#gibsons bookstore

[jllongwrites]

Join the Poetry Society of New Hampshire for an afternoon of verse! Bring a friend and a poem (your own, or someone else’s) to read, or come to listen and enjoy the verse. More details at psnh.org.

Event date: Wednesday, June 19, 4:30PM – 6:00PM

Event address: 45 South Main Street, Concord, NH 03301

UPCOMING HEADLINERS at Gibson's:

Marjorie Burke: July 17

Rachel DeWoskin: August 21

[wri0thesley]

finished hungerstone because it felt like one of those books you pick up and just don’t stop. i loved it. i loved an education in malice last year (another carmilla retelling) and i loved the last kat dunn book i read but this one is so good. industrial revolution! vampires! sapphic! good for her!

little book haul for today!! cannot resist a carmilla retelling honestly

[goddisposez]

non-exhaustive and open to debate terror characters as modern customer service jobs

gibson: barista

tozer and marines: home depot

blanky: big outdoorsy chain (e.g., cabela's or bass pro shop) or locally owned fishing supply store

tartnell: waiter who gets big ass tips because he asks groups of middle-aged moms for their IDs when they order alcohol ("but you ladies don't look old enough to drink!!!!!")

ned: some kind of tech support and everyone yells at him

hodgson: neiman marcus perfume counter

irving: pottery barn

hickey: cultural appropriation store at the mall ( @orlopsexdungeon )

bridgens: small bookstore with a shop cat of course

jopson: host at super upscale hotel restaurant OR waffle house and he has a gun

[venusinmyrrh]

Inspired by @queerpyracy’s recent post, here are the books on my TBR that I’m most excited to get to in 2025!

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas. I'm a big fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and this story seems very similar to her work: romance in the face of a vampire threat in 1840s Mexico.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego. I love, love, love, a stylish mystery, and this one looks like a cross between Glass Onion and And Then There Were None.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. This split-timeline thriller looks like it'll scratch the same itch as Bad Times at the El Royale. Here's hoping the tone is less true-crime and more Stephen King.

Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire. I am not a Wicked novel girl but I have it on good authority (from @mordredsheart) that this interpretation of the Nutcracker is the Maguire I'll like best.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk. Besides having an absolute banger of a title, anything described as a mystery-thriller-cum-fairytale is something I need to read ASAP.

Repeat It Today With Tears by Anne Peile. Speaking of banger titles, this book seems specifically designed to make me crazier, and that's the energy I'm trying to carry into 2025.

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman. I'm here for the wisdom, the sense of connection to a fellow artist, and the HP hate in equal measure.

Ascension by S.T. Gibson. Rhys McGowan, relentlessly ambitious ceremonial magician extraordinaire, is my entire man, and I literally could not put Evocation (the first book in this series) down, so onto the list it goes.

Metamorphoses by Ovid. This classic has been taking up space on my bookshelf for years-- it's time to see if it earns its keep.

Honorable mentions go to:

Lolita in the Afterlife: On Beauty, Risk, and Reckoning with the Most Indelible and Shocking Novel of the Twentieth Century edited by Jenny Minton Quigley. A collection of pieces on the impact and discourse generated by the famous novel in the last sixty years. I picked this up at random in a bookstore and was impressed by what I skimmed.

Other People’s Shoes: Thoughts on Acting by Harriet Walter. I loved her book Brutus and Other Heroines, so if my library ever gets around to acquiring a copy I am going to pounce on it.

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li. I have a weakness for art heists, what can I say.

Tagging @mordredsheart, @mariacallous, @forthegothicheroine, @bluestockingbaby, @lucacangettathisass, @briarlily, and @alintalzin, as well as anyone else with something to say. I wanna hear what you're into!

[madamejadex]

Hi Miss Jade I hope your doing well I have a question my friend taking me to the book store so I can buy more books so I can read cause I read all my books so I was wondering if you have any book good recommendations that I can try and find?

Sincerely 🪲

Hello, sweetheart,

Oh, I love bookstores. And yes, I absolutely have a few recommendations for you. I do hope you’re able to find them at the shop you’re visiting. Here is a few:

The Seven Husbans of Evelyn Hugo - by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Priory of the Orange Tree - by Samantha Shannon

The Loudest Silence - by Olivia Jane

A Dowry of Blood - by S.T Gibson

Captive in the Underworld - by Lianyu Tan

The Blush Factor - by Gun Brooke

The Lily and the Crown - by Rosalyn Sinclair

Truth and Measure - by Rosalyn Sinclair

Something's Different - by Quinn Ivins

This is How You Lose The Time War - by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

Darkness Embraced: A Rosso Lussuria Vampire Novel - by Winter Pennington

xo Miss Jade

[korpsewax]

modern au armitage, gibson, and peglar are childhood best friends TO ME

they grew up together and are still best friends to this day. the three of them, despite being VERY different people, are nearly inseparable. they're those friends that, if they weren't animatedly talking to one another, you wouldn't even know they were together.

you've got billy who's serving y2k mallgoth. you've got tommy, all artsy and grunge with more patches on his jacket than original material. you've got henry with his light academia librarian vibes.

they hang out every tuesday afternoon, and most of the time, they'll end up spending the night at one of their places simply because they don't want to stop hanging out. they switch around activities to play more into their individual interests. sometimes they go to libraries or museums or bookstores, sometimes they go to an art studio or a concert or a park and stay there til the early morning, sometimes they'll go to a club or the mall or out for food. sometimes, they just crash at one of their places and do nothing but watch shitty movies while eating shittier food.

henry is a lot more energetic and sociable than the other two, but they love that about him and are more than happy to let him fill the space with stories about john or school or the latest book he's reading, or just about anything he can think of to talk about. he has the uncanny ability to pull them out of their shells and is one of the few people who can successfully drag them into a conversation and actually get them to contribute more than a few words.

tommy is a lot more introverted than the other two, but they're more than happy to have a day in or to stay with him when he needs a break from everything. he makes them things a lot, jewelery, clothing, art, etc. they both have an extensive collection of "Tommy Armitage Originals" that they cherish. they both learned sign language when they were younger so they could better communicate with him after an accident, which made him lose hearing in his left ear.

billy is hands down for the two of them, ready to do anything for the two of them at the drop of a hat, be it beat the shit out of someone, bring them their favorite snack and offer cuddles after a breakup or a really shitty nightmare, pick them up from somewhere, or do literally anything they need. she doesn't play about them, and its very clear to anyone whos around the three of them for longer than 5 minutes.

tommy and billy are always the first people to read henry's new poems and writings.

billy and henry are always the first people to see whatever new art tommy's working on (jewelry, clothing, paintings, woodworking, etc).

henry and tommy are always the first people to get to hear about whatever new drama happened in billy's life while they're showing off the new outfits they got.

they grew up on the same street, and after meeting at a neighborhood potluck when they were 5, 6, and 7 respectively, they were inseparable. they were always at one another's houses and grew up to consider each other family.

they're best friends, your honor.

anyways, shoutout to the peglar papers and the dispute over whether it was billy or tommy who kept them safe all these years (i think it was tommy but yknow). happy 166 years, peglar papers.

[botanikos]

𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐧

The Basics

Name: Jude. Age: 30yrs. Pronouns: They/Them. Timezone: EST, USA. Catchphrase / something you frequently say: I hate it here. & Eat my feathers. Night or Day: I prefer nights most of the time, but it depends! Favorite Element: Water!

Four Quotes From Four Books To Better Understand Me

☆ "Other people would call him sensitive, but it is more than that. The dial is broken, the volume turned all the way up. Moments of joy registered as brief, but ecstatic. Moments of pain stretched long and unbearably loud." — THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE, by V.E. Schwab.

☆ "I promise to live, richly and shamelessly and with arms wide open to the world." — A DOWRY OF BLOOD, by S.T. Gibson. [ bonus: I have this tattooed on me with part of the cover design; permission was granted by both artist and author ]

☆ "Oh, I will be cruel to you, Marya Morevna. It will stop your breath, how cruel I can be. But you understand, don't you? You are clever enough. I am a demanding creature. I am selfish and cruel and extremely unreasonable. But I am your servant. When you starve I will feed you; when you are sick I will tend you. I crawl at your feet; for before your love, your kisses, I am debased. For you alone I will be weak." — DEATHLESS, by Catherynne M. Valente.

☆ "Nikolai had been told that hope was dangerous, had been warned of it many times. But he'd never believed that. Hope was the wind that came from nowhere to fill your sails and carry you home." KING OF SCARS, by Leigh Bardugo.

Things To Associate Me With

Books / miniature snow globes / rocks / indoor plants / enamel pins / hoodies / vintage boxes or chests / candlesticks / horror movies / unfinished projects / sunflowers / ocean sunrises / bookstores / thunderstorms / ballpoint pens / scarves / the moon / coffeeshops

Foods To Associate Me With

Scones / fresh fruits / brioche bread / chocolate chip cookies / cucumbers / sfogliatelle / papanași / cream cheese stuffed pretzels / asiago bagels / French toast / Greek yogurt / rice

Four Shows I Can't Get Enough Of

Midnight Mass / Castlevania / Killing Eve / Arcane

Four Songs I Currently Have On Repeat

☆ King of Disappointment, by Echos ☆ Tell It To My Heart, by MEDUZA & Hozier ☆ Boom, by X Ambassadors ☆ Savage, by Bahari

Tagged by: I made this up! Tagging: @gynaiko / @aroyaltailor / @a-hell-of-a-time / @themosthatedbeingg / @contractfee / @umbravirtus / @hellishvxbes / @cyberneticlagomorph / & anyone else who sees this and wants to do it! Feel free to tag me c:

[hoursofreading]

I have so many thoughts and feelings about this. It amounts to a kind of collective cultural terrorism and trauma that women (and some men) live with every day. I was at a baseball game with my kids this summer and found myself looking at the players in the dugout, at their tall frames and strong arms, and wondering how many of them had raped women. Statistically speaking, there were some rapists on that field. I worked at a bookstore in college where one of my duties was to replace the daily newspapers on the stands and return the unsold copies. Every single day, there was a story of horrible violence or sexual assault against women or girls in those papers. I started an art project, cutting out and collaging the articles onto a female mannequin, then abandoned the project because it was too depressing. Not to be a downer, but after 14 years as a therapist, I no longer believe that everyone is innately good. I've sat in sessions with rapists and child molesters and they are not good. I've heard countless stories from women and men who have been assaulted. I think the default human setting is "selfish" and there is a spectrum of how far someone evolves beyond that. As my own therapist pointed out to me years ago when I was depressed about this, having empathy for others is actually pretty sophisticated developmentally and a lot of people never get there. (Lindsay Gibson's series of books about emotionally immature people is invaluable if you want to understand this better.) In a culture that teaches men that women are inferior objects that exist to serve them and satisfy their needs, it's not a big leap to casually rape a woman. I think about Hannah Arendt's ideas about the banality of evil, that these evil acts are sadly quite ordinary and commonplace. Sometimes all I can do is look at the boy I'm raising and reassure myself that this one, at least, has been hearing messages since he was a toddler about the importance of bodily autonomy and consent. This one, at least, shows empathy for others.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

First look photos of new Stan series Scrublands based on the best-selling novel

Australia's unrivalled home of original productions has released first look images for the Stan Original Series Scrublands, premiering November 16, only on Stan.

Based on the award-winning novel written by Chris Hammer, Scrublands stars Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote and Jay Ryan.

If you can't wait for the new series to premiere on November 19, never fear – we've got a glimpse of what to expect before it airs later this month. 

The Stan Original Series Scrublands premieres November 16, all episodes at once and only on Stan.

Scroll through to catch a sneak peek of what to expect from Scrublands…

Byron Swift (Jay Ryan)

The series is set in Riversend, an isolated and struggling country town in rural Victoria, where charismatic and dedicated young priest Byron Swift (Jay Ryan) calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners.

Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) and Jane Gibson (Eliza Matengu)

One year later investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) arrives in Riversend to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy.

Mandy Bond (Bella Heathcote) and Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold)

Martin finds a town deeply scarred and hostile to journalists – local bookstore owner Mandy Bond (Bella Heathcote).

Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) and Constable Robbie Haus-Jones (Adam Zwar)

Constable Robbie Haus-Jones (Adam Zwar) and widow of one of the massacre victims, Fran Landers (Victoria Thaine, not pictured) give him short shrift.

Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold)

When Martin's investigative instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface.

Byron Swift (Jay Ryan)

The previously accepted narrative from the entire town begins to fall apart exposing the events of a year ago aren't all that they seem.

Mandy Bond (Bella Heathcote)

The Riversend townspeople and Martin finds themselves in a life and death race to uncover the truth.

Harley Reagan (Robert Taylor)

The cast also includes Robert Taylor, [pictured] (The Newsreader), Adam Zwar (Squinters), Zane Ciarma (Neighbours), Victoria Thaine (Nowhere Boys), Stacy Clausen (True Spirit), Alison White (Satisfaction), Genevieve Morris (Stan Original Series No Activity) and newcomer Ella Ferris.

Byron Swift (Jay Ryan) and Katherine Bond (Alison Whyte)

Source: Nine

[prismaticalization]

Ikuko Hatoyama Interview

Encounter with Manga (まんがとの出会い)

【 Manga You Read as a Child and Left an Impression on You 】

Did you read works by Moto Hagio-sensei?

Hatoyama : I don’t really remember buying manga magazines much… As a child, I was always busy reading the enormous collection of Osamu Tezuka’s complete works that my father bought every month. Maybe that’s why I was in a constant state of being “full” from manga.

I first read Moto Hagio-sensei’s works when a slightly older friend lent me The Heart of Thomas after I turned twenty. I approached it with a feeling of reverence, and it left a deep impression on me. I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to experience such incredible manga in real time, looking forward to new releases every month. I feel envious just thinking about it.

What about Shonen manga?

Hatoyama : I used to borrow Weekly Shonen Champion from a boy who lived in the same housing complex as me during its golden era.

Which works left an impression on you?

Hatoyama : Definitely Macaroni Horen-so! Of course, Black Jack as well!

What stood out to you about Macaroni Horen-so?

Hatoyama : Apart from the fascinating characters and rhythm, what struck me the most was the sense of subculture embedded throughout...both in the cover art and scattered within the story. This unique appeal was something I didn’t find in other manga. Even as a grade schooler, it was a shocking experience for me.

Through Macaroni Horen-so, I learned about things like “punk fashion” and Queen's A Night at the Opera (laughs). There was even a parody of Junichi Nakahara’s Himawari, a girls’ magazine cover, which today more people might recognize, but back then, I doubt many Shōnen Champion readers knew about its origins (laughs).

Did You Experience the Influence of Katsuhiro Otomo and the New Wave Movement?

Hatoyama : Absolutely. I even tried copying the explosion scenes from Domu (laughs). Not that it was very useful, though.

How Did You Start Reading June and Garo?

Hatoyama : I discovered June by chance at a local bookstore, noticing its cover. As for Garo, I first picked up a 1970s issue at a second-hand bookstore and started reading from there.

【 Participation in Doujinshi Activities 】

Wasn’t part of a traditional manga club (manken), but collaborated with three classmates from her high school’s art course to create a photocopied doujinshi.

Hatoyama : At that time, underground publications like Yaso series by Peyotl Kobo, Tokyo Grand Guignol theater performances, Garo-style manga by artists like Suehiro Maruo and Suzuki Oji, and the rise of Nagomu indie bands were at their peak.

Given that context, the content of our doujinshi was… well, just as you might imagine (laughs).

【 Becoming a Manga Artist 】

When Did You Decide to Become a Manga Artist?

Hatoyama : Until the second year of junior high school, I used to buy a magazine called Poetry and Märchen, and at the time, I admired the profession of an illustrator.

However, as expected, my weakness in coloring became a fatal flaw...

What Inspired You to Pursue It?

Hatoyama : When I realized there was a world of freeform manga, like what was published in Garo.

Most of the Artists We've Interviewed Decided to Become Manga Artists at an Early Age. What About You?

Hatoyama : Manga artist → Illustrator → Manga artist...that was basically my journey.

Once You Decided, Did You Talk About It with Others?

Hatoyama : Everyone knew I was always drawing manga as a child, and there was an unspoken understanding...people just looked the other way (laughs).

【 The Path to Debut】

It is noted that you debuted when you won a selection in Garo in 1987.

Hatoyama : Yes, I submitted my work. After submitting three times, I received a handwritten letter of encouragement and advice from the legendary Garo editor-in-chief, Katsushi Nagai.

After that, I was informed that my work would be published.

The piece was a four-panel manga titled "Moyou no Aru Tamago" (Patterned Egg).

William Gibson – Why Do You Want to Read Him During the Rainy Season?

Hatoyama : I’m not sure why, but when the rainy season comes, I feel like reading his works.

Did Encounters with Manga, Movies, or Novels Influence Your Creations?

Hatoyama : I think they influenced me a lot.

Did They Also Shape Your Personal Preferences?

Yes, very much so.

【 Starting to Draw Manga 】

Did You Practice by Copying Other Manga?

Hatoyama : Not really. Instead, I just kept drawing the characters I imagined as I felt like it.

Did You Like Drawing from a Young Age?

Hatoyama : As long as I had rough paper and a pencil, I could entertain myself by drawing anywhere without getting bored.

Rather than drawing spontaneously for fun, I was the type who had a clear goal...like “I want to draw a girl in this outfit” or “I want to draw this particular animal.”

Did Your Doodles Evolve Into Creating Your Own Stories?

Hatoyama : By kindergarten, I was making personal manga booklets at home, stapling rough paper together.

The main character was an eggplant girl.

What Made You Start Drawing Manga Seriously?

Hatoyama : Around my first year of high school, I secretly tried to turn Hermann Hesse’s Beneath the Wheel into a manga on blank report paper.

I justified it as something that would be “educational.”

【 Influences and Art Studies 】

Which Artists and Works Have Influenced Your Manga?

(Original text does not specify names here.)

Did You Ever Study Art in a Formal Setting?

Hatoyama : My high school was a regular school, but it had an experimental course specialized for students aiming for art universities.

Eleven hours a week were dedicated to art.

We had to do charcoal sketching all the time, and I had no motivation for it, so I just fooled around.

Were You Part of a Manga Club in School?

Hatoyama : I’m not even sure if my school had a manga club…

How Did You Practice Using Pens and Coloring?

Hatoyama : Even now, I’m not really used to pens or coloring.

I’ve always been terrible at coloring, but I never really practiced either…

Did Drawing with Colored Pencils or Crayons as a Child Help Develop Your Sense of Color?

Hatoyama : Since kindergarten, I preferred monochrome pencil drawings with detailed lines rather than using crayons.

As for my sense of color… I’m not sure if I have one or not.

【 First Impressions of June and Garo 】

What Were Your Initial Impressions of June?

Hatoyama : My reaction was something like, “Huh, wow...” (laughs).

I bought it because I wanted to read a manga by Fumi Tamada (see Figure 1).

Her new wave style struck me more deeply than Garo works...I was amazed to discover that such manga existed.

What About Garo?

Hatoyama :I first came across Garo during the time when Seishi Hayashi’s Golden Pollen was featured on the cover.

Inside, there were incredibly dark works like Kazuichi Hanawa’s Misebaya-goya and Masami Furukawa’s The Legend of Murasaki.

They were so dark that just owning the book felt overwhelming.

Still, whenever I found a new issue, I eagerly bought and stocked up on them.

I remember stumbling upon Garo in a regular bookstore during high school and thinking,

“Oh, wait… it’s still being published?”

【 Anime and Film Preferences 】

Do You Watch Anime?

Hatoyama : Not really. Nothing comes to mind.

What About Hayao Miyazaki’s Works?

Hatoyama : Just to follow expectations…

I like the pirate grandmother from Castle in the Sky.

You mean Dola? She’s strong with mechanics, quick-witted, and great at calculations.

She has everything I lack (laughs).

What About Films? Many Say Your Works Have a 1970s European Film Aesthetic, Including Classics Like Death in Venice.

Hatoyama : I don’t watch those kinds of films systematically.

I only absorb surface-level things like the atmosphere and fashion of that era.

I could never say I was deeply influenced by them.

Visconti’s meticulously crafted films are wonderful, but if I had to pick my favorite coming-of-age film, I’d say Zéro de Conduite by Jean Vigo.

I first learned about it from novelist Mayumi Nagano.

What Do You Like About Zéro de Conduite?

Hatoyama : It’s bizarre.

It’s a short film about boys’ boarding school life, but in the final ceremony scene, the guests sitting in chairs turn out to be flimsy cloth dolls…

For me, it surpasses even Visconti (sorry, Vis!).

【 Literature Influences 】

Which Novelists Influenced You?

Hatoyama : I read authors like Taruho Inagaki, Hyakken Uchida, early Kenzaburō Ōe, Hermann Hesse, and Yukio Mishima in my teenage years.

I encountered Inagaki’s One Thousand and One-Second Stories when I was just starting to draw manga...I found a copy at a second-hand bookstore.

Rather than simply being drawn to it, it felt like discovering a missing piece of myself, and it was a shocking experience.

Enjoying the process?

Hatoyama : It’s enjoyable… but actually drawing is quite tedious!

【 Setting Up Angles 】

How do you decide on angles?

Hatoyama : I don’t draw storyboards, so I go straight from my mind to the manuscript paper, making adjustments as I go.

Do you struggle with building scenes?

Hatoyama : Not particularly...I don’t feel like it’s difficult.

【 Screen Presentation Using Tone Work 】

Your use of tone work seems to have deepened over time with each new work.Do you feel that way?

Hatoyama : I hadn’t really thought about it! Ideally, I’d like to create drawings that have enough impact even without tones...just with penwork alone.

Why did you incorporate such artistic techniques?

Did you want to change the atmosphere of the worlds you depict?

Hatoyama :

Perhaps that intention naturally influenced my artistic style.

【 Early Works in Tsuki ni Hiraku Eri 】

Your early works included in Tsuki ni Hiraku Eri seem to depict characters with a much simpler touch.

Hatoyama : In recent years, as I’ve had more opportunities to share my real thoughts and words through my website and other platforms, I feel like my boy characters have started to reflect more of my “true” personality.

Back then, they felt much more “put together” or formal.

【 Color Work 】

What Materials Do You Use for Coloring? Can You Explain Your Process?

Hatoyama : First, I ink the outlines using waterproof Martins Ink.

Then, I use opaque watercolors to layer shading and color, starting with the darker areas.

If I want to emphasize certain shadows, I go over them again with Martins Ink.

I also use colored pencils and poster colors when necessary.

On the Influence of Little Charlotte Lynn

Hatoyama : Thanks to Little Charlotte Lynn, the last 12 pages of Shoemaker became a kind of baroque-style comedy.

【 Depicting Different Locations 】

Your settings sometimes take place in Japan, sometimes abroad. Do you differentiate between them?

Hatoyama : Until now, I have avoided making nationality or time period explicit...no clear “Japan” or “America.”

But in Shoemaker, for the first time, I incorporated specific settings like “London,” currency references (pounds, euros), and “World’s End” (a shop famous for its connection to designer Vivienne Westwood).

Through that, I felt like I rediscovered an intensified sense of unreality within reality.

【 Character Design 】

What do you focus on most when drawing characters?

Hatoyama : Their faces…? Making sure they don’t all look alike (laughs).

Your fashion sense is always wonderful. Do you use references? Do you sketch?

Hatoyama : Old films are a great reference for fashion. When I can’t keep cutouts, I make sketches.

If a particular collar shape catches my eye, I quickly jot it down in a sketchbook.

【 On Humor and Narrative Execution 】

Do you enjoy drawing works with a comedic touch, like Lou-dau-daw?

Hatoyama : I like clear, exaggerated humor...the kind that makes people go “Whoops!” and fall over (laughs).

Will you create more comedy works in the future?

Hatoyama : Coming up with trivia and references is the hard part…

The scene in Shoemaker where someone experiences an incredibly crude humiliation with a time delay was brilliant.

Do you like that kind of dramatic effect?

Hatoyama : Yes, that approach feels more natural to me.

I like a body type that isn’t too skinny but still reveals a healthy, natural frame...where you can clearly see elements like wrist bones and collarbones.

【 Pen Work and Background Art 】

Your linework, especially for character outlines, is strikingly clean. Do you have a particular focus on pen techniques?

Hatoyama : If you look closely, my lines are actually quite shaky. Sometimes they tremble.

I wonder if I should try using a slightly thicker line style.

What kind of pen do you use?

A Zebra round pen.

How did you develop your distinct pen style?

Hatoyama : It just happened while drawing… but honestly, my lines are so thin that they sometimes annoy me.

Your backgrounds are incredibly detailed. Researching references must be difficult.

Hatoyama : Collecting materials is fun.

It feels like building a miniature garden or assembling diorama parts piece by piece to construct a world.

【 Typography and Text in Manga 】

You put a lot of care into lettering, including book designs. Can you tell us about that?

Hatoyama : Thank you.

But I’ve been told, “Instead of neatly lettering everything, a rougher, handwritten style adds more atmosphere.”

Accurate lettering doesn’t suit my personality anyway...I tend to be pretty relaxed about these things.

【 Character Creation 】

Have any artists influenced your character designs? Perhaps Yūjin Kamosawa?

Hatoyama : Lou-dau-daw (included in Aoi Giku) was greatly influenced by the Kushī-kun series.

But my style is rougher and lazier (laughs).

Most of my characters aren’t very “defined” in the way people usually say a character has a strong presence.

The Castrachura series might be the exception.

In what ways do you feel influenced?

Hatoyama : When you love a manga character too much, sometimes the boundary between your original work and your inspirations starts to blur…

Do you create character sheets before drawing a work?

Hatoyama : No, I don’t. Everything stays in my head.

What do you enjoy most about character creation?

Hatoyama : In my “boy stories,” the characters tend to lack strong personalities.

But when working on a series like Shoemaker, where I could craft bold character settings, I had a lot of fun thinking about them.

Many creators say that as they progress in their work, their characters start acting on their own. Do you experience this too?

(Note: this particular answer wasn't translated... maybe the text was cut off? sob sob.)

【 On Stage-Like Storytelling 】

The simple stage setup in Un Eatable Sandwiches (included in Aoi Giku <Figure 2>) feels like it would make a great one-act play.

Hatoyama : Thank you! The keyword “stage setup” is completely my aesthetic.

I never consciously intended a theatrical style, but if you sensed a world akin to Taruho’s concept of a “studio” or “model,” I take that as a wonderful interpretation and a great encouragement for my future works.

In Insulator Tree Story (included in Mikase <Figure 3>), the span wires and objects you depict...along with your essays in various books...seem to show your fascination with “forms.”

Have you always had an interest in objects and shapes since childhood?

Hatoyama : As a child, I think everyone is drawn to things like the glass insulators on power lines (those milky-colored ones).

I’ve always been fascinated by things that aren’t necessarily useful, like bicycle spoke beads...things that could exist or not, but still have a unique charm.

【 On Retro-Futurism and Design】

The various trains depicted in Starry, Violet (Spangle <Figure 4>) reflect your keen interest in shapes.

I personally love streamlined train designs! Do you like retro-futuristic designs?

Hatoyama : Yes, I absolutely love that era!

Raymond Loewy, the industrial designer famous for the Lucky Strike cigarette package, wrote a book titled From Lipstick to Locomotive, and I adore its atmosphere.

I dream of visiting an abandoned, streamlined-train-style diner in rural America, drinking awful coffee, and eating a sugar-heavy donut.

【 On Artistic Approach and Process】

During your autograph session (<Note 2>), I was struck by how beautiful your pen strokes were.

Your works combine various elements into a single world.

Do you start by selecting themes and materials, or do you begin by gathering research once you have an idea?

Hatoyama : More often than not, I think of an object, phenomenon, building, or landscape I want to draw, and then build the story and characters around it.

For example, I might want to draw foreign glass insulators, suikinkutsu (water chimes), or vineyards.

Or I might decide to work on a story because I found a great photograph of a lighthouse, a railway, or a station building.

Perhaps it’s a kind of diorama fantasy...the desire to depict a scene and make it my own miniature world.

In that sense, the boys in my stories are just as much a part of the diorama as the objects, landscapes, and buildings.

Conversely, the things that catch my attention...scenery, architecture...are all, in a way, characters themselves.

【 On Storytelling and Writing 】

Do you find long-form or short-form storytelling more difficult?

Hatoyama : My long stories usually start as short ones but end up growing longer than planned.

As for short stories, my personal motto is: “If the ending is good, even if everything isn’t covered, it’s almost fine.”

Many of your works use mystery elements to drive the story.

Do you consciously structure your stories that way?

Hatoyama : Not really.

The more immersed I am while drawing, the more it just happens.

Your dialogue is one of the standout aspects of your work.

Is it difficult to finalize the lines?

Hatoyama : I tend to over-explain in dialogue, so I try to pare it down as much as possible.

At the same time, I believe my boys’ speech patterns have a distinct quirk or signature style, so I am aware of that while writing.

Do you write the dialogue as stage directions first and then draft the pages?

Hatoyama : No storyboards or script. I just start drawing, and both the pictures and the dialogue emerge together.

How do you approach the rhythm and pacing of dialogue?

Hatoyama : I believe rhythm and pacing are crucial.

Another personal motto of mine: “A good rhythm can hide seven flaws in a line.”

Any secret to writing compelling dialogue? Do you read a lot of books?

Hatoyama : Compared to others, I don’t think I’ve read that many books in total.

But if I find even one favorite book (be it a novel or poetry), I try to absorb it thoroughly.

I believe that by fully immersing myself in one meaningful work, I can internalize its essence and make it part of my own creative voice.

【 On the Theatrical Feel of Your Work】

Do you consciously aim for a theatrical effect in your storytelling?

(Text was cut off.)

Your works were published in both June and Garo. Why these two magazines?

Hatoyama : June: Because Fumi Tamada, whom I admire, was published there.

Also, I assumed they would accept short works (4–5 pages), which was appealing.

Of course, I was also drawn to shōnen-ai as a unique genre.

Garo: For similar reasons...it seemed open to various styles.

At the time, I was just desperate to get my work published anywhere.

Did you ever consider submitting to major publishers?

Hatoyama : I never even thought about it.

Maybe that’s my weakness.

【 On the Challenges of Debut 】

Did you struggle when establishing your artistic style?

Hatoyama : Not really. I was just happy to be able to draw freely!

But I quickly realized that freedom could also be a double-edged sword…

Any memorable advice from editors when you debuted?

Hatoyama : Garo editor-in-chief Katsushi Nagai told me: “Draw carefully.”

June editor-in-chief Sagawa told me:

“A little ‘poison’ makes a story delicious, but too much and no one can read it.”

“If you over-detail the furniture and objects in your manga, it might limit your readership.”

I deeply understood what they meant…

But in the end, I didn’t change much.

Have you ever worked as an assistant?

Hatoyama : No, never.

【 On Writing and Drafting 】

What takes the most time in your creative process?

Hatoyama : I tend to over-explain in my scripts, which slows things down.

【 Message to Fans 】

To all the readers who continue to support such an unproductive manga artist like me, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart! Though I am whimsical and lazy, I truly appreciate your support. I hope you will continue to follow my work.

Gruppoo!

【 Post-Interview Note 】

I have been involved with Ikuko Hatoyama since last year’s original art exhibition celebrating the release of Spangle (Revised Edition) and Mikase. This year, we even held an autograph session.

I have had many conversations with Hatoyama-sensei, but this time we opted for a written interview… Written interviews tend to be shorter, but this one ended up being one of the longest in Manga no Mori’s history. I had intended to restrain myself, but I couldn’t help writing question after question.

And yet, she answered everything in writing! Even though this was right in the middle of her solo exhibition… Truly, thank you for your time and effort. I hope many of Hatoyama-sensei’s fans will enjoy this interview.

Many thanks to Ikuko Hatoyama and the team at Seirinkogeisha!

【 Official Website 】

Meeting Different Aspects of Hatoyama-sensei's World

You can explore various aspects of Hatoyama-sensei’s world, including her art and prints. Her diary is also very entertaining.

Official Website Link

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/*calico/04-@spangle/@spangle-top.html

How the Website Started

Hatoyama : The current site is managed by Tsukiusha, and one day, out of nowhere, they designed and created the website’s front page. The enthusiasm caught on, and that’s how it all began. Since then, they have been taking care of everything. I just provide my journal entries and announcements, and they handle the rest.

What’s Fun About Having a Website?

Hatoyama : It’s completely different from the time before websites existed. Now, we can deliver information directly to the people who want it, in the exact way we want to present it. More than anything, I am incredibly grateful to the people managing it.

Your Online Journal’s Writing Style Is Unique.

Hatoyama : Lately… I feel like it’s starting to unravel a little bit. But the readers have been surprisingly warm and supportive, and for that, I am truly thankful.

Recommended Works

Hatoyama : I don’t get many chances to read other people’s manga, but I recently had the pleasure of contributing an illustration to Fsc’s (note: Foo Swee Chin's pen name) comic muZz. I also had the chance to meet her in person the other day. She was just as charming as the cute girl characters in her comics.

She always gives me lots of handmade gifts.

On Future Works

Hatoyama : I like these kinds of works, so I hope to continue creating them.

【 About the Website (@spangle Spangle) 】

When Did You Start the Website?

Hatoyama : Around the end of 2001.

【 Next Book Release Plans 】

Any plans for your next book?

Hatoyama : Same as before… (meaning no concrete plans yet).

【 On Miniature Books and Printmaking 】

You also create works outside of manga, such as miniature books and prints. How did you get started?

Hatoyama : My miniature books aren’t professionally bound, so I feel a little embarrassed about them.

However, I was interested in making something small and beautiful...something that had the presence of an objet d’art but wasn’t a one-of-a-kind fine art piece, just something more accessible.

As for printmaking, I thought, “I might be good at fine, detailed line work,” so I bought a small printing press and other necessary tools and started.

But since I do everything...etching and pressing...in my small apartment rather than in a studio, the work environment feels very cramped.

If I had a more suitable space, I would love to restart it.

So you operate the printing press yourself?

Hatoyama : Yes, I use an original "Mon Petit" press from Kanda’s Bumpodo.

I place it on my desk and turn the handle to apply pressure.

Printing is very difficult.

The moment the damp Arches paper is pressed onto the copper plate and begins setting...I can’t actually see it, but I can feel it through the pressure of the handle.

Then, when I peel off the paper and see the image slowly appear exactly as I envisioned, it’s an incredibly satisfying moment.

【 On Packaging and Presentation 】

Your miniature books have beautiful packaging...there’s a joy in just looking at them.

Hatoyama : The impression changes a lot depending on the wrapping.

There’s a series where I attach foreign stamps to the boxes, and customers often take their time choosing...sometimes they won’t buy until they find a stamp that fits their taste.

I get a lot of inspiration from various shops’ packaging, and now I can’t even throw away a single ribbon or string.

【 Solo Exhibition】

Your solo exhibition in October...was this your first long-term exhibition?

Hatoyama : About 7–8 years ago, I held a two-week exhibition in Shibuya.

This was my second time, but the big difference was that when I visited the gallery space, I suddenly thought, “I want to turn this into a branch school classroom!”

That inspiration guided the entire process.

The exhibition took place in a room of a historical Taisho-era house in a district of old mansions, and I brought in things like scientific glassware and a blackboard for staging...it was my first time curating an exhibition this way.

What do you enjoy about holding exhibitions?

(Part of the answer is missing in the original text, but it suggests an exchange of creative energy between the artist and visitors.)

Any plans for your next exhibition?

Hatoyama : I’d love to continue holding them regularly.

【 Future Creative Interests 】

Any new genres or mediums you’d like to explore? What about 3D art?

Hatoyama : I’m already overwhelmed with two-dimensional work (laughs).

But paper-based and box-based works… perhaps someday, something like that.

【 On Drawing Shoes in Shoemaker】

In Shoemaker, as well as in other works, you often include detailed depictions of beautifully designed and comfortable-looking shoes. Why is that?

Hatoyama : It’s not just in Shoemaker...I always find myself drawing shoes (feet) (laughs).

I suppose I just really like them.

It feels like something I draw unconsciously.

Do you have a particular fascination with shoes and feet?

Hatoyama : I seem to be gradually leaning toward a more fetishistic approach (laughs).

I’m not the type to wear stylish but uncomfortable shoes when I go out, but if I had to name my ultimate dream shoes, it would be pointe shoes (ballet toe shoes).

I want to stand on my toes...to lift my feet away from the ground...as if to fly like an angel??

I can’t really analyze it myself!

Do you personally have a shoe collection?

Hatoyama : Not really… Right now, my shoes at home are a pair of tattered Jack Purcells and some vintage VANS sneakers I bought at a thrift store.

They could probably win in an American Smelly Sneaker Contest...just kidding.

For my last exhibition, I bought a pair of antique children’s tap shoes from a vintage shop.

They were beautifully crafted from really fine brown leather, with lots of nails on the soles.

I imagined a young boy walking on cobblestone streets, the click-clack sounds echoing as he steps...it was a lovely thought.

【 On the Future of Castratura 】

Will you continue the Castratura series?

Hatoyama : I don’t have plans right now, but if the characters start moving on their own again, then perhaps…?

【 Reflections on Completing All Collected Works in Shoemaker 】

The team at Seirinkogeisha mentioned that with Shoemaker, all your works have now been compiled into books. How do you feel about that?

Hatoyama : Looking back on my journey from debut until now, I realize that it takes at least 10 years before things start to take shape.

If I publish another book, it will have to start from scratch...creating an entirely new collection.

Whether I can carve out a new path or, in the worst case, fade into obscurity,

I feel like I’m at a critical turning point after reaching this milestone.

【 For New Readers 】

If someone is new to your works, which book would you recommend starting with?

Hatoyama : I’d suggest reading Castrachura → Shoemaker in that order.

Otherwise, I think you can start with any of my works.

【 Plans for an Art Book 】

Any plans for an illustration collection?

Talks about an art book have been floating around for years…

Please be patient!

Also, if any collectors have my original artworks, please let me borrow them for scanning (laughs).

Things to Keep in Mind When Drawing a Single Illustration

Hatoyama : I’m very impatient, so I have to remind myself to let the paint dry completely before adding the next layer...basic things like that.

Also, if I feel like a drawing is a failure midway through, no amount of fixing will improve it. In that case, it’s best to abandon it completely and start over from scratch.

【 On Shoemaker 】

Is Shoemaker a sequel to Castratura?

Hatoyama : I originally had no plans to draw a sequel.

But around that time, I watched M. Butterfly...a ridiculous movie where John Lone plays a Chinese female spy (laughs).

There’s a scene where he, as a woman, is struggling to work in a labor camp.

That made me think, “If he were a bound-foot prisoner, it would be even more extreme!” and my imagination ran wild…

Another inspiration was a TV special I saw about the real-life Borzoi dog kennel Bersino Kennel.

I had been intrigued by it for a long time, so I decided to incorporate it into the story.

What led to the creation of Shoemaker?

Hatoyama : I had long dreamed of blending Baroque elements (hoteki sui = Baroque) with 1980s New Wave aesthetics.

It was the only era in which I experienced my so-called youth in real time.

【 On the story of Shoemaker 】

It stands as an independent story, too.

Hatoyama : Yes.

The final line spoken by Dick Manford, a post-punk poser, overlaps a bit with my own feelings.

Writing that scene felt cathartic.

I’d love to read more about Dick and Yuko. Any plans?

Hatoyama : Maybe in the distant future, decades later, an angel of anatomy will return to Dick to ask him to repair a broken bound-foot shoe…?

I’d love to draw that.

On a side note, Yuko is actually based on a real person...a wonderful woman who is the wife of a certain artist and dollmaker, Y-san.

(poster's note: i'm not the translator, this was a commission. So happy i was able to obtain this and get it translated! Hope you enjoy it too!)

[fereldanwench]

People You'd Like to Get to Know Better

I was tagged by the lovely @vorchagirl--Thank you so much!! ♡

⟡ FAVE SHIPS ⟡

Goro Takemura x Valerie Powell ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)

Harry Carlyle x Sara Ryder

Vicar Max x Felicity Gibson

⟡ LAST SONG ⟡

Street Spirit (cover) by Priest

⟡ LAST FILM ⟡

New (to me): Emily (2022)

Rewatch: The Mummy (1999)

⟡ CURRENTLY READING ⟡

There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura

⟡ CURRENTLY CRAVING ⟡

Green leaves and flowers and general spring-time prettiness ❀

Tax refund so husbando and I can finish getting new furniture for our new home

What my brother and I call a leisure day--Basically we just all hang out on a Friday and do fun random things like go to bookstores or vintage malls or a museum or see a movie and get lunch and coffee. No work, no errands, no essential tasks, just leisure (˶ ᵔ ̫ ᵔ ˶)

Tagging @jupiter235, @arborstone, @deezyg6, @corpocyborg, @brennacedria, and @commander-krios ♡♡♡

[serpentinesheldonserpentine]

How I’m living now…

A traditional Christmas card purchased from a friend who is folk artist and a pewter tree ornament from my friend Jon Gibson.

This gift is for a family who have gone out of their way to offer friendship and support during my difficult year. They own a bookstore that is beacon of kindness and optimism in a world where both seem to be in short supply.

May God look after these artists and booksellers now and in the years to come. They represent our nation at its best.

[cheriecoke]

rylieeeeeeeeee my bby!!!

idk if u already know abt this book but "a dowry of blood" by s. t. gibson seems like ur type of book.

im still reading it but it has vampires, angry women takin revenge and stuff so!!

omg!! this is right up my alley!!! i haven’t read that one yet, but it’s been on my list for a while! i was hoping to get to it last year around halloween but i never did!! i’ve been eyeing it at the bookstore so i’ll definitely pick it up next time im there 😌 im trying to accumulate a vampire books collection HAHAH

[sparklecryptid]

S.T. Gibson is a very good writer but when I went to the bookstore to pick up evocation a few days ago i couldn't help but look at her name on the cover and go 'hey we went to tumblr together!'

[jllongwrites]

***SAVE THE DATE FOR 2025***

As we turn the page on another chapter of the 603 Writers' Conference, we have many people and organizations to thank once again for making this event amazing!

KEYNOTE:

Ernest Thompson

SPONSORS:

SNHU

WKXL Talk Radio

Dover gaming commission

The Inn on Golden Pond

Squam Lake Inn

NHPBS

Jacques Flower Shop

Ingram Spark

RAFFLES:

The Inn on Golden Pond

Squam Lake Inn

Strawberry Banke

Palace Theater

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Rob Desmarais

PRESENTERS:

Áine Greaney

Paula Munier

Deidre Randall

Sarah Bauhan

Jennifer Militello

Curtis Key

Ursula Wong

Tim Horvath

Martha Carlson

Lisa Braxton

DISCUSSION PANEL:

Ernest Thompson

David Moloney

Masheri Chappelle

PITCH PARTY JUDGES:

Ernest Thompson

David Moloney

Michael Charney

Paula Munier

Brinda Charry

Curtis Key

BOOKSELLER:

Gibson’s Gibson's Bookstore

If we have missed anyone, we deeply regret the oversight. Please know that we are extremely grateful to all who made this year's conference a huge success!

Please SAVE THE DATE for another exciting 603 Writers' Conference happening Saturday, June 7, 2025 at Southern New Hampshire University.

[saintmachina]

You are my absolute favorite author! Dowry of Blood is my favorite book, I first read it Nov 2022 and I have been wildly obsessed since. I have recently gotten a job at a moderately sized independent bookshop and have gotten a few of my favorite customers hooked on your books, alongside Jacqueline Holland’s works. I was curious if you have any plans on doing events in the States?

Aw, that's incredibly kind, thank you! And congrats on the bookstore job, that's wonderful!

I do, actually! I'm doing a Northeastern US tour in July, and tickets for some of the stops are still available! If you're interested in attending, check out the event page of any of the bookstores that are hosting me! That would be An Unlikely Story, Brookline Booksmith, Gibson's Bookstore, Barnes and Noble Union Square, Charm City Books, and Bards Alley!