Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (October 2009)
Books, Celebrity, Food & Drink, Writers 
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The October 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
The Boyz of Nada
Did You Know? Sake Day
SCHEDULED AND CONFIRMED: Guided Sakagura Tours
NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
Learn More About Sake eBooks
Odds-n-Ends
Additional links:
Sake World Website
More About Us
Archive
Subscribe
BAPCPA Man #10 – Bedtime for BAPCPA Man
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BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
Click here to see a larger image of the cartoon.
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
Roland Kelts to speak at anime event in St. Louis – Sat, 10/3
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, will be giving a talk in St. Louis tomorrow as part of the Anime at UMSL event featuring renowned translator of anime and manga, Frederik L. Schodt, as well as a screening of the film PAPRIKA. The event is being run by the University of Missouri at St. Louis’ Center for International Studies.
All you Missouri JET alums out there, make sure to introduce yourself and say hi if you happen to attend.
Click here for full details: http://www.umsl.edu/services/cis/special_projects/ANIME_at_UMSL/anime_at_umsl.html
Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri and appearances at the NY Anime Festival this weekend
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****************Here’s the latest Daily Yomiuri column from Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, from his “Soft Power, Hard Truths” series for the Daily Yomiuri. This one about the giant robot Gundam and AKB48 girl-power at this year’s New York Anime Festival, kicking off tomorrow:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20090925TDY13001.htm
Also, Roland will be at the New York Anime Festival at the Javits Center all weekend and says to JET alums, “Please swing by and say hello if you can.” Here’s his schedule for the weekend:
- Friday, 5:15 to 6:15 pm — Yoshiyuki Tomino (GUNDAM)
- Saturday, 12:15 to 1:15 pm — AKB48
- Sunday, 11:15 am to 12:15 pm — Yui Makino
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Chin Music Press, the Seattle-based publisher owned and run by Bruce Rutledge (MEF Program Chiba-ken, 1985-87) will be well represented at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (16 West 32nd Street, 10th Floor btwn Broadway & 5th Avenue) on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 7-9pm when author Todd Shimoda will be read from his latest illustrated novel, Oh! A mystery of mono no aware. He will be joined by poet Hoa Nguyen, author of Hecate Lochia, and Paulo Javier, author of 60lvboembs.
The event is open to the public and a $5 donation is suggested.
Here’s the book blurb:
Shimoda’s Oh! is a fast-paced story about a young Japanese American whose quest for a richer emotional life sets him on a journey to discover the essence of the Japanese appreciation of beauty (‘mono no aware’), the dark past haunting his psychologist-and-poet mentor, and ultimately involves him in the tragic phenomenon of Japan’s suicide clubs.
Also, in June, Oh! was chosen as one of NPR’s Summer Reading Picks:
“The book itself is a fine work of art, with a gorgeous, embossed cover, rice paper-thin pages, and textured paper inserts with illustrations that offer clues to Zack’s fate — a triumphant kick in the pants for anyone who doubts the future of paper-and-ink books.” — NPR
See previous JetWit posts about Bruce Rutledge here and a Japan Times review of Oh! here.
Interesting side note: One other Chin Music Press employee, designer Joshua Powell (Saitama-ken, 2005-07), is also a JET alum.
Roland Kelts appearances at upcoming New York Anime Festival starting Sept 25
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The New York Anime Festival has announced its bookings for Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, for this year’s event, which commences at the Javits Center on September 25.
Roland will be on with Yoshiyuki Tomino (GUNDAM creator) on Friday, pop sensations AKB48 Saturday, and Yui Makino (voice of TSUBASA) on Sunday.
Here’s the official announcement: http://www.mediumatlarge.net/2009/09/roland-kelts-comes-to-nyaf.html
Event: Why Haven’t They Called Me? What Happens After You Submit Your Picture Book to a Publisher?
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Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who also serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, shared the following:
Why Haven’t They Called Me? What Happens After You Submit your Picture Book to a Publisher
with Kerry Martin, Senior Designer, Clarion Books
Time: Saturday, September 26, 19:00-20:30; portfolio reviews 17:30-18:30
Place: Tokyo Women’s Plaza, Conference Room 2
5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
(by the Children’s Castle and United Nations University)
For a map see www.scbwi.jp/map.htm
Fee: SCBWI members 1,000 yen; non-members 1,500 yen
Additional fee for Portfolio Review.
This event will be in English. Japanese interpretation will be available.
Private Portfolio Reviews are available from 17:30 to 18:30. Contact info@scbwi.jp to reserve your ten-minute slot. Portfolio Reviews must be paid for in advance: SCBWI members 3,500 yen; 4,000 yen non-members.
You’ve submitted your book dummy, sketches, or art samples and wonder why the phone isn’t ringing yet. Kerry Martin, Senior Designer at Clarion Books in New York City, will discuss the process of creating a picture book from initial sketch stage to the finished product, including what goes on behind the scenes while you wait for a response. Also discussed will be the dos and don’ts of sending unsolicited art samples. Private portfolio reviews will precede the discussion.
Kerry Martin grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from Parsons School of Design, New York City, in 2001. After graduating, she worked at a design studio, a letterpress print shop, and several magazines. She has been designing children’s picture books, novels and nonfiction for young adults with Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in New York, since 2002. She travels to Japan as often as she can to visit her husband’s family in Tokyo and Yokohama.
www.scbwi.jp info@scbwi.jp
Bruce Rutledge hired as editor of new Ibuki Magazine, seeks ideas and stories from JETs in Pacific Northwest
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A nice update from JET alum Bruce Rutledge, the owner of Seattle-based publisher Chin Music Press via the JETAA Pacific Northwest yahoogroup:
Hi everyone, I wanted to let you all know about a new magazine about Japanese culture that was launched this summer. It’s called Ibuki.
You can find it on the Web here: http://ibukimagazine.com/
The publisher has hired me to edit the magazine and has said she would love to hear ideas for stories from former JETs in the Pacific Northwest. The magazine is beginning as a quarterly centered on Seattle, but, the economy willing, it will expand both its focus and its readership in 2010. If you’re coming to Aki Matsuri this weekend, you’ll find publisher Misa Cartier there at the Ibuki table (and you’ll find me at the Chin Music Press table).
Please stop either one of us and say hi if you’re interested in contributing.
Cheers,
Bruce
For more information about Bruce Rutledge and Chin Music Press just go to http://chinmusicpress.com
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (September 2009)
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The September 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- The Hazards of Nama
- Did You Know? The Toji
- Guided Sakagura Tours
- NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
- Sake Events
- Learn More About Sake eBooks
- Odds-n-Ends
Roland Kelts reviews “Tears in the Darkness” for BOOKFORUM
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Just found out that Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a review of “Tears in the Darkness,” a capacious, brilliantly narrated account of the Bataan Death March in World War II, featuring interviews with Japanese, American and Filipino veterans/survivors — in this month’s issue of BOOKFORUM. Inhumanity, with novelistic intimacy…
Read the review here: http://www.bookforum.com/inprint/016_03/4339
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This just in from Feiler, Bruce (Tottori-ken, 1989-90), author of the original JET book Learning to Bow as well as a number of other best sellers such as Walking the Bible, Abraham, and Where God Was Born:
| A Note From Bruce Feiler
On October 6th, my new book America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story arrives in bookstores. It describes a year I traveled through American history, from the pilgrims to the founding fathers, Cecil B. DeMille‘s garage to the Oval Office, looking at Moses’s influence on the American story. You can read more about the book here. I’ve also completely redesigned www.brucefeiler.com. It contains some cool new videos, a list of the cities I’m visiting this fall, a blog, including a new series “This Week in Moses,” and, of course, a way to email me directly. I’ve also set up a Facebook page, and I hope you’ll friend me there. Plus, you can follow me on Twitter. I hope you enjoy the book, and thanks for your continued support. Please let me know what you think. Yours, |
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Event: Storyboards and Picture Book Dumies for Good Bookmaking (Tokyo)
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Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who also serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, shared the following:
Storyboards and Picture Book Dummies for Good Bookmaking
with Author/Illustrator Naomi Kojima
Time: Saturday, September 12, 2009, 9:45-11:45 a.m.
Place: Tokyo Women’s Plaza, Conference Room 1
5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (by the Children’s Castle and United Nations University)
For a map see www.scbwi.jp/ map.htm
Fee: SCBWI members 1,000 yen; nonmembers 1,500 yen
Reservations Required: Contact info@scbwi.jp by Sept. 10 to reserve your space
Materials to bring: pencils, scissors, tape or glue
This event will be in English and Japanese.
Putting together the storyboard and book dummy is a necessary process and the foundation for good bookmaking. It enables illustrators and authors to see their work more clearly, and to find clues for editing and arranging text and illustration. In this hands-on workshop we will take a pre-selected story and turn it into a 32-page picture book dummy. A preliminary talk will address the basics for preparing storyboards and book dummies: dividing text for placement on pages, creating visual flow and pacing of text and pictures, as well as basic layout and design. But the primary focus of the workshop will be on the actual making of the dummy. Illustration skills are not necessary; both writers and illustrators are welcome. Story text and paper will be provided.
Naomi Kojima is an author and illustrator of picture books. Born in Japan, she spent her childhood years in the U.S. and studied sculpture at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Kojima’s first two picture books, Mr. and Mrs. Thief and The Flying Grandmother were published in New York soon after she joined a Massachusetts SCBWI chapter. Since then, her books have been published in the U.S. and Japan, and translated into French, Swedish, and Indonesian. Her picture books include The Alphabet Picture Book (Kaisei-sha) and Singing Shijimi Clams (Kane Miller).
Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Miyazaki, Horibuchi and the virtues of change
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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20090828TDY13003.htm
Related JetWit Posts:
- Roland Kelts interview with Hayao Miyazaki
- Transcript of Roland Kelts full interview with Hayao Miyazaki (via GhibliWorld)
Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) backstage with Hayao Miyazaki at Berkeley event
Roland Kelts article in Adbusters: “Japanese Simplicity”
Article/Journalism, Books, Celebrity, Japan Trends, Roland Kelts, Writers Comments Off on Roland Kelts article in Adbusters: “Japanese Simplicity”
Check out the latest article by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, in AdBusters magazine, titled “Japanese Simplicity: The only way to leave a smaller footprint would be to die.”
Also stay tuned for Roland’s forthcoming novel titled “Access.”
Japan Times review of Chin Music Press book “Oh!” by Jeff Kingston
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The Japan Times has a nice review of the novel Oh! A mystery of ‘mono no aware’ by Todd Shimoda, and published by JET alum Bruce Rutledge’s Seattle-based publishing company Chin Music Press.
The review describes “an emotionally numb and alienated technical writer” who “suddenly decides to bolt Los Angeles and visit Japan, his ancestral home.” The main character subsequently stumbles into an exploration of teenage suicide clubs as well as “mono no aware” (the pathos of things), one of those Japanese emotional concepts that tend to baffle us gaijin.
Go here for more information about Oh!: http://www.ohthenovel.com
Go here for more information about Bruce Rutledge and Chin Music Press: http://chinmusicpress.com
