Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Tired. 

If there's anyone in the Twin Cities area, get down to the Ordway
Centre tomorrow (Sunday) and get a ticket for the Luminarium at the
children's festival. Amazing art installation, like walking through
light: I could have spent a hundred years in the blue room...

Michelle -- I'll see Joe in Vancouver on this signing tour, I hope.

DanGuy -- Saying Emma eats slowly is like saying that the big bang
must have been a trifle noisy. 

Actually Terry wrote his bits of Good Omens in the morning. It was me
writing in the night.

Len -- Garry Kilworth wrote an amazing short story called 1948, about
a neighbour of Eric Blair's, who is crazy. I don't know if/where it was
every published, though.

Erynn -- I've never worried about that short story/novella/novellette
stuff.

Mimi -- I can't see anyone coming in from HK specifically, but there's
7000 people coming in from "unknown"...

But if you want to take over a table at a Hong Kong coffee house, tell
me where and when and I'll stick it up on the blogger.

Dianna -- see, now you're hooked on posting. Soon you'll get your own
Well account. You'll see.

It'll be interesting to see if I wind up signing in SF stores in
Australia or just bookshops. 

Hi Jacqui... no, I don't think I did. I'd named the seven lords as
numbers, Primus to Septimus, so it seemed right that they would have
named the girls on a similar system, so I had to think of a girl's name
that meant "One" and "Una" was it. As for Heart's Desires... I think
if you're writing a fairy tale, they kind of come with the territory.

Mimi -- so which sister did I meet in New York?
  

    
Len--there are 2 other books by Tim Sandlin set in the town of
GroVont, Wyoming.  The others are "Sorrow Floats" &"Social Blunders". 
"Skipped Parts" (supposedly made into a movie with Drew Partymore) is
about a 13 year old boy whose mom tells him & a classmate all they need
to know about sex, so they wind up having a baby.  It's also about
choices, and family, and loyalty, and the bonds that hold people
together.  There was a lot I liked, but the romance (or lack thereof)
between the 13-year-olds was creepy.

Mimi--Thanks for the info!  Alia has also been loaning me her copies
of Revolutionary Girl: Utena.  I'm getting hooked.

Hokay, beddy-by.
  

    
Neil, I can't imagine you doing anything sensible in the morning.
  

    

Today I acquired _The Quotable Sandman_. It's cute- a small book, with one
quote every two pages, and the facing page is an image, usually from the
series.
Neil- how much say did you have in what went in here? In fact, did you have
any say at all in anything about the book, down to its very existance?

I mostly like the choices of quotes. There are, however, two things that
bugged me.
1) Quotes by Dream are attributed to Dream. However, the one quote by Dream
post-death is attributed to Daniel. Now, Dream makes quite a point that he
is not Daniel, he's Dream. So to call him Daniel seems to me inescusable
unless you at least call him Morpheus for pre-death quotes.
2) There's one misquote, from _Exiles_, and in addition it is attributed to
"Narrator" which, while technically is accurate, the narration is being done
by a specific character and I think he should have been cited.

Those are my gripes. Having said that, I do not regret for a minute having
spent money on it.
  

    
Madman -- I didn't have much input. No idea how the Exiles typo
happened -- it was right in the proofs, and it really really irritates
me.  I thought it a much nicer book than I was expecting -- my own
Happiness Is A Warm Puppy.

Martha -- I can do lots of sensible things in the morning. Give me a
minute & I'll think of something...
  

    
Neil -- Now what kind of fan would I be if I didn't know the whole
"Neil, wake up you bastard, I've written a good bit!" spiel about who
worked when and how it went?  I was referring to the fact that I and my
friends were performing selections from the book at night, not that I
thought you and Terry were both writing at night. ^_^
  

    
Yesterday I heard some random people chatting up the Luminarium
exhibit.  It sounded very interesting.  Alack, I things you miss.  
( <: to Shira )
  

    
Egads...I turn off my computer for a few scant days, and suddenly
dozens of interesing posts appear.  Serves me right for unplugging
myself for so long...

I'm patiently waiting for my copies (16th edition, and reprint of 1st
edition) of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, as well as a used
copy of Days Between Stations.  In the meantime, I'll continue
re-reading my Annotated Dragonlance Chronicles.  What books are the
rest of you buried in at the moment?
  

    
Neil, I'll admit this: you can cook a fine breakfast for guests in the
morning.
  

    
Joseph - Re-reading Adams's books... then I have to hit the 'pile' of
stuff I've been meaning to get to. It's about 3 feet high at the
moment. I hate being a slow reader sometimes.

mmmm... breakfast. Oh, wait, I already had a bagel. mmmm... lunch.

squeaks, who is off to make lunch, then play with baby rats (Billie
and Kit, after Shakespeare & Marlowe)
  

    
Mimi - I saw the Reduced Shakespeare Company do "Complete Works" back
in Chicago, years ago. I actually do one of the opening bit as my
"modern, comedic" monologue for auditions.

A little note on cats.. although that topic seems to have worn itself
out....
My GF has been talking about getting a second cat for a few weeks now
and so we trotted off to the animal shelter yesterday to pick up this
grey boy she'd had her eye on. Now, we know that her other cat is very
aggressive and territorial (her favorite game is "bite the wrist that
feeds you") but she decided that it was better to let them hash it out
amongst themselves because she didn't want to put the new cat in the
bathroom for the day.
Well, Grace... the first cat... started making these noises that
sounded very much like she was channeling a particularly congested
demon from the farthest reaches of Hell. I've never heard a cat, or
anything made of flesh and blood, make noises like that. The new cat,
Cowboy, started off by hiding (unfortunately in one of Grace's favorite
spots) and then made an escape attempt... up the chimney.
This lovely gray cat was now a black cat, and it took the better part
of the afternoon to get him clean, the living room clean, and us clean.
Cowboy ended up spending the day in the bathroom anyway.
As of that night, they had settled into a hostile put uneventful truce
and just kept to themselves.
  

    
Am I the only one who scribbles notes as she reads this thing so I can
remember what to say to who?

Erynn--I know what you mean about commercials. We get US commercials
over here (if they are dubbed with an Aussie accent it counts as 'local
content') and when you compare them to the locally made ones the speed
is terrifying. Can you take special classes to learn to speak as fast
as the announcers on those things? It's like calling horse racing.

Suzanne--I was all set to sit here at my desk and chant "Rocky, Rocky,
Rocky..." but I suddenly had a Stallone moment and stopped abruptly.
I'm sure Squeaks, 'Walker and I can cook up some voodoo to get her over
to LA, though.

Dianna--Awww, Jo spoiled all my fun. I SOOOOO like being devious.
[grin] Ask Squeaks or Walker about the Lesser Rainbow Banded Hoopsnake
story...
I've rung Slow Glass Books (and spoken to the extremely smarmy
proprietor who thinks slinging around the words "I know Neil
personally" is going to impress me) and as soon as he hears from the
publishers, he'll put in a request for a signing. Not rung Minotaur
yet, but they would be the next likely suspects. I'm avoiding places
like Borders like the plague.

Jo--I'd LOVE a visitor if/when Neil arrives. Even if it's not in
Melbourne, I'd be happy to show you around.

Tree
Who got to see the latest exhibition of her favourite Australian
painter on Sunday after receiving a tryptich of his work for seven
years hard work and loyalty.
http://www.jackmangallery.com.au/artists_david_laity.html [warning,
contains nudity]
  

    
Email from Jacqui Stoner:

Neil, I decided to take your advice and go see the Luminarium, so I
grabbed my younger sister and went down there and they had sold out. I was
extremely dissapointed but what can you do. The rest of the festival was
fun though. I would be glad hear of another interesting things in the Twin
Cities that you know of in the future and hopefully they wont be sold out
when I try to go.
                          -Jacqui
  

    
Email from JaNell:

Neil:

Sunday night, computer room, catching up on postings; out of the quiet, a
sound usually only heard by my husband as I read your post: Cam: "What?!"
Me: " Nothing. No. Look at that last line, about the restaurant." Cam
reads. Laughs at my reaction. "See, he does remember you." Me: "How can he
not? I bug him all the time." Later: Me: "I should email and say, 'Hope
you at least spelled my name right'."

Cam: "He said he put the restaurant thing in. He didn't say anything about
you."

So much for my ego. Guess I'll have to buy the d*#% book after all to find
out. I'm gonna get lassoed in by my own curiosity and ego, and I'll end up
being a fan of your work as well as just plain finding you an interesting
person. That's just too intense.

JaNell (That's one word with a BIG N, dammit!)
  

    
Neil - you give very amusing speeches early in the morning. :-)

Joseph - currently I'm reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance, The Art of Happiness, Myths to Live By, and Goddess in
Everywoman.

I'd be reading a few other things, too, but I've misplaced them. I
find that I generally have books scattered around the house, and what I
read depends on my mood. I actually want to go buy another book (one
of the recent Spong books) but figure I should finish what's on my
plate before starting anything else.

Re: sushi. I use the following to check on how edible a place is:
 yellowtail and green onion, maki style
 unagi
 salmon
 "Eddie rolls - salmon skin, octopus, and tobiko in a hand roll


Mmm, I just had sushi Friday night and already want more. But, my best
friend just showed up and is demanding answers to questions, and is
rather miffed I chose to post here before calling her.  ;-)

-Kelly
  

    
kelly - sounds like sound sushi advice.  i'll have to check it out.

I was cleaning out some boxes, and I stumbled onto a copy of Michael
Crichton's "Timeline" that somehow went unread.  Quantum Physics,
multiple dimensions, and 14th century Europe...these are a few of my
favorite things...  So much for finishing off "Dragons of Winter
Night"...

But on the bright side, I now have 2 books to take with me for jury
duty on Friday.  Horray!

-Joe "the anti-engineer"
  

    
Oh, I almost forgot to ask... Does anyone know where I can find a copy
of Alan Moore's "Voice of the Fire"?  I've been very unsuccessful in
purchasing any copies, new or used.
  

    
When the stack beside my bed got to about 10 books that I was in the
middle of, in high school, I started finishing one before I started
another.  So I just finished "Vinegar Hill: by A. Manette Ansay (it
was....O.K.) and am about to start, um, er....Excellent Portents...no,
that's not it...Good Warnngs..no...well, something like that.  It's by
2 Brits.  Supposed to be funny.
:-)
It'll be my 4th time through "Good Omens", but my first time through
the British version.


Tree--I don't make notes, which is why I answer the wrong questions
all the time.

Joseph--have you tried www.abebooks.com ?  It's really good for
finding all sorts of stuff.  Whatever you do, don't type in "Neil
Gaiman".  Just don't.  Your order won't fit in your mailbox.  


I made tea today for the first time using a tea ball.  This is what I
learned: I'm not very good at it. 

'K., naptime.
  

    

Jinx -Thanks for posting that URL of David Laity's work.  I must have
"Mischief" but I don't have a clue what POA means.  How can I find out??

Neil - hamachi roll.  Yum.
  

    
the blurb from Slashdot:
"The BBC and the Independant on Sunday have the news that all the
remaining Douglas Adams material is going to be published later on this
year, including the unfinished novel 'The Salmon of Doubt' and the
proposed screenplay for the Hitchhikers Guide movie".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/arts/newsid_1367000/1367344.stm



There were concerns that just such a thing would be done, if I recall.
  

    
That would be #1255: "I hope that his death isn't followed by the
publishing of all the stuff he hadn't wanted to see print."  This might
not be the same sort of thing, assuming that they're only publishing
the stuff that he had intended for print eventually, but would he have
wanted his stuff to see print unfinished?  I wouldn't think so.

The part of the BBC article that I found most distasteful was:
"Publishers Pan are scanning the writer's personal computer to piece
together his final novel. A number of e-mail essays will also be
published."  Taken from: "We are also looking at his PC to see how much
he had completed of the novel he was working on when he died." -- Ed
Victor, Literary agent

oof.
  

    
Greetings everyone!  Wonderful weekend; saw Moulin Rouge on Saturday
(which I ate up), and then danced with my sister's class yesterday.

We took first!  It was *SO* cool, and I had a great time, which was
really all that mattered to me (I even nailed the little turny-move
thingy I had to do).

On a slightly less heartening note, I was rejected by the seventh and
final (thus far) agent.  So, looks like more revising, and resending,
and all that good stuff.

On length of mss- Is a novel supposed to be 65,000 words long?  Both
of mine have been twice that; I've just been following stories, and not
worrying about how long it is.  I never heard a 65,000 word rule (I'd
heard a novel was *at least* 50,000, but that was just a minimum, and
I'd thought there was no max); do agents reject works from first-time
novelists if they're 125,000 words long?

On Douglas Adams- On the one hand, it's a violation.  On the other,
I'd love to read it.  It's kind of the same way I feel about "Blueberry
Girl."  I'd *love* to hear it, but I know how you feel about it, Neil,
and I respect that (I'd considered asking you to read it at the
Magnetic Fields show, but decided against it).

Michelle- Good luck with Billie and Kit (*love* the names).

-Will, who is too tired to come up with anything witty to sign off
with, after traveling for eight hours yesterday.
  

    
Email from Maria Alice Correa Tunas:

Hi everybody!

Long time since the last time I talked to you.

Neil- How was your visit to Brazil?Unfortunately I couldn't go to the
singnig at Rio, but I hope you enjoyed It.Did any trouble happen this
time?As I read the e-mails from Douglas and He tryed to give you a
brazilian book I am curious to know if you know brazilians writers.

Douglas- How nice to have a brazilian at this forum.I have already posted
some messages.Cool you saw Neil at Sco Paulo.I love Neil's books and I am
looking forward to reading American Gods.Is Books of Magic your favorite
one?I live in Rio(It is a city that is part of Rio, like Sco Paulo that
has a lot of cities like ABC paulista.)Which city do you live?
  

    
Email from Tori Bat:

Hello All! Its Tori Bat! *laugh* I know its been forever since I've
posted.  grr life certianly does have a way of getting all out of
control...school ended for the semester. and instead of taking classes
over the summer I decided to work. so finally having a break from school
is nice! and I really enjoy my job! *laugh* I'm working at the Art Museum
here...in the giftshop. and its been great~ because of the environment,
the people and the artwork!  we have an exhibit of Andy Warhol right now
and its lots of fun. anyway--> I'm looking forward to American Gods! I've
been re-reading some of my favorite books like Sharon Shinn's Archangel,
Primavera by Francesca Lia Block and Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice~
(theres lots of down time at the museum! *laugh*)

The book signing tour is something to look forward to! My friends and I
are planning a roadtrip to Lexington Ky! I'm excited! I got maps and stuff
on how to get there~ and I was wondering if anyone knew of anything fun
going on that night (sat 23rd) or any place kewl~ since I've never been to
Lexington~
                                  Thanks! *HUGS* 
                                                   Tori Bat! 
  

    
Tori--
You haven't given any indication on what your idea of "fun" is, but
some friends I'm "dragging" with me are going to the Lexington Legends
(minor league baseball) game that evening.