Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Dan Shhhhhhhhhh,.........I haven't made it to the comic shop in two
weeks and I'm dying to read the end. :sigh:

Mousie and Dodge, Auqaman has blonde hair again :)

Mousie, Try Collaspe at yahoo games :massive evil grin: It's fun.
  

    
E-mail from Christy Smith:

Gee, this got long, but then again I haven't posted since Monday!  And
besides, this topic is slow this time of night.  So here goes:
 
Synchronicity?  I just saw Petit Ecoliers for the first time at my dad's a
couple of weeks ago (the same weekend I was up there to see Neil, in
fact), and now you guys are all talking about them!  And these were the
dark chocolate kind -- the only way to go.  <blissful g>
 
> Little schoolboys are yummy.
>
> Particularly on the grill.  ;-)

Mary, you've been living near the Shambles too long!  ;)
 
Thanks for the encouragement about the photos, but I'm sorry to say it's
all been for naught.  I have the tracking number and have checked it with
the Post Office.  They show the envelope as having been delivered to my
local branch, but it isn't there, meaning that they most likely left it
outside my apartment door that day or the next.  Well, it never turned up.  
Unless it's stuck somewhere in a dark corner of the mail truck, I'm afraid
some jerk stole it for a lark.  Which is rare in my complex, but all it
takes is once, I guess.  I've put up a sign appealing to some stranger's
sense of decency, just in case.
 
I have one avenue left -- call Mystic up and BEG them to admit that they
are still in possession of my original film and/or the digital images made
from them (I mean, they used to offer FREE Internet delivery service
before they started charging three bucks a pop for the same thing), and
grovel until they let me buy half a ton of pricey reprints.  If that ends
up being another dead end, then it's film development at my local Safeway
from now on, and I'll tell them so.  (Mystic, that is, not Safeway.)  
Damm, I'm frustrated.
 
OK, in actuality I'll be fine, but Neil wasn't the only special thing on
there.  We're talking three rolls that included a reunion with some of my
best but long-absent friends, family pics, etc.  This has only happened to
me once before, but THAT time also was of a very, VERY long-awaited
reunion and an occasion of meeting one of my most beloved famous guys!  
Sheesh, why not some replaceable pics of people I see every day, or
something?  :-P ~~~~~::  End rant.
 
Thanks anyway for taking the pics, Rocky.  I told Neil that he was right,
you are Very Nice People.  ;)
 
Oh, and thanks for the William Safire update.  I miss him down here in
D.C.!
 
Gahan Wilson sounds very amusing!  I have the impression that Neil doesn't
laugh out loud for just anybody.  :)
 
> Except that I wish I could go there and explore and climb around.
 
OK, DanGuy, but if you see a door that opens onto a brick wall and then it
doesn't -- do NOT go through it.
 
And no, please don't move to San Diego!  Stay here in D.C.!  :-D
 
Wow, Erynn, very cool on the complimentary rejection letter!
 
Kristina -- I showed the Twain quote to my mom, and as predicted, she
loved it!  She had me print it out for her refrigerator.  Yep, Twain,
Lincoln, and Will Rogers were quite the American quote gods!
 
Bummer for whoever lost that flute.  But good for you!
 
Meg, keep us posted on the job hunt!
 
Rick -- Congrats to your girlfriend!  And good luck with the car.
 
Tara and Tracey -- Mr. Mister and Monkees are awesome!!!  :D
 
Rocky -- I've always said that being a geek is a pain when you're a kid,
but no end of fun when you're an adult!  :)
 
(takes up recurring chant she teases her mom with) nerds are gonna rule
the world!  Nerds are Gonna Rule the World!!  NERDS ARE GONNA RULE THE
WORLD!!!!!
 
Glen a.k.a. Just this Guy -- Great pseud!
 
Adriana -- My brother's going to ComiCon for work(!), and he also plans to
be selling some original art from the _Transformers_ comics.  Not that
this helps you.  %^)
 
OK, folks, general question:  I just bought _Midnight Days_.  Do I need to
have read any of the series these stories came from (Swamp Thing, John
Constantine, Sandman...) to appreciate/understand the stories?  Will
reading this book give me any spoilers I'm better off not reading first?  
Or should I just dive in whenever I get around to it?
 
Thanks -- Later!
Christy
 
Langly is my hero.  8^)
  

    
Tara, you're an Allingham reader? Then prepare to giggle: there is a certain
contingent of editorial and writerly types who assert that John M. Ford is
actually Campion.

Me, I'm not gonna vote on it one way or the other, but it is pretty funny...
and does explain a few things, come to think of it.

Memo to self: go find a copy of _Midnight Days_. Along with seventy-leven
other things that Must Be Had and are undoubtedly lying in wait at
Dreamhaven.

Having listened to Neil's audio of _Coraline_ yet again, I am particularly
tickled by the speech of the dog in the little theatre. Marvelous
characterization. And besides that, it gives me Edinburgh flashbacks and
giggles.

Oh! Almost forgot to say -- I got a little package in the mail, and can
testify that Miss JaNell GoldenNokomis makes purty glass stuff. Am
contemplating, and thinking about what to incorporate this into.
  

    
Oh, and Neil has this thing about Google Sets on his blogger, which resulted
in the following:

If a person types in "marbles" and "gaiman", a person gets back what seems
like an ingredients list for either a very silly afternoon or a
DIY/bricolage artist gone bad and now given to practical jokes. The list
contains:

Joint Compound
rocks
paperweights
vinegar

and, of course

Glitter

along with

Small marshmallows
pencils
Corn
tape
water

My favorite section, though, is this last bit:


Rubber bands
Feathered Friends
tempera paint
  

    
Email from Christy:

On the "Somebody Post Something Dangit" front, here's something I've been
wondering since this Texas case first was mentioned.  Was the officer
posing as an underage person?  Was he/she trying to get the clerk on not
checking ID?  I've never been too clear on that.

Yay, somebody did post something!  Elise -- What, no doggies or Tuesdays??

Wondering How Many More Times She'll Be Slipped, 
Christy
  

    
Christy- I was wondering the same thing in fact. That's the only way I
can see them having a legitimate and constitutional case. I read the
article and it just made me burn. I am so tired of people constantly
blaming and suing everybody else for the demons and things that they
are merely afraid of confronting within themselves. Mass projection in
a codependant nation. For christ's sakes raise your own  %*$&*!! kids!
(am reminded of the South Park movie)
So it's across from an elementary school. So how many deli/groceries
are in the area too? Don't they sell dirty magazines and cigarettes and
alcohol. And don't they have warning labels and age restrictions. And
don't kids go in there unwittingly to buy candy and soda? So sue the
guy who sells the hustler to the 40 year old and the snickers to the 10
year old while you're at it. He's just as guilty after all. 
Ooohhhhhhh. My mind just doesn't comprehend things like this
sometimes. 

On to a happier note- I finished "Dragon Waiting". Wow John. It's
always wonderfull to read a book by someone with so much more than just
fantasy to offer. It transported me completely to a different place
full of such color and texture and history. Really a wonderful story. I
liked it so much, as a matter of fact, that I immediately had to go
right on to "Last Hot Time" (sorry Rocky- I was too intrigued. Besides-
the cover has a picture of an elf in a leather jacket...that is just
too sexy to resist! I'll be starting Kushiel's Dart tomorrow though.
^_^) Which I loved too. I didn't want it to end-I wanted to keep on
exploring this incredible parallel universe. I look forward to reading
more by Mr. Ford. ^_^

Also poked around the CBLDF for the first time a little bit tonight.
I'll probably be getting some things monday when I get my happy little
paycheck. (well hopefull not so little) And will definately be sending
the info on to all of my friends who I think may be interested.

For now though- I try to sleep as much as I can before getting up at
4:30am. Tomorrow's opening day. And yes I am a little nervous. I just
hope I don't have a severe allergic reaction to my sheep...ah, well.
I'll make it a character choice. ^_^ Wish me luck all! And have a
magickal weekend!

Love Kristina, who says "do not lead me into temptation, for I can
find the way myself". Yup- it's right over there at the local comic
book store!

Orange Faerie's Quote O' the Day: (this seems appropriate for the
events of late)
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still
I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not
refuse to do the something that I can do."
- Helen Keller

Good Night
  

    
re: DK2 - 'ey, some of us didn't get to read it before dropping it off
at Daddio's last night. ;) Hopefully I'll get all three back next
visit... unless someone forgot it was merely a 'loan', in which case I
guess I'll just have to spend an hour reading them every now and again.

Christy - Nerds will indeed rule the earth... until the ants take
over. 

lioness - for some reason JaNell's glass and the glitter and feathered
friends reminded me of stripey tights... do you still need some?

squeaks, off to do her hair (purple dye, with black, purple, lavender,
blue and white extendy bits here and there - what, I got sick of
having 'normal' hair!)
  

    
Re CBLDF query -- Nope. Adult cop buying adult material from adult
section of comic store, in the town with the largest number of
strip-bars and porno stores in the USA, busting the comic shop for
selling an obscene comic to an adult.

(Sell an over 18 comic to a minor and the CBLDF is unlikely to help
you. Although we rescued the guy in Virginia who was arrested and
imprisoned overnight for selling an Elfquest to a kid who turned out to
be his son, for a quarter.)

in haste

n
  

    
Elfquest!
  

    
E-mail from Christy Smith:

Thanks a bunch, Jon!  Here's another one....
 
Kristina -- Glad I wasn't the only one who thought of that.  I also wonder
whether some kind of zoning law is being applied there.  I don't know
anything about that stuff; I just know that typically, all the X-rated
video stores and stuff tend to be clustered in certain parts of a given
town, and it ain't near suburban elemetary schools.  And I'm using "stuff"
too much and stuff.
 
On kneejerk litigation vs. personal responsibility -- Ayyyymen.  Fast Food
Case in point.  "Mass projection in a codependent nation" -- Hey, that's
pretty good!  Your comments remind me, once again, of that great Eagles
song.  ;)
 
An elf in a leather jacket -- Too funny (and a great pseud candidate).  
:)  If he has sunglasses and crazy hair, I may be just a little creeped
out.  ;)
 
And have a GREAT time at the Faire!!  Report back when you can!  :)
 
Oh Dan, I forgot to mention that your "Twisted and Wrong" pseud made me
get Abney Park's song "Twisted and Broken" on my mind.  I think I should
thank you.  ;)
 
(Note to all:  Abney Park is my absolute favorite find to date on MP3.com.  
Are any of you West Coast Goths familiar with them?)
 
I may get the _Live at the Aladdin_ video from the CBLDF site at some
point, but I'd kinda like to hear whether they're doing a DVD with extras
first.  _Not_ that I actually have a DVD player.  But I expect to
eventually.
 
Michelle -- "Nerds will indeed rule the earth... until the ants take
over."  LOL!!  Oh, I SO want to quote you on that!
 
Have a good weekend, everyone.
 
Christy, Who has no trouble singing "Get Over It" until it's directed at
herself!  And who might be able to pass for an ant.
 
Twisted and broken, some of the parts are missing.... -- Abney Park
  

    
E-mail from Christy Smith:

I swear I've read that Cindy Lynn Speer review before.  But where?
  

    
E-mail from Christy Smith:

Neil,
 
Thanks for the clarification.  Don't stay up too late....
 
Christy (at 3 a.m. EDT), who's gonna post in real time *one* of these days
  

    
Well Neil- wishing you and the CBLDF all the best. We're all cheering
you on here. (*waves banner and cheers with the CBLDF logo painted on
her face)Aaaaaaaand- lots of happy thoughts for that Hugo award. I
think you've got a fighting good chance and I'm sure I am not the only
one here. 

The geeks will inhereit the earth. Because they will control all the
software.

Elfquest- ah, yes. yet another cessspool of temptation. Hey- anyone
else here got a fetish for pointy ears? *giggle

Squeaks! Good luck with the hair!

Wow! Linda slipped big! Who knew anyone would be awake...thanks for
the well-wishing. I will indeed report. I will either be comatose or
bursting with energy-as is the case with improving for 9 hours straight
in a cockney accent. As long as my thees, thous, thys, and thines are
in place, I'll be happy. 
And no sunglasses. Just pale elf-goodness.

Oramge Fae's Quote o' the Day:
"If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't
get that you don't want." 
Oscar Wilde   

Kristina-who is rushing out the door to catch the bus

cheers!
  

    
Mom has pointy ears, and pointy eyebrows. For the four years in which
I worked at the same elementary school as she does, I told kids she was
part elf, and to ask her which elf-clan she belongs to. They did. I
love kids.
  

    
Christy -- the elf has neither shades or odd hair (long, but not
styled); they're Twenties urban characters.  The other two people on
the cover are a redheaded guy in a trenchcoat and a brunette in a red
dress (all standing in front of the Biograph Theatre in Chicago) and
they're entirely adequate representations of the people in the book. 
Something one doesn't always get on book covers.
  

    

Cindy Lynn Speer writes:

Hi!  Long time no hear, eh?  :-)  Please post this to the list with my
deepest gratitude!!!

Christy....the Coraline review was also posted to
www.gottawritenetwork.com  So was my Walking Tour of the Shambles
review, which Neil was kind enough to point to, as well.  (Thank you,
Neil!!!)  I also review for the SfSite, and I asked the gentleman there
if he had anyone reviewing these two, and if he wanted a copy...  I
know it's often a royal pain to have a review posted to more than one
place, (sorry!) but sometimes it's nice to double the promotional value
of the review, so to speak.  Thank you very much for the recognition,
though.

 :-)  For some infinitely silly reason it made me happy.

Take care all!

Cindy Lynn Speer...who is also Ninave, and who *really* misses posting on The
Well.
  

    
Dang! Tour of the Shambles -- I keep forgetting to go check out
preserveusfromthehouseofclocks.com, or whatever it is. Must do. Must.

Good Mistress Mousey Accost - One can never have too many stripey tights.
Say on; you interest me strangely. (Mike, dear heart, where the heck is that
phrase from, anyhow?  "You interest me strangely," I mean. It's got in the
vocabulary but won't give its provenance when asked.)

Neil, that latest CBLDF thing sounds so very much exactly like the one for
which there was a Cats Laughing / Boiled In Lead benefit lo these many years
ago: the Friendly Frank's case. That was the beginning, right?

They keep doing the same darn things over and over again.

Guess I better go check out possible donation-thingies. (Although with Juan
unemployed suddenly as of yesterday morning, it'll be smaller than I'd like
to give. Still, everything counts.)
  

    
Christy - Abney Park's "Twisted and Wrong"? That's not on Cemetary #1!
They have another CD out? mmmm... must get.....
  

    
E-mail from Christy Smith:

> Hey- anyone else here got a fetish for pointy ears?
 
Why, no.  Not at all.
 
-Mr. Spock
  

    
E-mail from Christy Smith:

And again, I'm not Linda.  But I'm surprised anyone can type at all at
5:30 in the morning before a mad dash to the bus stop -- even if they're
not typing in medieval English!
  

    <scribbled by dfowlkes Tue 3 Jul 12 10:14>
  

    
Christy - "I SO want to quote you on that!" Um, you just did. :) And
haven't heard anything about Abney Park... yet.

Kristina - The hair is now... um, in no particular order: Purple,
black, green, blue, lavender, and white, with plastic bits that are
purple, and glow-in-the-dark. It's also hurting a lot at the moment, as
the bottom half was done by friends whom I had to teach how to do the
extensions - and they missed a few pieces that got tugged on by other
pieces and rubber bands and crimping beads, and I can't wait until my
scalp adjusts. But damnit, it looks cool!

Maure - If you can't mess with your mom, who can you mess with?

Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, another reminder for the creative
type peoples here that I'm still in need of art/poetry/very short story
things to put in my Burning Man Camp. It would be really cool if
someone could put together something nifty to plug the CBLDF, but I'm
already trying to put together two other pieces of interesting things
that I'm not entirely certain will work.

Any way... I have cool hair. I'm happy.

squeaks, who is supposed to be getting ready for the Thunderdome
benefit right now, not dawdling with posts and silly hair ties.
  

    
Squeaks - You can borrow my Abney Park CD. I'll put it next to your
Princess Mononoke cards for next time I see you. Good excuse, since I
wanna see the hair anyway.

Also, I have some photoshop art based on Good Omens I did a few years
back... would you want a printout of that?
  

    
Email from Christy:

"The significance of the teapot is not known."  I would SO use that as a
pseud if I could.  (Been poking around on
www.preserveusfromthehouseofclocks.com.)

MikeJohn -- Thanks.

Cindy -- Ahh, I think I remember you posting as ninave a couple of times
in the Well archives.  Thanks for popping in -- what a nice surprise to
get the info straight from the review writer!  Hope you can come out of
lurkdom again soon!

Elise -- Sorry to hear about Juan's job.

Dan -- Yep, it's a newer one; just noticed it earlier this year.  I think
it's on an EP (_From Dreams or Angels_), and there are some other great
new songs on there, too.  And it's "Twisted and Broken," actually.  But
wow -- I am so boggled to find my enthusiasm shared that I momentarily
forgot to look cool!  8)

Here on Our Side of the Wall, Christy
  

    
Christy -- the idea of doing a DVD with extras of Live at the Aladdin
is a wonderful one. But nothing's happening to make it happen yet --
none of the people who made the video are still there, for a start, and
I have no idea what kind of deal was done between the CBLDF and the
publisher. I'd get the video if you're in any doubt -- they're starting
to run low.

maure -- That's funny. you don't look elfish.

Cindy -- & we miss you too. (She did some really triffic essays at
neilgaiman.com for the formerly barren comics section.)

...

For anyone who hasn't noticed, we'll be doing a CORALINE conference
here starting next week. But we'll keep the swapmeet going, so as not
to confuse people. Or so as to confuse people. (Linda, which was it
again?)