Orsini's Cosplay book available now

Cosplay, by Arlington author Lauren Orsini was published this year, and is featured in Barnes and Noble. This photo is from the Falls Church store.

Orsini has long been active in anime and manga fandom, and worked for some years with Anime USA. This book was done on contract, and she wrote about it on her blog under the title, "Writing a book in seven weeks."

There she noted, "It's quickly becoming apparent that the actual writing part of the book is going to be a cakewalk compared to getting the photos in order. I didn't write a word of the book this week. Instead I spent my time organizing the cosplay photos my publisher has already given me, plus searching for and contacting talented cosplay photographers all over the world."

By week 5 the writing was becoming the focus, "...I've reordered the sections in a way that feels good to me (now they're all focusing on a genre, with the final chapter on original costuming)..."

She told ComicsDC, "Traditionally publishing a book isn't easy or lucrative, but it's an experience unlike any other. People have sent me photos of my book from places like California, Florida, and New York. I'm really grateful to Carlton Limited and Sterling Publishing for giving me this opportunity."

Photos of Congressman Lewis' March: Book One talk

These images are from the Barnes and Noble in Washington, DC. Along with Rep. Lewis is his co-author Andrew Aydin. As you might expect, Lewis is an excellent speaker, and carried the crowd along with him with no trouble. I was taken with the interracial makeup of the crowd. Most book talks I go to are overwhelming white. Several people had over a half-dozen copies to have signed. The hardcover is sold out, and the paperback is about to be. Big Planet Bethesda still has copies, I'm told.

Barnes + Noble suggests...

At the Seven Corners' Barnes and Noble bookstore this weekend, I bought some Green Lantern novels (an old failing of mine) and in addition to a receipt, I got a slip labelled "You May Also Like..." with some other Green Lantern books, and a couple of superhero novels. I didn't particularly need the recommendations, but it's nice to see them trying harder.

Brad Meltzer signing in McLean, VA and Bethesda, MD

(The Brad Meltzer social outreach continues with this mailer we received.)

"Where the heck's my book?!"
- Lila Meltzer, age 6, every single day
since Heroes For My Son was released

HarperCollins
cordially invites you to a
READING & BOOK SIGNING
with
Brad Meltzer
reading from his new book

McLean, Virginia
Wednesday, April 11 - 7:00 pm
Books-A-Million
1451 Chain Bridge Road

Bethesda, Maryland
Thursday, April 12 - 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble
4801 Bethesda Avenue

Feel free to bring your own hero
(kids, parents and grandparents welcome!)

Secret Identities Coast-to-Coast

On Saturday, July 18 in Baltimore, Maryland, Keith Chow, Jerry Ma, Alex Tarampi, John Franzese and Larry Hama will be hosted by Geppi’s Entertainment Museum beginning at 12:30pm. The museum presentation will be followed by a special signing event at Ukazoo Books in Towson, Maryland at 6pm that same day. Finally on Sunday, July 19 at 1pm, veteran DC and Marvel artist Greg LaRocque will be joining Hama and the Secret Identities team for a meet & greet and signing event at The Avenue’s Barnes & Noble in White Marsh, Maryland.

http://www.secretidentities.org/

June 8: Philip Pullman book signing

Philip Pullman, best known for "His Dark Materials" trilogy will be signing his new book at Barnes & Noble - Tysons Corner, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 703-506-2937 at 2 pm on Sunday June 8th. Why mention it here?

He's writing for a new British comic book, The DFC. Check out these links for more information:

Panel Borders: The DFC part 1 (Pullman / Abadzis / Fickling), by Alex Fitch, 29/05/08 as part of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Letter from London, By Julia Eccleshare, Children's Bookshelf -- Publishers Weekly, 5/22/2008

Pullman supports first new children's comic in 25 years; IoS submits star author's cartoon-strip adventure to trial by 10 year old, Independent Sunday, 18 May 2008

Interview with David Fickling, saviour of the great British comic. For those of a certain age, comics are but a fond childhood memory, irrelevant to today's generation - until now. Tom Gatti meets the man behind the movement. Times of London May 10, 2008

Manga and comics at Barnes and Noble

I've been taking a few shots of comics and manga displays lately, since they've changed and expanded so much. Here's some shots from the Barnes & Noble on Route 50 in Northern Virginia. Larger versions of the pictures can be seen and downloaded on my flickr site.