Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Neil-- you have, indeed, earned good bat karma; and as you well know,
if you do a service for a bat, when you're in trouble, the King of Bats
will come to your assistance.  Maybe he can help with your ladybug
problem.  (I stayed in a house, once, that had a similar problem.  One
ladybug is cute; one thousand are eerie.)


Everybody-- is anybody out there going to the NYC reading and
reception beforehand?  I'll be there, and I don't relish wandering
around for two hours with a glass of wine and a lonely look.
  

    

From mroane@ttgonline.com Fri Oct 13 13:09:11 2000
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 11:48:49 -0500
Mary continues:

Hey, y'all!
 
Jen, and really everybody else--meant to respond earlier about cool stuff
in Chicago.  In the neighborhood you're staying in --lots of great
second-hand shopping, bookstores, clothes, etc.  Unfortunately, one of
the greatest bookstores in the Multiverse, The Stars Our Destination,
just moved out of there & up to Evanston.  It's just a short train ride
($1.50 each way) away, however. Their website is www.sfbooks.com.  Also
pretty close (a short bus ride, the Clark St. #22, also 1.50 each way) is
the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Free admission, open 9-5, beautiful, on the lake. 
What more could you ask?  O.K., try the Art Institute, downtown on
Michigan Ave.  Admission is what you can give, suggested about $7.00,
less for students, and Tuesdays are free. A fun, cheap tour of the city
can be had by boarding the Brown line train at Belmont (the closest stop
to you) and riding it around the Loop ($1.50)  That's the elevated line &
in 45 minutes or so you'll be right back at Belmont.
 
Travel info for the region-(773) 836-7000.  Tell 'em where you are &
where you're going & they'll tell you how to get there.
 
Weather is beautiful today, getting cooler & cloudier over the weekend
(lows in the 40's highs in the mid-50's), starting to clear off on
Monday.  Leaves are just starting to turn.  It's a good time to visit! 
 
Len-wish I could be there, I hate the thought of you not knowing anyone
at the reception.  I wasn't going to go myself until a couple of friends
of mine bought premium tickets.  I've tried to convert everyone I know to
the cult of Gaiman, and this is how it paid off!  
 
 
  

    
More via e-mail from Ms. Randi %^) :

Hi Neil.  Thanks for answering me.

Yes, I'm still a lady.  And if the Thingies that read this list will kindly
now refrain from snickering at seeing me refering to myself as a lady,
perhaps I won't hurt them too badly. ;)

Good luck finding a week.  It will be interesting to see your vision turned
to a film that you are in control of, except for acts of god and physics.   

A Dave McKean painting that is alive. And musical. You certainly don't make
things easy on yourself, do you?

I didn't know how the scheduling worked.  I was just wondering if there were
any places in particular I should have been looking at to post links to.  

At one point I was foolish enough to try to index the interviews on the
Dreaming website, hoping if there was an online locator for the answers for
the frequently asked questions, perhaps the questions wouldn't be repeated
so often, but there are just too many interviews to ever hope to do that.  

Most of what I've read about Follies is critics questioning why they are
bringing it back.  Sadly, I am not as familiar with Sondheim musicals as I
wish I was, except whatever they've broadcast on PBS.  

So, what exactly are the rights and responsibilities of the modern fairy
godfather?  
  
Hope that you are happy with how the readings go!  This little Thingie
certainly is impatiently waiting for Wed. :)

bestest,
randi

p.s. Len - I am not going to the reception before the St. Mark's reading
unless I am remarkably lucky timewise, but if the people that I know who are
going to be there are any indication, I very much doubt you'll be bored ;)



  
  

    
        I'm going to be at the Portland show, but I'm waiting to find out if
I managed to win two free tickets first.  Local comics shop is doing a
short-essay contest, 50-100 words on free speech, prize being two free
tickets to see Neil, and the possibility of meeting him backstage,
though they don't promise anything on that point.
  

    
Elise -- I'm sorry to hear Mike's under the weather. It's been an age
since I've seen him. How under the weather is he? (and feel free to
answer in e-mail).

Len, I wouldn't worry too much about not knowing anyone. Everyone will
be in the same boat, united only by not-knowing anyone else and being
nervous.

Randi -- I'm sorry, I wish I could be more helpful with interviews and
things.

The idea of an index of interviews is almost scary -- someone could
put together the ultimate "if you ask him this question you get this
answer" list.

Follies in London was a supremely moving and workable musical
(although Diana Rigg couldn't sing because she might have had a cold).

My Fairy godfather duties are onerous and extensive, but are, of
necessity, a deep secret. But I bought my god-daughter's mum a new
wooden wizard, and bought the girl herself a CD of Old English Nursery
Rhymes. (Although I've been told that currently her favourite music is
Beatles songs at bathtime.) 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000024NBX/ for those who are
interested.

Streak -- good luck in the competition. I've never been able to
understand the whole backstage visits thing: I tend to be a backstage
wreck. But I hide it well.
  

    
Mary-- and Randi-- and Neil-- thanks for the response.  I stand
comforted.

Re Follies-- in grad school I got the opportunity to do a pretty
detailed study of the structure of the piece-- and James Goldman, the
book writer, did a seminar with our class.  Emerged singularly
impressed-- esp. with the way the musical motifs are developed and
threaded through the piece. My only complaint with Follies is that the
device that Sondheim uses at the end-- lots of voices reprising their
songs simultaneously at the end of "Live, Laugh Love" to indicate Ben's
crack-up-- is, at this point overused, so I can't really hear it with
"fresh ears."

Asking around to find out which version they're doing.  Will report
when I know.

The godparenting duties given to my wife and myself consist mostly of
introducing our godkids to showtunes-- and at the right time-- comics.
We'll start with Tintin and Asterix.

Neil-- apropos of this season of open-school nights-- have you ever
had a conference with one of your kids' teachers, who turned out to be
a gibbering fan?
  

    
Len -- have you heard the UK version of Follies? Ben doesn't crack up
in it, and has a completely different song -- "Make the most of your
music, something like that'. It also has COUNTRY HOUSE on it, which is
wonderful.

Nope -- no gibbering fans at teacher conference, except for some
parents at the last one.
  

    
I love "Country House;" this summer I its scansion in its entirety for
a song I was working on.  Never told my collaborator, of course.

Did you know that they recorded The Frogs this summer in Washington
DC-- with Nathan Lane, I think.
  

    
The Frogs? No, I didn't. I'll keep an eye out for it.("Please/Don't
fart/there's very little air and this is art" indeed....)
  

    
        Something I'm curious about, Neil; <theboojum> mentioned Tintin, and
I was thinking about the sharp differences of opinion I've found on
Herge's perpetually cowlicked protagonist and his adventures.  I'm
curious to get your viewpoint on Tintin.  Rules?  Sucks?  Other verbs,
as I've never personally heard a British person use either of my first
two suggestions?
  

    
I got my Tintin as a child from the animated cartoons (redubbed for
the US, to their detriment). As an adult, I admire rather than enjoy
Herge's art, and appreciate, rather than enjoy, his storytelling.
  

    
For those of you who are interested in digital art online the is an 
exhibition currently at:
 
http://www.bitbybitdigital.org 

And yes, I do have some in there :P 
   
  

    
Finally have an account to call my own.  With the correct spelling of
my name, even. :>

So, a post with all the mind-minutiae I've been stockpiling while
waiting to get an account. 

Music like Dave McKean art?  Have you heard the album Absinthe by
Naked City (John Zorn)?  Lots of layers of buzzing bees, clanking
chains and a generally spooky ambience.

And all this talk of religion makes me want to share my many
observations and opinions formed without authority, but I think I'll
stick with saying it's very interesting and profound things have been
said, and asking if anyone could suggest a good source of information
on the cultural and historical roots of Judaism, rather than the
mythological.

Judging from the music, Shockheaded Peter is neat.  Has anyone else
heard anything from the Tigerlillies?
  

    
Email from Jen:

Mary, thanks for the tips!  :-)  I think I'll definitely try for a visit
to the zoo.  See some of you guys on monday.  Anyone wants to say hi, i've
got glasses, longish brown hair, am around 5'7", too thin and will mostly
likely be wearing blue jeans, a grey shirt and a black coat.  And I'll be
accompanied by a guy the same height with longish dark hair.  And I may be
carrying a rubber duck.

Jen
  

    
Email from Scott Conner:

Neil, since you mentioned Frank Pape in the ealier discussion of
illustrated books I thought you might find this biography of him
interesting:

 http://www.bpib.com/illustra2/pape.htm

In addition to Pape, Jim Vodeboncoeur Jr. has biographies of other
illustrators as well.  Definitely worth the time to take a look.  Between
Jim, Bud Plant, and Charles Vess, I've been set on a lifelong course of
seeking out illustrated works.  Charles told me that Pape had illustrated
some J.B. Cabell books; I must track these down.
  

    
Sarah--
Beautiful poetry in your profile!

I don't know any Tiger Lillies albums, but they did a bunch of songs
for the soundtrack of the film, Plunkett and Maclean.  You'll recognize
the lead singer's voice immediately.

Thinking about cultural & historical roots books...  I'm not as aware
as I wish I were, but here's a mixed bag: 
-Jack Miles's "God: A Biography" takes a lit crit approach to the
character of God in the Bible, with results that address the culture of
Judaism.

-Boychicks in the Hood (don't remember the author) is a fascinating-
if ultimately repetitive--survey of modern Hasidic culture written by a
secular Jew with good Yiddish-- a key to that world;

-Jewish Renewal, by Michael Lerner, is an examination of some of the
roots of J culture with a distinctly Freudian spin.

...and, with their multiple layers, aren't some Firesign Theatre
albums the aural equivalent of Dave McKean art?

Neil--  break a leg at the Chicago reading!  
  

    
Amanda--

Your work is stunning!  I love the play of color and texture in
"Within"
  

    
Thanks Len! ...you have just made my day...! :P
Glad you liked it.
  

    
This was/is a great topic interview!

(I just read the whole thing beginning to end!)

I actually haven't read any Neil Gaiman, other than what he's posted in
this topic, and it's made me want to!  (Neil-- you've been recommended
several times, esp. with regards to Punch and Judy stuff-- I'm a flea
circus guy and puppeteer with a Punch and Judy show in the works)  

Sandman was recommended, but I got discouraged when I found out it was in
several books and they were expensive!  I didn't know where to start!  So
I didn't.  Where would be a good place to start, you Gaiman-ites?

 Above was mentioned MiracleMan.  Was this a comic book escape artist
who seemed to be in a different dimension or had different gods?  I have a
vague idea of reading that comic for a while years ago...
  

    
Sandman is worth every penny. Trust me.   Mr Punch is *very* difficult
to find but if you can lay your hands on a copy clasp it to your chest
and chant 'Mine!Mine!Mine!' in true Yoda Fashion. I did. 
  

    
Mr Punch is a fine place to start.  Go to www.bookfinder.com and you'll
readily find it in paperback; it's expensive in hardcover though.
  

    

Hi kafclown!  I'm in exactly the same boat as you are regarding the desire
to discover Mr. Gaiman's works, so you might try what I did:  asking the
local library to do an inter-library search until they find one that has
the Sandman books and then borrow them.

I should add that I just finished my first - they send me The Doll's
House.  I thought it was enormously inventive and terribly compelling,
although often darkly humorous and disturbing.  Which is to say, of
course, that I liked it!

Some images that stayed with me:  Death taking the baby from its crib,
and it says, "But..is that all there *was*?  Is that all I get?"

The Cereal convention.  And the eyeballs.  

Much more, of course.  But it was certainly an interesting introduction.
  

    
Mike e-mails:

Hi everyone, this is my first time writing.

Amanda -- Your work is amazing. Is there somewhere on the web I could see
more?

I already have my ticket to the New York CBLDF reading. I'll be the one in
the glasses.

Mike
  

    
Oh yeah, that one.
  

    
lol.