Sunday, May 31, 2009

News: Dark Horse to Adapt Evanovich Novel into Comic

Via ICv2.com, Dark Horse plans to adapt Janet Evanovich's NASCAR series into graphic novels.

Dark Horse will publish a graphic novel written by Janet Evanovich, creator of the bestselling Stephanie Plum series, and her daughter, Alex, according to the New York Times. The storyline will be based on Metro Girl and Motor Mouth, two novels with characters from NASCAR. The graphic novel will be released in 2010.

Mystery readers are probably more familiar with Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I personally was never a big fan of Evanovich's NASCAR series and think Stephanie would make a much more entertaining reader. But I guess beggers can't be choosers.

With Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series, Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake series and Octavia Butler's Kindred, one wonders if this is the comic industry's new strategy to get more female readers.

xoxo,
Tissie

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News: Printer Refuses to Print Yaoi Press Coloring Book

Via ICv2.com. On demand printer Docucopies has refused to print copies of The Yaoi Coloring Book citing nudity. A very vague email sent by a customer service agent explains.

"There are a number of pages that I find disturbing and do not want to put our employee’s in the same position (by) printing this book for you.”

Long time yaoi and ero readers may remember a similar incident years ago when Brenner began refusing to print books with adult content. So while extremely frustrating, these things happen.

It makes one wonder if establishing a print house for the sole purpose of printing explicit and adult content might not be a bad idea for some aspiring entrepreneur.

xoxo,
Tissie

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Saturday, May 30, 2009

Cute videos

OK, I'm not a cat person, but these videos are just so cute that I had to share. :D

Maru and the Giant Box


Whackk-a-kitty

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Manga Review: Flower of Life 4 by Fumi Yoshinaga


Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Publication Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 978-1-5697-0055-6
MSRP: $12.95
Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Borders

The long anticipated Flower of Life 4 by Fumi Yoshinaga has finally arrived.

You have NO idea how long I've waited for this from DMP.

The first thing I have to mention is the packaging. To be honest, I'm dissapointed in DMP. This manga has NO dustjacket despite it remaining to be $12.95. I actually was surprised that I did like (yes like) the lack of dustjacket as a standalone manga, but when I shelve it with Volume 1 through 3, I can't help but scowl because of the lack of consistency. I mean come on, this is the final volume. Adding the dust jacket would have been a nice gesture for fans. Nevertheless, at least it's out.

This volume turned out to be bittersweet. I read it last night and to be honest, I was unhappy with how it wrapped out initially. As I thought about it the whole day today, I'm actually quite please with how it turned out.

Harutaro and Shota are working hard to become professional manga-ka.

*** Spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own caution. Highlight below to read. ***

Their manga is severely criticized by a manga editor from Shinshokan (the Japanese company that actually publishes Flower of Life). The heroine of their manga lacked depth, but Shota's interpretation was that he wanted her to be enigmatic and mysterious. After having Takeda look at it, she mentions that the character should do something unexpected.

At the same time Harutaro's sister is having a difficult moment in her life and is asking for support from her brother. Unfortunately, Harutaro is focused on his manga to create a better life. When he returns home, he finds his sister distraught and drunk with a stranger. They get in a fight and she reveals to Harutaro that his leukemia could relapse, devastating him.

After this point of time, Harutaro changes. This unexpected event is almost parallel to what they are trying to convey in their manga.

What happens in Harutaro's life is a reflection of the theme in Harutaro and Shota's manga.

Not only that, but the meaning behind the title is revealed.

This final volume is definitely something to be cherished. You will see the joys and hardships of life, and you will witness something unexpected but still wonderful.

Despite its shortcomings in packaging, I highly recommend this manga for any slice-of-life or Yoshinaga fan.

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Ring author releases new novel on toilet paper


LOL... The OC Register has an article. I wonder if this is a publicity stunt or what not?

Now - if yaoi was on toilet paper, I don't want to know what that toilet paper would be used for...

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

No love for Astro Boy

Interesting article on Kotaku regarding why there haven't been any Astro Boy games in the US.

Short version: He's not popular enough in the US.

Which brings me to the point. There are several manga properties that are known and famous. Heck, they probably even have some prestigious award attached to them. Astro Boy, Speed Racer, etc.

But the problem is - they don't sell. A publisher shouldn't expect them to sell, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't release them at all. I think it shows a lot of diversification to pick up classics like these, but I also think there's a lot of risks involved. If the sole reason is to make money, I would have to say the risk outweigh the rewards.

If the reason, however, is to distinguish themselves from other publishers, then it's a strategy and risk worth taking. However, the publisher needs to follow through by promoting and nominating that title for any awards it has the potential to win. If they don't, there's no way it will be able to distinguish itself since it will be lost with the multiple properties that are published.

~Meg

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Anime review: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Gake no Ue no Ponyo)

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is the latest release by Japanese animation powerhouse Studio Ghibli (Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service), written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid.

Sosuke, a five year-old boy lives with his mother and father in a house way up on the cliffs by the sea. One day while playing with his toy boat by the water, he finds Ponyo stuck in a jar. Ponyo, a fish, ran away from Fujimoto, her evil magician father, because she wanted to explore the world. Sosuke can't pull Ponyo from the jar, so he uses a rock to break it and cuts his finger. Ponyo licks his finger and the wound heals. Excited by his new find, Sosuke fills a green bucket and takes Ponyo with him to pre-school. Unfortunately, Fujimoto finds Ponyo again and drags her back home. Because Ponyo had tasted human blood, she turns into a mermaid, and her one wish is to become human and be with Sosuke.

The visual imagery in this film is stunning as with all Studio Ghibli films. The fish and underwater creatures and strange and weird but beautiful in a Miyazaki-esque way. Sosuke is wise beyond his five years, and Ponyo is an adorable, rambunctious imp who turns into a five year-old little girl. At first I couldn't figure out what Ponyo was, but it's explained in the movie that she's a fish that turns into a mermaid, who then turns into a human girl. Got it? The less you try to figure it all out, the more you'll enjoy this wonderful family film. If you liked My Neighbor Totoro, you'll love Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

The English version of Ponyo (Walt Disney Films) will close this year's Los Angeles Film Festival on June 28, 2009 at 6:30 pm at Mann's Village Theater. The English edition will be voiced by Noah Cyrus (Ponyo), and include an outstanding roster of voice talent, including Cate Blanchette, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Thomlin, Betty White, and Frankie Jonas as Sosuke. The movie opens in theaters on August 14, 2009.

The Japanese version with subtitles is available for pre-order at Yes Asia. (7/3/09 release date)

~Allie

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Book Review: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

Book Information
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: April 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0451225856
MSRP: $24.95
Format: Hardcover
Available from Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble and Powell's


J.R. Ward graduates from mass market paperback to hardcover in book #7 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood vampire series. This volume continues many of the personal and political subplots that have been weaved through previous books. But don't count on having any of these storylines being resolved just yet.

Rehvenge isn't a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Up until now, his role in the story has been as Brotherhood member Phury's drug dealer as well as owning the bar the Brotherhood members frequent when off duty. However, Rehvenge is a symphath, a form of vampire who feeds not only on blood, but on the emotions of other people. Symphaths are forced to live apart from the rest of the vampire race in a remote colony for obvious reasons. Rehvenge is a half breed and able to control his darker passions with heavy drug use. A little ironic that the drug lord of Caldwell, NY is a serious drug addict himself.

On a trip to see his own drug dealer, or doctor, Rehvenge encounters Ehlena. A nurse at the vampire clinic, Ehlena draws the short-stick and ends up having to treat Rehvenge. Naturally, the attraction is instant and so begins the next vampire male's redemption through love.

While Rehvenge's trials are the main focus of the book, the war between the Lessening Society and the Brotherhood continues to rage in the background. The Lessening Society seeks to wipe out the vampire's existence. Birthed by the Omega, the lessers are the walking dead and cold blooded killers. While the history between the two groups hasn't been completely explained, the vampires are the children of the Scribe Virgin, the Omega's sister. One would think the war between the two is more than a bit of sibling rivalry.

Rehvenge's book contains the usual mix of action, intrigue, betrayal and redemption that have become the staples of each of Ward's books. Previous books have been written from an omniscient third person point of view that would alternate pretty consistently: (1) the perspective of the lessening society and (2) the perspective of the Brotherhood member highlighted in the volume. This volume jumps from so many perspectives, that in some places, it is a little confusing as to who is doing what, who knows what secret and who is mad at whom.

Lover Avenged was a very enjoyable read. While a bit face paced and melodramatic at times, it served as a great bridge from previous books to what one can only assume will be the climax of the series. While most of the subplots remain unresolved, the story lines have been advanced far enough that they could be summed up in one or two more books. I am not sure how long Ward plans to continue the series. A romance series at the heart, she is running out of single male characters.

$24.95 is a bit much to pay for a book, so check this one out of the library if you need to read it now. Otherwise, wait for the paperback. That way, it will match all the other volumes on your shelf. >_<

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Publishing Frustrations #2: Freelancing.

I've been working in the publishing industry for over 15 years, and I've worked on both the client side and the freelancer's side, and it never ceases to amaze me how poorly some clients treat their freelancers. Publishers use freelancers because they're cheaper than hiring someone full time and paying them a salary with benefits. A lot of the time, freelancers get the short end of the deal, because, time is money, and the longer you spend on a project and the more the client requires you to do, the less money you make. Here are a few of the problems I've run into:

Late projects. The book is late, and it becomes YOUR problem. You only have two weeks to complete the lettering. If you can't get it done, you're an incompetent idiot, and we'll give the job to someone who can do it faster than you. Yes, this actually happens. And no rush fees are paid either. The majority of the editors that I've worked with never got their work done on time. Was it surprising that they were all men?

Editors making multiple changes and edits AFTER the lettering is done. So, if an editor doesn't have time to read through a translation before lettering is started, why can't I charge an additional fee for all of the extra changes? LOL

Clients who add more work than what is initially agreed upon. I've had a client offer to pay less than half of my normal rate to letter a book. After I finished the lettering, the client asked me where the table of contents page and copyright pages were (usually the job of a graphic designer), and THEN told me a month later to make a PDF file with bleeds and laid out back to front for the printer (also the job of a graphic designer) -- all of which he expected me to do for my low low page rate. He then was offended when I asked for an additional payment for the graphic design work (because his other letterers did the work for no additional fees). Needless to say, that was the first and last job I did for the client.

Clients who don't use the correct terminology. I had a client who would tell me to "percentage this" and to "colorize that." Excuse me? You mean enlarge or reduce this? And change the color of that? I'm sorry, I'm not a mind reader.

Clients who pay late. Clients expect you to turn in work on time, but when it comes to paying you, I've had clients take up to 120 days or more to send you a check. Too bad I wouldn't get any more work from them if I took them to small claims court.

Clients who don't give you proper materials to work with. 72 dpi files are NOT acceptable for print! My friend calls it the Rumplestilskin Factor. They give you straw and expect you to spin gold. :D

Clients who think that they are your ONLY client. When you're a freelance artist, you don't have a set income. If you don't work, you don't get paid. So, most freelancers have more than one client. But, often, a client assumes that since they're paying for your time, their jobs are your number one priority, and they want it done ASAP.

I'm a great believer in karma, and my message is this: Be nice to your freelancers, because, maybe one day, YOU'LL be the freelancer, and your current freelancer may be your client. ;)

~Allie

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Studio Ghibli creating a Nintendo DS Game.

From Kotaku, Studio Ghibli is taking their sweet time creating their first Nintendo DS game.

I think this is going to be pretty interesting. According to the article, Miyazaki doesn't like video games so I have to wonder what the results of the game will be.

Anyways - check out the article on Kotaku for details. I hope there's some sort of Easter Egg in it where a giant Totoro takes over the screen. *tee hee*

~Meg

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

How to sell licensed digital works (otherwise known as why licensing titles sometimes suck)

When it comes to manga in particular, digital copies have always been a little tricky. How do you sell something that you don't entirely own?

Companies that license manga don't own the material. In fact, the license reverts back to the original license holders after x amount of time. Last summer, the license for Akira supposedly reverted back to it's Japanese publisher, Kodansha.

So how can it be sold? To sell a digital copy, a company must first protect it. Why? Because otherwise, the license holder and creators will be unhappy that it's being given for free.

DRM. It's a word I hate because of its limitations. Yet it's understandable that a company and an artist would want to protect their works. Without DRM, fans would simply send it to one another.

A great example is what happened with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight sequel, Midnight Sun. A copy was leaked and within minutes, it was all over the internet. And she was NOT happy.

As I've said, DRM is imperfect. But not only that, the "better" the technology is, the more costly it is. The best way to sell a digital version of a manga would be to have some sort of way where only the paying customer can view it. It'd be nice if they they could throw in some temporary "guest" views too.

Now one of the easiest ways to get around it (somewhat) is to have it online as if it were streaming. The problem with this is that the customer will NEVER permanently own the digital copy. Why?

To be realistic, it's because the company licensing the property only temporary owns the right. After the license expires, they have no obligation in keeping it up. I guess it would mainly be up to the license holder what they would allow the licensee to do.

The last reason is a little bit more negative but realistic all the same. If the company fails, the website will be gone, and your digital copy will be gone forever. Say goodbye to that hard earned cash you spent on it. At least you got to read it before it went bye-bye.

What would have happened if Be Beautiful had offer online versions of their manga that was only viewable online? Well, you just wouldn't be able to view it anymore since the website no longer exists.

So basically, the final question is... Who does it suck more for? The company that has licensed the title and trying to release some type of paid digital copy? Or the paying customers?

~Meg

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Anime Review: Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki o kakeru shôjo)
Kadokawa Pictures USA/Bandai Entertainment

Makoto Konno is having a wonderful school year, hanging out and playing baseball with her two best friends: studious Kosuke Tsuda and offbeat Chiaki Mamiya. What starts out as an unusually bad day for normally lucky Makoto turns into her worst nightmare when an almost fatal bicycle accident nearly takes her life. She is saved when she mysteriously takes a leap back through time.

The sci-fi premise of this movie may sound a bit strange, but the story is unique and wonderful. I certainly didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did. The manga has a completely different ending, and I must say that I prefer the ending in the movie. It actually made me tear up. It's not a sad movie, but a very heartwarming one.

In some scenes, the illustrations are very simple, but overall, the visual imagery is stunning. I can see why The Girl Who Leapt Through Time has won several awards including the Award of the Japanese Academy for Best Animation film in 2007. If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki films, I'd highly recommend this movie to you.

Available on DVD.
Available for purchase at Anime Jungle and Amazon.com.
MSRP: $29.98

~Allie

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Friday, May 15, 2009

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Finally! A book that combines two things that I love: romance and zombies!! I've never actually read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but I've seen the movies and tv-series several times. My first thought in reading this book was that the poor author, Seth Grahame-Smith, had been dragged to see the movie (by a woman) and started imagining zombies eating and killing off characters to amuse himself. Just imagine a movie studio shooting Pride and Prejudice and Shawn of the Dead on the same movie set. The result? A hilarious, highly entertaining mishmash of angst, unrequited love, disembowelment and brain eating.

Elizabeth Bennet is the second of five daughters, living in Hertfordshire. For the past fifty-five years, and strange plague has swept through England, causing the dead to rise again and feast on the brains of the living. When his daughters were young, Mr. Bennet had sent his daughters to China to study the deadly arts under Master Liu in order to protect the citizens of Hertfordshire from the "manky dreadfuls." Zombies don't stand a chance when any one of the Bennet sisters are around. Their mother, on the other hand, doesn't care for her daughters' fighting skills, and her main goal in life is to have them all married off to rich men.

I would love to see this book made into a movie. Keira Knightly would be perfect in this, reprising her role as Elizabeth Bennet, with some kick ass moves that she learned in The Pirates of the Carribean. This would be SOOOO much more enjoyable that sitting through Speed Racer again! Hollywood, are you listening??

P.S. Hollywood is, indeed listening! I found this article about Elton John's Rocket Picture's upcoming feature, Pride and Predator! Ooh... I can't wait to watch Lizzy Bennet kick some butt!

Publisher: Quirk Books (April 4, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1594743344
MSRP: $12.95
Available though Amazon.

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My cries yesterday were heard wrong ...

So yesterday, I posted that I wanted to see female heroines kicking butt.

Today, I get this: 2012 Bubblegum Crisis Film Planned with Caucasion/Asian Cast

UGH...

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the original Bubblegum Crisis. I just can't see it as a live action film without being extremely cheesy.

Also, I'm not sure why the headlines on ANN emphasized that it would have a "Caucasion/Asian Cast". Because frankly, in this day and age, it shouldn't be a headline. Oh wow! Look! A Caucasion/Asian cast. I guess we're diverging from African American/Asian casts (Rush Hour) and Caucasion/Asian cast (the last Mummy). Wait, never mind. It's been done...

The only cool thing I can find is that it will be "the first co-production between the six nations."

Anyways, I'm guessing this will be the next Dragonball Evolution movie... so quoting from Allie, "Bite me!"

~Meg

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Book Review: Mortal Temptations by Allyson James

Mortal Temptations
by Allyson James

Patrica Lake's world is turned upside down when she finds a winged, demi-god unconscious on the floor of her antique store. Her unexpected visitor is Nico, a powerful deity cursed by Hera to be a slave to female sexual desire. As punishment for chasing after one of Hera's priestesses, he is sentenced to an eternity of heartbreak as he is used by one female after another and tossed aside along with his partner in crime and demi-god Andreas. Patrica, of course, holds the key to ending their enchantment...

I really wanted to like this book. Yes, the story is pretty cookie-cutter - our tortured and cursed hero must commit some great act of sacrifice to save himself and his one true love. Mortal Temptations had all the potential to really be an unique, yet heartwarming story; but it totally fell flat almost from the beginning.

Patrica is psychic and can read the auras off of people and objects, hence her profession as an antiques dealer. You would think her abilities would be almost vital to Andreas and Nico's quest for clues on how to break the curse. But her psychic abilities are introduced in the beginning and then are almost forgotten over the course of the story.

Nico and Andreas are described as essentially high class gigolos who are tortured by their fate. However, throughout the story, they honestly don't seem more than slightly annoyed by the whole situation. Andreas seems almost giddy to have a new toy to play with. And Nico doesn't seem plagued by bouts of depression or melancholy over being a god reduced to a sex slave.

The ending was also nothing special with Nico's final "test" incredibly uneventful and really not that difficult. Happily ever after was attained a little too easily for me to really feel any emotion for the characters.

Overall this book was a bust. If you are looking for a good tragic hero type, you are better off checking out Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter's series.


Book Information

Publisher: Berkley Trade
Publication Date: January 6, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0425223697
MSRP: $15.00
Format: Trade Paperback
Available from Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble

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He-Man Master of the Universe Movie

So, it looks like there might be a new He-Man movie coming soon (but not that soon). But the news is that the movie has landed a new writer. According to the Hollywood Reporter, "Warners sees the big-screen version as a gritty fantasy and reimagines Adam as a soldier who sets off to find his destiny, happening upon the magical world of Eternia. There, Skeletor has raised a technological army and is bent on eradicating magic."

WTF? Technological army? He-Man is fantasy - NOT Fantasy/SciFi. Wait a sec... if He-Man is fantasy... then maybe it should be a yaoi love story!!! It'd make more sense than an army of robots. He and Duncan (Man-At-Arms) can have a rocky relationship of sort. Of course, it'd be obvious who the seme be. Duh... Man-At-Arms.

Last of all, what about She-Ra? We need more women kicking butt. I'm sick and tired of lame women superhero movies. If it was Tissie, Allie, and I, we'd kick ALL the guys asses.

So, the moral of this post is, I don't know...

~Meg

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Book Review: Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt

What do school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? What about real estate agents and members of the KKK? And the million dollar question - why do drug dealers live with their moms? All the answers to these questions and more can be found in Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.

Steven Levitt is a rogue economist. As the book explains:

"Many people - including a fair number of his peers--might not recognize Levitt's work as economics at all. But he has merely distilled the so-called dismal science to its most primal aim: explaining how people get what they want. Unlike most academics, he is unafraid of using personal observations and curiosities; he is also unafraid of anecdote and storytelling (but he is afraid of calculus). He is an intuitionist. He sifts through a pile of data to find a story that no one else has found. He figures a way to measure an effect that veteran economists had declared unmeasurable. His abiding interests--though he says he has never trafficked in them himself--are cheating, corruption, and crime."

Levitt poses numerous questions in his book ranging from what makes good parents to what caused the dramatic reduction in crime in the early 1990's. While some of the questions and answers posed make perfect sense, others may leave you with a sorry taste in your mouth. Probably the most controversial aspect of the book is how Levitt attributes the decline in crime in the 1990s to the legalization of abortion. I am kind of sitting on the fence with that one. On one hand, unwanted and neglected children are more likely to turn to a life of crime. At the same time, you can make numbers say anything - which is one of the themes of the book.

Overall, Freakonomics was a very interesting read. I am not usually big on nonfiction. Too dry for my tastes. But, the book kept me interested and engaged from beginning to end. And now I know why drug dealers live with their mothers, so that in itself was worth reading the book for!

Book Information
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 12, 2005
ISBN-13: 978-0061234002
MSRP: $29.95
Format: Trade Paperback
Available from Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble

P.S. I reviewed the first edition of Freakonomics. It has since been revised and updated to cover new topics, clarify some facts and rearrange the chapters.

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Anime Review: Stitch!

Stitch! is the Japanese adaptation of the US feature film, Lilo and Stitch that began airing in October 2008. So far, I've only seen three episodes, and from what I've seen, it's pretty much on par with the US animated series airing on the Disney Channel. It starts off with Jumba chasing Stitch after Stitch steals a space scooter. The two get caught in a space storm, and get transported back to Earth's galaxy. Stitch crash lands on an island off Okinawa that suspiciously looks A LOT like Hawaii, though everyone (even Stitch) speaks Japanese. He meets Yuuna, a young girl who is even more annoying than Lilo. Her father is away, working on a research sub, so she's staying with her grandmother, who's an expert on all the resident spirits of the island. Yuuna teaches karate and protects the weaker kids in school from a group of obnoxious bullies.

In the US series, Stitch's main objective was to find and rehabilitate his "cousins" whose pods got hatched when they mixed with water. In the Japanese series, Stitch strives to do good deeds so that the Spiritual Stone will grant his wish to be the strongest creature in the galaxy. Jumba even makes him a "good deed" counter which goes up with every good deed, but goes down every time is bad. Poor Stitch. For some reason, he needs to get to 43 in order to get his wish.

The idea of Ohana is carried over into this series as well. Ichibara Choodee means "When we meet, we become family,", which Stitch interprets to be "like ohana.". So, the whole ohana theme is reinforced in each episode. Every time Stitch helps someone, or something as in the case of spirits, they become his ohana.

While Stitch is "cute" in this series, he lacks the adorable cuddliness that he had in the Lilo and Stitch movie. He doesn't have his "ugly duckling" moments, but he does look awfully huggable in his Karate gi (episode 2) and laughably cute in a sumo mawashi (episode 3). Another fun element in this series is the addition of little gags that appear briefly throughout the series. In the first episode, a cow, a dinosaur, and a familiar pair of red Mickey shorts are sucked into the space storm with Jumba and Stitch. Later, Stitch is hungry and goes on an eating rampage. A familiar tourist is watching, eating an ice cream cone, and the ice cream falls on the ground as he watches Stitch. In the second episode, Stitch breaks a plate at breakfast, and to hide the broken shards, he scoops them up and makes a pair of mickey ears out of them. Later, Jumba and Pleakley show up, and Pleakley introduces himself as "Wendy" Pleakley. Yuuna and her grandmother throw a party to welcome Jumba and Pleakley, and as you see people dancing and waving their hands... a mickey glove appears with those waving hands. Japanese people really do love Mickey. ;)

If you're a diehard Stitch fan like I am, it's worth watching. If not, I'd pass.

~Allie

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Book Review: The Secret Tunnel by James Lear

What would happen if you took Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, remixed it with a spoof of Sherlock Holmes, and sprinkled some hot man sex on top just for the heck of it? Why that is elementary by dear Watson! You would end up with something like The Secret Tunnel by James Lear. *snicker*

Edward "Mitch" Mitchell is traveling from Edinburgh to London aboard the Flying Scotsman for a (hopefully) engaging reunion with his old college roommate, "Boy" Morgan. Mitch is the godfather of Boy's new daughter. Boy is definitely straight, but doesn't mind dipping into the other pond every once in a while.

One would expect the 392 mile and 8 hour train ride to be fairly boring. However, Mitch seems to have a knack for getting himself entangled in tight spaces. >_<>The Secret Tunnel is fun and sexy without being vulgar. Mitch's antics both on the case and in the bedroom (or train car, or public toilet, or wherever he may be) leave you entertained and wondering how our hero is going to pull the case together and tag the villain within the last ten pages. While the protagonist - and honestly, the majority of the male cast - happens to be gay, the witty prose and comedic situations appeal to a much wider audience. If you enjoy the occasional mystery but hate the stuffy whodunits where the butler always did it, or if you enjoy the occasional comedy but are looking for a bit more in the way of plot, this is the book for you. By the end, you may not care who did it because the ride to the uh, "climax", was so much fun. >_<

Book Information

Publisher: Cleis Press
Publication Date: October 1, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-1573443296
MSRP: $13.95
Format: Trade Paperback
Available from Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble

xoxo,
Tissie

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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Book Lover's Recession Tips #3: Used Bookstores

If money is tight these days, one of the best places to snag lots of books on the cheap is your local used bookstore or library book sale!



Library Book Sales

Next time you swing by your local library, ask about their next Friends of the Library Book Sale. When books are new, most libraries will buy multiple copies to keep on the shelves. But as interest in the book decreases, they will sell off additional copies to make more room on their shelves. Also, when people donate books to the library, they end up in the book sale if they aren't needed. With pricing usually around $1 for hardcovers and a few quarters for paperbacks, you can always find some good steals.



Used Bookstores

Whether online or brick-and-mortar, used bookstores are a great place to trade in your old books and get new ones at cheap prices. A few notable online used bookstores are abebooks.com, Powells Books , and of course Amaon.com has a used marketplace. Just a word of caution on online books sales, check the shipping cost! A small flat rate priority mail box is only $4.95. So any shipping cost over $5 is suspect.



xoxo,

Tissie

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Friday, May 8, 2009

Book Review: Become Your Own Matchmaker 8 Easy Steps for Attracting Your Perfect Mate by Patti Stanger

Did I mention I love trashy reality TV shows? I have been a longtime fan of the Millionaire Matchmaker which usually airs Thursday nights on Bravo, simply because it is comforting to know that even millionaires have a hard time getting a date on Saturday night. I checked this book out of the library after seeing an episode on the show where Patti, the infamous matchmaker, was doing a photo shoot for the book cover. I thought the book would be cheeky, full of cliches and pretty much useless; but, I couldn't have been further from the truth. My first clue that maybe I was wrong about Patti? A waiting list of over 200 people waiting to read the book from my local library!

For those of you not familiar with Patti's TV show, she is a 3rd generation matchmaker with a 99% success rate who doesn't sugar coat ANYTHING. She has no qualms about telling multi-millionaires they are egotistical jerks who will end up in a nursing home alone if they don't follow her rules and advice.

Patti divides the book into 8 essential steps/chapters:
(1) Dating Detox
(2) Mirror, Mirror
(3) Make Your Own Matchmaking Map
(4) Qualifying the Buyer
(5) Adventures in Dating
(6) First Days of Infatuation
(7) Relationship Reality Check
(8) Negotiating the Ring

In these 8 steps she lays out a pretty thorough plan to find the perfect mate and get engaged within a year. In fact, one of Patti's rules is that if you haven't gotten the ring by 12 months anyway, your guy isn't interested in marriage.

What surprised me the most about this book compared to other relationship books was the scientific evidence Patti used to back up her advice and claims. Patti's number 1 rule is NO SEX until you are in a "committed, monogamous relationship." But her rationale isn't the usual crap you get like if you have sex too soon a guy will think you are easy. But, if you hold out too long, a guy will think you are too much work. Patti explains that for women, sex causes the release of hormones that chemically reinforces a woman's bond with a man. So once you have sex, even if the guy is a total loser, you will essentially be addicted to him.

Even for the things in the book I didn't agree with or think were practical, I could definitely understand Patti's reasoning. I can see how getting professional pictures taken for your online dating profile would definitely showcase you in a better light than your computer's web cam. But I also feel that spending $400 for a professional photo shoot is beyond most women's budgets.

Of course the true gems of the book were Patti's suggestions on good and bad places to meet men and warning signs for potential problems later. The produce aisle is no longer the "it" place at the grocery store, stake out the prepared food section of your local Whole Foods or Trader Joes instead. And a guy sitting at Starbucks working on his computer? Chances are he doesn't have an office of his own and is therefore unemployed. Oh, and any guy who won't give you his home phone number is married, no questions asked.

Now I will warn you, while Patti dishes the dirt on men, we women don't get off home free in the process either. The whole "Mirror, Mirror" chapter can be pretty harsh. On air, Patti has told girls they looked like porn stars and hookers. And as she has said many times, if you need her services, what you have been doing obviously isn't working! So be prepared for potentially major changes. But luckily, Patti has some practical tips along with her harsh advice. Can't loose those last few inches off the waist? Invest in some shapewear. And if your hair is a mess, extensions can fix almost anything.

I am somewhat embarrassed to say that after I returned the book to the library, I went to Borders and bought a copy of my own! (With a 40% off coupon of course.) Patti's matchmaking services start at $25,000 and she only accepts cash. So at $25 ($15 after my discount) this book is a steal and highly entertaining at that.

Book Information
Publisher: Atria
Publication Date: January 13, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-1416559948
MSRP: $25.00
Format: Hardcover
Available from Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble








xoxo,

Tissie

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Volunteering for AX

During my senior year of high school, my friends and I decided to volunteer for AX. We were finally old enough and of course, we didn't want to pay to go to AX since it was pricy for a high schooler.

The other benefits - free hotel stay and free food.

The conditions - 20 hours of volunteer service in order for the price of admission to be waived. Badges were bought and then we would fill out a form to get it refunded.

20 hours may not seem like a lot but trust me - it's a ton of work for an event that was 3 days long at the time. When you think about it, that's a full 8 hour day for 2 days PLUS 4 additional hours. Keep in mind the last day of AX always ends early.

Now being the genius high school students we were, we of course did not think about that. The first day, we arrived at the convention and signed up for a couple of shifts. I think I signed up for the video rooms since I would get to watch anime while checking to see if attendants had their badges.

By the end of the day, we were ready to crash. We went to our hotel room, and it just sucked. There was 1 room for the boys and 1 room for the girls. We didn't bring sleeping bags either so we asked the other girls if we could have 1 bed since we were a group of 3. The girls were nice enough so we were extremly lucky. I would have to say there were probably around 10 girls in that 1 room. The volunteers ranged of course but I remember the cosplayer with pleather the most for all the wrong reasons that I won't get into.

Nevertheless, we had worked about 4 hours that day. 16 hours to go. The next day I signed up for pretty much the same duties. It was easy and time would pass quicker. the day dragged and after 4 more hours, I decided I would hang around the exhibit hall to enjoy myself.

By the end of day 2, my friends and I realized there was NO WAY we could complete the remaining 12 hours. Actually, we could have just worked until the end of the show but we were definitely not up for that.

Once we realized this, we decided that it was time to enjoy the show. We had already gotten a free hotel room and free food.

Years later, I'm still glad I volunteered for AX but I don't think I would do it again. I've done a lot of volunteer work during high school, but for me, volunteering at AX was a let down. We wanted to go to AX to enjoy ourselves and by volunteering, we limited our options to do that.

I do think it's something for any fan who wants to do convention work to try. Even though I didn't realize it at the time, it eventually helped me out once I started working conventions like AX, SDCC, and YCon.

Granted the only difference is working 20 hours in 3 days is nothing - 20 hours of work can be easily done in 2! But when you're interacting with people the whole time, it goes by fast compared to when you're just checking badges.

~Meg

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Thursday, May 7, 2009

Reminiscing - My first brush with yaoi

A friend asked me if I would help her letter a new book that she had just been asked to do, and I said "Sure!" (Before this, I'd been helping her with shonen titles with lots of guns firing and explosions everywhere.) My friend went on to explain that this new title was a yaoi series. "What's yaoi?" I asked. What she did was to send me a link on wikipedia with the definition of yaoi. This was very informative, but I still didn't get it. Why would women want to read about two men having sex with each other? Wasn't yaoi just for gay men? All I could think about was too sweaty hairy men going at it. Little did I know how beautifully drawn the men in yaoi were, or how sweet and endearing the characters were. The more I read, the more I understood the appeal.

Romance. Check.
Mournful longing looks. Check.
Accidental brushing of hands. Check.
And I thought, "Wow, why haven't I heard of yaoi before?"

About a year later, we started a new hardcore line of yaoi books, and I realized the true potential of yaoi: Initiating new employees to the nuances of yaoi. *ebil laugh* One of the questions we always asked of our new victims, er, I mean employees was "Would you mind working with sexually explicit material?" If they answered "yes", we'd clap our hands and set to work.

One of my jobs was training out new recruits, so on one of my newbies first lettering assignments, I gave him our most sexually explicit book to work on. To his credit, he barely flinched. I was impressed! Everything was pretty straightforward until he got about 1/3 of the way through the book. Hmmm... how many ways can you letter SPLCH, SQSH, and SHLSH?? By being very very creative! My brilliant pupil delivered, but not without a few horrified looks and squints at his monitor. I did notice that a few of the other men in our office avoided his cubicle while he was working on those pages. I wonder why??

A few months later, we hired yet another person of the male persuasion. And, to my delight, Meg had him sitting on the other side of the wall of my cubicle. All I had to do was raise my arms, and I could show the person on the other side anything I liked, which included lots and lots of yaoi. Hmm... "OMG... is this a cell phone in a condom???" "Wow! I didn't realize that you could put 2 pens in there like that!!" Luckily, the new hire was a very good sport.

Ah... unfortunately, every job I have from now on will pale in comparison. *sigh* Good times.

~Allie

P.S. OK, my grammar is terrible. But, hey, I'm editing Engrish manga. Give me a break. LOL
... ?! ...

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A look back at an anime great. We will miss you, CPM!

Rumors of Central Park Media's demise have been floating around since 2006. After Musicland's bankruptcy, CPM restructured, moved offices and attempted to salvage their operations despite millions of dollars in losses from one of their largest accounts. The company focused mainly on repackaging older series and its yaoi manga line Be Beautiful to generate cash and keep the company afloat. However, CPM officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy late last month.



The news has prompted mixed reactions among fans. Some realize that a large piece of the history of anime and manga in the US has been lost; and that new fans may never get the opportunity to experience CPM's catalog of legendary and groundbreaking works. Other have taken a "good riddance" approach claiming that companies that can't adapt to the changing times deserve whatever happen to them. It seems that older anime fans are really going to miss CPM, while newer and younger fans don't really seem to care.



I can still remember way back to early days of anime. We didn't have DVDs. Nope, we got our releases on laserdisc. (I bet you youngins don't even know what that is.) For those not on the edge of the latest technology, VHS were common. But the subtitled edition always cost $5 more than dubbed version. I remember watching A Wind Named Amnesia for the first time and thinking "Holy Shit! This stuff is awesome!" And I remember getting in trouble with my parents when they caught me watching The Ping Pong Club. (Honestly, I thought from the title that the series was about ping pong. Who would have thought such an innocent title would hide cross-dressing boys and some pretty weird sexual innuendos... It was nothing but educational to a 16-year-old-girl.) That one got me grounded for a week and my parents a little suspicious about this whole "japanimation" thing.



I can go through CPM's entire catalog and almost every title triggers a memory that is bittersweet. (The Anime 18 titles are more bitter than sweet. Tentacle sex is something that I never understood the appeal of.) Sneaking off to an anime club showing instead of studying for a final. Chillin with my brother on the couch on a Saturday afternoon watching the latests VHS release of Record of Lodoss Wars. Still not being able to get through The Grave of the Fireflies without crying.



I will save my ranting and raving about the state of the anime industry and its so called "fans" for another post. But I will say that for all the "fans" refusing to give CPM its due for being a pioneer in the industry, all I can do is feel sorry for you. You have missed a very large chapter in the history and evolution of anime in the US. And if you think Bleach, Naruto and Haruhi are the epitome of anime greatness, I seriously hope something better happens to you.



xoxo,

Tissie

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Publishing Frustrations #1: unfinished book series

Fans complain about this all the time. Unfinished book series. Believe me, for all of us who work in publishing, it's equally as frustrating. We spend a lot of time working on these books, which is often a labor of love, and when the series gets canceled for any number of reasons, it's a very very sad day.

Series -- at least the English editions -- get cancelled for a variety of reasons: 1) the books aren't selling in the US market, and it's no longer economically feasible to continue publishing, 2) the publisher goes out of business (we've been seeing that a lot lately), 3) contract negotiations fall apart between the Japanese and US publishers, or 4) the manga-kas don't finish the series!

When I first started working full time for an English manga publisher (I'm sure most of you know who that is), three series were cancelled because they weren't selling. Historically, the first volume in a collection will sell better than it's subsequent volumes, and very rarely to you see a volume 2 selling better than a volume 1. So, if volume 1 only sells, say, 1500 copies, it's safe to say the numbers aren't going to go up from there. That's not to say that the book is bad... I think a lot of the time the book wasn't published at the right time (Worst would do so much better now that Naruto is out), or the book wasn't advertised widely. If no one knows about the book, no one's going to buy it.

In the case of a publisher going out of business (US companies), it really doesn't bode well for a title. Companies are very wary of picking up a title if they can't publish the first volume, unless they feel that a title has enough of a fanbase already to make it worth their while. Aurora Publishing picked up a few of Broccoli's titles, and I do with Aurora all the best. Likewise, Udon Entertainment picked up the Robot series when contact negotiations fell through for DMP. So far, they've published up to Volume 5, and I do hope they continue. It's a beautiful series. When Biblos went out of business in Japan, it put a whole lotta book series in limbo. Actually a handful of books that I did the production work on never did get published. I hope those books see the light of day. :D

Contract negotiations with Japanese companies are always tough. Just 10 years ago, very few Japanese properties were being published here in the US, so Japanese publishers were far less stringent about the requirements in their contracts. But, nowadays, Japanese publishers are savvy about the English market, and ultimately would like to have US offices. Kodansha is the latest publisher to venture (once again) in the US market. At least that was the rumor last year. I haven't heard any new news since then.

And the most frustrating of all... when the manga-ka doesn't finish the series!!! Eiki Eiki... what happens in The Art of Loving 2???? Youka Nitta... please please please come out of "retirement" and finish The Prime Minster's Secret Diplomacy 2!!!!!!

And... I want to know... how is Gabba King related to Pampi?? (Props to anyone who knows what book I'm referencing!) LOL Boo on DMP for dropping the series!!!

~Allie

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Space Time Travel - They're talking about folds from Macross

So I just bumped into an article on yahoo regarding Star Trek's Warp Drive.

"While any given object can't travel faster than light speed within space-time, theory holds, perhaps space-time itself could travel."

"The idea is that you take a chunk of space-time and move it," said Marc Millis, former head of NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project.

OMG! That just totally sounded like folds from Macross. For you non-Macross fans, I'll try to explain what a fold is. Take a string, for example. Hold the ends apart, basically so the line is a string. Take your spaceship, SDF-1 (for example), and say it's on the left end on the rope. Now, move the right end to the left end, so the string is relaxed and "folded". And there you go, a fold.

I know I'm a nerd but hopefully there are some nerds who will enjoy this. I just totally geeked out... >_<

~Meg

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Licensing Headaches - A Blast from the Past

Back in the days when I was interning for an unnamed company in the industry during college, I bumped into my first licensing headache. At the time, I didn't realize the intricate workings of "licensing" and my response to the situation was delayed to say the least. I was an IT intern and one of the projects I was assisting with was their website relaunch. As a fun and exciting project, I was helping them out with wallpapers, which was not IT and definitely not my expertise. Nevertheless, they assured me that it was easy. All I had to do was resize or crop the image and add the property titles to it. After I finished, I was excited that my work would be on the website. I informed my supervisor and he put it aside. The next couple of days I overheard disturbing news. The artists did not ok it. Legal issues if we put it up. All these things I had NO CLUE about. They eventually scrapped the whole wallpapers section from the website and I was bummed.

Years later, I would realize that the above scenario was an everyday occurence. However, it does seem that the artists have relaxed a bit in regards to their artwork being used to promote their titles. Granted, not all artists are like that. There will always be artists that will not let you put their artwork on anything, and there will always be artists that are ecstatic that you are using their artwork to promote their titles.

The point of the story is... that I didn't realize my mistake until I made the same one years after. But you know what? It's not my fault. I blame Allie and Tissie for it (even though they weren't there at the time). :P

~Meg

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Monday, May 4, 2009

Boys kissing other boys


It seems like there's been a lot of boy on boy action in the media lately. Brokeback Mountain stirred things up in 2005 with some boy on boy "wrassling", and a few of today's films are continuing the trend with some steamy onscreen kisses. MTV has announced its nominees for their latest 2009 MTV movie awards show, and in their BEST KISS catagory, surprise, surprise, what do we have here??? The nominees include: James Franco and Sean Penn in Milk, and Paul Rudd and Thomas Lennon in I Love You, Man. Wow!! Now, to anyone who's read yoai, this is no BFD, but it's nice for me to see that the rest of America is catching up. So, click here: MTV 2009 Movie Awards and vote for the best kiss...

Also in the news is American Idol contestant, Adam Lambert (pictured above). And speculation whether he's gay or bisexual. Really, does it matter? Even if he's gay, it's not gonna stop the tweens from squeeing and voting for him, but then again, look what the teen contingent has done for Clay Aiken's career... hmmm.... But, regardless, I'd have to give all this boy kissing stuff a double thumbs up.

Allie

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Book Lover's Recession Tips #2: Friend Your Local Library!

Alright book lovers. Time to dust off that library card you haven't used since 1990 and head over to your local branch. Let's face it, how many times do you really read all those books that you buy? My guess is probably once or twice. So instead of shelling out money for something you are going to read once and forget about, why not borrow it instead?

Ebooks
If you haven't been to your library in a long time, it might not be anything like you remember. Libraries across the nations are embracing technology. So if you live in a big enough city, chances are your library offers digital content for download. The best part? No late fees! Most libraries use Adobe Digital Editions so your book simply "expires" when you need to return it. In some cases for music, you can even burn yourself a copy to CD.

The only bad part is, the number of ebooks and mp3s available at one time to download depends on the number of licenses the library has. So while you will get instant gratification for some titles, you will have to wait in line for the more popular titles. But with all the other great things going on at the library, we will find you something else to read while you wait.

Holds/Reservations/Waiting List
Most libraries have also issued a new hold or reservation policy. Say you are dying to read the next Anita Blake, Mercy Thompson, Skip Beat or Southern Vampire novel. Yeah, you and about 200 other people. So instead of having to stake out the library stacks to grab a copy, most libraries have a waiting list for titles. You sign up online and get a lovely email when your book is ready for you to pick up at the branch of your choice. Talk about good customer service!

Interlibrary Loan and Requests
So... what happens if your library doesn't have Banana Fish Volume 18 or Kresley Cole's next Immortals After Dark book? You can always ask your local library to buy a copy! In fact, you should really make this a habit. Libraries try to stock books that their patrons will read. So if you don't ask for it, they will keep buying books you aren't interested in. Most libraries have cards at the check-out counter or information desk you can fill out. Some systems will allow you to make requests online.

And don't be shy about requesting a book, you would be surprised at all the books you can find in your library. My library has an entire section of umm... somewhat racy fiction that isn't on the shelves. But if you ask a librarian about it, they will get them for you. If my library carries the complete Letters to the Penthouse there is no telling what else is hiding out in the basement.

Libraries are also exploring alternative publishers and publishing houses. Books from many of the print on demand operations are popping up in libraries. If you are impressed with an up and coming epublisher, bring their attention to your local librarian. You might be just the break they need!

You can also try for interlibrary loans. Most library systems are on good terms with surrounding cities and universities. So if you can find the book somewhere else, your library might be able to borrow it on your behalf.

Now, the original purpose of the interlibrary loan was so normal people could have access to otherwise private libraries and rare books. But your librarian is happy about the fact you are reading at all. So they won't really care if you request a copy of Death Note 13 instead of the latest translation of the Iliad. Check your library for rules. Usually really new and really old books are hard to borrow. Just because new books are popular and old books are hard to replace if you lose them.

Public Service Announcement in Closing
Support your libraries! Your local library is a wonderful, but overlooked place. Besides books, DVDs, magazines and CDs, they offer wonderful programing on many topics. My library has a music, theatre or art program every Sunday. Granted some weekends are people I have never heard of, they are always free and entertaining. But with the economic crunch, most library budgets are getting cut. So if your library is helping you save money and maintain your reading lifestyle, try to give back some of the savings with either a donation of time or money.

If you are in a playful mood, most libraries will let you put a bookplate in the book of your choice if you donate around $50 to them. And the best part is, you don't have to put your name on it. *teehee* Dedicating a copy of Everybody Poops by Taro Gomi to your phsyco boss could be pretty satisfying. >_< The ideas are endless.

Finally, treat library books with care and return them on time. Some libraries have upped the late fees to $1/ day! We have enough creditors as it is, no point in owing the public library money on top of that. We are trying to save money here!


Next week's tip -> Used bookstores and library book sales

xoxo,
Tissie

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Sunday, May 3, 2009

Do You Like Boys?

A friend sent me a link to Youtube today. They had heard this song recently and it reminded them of me! >_< I am not sure if I should be flattered or disturbed...Either way, the song is definitely fitting!



xoxo,
Tissie >_<

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Saturday, May 2, 2009

Book Lover's Recession Tips #1: Join Borders Rewards!

As a book lover and avid reader, this current recession has really been cramping my style as far as new reading material. However, books are vital to my sanity, so I have a couple of tips I have picked up to continue to feed my reading habit.

Tip #1 -> Join Borders Rewards
I am NOT a big fan of giving away my personal information to people or getting annoying, weekly newsletters; but, desperate times call for desperate measures. Almost every Borders Rewards email comes with a 25-40% coupon that is usually only valid for like 2-3 days. Some coupons require a minimum purchase, others exclude comics and some are valid in store only. Read the fine print.

Since Amazon generally discounts their books by about 20%, I usually ignore anything under 30% off. You will usually find Amazon's "4 for 3" or regular sale price to be a better deal. The 40% off coupons are rare, but they offer great savings especially on trade paperbacks over $10 and hardcovers.

Sign up the next time you stop by your local Borders. If memory serves me well, I think you get a special coupon when you sign up!

Barnes and Noble has a similar rewards program, but it has an annual fee... >_< here. But with only a 10% discount on most books, you are probably better shopping at Amazon.

Next week's tip -> Pimping your local library!

xoxo,
Tissie

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Death Note US Remake

So I recently read that Warner Brothers acquired Death Note, but what I didn't realize was that it was going to be a US remake live action movie ala The Ring and Grudge.

I think this is going to be extremely interesting given the success of Death Note. What's different about it is that the success of the franchise is already there, contrary to The Ring and the Grudge. This is either going to lend to the success of the license by exposing it to the main stream market, or it's going to fall flat on its face, kind of like Dragonball Evolution. (Granted I haven't seen DB Evolution yet, but I haven't heard good things.)

I guess only time will tell. My hope is that success will follow and we'll have a cool-looking movie to look forward to. Now whether or not this or Cowboy Bebop will come out first is a different story. My only advise to the people working on either of the live-action series is... Make it good, or don't bother making it at all.

~Meg

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Friday, May 1, 2009

Go Go Gigolo

So, did any of you catch the segment on Japanese host clubs last night on Nightline? If not, you can find it here: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7485963. Dave Specter, the American guy who they interview in the beginning looks like a wax museum dummy who's talking. Dude, you've had WAY too much work done. And I feel bad for the Japanese girl they interview who spends thousands on her "gigolo." Give the girl a break! It seems that they were all critical of how the girls chose to spend their money, but it's their money, so what's the big deal? Thoughts?

Allie

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Greetings from Allie!

Greetings from Sunny California! I'm Allie, and it's my job to keep my fellow 3GG members Tissie and Meg in line. And believe me, that's a full time job!!!

Like Tissie, I'm hooked on trashy romance novels, video games (puzzles, hidden objects, and wii), anime (<3 everything Miyazaki), and basically, I have an opinion on almost everything! I'm definitely not shy. I'm the art geek of our cozy trio, so hopefully I'll be able to come up with some fun creations for this blog. My biggest obstacle, however, is procrastination!!! LOL

Anyways, I gotta go... gotta catch the next episode of the Lilo & Stitch anime.... TTFN!

Allie

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Hajimemashite ~ Meg desu!

So I'm one of the 2 West Coasters from the 3GG.

For me, I would say I'm semi-tomboyish. I've loved gaming since forever, and I'm happily getting back to my anime after about a 3-year slow period. I like science fiction, action, and did I mention games? But I also love shoujo.

To be honest, I don't know what you'll be getting from me. Randomness, occasional reviews, and of course, no blog is complete without rants, so you'll get that from me too.

~Meg

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Tissie here from 3GG!

Hi and welcome to 3GG! Tissie here reporting live from New England.

So who and what is 3 Girl Group? Well, we are three girls with an interest in anime, comics, books and pop culture in general. I specifically have a soft spot for trashy romance novels, slice of life anime series, tokidoki figures and any manga that has really pretty guys - and if they guys happen to like each other it gets bonus points!


So what can you expect from my posts?


(1) Light hearted commentary on the state of the anime and manga industry. (Outlook not good by the way...)


(2) The occassional shojo manga review


(3) The frequent yaoi manga review *teehee*


(4) Occasional convention reports. Book Expo America is coming up and yours truly has a pass!


(5) The occasional ranting and ravings of a fan with too many feelings of entitlement


(6) Interviews with the cool people in the industry


(7) A few random posts just for fun


So sit back and enjoy the ride and the pretty pictures!


xoxo,

Tissie

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