San Francisco
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 01:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterDay trip to San Francisco today!
I found a very, very cool new bookstore -- Borderlands, sci-fi/fantasy/horror specialty store. I want to work there now (even though the commute would suck and they probably don't need people now). It's the kind of bookstore I want to open! The outside looked a little dingy, mostly because the screen on the door was broken, but once I stepped inside, completely different ambience. Interesting new books displayed around, wooden tables with books and other items like fancy boxes or calenders etc, and a cat. All rich wood tones on the inside with lamps with glass shades kind of Tiffany's style, two couches in the back, and very friendly staff!
And they carried Megan Lindholm! Unfortunately, they didn't have Wizard of the Pigeons because someone bought it that morning =(. I didn't end up getting any of her, because they were all British imports, so each mass market PB cost about 12 dollars... and all the books left were part of trilogies or other such long series, sigh. I did end up spending money there and minorly regretting the previous day's loss of control at B&N, but not too much, since I bought mostly romance yesterday and a YA title that wasn't here. Didn't manage to find the two Terri Windling anthologies I've been looking for either, given the out of printness, sigh. I think I will eventually succumb and get them via ABE or something. I'm kind of mad at myself because when the Windling/Datlow fairy tale anthologies were coming out (Snow White, Blood Red, etc.), I didn't get the final three because they were in trade and I was waiting for them to come out in mass market. Never did. But I've got all of the series except one (Black Swan, White Raven) now, yay.
I asked the lady at the counter for Armless Maiden and actually had a slight conversation! This probably is not surprising to anyone who's had a friendly bookstore person, but I am generally the shy person who lurks around the stacks and jealously listens in on conversations and wishes she were brave enough to join in. Very nice and friendly people there, and she ended up reccing me Firebirds, ed. Sheryl November. Never heard of it before, but apparently the editor is starting a new imprint (Firebird) at Penguin for scifi/fantasy YA fiction, which greatly pleases me. Other people can complain about how Harry Potter and JK Rowling are unrightfully praised when compared to classics like Susan Cooper, but there's been a serious explosion in YA publishing in general, especially in YA fantasy. And a lot of good stuff is being published there, since they don't have to contend with Tolkien and derivatives (I think). I think I was standing there and the lady was explaining about the anthology and tossing off a few names -- Delia Sherman, Emma Bull, Garth Nix, Kara Dalkey, Meredith Ann Pierce, etc. And it was hardcover! I generally don't buy hardcover at all, except from the bookstore because of my employee discount. But I was drooling over the names, with the added bonus of more names I hadn't heard of. And I figured I should spend money there and support this very cool bookstore. So I ended up getting the anthology, a DWJ book (Power of Three... they had lots of DWJ, and I was very tempted to get an armful) and Leah R. Cutter's Paper Mage. New author, never heard of her before... spotted it because it was an interesting title and the cover had been turned out. It takes place in Tang Dynasty China, which made EAS me very happy, plus, magic via origami sounded interesting.
Asked the guy at the counter about it, and he said it was interesting, little uneven, but it sounds different. It's been a while since I've picked up a new author at a bookstore -- generally I browse around online on LJ and Amazon etc. for a while compiling large lists of authors to check out.
Then the boy and I (me in a very happy daze) went to Fisherman's Wharf and were touristy, which was fun ^_^. Had clam chowder, bought fudge, then hiked to Ghirardelli Square because I've never been there, and I had ice cream. Strawberry. This was rather silly of me, given us being in Ghirardelli Square. Next time I'm getting something smothered in fudge or something.
Happy now, quite full, and anticipating much reading. I'm just going to tell myself that the recent book sprees are my Christmas present to me. Man, I really want to hang out at that bookstore more.
I found a very, very cool new bookstore -- Borderlands, sci-fi/fantasy/horror specialty store. I want to work there now (even though the commute would suck and they probably don't need people now). It's the kind of bookstore I want to open! The outside looked a little dingy, mostly because the screen on the door was broken, but once I stepped inside, completely different ambience. Interesting new books displayed around, wooden tables with books and other items like fancy boxes or calenders etc, and a cat. All rich wood tones on the inside with lamps with glass shades kind of Tiffany's style, two couches in the back, and very friendly staff!
And they carried Megan Lindholm! Unfortunately, they didn't have Wizard of the Pigeons because someone bought it that morning =(. I didn't end up getting any of her, because they were all British imports, so each mass market PB cost about 12 dollars... and all the books left were part of trilogies or other such long series, sigh. I did end up spending money there and minorly regretting the previous day's loss of control at B&N, but not too much, since I bought mostly romance yesterday and a YA title that wasn't here. Didn't manage to find the two Terri Windling anthologies I've been looking for either, given the out of printness, sigh. I think I will eventually succumb and get them via ABE or something. I'm kind of mad at myself because when the Windling/Datlow fairy tale anthologies were coming out (Snow White, Blood Red, etc.), I didn't get the final three because they were in trade and I was waiting for them to come out in mass market. Never did. But I've got all of the series except one (Black Swan, White Raven) now, yay.
I asked the lady at the counter for Armless Maiden and actually had a slight conversation! This probably is not surprising to anyone who's had a friendly bookstore person, but I am generally the shy person who lurks around the stacks and jealously listens in on conversations and wishes she were brave enough to join in. Very nice and friendly people there, and she ended up reccing me Firebirds, ed. Sheryl November. Never heard of it before, but apparently the editor is starting a new imprint (Firebird) at Penguin for scifi/fantasy YA fiction, which greatly pleases me. Other people can complain about how Harry Potter and JK Rowling are unrightfully praised when compared to classics like Susan Cooper, but there's been a serious explosion in YA publishing in general, especially in YA fantasy. And a lot of good stuff is being published there, since they don't have to contend with Tolkien and derivatives (I think). I think I was standing there and the lady was explaining about the anthology and tossing off a few names -- Delia Sherman, Emma Bull, Garth Nix, Kara Dalkey, Meredith Ann Pierce, etc. And it was hardcover! I generally don't buy hardcover at all, except from the bookstore because of my employee discount. But I was drooling over the names, with the added bonus of more names I hadn't heard of. And I figured I should spend money there and support this very cool bookstore. So I ended up getting the anthology, a DWJ book (Power of Three... they had lots of DWJ, and I was very tempted to get an armful) and Leah R. Cutter's Paper Mage. New author, never heard of her before... spotted it because it was an interesting title and the cover had been turned out. It takes place in Tang Dynasty China, which made EAS me very happy, plus, magic via origami sounded interesting.
Asked the guy at the counter about it, and he said it was interesting, little uneven, but it sounds different. It's been a while since I've picked up a new author at a bookstore -- generally I browse around online on LJ and Amazon etc. for a while compiling large lists of authors to check out.
Then the boy and I (me in a very happy daze) went to Fisherman's Wharf and were touristy, which was fun ^_^. Had clam chowder, bought fudge, then hiked to Ghirardelli Square because I've never been there, and I had ice cream. Strawberry. This was rather silly of me, given us being in Ghirardelli Square. Next time I'm getting something smothered in fudge or something.
Happy now, quite full, and anticipating much reading. I'm just going to tell myself that the recent book sprees are my Christmas present to me. Man, I really want to hang out at that bookstore more.
(no subject)
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 09:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 09:31 am (UTC)And oh, awesome bookstore! (sorry, am gushing) But if I ever start my own, that's how I want it, all happy and fuzzy and feeding my book addiction ;).
(no subject)
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 02:43 pm (UTC)All those books, sounds just lovely!
(no subject)
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 10:02 pm (UTC)Where is Borderlands?
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 03:51 pm (UTC)Re: Where is Borderlands?
Sun, Dec. 21st, 2003 10:03 pm (UTC)Cool, thanks
Mon, Dec. 22nd, 2003 07:17 am (UTC)Borderlands Books
Mon, Dec. 22nd, 2003 05:07 pm (UTC)Re: Borderlands Books
Tue, Dec. 23rd, 2003 05:41 am (UTC)It really is nice ^_^. Did you meet the cat?
(no subject)
Fri, Jan. 9th, 2004 05:39 pm (UTC)I've never been to the real store, but I've bought lots of stuff from them at cons. Weird, huh?
(no subject)
Sat, Jan. 10th, 2004 03:13 am (UTC)The store is really awesome -- great atmosphere plus a cat, who could ask for more?
(no subject)
Mon, Jan. 12th, 2004 01:52 pm (UTC)