Join me this Saturday in New Orleans for my first Southern Porn & Pong book reading and signing! It will be at Faubourg Marigny Arts and Books, a cool indie book store just outside of the French Quarter.

As some of you know, the Faubourg Marigny is actually my old neighborhood - I lived on St. Roch street, a few blocks away from the park, and left when Katrina hit in ‘05. I wrote the majority of Porn & Pong while I was in New Orleans, so having my first Southern signing there is both a privilege as well as a homecoming of sorts.

Here are the details:
Faubourg Marigny Arts and Books
600 Frenchmen Street
Saturday, June 6th
7 pm

Come by, grab a book and say hi!

Next week I’ll be speaking at my favorite journalism conference, for the American Society of Journalists and Authors, at Manhattan’s Roosevelt Hotel. The conference will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 24th - 26th. The first day is for ASJA members only, while the remaining to are open to non-members and/or the general public.

Luckily, our talk will be on Saturday afternoon! The panel is “Make Your Web Site Add To Your Bottom Line” (April 25th, 2 pm). We’ll talk about using websites, blogs and social networks to help sell your work. I will be talking about using the ‘net to connect with book readers online.

More info about the wonderful organization and the conference can be found at the ASJA website.

The San Francisco Examiner website gave Porn & Pong: How Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider and Other Sexy Games Changed Our Culture a hearty thumbs-up:

“Porn & Pong is a fascinating look at the history of pornography in video games and modern media… If you have any interest in history, you’ll find Porn & Pong a fascinating and enjoyable read.”

Check out the entire review at Examiner.com.

Fellow Bay Area writer Heather Boerner interviewed me for her Serenity for the Self-Employed blog. A rare inside view into the freelance writing life, we talk about cracking publications, surviving changing times and finding your writing focus.

For more insights, I’ll be speaking at the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference in New York the weekend of April 25th. The Saturday afternoon panel will be on how writers can use the web to connect, network and build audiences. Check out the details at the ASJA website.

games Magazine interviewed me for a fun, two-page spread on the book, pornography and technology. Read the interview here.

It was great meeting everyone at last month’s LA book signing! We literally shut the place down, and Freddy and Eddy were gracious hosts. More signings will be happening soon - stay tuned!

In other good news, Publishers Weekly, the main book industry trade publication, gives Porn & Pong a thumbs up!

Publishers Weekly says “this slim, fun read… looks at the young medium in context and finds that, even in its infancy, video games were already as influential, potentially dangerous, and worthy of dissection as any other art.”

You can read the review in its entirety at Porn & Pong HQ or the Publishers Weekly website.

And while you’re doing your (online) holiday shopping, pick up Porn & Pong as the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite gamer, techie or pop culture lover.

The book signings continue! Catch me in Los Angeles on Friday, November 14th.

November 14, 2008

Freddy & Eddy

Book reading and signing, 8 pm

Come by, get your book signed and say hi! Fellow sex culture writer Regina Lynn had a great book signing at Freddy and Eddy there earlier this year.

Also, on Saturday, November 15, Jon M. Gibson - who wrote the awesome Foreword to Porn & Pong - will be having a signing for his annual Nerdcore calendar at Golden Apple comics. Info will be up soon on the Nerdcore website. I will be there as well. I wouldn’t miss it, as last year was a blast.

Finally, PlanetOut/Gay.com has run a hot excerpt from Porn & Pong. Check it out.

Sirius listeners,

Catch me on Maxim Radio today at 2 pm EST/11 am PST for the Level-Up video game show. Host Scott Pitek and me will be talking about - what else - Porn & Pong. It should be a fun discussion!

Sidebar: My critically-acclaimed Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Satellite Radio is still the only Sirius/XM book out there. Whaaaat? Check it out to learn about the best music option available today.

Porn & Pong - and me - are on the road!

This week catch me at East Lansing’s MSU bookstores and next week in Chicago. Come by, get your book signed and say hi!

More dates and cities are being added every moment - keep abreast at Porn & Pong central.

October 10, 2008
MSU Meaningful Play Video Game Conference
Roundtable - When Will Video Games Grow Up?: Handling Adult Topics In Video Games

Michigan State University
Barnes & Noble (across from MSU)
Book reading and signing, 8 pm
East Lansing, MI

October 11, 2008
MSU Student Union (At the Entrance)
Book signing, noon to 1 pm
East Lansing, MI

October 16, 2008
Quimby’s Bookstore
Book reading and signing, 7 pm
Chicago, IL

October 19, 2008
Early 2 Bed
Book reading and signing, 6:30 pm
Chicago, IL

Salon.com has a fun Q & A with me about Porn & Pong. I was also lucky enough to be one of the first users of its new podcast office, so you can listen to the interview on the website as well. And be sure to check out the comment section, which, as Salon readers know, is where the fun really starts. Ha!