Mar 12

Kameoka Diaries #7 by Lars Martinson

Cartoon/Illustration, Humor, Japan Local, JET Alum Author Beat, Notable JET Alums, Travel/Tourism, Writers

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Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu: Part 1, has just just published the latest edition of his new cartoon series called“Kameoka Diaries“ about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto.

Click here to read the Kameoka Diaries #7.

http://larsmartinson.com/kameoka-diaries-7/

Feb 24

Kameoka Diaries #6 by Lars Martinson

Cartoon/Illustration, Japan Local, Notable JET Alums, Writers

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Click here to read the Kameoka Diaries #6.

http://larsmartinson.com/kameoka-diaries-6/

Feb 9

Kameoka Diaries #5 by Lars Martinson

Cartoon/Illustration, Celebrity, Humor, Notable JET Alums, Writers

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Click here to read the Kameoka Diaries #5.

http://larsmartinson.com/kameoka-diaries-5/

Jan 1

“Tonoharu” author Lars Martinson launches new webcomic – “Kameoka Diaries”

Cartoon/Illustration, Japan Local, Notable JET Alums, Writers

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Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu: Part 1, has just launched a new cartoon series called “Kameoka Diaries“ about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto.

Click hereto read the post and the first cartoon.

Nov 14

Now On Sale: Life After the B.O.E. the Book

Cartoon/Illustration David Namisato, Life After the B.O.E.

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Life After the B.O.E. the Book is now on sale at Amazon.com and CreateSpace!

Life After the B.O.E. the Book

Nov 10

Teaser for Life After the B.O.E. the Book

Cartoon/Illustration David Namisato, Life After the B.O.E.

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Life After the B.O.E. goes on sale next week.

Direct links to Amazon and CreateSpace, which are selling the books, will be posted at that time, but in the mean time, here are some teasers:

The proof peaking out of the box it came in.

Read More

Oct 5

JET Alum Author Beat 10.05.11

Article/Journalism, Books, Cartoon/Illustration, JET Alum Author Beat, JQ Magazine, Notable JET Alums, Writers Authors, Blogs, Books, Notable JET Alums, Writers

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JET Alum Author Beat is a new feature by Ling Tran (Saga-ken, 2009-11) intended to keep readers informed of what various JET alum authors are up to. Contact Ling at jetwit [at] jetwit.com if you’d like to see something included in upcoming posts. She is also interested in providing exposure for aspiring authors/writers among alumni and current JETs – excerpts and updates are all welcome.

Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1998-90), author of Losing Kei and fiction editor for Literary Mama, reflects on the recent loss of a dear friend through a post about her first sushi experience on Gaijin Mama (a personal blog). Check it out and give some JET support.

Sam Baldwin Ono (Fukui-ken, 2004-06) hails from the UK and made a life altering decision when he decided to move to Fukui-ken through the JET Program. The quiet facade of inaka Japan gradually revealed its colorful nature, eventually leading Sam to share stories and insights in For Fukui’s Sake: Two years in rural Japan. Whether for reference (newbie JETs, holla!), nostaliga, or reflection – ESID aside – this book is available electronically. If you want to be notified of its hard copy release, click here. Visit the website For Fukui’s Sake for details. (Fukui t-shirts are also available for purchase.)

Author of The Order of Odd-Fish James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) recently did a Q&A with JQ magazine as he will be curating the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival (Nov. 5 @New York Public Library | Nov. 16 @Harold Washington Library, Chicago). Read here.

Robert Paul Weston’s (Nara-ken, 2002-04) Zorgamazoo will be honored at the Author Banquet of the California Library Association Conference for a California Young Reader Medal on Nov. 12. Details of the upcoming event are available on Weston’s blog. Congratulations!

What is Japanamerica blogger Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) reading these days?

Cartoonist Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken, 2003-06) has been busily settling into his new home and schedule in Kameoka, Kyoto. He managed to fit in a brief post after a short hiatus. Eager followers can see how he is doing here – more substantial updates to come!

Jul 25

Life After the B.O.E.: The End

Cartoon/Illustration David Namisato, Life After the B.O.E.

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Life After the B.O.E. is a comic series about the JET experience by David Namisato (Aomori-ken, 2002-2004), a professional illustrator currently living in Toronto.
Visit David’s website at www.namisato.org.

After 5 years, Life After the B.O.E. has come to an end.

Thank you all for joining me on this fantastic journey.

Now, I’ll be concentrating on Life After the B.O.E. the book, which will contain all the comics, but with many of the earlier comics redrawn to match the current look of the comic, new comics, and other goodies.

I’ll be posting updates about the book on www.lifeaftertheboe.com and jetwit.com.

Life After the B.O.E. the book is planned for a Holidays release.

See you soon!

-David

Jul 10

Video: “Tonoharu” explained in unique video by creator Lars Martinson

Books, Cartoon/Illustration, Cultural Outreach, Humor, Notable JET Alums, Uncategorized, Video, Writers

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****************

Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two and Tonoharu: Part 1, has put together a rather unique video that “explains” the Tonoharu series in a marvelously tongue-in-cheek way. (BTW, does anyone know if there’s a Japanese term for “tongue-in-cheek”?)

Anyway, have a look at the video. I think it’s fair to say that no one has captured the JET/living in Japan experience in as intricate a way as Lars has:

Jun 18

Life After the B.O.E.: We’re Here For You

Cartoon/Illustration David Namisato, Life After the B.O.E.

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Hi everyone,

Sorry for posting the comic a bit late.

I want to let you all know that after a 5-year run, Life After the B.O.E. will be ending at the end of July.

The final comic will be posted on July 25th, 2011.

May 24

Life After the B.O.E.: Middle of Nowhere

Cartoon/Illustration David Namisato, Life After the B.O.E.

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Hi everyone,

I want to let you all know that after a 5-year run, Life After the B.O.E. will be ending at the end of July.

The penultimate comic will be posted on June 16th, 2011.

The final comic will be posted on July 25th, 2011.

Apr 27

Event: Two Artists, Two Expressions

Art, Cartoon/Illustration, Events

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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 in Tokyo, shared the following:

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators presents

Two Artists Two Expressions

Colored Pencil Workshop with Katsuya Takahashi and Daniel Schallau

Time: Saturday, May 21, 2011, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Place: Tokyo Women’s Plaza, Audiovisual Room

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

RSVP: Please reserve by May 20 by sending an e-mail to info@scbwi.jp

This event will be in English and Japanese.

Please join us for an evening workshop led by two master colored pencil children’s book illustrators followed by Q&A.

Katsuya Takahashi will introduce and demonstrate the basic properties and techniques of colored pencils that give his illustrations a unique look and feel. In the second half of his workshop, everyone will have the chance to experiment with the techniques that Takahashi has shared. Please bring a set of twelve or more colored pencils, some paper and an eraser.

Daniel Schallau will focus on the techniques he uses to draw cool winter scenes. Have you ever wondered how to draw snow in night scenes? Just use white? Think again. Schallau’s secrets might surprise you. This part of the workshop will offer the opportunity, for those interested, to try out some of Schallau’s tips. Please bring a range of blue colored pencils and yellow, orange and red pencils. Paper and pencil sharpeners will be provided.

Katsuya Takahashi (http://homepage3.nifty.com/katz-t/) Born in Kyoto, colored pencil artist Katsuya Takahashi studied in the Faculty of Art at Kyoto Seika University. After graduation, he became a freelance illustrator, and his work has been widely recognized in newspapers, books, magazines, and commercials. “Hyper burnishing” is how he describes his colored pencil technique. The rich hues and luminous glow of his illustrations are the result of deep layers of colors. Now a resident of Tokyo, he has held exhibitions every year since 1998. Takahashi works both in Tokyo and the Kansai area and is the author/ illustrator of the picture book, Hora utaga kikoeruyo (Listen, I Hear a Song; Builder Buch).

Daniel Schallau (www.danielschallau.com) After working for various architecture firms in the U.S., Daniel Schallau traveled to Tokyo where he now works as an English teacher and an author/illustrator. People often find it difficult to believe his drawings are actually created with colored pencils, insisting instead that they must be done with a computer. His picture book Come Back Soon (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) was published in 2009. Schallau specializes in intricately drawn worlds inhabited by elephants, penguins, whales, bears, snowmen, rabbits and more.

www.scbwi.jp