Journal

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Mantua...

I'm in Mantua -- Mantova -- with a daughter (Holly). I'm a bit jetlagged, or just travel-drained. My hair really needs cutting, and my nose looks like some kind of weird medical experiment ("You will get your photo taken today by Vanity Fair," I was just told. "It is a huge Polaroid, the biggest Polaroid picture there is. Then you must sign it." I can pray for a miracle, or people will look at my photo in the years to come, and sigh, and say "I wonder what was wrong his nose?" Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.) Too much travel.

There's no internet in my hotel, but I've brought my computer up to the press room of the literary festival. Last night's dinner with my publishers included writers Nathan Englander, Robert Crais and Colum McCann. I met Chuck Palahniuk and we've resolved to try and have dinner tonight. People think all writers know each other, but we don't, except in Mantua.

My events here are (in the Festival website's English translation)

108
Friday 20:45
Palazzo di San Sebastiano
Neil Gaiman, Matteo Stefanelli
NEIL GAIMAN CON MATTEO STEFANELLI
Euro 4.00

Neil Gaiman is an exception in contemporary literary panorama. Gaiman, with his eclectic style, is an author of rare sensitivity and infinite imagination, able to create stories rich in psychological symbols. Matteo Stefanelli will meet him.


Evento sponsorizzato da: Tratto Pen by Fila - Giotto by Fila - Fabbrica Italiana Lapis e Affini s.p.a.

141
Saturday 15:30
Teatro di San Leonardo
Neil Gaiman, Federico Taddia
NEIL GAIMAN CON FEDERICO TADDIA
Euro 3.00
(dai 12 ai 15 anni)

Daddy? He looks like a normal guy but in reality he is an African divinity. Do you fancy a jump on a parallel world? Gaiman makes Coralline, a courageous little girl, discover an identical house, parents who are exactly like her own among talking cats and musician mice. These are just some examples of what this incredible author can do. Federico Taddia will meet him.


Evento sponsorizzato da: Litocartotecnica IVAL S.p.a.

Saturday 22:30
Piazza Virgiliana
Neil Gaiman
BLURANDEVĂ™
Appuntamenti in blu: gli autori rispondono alle domande dei volontari-conduttori di Festivaletteratura

“The important thing is to write as much as possible, to feel like telling stories (…) If you are a talented writer, you must try everything till you find the most suitable way for you. I think the most difficult thing is not to get tired, try and try again even though the first results are far from satisfactory.” In fact, Neil Gaiman has experimented with all sorts of things: he has drawn comic strips, written children’s fantasy books and novels as well as screenplays and stage sets. An exceptionally talented writer to discover together with Bulurendevu’s volunteers


Evento sponsorizzato da: VYP Very young person Cariparma e Piacenza
event

Someone wrote to ask when Stardust would be released in the Philippines -- I checked and it's the 17th of October. I was sent a complete list of upcoming Stardust release dates around the world -- you can download it here:

STARDUST Release Dates.pdf

hi neil-
do you have any leads to a text of the French version of Little Red Riding Hood in which Red is convinced to eat her grandmother and then is eaten by the wolf?
Thanks!
Annie

I searched Neilgaiman.com and found http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2001/11/lets-see.asp

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