But I went off into the garden, picked many tomatoes, not to mention the last of the onions, and sorrell, basil, cilantro, jalapenos and other hot and sweet peppers, garlic and everything except limes (which I bought), and I made a large quantity of salsa.
The devil-tomato is in there, although I forgot to save the seeds. Lots of jars have been bought and prepared, and tomorrow while I'm off talking to press people, it'll all be canned. I haven't figured out the label bit yet, but whatever I do will probably also involve numbering each bottle. And then I expect we'll eBay them, or something.
Not really certain which charity to support with it, but there are lots of terrific contenders. In addition to the ones I've already mentioned here, I've been pointed by Teri Goulding to Firstbook.org, which is providing books to children affected by Hurricane Katrina. Every $5 donated to First Book will be matched with 1 book that will go to children in the devastated areas.
While The Dreaming's Lucy Anne wrote to say,
Janni Lee Simner(http://www.livejournal.com/users/janni/231961.html
posted the following yesterday:
Books for evacuees
The Houston chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and
Illustrators (SCBWI) is collecting books for all ages for the Katrina
evacuees in their city, and will see to it that the books they gather
get to the refugees in their city. (Including those in the Astrodome,
which has a playroom.)
Anyone who wants to help can send books to:
SCBWI-Houston
P.O. Box 19487
Houston, TX 77224 ...
*****
The main SCBWI site is also listing a Lousiana Library Association
Disaster Relief Fund, with monies going to help both schools and
libraries. Links to the LLA site are not surprisingly down, but in
ALA's full coverage
(at ALA link)
the following contact information was posted.
LLA-Disaster Relief, 421 South 4th Street, Eunice, LA 70535
ALA is collecting info on library conditions, and requests for
assistance, supplies, volunteers, etc. from other librarians and
libraries
http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/hurricanekatrinanews/katrinanews.htm
and this one also looks good...
hey neil, i saw you were putting some hurricane related info up. we are currenlty taking donations to help rebuild schools hit by the hurricane www.apse.us
hope you can help us spread the word..once all the furor dies down, there will still be lots and lots of work to do for months and years to come
...
Hello Neil, This is Austin Kuhn from Richmond, VA and I have been literally obsessed with MirrorMask ever since the synopsis was released, and I wanted to know "why is MirrorMask is being put out in selected theatres?"I have also wanted to let you know that i have told many people about MirrorMask and they love it and want to see it but might have to wait like me, until it is released on DVD, but before it is released I have learned as much as possible about the movie in case i'll have to wait for the DVD.
It's going out into selected theatres because it was a very low-budget family movie that really only made it into any theatres because it was selected for, and got a great reception at, Sundance. Having said that, now that it has been put into selected theatres, if you can, if you're near enough, please go and see it during that first week -- the powers that be will pay a lot of attention to how much money per screen it makes, and being released in a limited way is fine if Sony decide to keep showing it and slowly roll it out to more screens (like Amelie, or March of the Penguins) but is a bit more problematic if they don't support it, or people don't come out and see it (like Princess Mononoke, or Kung Fu Hustle, both of which I thought could have done with a lot more support than they got).
Really at this point it's up to Sony how MirrorMask does, assuming that people can find it and enjoy it.
Here's the list of cinemas at which it'll be screening:
MirrorMask
OPENING 9/30/2005
CALIFORNIA
Edwards University Town Center 6
Irvine, CA
Landmark Act 1 & 2 Cinemas
Berkeley, CA
Landmark Nuart Theatre
Los Angeles, CA
Landmark Ken Cinema
San Diego, CA
Landmark Lumiere 3
San Francisco, CA
Rafael Film Center
San Rafael, CA
COLORADO
Landmark Mayan Theatre
Denver, CO
ILLINOIS
Landmark Century Center Cinemas
Chicago, IL
GEORGIA
Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
Atlanta, GA
MASSACHUSETTS
Landmark Kendall Square
Cambridge, MA
MISSOURI
Landmark Tivoli Theater
St. Louis, MO
NEW YORK
Landmark�s Sunshine Cinemas
New York, NY
TEXAS
Landmark Dobie Theater
Austin, TX
Landmark Magnolia 5 Theatre
Dallas, TX
WASHINGTON D.C.
Landmark E Street Cinema 8
Washington, DC
OPENING 10/07/2005
WASHINGTON
Landmark Varsity Theater
Seattle, WA
OPENING 10/14/2005
MINNESOTA
Landmark Lagoon Cinema
Minneapolis, MN
...
And here's a question about the ANANSI BOYS tour.
Hi Neil.
My name is Sharmylae, I'm 15 and in Grade 10.
I just wanted to let you know, even though you probably get 2497436 messages just like this one, that you are the most amazing writer ever, and I really love your work. I'm working through reading as much as I can, currently working on about 8 Sandman comics and Neverwhere.
I heard that you were going to be in Toronto from this really nice guy that works at the Library near my house (a very cute guy, but that has nothing to do with what I'm writing) and he showed me the Learning Annex Article. I live in downtown Toronto and I was really excited to hear that, but by the time I reached the website to sign up it was sold out. I'm so sad, because I was very excited and so very badly wanted to meet you. I actually started to cry, but that's a bit scary and shows how much of a baby I am.
So for now, I will just condole myself with the chance that you'll read this message, and hope that it makes you smile, laugh, or wonder what the point was.
Good luck with everything and I will definately be reading your new book.
Lots of love, your loyal (and slightly annoying) fan,
Sharmylae
Thanks for the kind words, Sharmylae. I checked and the Learning Annex isn't sold out -- what's sold out are the first 300 tickets, which are guaranteed a signing. There's another 400 seats at the event, which aren't guaranteed a signature, although obviously I'll do what I can to sign for as many people as I can before they close the hall.
I've spoken to the shadowy figure of Mark Askwith, who assures me that the people at the Toronto signing will get lots of cool stuff that nobody else is going to get to see.
Several people have written taking me to task for charging so much for the Toronto signing. Just to reiterate, I don't set the prices for events that charge for signings, I don't see any of the ticket money (which normally goes to the rental of the space for bookshops that don't have enough space to put all the people who would come to a signing), and I don't choose where I go on a signing tour. If you're concerned about something, contact the publisher. Honest.
Mr. Gaiman,
I had a quick response to the statement one reader made about the Boston signing being sold out... If you call the bookstore you can still put your name on a "waiting list," so that if a larger venue is found, you've got dibs on tickets.
Just thought it would be worth mentioning.
~CJ
Thanks.
And finally, I thought I should mention that the first round of First Amendment Project auctions are underway: http://stores.ebay.com/AuctionCause for Peter Straub, Amy Tan, Michael Chabon, Karen Joy Fowler, and Andrew Sean Greer. The bidding is fast and furious with Peter Straub out in the lead as I write this.