For the next month, postings here may be a bit thinner on the ground, as I'm starting the next novel in earnest, and wrapping up the last part of 1602, and writing the adaptation of the BBC Radio 4 version of "MISTER PUNCH".
Soon, I have no doubt, the cry will go around "Where is Neil? He is not posting with his usual vim, vigour and enthusiasm, nor has he yet posted the link to the extremely interesting website all about peculiar things that goats do that I sent him nor answered my friend's question about why he called the Corinthian the Corinthian", and from the rooftops the reply shall echo in return, "Ah, but he is in hiding starting a new novel so he has an excuse".
Several people have chided me for not mentioning that Tori Amos's new Album (it's a sort of a "Best of") called "Tales of a Librarian" is a) out and b) contains a previously unrecorded song that I've alluded to in this here journal over the years called "Snow Cherries From France". I'm pleased "Snow Cherries" is out, not least because several messages have come in since I first mentioned it, I presume from fans of Tori's, accusing me of making the song up to "mess with their heads". (As if I don't have enough to do.)
Which reminds me, Robyn-from-Foodporn has put up the account of her day backstage -- it's a sort of an interview with added recipes -- with Duncan Pickford, Tori's chef, at her website: http://www.foodporn.com/celebrities is the place to read it. Duncan feeds Tori on the road. (On the road is an inaccurate colloquialism in this context. Actually he feeds her in her dressing room.)
Hullo Neil!
I've been wondering if you put some part of yourself, be that some weird idiosyncrasy, quirks, etc, into the characters you create. How much of your essence do you put into them? The way you described Richard Mayhew...well, the description sort of fits you.
Anyway, thanks for reading this. Keep writing, and we'll keep reading.
Cheers,
Kyle
Well, you always go and find that bit of a character who's you, even the dreadful ones. Or at least, I do.
Richard Mayhew started out in my head as being very vaguely based on my friend Richard Curtis (long before Hugh Grant made a career out of playing Richard Curtis in things Dick had written), and then when I wrote the book I borrowed the physical side of Richard Mayhew from Gary Bakewell, who played him in the BBC TV series. But I'm sure there's bits of me in there, though.
Amazon has a listing for an Audio Cassette version of the Legends II book
due out in December. Do you read your own Shadow story or is the whole
lot done by another person?
Someone else does it. I hope to god whoever does it can do Scottish accents, or it will be embarrassing...
Hi Neil,
Just a curious question, is that really what your office looks like on the first page of the website, or is it just a publicity shot of what the Neil Gaiman office 'should' look like.
If not, what does yours look like?!
Kind regards
Clare UK
It looks exactly like that, although the fridge is no longer a rattly aquamarine-coloured thing from the early 70s. It's now a white object that purrs.
Well, and I'm not there right now, either.
Neil,
I know your love of the iPod, but I can't remember ever reading a mention by you about Apple's iTunes store? I only bring it up because, while scanning the "New Additions" this morning, I found "Coraline" (as read by you) and "American Gods" (as read by a name I didn't recognize). Did you know that you'd be able to buy you reading one of your books, or was this a decision made by the publisher alone? Just curious.
Mike Broadwater
Oh good. I'm really pleased they're up there. I'll have to ask Greg Ketter at DreamHaven/neilgaiman.net about seeing if we can get the tracks from WARNING CONTAINS LANGUAGE and TELLING TALES up there as well...
I've not said thanks to everyone who came out to all the UK/Irish signings and readings, and all the people who gave me cool things (I finally got to see a video of the Ark Theatre production of "THE DAY I SWAPPED MY DAD FOR TWO GOLDFISH", which was enormously fun), and who were so very nice. So thank you all.