3 Girl Group

My newest guilty pleasure.

2009-12-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

Having paid thousands of dollars studying art, I know a good art when I see it. But you don't have to be a classically trained artist to recognize BAD art. And I mean, BAD!

A friend introduced me to the website Regretsy.com. This blog posts really really awful arts and crafts that can be found on Etsy. They've also added a feature called "View it in a room" where they take said bad art, and place it in an appropriate room, with hilarious results. And yes, this is REAL art for sale on Etsy.com!

Go to the link, then...
Click "VIEW IT IN A ROOM"

Road Kill
Phantom Pains
Attention - Horse
Cracker Jack (not worksafe)
Pez de la Nalgas (not worksafe)
Why? No Nah
Time Flies
Stranger Danger (not worksafe)

And my favorite listing...
You too can star in Twilight: New Moon!!

Happily, the people at Regretsy.com have a book deal with Random House. I can't wait til it comes out! Thanks for all the laughs!

~Allie

Back from a LONG vacation!!

2009-11-29T22:09:00.001-08:00

OK, I know that we're lame because we haven't posted anything in a LONG time! So, to ease back into the swing of things, here's something cute to entertain you all:

Enjoy!

~Allie

Fun internet memes

2009-08-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

Bored of your pictures? Here are a few fun internet sites that will add some interest to your boring pics!

Obamicon
You too can posterize your photo to look like the famous Obama poster.
(I didn't create the Kermit poster pictured here, but isn't it cute??)

Squirrelizer
Have you seen that awesome photo of a squirrel popping up when a couple tried to take a photo of themselves with a timer on National Geographic? Now you can add that squirrel to any photo!

PikiPimp
Pimp out your pics with this fun tool. Just upload your pics and add lots of fun images. Hey, where'd all these birds come from???

~Allie

Mini Tezuka Osamu collection... a steal for $1,113!!!

2009-08-19T13:24:00.001-07:00

Japan Trend Shop is now selling a 200 volume miniature set of Osamu Tezuka, which includes "Black Jack," "Jungle Emperor,", and "Phoenix." This "mini comi" series was produced by Sega Toys, and is an authentic copy of the original manga. Each comic measures approx. 2" x 2.7".

~Allie

What the Frak?

2009-08-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

Some sharp-eyed attendee at ComicCon 2009 spotted this oddity. A Hello Kitty Stormtrooper! The gloves have paws, and the helmet has ears. Sooooo strange! What's next... Hello Kitty wookie?? LOL And... someone get the cat some pink shoes!

Photo is from Boing Boing.

~Allie

Marvel teams up with Madhouse Studios for Wolverine & Iron Man

2009-08-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

The new Anime version of Wolverine is up on You Tube...

"Marvel Entertainment Inc., has partnered with renowned Japanese animation studio Madhouse and multiple-Eagle Award winner Warren Ellis to create four all new anime versions of classic Marvel Super Heroes. Here is an exciting first glimpse of WOLVERINE!"

Is it just me, or does Wolverine look like a bishonen? ROFL He's too "pretty"...

Also, here is the teaser for Marvel's Iron Man anime. Much nicer IMO. :D

~Allie

Tokidoki... at Target????

2009-07-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Simone Legno at Target

What is this world coming to? You can now buy Tokidoki (or Simone Legno) designs at, of all places, Target! Good thing it's not that other store that starts with a "W", or I'd start crying. Not sure what to make of this, but I'll reserve judgment until I got to Target and check out the goods. In the meantime, you can click here and shop online. :D

The bag to the left is only $20! Very cute, but I'm sure it's not of as good construction as the Le Sportsac bags are. And the price tag is right. It looks like this whole line is for school kids... but... I likey!

~Allie

Day 4 of ComicCon, and I'm exhausted!

2009-07-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

Comic Con 2009

This year's ComicCon has been a wild rollercoaster ride. I got to meet my girlhood idol, Richard Hatch aka Apollo on the original Battlestar Galactica. (Yes, I'm old!!) And I got to meet the creator of Dr. Who and Torchwood, Russell T. Davies and the cast of the new BBC drama Being Human (cast photo to the left), and get all of their autographs. Yes, I'm a sci-fi nerd. I didn't to upstairs to the panel rooms. There were just WAAAAYY too many people there! This year's attendance topped 125,000 attendees, and I think at least half of them were trying to get into the ballrooms where the panels were being held.

A lot of the vendors thought that this year's ComicCon was a lot more sedate that last year's convention. I think that due to the economy, people were spending a lot less money. Most of the lines were for the limited edition ComicCon exclusive merchandise. You know all of this stuff is already up on eBay!! One thing I did notice about this year compared to last, is that a lot of vendors set up shop outside of the convention hall. The majority of the freebies were being given out along 5th street, which is right across the street (across the trolley tracks). Heroes set up a mini-carnival, where you could win Heroes keychains and raffle tickets for autographed scripts and t-shirts. SyFy turned a small cafe in the Hard Rock Hotel into "Café Diem," the cafe on the show Eureka. They had their "Street Team" handing out SyFy bags, t-shirts and buttons all weekend long. EA games set up a Gamers Lounge in the Hilton Gaslamp Hotel right of 5th street. They were previewing 4 unreleased games: Dragon Age, Left 4 Dead 2, and 2 Battlefield games. I also got Mythbuster bags, True Blood t-shirts, Amp drinks, and "9" movie cards just by walking up and down the street.

ComicCon is a lot less about comics, and more about movies, video games, and tv shows this year. Comic creators are taking a back seat to movie stars like Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. I heard rumors that the organizers of SDCC want to take the convention to Vegas, but that would make it a bigger circus that it already is. The SD convention center wants to keep the convention in San Diego, and are trying to purchase more land in order to expand the halls. I have mixed feelings about this. I'm finding that the bigger ComicCon gets, the less "fun" it is. You now have to pick and choose what you want to do. It's not longer possible to just walk into a panel. Now, you have to line up at least 4 hours before

the doors open. SDCC has turned into another Disneyland ride, where you line up with the masses for just one attraction.

(Leonard Nemoy to the left).

The up side to this convention, however, is for me to see all the wonderful friends that I've made over the years. It's amazing that even though there are 125,000 people here, I'm managed to run into just about everyone I know! There's one last day of ComicCon, and I hope to grab a few more freebies before I leave. I'll post more pictures when I get back home.

~Allie

Bite-me!!

2009-07-21T08:34:00.001-07:00

Vampires are all the rage now. They're no longer the worm eaten, decaying, reanimated undead blood-suckers that they once were. Now they're hot, sexy, and well, to die for! Tweens (and some older adults... you know who you are!) drool over Edward Cullen. And really, who would complain if Eric or Bill from True Blood wanted to nibble on their neck. It seems like drool-worthy vampires are coming out of the woodwork lately.

I guess maybe that's why there will be the first ever Vampire-Con on August 14-14, 2009 in Hollywood, California devoted to Vamp-Pop culture. There will be a film festival, panel discussions, and a danse macabre ball. Burlesque and go-go girls and boys. Hmmm... it's sounding to me like... Yaoi-Con! I'd consider going, but to tell the truth, vampire fans scare me! But I think the point of all this is that vampire fans are not just your typical goth wanna-be vampires anymore. Everyone seems to have jumped on the vampire bandwagon.

Vampires have come a long way since the first Dracula movies. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise were pretty hot in Interview with a Vampire, but I didn't want to jump their bones. Buffy the Vampire Slayer got her share of slayer on vampire action. And if I have to choose between team Edward or team Jacob... I choose team Edward.

Luckily we have Twilight: New Moon, True Blood Season 2, and The Vampire Diaries to look foward to on TV and in the movie theaters, and more of Charlain Harris' Southern Vampire series, and Kresley Cole's Immortal Series in novels. There's even a ton of vampire yaoi out now: Necratoholic, Vampire's Portrait, and Pathos just to name a few.

So, to all the hot and hunky vampires out there, I only have one thing to say. "Bite me."

~Allie

More Twilight Manwha

2009-07-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

In the Entertainment Weekly I got yesterday, there are more images of the new Twilight manwha. While Edward looks a bit more like a vampire and not a surfer boy in this image, I'm still reserving judgment on this graphic novel until the book is published. I think the wolves on Jacob's shirt is a teeny tiny bit much...

In the EW article, it goes on to say, "The graphic novel is essentially Meyer's brain on paper. 'Stephenie is reviewing every page, every panel,' says Kurt Hassler, publishing director for Yen Press, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. 'People should feel like they are getting a rare glimpse insider her vision of the property.'"

Who knew Bella was so pretty?

~Allie

Amateur Detective Work

2009-07-17T12:25:00.001-07:00

I've been having a lot of bad luck with my banking institutions lately. The free checking account which I've had since 1983 is no longer free. It's now being assessed a $8.95 monthly fee! My ATM card was "compromised" and a replacement sent. And on Monday I got a call from my credit card company, asking me if I had charged an airline ticket for $220. The order was placed in Barcelona, Spain. Unless I magically teleported to Spain, then, that would be a "no"!!

So, being the whiner that I am, I posted about the fraudulent charges on my Facebook status. Tissie and another friend replied that they too had had airline tickets charged on their accounts. Then, yesterday, yet another friend told me that she found a fake airline ticket charge on her account.

What do the four of us have in common? We all used our credit cards to guarantee hotel reservations with Travel Planners for ComicCon. Tissie and another friend used their credit cards last year, and the fake charges to their accounts occurred within the last 2 weeks. The charges on my card and my other friend's card happened this week. And guess what? Next week is ComicCon! I'm betting more people will find charges on their cards while they're away.

My friend alerted Heidi MacDonald, and she's posted the info on her blog: The Beat.
So far, 4 other people have had problems with their credit cards.
Update: Travel Planners has responded to Heidi's blog, saying that there was no breach in their security.

Coincidence? Or fraud? The scary thing is, the credit card companies can't trace the fraud because Travel Planners doesn't always place the charges. They send the information directly to the hotels. And, if someone cancels a reservation, Travel Planners still has their credit card information. I'd totally forgotten that I had used my credit card to guarantee my hotel reservation since I made the reservations back in February.

~Allie

Frustration and Happiness: Twilight becomes a graphic novel

2009-07-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

Yen Press is creating the graphic novel version of Twilight. This comes as no surprise since both Little Brown and Yen Press are a subsidiary of Hatchette.

I'm happy but also frustrated. I've been waiting for the graphic novel for almost 3 years now. I won't expand on why I'm frustrated. For those that know why, they will understand. And maybe it will be a story for another time. (Or you can go bug Tissie and Allie and try to force them to tell you.)

~Meg

ComicCon is coming!!!

2009-07-12T18:23:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have never been to ComicCon in San Diego, CA, you're missing the biggest, busiest, most crowded comic convention in the US!! I've been busy helping my husband and friends make promotional materials. So far, I've made 750 buttons and slapped stickers on 1000 postcards. And I'm not done yet! ComicCon starts on Wednesday, July 23rd, so I have a little bit of time yet to finish everything. But here are a few things that I'm looking forward to:

• Swag!! Yes, I am the Queen of Swag. Put out something free, and I'm there! Last year, my swag haul included about a dozen bags, 10 t-shirts, tons of buttons, postcards, bookmarks, bobble heads, posters and 3 pen drives. (Don't ask me where I store it all).

• Sneak Previews! Warner Bros. is previewing 3 pilot episodes of three new series: Human Target, V, and The Vampire Diaries. I'm especially looking forward to the Vampire Diaries. Vampires are COOL! I *might* fight the crowds for Twilight: New Moon. I'll have to remember to bring my earplugs, because the high pitch shrieks of the fans might render me deaf.

• Chasing Celebs! Last year, I got to squeeze Sci-Fi channel star Colin Ferguson, who plays the sheriff in Eureka. He was hanging out at the Sci-Fi booth, so I snuck in for a quick pic with him. He's so adorable! Hopefully they'll be a lot more celebs running around the convention room floor. I bought a new camera, so I'll be sure to post pics when I get back. :D

• Hot guys in skimpy costumes!! Well, OK, the really hot guys are the ones who get paid to dress up and entertain guests, but who's complaining? Last year, Tissie and I got to get squeezed between two hot firemen. With no shirts. Oooh la la! Drool much?

• Seeing all my industry friends! The best part of conventions is getting together with friends in the biz. It's amazing how many people I've gotten to know over the years. I'm hoping to find time to bake some cookies before I leave so that I can drop off some care packages around the convention hall. :D

• Sleeping in a haunted hotel. Maybe I'm not looking forward to this as much as my husband is, but it should be an adventure. We're staying one night at the Horten Grand Hotel. The hotel is built on the spot where a brothel used to stand. Hopefully the ghosts won't bother me while I'm trying to sleep. Hmmm... I wonder if the Ghost Hunters will be at ComicCon!! LOL

If any of you are going to be at ComicCon, let me know. I'd love to meet up!!

~Allie.

Shu Uemura Oils - Tokyo Kamon Girls

2009-07-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

Shu Uemura has a regular line of cleansing oils, but they have just released some limited edition ones that are from the manga-ka Moyoco Anno, who's works include Happy Mania and Sugar Sugar Rune. However, she's also the wife of Hideaki Anno, the founder of one of our favorite anime studios, Gainax, of Neon Genesis Evangelion fame.

"in collaboration with renowned manga artist and beauty expert Moyoco Anno, shu uemura introduces playful new packaging. the oils remain the same; the bottles are more beautiful than ever. these new presentations are available for a limited time only, while supplies last."

The limited edition cleansing oils are pricy running from $65 to $75.

Things that make you go squee 4

2009-07-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

Rolly Polly Kitty Phone Straps
Hmmm... why do I always have dog and cat things in my *squee* posts? I guess you can't go wrong with cuddly critters.
Available at Strapya World.

Snoopy Jewelry!
This one's for Meg. She loves Snoopy stuff! Cell phone straps, bracelets, pendants, and rings are available at Strapya World . Production limited to Japan.

Adorable lazy pandas!
These cute little pandas decorate your cell phone. They're picked for your randomly and there are 18 different poses. Personally, I want them all!

You can purchase these at Strapya World.

Baby Stuff by Aranzi Aronzo.
I don't have any babies, but these critters sure are cute! Step by step instructions on how to make these adorable baby (or adult) toys!
Published by: Vertical (2/17/09)
MSRP: $14.95
Available at: Amazon.com.

Tokidoki does cosmetics!
The beautiful compacts come with four different color eye shadows. The new cosmetics line also includes lip gloss. If I had this compact, I wouldn't want to throw it out once I'd used the eye shadow. I wonder if it's refillable? Purchase these directly through Tokidoki.

OK, that's it for now. More soon!

~Allie

Anime Catchup Review: Skip Beat

2009-07-06T18:56:00.001-07:00

I remember reading Skip Beat several years ago and figured I should finally catch up with my anime - especially shojo anime. I caught up with the 25 episodes on Crunchy Roll.

The Good: Skip Beat is free on Crunchy Roll with limited advertisements and since the series was completely out, I was able to watch the 25 episodes in 2 days. The story follows a normal girl named Kyoko who follows her boyfriend Sho to Tokyo so that he can become a star. Once he becomes a star, he backstabs her and she's all about REVENGE!!! The show is cute, funny, and the revenge plot is very entertaining.

The Bad: There's 3 things that bother me about the show, 2 of them related to Crunchy Roll's presentation. The least annoying thing are the ads. I was surprised they didn't show up every episode and there was no interruption unlike Hulu. The other thing that bugged me about the presentation was that some of the subtitles did not fit so I had to guess what the remainder subtitles were. It wasn't too bad since most of it did show up on screen. Keep in mind, that I only watched the SD version since I didn't want to be heavily streaming and draining bandwidth. Other than that, the only other issue I had was with the end of the series. The end of the series did not resolve the story arc and makes you wanting more episodes. Hopefully, we'll soon be able to see a 2nd series.

Overall, I recommend waiting on seeing Skip Beat. The ending's dissapointment level was equal to that of Kare Kano. With Kare Kano, the studio ran out of money and it was never really finished. Hopefully, that's not the case with Skip Beat. If it is, you might as well just read the manga
from Viz.

~Meg

OMG... Pikachu is a girl???

2009-06-28T17:42:00.001-07:00

Wow.

~Allie

Every day items that can be confused for something else...

2009-06-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

The following blog contains images that are not 100% work safe. So, if you have nosy co-workers lurking nearby, you might want to wait until you get to the privacy of your own home to see this entire post. ;)

Banana Bunker
Tired of eating bruised bananas? Then you need a Banana Bunker. Banana Bunkers come in four colors: orange, blue, green and clear. You can purchase them online her e.

Guys... now you can put bananas in your pockets!! :D

Mmmmm... Ham anyone???
Photo courtesy of Jezebel.com.

This is a logo for the Brazilian Institute of Asian Studies. Ummm.. errr... am I the only one who thinks that there's a big red butt? LOL
See more er, naughty looking logos at B3TA's Phallic Logo Awards.

Ever wonder why it is your get such good cell phone reception in some areas? Well, the answer is: from cell towers like this!!! Do you think the designer was, um, compensating for something?

The first 200 covers of the videocassette for Little Mermaid had this image printed on it. Dubbed the Palace with the Phallus by Snopes.com, they dispel the rumor that this cover was created by a disgruntled employee.

This is wooden back massager, people. Get your mind out of the gutter!!
See more fun gadgets at: 15 Phallic Gadges (That Aren't Sex Toys)... but I think this one is the best of the lot!

OK, people, move along. Nothing more to see. Back to work! LOL

~Allie

Things that make you go squee - an addition!!

2009-06-22T23:55:00.001-07:00

I found one more item that I just had to post...

Mini Comic Notepads!!
You can write your own story! All of the speech balloons are blank, so you can make up your own dialog. Hmmm.... I can totally see it.. Keroro yaoi!! LOL The pages can be torn out also and used as notepaper. Too cute! I guess Tissie and Meg know what they're getting for Christmas now! Hmmm... which ones to buy... Cromartie High School, Devilman... Cutie Hunney?? Oh, the possibilities!!

Available at Strapya World.
*runs off to break into her piggy bank*

~Allie

Things that make you go squee 3

2009-06-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

Are you a dog owner? Then these cute toys are for you!!
These toys are made out of cotton rope and are made in the shape of a bone. More than 100 knots make up this "bone", and your dog will be occupied for hours trying to untie them. They're good for your dog's teeth too. These toys come in other shapes too, including carrots, rabbits, donuts and knots.
Available through the manufacturer, Harry Barker, Inc. and from other pet supply retailers.

For cat lovers, they make mouse rope toys and catnip holders.
Also available through Harry Barker, Inc.
Wow. I really want to go out and find a pet now! :D

Kawaii!!! Tokidoki Frenzies!!
Tokidoki is coming out with a set of zipper pulls/cell phone charms! These adorable charms will be available some time in July. Just in time for ComicCon! There are 22 different "Frenzies", and will come in blind boxes - meaning they're all individually packaged, and you won't know which character you get until you open it. This set includes characters from the Moofia, Cactus Friends, and 'Til Death Do Us Part. You can see more info at Strange Co.

These are in stock now directly through Tokidoki. :D

Comic-Con 2009 Exclusives!
Every year, dozens of limited edition merchandise is sold at San Deigo Comic-Con. Here are two items that caught my eye:
Silver Astronaut Snoopy Figurine
LE 400, Price: TBD
In celebration of Snoopy's 40 years with the US Space Program.
Little Big Planet SackBoy
Price: TBD
Sackboy's wearing a ComicCon Int'l logo shirt!

Mater and friends!
Rescue Squad Mater and Dalmation Tia and Dalmation Tia are dressed and ready to fight some fires! Available at the show and on Mattycollector.com after ComicCon.

USB Owls!
These cute little owls either sit on your laptop screen or sit on a stump next to your computer. Plug 'em into your USB port, and this little critter blinks and moves its head.
Available at Think Geek and Strapya World. There's also a cute video (on both sites) where you can see these little guys in action.

That's it for now. More cute stuff soon!

~Allie

Tonari no 801-chan Anime is a go!

2009-06-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

The inspiration for 801-chan 4-panels in the US is becoming an anime short!

From Anime News Network:

The fourth volume of Ajiko Kojima's Tonari no 801-chan manga will ship in Japan on September 10 with a "Tonari no 801-chan R" anime short on DVD. The manga follows the personal life of a fujoshi (female boys-love Otaku) and her Otaku boyfriend. Yutaka Yamamoto (Kannagi) will direct the production of the 90-second "opening anime" at Aniplex's A-1 Pictures studio (Kannagi, Ookiku Furikabutte). Yamamoto is best known for working at Kyoto Animation on The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and part of Lucky Star before being forced out of the studio. He has not returned to Kyoto Animation, but has since launched his own studio, Ordet.

For those of you that know Japanese, Amazon has the drama CDs.

Tonari No 801-chan Drama CD: $56.98

Tonari No 801 Chan Drama CD: $64.98

~Meg

Game Review: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years for Wii

2009-06-16T12:14:00.001-07:00

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years is one of the newest RPGs released by Square Enix through WiiWare. Originally released in Japan for the cell phone, we finally get to see the Kingdom of Baron once more.

To purchase this game, it is best that you purchase a Wii Points Card. Once you get your points, you can then download the game. Remember, you need to be connected to the internet to do so.

The game follows are main hero, Ceodore, son of Cecil and Rosa. After a period of peace, the second moon has reappeared the skies of the Blue Planet. Ceodore is currently testing to become a knight for the Red Barons. When his quest is completed, they are attacked by a horde of monsters. Meanwhile, a Mysterious Girl has appeared. Controlling Bahamut, she seeks the Crystal and attacks Baron.

Throughout the story you meet old friends like Palom and Porom and new friends like the Hooded Man. The game is old-school Final Fantasy, from the graphics (understandable since it's been ported from a cell phone), to the gameplay. Like previous Final Fantasy games, newcomers may find the game more challenging and that's just the way I like it.

This game brings a ton of potential and I'm looking forward to playing this for a while, not because I'm slow but because I tend to stop playing and then pick it up again later. Yup - I know, I'm weird. As a side note, for FFVII, I got to the last stage before I stopped playing. 2 years later, I then finished the game. >_<

My only question is whether or not the game was released for the right platform. From my experience, the people who have the Wii aren't traditional gamers. I'm not sure how many of them will be purchasing the game, especially since it is a bit more challenging than the new Final Fantasy games, especially the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle series. My advice to new gamers, power level. If the story is anything like the original Final Fantasy IV, it will be totally worth it.

Other than that, my only other recommendation is using a Wii Classic Controller. It's hard to utilize the Wii Remote's directional pad since it doesn't give you a 360 degree range of movement. Nevertheless, for those that are cheap like me, the Wii Remote handles the job decently.

I highly recommend this game and hope that we see more traditional OG RPGs from Square Enix in the future.

June Manga Web-a-thon = Bad Idea

2009-06-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

I can't keep my mouth shut anymore. The direction that Digital Manga has taken in the recent months have been odd and nerve-wracking.

Their most recent announcement was the June Web-a-thon. (For info, go to Manga Blog.)The only thing is, the Web-a-thon isn't a pledge, it's a pre-payment system for something you may never see. Pre-payment is fine. However, when going through the site, there's no indication of when you will receive the product. Furthermore, it's going through Pay Pal so you are sending the money directly to them. Is there a hold on the payment? Pay Pal requires you to hold the payment before the product ships. And there's a time limit too.

The whole legality of this is questionable. When you purchase pre-orders, there's usually a hold of some sort. Occasionally, a deposit is required... maybe even re-stocking fees. None of these terms are outlined on their website. Or if it is, it's almost impossible to find.

Not only that, but there is no way to contact them regarding the complexities of this type of program. As the blog, Comics Worth Reading, mentioned, what happens if you change your mind or move? Well, you just need to contact them. But how? Who knows.

Do they even have a page where you can check what book you've ordered through their web-a-thon. I don't remember what I've ordered 2 weeks ago, let alone, remembering something I've bought several months ago. If there's no way to check, the best thing would be to print records yourself, or hope that paypal has detailed records.

The pre-order thing also makes me nervous as it reminds me of Drama Queen's Rush subscription. I can only see the same thing happening for DMI.

DMI needs to re-think how they implement things. The web-a-thon actually is an interesting idea and could be a great strategy for them, but at this point in time, it's being implemented hap-hazardly.

My advice to fans... Buyer Beware. If you can afford to lose $9 + shipping, go ahead.

DMI - please stop doing this! This new strategy sounds great, but I smell disaster coming and we need you to ride out the storm so we can ensure that we'll have great yaoi titles (and other titles) in the future.

~Meg

Book Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

2009-06-12T03:11:00.000-07:00

Book Information
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0441017157
MSRP: $25.95
Format: Hardcover
Available from Amazon.com

Sookie Stackhouse is a human (maybe?) with the ability to hear people's thoughts. While that sounds like a nifty trick, in reality picking up stray thoughts from people's heads isn't all that fun and exciting. For Sookie, it is turning out to be hazardous to her health as her abilities take her deeper into the supernatural world around her.

Book #9 of the Southern Vampire sereis opens with the shifters coming out of the closet. Soon after the announcement, Crystal, Jason's wife, is found dead in the parking lot of Merlots. Is this a hate crime since Crystal was a werepanther? Or is Sookie in the middle of yet another war among the supernatural?

The Southern Vampire Series is/was one of my favorite series and I have been reading it since book 1 came out in 2001. So after almost 8 years of following Sookie, I am willing to give the series a little slack. We are old friends and can forgive each other an off day or two. But, the problem with long running series is that eventually the author gets a critical point. She can choose to end the series with a logical and fulfilling conclusion. Or, she can try to squeeze a few more books (and a few more royalty checks) out of it. Option 2 forces the reader to give up on a series completely or fool themselves into thinking that "maybe the next book will be better." Well, when volume #8 came out, I was hoping that volume 9 would be "just a little bit better." But I can see the writing on the wall and I think it is time for me, Sookie and friends to part.

The problem with the book is that nothing happens yet everything happens at the same time. For example, a fairy assassian is gunning for Sookie. Harris spends almost an entire chapter describing how Sookie is going to relieve some stress by gardening. And when the fairy shows up to kill Sookie while she is weeding the plants, Harris is able to kill off the fairy in about 2 paragraphs. I understand the element of surprise was important in Sookie coming out on top. But seriously? All that buildup for a nonexistent scene? No last dying words from the fairy? No "oh shit, I am going to die" inner monologue from Sookie?

The entire book follows the same format. All filler and no resolution or climax. The book ends with a cliffhanger, leaving many dead, countless injured and no real idea if some of the main characters will be around in book 10. But honestly, I closed the book not even caring who makes it and who doesn't. The only thing I could think was that the series used to be soooo good!

For Sookie fans willing to stick it out, at least wait until the paperback comes out. If you are dying to know what happens, check out the hardcover from the library. For readers who were a little skeptical after reading volume 8, I would quit while you are ahead. Stop now while you still have good feelings about the series and the characters. Better yet, just start watching the TV adaptation on HBO, True Blood.

xoxo,
Tissie

Book Review: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

2009-06-12T02:27:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: April 2009

ISBN-13: 978-0143114963

MSRP: $15.00

Format: Mass market paperback

Available from Amazon.com

I enjoy a good conspiracy theory every once in a while. But sometimes you get a book that is disturbing because it isn't a theory, it is actually based in fact. Take everything you have learned about nutrition from the food pyramid to your "recommended daily allowances" and toss it out the window. Because since the 1980's Americans haven't been eating "food." Nope, we have eating "food products" or "food substitutes" and that is an entirely different ballgame.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, is a call to action to defend real food. The book makes a startling point, that as we become increasingly consumed with issues of health, we have become increasingly unhealthy. The problem isn't low-fat, trans-fat, poly-unsaturated fat, or any other evil nutrient, but rather the fact that most of the "food science" that goes into making new food products has no science backing it up. Our great grandparents all lived long and healthy lives with out any of these specially formulated foods. So, it stands to reason that the problem is that Americans have simply stopped eating food.

Pollan systematically goes through the current nutritional advice and pokes holes into each theroy. He also points out numerous food scandals in which we have been told by the FDA or scientist to consume some nutrient over another only to find out that that advice had dire impacts on our health. (Of course, each of these past scandals have been swept under the rug, so this is the first time you will hear about them.) So in the end, what is a girl to do? According to Pollan, we don't need food pyramids, recommended daily allowances or anything else. We just need seven simple words, "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Pollan describes these 3 tenants in more detail in the book, but it is basically a lot of common sense. If it has more than 5 ingredients, ingredients you can't pronounce and doesn't resemble the animal or plant is supposed to come from? It probably isn't food. Oh and if someone goes through great pains (a lot of marketing dollars) to convince you that something is health? Chances are it isn't!

This is a good read for anyone and everyone. You see TV ads all the time sponsored by some food lobby and you can't help but believe something is true after it hearing it so many times. And surely, if it wasn't true, they wouldn't let them put false labels on boxes or make false claims, right? Wrong! Most of those claims are considered marketing and don't need to be backed by science or testing. And most of the claims are subjective anyway.

But a really "fun" game to play after reading this book is to go through your home pantry and see how much in it is actually food and how much are engineered food products. It was pretty disturbing and enlightening when I opened up my refrigerator. I would say only about 20% of the "food" in my cabinets could actually be defined as food... Another good book to check out is Skinny Bitch by Roy Freedman and Kim Barnouin. After reading it, you will never want to drink a glass of milk again. I don't care how cool those "got milk" ads are!

xoxo,

Tissie

Things that make you go squee 2

2009-06-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Disney Sweets!!!
These little Disney themed cell phone straps are kawaii!!! There are 20 different charms, including cakes, pancakes, ice cream, donuts, lollipops, coffee and fruits. Most are on pre-order, and several are already sold out. I'm not sure if I'm going to order these or not because, they make me hungry!

You can purchase these at Strapya World.

Hello Kitty meets Gloomy Bear! Cell phone straps.
Hmmm... there's something kinda creepy about Hello Kitty in a Gloomy Bear suit, but kinda cute in a weird gothic way. I see blood spatters, but where is Pitty?

You can purchase these at Strapya World.

Warning: Rated "H".
H is for ecchi... :D Need I say more?
Only XS and M are left, so get yours quick!

Purchase this t-shirt at JList.

Cinnamoroll Egg Shaper.
A friend of mine recently told me about egg shapers. I had no idea that you could take a warm egg, lock it into an egg shaper like this one, put it in the fridge, and have the egg come out in the shape of whatever the mold looks like! Sooo cute! They come in various shapes, including Helly Kitty, My Melody, fish, cars, rabbits, bears, and many more.

Just go to JList and search "egg shaper" to see all of the designs that they carry.

IWG 1" Zipper Pulls!
I love really cute zipper pulls, and KidRobot has come out with yet another set of really cute characters! IWG aka Insurgents Wilderness Gruppo has designed a set of 1" zipper pulls that come in blind boxes. There are 17 different designs, including four ?? figures. These cost $3.95 each, and can be purchased at KidRobot.

They also have a really cute Munny set of zipper pulls for $2.95 each. :D

Tokidoki skins for Macbook Pros and iPhones.
Tokidoki meets Apple. *squee* My Macbook Pro needs a new look, and I think I've found it. These protective skins for your laptop come in 4 designs and are $29.95. I can't decide between the Gela-Skin Inferno (pictured) or the Gela-Skin 777. Tissie, some of these are available for the 13" macbooks! These are available through the TokiDoki store.

Hmm... must go shop. :D
~Allie *squeeeeee*

Book Review: Succubus Heat

2009-06-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

Succubus Heat
by Richelle Mead
Publisher: Kensington
MSRP: $15.00
Available at: Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Succubus Heat is book four in the Georgina Kincade series. If you're a fan of Kim Harrison and Kresley Cole, I highly recommend this series. It's filled with demons, vampires, angels, imps, nephelim, and of course, succubi, running around Seattle and Canada trying to find some happiness here on Earth. The characters are well thought out, and this volume contains some very poignant moments. If you haven't read Succubus Blues, Succubus on Top and Succubus Dreams, I suggest that you stop reading here because the following contains some spoilers.

Georgina isn't your typical succubus. She's tried to be good and limit the amount of truly good men that she seduces, but lately things have not been going well. Since her break-up with famous author Seth Mortensen (yes, you do need to read Succubus Dreams), Georgina hasn't been coping well with her raging emotions. Seth is now seeing Maddie, her co-worker at Emerald City Books. Out of loneliness, Georgina has taken up with Dante, who all of her friends despise. To top it all off her demon boss, Jerome, is NOT happy with her bad attidude of late, and decides to 'lend' her to Cedric, a Canadian archdemon, to help him get rid of a Satanist cult that has been creating havoc in his city.

Of the four books in the series, I enjoyed this book the most. There are some very sad moments, and there are a lot of unresolved issues that I hope will be explored further in future volumes. After I finished reading this book, it left me wanting more. Unfortunately, the next book in this series isn't due out until April 2010. Booo!!! I'll definitely want to re-read the first four books again before I read the next book.

~Allie

Movie Update - Yamato (Star Blazers) and DBZ Evo 2

2009-06-08T17:17:00.001-07:00

Looks like there will be a new Yamato anime movie. Preview below. Warning: It's slow... but funny once you see the first ship.

Other news is that DBZ Evo 2 will start shooting this fall and no not the shooting we hope for. We don't need to see this atrocity AGAIN! Once was enough... and when I say once I mean the stupid preview was enough...

~Meg

Events: New York Asian Film Festival

2009-06-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

For those of you who live in the New York City area! Check it out! They are screening the Korean drama based off of Fumi Yoshinaga's Antique Bakery.

xoxo,

Tissie

P.S. Post in the comments if you are going and maybe we can do a meetup!

Book Review: Darkness Revealed by Alexandra Ivy

2009-06-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Zebra (Kensington Publishing)

Publication Date: March 2009

ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-0296-3

MSRP: $6.99

Format: Mass market paperback

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or Powell's

Anna Randal never imagined how much her life would change after her encounter one night with Conde Cezar almost 200 years ago. After being bitten by the tall, dark and handsome vampire, her life went from bad to worse. For 200 years, she has been trying to track down the mysterious vampire and get some answers.

Cezar will never forget the single night he spent in Anna's arms. Imprisoned as a servant to the Oracles for the past 200 years, he is now charged with protecting Anna from the infamous Morgana. Anna is destined to join the ranks of the Oracles, powerful beings that police all the supernatural races. But no matter what Cezar does, it seems he is fated to lose Anna to either hands of Morgana or the Oracles.

Actually the 4th book in Ivy's Guardians of Eternity series, this book is a great stand alone. I have yet to read the first 3 books, but I am definitely interested in this series! You can never go wrong with vampires!

Darkness Revealed has an incredible cast of characters that are very 3 dimensional and lovable. Anna wants to be upset with Cezar for leaving her wandering the world for almost 200 years with no idea who and what she is. Anna is actually a fairy, but after being bitten by a vampire, she can only jump to the conclusion that Cezar is responsible for her immortality. On the other hand, Cezar is the tragic hero charged with protecting the woman he loves. All the while, he knows that whether he succeeds or fails, he will lose her in the end.

If you like Gena Showalter, J. R. Ward or Sherrilyn Kenyon, you will love Alexandra Ivy!

xoxo,

Tissie

Book Review: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey

2009-06-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

Book Information:

Title: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What men really think about love, relationships, intimacy and commitment

Publisher: Amistad (An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

Publication Date: January 2009

ISBN-13: 978-0-06-172879-6

MSRP: $23.99

Format: Hardcover

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Borders or Powell's

Steve Harvey, world famous comedian and actor, has decided to write his own book about relationships. Fans of the Steve Harvey Morning Show radio program are familiar with Steve's Strawberry Letter segment in which he regularly imparts romantic wisdom and advice to his listeners. A long-time fan of the Steve Harvey Morning Show, I am sad to say this book was somewhat of a disappointment.

Okay, so maybe disappointment is too strong of a word; but, I can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like this book. Don't get me wrong, Steve has some pretty good insight on how the male mind works. In a nutshell, men are very simple creatures and all the "complications" surrounding relationships are figments on the female imagination. And I think that right there is what doesn't sit well with me about the book. The crux of Harvey's argument is that men are dogs because women let them be. Men don't commit because women don't make it a requirement. Men cheat because their women don't provide them what they need at home. (That and they don't think they will get caught.)

Yup, everything wrong with the world is our fault ladies. (He even brings up the story of Adam and Eve! Geez! Let it go already. And for those of us who aren't Christian, that argument doesn't really work.)

The sad thing is, Harvey does have a couple of gems in his book about men, but the tone of the book put me in such a defensive mood that it was very hard to appreciate them. And instead of the book being proactive and empowering about ways to change your behavior, we end up with a laundry list of things not to do:

"Don't tell him where you would like to go [on a date]..."

"Don't be too independent"

"Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should."

I had really high expectations for this book; but, sadly this one is a pass ladies. A little more sugar would have made it a bit easier to appreciate and swallow.

xoxo,

Tissie

Oh, those wacky Japanese...

2009-06-04T13:58:00.002-07:00

I love anime and manga. And cute gashapon toys. And delicious Japanese food! But, I gotta admit, there are some wacky Japanese people and products out there (just like there are crazy crazy Americans!!) so I've noted a few here that I've run across:

In November of 2008, a Japanese man started an online petition to beg the government to let him marry... and anime character!! He wants to marry Asahina Mikuru from “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” (can you say big boobs, tiny waist?). So, I guess us "real" women aren't enough for him. I mean, we don't have those large anime eyes... but... OMG.... you can! Which brings me to my next crazy Japanese thing...
(source: Metro)

Anime Eyes!!
Yes, girls, you too can look like an anime character! These special contact lenses will give any girl that big-eyed anime look. The contacts enlarge the pupils, and come in a variety of colors. Personally, I wouldn't wear these clubbing late at night, because if a police officer pulled my car over, he'd think I either just went to the eye doctor and had my pupils dialated, or I was high on something. Probably the latter. LOL
(source: Walyou)

A Japanese scientist in Canada built himself a robot girlfriend. Aiko, the robot, can do household chores and accounting. And she can speak in Japanese and English. What more can a man ask for? And she only cost $18,500 to make. He's getting a deal, if you ask me. She doesn't talk back, she's respectful. Unfortunately, she's not built for sexual satisfaction, and says "I do not like it when you touch my breasts" if you touch her chest.
Youtube video.
(souce: infoniac)

Back to contact lenses... if anime eyes aren't cool enough for you... how about some Hello Kitty eyes? Yes, I said Hello Kitty. Do you think that'll make men look more deeply into your eyes? Or run away screaming?
(source: KittyHell)

For those of you who have allergies, I think this handy dandy Japanese invention would be just the thing to stop that constant nasal drip. Too bad you'd also look like a total and complete idiot while wearing it! And... wouldn't this fall off your head as you bent over to flush the toilet?? ROFL
Go here to find photos of many more wacky Japanese inventions!
(source: yeeta)

For all you single ladies out there, this is one product that you can't live without. It's called the Boyfriend Arm Pillow. It won't send you flowers or tell you how beautiful you are, but it does have its advantages. It won't steal the covers. It doesn't snore. I wonder if it comes with a build in hot water bottle?
(source: Wacky Japanese Stuff)

For the boys... there's a Girlfriend Pillow. They even have tiny, but squeezable boobs! Grope away, boys, grope away!
(source: Wacky Japanese Stuff)

頭がおかしい (atama ga okashii)
~Allie

Neko-chan~! Come play with me!

2009-06-04T13:58:00.001-07:00

Awwww... they are soooooo cute. Kawaii!

If you didn't know - these are European Wild Cats... not domestic cats.

I just want to be like Sakaki from Azumanga Daioh and pick them up.

Since I give credit to links. Link to Jezebel.

Things that make you go squee

2009-06-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

Tissie, Meg and I all love really really cute things. Tokidoki characters. Winnie the Pooh. Snoopy. So, I've found some squee-invoking items from Japan that I wanted to share with everyone.

Tokidoki x Hello Kitty Dreamy Collaboration.

Tokidoki meets Hello Kitty, and it's all... pink?? This collection consists of key chains, cell phone straps, long chains (I think they're bracelets), and plushes. They can be purchased through Strapya-World. I've ordered from them before, and their shipping is not over-priced, and items do arrive quickly.

Electronic Kitten Paw Keychain Phone Strap

Push the buttons, and the keychain will "Meow". It's sure to annoy your friends, but delight you to no end. This phone strap comes in yellow and black as well, and can also be purchased through Strap-ya World.

There's even a video of this little keychain in action on Y ouTube.

Popping Edamame Keychain

If you have "raccoon hands" (as my friend calls it) like me, you like having something in your hands to play with. You need a popping edamame keychain! There are 3 beans in each pod, and it can be strangely addictiving to pop them in and out of their pod.

You can purchase these in 5 different colors at Strap-ya World, or from ThinkGeek.

Here's a video of this little keychain in action on YouTube.
And this little animation has a cute song to go along with your edamame popping fun.

Niko Niko Punch 3 - Face Bento Decoration

Put a piece of seaweed (nori) in this little hole punch, and you can create cute little faces for your onigiri (rice balls). There's even a little doggie face. Awwww....

You can purchase this 3-punch set at J-Li s t.

Aranzi Machine Gun Vol. 1
By Aranzi Aronzo
Publisher: Verical
MSRP: 9.95
Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This mook (a cross between a book and magazine) takes cute to a new level. It's part comic and part craft book and contains all of the charcters from The Cute Book doing all kinds of, well, cute things!

Stitch Mint Case Jewelry Jacket

*squee* *squee* *squee* *squee*
This one's my favorite. :D I wonder if it would fit my "moo" business cards?? OMG.. that would be AWESOME!
*Allie wanders off to order one*

You can purchase this at Strap-ya World.

Hello Kitty Tattoo Key Covers with Ball Chain

Darn it. These are sold out. :( The Pirate key cover is just too darn cute!! Hopefully Strap-ya World will restock these.

~Allie *squee*

Book Review: Succubus on Top

2009-06-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Succubus on Top
by Richelle Mead
Publisher: Kensington
MSRP: $15.00
Available from: Amazon and Barnes and Noble

I'm WAAAYYY behind on my reading. Too many books, not enough time! I was fortunate to be able to meet Richelle Mead at last year's BEA and get an autographed copy of her book, Succubus on Top. This book has been in my "to read" pile for a year, and I'm finally getting to it. :D

What's a succubus to do? Georgina Kincaid is not your typical immortal. She has a day job as an assistant manager in a Seattle bookstore, she spends a few nights a week luring unsuspecting men into her seductive clutches and then sucking the life force from them, and, oh, she's madly in love with a human male. Unfortunately, they can't have sex because each time she has sex with a man, she sucks out his life force and takes a few years off his life. To add to all this turmoil, Georgina's co-worker and fellow assistant manager, Doug, has been acting really weird. Well, weirder than he normally acts. Doug is in a band, and his behavior changes from bizzare to out of control, and Georgina must find out what's behind the change in Doug, or risk losing her friend.

Succubus on Top is actually the second novel in Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid series, and is fast paced and intruiging with many twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. I finished the book in one night. Although I was expecting far more sex scenes (she is a succubus after all), there were a few and they really made you empathize with what a "demon-whore" has to do to get what she wants. She's supposed to be on evil's side -- corrupting men, stealing their life force, leading married men astray -- but underneath it all, Georgina really does have a heart of gold. I'm really looking forward to reading the first, third, and fourth books in this series.

This first book in this series is Succubus Blues, the third is Succubus Dreams, and the most recent volume, Succubus Heat, was just released on May 26, 2009.

~Allie

Book Review: Outliers - The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

2009-06-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Book Information

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group)
Publication Date:
ISBN-13: 978-0316017923
MSRP: $27.99
Format: Hardcover
Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and Powell's

"Why do some people succeed far more than others?"

That is a question we ask ourselves almost everyday. The world is filled with rags to riches stories about individuals who through sheer determination, guts, grit, intelligence and ambition fight the odds to become "successful." In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell seeks to to understand how people thrive by looking around them. Who are their parents? Where do they live? What is their birthdate? What is their cultural background? Gladwell's findings are shocking and astounding.

Want to know the secret to becoming a world class hockey player in Canada? At first glance, you might think that being an incredible hockey player requires you have an innate talent. But as Gladwell takes you through the rosters of successful hockey teams, you will start to notice an unnerving pattern. All world star hockey players are born in January, February or March. The same applies to successful lawyers in New York City. All of them have the exact same resume and are Jewish.

The reason? The eligibility date for hockey leagues is January 1. Therefore, children born in December are a full 11 months behind in their physical development compared to their teammates born in January. For boys in the middle of puberty 11 months is a huge different in physical strength, height and agility.

As for why all the most successful NYC lawyers are Jewish. Chalk that one up to good old discrimination. Unable to be hired in the prominent WASP firms back in the 1960's they started their own firms and were able to turn them into powerhouses by accepting cases that their WASP counterparts weren't willing to dirty their hands with - hostile company takeovers.

But along with all the "success" stories, Gladwell examines many "failures" as well. He strives to show us that really successful people, or outliers, really aren't outliers after all. They aren't any smarter than the rest of us. They don't possess some innate talent that the rest of us don't have. They weren't "special." All of their stories follow a peculiar and unexpected logic that explains their road to success. In essence, he takes the romance out of the rags to riches story and presents us with the cold hard truth. People who are "successful" were all given an opportunity and had the strength and presence of mind to seize it.

This a book everyone should pick up and read. While it might be too late for us to become as successful as Bill Gates or the Beatles, at the very least we can use our influence to give someone else a chance.

xoxo,

Tissie

Headlines from E3

2009-06-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

Quick news regarding E3!!

Final Fantasy XIV announced for PS3 - looks like it'll be released next year. I'm guessing this is JP version but hopefully the US version will come out shortly after.

New Metroid game titles Metroid Other M announced. This game will be coming in 2010.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will be coming in 2010 for PSP.

Metal Gear Solid: Rising looks like it'll be multi-platform for the first time. Here's a preview:

Nintendo announced Mario Galaxy 2.

In addition, they reveal the New Super Marios Brothers Wii game which looks to be multiplayer.

Microsoft demonstrated Natal, a motion controller without a controller.

There's a lot more news that I haven't posted, but if you noticed, most of my links were from Kotaku, so just go there.

~Meg

Manga Review: Skip Beat Volume 18 by Yoshiki Nakamura

2009-06-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

Book Information
Publisher: Viz Media
Publication Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 9781421525983
MSRP:$8.99
Format: Trade Paperback
Available from Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Powell's

Kyoko followed her love Sho all the way to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as a J-pop idol. But the second Sho became famous, he cast her aside. Kyoko has vowed revenge and will stop at nothing to make Sho pay for breaking her heart!

In volume 18 of this shojo saga, Kyoko has been given another Love Me Section job. The pink uniform is back! However, Kyoko's newest assignment is intent on making her cry. Koo is a Japanese actor turned Hollywood star who is back in town. Koo played the origianl Katsuki in Dark Moon. He and Tsuraga-san seem to have a dark and murky past. Is Tsuraga really his son Kuon? Something is definitely up as Koo is using Kyoko as bait to get to Tsuraga-san...

I love Skip Beat! Most long running shojo series get bogged down with filler episodes; but, Skip Beat has been nonstop action since volume 1. The characters have depth and Nakamura-sensei has been able to make every chapter fun and exciting. Even the serious moments are broken up with enough comedy and action that the series maintains its dark undercurrents of revenge and its romantic hijinks at the same time.

I don't want to wait 3 months for the next volume to come out!!!

xoxo,

Tissie

Book Review: Ecstasy by Jaquelyn Frank

2009-06-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Book Information
Publisher: Zebra Books (Kensington Publishing)
Publication Date: January 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0821780701
MSRP: $6.99
Format: Mass market paperbook
Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and Powell's

Ashla Townsend wakes up after a terrifying car crash to find herself in an alternate reality. The New York city she has come to love is the same. The trains continue to run on the L line and the planes continue to take off and land at JFK. But Ashla is the only living soul in this eerie and desolate cityscape. Just when she has convinced herself that she is completely insane, she confronted by two dark warriors intent on killing each other.

Trace is a highly ranked adviser to the rulers of his people, the Shadowdwellers. On top of that, his foster father is the leader of their religious sect. A conspiracy is brewing to overthrow the government and Trace appears to be the first target. He manages to kill his would be assassin, but he is gravely injured in the process. Ashla manages to heal him and in the process cements a bond between that only death can break.

I picked up Jacquelyn Frank's Ecstasy because it popped up in my Amazon recommendations. And I must say the book was a delight! There is just the right mix of romance, betrayal, sex and intrigue to keep you on your toes for the entire book. Esctasy is the start of a new series and Frank manages to end Trace and Ashla's story while setting up the next volume rather nicely. I recommend checking out The Shadowdwellers and its companion series The Nightwalkers. If you enjoy reading Jayne Castle, Sherrilyn Kenyon or Kresley Cole, you will most definitely enjoy Jacquelyn Frank!

xoxo,
Tissie

Anime bits: Stitch! Japanese Websites

2009-06-01T15:06:00.001-07:00

Stitch! anime - official Japanese website

Look what a I found today! I know that the anime is for kids, but I'm just a big kid. And I found these cute cute wallpapers to decorate my desktop with. And... even cuter, there's a downloadable origami pattern to make Stitch! *squee* They even have downloadable "Stitch" paper that's preprinted with "Stitch" blue. (pdf format)

The website is in Japanese, but navagation is simple and straighforward.

Links to cool free wallpaper:
Wallpaper #1 1024x768
Wallpaper #1 1280x1024
Wallpaper #2 1024x768
Wallpaper #2 1280x1024
Wallpaper #3 (pictured) 1024x768
Wallpaper #3 (pictured) 1280x1024

And there are even more Stich wallpapers on the Stitch Character Page. :D

Kawaii!!!

~Allie

Movie Review: Up

2009-06-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Pixar's newest movie Up is now in theaters. When I first saw the teaser trailer, I have to admit, I was skeptical of how it would turn out.

However, the preview intrigued me, and the Up-isodes made me realize that I had to watch this movie. For those of you that don't know, Disney Channel has been airing Up-isodes, short episodes of Up. These episodes are NOT in the movie, so if you want to see it, you're out of luck. Just joking... just go to the Disney Up website.

Anyways, since there's a ton of reviews "Up" already... this going to be a short re-watchability review. What's re-watchability? Basically it's when I watch the movie over and over again without getting bored or annoyed.

As of now, the 2 Disney movies that have high re-watchability are Lilo and Stitch and Finding Nemo. Both of these movies, I've watched multiple times. Finding Nemo I've watched 2 nights in a row.

Up is defintely a movie with high re-watchability. I really want to watch it again - hopefully in 3D. Unfortunately, the 3D theaters around me are small and old which is why I haven't seen it in 3D.

Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the Blu-Ray version when it comes out so I can watch it over and over and over again. Hopefully, I won't annoy everyone. And one more thing - the short was just as awesome!

Book Review: Nights in Black Lace by Noelle Mack

2009-06-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Book Information
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Publication Date: October 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0758221902
MSRP: $12.95
Format: Trade Paperback
Available from Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Powell's

Odette Gaillard, CEO and founder of Oh! Oh! Odette lingerie, is looking for some excitement in her life. At her annual runway show, she finds herself oddly distracted by the young American obviously out of place in the front row. Bryan Bachman is a freewheeling athlete who is backpacking through Europe while waiting to hear back from graduate schools. Bryan spends his last euro on a charity raffle and ends up with front row seats at the sexiest fashion show of the year. But if Odette has her way, Bryan will end up with a few more prizes by the end of the night.

Nights in Black Lace was a disappointment. The story line had a lot of potential, but was squandered by focusing on the wrong aspects. As a backdrop to the story, Odette's new designs get stolen. However, the issue is never really resolved. While a suspect is identified, the subplot is simply dropped in the next to last chapter of the book. It is disappointing because the thefts are the reason Bryan chooses to remain in Paris despite having no money, no place to stay, etc. For such a key aspect of the story to be left unresolved is simply disappointing.

Another disappointment was the flatness of the entire cast. Bryan is portrayed as a very weak character throughout the story. He has no job, no prospects, no money and doesn't really save the heroine of the story from any disaster physical or emotional. He comes across as really being a kept man, which is not sexy at all. But seriously, if Odette can and does do everything on her own, what is the point of having a man around?

Other characters in the story come and go at the drop of the hat. Leaving you wondering why the author chose to introduce them at all. One of Odette's models, we come to find, is transgendered and strips at a nightclub that Bryan happens to end up at one night. That is interesting, but since the model is neither seen nor heard of after that single mention, it leaves the reader wondering why she was mentioned in the first place.

For sexy reads and contemporary romance, you are much better off checking out Carly Phillips, MJ Rose or Shayla Black.

xoxo,

Tissie

Book Review: Coyote's Mate: A Novel of the Breeds by Lora Leigh

2009-06-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

Book Information
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Publication Date: February 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0425226339
MSRP:$7.99
Format: Mass market paperback
Available from Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble and Powell's

Del-Ray Delgado is a genetically altered rebel known as Coyote Ghost. Created in a lab, Coyote breeds are manipulating, cunning and a little on the paranoid side. The ultimate killers, the Coyotes have decided to take their fate into their own hands and escape their creators.

Anya Korbin is only 16 years old when she pleads with Del-Ray to help free the Coyote women trapped in her father's lab. For 6 years, she and Del-Ray plot the escape with Anya's only plea that her family not be harmed. But Coyotes can't be trusted and Del Ray is no exception. He has plans for Anya. Plans that include claiming her as his mate whether she agrees or not!

I am normally a big fan of romance novels and picked up Lora Leigh on the recommendation from my local book seller. Leigh is definitely an imaginative and popular writer - she makes it on the New York Times Bestseller's List pretty often; however, Coyote's Mate wasn't my cup of tea. Instead of Anya coming off as a smart, independent woman in her own right, she came of as a selfish, whinny brat to me.

The majority of the book deals with Del-Ray forcing Anya in a sense to marry him. Since the breeds are a mixture of human and animal, mating is more of a hormonal exchange instead of an exchange of vowels. But Anya petitions the Breeds council to basically get a restraining order against her mate for 1 year. The whole situation is just a bit too far-fetched to me. Del-Ray is in essence the King of the Coyotes and he is kicked out of his own home for the better part of a year!

I guess I wanted Anya to deal with the situation instead of running away from it. I much prefer heroines who use their brains to get what they want, not tears. So that being said, if you go for the angst filled romantic stories where the heroine wants to be swept off her feet but feels like giving into her desires makes her a weak person, this is the book for you. If you prefer characters who end up in sticky situations and must use their own brains and wiles to get out of them, you might want to pick up one of Leigh's other series.

xoxo,

Tissie

Book Review: A Red Hot Valentine's Day by Danes, Hart, Kessler and Michaels

2009-06-01T04:44:00.000-07:00

Book Information

Authors: Lacy Danes, Megan Hart, Jackie Kessler and Jess Michaels
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: January 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0061689390
MSRP: $13.99
Format: Trade Paperback
Available from Amazon.com, Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Powell's

I normally don't buy anthologies because I feel 80 pages isn't enough flush out a really good story. However, I am huge Megan Hart fan. So I figured I would give this book a try while I wait for her next full length novel. A Red Hot Valentine's Day is a mixed bag with a few good stories and a few that were just okay.

In Get There, by Megan Hart, Edie and Ty are long distance lovers who will finally be together on Valentine's Day. To pass the time until their reunion, they swap love letters detailing erotic journeys of parted lovers.

Eternal damnation has never been so sweet as in Hell Is Where the Heart Is by Jackie Kessler. The succubus Jezebel is about to get a very special Valentine's Day gift from her demon lover.

In Torn Desires, by Lacy Danes, Lady Sophia finds that her neighbor and lover Lord Quinton has been toying with her affections when he hires a matchmaker. But to Lord Quniton's displeasure, it is Lady Sophia who is introduced to her dream lover.

Finally, the Earl of Atleigh has less than one week to prevent the woman he loves from marrying another man. The name of the game is seduction in Jess Michaels's regency romance By Valentine's Day.

By far, Hart and Michaels have the strongest stories of the bunch. Danes's Torn Desire was a little too light on the plot and too heavy on the sex for me to really enjoy it. And Kessler's story was gruesome and strange to say the least.

This is definitely a book to buy from a used bookstore or check out from the library. If, like me, you are a fan of one of the individual creators, the 80 page novellas are a nice read while you are waiting for the next full length book. But overall, this one isn't a keeper for the shelves. Or if you are looking for new authors to read, this one might be a great preview of their styles before you commit to reading a 400+ page paperback . I am definitely going to look up other works by Jess Michaels.

xoxo,

Tissie

News: Dark Horse to Adapt Evanovich Novel into Comic

2009-05-31T13:59:00.000-07:00

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

News: Printer Refuses to Print Yaoi Press Coloring Book

2009-05-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

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

Cute videos

2009-05-30T12:03:00.001-07:00

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

Manga Review: Flower of Life 4 by Fumi Yoshinaga

2009-05-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

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.

Ring author releases new novel on toilet paper

2009-05-29T11:24:00.001-07:00

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...

No love for Astro Boy

2009-05-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

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

Anime review: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

2009-05-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

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

Book Review: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

2009-05-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

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. >_<

Publishing Frustrations #2: Freelancing.

2009-05-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

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

Studio Ghibli creating a Nintendo DS Game.

2009-05-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

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

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

2009-05-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

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

Anime Review: Girl Who Leapt Through Time

2009-05-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

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

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-05-15T14:06:00.001-07:00

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.

My cries yesterday were heard wrong ...

2009-05-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

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

Book Review: Mortal Temptations by Allyson James

2009-05-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

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

He-Man Master of the Universe Movie

2009-05-14T16:09:00.001-07:00

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

Book Review: Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt

2009-05-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

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.

Anime Review: Stitch!

2009-05-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

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

Book Review: The Secret Tunnel by James Lear

2009-05-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

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

Book Lover's Recession Tips #3: Used Bookstores

2009-05-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

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

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

2009-05-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

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

Volunteering for AX

2009-05-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

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

Reminiscing - My first brush with yaoi

2009-05-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

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
... ?! ...

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

2009-05-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

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

Publishing Frustrations #1: unfinished book series

2009-05-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

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

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

2009-05-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

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

Licensing Headaches - A Blast from the Past

2009-05-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

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

Boys kissing other boys

2009-05-04T14:40:00.001-07:00

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

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

2009-05-04T05:11:00.001-07:00

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

Do You Like Boys?

2009-05-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

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 >_<

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

2009-05-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

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

Death Note US Remake

2009-05-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

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

Go Go Gigolo

2009-05-01T23:49:00.000-07:00

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

Greetings from Allie!

2009-05-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

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

Hajimemashite ~ Meg desu!

2009-05-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

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

Tissie here from 3GG!

2009-05-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

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

3 Girl Group

My newest guilty pleasure.

Back from a LONG vacation!!

Fun internet memes

Mini Tezuka Osamu collection... a steal for $1,113!!!

What the Frak?

Marvel teams up with Madhouse Studios for Wolverine & Iron Man

Tokidoki... at Target????

Day 4 of ComicCon, and I'm exhausted!

Bite-me!!

More Twilight Manwha

Amateur Detective Work

Frustration and Happiness: Twilight becomes a graphic novel

ComicCon is coming!!!

Shu Uemura Oils - Tokyo Kamon Girls

Things that make you go *squee* 4

Anime Catchup Review: Skip Beat

OMG... Pikachu is a girl???

Every day items that can be confused for something else...

Things that make you go *squee* - an addition!!

Things that make you go *squee* 3

Tonari no 801-chan Anime is a go!

Game Review: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years for Wii

June Manga Web-a-thon = Bad Idea

Book Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

Book Review: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Things that make you go *squee* 2

Book Review: Succubus Heat

Movie Update - Yamato (Star Blazers) and DBZ Evo 2

Events: New York Asian Film Festival

Book Review: Darkness Revealed by Alexandra Ivy

Book Review: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey

Oh, those wacky Japanese...

Neko-chan~! Come play with me!

Things that make you go *squee*

Book Review: Succubus on Top

Book Review: Outliers - The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Headlines from E3

Manga Review: Skip Beat Volume 18 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Book Review: Ecstasy by Jaquelyn Frank

Anime bits: Stitch! Japanese Websites

Movie Review: Up

Book Review: Nights in Black Lace by Noelle Mack

Book Review: Coyote's Mate: A Novel of the Breeds by Lora Leigh

Book Review: A Red Hot Valentine's Day by Danes, Hart, Kessler and Michaels

News: Dark Horse to Adapt Evanovich Novel into Comic

News: Printer Refuses to Print Yaoi Press Coloring Book

Cute videos

Manga Review: Flower of Life 4 by Fumi Yoshinaga

Ring author releases new novel on toilet paper

No love for Astro Boy

Anime review: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Book Review: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

Publishing Frustrations #2: Freelancing.

Studio Ghibli creating a Nintendo DS Game.

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

Anime Review: Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

My cries yesterday were heard wrong ...

Book Review: Mortal Temptations by Allyson James

He-Man Master of the Universe Movie

Book Review: Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt

Anime Review: Stitch!

Book Review: The Secret Tunnel by James Lear

Book Lover's Recession Tips #3: Used Bookstores

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

Volunteering for AX

Reminiscing - My first brush with yaoi

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

Publishing Frustrations #1: unfinished book series

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

Licensing Headaches - A Blast from the Past

Boys kissing other boys

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

Do You Like Boys?

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

Death Note US Remake

Go Go Gigolo

Greetings from Allie!

Hajimemashite ~ Meg desu!

Things that make you go squee 4

Things that make you go squee - an addition!!

Things that make you go squee 3

Things that make you go squee 2

Things that make you go squee