Just as a reminder, I will be in Somerset, NJ for MangaNEXT from today through Sunday, Nov. 22.

Here is my panel schedule;

Friday – 7PM – Writing for Manga

Saturday – 2PM – Yuri Panel
6PM – 10 Steps to Impressing a Publisher

Sunday – 12:30 – Manga Recomendations Show and Tell (I’m just facilitating this one.)

There’s going to be *plenty* of great Yuri and Yaoi flavored panels at the con – guest Mari Morimoto will be presenting “Gay Manga 101” Friday night, in which she will discuss the differences between “Gay” and “Lesbian” manga and “Yaoi” and “Yuri” manga.

Guest Rica Takashima will be participating with Mari and guest Misako Rocks! in a panel called “My Life in Manga” on Saturday and on Sunday, you can join a book club discussion on Rica’s works.

Don’t forget to visit Rica in the Artist Alley and the ALC “Circle of Yuri” where we’ll have some of our Yuri artists and writers hanging out to talk Yuri to you!

I’ll see you there. :-)

Even though I was only able to make it to the New York Anime Festival for a few hours, I can honestly say I had a good time.

I had the pleasure of being accompanied by the incomparable Sean Gaffney, who has apparently become my sidekick. He tells me that as he walked around the Dealer’s Room, all the vendors asked him where I was. LOL

Of course, I was at the Morris County Library for the opening of their Morris County Author’s Collection. It was very interesting, as I and the other authors walked around, chatted about each other’s books and shared things like cookies and stories. I really want to thank the wonderful staff of the Library for setting up the event and making us all feel so welcome. I was surprised at the quality of the books being sold and the variety of topics. History, fiction, cookbooks, reference, and more.

I know I have mentioned this before, but let me say once again, that your local library is – or can be – an excellent resource for *free manga*. And the Morris County Library’s Graphic Novel collection is exceptional. If you are ever in the area, please stop by and enjoy the wide variety of audience and genres they have to choose from.

So, back to NYAF.

I spent a few hours wandering the DR, saying hi to friends and networking with some of the other companies. Had a nice chat with Ali at Del Rey, and Tanya at Yen Press and of course, the folks at Media Blasters. I picked up a copy of Girl Boss Revenge, which I am watching right now and I have to say it’s *brilliant.* If you like crappy pink films, run out and get it right away.

Sean and I stopped in at the AnimeNEXT Manga Library, which was lively as always. The Manga Library travels to cons all around the country. Check with your local con about bringing it in – it’s another way to get a chance at reading manga for *free* wthout downloading things illegally.

We also dropped in to the Fanfic Panel so Sean could find a friend, who told us that it was a pretty good panel. From the little I heard, it certainly seemed that the panelists were very sensible. :-)

The Yuri Panel was up against the Masquerade, so we had a small crowd. And we were up against the perception that Yuri=porn, so we lost those people who cannot imagine that a Yuri panel isn’t them watching Yuri hentai. (Of which there is very little, btw.)

And, once again, we were blessed with the presence of someone who did not only not know the very basic rudiments of social intercourse, but also had no experience being out of the institution. It always makes for a good show.

The two dozen or so people who were engaged and who asked questions were great. Sean and I had a lot of fun with you all, so thank you for another good panel. I’ll look forward to seeing you all again at MangaNEXT!

I’m off this AM to truck my car overstuffed with stuff down to Otakon where it will be my pleasure to not see the sun for three days, while I lurk in the most fun part of the con – the basement Dealer’s Room.

Other people go to the con for the guests, the music, the cosplay (no one goes for the anime, right?) I spend the weekend hanging with the Dealers and Industry. Frankly, I think it’s more fun in the DR than anywhere else in the con. ;-) We play “cosplay bingo.” lol

For those of you looking for good Yuri, Yuricon & ALC Publishing will be at Table 511, right next to Hen Da Ne which sells primarily heinous bodily-fluid spewing hentai Yuri doujinshi, so you can get some of that, too. But you’ll have to beat your way through the Yaoi fans. :-) Don’t forget to visit the Media Blasters table, too, where you can get Yuri anime – sold *as* Yuri, to Yuri fans. Revolutionary, isn’t it? If Right Stuf is there, demand Marimite box sets and freak them out with the overwhelming demand!

And once again, let me remind you that the Yuri Panel is on Friday at 1PM in Panel Room 1. That’s the big room, so let’s fill it up with Yuri fans and show Otakon that we love Yuri!

I look forward to seeing you all there!