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

JET alum Beth Hillman reports that last month’s Joshikai author event gathered 40 people.  This month they’re doing a happy hour!  See below:

女子会3月会!  Next Joshikai – Thursday, March 18

For the next Joshikai gathering, we’ll be meeting for an evening of networking and girl talk at Postrio, a unique and stylish downtown bar. Mingle, chat and share stories with other women in English and/or Japanese. Any skill level of Japanese is welcome, and this will be a great opportunity to practice your Japanese and connect with women who have similar interests. They’ve extended the happy hour for us until 7 pm; specials include cocktails, beers and wine, as well as yakitori, pork belly and other bar appetizers — all starting at $4! We’ve reserved the mezzanine lounge area, so we’ll have a comfortable place to relax.  Feel free to join us whenever is convenient, and bring friends!

女子会の皆さん、
2月11日のイベントは沢山の方に参加していただきました。ありがとうございました。3月の会合は18日にダウンタンのおとなバーPostrioで行います。日本人女性のJunさんがマネージャーを勤められているPrescott Hotel内にある落ち着いた雰囲気のバーです。Postrioに頼んでバーのMEZZANINEのラウンジを確保してありますのでゆっくり皆さん座って話せると思います。ＨＡＰＰＹＨＯＵＲは7時まで延長です！

今回は特にゲストスピーカーの方はいません。みんなでリラックスしながらおしゃべり、情報交換、ネットワークに花を咲かせましょう！皆様お誘いあわせの上どしどしお越し下さい。（やっぱり今回も男子禁制です。）

Date: 3/18, Thursday
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm (With happy hour prices until 7 pm!)  - Please come and leave at whatever time works best for you!
Location: Postrio, 545 Post Street (on Post between Mason and Taylor, just 5 blocks from Powell BART), (415) 776-7825,

http://www.postrio.com
http://www.mychoyce.com/postrio/search

There’s no need to RSVP, but feel free to send us any questions or comments.

We’re also on Twitter (http://twitter.com/joshikaisf)!

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:

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators presents

 

Friday, April 2, 2010

 

Details, Details: The Snap, Crackle, and Pop of Good Writing with author Jane Kurtz

Time:    Friday, April 2, 2010, 6:30-8:00 p.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:                    1,000 yen SCBWI members; 1,500 yen nonmembers

Reservations:  Contact info@scbwi.jp by Thursday, April 1, 2010

This event will be in English.

American novelist John Gardner called details the lifeblood of fiction. Many an editor has said the absolute key to a piece of writing she fell in love with was its voice…but what creates the “voice” of a piece other than its distinct details? Award-winning author Jane Kurtz will give ten keys for coaxing vivid, shimmering, gripping details into our drafts and will show why certain mistakes around details are the kiss of death for any piece of writing. Q&A will follow the talk.

 

Jane Kurtz spent most of her childhood in Ethiopia—and now travels the world talking about writing, reading, and the magic of books. Her recent speaking has taken her to all but eleven of the U.S. states, Europe, the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, Romania, and East and West Africa. School Library Journal called Jane Kurtz a “superb storyteller.” Her books have gathered accolades, starred reviews, and awards. Since 1994, she has published twenty-nine books: nonfiction books, professional books for teachers, picture books, and novels for young readers that draw on her own childhood memories of growing up in Ethiopia as well as surviving the Red River flood of 1997. Jane has taught writing at the elementary, secondary, and university levels and is currently on the faculty of the MFA in children’s and young adult literature out of Vermont College. Her passion for books and reading and her love of Ethiopia came together in Ethiopia Reads, an organization that is establishing the free libraries for children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with Yohannes Gebregeorgis, one of CNN’s Top Ten Heroes (www.ethiopiareads.org). For more on Jane Kurtz visit www.janekurtz.com.

 

www.scbwi.jp    info@scbwi.jp

JETAA NY’s annual Meishi Exchange is this Thursday, March 11.  See the slick flyer designed by the wonderful and talented JETAA NY Secretary Amber Liang:

Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, will be speaking at Kinokuniya in NYC as part of “Ponyo Day.” The event is this Saturday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and Roland will be speaking at 4:00 pm.  (This appearance hot on the heels of his Atlanta book signing on March 4!)

All the JETAA Southeast alums will have a chance to meet and hear Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, speak at Keenesaw State University in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, March 4 from 6:30-8:00 pm.  If you happen to go and say hi, let him know you heard about the event on JetWit.  Also, email JetWit (jetwit [at] jetwit.com) to let us know how the event was so we can share it with the rest of the JET alum community.

Here’s the flyer with all the relevant info for the event:

***********

I received a wonderful request from author Solmaz Sharif, Managing Director of The Asian American Writers’ Workshop, regarding an event that she thought might be of interest to the JET alumni community:

Matchmaker:
Speed dating hosted by Kavita Ramdya and Jen Kwok

Saturday, March 6, 7-9 PM

• Location: The Asian American Writers’ Workshop16 W 32nd Street, Suite 10A btwn 5th Avenue and Broadway
• Cost: $20 for members / $30 for non-members
• Purchase your tickets here before March 5, 2010 and give us an idea who we should set you up with. For more information you can also visit aaww.org or call 212.494.0061.

Tired of making eyes at readings and not approaching the hottie next to you? Wondering how you can meet people that’ll compliment your bookcase? Interested in hearing more about love in Asian America? Keep it in the family and let the Workshop help you find the one at our first ever speed dating event. The Asian American Writers’ Workshop presents MATCHMAKER, a special event about how we meet, mingle, and marry in Asian America.

Kavita Ramdya, author of Bollywood Weddings: Dating, Engagement, and Marriage in Hindu America, discusses how second-generation Indian Americans get hitched, a tricky negotiation involving arranged meeting, Mom and Dad, and, of course, lots of dancing.

The event will be hosted by stand-up comedian Jen Kwok, the hilarious mastermind behind Date an Asian, her self-described comic ode to “the awesomeness of dating an asian guy.”

You will receive the following premiums:

• A month’s worth of dates squeezed into one night as you move table to table closer to the one
• Finger foods to keep the attention where it counts
• A signature Workshop cocktail
• A horoscope reading to predict your compatibility

New England JETAA Career Workshop:  “Marketing Yourself in a Tough Economy”

Make sure to RSVP to president [at] nejetaa.com!

When: Tuesday, March 02, 3:00PM – 6:00PM (This coming week!)
Where: Downtown Crossing, Borders Bookstore, Robert M. Morgan Conference Room
Map: Borders Boston Map (near Downtown Crossing T station): http://bit.ly/%20BordersDTX
Cost: Free! (There will also be some free food)

Highlights:
We will get a pep talk from Professor Ian Condry of MIT about how to use your JET experience to further your career.

We will have a discussion with people in several different industries in which you may have interest:
*Translation
*Academia
*Teaching
*Entrepreneurial/ Non-profit
*Biotechnology

There will be a resume workshop. Bring some copies of your resume to trade with others and help each other out! The more eyes you have looking at your resume, the more ways you’ll be able to improve it. We will also have a discussion on resume dos and don’ts.

We will adjourn to a nearby bar/restaurant afterward for informal networking and relaxing. This is a great way to meet new people and
discuss your career.

Finally, for those who cannot attend the event but have some career-related wisdom/advice they would like to pass on, please send an email to webmaster [at] nejetaa.com. We’ll make sure to share your comments with our attendees at the end of the workshop.

Here’s your chance to get some JET-specific advice in your quest to career-up!

Thanks for your attention, and we look forward to seeing you there!

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

Joshikai SF:  A new meet-up for Japanese women and women connected to Japan

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

The following is posted at the request of San Francisco-based JET alum Beth Hillman, who has come up with a great idea for a group:

女子力アップ！「女子会サンフランシスコ」決起集会

Are you a Japanese woman or a woman with an interest in Japan? Maybe you just moved here from Tokyo this summer and want to make new friends… Maybe you taught English in Osaka a few years ago and want to revive your rusty Japanese… Whether you are a native Japanese woman or an American (or other nationality) woman with an interest in Japan, Joshikai may be for you!

女子による女子のための女子限定ネットワークイベント「女子会サンフランシスコ」を始動しました。女子同士ならではのよさ、赤裸々な本音トークなどを楽しんで、一緒に女子力アップを目指しませんか？

We are creating a community of Japanese women and women with an interest in Japan, gathering for a monthly meet-up to make friends, share stories and learn from each other. On the second Thursday of each month, we’ll meet at a location that is chic, reasonably priced, and conveniently located (near a BART station and other public transportation) for an evening of drinks and girl talk, where our members can connect and relax over a cocktail. We’ll also have a monthly guest speaker or theme, so that we can share knowledge and empower each other.

You can visit our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=199208063212&ref=nf

We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at: @joshikaisf

Meeting: Joshikai San Francisco: The Japan-Connected Women’s Group

Goal: To relax, have a drink and make connections with other women who are Japanese or interested in Japan

Date: Thursday, January 14th (the second Thursday of each month)

Time: 6 pm – 8:30 pm. Come and leave any time — and enjoy happy hour specials for the entire event!
Location: Amber India Restaurant, 25 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, 94103
/www.amber-india.com/SanFrancisco/

日時：１月14日木曜日午後６時-８時半

場所：Amber India Restaurant(ご好意により、イベント中はドリンク&アペタイザーがハッピーアワーの価格です。Tejiさんナマステ！）

Read More

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

Laura Popp (Mie-ken, 2009-Present) is a current JET who writes fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults, and is an occasional playwright/film maker.  Her short work includes a short story titled “In theShadow Realm” and a documentary she made in Malawi.  To read about her amazing adventures all over Japan, go to her blog at laurajanepopp.blogspot.com. (And check out the Authors/Books section of the JetWit Library for a list of more writers in the JET-o-sphere.)

Hello again!  This week I would like to report on the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference in Yokohama.  It actually occurred on November 14^th, but, alas, I have been ill with swine flu and other “opportunistic infections” so I was unable to report.  But now you get to hear all about it!

For those of you who don`t know, SCBWI is a great group to get involved with if you write for kids.  They have lots of events, critique groups, contests, and resources.  Here is their website: http://www.scbwi.jp/

A note on transportation. There are many events for writers and translators in Japan, but most are confined to the big cities. For those of you who live in a small town like me, you may be wondering how you will ever get to this wonderful career-building opportunities and still stay within your tight school-teacher budget.  Fear not!

There is a wonderful, often overlooked form of transportation in Japan called the night bus.  It may seem like a pain, but the bus I took from my home in Nabari to Yokohama was very comfortable.  The bus ride was about eight hours, so if I were more accustomed to sleeping on a bus, I probably could have been well rested when we arrived very early in the morning.  The earliness gave me plenty of time for sightseeing before the conference, and since my bus home didn`t leave until 11:00pm.  Plus it cost less than half than taking the shinkansen, and there`s no need to pay for a hotel!

That said, I was very tired when I arrived back in Nabari at 7:00am.  Fortunately it was Sunday, but I would not recommend taking the night bus if you have to go to work the next day.  Also, be warned, not all night buses are created equal. Check to see if the bus you want to ride has reclining seats or not, and if there is a bathroom on board or if they stop ever few hours, turn on the lights, and have people jostling past you trying to get in and out constantly.  If you are interested in taking a night bus somewhere, I would recommend contacting the main bus station in your town.  Most of them don’t speak English, but a Japanese friend helped me get the information and make reservations over the phone.  You may be surprised how many places offer night buses to common destinations such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, etc.

(FYI, Yokohama is famous for its Read More

The following event info was shared with JetWit by JET alum Laura Sethney, Program Coordinator at the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Ft Worth:

Join us for a private gallery viewing and cocktail party for Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth members and friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sponsored by Conduit Gallery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JASDFW members and friends are invited to a special viewing of the intriguing works of three emerging artists, including Japanese photographer, Mimi Kato.  Spend an evening mingling with fellow JASDFW members while sipping on wine and sampling hors d’oeuvres. We encourage members to invite guests in order to share this unique opportunity and learn more about the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth.

Date: Friday, November 13, 2009

Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm

Location: Conduit Gallery

1626 C Hi Line Drive

Dallas, Texas 75207

http://conduitgallery.com

RSVP to Lauren Sethney by Tuesday, November 10th

Email: lauren@jasdfw.org / Phone: 214-342-2022

***Exhibiting Artists’ Information***

Mimi Kato

Website: www.mimikato.com

This exhibit marks the first time for Japanese photographer Mimi Kato to showcase her work in Dallas. The large scale photographic series depicts each of the four seasons. Read More

Greetings fellow JET Alumni!  I’m reaching out to my fellow JET alumni network today to ask your assistance.

Upon my return to the U.S.  I began working for a cultural exchange organization called Intrax.  Headquartered in San Francisco, my company specializes in cross-cultural education through work-based initiatives such as internship and training programs.  Specifically, these programs are geared for Japanese university graduates and young professionals seeking to gain international business experience through internships.  I coordinate this effort through our office in Tokyo and ensure that each participant has qualifying educational background, professional experience, and motivation for joining the program.

I’d like to ask the JET community for support in getting the word out to potential U.S.-based companies who might like to get involved by hosting an intern.  There is no cost involved to join the program and my company handles all the sponsorship fees and paperwork.

Please contact me directly for more information at lcooper@intraxinc.com or 415-434-5669

Arigatou gozaimasu!

Leanna Cooper (Aichi-ken, 2003-06)
www.intraxinc.com

We know there are some JET alums running in the NYC Marathon this coming Sunday, November 1.  If you’re one of them, or if you know a JET alum who is running, please post your name in the comments section of this post (or e-mail jetwit at jetwit dot com.

Just thought it would be nice to have a list of all of the JET alums who will be participating so we can oen suru for you.

Yoroshiku and minasan ganbatte kudasai!

Jet Wit | Create Your Badge

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:

TELL Exceptional Parenting Program: Educational Workshop for Families of Children with Learning Differences/Diverse Needs by Tokyo English Life Child and Family Services

We welcome you to our Writing workshop: Parenting kids with special needs presented by Suzanne Kamata, writer, poet, and mother.

Suzanne will give a presentation on Reading and Writing Our Special Children. She will discuss the importance of writing about children with special needs and share examples of literature current and past about parenting children with special needs. She will also conduct brief writing exercises, which may be used in journaling, or creative writing for pleasure or publication.

Friday, November 13, 2009
Registration: 2:30pm to 2:45pm; Workshop: 2:45pm to 4:15pm; Information sharing: 4:15pm to 5:00pm
Admission: Donations accepted
RSVP to tellparentgroup@hotmail.com
Location: Minami Aoyama Conference Room next to TELL office
Address: 5-4-22 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Phone: 03-3498-0231

Suzanne Kamata was born and raised in Grand Haven, Michigan. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English, she came to Japan in 1988 on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.  During her second year in Japan, she met the man who would become her husband and has lived in Tokushima Prefecture ever since. She now lives with her husband and ten-year old twins in Aizumi and teaches part-time at Naruto Educational University.

Suzanne is also the author of a novel, Losing Kei (Leapfrog Press, 2008), editor of several anthologies, among them Love You to Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs (Beacon Press, 2008) and Call Me Okaasan:  Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing, 2009), and fiction editor of literarymama.com.

If you would like to have more information on the Exceptional Parenting Program or would like to attend the workshops, please contact Birgit Zorb-Serizawa at tellparentgroup@hotmail.com.

Professional translator Terry Gallagher shared another good event for translators with JetWit, this one via the honyaku Google Group:

As part of its ongoing efforts to develop an international presence, foster new talent, and connect with peer organizations, the Japan Association of Translators (JAT) will be sponsoring a mixer in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 2009, for veteran and aspiring translators/interpreters alike. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to network, find out more about JAT, and socialize with other translators/interpreters in the big city….Non-members are most welcome. Cash bar, with partial subsidy from JAT.
WHEN: Friday, October 30
Starting: 10:30 PM (after the traditional Friday night JLD dinner
[http://groups.google.com/group/honyaku/browse_thread/thread/c153d891486ac1c8])
Ending: During ATA’s Annual Conference (?)
[https://www.atanet.org/conf/2009/sessionschedule.php#5]
WHERE: Press Box (932 Second Ave., between 49th and 50th Streets)
[http://www.thepressboxnyc.com/index2.html]
Signup (by 10/26; and for last-minute notices/updates):
http://jat.org/2009/10/16/jat-new-york-mixer-oct-30-2009/

Feel free to pass the word on, and hope to see you there!

ニューヨークでJATネットワークパーティを実施します。 会員・非会員を問わず、翻訳に興味のある方ならどなたでもご参加いただけます。 翻訳未経験者の方にとってはベテラン翻訳者と交流する絶好の機会です。
日時: １０月３０日（金） 10:30pm～
場所: The Press Box (http://www.thepressboxnyc.com/index2.html)
参加費: 一部JATが負担。追加分はキャッシュバー。
参加希望者は、１０月２６日（月） までに
[http://jat.org/2009/10/16/jat-new-york-mixer-oct-30-2009/]
へご予約お願いいたします。

Professional translator Terry Gallagher shared the following with JetWit:

The American Translators Association holds its annual conference in NYC at the end of this month. It includes a dinner for the Japanese language division, which will be on Friday, Oct. 30 at IL Punto Ristorante, 507 Ninth Ave.

Contact person is Mina Seat, minaseat [/at/] gmail [/dot/] com  More info here:  https://www.atanet.org/conf/2009/

Cost is $53. It might be late to sign up, but it was an open invitation, and you might still be able to talk your way in. There will be lots and lots of working translators/interpreters there, and you might be able to pick up a bunch of new ideas.

Are you a JET alum (or friend of JET) who works in the world of financial restructuring or bankruptcy?  Or perhaps you aspire to get into the field?

Now you can join the JET Alumni Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group on LinkedIn.  http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2386127&trk=hb_side_g

Contact Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) at jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com with any questions.

Via JET alum Vanessa Villalobos, the Communications Officer for JETAA UK as well as the publisher of the Isshoni London website.

In case you didn’t know, sake tastings are all the rage in London. Do you really know your Nihonshu? Following the great success of our last chilled sake tasting in June, we’ll be holding a cosy autumn tasting with delicious, warming sakes. Join us for an educational night, with sake and accompanying nibbles.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 20, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Tsuru Restaurant tasting includes 4 different types of sake, served with sushi and a selection from Tsuru’s Japanese Tapas menu. At only £18 per person this is truly great value! First come, first served… reserve your place quickly to avoid disappointment.

If you’d like to attend, please register by sending an email to Vanessa at londoncomms [at] jetaa.org.uk

Details of how to secure your place by sending £18 will then follow.

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, which she mentioned is, “a great opportunity for writers in Japan to meet one of the top editors in the world of children’s books.”

The World of Children’s Book Publishing

with

Alvina Ling, Senior Editor

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Saturday, November 14, 2009, 10:30 am – 5:00 pm

Manuscript critiques 8:30-10:00 a.m.

Place:      Yokohama International School, Middle Building Cafeteria, Yokohama

For access information and maps, visit www.yis.ac.jp

Fee:         Advance Registration 4,000 yen SCBWI members; 7,000 yen nonmembers (contact info@scbwi.jp by November 5)

At the Door 5,000 yen SCBWI members; 8,000 yen nonmembers

Reservations: Required! Contact info@scbwi.jp to reserve your place.

This event will be in English.

SCHEDULE

************ Read More

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following career workshop being held by CareerCross, and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

CareerCross is holding a special seminar designed to give job seekers an added advantage when interviewing at a foreign company in Japan.

Due to corporations reducing their work force over the past year, the market is flooded with experienced job seekers making it an extremely difficult time to get a job. To succeed in an interview you must be 100% prepared and ready to prove you are the best candidate for the job.

CareerCross has brought in Japan’s leading interview skills trainer to teach you how to “Get Your Job Now!” From your cover letter and resume to the interview, learn exactly what works and doesn’t when interviewing in English or at a foreign company in Japan.

You will be able to answer the difficult questions with confidence, as you will be prepared and coached by the very best.

There will also be a section on finding your job online and how to use CareerCross more effectively.

Join CareerCross for one afternoon designed to prepare you for success.

– Get Your Job Now! Space is limited, so sign up now! –

CareerCross Japan Presents:

***************************************************************
TITLE: Get Your Job Now! – How to get a job with a foreign company!
SPEAKERS:
Michael Ghiglione and Bernd Kestler
DATE: October 8th (Thur), 18:30 – 21:00 or October 10th (Sat.), 9:30 – 13:00
ORGANIZER: C.C. Consulting Co., Ltd. / CareerCross
LANGUAGE: English
VENUE: Anaheim University; click here for a map of the venue
COST: 5,000 yen
REGISTRATION & CANCELLATION DEADLINE: October 6th, 2009
***************************************************************

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following events through the JETAA Toronto newsletter and thought they might be of interest to former JETs in the Toronto area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

Japanese Class

If you’d like a fun, casual environment where you can keep up your Japanese language skills, then sign up for JETAA Toronto’s Japanese conversation class.

Classes are conducted in Japanese, and are led by beloved long-time teacher, Sugimoto-sensei.

Conversation level is intermediate, but a lot of individual attention means that beginner and advanced students will also enjoy the class.

Monday nights starting Sept 28

WHAT: 10 sessions; 2 hours each
WHERE: Toronto Reference Library at Yonge & Bloor
WHO: Former JET participants only
COST: $60 to be paid by the second class

Interested parties should contact Sonia.

Read More

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

JETAA Northern California and the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco present:

The 2009 Career & Networking Forum

Sunday, September 27, 2009 – 1:00-5:00 p.m. – Kabuki Hotel

The Career & Networking Forum (CNF) co-sponsored by the JET Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) and the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2009 at the Kabuki Hotel (www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/sanfrancisco/kabuki) at 1650 Post Street in San Francisco from 1:00-5:00 pm (registration begins at 12:30).

The event will include industry-related breakout sessions and a keynote address, as well as a networking session where attendees can meet representatives from various organizations, and discuss resumes and job hunting techniques with alumni. This event is FREE for all JET Alumni and $10 for Friends of JET (FOJ).

For all veteran alumni this is a great opportunity for you make some career contacts, catch up with old friends, and help recently-returned JETs. Through the industry-related breakout sessions, we are providing an opportunity for older alumni to help mentor newly returned JETs and JETs looking to transition into another career.

Following CNF the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, Yasumasa Nagamine will be hosting a reception for recently-returned JETs at the Kabuki Hotel.  We would like to invite all JET Alumni attending CNF to this reception to help welcome back JET participants.

Please RSVP through the CNF registration link, also found below.

Tentative Schedule of Events:

• 12:30-1:00: Registration
• 1:00-1:10: Opening remarks
• 1:10-1:40: Keynote
• 1:40-2:45: Breakout sessions by industry
• 2:45-3:00: Break
• 3:00-5:00: Networking Session
• 5:00-7:00: Welcome Back Reception

>> Keynote Address: Timothy Morey, (CIR, Aomori City 1996 – 99) UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA, Senior Business Architect at Wipro Technologies. Focusing on the tools that can help you take action to realize your career aspirations.

>> Breakout sessions by industry
Hear from alumni who been there and done that. Get your questions answered from alumni who have all landed new jobs in a variety of fields.

>> Networking Session
What is the power of networking? Find out at this two hour-long session where you will have the opportunity to meet with Bay Area companies and organizations, and fellow alumni engaged in a variety of fields. Alumni will also be available to review your resume and help you showcase yourself and the skills you honed during your years on JET. You will not want to miss this opportunity to get a jump start on your career search!

**Be sure to bring an UPDATED resume and business cards (if you have them).
**Professional attire is required.

If you are interested in attending please register online by Monday, September 21, 2009. Space is limited so register now!

CNF Registration Link: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dG9BSHhvRkpFSXZwbkJJeGc0Sm1DQ2c6MA.

***If your company or organization is interested in hosting a table during the Networking Session please contact cnf@jetaanc.org for more information***

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following career workshop being held by CareerCross, and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

CareerCross is holding a special career development seminar, in Japanese, called “Building A Successful Career – Jump Start Your Future!” on September 9 (Wed) at Spazio 2 in Ebisu.

Best selling author, Ms. Kyoko Yukawa, along with award-winning career advisor, Tetsuya Sakabe will give a rare seminar open to the public on strategies for taking control of your career and future.

Learn how to better your communication skills, build your network, brand yourself and be one of those that are “in demand.” If your career seems stalled, this is where you are going to learn how to revitalize it.

Read More

Pam Kavalam (Shiga Prefecture, ‘07-’09) is planning on attending the NAFSA Regional Conference (http://www.region10.nafsa.org/Region%20X%20New/Conferences_Workshops/conf2009/index.htm) in Springfield, MA from November 2-5 and would like to connect to other JET alums who are interested in going.

NAFSA (www.nafsa.org) is the professional association for international higher education administration.

If you’re interested in, or already working inm study abroad, international student advising and recruitment or international education in general, this is the conference for you. It’s a great way to network within the Boston and New York areas, learn more about the field, and attend workshops that you can put on your resume.

Contact Pam for details about registration, transportation, hotel information, volunteering and costs.

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

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).

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following events being held in Toronto through the JETAA Toronto mailing list and thought that it might be of interest to former JETs in the area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

What do dodgeball, rugby-basketball and Ultimate have in common? They’re all sports you can play by joining JETAA Toronto’s “All Sort of Sports” team!

You don’t need to be athletic. You just need to be willing to try out a few new sports, and have fun while doing it. This is a recreational team that plays as part of the Toronto Sport and Social Club league.

When: Late September until the first week of November. (Tentatively scheduled for the Monday night league, but may switch to Wednesday.)
What: 5 regular season games + 1 playoff game Where: Location to be determined.
Time: Between 6-10:30 p.m.
Who: With the Toronto Sport & Social Club
Cost: Depending on the number of players, it will likely be $30 for JETAA members and $35 for non-members.

Interested parties should send an e-mail as soon as possible.

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

You may have read recently about Eleanor Robinson (CIR Aomori-ken, 1999-2002) and her work with the new Doshisha Global MBA Program which begins in September.  Thanks to Eleanor, we’ve also learned about another JET alum, Dr. Andrew Staples (Fukuoka-ken, 1996-99), who is a Special Visiting Professor at Doshisha Business School with a number of published writings that should be of interest to the JET alumni community.

Here’s more about Andrew and his career path so far:

JetWit:  We understand your work has been published.  Can you tell us what and where?

Andrew: I’ve published a few times with Palgrave in the Asian Business Series including the chapter in the new textbook (we are in the process of making PowerPoint slides to accompany the book, which has been selling well), a chapter in an edited volume titled Emerging Multiplicity, and my own single authored text published last year, Responses to Regionalism, which was based on my PhD thesis.

Publications by Andrew Staples:

• Asian Business and Management: Theory, Practice and Perspectives (see chapter 4)
• Responses to Regionalism in East Asia – Chapter titled “Japanese Production Networks in the Automotive Sector”
• Emerging Multiplicity – Integration and Responsiveness in Asian Business Development

JetWit:  What was your path from JET to academics?

A: I was an ALT for two years in a senior high in Fukuoka prefecture before becoming the ALT prefectural coordinator in Fukuoka City for the final year. After JET I enrolled at the School of East Asian Studies (SEAS), University of Sheffield, U.K. to study for an MSc in East Asian Business (1999-2000). I funded this, by the way, with my pension and tax refund and a bit of university English teaching here and there, which is something other JETs could consider doing. Read More

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Enjoy Drink Specials, Raffles, and Prizes

http://www.nydevolunteer.org/activities/2009/2009.09.25_e.html

Location:

Slattery’s Pub

8 E 36th St. (btwn. 5th and Madison Ave.)

100% of cash tips will support to

NY de Volunteer’s

“Explore Japanese After School Program”

@ New York City Parks and Recreation Center

For more information regarding the FUNdRaiser please visit:

http://www.nydevolunteer.org/activities/2009/2009.09.25_e.html

Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:

Friday, September 25, 2009

“Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis”
Speaker : Masamichi “Mitch” Yasuda
Senior Executive VP/Deputy CFO, Union Bank

The Japan-America Society is pleased to announce Mr. Masamichi “Mitch” Yasuda as our featured speaker for a September 25 lunch program titled “Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis.” Mr. Yasuda will speak about the state of the economy in Japan today compared to its post-bubble years, and the economic challenges facing U.S. bankers. He will also touch on how Union Bank has been able to stay successful during these difficult economic times. Read More

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

(Originally posted on April 28, 2009.)

Here’s your chance to help JetWit.  Just share a comment on this post saying what you like about JetWit.  (Or email your comment to jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com and I’ll post it.)

Thanks for your help and yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Update: Thanks to everyone who has posted comments so far!

JET alum Lars Martinson, author of the graphic novel Tonoharu:  Part 1, is not only currently studying East Asian calligraphy in Ehime-ken, he wants to write a comic book about his experience.  And he’s in the process of seeking funding to help make this happen.

If you’ve seen Tonoharu:  Part 1, you know that “comic book” barely does justice to Lars’ sophisticated and detailed drawing style.  And having won a Monbusho Scholarship to help him fund the production of Tonoharu:  Part 1, Lars knows a thing or two about getting funding (as further demonstrated in a previous blog post titled “How to Apply for a Monbusho Scholarship“).

That said, it’s never easy getting funding and income as an artist/illustrator.  (See, e.g., Lars’ recent post on adapting his drawing style for professional and practical purposes.)  So if anyone can provide any assistance or leads to help Lars with funding, please feel free to get in touch with him at blog [at] larsmartinson [dot] com.

For information about Lars, you can read his blog at http://larsmartinson.com. You can also read a nice article about Lars from the Winter 2008 “Digital Media” Issue of the JETAA NY Newsletter, written by Alexei Esikoff (Fukushima-ken, 2001-02).

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following career workshop being held by CareerCross, and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

Are you selling at your maximum potential? Do you wonder why you turn some prospects “on” and some “off”? How much more sales could you make if you could better understand your prospects/clients, their strengths & weaknesses and how they react?

People are different, and buy for different reasons. A salesperson that understands Behavioral Selling knows how to recognize behavioral styles, adapts accordingly, and closes more sales!

CareerCross is proud to offer Dr. David Sweet’s popular Half-Day interactive workshop “Behavioral Selling – Getting Inside Your Client’s Brain!” At this workshop, you will learn the styles to which you naturally sell well and which are costing you sales. By improving your understanding of buyer motivation and client needs, you will improve their trust in you leading to increased success.

Read More

The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:

The SWET Summer Party!

Event: SWET Summer Party
What: Club Party
Host: Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators (SWET)
Start Time: Sunday, July 26 at 1:00pm
End Time: Sunday, July 26 at 4:00pm
Where: Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, Kantokutei Hiroma
Click here to see more details and to RSVP.

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

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:

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators presents

Creative Exchange: The Bologna Experience with Ayano Imai, Kiyo Tanaka and Shimako Okamura

Come join illustrators Ayano Imai and Kiyo Tanaka plus designer/illustrator Shimako Okamura as they share their experiences at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the most important global event in the children’s publishing industry. Included in the topics shared at this exchange of ideas and information will be first-hand experiences of being selected for the Illustrators Exhibition, opportunities that resulted from attending the fair, and more. Visit the Bologna Book Fair site (www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it) before this event, and bring along all your questions and ideas about submitting to the exhibition and promoting your work at the book fair.

Time: Saturday, July 11, 9:30 – 11:30 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; non-members 1,500 yen

This event will be in English and Japanese.

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following career workshop being held by CareerCross, and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

With the current economic situation, selling has become more critical than ever!
Sales is an integral part of everyday business and quite simply, success in sales equals success on the business front.

No matter your level of expertise, whether you work for a large organization or for yourself, improving one’s ability to close more deals is critical. CareerCross has arranged for two of Japan’s leading sales skills trainers to provide an overview of several areas of professional selling with practical tips and advice that will help you succeed in sales!

How much is it worth to be able to turn more leads into sales? Join CareerCross for one morning designed to increase your sales.

Read More

JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following career workshop being held by GaijinPot, and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in the Tokyo area. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.

GaijinPot Career Workshop

LAST CHANCE FOR SEATS!

GaijinPot is holding a Career Workshop this Thursday, June 11 from 5 pm at Temple University Japan in Azabu, Tokyo, and there are only a handful of places left!

The Basics to Jump-starting your Career in Japan

Date: June 11, 2009
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Location: Temple University Japan, Azabu Hall, Room 206
Cost: JPY 2,500

Click here to sign up.

Designed specifically to help all international job-seekers, the workshop will help you jump start your career in Japan and provides a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the different working environments and recruiting processes you are likely to encounter while in Japan.

Read More

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:

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators presents

SCBWI Tokyo Authors & Illustrators Networking Night

Time: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 7:00 pm onward
Place: The Pink Cow, Villa Moderuna B1, 1-3-18 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0002 (Tel. 03-3406-5597 www.thepinkcow.com)
Fee: Entry is free to SCBWI members and non-members.  Drinks and food are charged individually.
RSVP: RSVP to info@scbwi.jp by June 9.

This event will be in English and Japanese.

Come and join fellow writers, illustrators and publishing professionals at the fourth annual SCBWI Authors & Illustrators Networking Night at The Pink Cow in Shibuya. SCBWI members and non-members are welcome. Mix and mingle, talk shop or just get to know each other. Feel free to bring along copies of your books, portfolios and other materials to share. Great Pink Cow food and drinks available to order at the bar! Please see www.thepinkcow.com for a map.

For more info: info@scbwi.jp / www.scbwi.jp

Are you a freelance translator or writer?  Do you while away the days in solitary confinement while thinking it might be interesting to meet like minds, have someone to turn around and confirm a sentence with, or just add some more beating hearts to the room?

If so, then get in touch if you’re interested in being a part of the first ever JET alum co-working group in NYC.  The goal behind this is to create a community of people who can share space, support, information, and experience. Timing could be every day, once a week or even once a month. It will depend on the level of response and interest.

Update:

I ran the second “JETAA NY Learning to Blog Workshop” last Wednesday evening, April 29 in the back of Cosi on 31st & Park, not knowing quite what to expect.  It turned out to be a lot of fun and everyone found it helpful and productive.  (Click here to read about the first one.)

• We covered the basics of blogs (what they’re good for; advantages and disadvantages of Wordpress, Blogspot, Blogger, etc.; posts vs. pages; using RSS feeds) as well as some more advanced topics (driving traffic; creative strategies; adding users).  By the time we were done, everyone had set up their own blog and was ready to go.
• The attendees included two translators and three people who had started their own businesses.  One of the translators wanted to create a forum for his writing.  The other translator was inspired by the discussion of blogs at the JET Alumni Author Showcase (where Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) and Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04) all discussed how they resisted at first but now are glad they followed their publishers’ suggestions to start blogs.)
• One of the JET alum entrepreneurs, Adrienne Smith (CIR Tochigi-ken, 1997-99), founder of Harlem Hip-Hop Tours (www.h3tours.com), said she had been thinking of starting a blog to help promote her tour business but had been holding herself back and appreciated the workshop because it lifted the “technology fog” for her.
• Frank Luo (Fukuoka-ken, 1997-99), a Chinese-English translator, said afterwards, “It was really helpful… An efficient walk through on the mechanics of how to start a blog and why do it on Wordpress, plus a few other useful bits of information. We also floated a few ideas on how to expand the scope of the workshops to make them more helpful to aspiring writers as well as those who are trying to promote their business through blogs.”  (Frank, by the way, brought a nifty little netbook, which we all sat around and marveled at for 5 minutes.)
• Additionally, Friend of JET (FOJ) Jon Hills, a more experienced blogger who writes the J-News Mini-Roundup column for JetWit and also writes a blog for Hills Learning, a NY-based Japanese language learning services company he started, came to help out and also share a few new tricks (like adding blog functionality to a WindowsLive-based website).  He said afterwards he really appreciated having a chance to meet other people running businesses in a setting where everyone was working together towards a common goal.

Going forward

I’ll likely do one or two more blog workshops at Cosi or, if the weather’s nice, perhaps in Bryant Park after work one day.  If you’d like to be notified of future workshops, please feel free to contact me at professional [at] jetaany [dot] org.

Looking ahead, it would be nice for the “workshop” to evolve into a monthly “meetup” for JET alums and FOJs at beginner, advanced and in-between levels to spend some time working together, sharing experiences and tips and, of course, helping beginners learn to get started and have an opportunity to ask all the same “dumb” questions that I’ve asked along the way.

Additionally, for readers outside the NYC area, it would be great for people to get JET alum blog workshops going in other areas.  It’s a useful career tool and also a nice way to bring people together.

The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators (Kansai) presents:

Three Poets in Japan

Time: Sunday 17th May 2009 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Place: Venture Dream Office 2nd Floor Meeting Room (2 minutes from Hankyu Karasuma Station and Shijo Subway Station)

Fee: 500 yen for members and 1,000 yen for non-members

Reservations can be made through e-mail.

Yoko Danno, Jane Joritz-Nakagawa, and Keiji Minato will discuss writing in both English and Japanese, translating and publishing poetry, and will also read their poetry.

Yoko will talk about why she started writing poetry in English more than forty years ago, and how she became interested in the roots and beginnings of Japanese culture and literature, especially the customs, imagery, thoughts and feelings of the folklore recorded in the Fudoki and the Kojiki compiled in the 8th century. Yoko will read some of her poems and translations.

Read More

The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:

Writing Multicultural Families

Time: Saturday, May 16, 2009, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Place: Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
Fee:
Panel discussion and dinner: 5,000 yen (includes makunouchi bento meal) – Reservations required by May 12; email SWET Events or SCBWI Events, or fax 03-3430-1740
Panel discussion only: 2,000 yen, no reservations required, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Suzanne Kamata, editor of the literary anthology Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing, May 2009), will be accompanied by Leza Lowitz, Holly Thompson and Angela Turzynski-Azimi in reading from and discussing contributions to the book. Call Me Okaasan comprises twenty essays by women writers around the world on the joys and challenges of raising children across two or more cultures. A panel Q&A with all four writers will wrap up the event. Copies of the book will be on sale at the event.

See the URL below for additional details:
http://www.swet.jp/index.php/events/

The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:

Behind Cloistered Walls: On Translating the Memoirs of an Imperial Convent Abbess

Time: Saturday, May 23, 2009, 3:00 – 8:00 pm
Place: Tankiro Hanten
Fee: 5,000 yen (includes dinner)
RSVP by May 16 (indicate if you require a vegetarian meal)

Bringing to English readers a story of life in the imperial convents of Kyoto long hidden behind cloister walls, this event introduces the just-published bilingual publication, In Iris Fields (Tankosha, 2009). Author Kasanoin Jikun’s story evokes a world where the past-of Heian (Tale of Genji) splendor, imperial dynasties (daughters of emperors were trained to become abbesses), the upheaval of the Meiji Restoration and the wrenching move of the capital to Tokyo (when the very livelihood of Imperial convents and monasteries was in jeopardy)-as if it were yesteryear.

Read More

The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:

Writing News on Japan: With Journalist Elaine Lies

Time: Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Place: Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
Fee: 5,000 yen (to include evening meal)
Reservations required by June 19; email SWET events, or fax 03-3430-1740

Whether geisha or anime, samurai or electronics, Japan still remains a fascinating place for much of the world, and papers will pay for stories. As a 20-year resident of Japan who has been writing about the country for most of that time, both freelance and as a reporter for Reuters news agency, Elaine Lies has a few ideas about what kinds of stories will work, as well as those that might not.

Elaine Lies studied Asian Studies at Cornell and UC Berkeley before coming to Japan, where she has lived in the rural north as well as in Tokyo. With experience as a general news reporter covering earthquakes, prime ministers, anime, whaling, and just about anything else you can imagine, she has stories to tell and perspectives to share.

See URL below for more details:
http://www.swet.jp/index.php/events/

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

Hi everybody! (especially if you live in Tokyo!)

On May 15, 2009, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is hosting a presentation by Laura Rennert, a senior agent of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, about the craft of writing.  I plan on attending this event (which is in Shibuya) and would like to meet up with other JetWit-ers who are interested in going.

Please contact me at bokinaka [at] uclalumni [dot] net.  The plan is to hit up an izakaya in Shibuya afterwards, so if you just want to show up for food and drinks (and great company) on a Friday night, then e-mail me!

domo!
Bobby Okinaka (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02)
www.fresh-off.blogspot.com

Note:  See the post on JetWit about the event, shared previously by author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Tokyo branch of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

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

Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90), who serves as the publicity assistant for the Tokyo branch of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, shared the following announcement:

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators presents

Literary Agent Laura Rennert

Under the Hood: The Nuts and Bolts of Craft

Time: Friday, May 15, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 p.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 1,500 yen; non-members 2,000 yen

This event will be in English.

In this two hour presentation, Laura Rennert, senior agent of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, will lift the hood and focus on the key elements of the writer’s craft: voice, great beginnings, characterization, narrative structure, plot, powerful endings. How do you establish your compact with the reader and then honor it? What makes opening pages irresistible and how do you sustain these page turning elements throughout your work? What causes an agent, an editor, or a reader to put down a book? If voice is that ineffable something you bring to the table, are there concrete ways in which you can work on it? What are the essential elements that go into the creation of “round” characters, and how can you create these multi-dimensional, vivid characters?

Come to this hands-on session and plumb these questions and others as Rennert delves into issues of craft and technique, drawing on her ten years plus experience as an agent, on her Ph.D. and eight years of university experience teaching English Literature, and her own experience as an agent with forthcoming published books.

Laura Rennert is a Senior Agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Founded in New York City in 1981, it was the first literary agency to represent both children’s book authors and illustrators. Rennert has been with the agency for almost ten years, and specializes in all categories of children’s books, from picture books to young adult, graphic novels, fiction and nonfiction. Visit the Andrea Brown agency website at www.andreabrownlit.com.

www.scbwi.jp info@scbwi.jp

JET Alum Zach LeNarz has set up a Facebook group called “JETAA Law” for JET alums who work in the legal profession, are in law school or are in any other way connected with the law.  (If the link doesn’t work for any reason, just do a search for “JETAA Law” on Facebook.)

So go ahead and sign up.  No contract, waiver or non-disclosure agreement required. :-)

SATURDAY, April 4 – JETAA JOB FAIR!

This Saturday, JETAA Chicago will be hosting its annual JETAA Job Fair.  Although the fair is open to everyone, it may be especially beneficial to those with previous experience in Japan or Japanese language skills.  Representatives from top Japanese companies and recruiting firms will be on hand to accept resumes and explore job opportunities in Chicago.

The fair will run from 12-4 with a wine & cheese reception to follow from 4-5.  This will be a great opportunity for those interested in networking to meet some Chicago-area Japan-related company representatives!

The fair will be held in the Japan Information Center located at 737 N. Michigan Avenue, 10th floor.

For more information or to submit your resume, please contact Rob Corder at chicagojetaajobfair at gmail dot com.