Journal

Friday, October 28, 2005

a polite spoiler free post...

I woke up to a horde of messages like this,

Neil, You're one of my favorite authors in the world so I am sorry if this sounds mean but -I haven't seen Mirrormask yet (as it's not out anywhere close to me yet but as soon as it is, I'll be going to see it) and I am afraid you spoiled me a bit for the movie with your discussion of the Mirrormask script book. Could you try not to spoil the movie for those of us who haven't seen it yet? Monica

To which the politest answer I could muster was, don't worry, that wasn't a spoiler, except for a treatment of a film I haven't written that's printed in the back of the MirrorMask script book. (For MirrorMask the film itself it's not "what happens", and refers to an image rather than to an event.) You haven't found out how anything ends, trust me.

Lots and lots of upset messages telling me that the MirrorMask film listings at the Sony site bear no relationship to the places it's showing (including one sad message telling me that the theatre listed doesn't even exist). I've forwarded them to Hensons, who will probably forward them to Sony, but I don't know that there's much else I can do.

Slightly better news, for the people wondering about the UK tour -- there are updated listings at http://www.neilgaiman.co.uk/author.php for locations and information. (It doesn't mention the Irish bit of things, though.) Also the Manchester signing has just moved to a larger location (I don't know where), with more tickets. I wonder if there will be a saxophone player outside this time...

Hey Neil. I'm a graphic design student and big fan o' yours. Loved American Gods. Loved it. Can't wait to read Anansi Boys. I bought it. Why O Why did you and/or your designer choose to use the font, Didot, as your body text? This is a headline text. The thin strokes are too thin and the thicks too thick. This typeface hurts my eyes to read close up. So. I'm going to sell the hardback copy I have and wait for the paperback despite my giddy.Please don't use didot as a body copy typeface. Love you.

There is a world in which publishers let me choose typefaces, but I'm afraid it's also the world in which the Second World War was decisively won by the Belgian-Martian alliance. In this world, you'll effect a change in things like this by writing to the publisher directly. Honest.