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You wrote, "Other than strictly anatomical illustrations, there's no nudity (certainly nothing risque) in DRAW MANGA. I stick to PG-13 standards in my books. After all, my mom reads them!"

I draw and paint nudes all the time, some risque, since my primary focus is the human form. My Mom, an almost stereotypical blue-haired grandma, enjoys my work. (Or says she does, at any rate.) Since most of my fine arts work leans abstract, maybe she doesn't know what she's looking at. Nah, she knows what she's looking at. Of course, Manga is mainly aimed at a younger audience (with the exception of Manga erotica, which is another form entirely).

The first depiction of a nude woman I ever saw was one of my grandfather's sculptures: a third-scale, reclining nude in wood, sculpted when he was in his thirties. My brother and I thought it was really cool until we found out who the model was. Talk about your icky Oedipal moment. (My grandmother wasn't about to have him 'import' a model for that kind of work.)

Sorry. Rambling. Congratulations on publication of your book. Since my teenage daughter adores Manga, you've given me a great Xmas idea.