Speaker: Diane Hawley Nagatomo

Moderator: Louise George Kittaka

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024

Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 noon JST (Zoom opens at 9:30 a.m. for pre-meeting visiting)

Drawing on a career that spans more than 30 years in Japan, Diane Hawley Nagatomo shared her experiences with writing in three different genres and the insights she has gleaned along the way, from penning short columns for the Mainichi Weekly in the 1980s to the publication of her first work of fiction in 2023. Diane and Louise have known each other for nearly 30 years. 

Diane Hawley Nagatomo, a resident of Japan since 1979 and former professor at Ochanomizu University, has authored more than 25 EFL textbooks and two academic monographs. In recent years, she has turned to writing fiction and her debut novel, The Butterfly Café, was published in 2023. Her next novel, Finding Naomi, will be published in November 2024.  

Louise George Kittaka is a bilingual freelance writer, content developer, and cross-cultural trainer from New Zealand. She writes for various English media platforms, including the Japan Times, and has contributed to numerous EFL textbooks and study materials. She also lectures at Shirayuri Women’s University in Tokyo.

Time was set aside in the latter half of the talk for questions from participants.

View video.