Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Been meaning to mention--Debbie was watching E! on Sunday, and they
ran a crawler of the day's birthdays.  Guess who showed up?

Oh, and Neil, the other thing I've been meaning to tell you is that
the Chicago Reader write-up on Children's Humanities Festival
identified you as "poet and novelist Neil Gaiman" for your reading.  

Me?  Hinting?  Certainly not!  ;-)
  

    
Neil: Belated happies, and best wishes for the film and for resolving
the split personal agenda.  As a Gemini, I'm pretty much always running
in two opposite directions, so I feel your "pain."  And... Northwest
Scotland!  *wistful sigh*  That's where Kevin and I went, when we went
to Scotland in 2000.  It's absolutely stunning.  The lochs, the moors,
the mountains and especially Skye were mindbogglingly beautiful.  It's
grand, moody country for Shadow.

Dan: My continued warm thoughts to you, as well.  I know the hard of
it doesn't go away with all the crowds and cards, so please know that
I--and I'm sure anyone here--would genuinely like to know how you're
doing whenever you need to talk about it, and please let us know if you
need more beams or virtual hugs.

Maure: Isn't Gene Wolfe fabulous?  Was Rosemary with him, too?  I'm so
proud of you for taking initiative to speak to him!  ('cause I know
how hard that can be for both of us)  I loved the "Gods as Monsters"
panel at WFC.  Neil sat next to Gene, at the end of the table, and
introduced himself as "Hi, I'm Neil Gaiman and I'll be sharing this mic
with Gene Wolfe, whenever he lets me."  And then Gene's very first
words on the panel were: "I think only god *can* be a monster."  And I
thought, "Oh, yeah... I'm in the right room," and settled down into my
chair to soak it up.

Apparently, Charles Vess and Charles de Lint are called "Light
Charles" and "Dark Charles," respectively.  And when they stand
together, or create gorgeous stories together, I like to call them
Charles Squared, but I'm a dork that way.

Squeaks: You did *not* just bring up monkeys (sea ones or otherwise)
anywhere where Walker can see it!  And if I ever have to meet Harlan,
can I borrow James?  I'm glad that the Neon Blueberry Dress of Doom
isn't living up to its expectations.  I know if *anyone* could make
that dress work, it's you!

Rocky: Walker most certainly *did* wear those ears.  And we were all
actually quite jealous of him after walking several blocks outside in
17-degree temperatures, because of the whole white puffy earmuffs
effect.  And watching the bunny and caterpillar bouncy headbanging
effect was absolutely hysterical!

And *then* there was the moment when Walker scared the hell out of a
large walking carrot, at 1st Avenue that night.

-Pam
wishing for another day off
  

    
Um, not that they're actually unhelpful - they're actually allowing me
to breathe without the pesky wheezing effect. They are also making me
VERY jittery and unable to do much of anything useful except maybe
sitting and twitching (though I really don't see how useful that is).
Had to go in for some testing to analyze my asthma. As a result, I
wasn't allowed to use my inhaler early this morning when I really could
have used it to go back to sleep. Now I have a few hours to get that
sleep and I'm too damn wired to do anything. I never minded tests in
school this much. Any way, enough of my bitching and whining.

Walker - I have no idea why you started clucking like a chicken at the
brunch table. All I know is that within 5 minutes I had you and Martha
clucking at me in stereo... which somehow strikes me as both wrong and
extremely funny at the same time. Then you had to explain the point of
the clucking and it morphed into a conversation of 'the dark chicken'
and you suddenly had your costume idea for next Halloween.

Pam - Pretty much any mention of James is a mention of a monkey. James
is a monkey. Walker and James together = dangerous monkey combination.
Particularly when at the lemur exhibit at the zoo together. 

squeaks, somebody go snag me a barrel!
  

    
Michelle: Weren't they clucking an actual *song*?  It seems to me that
it had a sort of tune.  Martha?  Care to elaborate?

And, I forgot earlier, because I'm sleepy today, for the very reason I
meant to remember...

Mike Ford?  Still around?

I ordered THE DRAGON WAITING from Amazon.uk, so I'd have it in time
for you to sign at WFC (along with other Fantasy Masterworks Gene
Wolfe's PEACE and J. Carroll's VOICE OF OUR SHADOW, because, well,
that's how it goes whenever I visit Amazon, and it somehow justified
the trans-Atlantic shipping costs to me).  Thank you for signing it for
me.  I finally got time to read it yesterday on my day off.  And I
read the whole thing.  'Cause I couldn't stop.  And, god.  That is one
hell of a book.  Absolutely stunning.  I am so glad that it was
reissued, with the accordant honor it deserves.  Congratulations, and
thank you for a fabulous read.

-Pam
with late-night reading hangover
  

    
You are all extremely cute in your costumes.

Extreme Nerd Alert:  Lord of the Rings Extended Edition box set, 4
DVDs, came out today.  Don't come a callin' at MY house for a LEAST
five days. I suuure wish temps had paid vacation, cause my couch is
seeming mighty comfortable about now.  

Neil: not sure where you are or if you saw my last question, but I'm
curious about "Nicholas Was" Christmas cards, which I thought you said
something about.  Where?  When?  How?  Was I making this up? Going to
keep asking till you see this.  
  

    
Email from Christy:

Rocky -- I knew your birthday was around here somewhere!  Happy happy!  :D

Squeaks -- I didn't even register seeing your name in the journal entry the 
first time I read it, since I'm so used to the hyphenated one.  Kew-ll!  You 
are just so talented, girl!  I hope it gets auctioned online with a picture 
so I can see it.  What a cool idea.

BTW, you kept cracking me up with those sporadic "of doom"s.  LOL!

Incidentally, I just found out today that Neil not only shares his birthday 
with a bunch of newborn brine shrimp, but also with _Sesame Street_!  Yaaay!  
:oD  (Kinda gives a fitting twist to that song:  "One of these things is not 
like the others....")

Continued hugs to Dan and his family.

Pam -- That is a funny site.  Have you seen some of the other "kittens 
singing" ones on there?  I haven't been through all of them yet, but I've had 
it bookmarked for a while.

Neil -- I hope your birthday was wonderful and fun, and I hope you have a 
*great* trip to the UK.  It all sounds so exciting!  Have a ball, learn a 
lot, and come back safely with lots of cool stuff to tell us.  :)

> ...to write the story that just took over my head.

Ah, sweeter words are rarely seen.  :)  I'm pretty excited about the 
possibility of a Shadow story in Scotland.  I hope you get a chance to pursue 
it while you're in the neighborhood.

(And this man says he's not prolific.  It must be because, well, he's *used* 
to himself.  The rest of us average joes can see how extraordinary he really 
is.  <g>)

And those GORGEOUS pictures from _Endless Nights_ are making me really 
excited to see the whole thing.  I think I'll start reading _Sandman_ soon.

All -- I can corroborate what Madman et. al. say about Connecticut.  I spent 
most of my first 18 years there myself.  It's not an easy place to be a 
teenager, as the following conversation, overheard by my father in a 
Friendly's restaurant on a Friday night, illustrates:

     Teen 1:  What do you guys want to do tonight, after this?
     Teen 2:  I don't know, why don't we go over to the Friendly's in [next 
town over]?
     (general agreement)

It's almost as exciting as Walgreen's.

Actually, I'm going to be in CT myself the weekend before Thanksgiving.  New 
Haven area.  I don't know what my schedule's going to look like yet, though, 
apart from a Sunday brunch honoring one of my old guidance counselors.

Cool pictures, Bill!  I'll have to go back and read your description of the 
warped Wonderland costumes.

Hmmm... BillBill in deely bobbers...

...

Billy Bobbers?

HA!  I Kill Me!
Christy Smith

("Promise?" -- the rest of the Mob  ;)    )
  

    
Email from Christy:

Neil --

{having started reading new journal entry}

I knew you wrote lyrics, but now you tell me you write MUSIC, too??

(gaping, shaking head, wide-eyed and weak-voiced:)

My gosh, you're brilliant...

...just so brilliant....





{having just read new lyrics}

And you are also very, very weird.

(Smirk.)
Christy
  

    

Walker - Waaaaaah!  ;p


Christy - Thanks.  I'm doing a two week celebration...hope my liver
holds out. *grin*

squeaks - Come on..you know it was going to be pure stress going in. 
You've got to hold out and make her owe you the world for putting up
with all the crap.  And don't forget, if your turn comes..you might end
up being twice as bad.  Purple Dress of Doom..hehe..pictures pretty
please?

Adriana - If you can tear yourself away for a few minutes to post...is
it all that AND the bag of chips?  I held out..but need conformation
that it MUST be had.  Must feed that Ian McKellen jones. 
  

    

As an amusing side note to Christy's Friendly's story, I _do_ have to
confess that I kinda miss Friendly's out here on the west coast.

I'll be back in CT around the Christmas season if anyone's going to be
around. ;>
  

    
just got back from seeing Jonathan Carroll with Mary. He seemed to be
in a much better mood than he was at DreamHaven. He read part of the
new novel he's working on to us. 

Pam,  you'd be so proud of me -- I talked to Mr. Carroll. ha. Rosemary
wasn't there this past weekend (or I didn't see her), no, but Megan
and I had a nice chat with her last April. She's very nice -- she
cheerfully tolerated us talking her ear off. I'm really disappointed to
have missed such wonderful panels. There's not much I like more than
listening to people talk about what they love, and what they're so good
at doing. And I'd have really liked to have met you and Squeaks, and
Martha and Mike, and have them sign the books I own of theirs. Some
other time.

Ooo . . . picked something little up for Tree tonight . . . have to
get her to resend me her address.
  

    
Yay!  Jonathan Carroll rocks!  And <<sing-song voice>> I know what
Tree got!  I know what Tree got!

Debbie got a prezzie, too.  Hee-hee.  We had fun.

<<teeny-tiny little voice>>  I didn't just miss Martha, Nightwalker,
Pam, Squeaks, Dave McKean, Bill, Neil, and Jonathan Carroll, I missed
Mike, too?

I'm going to pout, now.

Mary (still reading P.D. James, and loving her)

P.S.  Neil--hope your flight was on time, and you're not too
jet-lagged.  Break a leg!
  

    
Thank you again, everyone. I'm still running on low energy
(emotionally, and therefore physically), but the service is on Friday
and that will be a bit of a milestone to cross.

Beams and virtual hugs are ALWAYS welcome.

As for the LOTR, I got the shipping notice from Amazon yesterday, so I
expect to have my copy in my hands by tomorrow.
Bay Area Gang? Do we need to have a viewing at my place next week? My
schedule appears to be pretty open right now (likely to change soon, as
I've agreed to play Egeon in Comedy of Errors and although my
rehearsal load is light, the dates are as yet unknown to me).

And now I'm off to a nap.

Dan
  

    

I think a viewing is a delightful idea.
  

    
Dan, whalloping hugs your way.
  

    
More hugs from me, too, you working actor, you.  "Comedy" sounds like
fun.

I got the latest Diana Gabaldon today, so now I have to figure out
what to read next--her, Jonathan Carroll, another P. D. James, one of
Mike's books that I've been saving for a special occasion......spoilt
for choice, I am.  And I haven't even bought PTerry's new one.

P.Craig Russell's lovely adaptation of Murder Mysteries is delightful,
isn't it?  I finally found a copy last night at the Carroll reading. 
That's what Debbie's surprise is.  She's all excited. 

Did I mention how much I loved Road to Mars by Eric Idle?  *Loved* it.
 Funny, smart....go buy it.  I think it's out in paperback now.  

O.K., I'm rambling.  Back to work.....M.
  

    
Comedy of Errors, good gig.
  

    
Madman and Christy, I have a lot of time off in the next few months so
send me an email, the right one is in my profile, nd I'll drop you a
line with some numbers maybe the wonderful world of Connecticut won't
be so dull and conservitive for a few days.
  

    

Dan - You're on a 24/7 good vibe and virtual hug rotation, and I
sincerely hope the days get easier as you go on.  

Mary -  I don't envy you so many excellent choices.  *grin*

Madman/Christy/Jinx - Oooh, I could be persuaded to visit CT too!  ;>
  

    
Jouni says he's been super busy, but he wants everyoneto know he says
hello.
  

    
URGENT:  Adriana, Mimi... Please check your email boxes re: L.A.
Thingie Social Calendar
  

    
Adriana: I'm so jealous of your new DVD set!  *sigh*  We were supposed
to have a DVD by now, but... well, you know that story.  And yay...
for comfy couches.  They can save your life. :-)

Christy: I've only seen those two from the "rathergood" site.  I've
been too busy to surf lately.  And that is a *very* scary story about
Friendly's.  Sounds way too much like my own teenage years in northern
Illinois.

Rocky: Why stop at 2 weeks?  Go for a month!  Hope it continues to be
fun.

Maure: I *am* so proud of you!  That's fabulous.  I'm really happy for
you, especially that he seemed in a better mood than previously.  And
thanks for the message from Jouni... I miss him.

Mary:  I'm afraid you missed Mike, too.  And I missed Elise,
apparently, even though I was there.  But I *did* get to see "Ask Dr.
Mike," at the "talent show" thingie.  Take one Mike Ford, add two parts
white lab coat and white bow tie, mix in strange audience questions
and you get instant hilarity.  Really, really funny.

Dan:  Thoughts to you tomorrow.  And congratulations on your role.  I
saw the single funniest Shakespeare comedy production I've ever seen of
that play, at the Royal Shakespeare Company, when we were there in
2000.  It's a fun one.
  

    


Christy Smith writes:



Now, pretend my pseud is "Ian McKellen Jones."  (Thanks, Rocky!)  ;)

Madman -- Yeah, I missed Friendly's when I was in Houston.  That and Carvel.

OK, I officially hate all the people going to the Great American Science
Fiction expo in Boston (http://www.hobbystar.com/boston/index.html).  I
haven't seen a guest list like that in years!  (No offense if you're actually
going.  It's nothing personal.  Just keep your hands off MY Dominic Keating!
;-q    )

Dan -- Plenty of hugs and thoughts for you and your family today....

Mary -- Ooh, I've seen the comic adaptation of _Murder Mysteries_.  (Another
one borrowed from Ben's collection.)  It's very, very nice.  Not that I know
from comics... but I did notice things like the way each individual angel had
its own feather shape and overall color tint.

Jinx 'n' Rocky 'n' Madman, Oh My! -- I can't access your profiles, but if you
want to try to get together around Monday the 25th, Rocky has my e-mail
address.  Rocky, you have my permission to give it to them for this.  This
could be cool!  (Hey, Will, wanna get in on this?  You have my addy, too.)

Whatever happened to Orangefae?

Maure -- Oh, good!  I've been kind of anxious for a report from Jouni ever
since that explosion in a Finnish mall last month.  Every time I post,
however, I keep forgetting to try to "hail" him!  So thanks for relaying the
message.  :)

Hey, someone posted a new _Coraline_ question over on 156!  Cool!

Happy Weekend,
Christy
  

    

My email address is madman@well.com if anyone ever wants to contact me.

I will likely next reach CT the weekend before Christmas.
  

    

Today I did some role playing where I asided to the players "Can you tell I
read American Gods recently?" A mostly forgotten God meets the several
thousand year old immortal who was mankind's inspiration for the God in the
first place. They had an interesting conversation.

Afterwards, I said this to one of the players: "One of the greatest things I
learned from Neil Giaman- assert everything as true. Did LL [Lugh 
Lamhfada] ever _really_ depose Nuada? Father CuChulain? Exist?
It _all_ boils down to my favorite quote from all of Sandman."
"What's your favourite quote?"
"The quote is the Puck, during "A Midsummer Night's Dream"."
"Remind me."
"(Paraphrasing): This is true! It never happened, and yet it is true! What 
strange magic is this?"

I just thought I would share.
  

    
Thanks again everyone. The service went out without a hitch today.
Well, not entirely true, but the only hitches were things taht 99% of
people never knew about, and that's all right.

I gave my eulogy and shared a bit, and asked others to share... and
that was the part that made me cry. It was a good cry, though, and I
was able to keep it together enough to get through the montage of his
life that I put together.

As my brother said yesterday though, when it rains, it pours, and
sometimes a hurricane blows through. My grandmother passed away
yesterday.

Now, in her case, it's a blessing. She was 90, and had been suffering
terribly for years. I can't even imagine what it must be like to go for
*years* with pain and nausea. But she just couldn't let go... not
until yesterday. 

It has been, to say the least, an interesting week.

Now I'm off to go see Harry Potter and try to forget about it all for
a few hours.