I learned today that the university event I'm doing tomorrow -- a talk and some question and answer stuff -- is open to the public... It's at 16:45 on May 15th, Aula Absidale di Santa Lucia, Via de Chiari 25, Bologna.
And, from Fabio Bonetti: Due to the collaboration between the University of Bologna and Fucine Mute ONLUS (a non-profit cultural association from Trieste, Italy), the Neil Gaiman conference of May 15th will be broadcasted live for the web: the links for the audio streaming are available on the home pages of Fucine Mute Webmagazine (http://www.fucine.com) and www.neilgaiman.it (click on the Coraline cover). The expected time is 4.45pm GMT+1. The on-demand audio and video versions will be available as soon as possible.
Very long day.
Wasn't going to post the next letter, because so many appeals for good causes have been coming in recently, but then I read the Chicago Tribune article and was fascinated by the problems of success in the web world -- it's the strange intersection between a hobby (which is something that you spend money on) and a business (which is something that makes money, or at least doesn't lose it) and I started wondering where websites like TV without pity, or like this one, fit into that. (This website, neilgaiman.com, exists because Harper Collins put it up originally as an experiment, although these days it exists as a sort of flagship; if they stopped doing it, it would have to become very commercial very quickly, or scale down, or stop. Not that anyone's thinking in those directions -- in fact I just got sent some info on the expanding of mousecircus.com to incorporate the Wolves in the Walls. But the paradox of the web is that it costs money to do and to be read. Where does a fanzine become a free-sheet?)
Hi Neil
One of my favorite web sites (next to yours) is Television Without Pity where fabulous writers recap a set of network TV shows on a regular basis. http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com
The site is funny, well-written, smart and extraordinarily useful for any TV buff. But they're in trouble:
click here for link
and I was wondering if you could mention them in your journal to get some additional clicks and maybe some folks to buy stuff in their online store. I know your readers are incredible about helping the little guy and these guys sure could use it!
It may not be your style but I thought I'd give it a shot!
Thanks and as always, thanks for the journal!
Maria Walters