Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
E-mail from Dianna:

Linda - Thankyou so much for posting for us who can't afford our own
accounts just yet. (The Aus$ isn't worth the plastic it's printed on just
now - and did you know that with a good all purpose cleaner you can rub
the ink off them? i've known the smile to wiped right off Queen's face,
(more recently, it's someone else's face) - not that i would do that
because it's against the law and all). Soon i will get my very own
account, really i will, because, as Neil pointed out, i'm hooked. i like
it here :) ...i just hope i haven't posted too often - i don't want to
wear out my welcome. And thankyou too, Jon.

Will - The Great Barrier Reef is exquisitely beautiful! But go there soon
if it is high on your list of things to do... On the news just last week
it was reported that within a year there may be very little of it left
because of massive dieback from pollutants, rising water temperatures and
crown-of-thorns starfish infestation. They showed footage of miles and
miles of what looked like kooky underwater concrete gardens - graveyards
even. It's sad and scary. The reporting might be somewhat sensationalised
- we can only hope that things are done quickly to give it a chance to
recover.

Tree - We're on the same wavelength when it comes to bookshops for Neil
to sign in :) Are the bookshops supposed to wait for the publisher to
contact them? Or are they supposed to contact the publisher first to
express interest? i debated this with my local friendly bookstore owner
yesterday and i hope i have convinced him to just take the plunge and
make the call rather than wait^Ê Perhaps this is a question for Neil^Ê

Neil - Writing a circus sounds like heaps of fun. Went to see Circus Oz
just last month - our friend, the director, surprised us with Royal Box
seats - and it was breathtakingly wonderful. Had a strange olde worlde
feel to it somehow - some very traditional elements mixed with the
modern, that really worked.
My favourite circus show was one by Rock'n'Roll Circus a couple of years
ago. It was very dark, weird, raunchy and had a 'Day of the Dead' theme
of sorts. It was called 'the Dark' , i think.

Any idea what month you might be heading south? :)
dianna
  

    

Dianna - I don't think it's possible for you to wear out your
welcome.  %^)
  

    
Dianna -- well, obviously any bookstore can sit back and wait for  the
publisher to contact them.

But if the publisher has the budget to send me to (say) five cities,
and they've received enquiries from five cities, then a bookstore in
the sixth city may sit by the phone for a long time.

And it may be that the publisher might phone a different store in that
city. Or that another store in the same city has already phoned to
ask.

Publishers like to send authors to places that they know are
enthusiastic and interested. Unless your store owner is the *only*
bookstore in a city you know I *have* to go to then it's much smarter
for him to call the publisher...


I got some fanmail today grumbling about evil Harper Collins not
sending me to the US southeast on my tour; and I'm pretty sure that if
stores from the southeast -- from Florida say -- had made a noise about
how much they wanted me, I'd be signing there. 

I'm going to be signing in Seattle because Duane at the University
bookstore made sure that Harper Collins knew that he wanted me for this
signing two years ago, kept after them, pointed out how many books
he'd sold on my last signings there, and he'd book an auditorium for me
to speak and sign in... And so HarperCollins said yes. I'm in San
Diego because the guys at Mysterious Galaxy were so keen on getting me
there that, at a point where I wasn't going to go there, they offered
to fly me in to do a signing on their own dime, and the enthusiasm they
showed meant that Harper rejigged the schedule to let me go there.)
  

    
Erynn -- Nope.  Lori been having regular contractions since last
Sunday evening, but they fail to actually move the baby, it seems. 
Very odd.

Michelle -- BM already has Blue Bunny, of the Bindlestiff Family
Circus; tell your friend to show up ready to use that thing, in case a
bunny rumble ensues. ^^

Mary -- Thanks for the vibes.  I'm not terribly stressed and Lori has
even stopped being impatient at this point and is just kind of resigned
to being forever pregnant.

Neil -- I knew that Trevor had registered neilgaiman.com, I just
wondered why you had him transfer it to HarperCollins rather than to
you.  You getting to renew their running of it on an annual basis is a
Very Good Thing, imho.  I can't imagine they would dare burn any
bridges with you by being dishonourable about it, but I've seen too
many absurdly drawn-out legal battles over domain names between
individuals and large corporations -- ICANN generally finds for the
corporations, no matter how absurd their case -- to not be a little
nervous when I saw that HC has ownership of your domain.
     I've been picking up EW at the grocery store and flipping through
it every time I've seen a new one for the past month or so, each time
hoping that it will be the one with you in it. ^^
     Oh, and I enjoyed your guide to bookstores for singings,
particularly the bit about the fan with the gun (of course)!
  

    
Mary-- you see all the cool shows.  Where are they staging this
version of Sweeny-- is it part of the Sondheim Season in DC?

Neil-- the first chapter is amazing and has me slavering.  As I'll be
teaching American lit next term, I had been hoping to order a class set
for my advanced kids...but the lovely worship scene at the end of the
chapter pretty much argues strongly against that in my district ( as
does, to a lesser degree, a certain comment about the sexual
predispositions of Greek girls.)  At any rate, it's a wonderful opening
and I wait at the edge of my seat for the advent of late June and the
coming of The Book.
  

    
So I went to a David Sedaris signing in B&N Union Square last night,
and the place was *so packed* they closed the floor; I can only imagine
what it will be like when you show up, Neil.  And on the cooler,
ain't-it-a-small world side of things, my friends and I were talking
randomly, and you came up, and I found out that my friend's friend is
already signed on for the MF show next Sunday. <grin>

Erynn- I only recently picked up the going-back-to-it later method. 
I've always been one to try to nail it sentence by sentence.  Which
gets slow, and isn't "just write the damned thing in first draft and
don't worry about getting it right just yet," but which has worked for
me.  At the same time, though, I only redid some typos, and punched up
two or three scenes, when I went back to revise my second.  I'll
definitely let you, and everyone else here, for that matter, know when
it's published; hell, you'll be updated when I get *signed* <grin>.

Dianna- *So* trying to get to the Barrier Reef.  It's ashame the
growing of my bank account isn't matching the depletion of the global
ecology.  There's another Reef somewhere in the Carribean that I read
they're also very worried about, as well.  God help us if it becomes
just some lifeless algae (is that what happens when reef dies? I'm not
sure, but you know, I could really deal without finding out...)

Neil- I wasn't worried about what he said.  I just wanted to make sure
you'd sign my UK Stardust, and Smoke&Mirrors, time permitting, and a
poster I'm trying to find.  But you know, I'll be happy just hearing
you, and having you deface American Gods.

Len- slavering is just *so* unattractive; that's why I'm waiting until
I have it bound and signed in my eager hands ;)  BTW; are you going to
the MF show, or just the signing at WTC?

Danguy- forever pregnant doesn't sound like something anyone would
want; positive vibes your way.

Mary- Not sure about London, but actually might ultimately want to
settle in Scotland or Wales.  Many years before settling, though, so...

-Will, who can't wait for June 19th, and who's wondering about those
things he heard about Alanis' new album coming out shortly...
  

    
Okay, the first chapter has me hooked.

Even if I run out of time to pack anything else I need for my
vacation, I *will* be going to Wordsworth in Harvard Square on 
the 19th to pick up my copy.

(I have this theory about independent local bookstores, by the way...
Anytime I buy anything at a place that might be bad for my favorite
little bookstores, like ordering something from Amazon or picking
up a book at a big chain store in an airport, I have to pay a
penance by going to one of my favorite little bookstores as
soon as possible and  spending at least as much money as I spent at 
the big chain store.)

Hmm... I wonder whether it's rude to read aloud (quietly) on an
airplane.  I mean, what if the person in the row behind you has
been dying to read the same book but hasn't started it yet, and here
you are spoiling chapter 3 for them? 

Linda, I don't even want to wonder what the "private" mail people
have asked you to forward to other people who've been posting
here might have contained...that seems utterly silly to me.
Did you at least get to read some juicy gossip? 
But thanks for forwarding messages to the topic to that other people
can join the conversation!
  

    
Danguy - Well, long story short... they were the ones that directly
contacted me, and I thought it easier for Neil's
agents/lawyers/whomever to deal with Harper, rather than have Neil and
I try to co-ord faxing, notarization, etc. during his busy schedule. It
was originally going to be transferred to Neil himself, but there was
a weird little snag last year about it, etc. The whole 'ownership'
thing was more of a 'renting' than anything else... since... well...
ok.

History: A Real Big Fan emailed me one day, and said: "Like,
neilgaiman.com is available. Do you think Neil would mind if I bought
it and opened up this really expansive site about him? Do you think he
would pay me to work for him, or to buy the site?" etc. etc.

neilgaiman.com was immediately registered. Neil was told.

A few months later, in Florida, Neil was at a convention. We were
sitting with Chris Oarr of the CBLDF, and the subjects of websites came
up. Neil calmly says (without looking at me): "I understand you now
own neilgaiman.com."

"Sure do," I said. "I grabbed it 'cause of that Really Big Fan I told
you about."

Neil slowly turned toward me, and stated... quite Godfather-ish (for
an Englishman) "One day, Trevor... I shall come to you and ask for that
website."

"Uhh, yes Neil. Not a problem. I'll just hand it over. It's fine.
Yeah."

-- 'Walker
  

    
Well dang, I leave town for a few weeks and come back to 626 posts. 
Y'all are prolific!  Spent the last week recording an album in
Connecticut in this rockin' three story Victorian manse.  It was
dreamy.  Unfortunately, I was only doing backup vocals for another
band.  All of my own recording is done in my closet.  *sigh* Some day. 
Soon.

*salivating* George Hearn as Sweeeeeney *arhugheugheugharh*

Spent a few days in NY revisiting my old haunts and I was struck by,
even though I've only been gone about 6 months, I still felt like I
lived there.  Everything was in its place, and it moved in its same
certain way that I expect it has moved for a long long time.  The
streets welcomed me and I knew for certain that I will always be a New
Yorker in my way, no matter where I roam.  

I think I also realized what it is about Los Angeles that is draining
me.  The energy generally feels like no one is living in the moment. 
Everyone (massive generalization) seems to be looking up for the Prize.
 Where is the joy in the here and now?  Is there any to be had?  

Had a very mixed experience seeing Tick Tick Boom, the Jonathan Larson
play that I have worked on for the last 4 years.  Not only was I not
credited or even thanked, I really wish I had run off with it and
directed it myself.  There is so much about it that is filled with
heartbreak, both transformative and damaging, that I hardly knew what
to think.  If anyone is planning on going to see the show, I would
really like to discuss it after you've seen it.  

Moulin Rouge.  I think I want to shake Baz Luhrmann's hand. I've been
dreaming of a musical comprised of popular songs for many years, and he
had the guts and brilliance to do it. Yippeeee...

-Adriana, ruminating perhaps a little too hard
  

    
Okay. My mother-in-law, sister-in-law and nephew are coming up from
Indiana tonight for the weekend. When did I ind this out? 11:00Pm last
night. They say they want to sleep here too. All we have is a garden
swing. They say they don't mind. They also don't mind that we're not
completly unpacked yet. Right now I have pictures flashing in my head
of Mother-In-law rummeging through all of our stuff and "helping" us
decorate. The kitchen walls will be covered in cows and chickens by the
end of this weekend. I just know it. I will love seeing them and it'll
be fun, when I figure out just where the hell I'm gonna put them at
night....

Will- In my experience, proofreading at the end (or at least the end
of a chapter for a book, I guess.) is always better, because sentence
by sentence is gruelling and you need to look at the whole picture, see
the whole story and try and read it from the "average reader" 
perspective, which is very hard to do sentence to sentence. I don't
know anything about writing books, though. I'm still trying to master
short stories (well, some of them think they're novellas). So I don't
know that my two cents is worth anything.

Adriana- Hello! Long time no see!

Erynn, who needs to hide a mountain of things under her bed by 7:00pm
  

    
Erynn - I can relate! I found out on Wednesday that my in-laws are
coming up the boston this weekend and expect to be entertained
(thankfully, not housed though). Which means I have to spend the next
12 hours cleaning house and hiding all evidence of the birthday
surprise party I'm planning for mom-in-law. Under the bed is not a bad
idea at all...

Neil - Fantastic first chapter. Just incredible. I'll let you know how
you did with the rest of the book when it gets here. ;)

Tara
  

    
Just two real quick questions...

Out of curiosity, anyone read the Illuminatus! Trilogy, by Robert
Anton Wilson?  I bought it the other day for $6, and am wondering
whether I should read it, because I didn't like the first couple pages
all that much (I just finished The Street Lawyer, by Grisham, and
*really* need a good book, because the last few [after Outside the Dog
Museum] haven't been).

Erynn- I think your advice is worth more than two cents; matter of
fact, I was going to ask you'd read something, and tell me what you
thought...

-Will, who won't have Internet access *ALL WEEKEND*, and is kinda
psyched.
  

    

Personally, I love Illuminatus! It's very, very deeply weird and will make
very little sense. It's still a lot of fun.
  

    
Read 'em ages ago, when I was living on campus at DePaul a few blocks away
from the Biograph Theater.
  

    
Erynn - ack! parents-in-law! Cows and chickens wallpaper! Run while
you can, Erynn... if you can't run, then lock the doors and turn the
lights out. It works for lots of people.
Well, it works on Halloween.
You might get your house egged, though. But you have to weigh your
options.

Martha - btw, finished all the the last two stories (got sidetracked
by the new play... spending most of my time looking at lines). GREAT
stuff. I'm particularly fond of Good Girl/Bad Dog just for its sheer
nasty-naturedness.
  

    
Walker -- Yah, I knew the story already.  I was a long-time a.f.n-g
lurker.  This has to be my favourite telling of it, though.  ^_^

Will -- Definitely read it.  It's great.  I've read it way too many
times, and by the fifth I think I finally understood nearly everything.
 It gets a bit more engaging and coherent after you get a little ways
in, and I use that latter adjective lightly. ^^
  

    
Speaking of the Seattle signings... I've never been to either place.
Can anyone advise which would be better to go to, and stuff like that?

Much thanks,
-K
  

    
E-mail from Kathy Li:

Neil-- reading the first chapter online made me wildly nostalgic about a
certain bugbite-infested boatride to Mexico (CBLDF Making Waves cruise
for the uninitiated :-) where you so kindly read aloud excerpts from the
work (then) in progress. Out of idle curiousity, did the Chinese Emperor
passage find that it belonged in the book, after all?

--Kathy
                        
  

    
Dan Guy - I vaguely remember Blue Bunny. I also recall seeing a camp
with bunny dolls impaled on posts. Danger Bunny was lost ages ago, or I
imagine he would have arrived with The Satellite. Devil Bunny,
howsomever, is more of a way for my friend to stay warm in freezing
night and still be in costume. Besides, she said she'd be willing to
pose with the real DB for the web page if I made her the costume. :)

Neil - The new Stardust cover is utterly beauteous!

squeaks, who is having a difficult time finding neon pink fur.
  

    
Try Britex in San Francisco. I can tell you that Stonemountain and Daughter
in Berkeley doesn't have any pink fur right now, though we did just get in a
really nice and amazingly soft dark forest green fur.
  

    
DanGuy -- glad you enjoyed it...

Len -- it's not really a book for kids, although I hope the smart ones
get their own copies.

Will, we'll play it by ear...

Abbe -- I'm delighted that so many people are enjoying Chapter One.

Walker speaks truly

Adriana -- sorry to hear about Tick Tick Boom...

Tara -- you're on

Will, I read the Illuminatus trilogy when I was about 14 -- have fond
memories of much of it. As a whole I remember it as being problematic,
with an ending that had real problems, but there were some wonderful
bits all the way through. And a fine worldview.

Kelly -- my advice to anyone in doubt in Seattle would be: go to
University Bookstore, not to Third Place. Third Place has a 4.00pm
signing, which is optimistically meant to end at 6.00pm  -- University
signing starts at 7.00pm and goes on until everyone's done.

I try to make sure everyone at a signing gets stuff signed. I also try
and turn up places on time. 

If we still have people in line at Third Place at 7.00pm, I suppose
I'll just have to suggest they go to University Bookstore. Or I may
have to do a very perfunctory signing to get out in time. We'll see.

Kathy -- no. I put it at the beginning of the book and in the middle,
and in each case it was a distraction. I put it at the end, and it was
like "well, yes, we know that".

Maybe it'll turn up in B sides and rarities.

Michelle -- it really is.
  

    
http://cbldf.safeshopper.com/6/63.htm?461

It's out! They say pre-order on the site, but the video should be out
any minute now.

The only puzzling thing is why they have a signature on the cover...
if it's not mine. (Well, it's more legible than mine.)
  

    
The Sweeney Todd is on tour--I'm not sure where it's stopping. 
There's a dress rehearsal & 1 perf in Chicago--outdoors at Ravinia. 
It's a recap of the fundraiser concert version they did in NYC last
spring with the symphony.  Neil Patrick Harris is in it, too. 

Martha--what a great neighborhood you used to live in!

Will--settling down is for what I like to think of as the family
plot--Roan Inish, off the coast of Donegal.  ;-)

Neil--we were just curious about Eagle Point-obviously your town is
fictional.  Sabre (travel agent airline booking system) pulls up
something by that name about 35 miles out of......South Bend?  I'll
have to ask Debbie, my buddy who looked it up (we were bored). 

What on earth are we going to do when this topic fills up?  I am
completely hooked.  

Oooooooo, video <best Homer Simpson impression>

Mary (reading Writers of the Future, Vol. IX)
  

    

Mary - when this topic fills up we will start another one, of course!  
  

    
The instant I saw the link for the video, I found myself ordering it
faster than a speeding bullet.

I've finally received all the books I ordered!  Brewer's Dictionary of
Phrase and Fable (1st Ed Reprint and 16th Ed), Days Between Stations,
and What I Thought I Saw.

Neil - I have a question about What I Thought I Saw (thanks for
mentioning it...I think it's great).  When I received it, I was
delighted to see a postcard sized insert with a photo of you and Maddy,
complete with two autographs.  Was this addition in all copies of the
book, or just a select few?

-Joe