Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
I like the idea of an epic battle with face hair....  those creations
are great!

I still remember the phrase "a darkling sky" from something I read in
Junior High because I liked the sound of it so much.... and also the
meaning is pretty plain in context.  I say go for it.  And discomfiture
(not to mention discombobulation) is a fine word as well.  You don't
catch people telling artists what colors to use, and authors ought to
have the same freedom.  Shakespeare even made up a whole lot of words,
and the language would be significantly poorer without them.

Maybe I should be working on getting Sandman translations for my
Junior High school kids here.  Mimi, what do you think the chances are
of a Japanese school allowing something like that into the library? 
Though the Japanese DO seem to have a much better tolerance for moral
ambiguity and dark stories for children...
  

    
Stalker-boy - Crossed fingers for attempt #... 11?

Len - Scott Connor (from afn-g) is notorious for painful puns.
UCB=University of California, Berkeley.

Angelina - Just so long as the snakes aren't orange - you might upset
certain folks of ignorant nature who *think* they know something. ;)

Dan - Tattoos are fun ('cept for the itchy part)... just so long as
you remember they're *permanent*. And I wouldn't start with a big piece
unless you're certain of your pain tolerance. It would suck to get 1/4
way through and then decide you couldn't take it any more... or just
pass out. I nearly lost consciousness on my wings. Ouch. And I dare you
to bring said group of friends to SLZ Rasps (weekdays, when I'm there)
and see how many employees join you in the "Spartacus" thing. I'll be
the one shouting "I'm Sparkatus!" :)

Jen B - the problem with the water spat is that it might upset the
people dining around you. If you had the big argument and then, sopping
wet, made up and hugged and brought on the laughter, tears and stuff,
you'd be able to have fun making people nervous, but not ruin their
evening entirely. BTW, cute story. Still marvel at the fact that the
drummer (he being the beardless guy) is named Beard.

Neil - bears aside, I could *never* take a Grizzly Adams lookalike
seriously.

re: lookalikes being the actual peeps - The day I (sort of) met my
friend Kurt, he was wearing a skirt and rollerskates at the club.
Stifling my "nice skates" comment, it dawned on me that he looked
familiar. Thankfully my boyfriend at the time didn't let me get a word
in edgewise. My comment *would* have been "Hey, anyone ever tell you
that you look like that guy from Information Society? I used to have a
huge pathetic crush on him 10 years ago...<etc.>". After a minute of
standing around and not being able to say a thing, I walked off. Later
on, the boyfriend was talking about some remix that Kurt did. "Kurt
who", I asked nervously. "Kurt... that guy I was talking to at the bar.
You know. From Information Society", and I don't think I heard
anything else after that. I was too busy being red in a corner.

I've since told Kurt about the incident. He was amused.

-squeaks, who is now turning red again
  

    
So what I *meant* to actually post was this:

Attention Bay Area Fans Of <Neil> Gaiman (ba-FOGs for short)
Got an email from Cody's Books (Telegraph Ave, Berkeley). 
Mark your calendars for June 27, 7:30PM. Neil will be there promoting
AG.

Oh, and if there are any Prachett fans in the house, he'll be at
Cody's on May 11.

squeaks, who likes having good connections who have good connections
  

    
Jen-- Outstanding ballad and folktale!  As a person with a beard, I
appreciate the plight of the common hairy man being elevated to mythic
terms.

Neil-- I am an art idiot; I will do a quick
"use-the-net-to-acquaint-yourself-with-an-artist-you'd-never-heard-of"
;,
(as I did with GK Chesterton years ago) and then start looking for the
bio.

Michelle-- got it.  Btw, Bay Area hipsters, do any of you know a
Christina Gaxiola?  As far as I know, she's in the goth-y scene.

Re:  Tattoos-- for years the only tattoo that I thought I could stand
behind for the forseeable future would be one of Stephen Sondheim, but
I thought that would be kind of creepy, so no tattoo.  Besides, my pain
threshold's pretty low.
  

    
Madman, Angelina, Emily, Michelle, Len - Thanks.  :-)

Michelle - The water thing... Had I talked roommate into doing it and
we had gone to the restaurant I wouldn't actually have done it.  I'm
just not that interesting.  And, like you said, it could upset other
customers.  Although, I am still tempted by one of my friend's ideas of
having a friend propose to you in public and then telling them 'no'. 
Or maybe on one of those silly talk shows.  Anyway...  So you're
getting Neil _and_ Terry Pratchett huh?  I'm most likely getting
neither.  Should move to a coast.

Jen.

"Yeah, and Grizzly Adams had a beard."
"Grizzly Adams _did_ have a beard."
Happy Gilmore
  

    
Len -- Barry Humphries, although a premier watercolour artist, and a
dadaist and situationist in his youth, is best known as the manager of
Dame Edna Everage.  I think the Lahr bio is called something like Dame
Edna Everage and the Rise of Western Civilisation.

Jen, you and Luna should both be properly ashamed of yourselves. I
suppose that's what I deserve for failing to deliver the duck. I thank
you both.

Bill -- forgot to say thanks for posting the e-bay information.

Madman/Angelina/Michelle -- my only one of those stories was the time
Brad Pitt turned up to a friend's birthday party. 

Emily -- I'd love that idea. I think Interbooks has a Sandman website
up in Japanese...

Michelle -- I love not shaving. It's just at the exact moment when it
stops looking like che guevara and starts looking like a real beard, I
look like somebody else. Not me at all. And I can keep it for months,
but every time I pass a mirror it's with a sense of surprise and
puzzlement.

We'll see how many more of the signings leak out before I get the
official list. (I think it's 95% finalised. But we're not 100% done. I
just noticed that I don't get a day off in ten days, which I'm not sure
is wise: I'll be punch drunk by the end...)

Jen -- surely between Chicago area, and Lexington/Dayton/Cleveland  I
get somewhere near you...
  

    
Neil-- Oh, ok-- I knew that the name wasn't _entirely_ unfamiliar.

Everybody-- and this is really apropos of nothing-- I'm watching a
movie that I love, and that people should know about, but somehow it
seems that very few people actually _do_ know about it, so I'm
spreading the word:

The Impostors, with Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci and a whole bunch
of other good people-- it's a sort of homage to classic screwball
comedies, about two actors who, eluding the cops, end up stowing away
on an elegant cruise ship.  It's full of great characters and goofy
schtick, and has a very different feel to it than most contemporary
comedies.  Very funny-- esp. if you've ever done any improv-- and very
ignored.    Anyway, write the name down somewhere and rent it if you
get the chance.
  

    
Email from Chris:

Neil,

I was reading your journal on AmericanGods.com and you were naming a few
books that you can read now that AG is finished.  Just curious of some
other books that you have read and enjoyed in the past.

Chris
  

    
Email from Jouni:

About tattoos - I can propably never have one. I mean, bein' who I am, I
would have to do the design myself (a professional pride can be a bitch
sometimes), and proximately one month after taking it, I would propably
just think that I could've designed much better picture now.

Michelle - Connections. Please don't talk about connections. MailAndNews
seems to be shot to hell (with my account) and I'm havin' very VERY HARD
TIME even READING (Google is missing helluvalot of messages) the afng.
Damn those puny Google-creatures!

Jouni (almost angry)
  

    
http://www.greenmanpress.com/guestbook/guestbook.html is the direct URL
for Charles Vess' message board, for the fellow that was asking about
Karen. Charles told me she's doing very well these days but still has some
pain that might not be apparent just by looking at her.  Charles and I had
a very nice time at BosKone a few weeks back, and that's one of things I
asked him about on the drive up.

     He also recently sold the Faerie Market, but alas...not to me.  If
you've never seen the original, you're definitely missing out.

   Neil, I saw your post on the Tori concert incident in Blacksburg.  
Being a resident of said place, sorry I missed out on the whole deal.  
Looking forward to seeing the tree near here in American Gods.

  Once I get the photos I took during the visit to Mike Kaluta's place
developed, I'll have to post them.  I'm both bearded and long-haired,
although I have never been mistaken for Alan Moore.

  Michelle.....pun?  Moi?  Not me.  *whistles innocently* I don't know if
you could take me seriously or not, even though I don't think I'm into the
Grizzly Adams lookalike range quite yet.  Even if Kaluta did say something
about a yeti.  ; )

  And now to catch up on a great many unread messages....
  

    
Oh well, when do I ever see you at a signing when you're not absolutely
punch drunk?  But try to hold some days off.
  

    
Martha -- I rather think it's too late for that. Everyone, more or
less, has their day, and we probably can't get me a day off without
cancelling a day's worth of signings somewhere.  I don't think it
occurred to the people putting the signing together that I might need
one, I suppose. So expect a Bay area signing punchdrunker than most.

Chris -- other books I've read and enjoyed in the past. Ever, you
mean? Or having to do with American Gods?

Scott -- thanks. I owe Charles a phone call.

Wrote an epic poem for Maddy over dinner the last two nights (there's
nothing like being on your own nibbling sushi to get you writing bad
epic poetry). It's called Crazy Hair, which is what Maddy has been
calling me in e-mail.  Have already e-mailed it to Jill Thompson asking
if she wants to illustrate it...

And as a final note: I spoke to my wife yesterday. "I read Maddy her
Mary Poppins story last night," she said. "It was awful, so long, and
so dull..." And I knew immediately what had happened. "You read her Bad
Tuesday, didn't you?" "Yes," she said. "The one with the different
families around the world?" "No," she said, "Mine was a really stupid
one about a dolphin and a bear..." "Ah," I said. "There's a version of
it which isn't boring in the hardback I left on her shelf." My wife
hated the (revised) version of the story enough that she'd planned to
stop reading Mary Poppins.

And you know, I think that brought it into focus. The real crime is
not offending people; it's boring them.

And on that note I shall go back to proofreading.
  

    
Neil - Luna and I have conferred and we both agree that we do not feel
one bit of shame.  We have decided to save up our money to buy
consciences.  Or some cars.

And signings - ::looks at names of cities::  woohoo!  If I wanted to I
could make it to three of em.  This makes my day.  :-)

Tattoos - I hate even semi-permanent bodily things and I'm a wuss, so
I shall probably never get one.  Possibly I'll get one if I ever get
married as I don't wear jewelry.

Len - I was trying to think of a movie to watch later.  I'll see if
the place on the corner has it.

Jen, who really needs some sugar.
  

    
Len - I know a few Christine's, and possibly a couple of Christina's
in the local 'scene'. And last names are a joke around here. Half the
time I don't know real *first* names (although I do know a guy who was
*born* with the name Raven, which annoys him greatly because everyone
thinks he's made it up). If you've got better descriptors, or names of
people she knows, it'd be all helpful and stuff.

Neil - But did you embarrass yourself assuming he wasn't Brad Pitt? :)
And I *totally* hear you on the passing mirrors and wondering who it
is staring back thing. By the time I finally figure out it's *me*, I
usually get bored and have to go cut my hair or dye it neon pink or
something. And please don't overwork yourself into oblivion. It's just
not good for you. A day or two of sleep dep is funny. A week of it is
just kind of painful. Don't suppose you could add a couple of days to
the tour here and there to allow for necessary rest?

Scott (a.k.a. 'afn-g Master of PUNishment') - Hey, if I'd have had the
money, Faerie Market would have been mine years ago, along with the
cover for issue 3. I'm still trying to figure out how the colors for
the FM turned up so washed out looking on the posters. The original is
so much more vibrant. any way, happy for Charles and Karen and 'lucky
bastard' to whomever bought the Market.

Jouni - You're not alone on the Google issues. I'm sure between the
lot of stuck thingies, *some*one will find a solution soon. Fear not.
And when do we get to see Tree in harem pants?

squeaks, who will learn to be short-winded someday, but not yet.
  

    
This is off somewhat topic, but seeing as the WELLer's are thoroughly
peppered across the globe, I thought I'd look for reccomendations
here.  In about a week, I'm off on the quintessential american road
trip; we'll be driving from Minnesota to Seattle, which will take us
through North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington.  So we've got a
point a and b, but it'd be great to have some other letters
represented.  Anyone have any suggestions of charming littile tourist
traps or odd historical landmarks worth pulling over for between here
and there?
  

    
Michelle-- She may still call herself Gax, as she did in college. 
Having not seen her in person in over 10 years, I'm honestly not sure
what she looks like anymore; she writes f/sf; she was involved in a
Vampire the Masquerade larp thing out there, she says that her totem
animal is the coyote and she's into comix-- that's pretty much all I
can say for sure at this point.

Jen-- it's worth it-- I watched it twice today (which really only
testifies to my obsessive streak.)

Neil-- any word on when you'll hit NY? 
  

    
Sarah, I think the battlefield for the battle of Little Big Horn is in
North Dakota. I seem to recall that being the most fascinating part of
my trip through those parts (the opposite direction). Then again, I
was a little upset on that leg of the trip and wasn't exactly looking
for ambiance. Oh, and pictures of Montana really don't do it justice,
but it really is a beautiful state to take pictures of. 

Anyone else remember if Painted Rock Canyon is on that route? 

Oh, and I think Roslyn, WA is on your way. If you're a Northern
Exposure fan, it's worth it for the falafel sandwiches at the Roslyn
Cafe.

squeaks, who originally typed "Roswell" instead of "Roslyn", a little
alien obsessed?
  

    
<whispered> - if you go to the travel conference, I'm sure lots of people
will give you all sorts of entertaining advice on that. There may even
already be a topic on weird tourist traps.
  

    
        The whole discomfiture/darkling issue reminds me of an essay I
recently wrote concerning my relationship to the word "gaminesque". 
The upshot of it was that this relationship was thrown into sudden
clarity when, in upstate New York last Christmas, I passed in the
street a genuine gamin, wearing an honest-to-goodness gaminesque smile.
 This startled the hell out of me.  I had always assumed that
gaminesque smiles were, like darkening brows, one of those facial
expressions that fictional people can do with no trouble, but of which
the nonfictional are not capable.  I further realized that I had a very
clear idea of what a gamin was, despite having almost never seen the
noun (and only rarely its adjective) and having never, to my
recollection, read a description of what the devil a gamin is. 
However, I've checked this, and it seems like people who read a lot all
know and agree on what a gamin is, (though pronunciation varies) and
no one knows where they learned this.  I never realized, first, how
clear my mental image of a gamin is, and second, how obscure that
image's origins are, until I actually saw one in the flesh.  Ever since
I've been keeping a weather eye out for stout fellows, dastards,
hippogriffs, and other creatures I've always assumed to be literary
creations only.
  

    
Neil, if this Bay Area signing is punchdrunker than most you will be in a
coma.  There isn't much other room in that direction.
  

    
About writers workshops...I've been a part of a few, though, not for
long. The main problem I have with them is that I need to learn things
and while some things I can learn from other people, I can't in good
concience learn or take advice from people who have no idea what
they're talking about (or have little idea anyway) Most of these people
have never been published, either, so it's like the blind leading the
blind...which seems unproductive to me. And ametuer writers by nature
tend to have dilluded, overly inflated egos...probably as a defense
mechinism, and use it to degrade others work to make themselves feel
greater and more powerful than others. (Does anyone remember what a
young James Joyce said to Yeats when he first met him?) Groups just
make me feel uneasy...so I'm kind of at a catch 22 with myself
now..Clarion? I'll have to check it out. Perhaps they won't make me
squeamish...

Neil- You'd think that authors would have more control of their own
work (i.e when it's released...ect.) They SHOULD have more control
anyway, as it's THEIR work not the publishing companies. I'm not
looking foward to dealing with the weird political buisness aspect of
my art. I think I'll just travel around like the bards and promote
myself in my own way...Hmmmm...But then, I guess there are advantages
to having a strong publishing co backing you as well...
You're coming to Cleveland? Yippie!!! I've never seen you in real
life. I'll definatly be there, but you'll have to share some of your
punch with me...I'll probably be to nervous to say anything and come of
as geeky.
Wait a minute...isn't it illeagal to be selling AG on ebay before it's
officially released? 

Martha- I ordered your book. It should be on it's way. I know, I'm a
bit behind on my reading...

***

Information Society! HAHHAHA! I haven't heard them in years...you've
inspired me to clean out my closet and find the tapes! My friends and I
used to drive around in a big white van with a camcorder and prank
various fast food drive up windows...asking for calamari, young fried
boys, the sacred cup of coffee and what not...most people laughed and
found it funny as it broke the monotany of their boring jobs...but
occasionally, we got an angry manager or two...we still have the tapes
and watch and laugh at them from time to time. Everyone should try it
at least once...

Erynn, who is about to wander off to the land of green beer....
  

    
<streak> - will you let me know if you see someone actually looking up
through lowered lashes? People do it in novels all the time but it doesn't
seem to be physically possible. If your lashes are lowered, you are, after
all, looking down.
  

    
That's kind of you, Erynn, thanks.
  

    
Erynn-- didn't Joyce say "you're not all that," or something to that
effect? (ok, probably not "you're not all that" per se.)
  

    
Who for some reason just has lots ot say to Michelle today...

On Rasputins - SLZ... San Lorenzo?? Criminy it's a small world, I
lived two blocks from there just a little over a year ago.

On Tattos - My tolerance for pain is pretty high, or so I'm told... I
don't really know how to compare that kind of thing... and I figure
that if I *still* want a raven in another year I might as well get the
damn thing.

On interesting names - The woman I am currently (and hopefully for a
very long time to come) involved with is named Eden... and yes, it is
the name she was born with. giving her that name is probably the
coolest thing her parents ever did.

On Cody's - Hey! My first potential Neil signing.. groovy. Of course,
I have to be in a conference in San Jose that day, but I can make it
back up to Berkeley in time to be the 400th person in line, no problem!

*sigh*

General note re: beards - I just shaved my "goodness you look like a
proper british villian, are you sure you're from California" beard that
I've had for about two years now. People keep doing double takes.