I hope you're all enjoying your summer -- it's a traditional San Francisco July here: gray and cloudy which is confusing the tourists and recent arrivals while giving old-timers a sense of comfort and consistency. I've been focusing on some family stuff and getting details around the shop ironed out (the former with much success and the latter with . . . some . . . success). But, it's pretty much the usual summer status quo -- business is slow at the cafe, busy at the bookstore, and I'm playing catch-up. I hope to see many of you next week at the social, which will be the usual low-key summer one -- no big announcements, no fire-dancers, but plenty of food, drink and chatting.
All Best,
Alan
The Eddard Stark version:
1) We'll be hosting a private reception for a small group of sponsors with Charlie Stross, THIS SUNDAY, June 10th, at 6 pm after his public event at the store. If you would like to be in the drawing to attend the private event, please reply to this email and say so (and, do look at the details below).
2) The locked room event at the PanIQ Room was a blast. Fortunately, all of the groups managed to escape their rooms, so we didn't have to leave anyone behind. We may hold another Sponsor event there in the future, for those of you who weren't able to attend.
3) The next Sponsor Social is scheduled for Thursday, July 14th from 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm. As usual, one guest per sponsor, RSVP's appreciated, and we hope to see you there! It's BYOB and pot-luck so feel free to bring some drink or food or both. But don't worry if you don't have time or spine for that -- we don't usually run short on either.
4) We have a new intern at the store! You may have met her at the locked room event last Thursday. Her name is Miranda Phaal, she's very friendly and mostly doesn't bite, so feel free to say hi and introduce yourself if you see her around.
The Tyrion Lannister version:
1) We're going to be hosting an event at the store with Charles Stross, brilliant author of The Laundry Files series as well as many other fantastic titles, this Sunday at 3 pm. As a special treat for some of our sponsors, Charlie will be going for drinks with a small group of you after the public event. To make this an intimate gathering, rather than just a smaller version of the signing at the store, the number of people attending is sharply limited. If you would like to come, please reply to this email and let me know. The deadline to express interest is 8 pm Friday, July 8th.
After the deadline, I'll draw names out of a "hat" to determine who will be attending. The private event is at 6 pm on Sunday, June 10th, will run about two hours, and is seven block walk from Borderlands. Food and drinks will be available to purchase at the site. Regrettably, it will not be possible to bring any guests. I will be notifying the winners on Saturday afternoon and giving them further details.
Of course, the event at the store is open to the public and, as a sponsor, you can reserve a seat for yourself and one guest, if you like. Just email sponsors@borderlands-books.com to reserve a seat.
2) Sponsors (and staff) had a lot of fun at the PanIQ Room locked room event last Thursday. All three groups managed to escape from their rooms, two of them in around 30 minutes, and the third in just over 50 minutes (they had the hardest room). It was such a fun event that we may look into holding another Sponsor event there for those of you that couldn't make it this time, or who want to try to beat your record from last time.
3) The next Sponsor Social is scheduled for Thursday, July 14th 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. We will have some excellent beer, courtesy of the generous folks at local Speakeasy Ales and Lagers < http://www.goodbeer.com >, who were our beverage guests at the last social. It has been dry enough that we may even be able to resume the "backstage" tours! And as usual, there will be much merriment, weird & fabulous raffle prizes, (including a special little something courtesy of the fabulous Joe Hill!) and probably an embarrassing story or two about the history of Borderlands, as they always seem to come up. You can bring one non-sponsor guest with you, and RSVPs are appreciated but not required. I hope to see all of you there.
4) We have a new Publicity and Marketing intern at the store! Some of you met her last Thursday at the locked room event. Her name is Miranda Phaal, she's going to school at Tufts University (located just outside of Boston), but she's a local San Franciscan and a Borderlands Sponsor. She'll be writing some promotional materials for the store, helping out with Sponsor and author events, and possibly working to get more stuff up on our Youtube channel. Other than at events, she'll be back in the office most of the time, but if you see her around, feel free to say hi and introduce yourself. She's friendly, we promise.
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Borderlands Books and Cafe
866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110 USA
415 824-8203
888 893-4008
http://www.borderlands-books.com
