It looks like I’ll be going to Albuquerque, New Mexico next month for a family thing, and since I’ve never been there before I might as well try to do a book signing while I’m there.
So Albuquerque residents, who should I contact? I love B&Ns, Books a Million, etc, so if you’ve got a chain there with a particular store that does a lot of sci-fi and fantasy that’s great, but if you’ve got some indy places that you really like there, let me know.
I once drove through Albuquerque, but alas, I neglected to note the sf bookstores, and where they’d be in thirty-two years.
See you at Uncle Hugo’s this fall.
Yeah! I’ve got a Books A Million right up the road from me! I’m in Maryland, though…. I’m sure we can work out those details. I mean, since you’re already traveling it wouldn’t be THAT much of a stretch.
I would suggest either Camelot, the Himalayas, or Ali Baba’s treasure cave in ancient Arabia.
/obligatory Bugs Bunny joke
Ah, the left turn at Albuquerque that takes you everywhere.
my mom likes http://titlewavebooks.com/
Books One (Indie) on Montgomery and Juan Tabo or Eubank in Albuquerque used to be a great place for a signing. Last time I was in two years ago, I looked like they were going down hill. But they could have just been remodeling. There is (was) a Walden’s (my spelling) or Hastings on Lomas and Louisiana in a shopping center that should cater to the right crowd. Both are in a good location. I’ve got to go back to Albuquerque sometime soon. May make it there in time to see you, doubtful though.
They’ve moved. The con chair (one of them) for Bubonicon works there. They’re at Juan Tabo and Eubank now. I don’t know how book signings and stuff are set up but I could get contact info if helpful. They do lots of readings and Sci fi author’s stuff.
Page One. Not Book One.
Sorry, I usually come to Albuquerque once a year, missed it last year and haven’t made the trip this year yet. My wife and I used to hit the bookstores one day while visiting her mom and names were not as important as diving in. Other than going to the flea market at the fair grounds on Saturday, reminds me of Robert Aspirin’s Myth stories, Albuquerque holds no appeal to me. So, I forget names and places, sorry. I do remember that Page One were supporters of local authors so Larry might get support as well as a place for signing.
…They have a con named after the Bubonic plague? That’s awesome.
AND the mascot is a rat! 🙂
Bubonicon is seriously a great little convention. Because of the many local SFF writers we pretty much always have GRRM, Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck (the other half of James SA Corey), Melinda Snodgrass, Ian Tregillis, Diane Gabaldon, and Walter Jon Williams in attendance…plus Connie Willis and Carrie Vaughn most years. Then they bring in people like Brent Weeks, Brandon Sanderson, Jack McDevitt, and Tim Powers as GOH’s.
OMG you forgot S. M. Stirling!
There’s literally too many to keep track of! 🙂
We have 2 B&N’s, I’d recommend the one at Cottonwood corners for preference. We do have a few indy bookstores with Page One being the one that comes to mind. I know they love doing author signings. I look forward to hopefully seeing you, I’ll have to buy an actual physical copy of something for you to sign.
Hmmm, only an hour to Santa Fe… Perhaps contacting George RR Martin to sign at his Jean Cocteau Cinema? Maybe coordinate to show some B-Movie monster flick? Hahaha. Oh, that would be priceless.
It’d be a nice gesture of good will, and both Corrie and Martin have been pretty civil. I think they both care about good books first (I also think they’ve got very different tastes so agreeing on what a good book is…) and politics second. I suppose logistics would likely kill it, but it would be cool to see
Er “Corrie”? I think she writes a line of popular romance novels focusing on monster hunters and the monsters that love them. I mean Correia, of course, the dude with the books about shooting monsters.
I used to live in Albuquerque. Hastings and Page One were my go to stores but we gamed a lot at Active Imagination.
Darn! I’m out there next week, but not in July. My son’s in PJ training at Kirtland AFB right now, though, so I’ll ask him. Once you have a store in mind I’ll need to see if he can get a book signed for me.
Just got back from ABQ. No store recommendations (the son is too busy for recreational reading) but I do have a couple of restaurant recommendations. Both are far from fancy, but the food – awesome. 1) Best pancakes in ABQ: Central Grill and Coffee House in Old Town. 2) Fantastic Carne adovada: El Patio De Albuquerque. Hope that helps.
One of the Bubonicon con chairs works at Page One. Ask for Craig Chrissinger. He can also get the announcement out to the local Sci fi club email list. If you’re here while I’m in Minnesota for my kid’s wedding I’m going to be seriously distraught.
Also… Calibers has a nice new indoor range.
I tried it once but I really prefer the Albuquerque shooting range park. I’m from the Northern part of the state and I shoot year round outside.
I’ve had someone explain to me how to get there but I’ve never gone. I’d like to. It’s always a little intimidating heading out somewhere new by yourself, though.
I live in the mountains just outside. Page One. Not viable.
I would get a food truck and hook up with those guys from Los Alamos. Burritos, mar scientists, and maybe an archeologist.
It is not safe. You see, we out here are just remnants. Not science or fiction. Or maybe travel into Sandia National Labs.
And you could make book on that. We can target that from near orbit, and also change that into bones.
You have no idea what that is like.
Gods and Monsters . Not safe.
Wow, I haven’t even been in a bookstore here in a year. The B&N at Cottonwood or Hastings at Coors and Montano are closest to me. Page One is where John Ringo had his signing way back when.
We used to drive through Albuquerque but never stopped at a bookstore.
We did stop at little Anita’s every year for Mexican!
God, I have great memories of the B&N in ABQ. My grandmother is responsible for my reading addiction, and she would take me there whenever I was staying with her. Actually, I think I bought my first Baen book in that city. It was Williamson’s Freehold, which brought me to Weber, then Ringo, then you, Larry.
So, yes, the B&N at 6600 Menaul Boulevard would be my recommendation. Ah, the memories…
That’s the one at the mall, right?
http://www.page1book.com/
This would be my suggestion for an indy bookstore in Albuquerque.
Bookworks on Rio Grande. It’s a great part of Albuquerque too.
So a couple of options:
>Page One is the last of the independents around here (Title Wave is a nice used store but that’s all they sell). As was mentioned elsewhere, Craig Chrissinger works there and he’s the co-chair of our awesome local con, Bubonicon. Page One has a really nice SFF section, too (with lots of hard-to-find used stuff alongside the new ones) and they have lots of SFF signings there (Darynda Jones, SM Stirling, and Jane Lindskold in the next month alone). That said, Craig is, understandably, a pal with the local authors like GRRM and most of them are on record as being sad about Sad Puppies; that could make it a bit like enemy territory. My impression is that he and the Page Oners are good folks, though, so it would be worth asking: http://www.page1book.com/storeinfo.
>There are some Hastings scattered around but their SFF sections have really been gutted recently, not sure why.
>The best option, in my opinion, is the B&N at the Coronado Mall: http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2049. I don’t know if they do a ton of events but they have a really good SFF section with lots of selection and they have a special subsection for the local authors. Also, they are essentially in the center of town, geographically speaking, so it’s the most accessible spot for the most folks (the Cottonwood mall B&N is on the NW side of town, for example and Page One is on the NE side).
>Let us know if your family can’t hook you up with a good local restaurant, too…you must have some real New Mexico green chile while you are in town!
Page One has seen better days, but it is one of the best of the available options. Craig is a reasonably decent guy and has a reasonably open mind. Page One is the only book store I still frequent in Albuquerque. Having said that, Bubonicon is SJW in tone and that tone permeates much local SF fandom .
But I would give it a shot. You will probably be able to tell from your initial reception whether you are or are not in enemy territory.
Wouldn’t be terribly surprised, though, if you met with some sort, at some level, of protest.
The Barnes and Noble at the Coronado Mall is large with an extensive Science Fiction section.
If you can arrange a book signing anywhere in Albuquerque, I’ll make the 2.5 hour drive and be there!
If only it were basketball season, then I could work in a Jimmy V joke . (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jim_valvano.html)
Page One or the Barnes and Noble off Louisiana (Coronado Mall I think). If it’s on Saturday, please make it evening so I can make it.
Page One (back when it was on Montgomery) acquired the library of Roger Zelazny after he passed away (Zelazny used to live in Santa Fe); it was almost like visiting a shrine. I haven’t been to the new location since I live on the south end of town, and Page One is in the north of the city. Also, I’ve been mainly buying e-books and audiobooks since we downsized our house.
Let me know if you’d like a quick tour of Sandia National Laboratories. We do some pretty neat things there (https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandialabs/6288961527/in/album-72157627572349422/).
I don’t get into the big city much, I buy all my E-books on line (Thank you Baen!) I can recommend trying Los Cuates restaurants for some good food just go easy on the salsa if your not used to the hot stuff. Touristy stuff a ride up on the tram or drive up to the top of the Sandia mountains just before dark is worth the cost since you can watch the lights come on across the valley
Page One Bookstore (5850 Eubank Blvd NE #B41, Albuquerque, NM 87111,
505-294-2026) is a long-time Albuquerque bookstore that has a fair number of book signings. Like most actual bookstores, it has been struggling to compete with Amazon. There are a couple of B&N’s, as well.
Whatever you do, do NOT take that left turn at Albuquerque.
I think my first comment got stuck in moderation? Short version: Page One is the best bet for an SFF place but B&N at the Coronado Mall is another great choice, and centrally located, too.
Page One, at the SW corner of Juan Tabo and Eubank. It’s been downscaled quite a lot from their heyday. Pretty decent selection of F/SF, side-by-side new and used books. They will do author signings etc.
Title Wave books, used only. Good selection of paperbacks, a lot of home-school books. Location is near the corner of Wyoming and Menaul, NW side, about 1 block N of Menaul; sorry, I don’t know the street name, I can navigate my way there through spatial memory.
Hastings is a big chain book/DVD/game store, and with a nice selection of F/SF, both used and new. The Hastings location I like is the one on Juan Tabo near Lomas, but they have 2-4 locations across town. There’s a “used only” Hastings store (not branded Hastings, but I think the same corporate owner), I haven’t been–it’s at Tramway and Candelaria, NW side of the intersection.
I’d ask for an autograph when you’re in town (maybe even treat you to food), but I only have e-book versions of MHI. (Besides, July is my travel-from-heck month, with 1 week vacation and 1.5 weeks business travel).