Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
oh, and Martha, get better too. I think stuff is going around. I'm
getting all sniffly out here in NOLA... and usually I feel better when
I'm here. 

-squeaks
listening to a very heavy cat prance around on a hard wood floor
  

    
Email from Jouni Koponen:

Hi Neil (and others)

Hang in there buddy, hang in there (we poor sick bastards must stick
together, eh). I have this killer of a flu and I'm workin' and wonderin'
where the hell all the snot comes from. I mean you sneeze and sneeze and
SNEEZE and your head is STILL filled with the stuff...

On the positive side I'm pleased to tell you all that I FINALLY own a copy
of Smoke and Mirrors. It was suprisingly difficult to find in this
country. The book is just marvelous! I loved Chivalry and Murder Mysteries
(ofcourse) and We Can Get Them for You Wholesale. Babycakes was also great
(in it's own sick way). Still have about 1/3 of the book to read and I
love every minute of it!

<COUGH... oh fuck (wipes spit from the monitor)>

Jouni
  

    
Email from Mary Roane:

Mein Gott!  It sounds like an audition for La Traviata in here!
 
Martha, Neil, Jouni & Michelle--May your illnesses be as brief as your
health is long.
 
Len-- the reason I was in NYC in May was because a couple of friends of
mine had tickets to that Sweeney.  They've been raving about it ever since
(and one of them worked for Sondheim back in the 70's, so he's kinda
picky).  I couldn't afford it, so I saw David Suchet in "Amadeus" that
night.  Not a bad trade-off :-).  Where can the recording be found?
 
                                                               Mary
  

    
Aw! Thanks, Michelle!

<blush>

That should be, Radio K makes great mix tapes. I am working on my
record collection, though.

Neil, I am definitely making you a copy of Cometbus #44 - St. Louis
Stories. It is SO GOOD!!!!!! Aaron is a great writer and there are a
bunch of Jewish cultural references mixed in with the punk lifestyle. I
find it fascinating... hope you will enjoy.

-shira
  

    
Jouni - that description of yours was a little to accurate..made me
quite ill just thinking about it.

Martha - You know, a really smart and savvy women in this conference
suggested a great website for all your health needs a number of posts
ago, so it might be an idea to check it out.....:P   

To all the ailing - hope you pep up soon.

Father Ted? In the US?  Well you learn something new everyday.  Love
that show. My favourite episodes would have to be: when the Bishops
arrive to bless the sacred stone, and the episode they replace the
window with plexi-glass!.
Oh, and who could go past this bit?:
 
"Would you like a piece of cake Father?...It's got cocaine in it". 
"Cocaine!". 
"Oh...I mean raisins...".


(excuse me for bring up a topic mentioned a few posts ago...but with a
week of Uni to go it has been..ah...interesting around here and I
haven't been able to get here as much :P)
  

    
Email from Sean Michaels:

Hi Neil; here's hoping this works. I'm writing in from off-WELL. call me a
cash-starved canadian student.

Since picking up Neverwhere and reading Sandman with wide-eyes, I have
been a fan of yours. I, too, am one of those [million] aspiring writers,
but I'm not going to ask you "where you get your inspiration" today.

Instead I'm going to ask you where you find your stories; The Sandman,
especially, is chock full of one- two- and three-layer references to
mythology and literature. From the gorgons to the erinyes/moirae to
orpheus' head as it floats down a rive (but is saved by Morpheus not
Apollo), this stuff permeated the sandman series. Where do you find the
best little bits to use? Do you read straight books on greek mythology? Is
it just leftovers from some night course you took ten years ago? Do you
attend lectures? Where do you discover the Old version of Little Red
Riding Hood (and what prompted you to look there), where do you read about
Demeter & Demephon [aka Loki, kinda, and Daniel/Dream] and her method of
endowing immortality - that strikes a cord? Is it from a university
course, like me? :) Basically - what do you read to find the Old Stories?

I have a tremendous interest in the role of the old gods in today, (these
days I've been obssessed with a few whirling ideas about Medea), and any
thoughts you might have on where to see them, where to read their stories,
etc etc, would be truly madly deeply appreciated... Something tells me I'm
going to like American Gods.

Oh - one more thing... Any plans to come to Canada ever? I'm in Montreal
but the couple that runs Basilisk's Dreams in Ottawa (where I lived up
until this fall) have often cited a friendship with you... do you plan on
being there (or here) any time in the near future? I know that the CBLDF
guardian angel tour is [all but] done, but hey - canada's really pretty!
(and we like the magnetic fields here, too)

Sean Michaels
  

    
     I shudder to think how other countries view America right now.  
     
  
  

    
In between all the madness of the coming holidays and the current
election crisis...I just wanted to take a quick sec to wish Neil a
happy birthday. Hope you're feeling better.
  

    
Email from Vicky:

erm...whilst i still remember, i'd just like to say thanks to you guys for
posting my nutty rants :)  It really is very nice of you all :) ( butter
butter)

oh yes...right...

no 1...Happy Birthday Neil..dare I ask how old?  Hope you have a lovely
day :)  Hopefully not spending it on the PC like myself :)

no 2...You have no idea how relieved I am you pointed out the 'famine is a
7 letter word' mistake!!! It is 8 years since I read Good Omens, but I can
still remember reading that bit over and over thinking I must be thick not
to get it!!!  If only all the jokes i didn't get could be explained so
easily :)

Anyhows, off to bed now (it's my birthday too you know :) hee hee)

Have a good'un

Vicky
  

    
My only health needs right now are for this cold to run its rotten course.

It probably also would have been nice not to stand out in the brisk San
Francisco unseasonably cold wind for more than an hour waiting for a cab to
come after picking up a friend's TV at the UPS.  Yes, I think that would
have helped.
  

    

[to the tune of 'My Favourite Things']
Fairy god-daughters and great giant pumpkins,
Myth-making novels and bats eau de lemons,
Sad farewell readings and all that it brings,
Happies from a few of your favourite thingies...

- Tree

*********

Happy Birthday Neil!
Thank you for all the wonderful words and magical images over the 
years.
Here's to many more.

- Julio Velasquez

*********

Dreams aren't really born, but you were; hope the anniversary is good.

- Cassie, the LA-GAT volunteer from NC

*********

Happy Birthday to Neil, who creates and writes worlds 
that I love to revisit, again and again.                                         
- Ceara/Jessica
ceara@thetoybox.org 

**********

Very happy birthday to you, Neil.  Thank you for the gift of your
stories.  And I wish you the gift of more inspiration and happiness in
the coming years.  

- Kali Nichta 

**********

Happy birthday to you, Neil.  I tend to associate birthdays with 
you, seeing as I've recieved and given your work for many of my 
own and others.  I think I will always feel the influence your
writings have had on my life, and I will always appreciate that.

I hope that this year brings you many great things and good fortune.

- Eden

**********

Ok, everyone close your eyes and think of the most amazingly worded,
perfectly scripted, stupendiously timed piece of prose: have it involve
birthdays and how great they are, and how great Neil is, and how one
birthday in the forever that Neil will live in the hearts and minds of
people everywhere really isn't all that much, and how in a way Neil is
our Hob, living forever, drifting in and out of our lives.  Then sign
it by me.  That should do well enough.

Sorry, I'm not good at stuff like this.  Perhaps 'Happy Birthday Neil'
would do after all.

- Ghost Who Walks

**********

Happy Birthday Neil,
have a great one, I'll save some fireworks from Guy Fawkes and 
Explode them for you ... the first fireworks of your birthday in NZ 
<grin>

- JoSparrow
jsimons@hort.cri.nz

**********

Jouniac's(1) message(2) in(3) twenty(4) words(5).
 
Happy(6) birthday(7) Neil(8)! Hope(9) you(10)
got(11) many(12) presents(13)
and(14) a(15) cake(16).
 
- Jouni(17) Koponen(18), age(19) 28(20).

**********

Happy Birthday, Neil!  Thank you for sharing your storytelling  talent
- my days are brighter, my dreams more interesting!
                                                                     
- Maggie
princessmoo@accesstoledo.com                               
  

    <scribbled>
  

    <scribbled>
  

    
Have a wonderful birthday, Neil!

And hope everybody who're under the weather will feel better soon. 

-- Mimi, sending thoughts of birthday cakes and Lucosade/your choice
of feel-better beverage
  

    
**********

Dear Neil,
Happy Birthday!  Thank you for giving us such moving stories, and 
telling those stories so beautifully.

- Christine Marie

**********

Til Hamingju Með Afmælið!
Bestu Kveðja frá Margret

**********


Happy birthday, Neil.  Please feel free to stick around for forty more
years or so, and to amaze us with more of your wonderful stories and
characters.  The ones that you've created so far have definitely added
a bit of magic to this world.  Have an amazing and creative 40th year!

- Natalie B.

**********

Happy birthday Neil! (From Pekka && Christina)
- Pekka Timonen 

**********

For Neil: 
Best wishes for a Happy <40th> Birthday, from your favourite
stalker/not_a_stalker, who is now suffering a bit of an identity 
crisis. 
And squeaks and nuzzles from the mousey too. 

- Michelle

**********

Happy Birthday, Neil.
Next time you're back in London look me up. Waterstone's really want
that online interview.
Embarassed, tongue-tied Scottish Bloke from the Headline Stardust
launch.

- Stewart

*********

Mom's students decorate her cards with marker drawings, stickers, and
paint pens.
Different medium, same sentiment.
Happy birthday to my favorite teacher.

- randi

**********

If Wisdom Doesn't Pay The Price:
Consider It Twenty Twice.
Yet Not-Quite-Epigrams Aside, I Say Thereto
The Happiest Of Happy Birthdays To You.

- Sarah

 
  

    
From Mary Roane:

Happy Birthday, Neil!
  
                               Mary
  

    
(and feel better!)
  

    
And many happy returns!

Len
  

    
Happy birthday Neil! Hope it's a good one!
  

    
May happy returns of the day Neil.

I hope the next year is a good one for you.

I'm wondering whether Mr Moore slipped a surreptious greeting of his
own into the pages of "Promethea". The tenth panel of issue #11? If so,
the man is too clever for his own good.

I hope you've shaken off your bout of ill health by now. The change of
seasons is always a bad time for it.

Reg(who has spent the past fortnight nursing a sick computer)
  

    
Happy Birthday, Neil!  If you've an interest in a little plastic
fishtank kappa you've only to say the word.  Here's to a speedy return
to health and many many returns of the day.  
  

    
Neil-

Since I'm not cool enough to have posted my birthday greetings with a
bunch of the other Thingies, I will keep with the DIY spirit and ... do
it myself. How cheesy was that?

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May the coming year be lovely and fabulous and
fun, and same with all of the other years to come. You totally deserve
it and more, considering how many lives you have made just a bit
nicer, how many people you've connected me with who have turned out to
be great friends (all of the Thingies, for instance!), and, well, the
contribution you've made to society through your writing.

So... thank you, happy birthday, good luck, etc.

And you should be getting some miscellaneous stuff in the mail from me
someday!

-shira
  

    
Happy Birthday to my fellow Scorpion, and wishing you back to health
for your special day. 
  

    
e-mail from Adela Torres:

Hi,

Well, I don't know if this will get through... I just wanted to
thank Neil for one of the most delightful days of the last two
years (yes, I'm counting them): the day I went to the Portland
Last Angel Tour. It was the first time I go to an event like that
and it was more than wonderful, a thing I'll remember forever.
Thank you! Get well soon, and a very, very happy birthday to you!

I enjoyed all of the evening, even the part when I got lost
trying to find the place. I only missed a reading of "Snow,
Glass, Apples", one of my favourite stories, but even then
everything was just perfect and I went out of the theater walking
on air.

Talking about coincidences, I began to read a book called "Girls
lean back everywhere" less that a week before I went to the tour.
Imagine my surprise when Neil said he was reading it too! (He
didn't say the title, I think, but I recognized the story he
told).

And I'm very happy today: I received my copy of "The Arbitrary
Placement of Walls". I followed Neil's advice and bought it, and
I'm halfway through it already (I'm a compulsive reader) and it's
GREAT, I love it. Thanks again, Neil, for discovering me another
great writer, and thanks a lot, Martha, for writing it.

My, this is a very erratic message... Sorry. And thank you for
keeping this topic, there are great people here and I enjoy all
the postings.

So, once again, ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Neil!

Adela, one of your many Spanish fans (you have no idea... they
celebrated your birthday in my hometown).
  

    

And hostly happy birthday wishes from here!