Publisher’s Weekly has an exclusive 11-page preview of Tonoharu: Part Two over at the Panel Mania section of their website. Check it out!

[ Panel Mania: Tonoharu: Part Two ]

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Get a signed copy of Tonoharu: Part Two from my store
Pre-Order Tonoharu: Part Two from Amazon.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DRAWN FROM EXPERIENCE
An American Cartoonist’s Life in Japan

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA ‒ Imagine moving to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and starting a job you are in no way trained to do.

From 2003 to 2006, cartoonist Lars Martinson did just that. Working as an assistant English teacher in rural Japan, he taught 1800 students, ranging in age from six to sixteen. With a background in graphic design, Lars had no previous teaching experience before taking the job.

“Coming up with lesson plans for all the different age groups was a real nightmare at first. It took about a year before I felt like I had any idea what I was doing,” Lars said. “But for all that, I wouldn’t trade my time in Japan for anything. It was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Lars’ graphic novel series Tonoharu is based on this period of his life. He feels that comics are well-suited for this type of story.

“I’ve always had a hard time describing my life in Japan to those who have never been there before, because there’s no common frame of reference,” said Lars. “By relating the experience in comics, I can show what happened rather than just tell about it, which really helps bring the story to life.”

Tonoharu: Part One is available now; the follow-up Tonoharu: Part Two hits shelves this December. For further details, visit:
http://pliantpress.com/media

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Well folks, this is the last press release I’ve prepared for Tonoharu: Part Two, so no more puns based on the word “drawn” for a while! Next week, something else.

Boing Boing has an exclusive preview of Tonoharu: Part Two up on their website. Check it out!
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/11/10/tonoharu-part-two-ex.html

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If you’re a new reader who came to this site because of the Boing Boing coverage, here’s a few things you might enjoy:

Posts about Tonoharu
Posts about the making of the book, etc.

Miscellaneous amusing posts
Most of which are Japan-related

Web comics by me
Not many of them, but do check them out.

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You can get a signed copy Tonoharu: Part Two from my store. Otherwise you can pick it up at your favorite comic store, or pre-order it from Amazon. (Or I’ll be at the Miami Book Fair on November 20th, if anyone’s in the area.)

My sincere thanks to Boing Boing’s Mark Frauenfelder for his coverage & interest in the book!

Tonoharu: Part Two is now available at fine retailers everywhere! (At least, that’s the word on the street; I haven’t been to a bookstore this week, so I can’t say for absolute certain. If anyone’s actually seen it in a bookstore, please leave a comment!)

But in the very least, it’s now in stock at Amazon.com, so if you’ve been waiting for that, head on over and pick up a copy!

(And of course, you can always order a signed copy from my store.)

Hey Miami Residents–

Come see me at the Miami Book Fair Saturday, November 20, 2010! I’ll be giving a presentation as a part of a panel (along with cartoonists Tracy White and  Sid Jacobson) and then we’ll all be taking questions for the audience. After that will be a signing. Admission to the panel is free*, so come out if you can!

Event Details:
What: “Graphic Lives” Panel Discussion & Book Signing
Who: Cartoonists Tracy White, Sid Jacobson and me!
When: Saturday, Nov. 20, 4:00 p.m.
Where: Miami Dade College, Centre Gallery (Building 1, 3rd Floor, Room 1365)

More information available here:
http://www.miamibookfair.com/events/lars_martinson_on_emtonoharuem_tracy_whi.aspx

*(With paid admission into the fair itself)

Techland.com has an exclusive preview from Tonoharu: Part Two up at their site. Check it out!

http://techland.com/2010/11/08/exclusive-preview-tonoharu-part-two/

Also, a quick reminder–I’ll be giving a presentation at the Miami Book Fair tomorrow (Saturday, November 20, 2010). Details here. Come out if you can!

I’ll be signing books at Source Comics & Games in Saint Paul this Friday, November 26th 2010 as a part of a Black Friday event at the store.

Also scheduled to appear is Britt Aamodt, editor of the new book Superheroes, Strip Artists, & Talking Animals: Minnesota’s Contemporary Cartoonists, and Professor James Kakalios, author of The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics, as well as other cartoonists.

So if you can’t make it to my Big Brain Comics Signing on December 4th, or if Saint Paul’s easier for you to get to, please come on out!

Signing Details
What: Black Friday Book Signing
Who: Me, Britt Aamodt, Professor James Kakalios & others!
Where: Source Comics & Games, 1601 Larpenteur Avenue, Falcon Heights, Minnesota 55113, (651) 645-0386 [Google Maps]
When: Friday, November 26th, 2010. The store is open from 9am to 9pm. I’ll be there from 9am until at *least* 3pm, maybe longer depending on how I feel.

Hope to see you there!

There’s a nice little interview with me and write-up of Tonoharu: Part Two in this month’s issue of Hero Magazine. Check it out!
http://heromagazine.org/?p=189

Happy Thanksgiving/Black Friday everyone!

This week’s blog entry (about the Miami Book Fair) will be delayed a couple days; just got busy with holiday stuff. Should be up early next week, I would think!

I moved to Japan on April 1st 2008, the very same day that my first graphic novel came out. So I wasn’t exactly centrally located to do book signings or attend comic conventions.

Since returning to the US earlier this year, I’ve tested the waters by participating in a number of local events. I’ve presented at the Loft Literary Center, and had a table at SpringCon, the Minneapolis Indie Xpo, and the Twin Cities Book Festival.

My first appearance outside of Minnesota occurred the weekend before last, and it was a doozey: the Miami Book Fair.

The organizers of the event were incredible hosts. They flew me down and put me up in a fancy hotel. The author hospitality suite was well stocked so I was never wanting for anything. And then there was the swanky rooftop authors’ party, with tasty grub and free booze.

Perhaps someday I’ll turn into an obnoxious bigshot that expects this sort of treatment as a matter of course (fingers crossed!) but for now I was quite honored to be treated so splendidly.

I participated in a panel with three other cartoonists.

(Stanford lecturer/writer Adam Johnson also participated.)

Each of us gave a brief presentation and then took questions from the audience.

Pictured: Me, Tracy White, and Sid Jacobson [Photo courtesy of John Shableski]

It was the first presentation I’ve ever given about my work (the presentation at the Loft was about self-publishing). There are certainly areas for improvement in my presentation & delivery, but for the most part I feel it went quite well.

The Book Fair was also a great opportunity to meet cartoonists (and other publishing industry professionals) from all over the country. It was both inspiring and informative to spend time with so many talented people.

Pictured: Me, cartoonist Barry Deutsch, Diamond Book Distributor sales manager John Shableski, and cartoonists Amy Ignatow & Chris Schweizer

Pictured: Vanessa Davis and I. (She may be standing in a hole.)

Pictured: The Top Shelf Comics booth, manned by Chris Staros and Dean Haspiel

Before the Miami Book Fair, I was sort of on the fence about whether it’d be fruitful to travel across the country to go to distant book shows (on my own dime, at least). Considering all the travel/hotel/convention/food expenses, I think it’d be hard to sell enough books to break even, much less turn a profit.

But meeting people at the Book Fair was so rewarding that I’ve decided that there are other considerations beyond the bottom line. I’m hoping to go to a least a few conventions/fairs around the country in 2011 and see how it goes. If anyone has any suggestions of good ones, please leave a comment!

My sincere thanks to Lissette Mendez and the rest of the Miami Book Fair staff, and the people who came out to hear my talk!

Hiya Minneapolis Residents–

Just wanted to remind people that my book signing/release party is this Saturday, December 4th, 2010. Joining me will be cartoonists Brittney Sabo & Anna Bratton, who are also releasing a book. Come out if you can!

Book Details
Francis Sharp in the Grip of the Uncanny! Chapter One
By Brittney Sabo & Anna Bratton
http://www.bsabo.com/francissharp/

Tonoharu: Part Two
By Lars Martinson
http://larsmartinson.com/tonoharu2

Signing Details:
When:  Saturday, December 4th, 2010. 4pm to 7pm
Where: Big Brain Comics, 1027 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55415
(612) 338-4390
[Google Maps]

After-Party Details:
When:  Saturday, December 4th, 2010. 7:30pm to around 9:30pm
Where: Grumpy’s Bar & Grill, 1111 South Washington Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55415 (Just down the street from Big Brain)
(612) 340-9738
[Google Maps]

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[Facebook Event Page]

Can’t make it? You can order Tonoharu: Part Two right now from my store!
Or you can order Francis Sharp: Chapter One from Brittney’s store!