1) You can renew your sponsorship by mail, by phone, in person and, new this year, on-line at https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html
2) Sponsorships over the 300 level are how we will make it possible for Borderlands to buy a building, which will go most of the way toward ensuring that we'll be around for decades to come. Our lease is good for about five and a half years but, after that, we're going to have problems.
3) Because we had so many sponsors than we absolutely needed last year, we're likely going to be able to help local art non-profit Precita Eyes (who painted the mural on the side of our shop) keep their building by giving them a low interest, 12-month loan of $20,000.
4) Second Sponsors' Open Mic scheduled for Friday, January 22nd at 7 pm. Please email Greg Roensch at gregroensch@gmail.com if you would like to participate.
5) An advance sale for sponsors only of a notable collection is coming up. Mostly hardcover first editions of 1970s and '80s SF, many signed. For our out-of-town sponsors, books will be viewable on-line at our blog - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com - probably starting late Friday night, January 22nd. You can call or email to purchase them if you can't make it to the store. The sale will be Saturday, January 23rd from 10 am to noon.
6) The 5th (!) Sponsor Social: Thursday, January 28th, from seven to eleven in the evening. Drinks, food, and a celebration for achieving our goal for 2016. And, possibly, a Borderlands staff talent show (be afraid; be very, very afraid).
7) A month of presentations on Tuesdays in February at 7:00 PM for experienced and aspiring writers, along with anyone else who's curious how the book business works.
Feb. 2nd, Alan Beatts, "The Life-Cycle of a Book"
Feb. 9th, Jeremy Lassen, "Publishing Contracts: Good, Bad, and Ugly"
Feb. 16th, Scott Cox, "Public Reading, Tips and Tricks"
Feb. 22nd, Panel Discussion with authors Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey and Pat Murphy: "Been There, Done That, Wish I Hadn't"
8) Sponsors' General Meeting, Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm. A chance to talk about how we're doing, where we're going, and to give us your advice.
Before I get too far into this letter, I want to thank all the sponsors out there who will not be renewing this year . . . yeah, you read that right.
Last year, at a time when we were all ready to pack it in, over 800 people stepped up and said that Borderlands mattered. They put their money behind it but, more importantly, they let us know they cared. It was one of the nicest, coolest, and most wonderful things that has ever happened to me. At that time, I knew I was in this for the long run but, at the same time, I knew that all our sponsors were not. And that's just fine.
If you're reading this, you're one of the people who made bookselling history. No store has ever done what we achieved and, even now, people in our industry don't quite know what to make of it.
But now, we're settling in for the long trip. If we're to stay open, we need to keep on making history. On January 1st, it was time for sponsors to renew and we needed 300 sponsors by March 31st if we were to remain open through 2016.
On Thursday, the 7th, we made it. It took just one week for more than 300 sponsors to re-up.
So, if you've been thinking to yourself: "Gee, I really should renew but December was an expensive month." . . . or, as one sponsor wrote me yesterday, "The Canadian dollar is pretty weak right now but, if you need me, let me know and I'll sign up again." . . . or, for that matter, "I live in Texas and, as much as I like Alan's rambling emails, that's all I've gotten out of this sponsorship" -- Please, don't worry about renewing this year. But, do stay in touch, visit us, and read the newsletter. If we get in a jam in a few years, perhaps you'll feel like helping out.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You allowed me and all my friends here to keep on doing what we love. And in doing so you changed how we look at Borderlands and how we look at ourselves.
In short: you've done plenty, feel free to take a break.
On the other hand, if you want to stay aboard for the rest of the ride, keep on reading. I'll tell you why every single sponsor over the required 300 makes a huge difference to the future of Borderlands, as well as what we'll be doing with our sponsors this year.
All Best,
Alan
PS Sponsor or not, renewal or not; if there is something I can do for you in the future, just let me know. I owe you, big time.
The Short Version
1) You can renew your sponsorship by mail, by phone, in person and, new this year, on-line at https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html
2) Sponsorships over the 300 level are how we will make it possible for Borderlands to buy a building, which will go most of the way toward ensuring that we'll be around for decades to come. Our lease is good for about five and a half years but, after that, we're going to have problems.
3) Because we had so many sponsors than we absolutely needed last year, we're likely going to be able to help local art non-profit Precita Eyes (who painted the mural on the side of our shop) keep their building by giving them a low interest, 12-month loan of $20,000.
4) Second Sponsors' Open Mic scheduled for Friday, January 22nd at 7 pm. Please email Greg Roensch at gregroensch@gmail.com if you would like to participate.
5) An advance sale for sponsors only of a notable collection is coming up. Mostly hardcover first editions of 1970s and '80s SF, many signed. For our out-of-town sponsors, books will be viewable on-line at our blog - http://borderlands-sponsors.blogspot.com - probably starting late Friday night, January 22nd. You can call or email to purchase them if you can't make it to the store. The sale will be Saturday, January 23rd from 10 am to noon.
6) The 5th (!) Sponsor Social: Thursday, January 28th, from seven to eleven in the evening. Drinks, food, and a celebration for achieving our goal for 2016. And, possibly, a Borderlands staff talent show (be afraid; be very, very afraid).
7) A month of presentations on Tuesdays in February at 7:00 PM for experienced and aspiring writers, along with anyone else who's curious how the book business works.
Feb. 2nd, Alan Beatts, "The Life-Cycle of a Book"
Feb. 9th, Jeremy Lassen, "Publishing Contracts: Good, Bad, and Ugly"
Feb. 16th, Scott Cox, "Public Reading, Tips and Tricks"
Feb. 22nd, Panel Discussion with authors Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey and Pat Murphy: "Been There, Done That, Wish I Hadn't"
8) Sponsors' General Meeting, Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm. A chance to talk about how we're doing, where we're going, and to give us your advice.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Sponsor Letter December 21st, 2015
Hello, everyone,
This is the last sponsor email of 2015, and what a year it has been. Thanks to all of you, we're still here, and feeling very optimistic about 2016. It's going to be pretty exciting, and I hope you'll come along for the ride! Please forgive the lateness of this note. I had been delaying sending it because I hoped to have some good news about preordering sponsorships (and, if you wish, giving them as gifts). One delay added to another and here we are at the 21st of the month. However, I do have that good news - as of now, our website is ready to accept renewals of sponsorships and preorders. Check the information below for all the information.
High points (details below):
1) Happy holidays and happy new year to all.
2) Sponsorships for 2016 are available for preorder now. The link to use is https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html
3) Plus One sponsorships available. For an equal price you can have an extra sponsorship (or two or more) that can be "lent" to friends and family.
4) Second Sponsor's Open Mic scheduled for January 22nd at 7 pm. Please email Greg Roensch at gregroensch@gmail.com if you would like to participate.
5) Advance sale of a notable collection for sponsors. Mostly hardcover first editions of 1970s and '80s SF, many signed. Including a number of Gregg Press titles as well as works signed by Frank Herbert (sadly not including Dune), Fritz Leiber, Roger Zelazny and others. Saturday, January 23rd from 10 am to noon.
6) Schedule for upcoming Sponsor Socials: Thursday, January 28th, 2016; Saturday, April 2nd, 2016; Thursday, July 14th, 2016; Saturday, November 12th, 2016; and Thursday, January 26th, 2017.
7) Sponsors' General Meeting, Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
8) Lots of cool sponsor-only events planned for 2016, including a month of The Business of Writing lectures, a perfumery demonstration, various tours.
The long version:
1) Happy holidays and happy new year to everyone! We wish you a joyful end of December, and we hope that 2016 brings peace and comfort to you. The bookstore has been quite busy this year, so we're both happy and hopping around here. We're so grateful for all of your support, and so happy to still be here.
2) Sponsorships for 2016 are available for preorder now! Just use this link: https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html . You can use the link to buy a 2016 sponsorship for yourself, or to give one as a gift to someone else. (If you have multiple sponsorships to purchase or if you're interested in a "Plus One", you can use the website, but it's probably easier to call at 888 893-4008 or email sponsors@borderlands-books.com so you don't have to enter the same info repeatedly.) A quick reminder that sponsorship benefits apply to a single person -- not a couple or organization. Thanks again to everyone who was so patient while we worked out the quirks with the online form!
(You can also renew your sponsorship by mail, phone or in person. If you're going to mail us a check however, please date it January 1st, 2016 so that we can stay in the tax-man's good graces.)
3) We're trying out a Plus One (or more) sponsorship program this year. Since our first obligation is to our sponsors, many of our events that have a limited number of attendees have been restricted to sponsors-only, and we have not been able to accommodate guests. If you've found yourself in that position this year, we're trying a solution. For the same amount as your sponsorship, you can get a "Plus One" sponsorship. Rather than being associated with a specific person, that sponsorship is yours to lend to anyone you wish. You can even arrange with us in advance for someone to use it even if you won't be attending the event. Though we're calling it a "Plus One" membership, you can get any many as you would like. There are only two catches; first, _all_ sponsor benefit do not accrue to that membership, specifically someone using a Plus One may not rent the cafe or bookstore for private events. The other catch is that, if you want to order one using the form on the website, you'll need to specifically mention that in the "Notes" section of the on-line form.
4) The last Sponsor's Open Mic was quite a success, and so we're doing it again on January 22nd at 7 pm in the Cafe. If you just want to attend, you don't need to do anything except show up (although you might want to take advantage of your seat reservation privilege because it might be crowded).
However, if you want to read, you should get in touch with fellow sponsor Greg Roensch at gregroensch@gmail.com. He suggested the idea and he's been kind enough to take care of organizing the event. Participation will be open to writers of all levels (as long as they are sponsors), and also open to any type of writing, in any genre. All we ask is that you keep the reading short -- five minutes max. So, if you want to read, get in touch with Greg and he'll take care of the scheduling and so forth.
5) One of the benefits of sponsorship is that you get first chance at new acquisitions when I buy large, interesting collections. On Saturday, January 23rd, from ten in the morning to noon, you'll have the chance to be first to look over and purchase from a collection I just purchased. The collection is mostly 1970s and 1980s SF and fantasy with some later and earlier works included as well. Some of the "big" books are not represented (no firsts of Dune, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, and so forth) but there are some very nice titles including a first of The Forever War by Haldeman, Gilden Fire by Donaldson, the Gregg Press edition of Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories and more (please don't ask me for a complete list -- I don't have one and I won't until _after_ the sale). There are also a number of neat but not hugely valuable titles (for example, I love Circus World by Longyear, but the hardcover first is not an expensive book, just uncommon).
Jude, Jeremy and I will be going through all the books prior to the sale and pricing them. However, before we enter them into our inventory and shelve them, you're going to have a chance at them. Come down at ten Saturday morning, come in through the cafe, and you'll find them in rows on tables (and, probably, on the floor -- it's quite a lot of books). Since buying them before we take the time to grade, inventory and shelve them saves us a bunch of work, I'm going to give you a discount of 10% off the marked price as well. This is the first time we've done this and I think it'll be fun.
6) We have set the schedule for upcoming 2016 Sponsor Socials -- we're optimistic that way. The dates are: Thursday, January 28th, 2016; Saturday, April 2nd, 2016; Thursday, July 14th, 2016; Saturday, November 12th, 2016; and Thursday, January 26th, 2017. I hope you'll join us for one or all of these awesome parties.
(7) We're having a Sponsors' General Meeting on Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm. I hope that I'll be announcing that we've met our requirement to remain open through 2016. Of course, if we haven't made it, I'll be making an announcement of a very different sort.
Assuming we make it, I'd really like to have a chance to talk with you about how things have gone through our first year as a sponsored store. I'd like to know what we've done right, what we've done wrong, and what we can do better. I'd also like to have a chance to talk to you about some ideas I have for the future as well as getting your ideas and suggestions. What I have in mind is something much like the original meeting we had in February that was the genesis for what saved the store. I'll outline where we're at and then ask for comments. You're welcome to bring a guest if you think that they'll have something constructive to contribute. I hope to see as many of your there as possible because some of what we'll be discussing will shape how I'm going to move forward with the sponsorship program and the business as a whole.
8) Lastly, we have lots of cool events planned for sponsors in 2016, including a perfumery demonstration with author (and sponsor) Megan E. O'Keefe, a month of The Business of Writing lectures in February, and tours of places of interest around town ranging from a brewery (we do like to take a drink now and then) to a real, old school book printer and bindery. I'm also going to see if Mary Robinette Kowal will be in town at some point so we can have a re-do of the Scotch tasting she hosted.
-Alan Beatts
This is the last sponsor email of 2015, and what a year it has been. Thanks to all of you, we're still here, and feeling very optimistic about 2016. It's going to be pretty exciting, and I hope you'll come along for the ride! Please forgive the lateness of this note. I had been delaying sending it because I hoped to have some good news about preordering sponsorships (and, if you wish, giving them as gifts). One delay added to another and here we are at the 21st of the month. However, I do have that good news - as of now, our website is ready to accept renewals of sponsorships and preorders. Check the information below for all the information.
High points (details below):
1) Happy holidays and happy new year to all.
2) Sponsorships for 2016 are available for preorder now. The link to use is https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html
3) Plus One sponsorships available. For an equal price you can have an extra sponsorship (or two or more) that can be "lent" to friends and family.
4) Second Sponsor's Open Mic scheduled for January 22nd at 7 pm. Please email Greg Roensch at gregroensch@gmail.com if you would like to participate.
5) Advance sale of a notable collection for sponsors. Mostly hardcover first editions of 1970s and '80s SF, many signed. Including a number of Gregg Press titles as well as works signed by Frank Herbert (sadly not including Dune), Fritz Leiber, Roger Zelazny and others. Saturday, January 23rd from 10 am to noon.
6) Schedule for upcoming Sponsor Socials: Thursday, January 28th, 2016; Saturday, April 2nd, 2016; Thursday, July 14th, 2016; Saturday, November 12th, 2016; and Thursday, January 26th, 2017.
7) Sponsors' General Meeting, Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
8) Lots of cool sponsor-only events planned for 2016, including a month of The Business of Writing lectures, a perfumery demonstration, various tours.
The long version:
1) Happy holidays and happy new year to everyone! We wish you a joyful end of December, and we hope that 2016 brings peace and comfort to you. The bookstore has been quite busy this year, so we're both happy and hopping around here. We're so grateful for all of your support, and so happy to still be here.
2) Sponsorships for 2016 are available for preorder now! Just use this link: https://borderlands-books.com/buysponsorship16.html . You can use the link to buy a 2016 sponsorship for yourself, or to give one as a gift to someone else. (If you have multiple sponsorships to purchase or if you're interested in a "Plus One", you can use the website, but it's probably easier to call at 888 893-4008 or email sponsors@borderlands-books.com so you don't have to enter the same info repeatedly.) A quick reminder that sponsorship benefits apply to a single person -- not a couple or organization. Thanks again to everyone who was so patient while we worked out the quirks with the online form!
(You can also renew your sponsorship by mail, phone or in person. If you're going to mail us a check however, please date it January 1st, 2016 so that we can stay in the tax-man's good graces.)
3) We're trying out a Plus One (or more) sponsorship program this year. Since our first obligation is to our sponsors, many of our events that have a limited number of attendees have been restricted to sponsors-only, and we have not been able to accommodate guests. If you've found yourself in that position this year, we're trying a solution. For the same amount as your sponsorship, you can get a "Plus One" sponsorship. Rather than being associated with a specific person, that sponsorship is yours to lend to anyone you wish. You can even arrange with us in advance for someone to use it even if you won't be attending the event. Though we're calling it a "Plus One" membership, you can get any many as you would like. There are only two catches; first, _all_ sponsor benefit do not accrue to that membership, specifically someone using a Plus One may not rent the cafe or bookstore for private events. The other catch is that, if you want to order one using the form on the website, you'll need to specifically mention that in the "Notes" section of the on-line form.
4) The last Sponsor's Open Mic was quite a success, and so we're doing it again on January 22nd at 7 pm in the Cafe. If you just want to attend, you don't need to do anything except show up (although you might want to take advantage of your seat reservation privilege because it might be crowded).
However, if you want to read, you should get in touch with fellow sponsor Greg Roensch at gregroensch@gmail.com. He suggested the idea and he's been kind enough to take care of organizing the event. Participation will be open to writers of all levels (as long as they are sponsors), and also open to any type of writing, in any genre. All we ask is that you keep the reading short -- five minutes max. So, if you want to read, get in touch with Greg and he'll take care of the scheduling and so forth.
5) One of the benefits of sponsorship is that you get first chance at new acquisitions when I buy large, interesting collections. On Saturday, January 23rd, from ten in the morning to noon, you'll have the chance to be first to look over and purchase from a collection I just purchased. The collection is mostly 1970s and 1980s SF and fantasy with some later and earlier works included as well. Some of the "big" books are not represented (no firsts of Dune, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, and so forth) but there are some very nice titles including a first of The Forever War by Haldeman, Gilden Fire by Donaldson, the Gregg Press edition of Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories and more (please don't ask me for a complete list -- I don't have one and I won't until _after_ the sale). There are also a number of neat but not hugely valuable titles (for example, I love Circus World by Longyear, but the hardcover first is not an expensive book, just uncommon).
Jude, Jeremy and I will be going through all the books prior to the sale and pricing them. However, before we enter them into our inventory and shelve them, you're going to have a chance at them. Come down at ten Saturday morning, come in through the cafe, and you'll find them in rows on tables (and, probably, on the floor -- it's quite a lot of books). Since buying them before we take the time to grade, inventory and shelve them saves us a bunch of work, I'm going to give you a discount of 10% off the marked price as well. This is the first time we've done this and I think it'll be fun.
6) We have set the schedule for upcoming 2016 Sponsor Socials -- we're optimistic that way. The dates are: Thursday, January 28th, 2016; Saturday, April 2nd, 2016; Thursday, July 14th, 2016; Saturday, November 12th, 2016; and Thursday, January 26th, 2017. I hope you'll join us for one or all of these awesome parties.
(7) We're having a Sponsors' General Meeting on Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 7:00 pm. I hope that I'll be announcing that we've met our requirement to remain open through 2016. Of course, if we haven't made it, I'll be making an announcement of a very different sort.
Assuming we make it, I'd really like to have a chance to talk with you about how things have gone through our first year as a sponsored store. I'd like to know what we've done right, what we've done wrong, and what we can do better. I'd also like to have a chance to talk to you about some ideas I have for the future as well as getting your ideas and suggestions. What I have in mind is something much like the original meeting we had in February that was the genesis for what saved the store. I'll outline where we're at and then ask for comments. You're welcome to bring a guest if you think that they'll have something constructive to contribute. I hope to see as many of your there as possible because some of what we'll be discussing will shape how I'm going to move forward with the sponsorship program and the business as a whole.
8) Lastly, we have lots of cool events planned for sponsors in 2016, including a perfumery demonstration with author (and sponsor) Megan E. O'Keefe, a month of The Business of Writing lectures in February, and tours of places of interest around town ranging from a brewery (we do like to take a drink now and then) to a real, old school book printer and bindery. I'm also going to see if Mary Robinette Kowal will be in town at some point so we can have a re-do of the Scotch tasting she hosted.
-Alan Beatts
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