I'm sorry about the lack of updates around here! I am currently on the road, in the U.S., dealing with family stuff. But there's another reason I'm here! As you already know if you follow @justbento on Twitter (or my 'personal', more esoteric Twitter account, @makiwi, I am going to do a few book promo events. Here is the schedule as of now.

• New York City: Talk and Book Signing at Kinokuniya, Bryant Park (1073 Sixth Avenue at 41st Street) (Done now - it was great! Report coming up soon...)
  Saturday, January 22 3:00 - 4:00 PM
  
• Seattle-area event 1: Blogger event hosted by Viv aka Seattle Bon Vivant, January 26. This event is already full! (If you have already RSVP'ed and have questions etc. about the event, please contact Viv directly...thanks!)
• Seattle-area event 2: Talk and Book Signing at Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park.
  Thursday, January 27, 7:00 - 8:00 PM Event details here!
• Seattle-area event 3: Book Signing at Uwajimaya/Kinokuniya, 525 So. Weller Street, Seattle (edit: looks like this event will be more of a book signing, rather than a talk and signing. But please stop by to ask questions or just to say hi! ^_^)
  Saturday, January 29 1:00 – 3:00 PM.

I know, why 1 NY event and 3 Seattle events? To paraphrase Jessica Rabbit, I don't know, I'm just scheduled that way. ^_^; As of now, no further events are planned, but if they do get scheduled you'll hear about them here of course.

(Also, as far as why I am not going to [insert city here], it's really not up to me. It's up to the publisher, Kodansha International. I wish I had the budget myself to go to everywhere people want me to go, but with a money pit for house and so on, I don't ... sorry! ^_^;)

Hope to see you at one of these events!

Book availability, or OMG it keeps selling out :o

So, sales of the book are surpassing everyone's expectations. It sold out before the official US publication date on Amazon.com, was back in stock briefly, then promptly sold out again. Not only is the 2nd printing gone, the 3rd printing has come off the presses this week and is being shipped to stores as we speak! (Update: Today (January 20th) I got word that a 4th printing has been scheduled now! And it's not even the end of January!) I checked around a bit and it does look like Barnes & Noble has it in stock still. If you're an Amazon shopper, your best bet is probably to just put your order in ^_^; Don't hold me to this, but the 1 to 3 month delivery time listed is probably them being conservative. Barnes & Noble seems to have it in stock. Check at your local bookstore or Japanese grocery store too.

For non-US places to get the book, please refer to the list of sources.

A big thank you to everyone who has gotten it or is planning to get The Book...and, despite not being in stock even, making it (as of this writing) no. 1 in the Japanese cookbook category! I am floored, and honored.