| Writer's Block: Necessities for My Home(page) |
[07 Nov 2009|06:11pm] |
I'm a polar opposite of the intent of this question. I like the homepage I use because of its lack of features. Nothing to throw a virus or pop-up at me. Nothing to derail my connection. It's a Get Out Of Fail Free card I can play with one click of my mouse.
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| I'm Too Old. |
[07 Nov 2009|03:19pm] |
The Americanized Godzilla was just on whatever that network is, the one that also carries the WWE Wrestling and that. Anyway, I was so underengaged that when the Navy was bombing Madison Square Garden, I was thinking can they even DO that with Harpoon missiles? Are those FAE warheads?
And in the finale when Godzi was trapped in the cables and the F-18s were shooting it was those must be Slammer rockets because if he's cold-blooded then there wouldn't be anything for Sidewinders to lock onto. How much heat would you need to target a Sidewinder, anyway?
I'm too old and too much into reality to just enjoy the scene, you know what I mean?
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| Final Reminder for Bookshops |
[06 Nov 2009|10:37pm] |
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http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/final-reminder-for-bookshops.html posted by Neil
A quick reminder (as I was just asked) that today is the day that the bookshop Graveyard Book party reports have to be in to Harper Collins. By 9 pm PST.
http://files.harpercollins.com/Mktg/HarperChildrens/PDF/GraveyardContest_rules.pdf are the rules and info for those who lost them.
Hi Mr. Gaiman,
I was disappointed today to read you won't be part of the judging for The Graveyard Book contests. My not-wealthy, middle-of-nowhere bookstore just sent in its entry, and something we're concerned about is the fairness of judging.
For example, independent bookstores like Powell's (I'm sure you know) easily have enough money and are in a convenient enough location to ask you to come at one time or another. Against stores like that, who were able to put more money into their parties, we stand little chance.
I don't think that it's a lost cause for us; we were very creative. I'm just nervous to know you won't be judging. Can you tell me whether you think the judges will take things like size and location of bookstores into account? It would make me sleep a little easier until the results are announced.
Tusen takk,
Allison
Well, per the rules, the judging is based on:
(i) Overall creativity of the Party, as demonstrated by the invitations, signage, decorations, activities, entertainment, and refreshments.
(ii) Customer attendance and response (i.e., enthusiasm, costumes, participation).
(iii) Ability to capture and represent the spirit of The Graveyard Book.
...specifically to reward creativity, and not the ability to outspend other shops. (That was also why the party had to actually be at the bookshop, and not at another location.)
I asked my editor, Elise Howard, and she said,
Gosh, yes. Here's what we think is happening. We are looking at all the entries. On Monday, we'll send you the best 11, from which you will choose the Grand Prize Winner. The rest will get the first-prize package. So the short answer is that you ARE helping to choose.
The longer answer is that we will be very fair and will consider creativity, which includes work done with available resources, along with pure execution. (Don't you think? We haven't done anything yet; still waiting for more entries to come in.)
...which means that
a) I was wrong and will be the ultimate judge, from the shortlist. (Damn.)
and
b) everyone's on a level playing field.
Does that help reassure you?
PS -- Widgett's Graveyard Book Dessert competition winners have been announced over at http://www.needcoffee.com/2009/11/06/graveyard-book-dessert-challenge-winners/.
This one had NOTHING to do with me at all. But lor' the winning desserts look tasty...
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[06 Nov 2009|09:34pm] |
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OS PREÇOS FAZEM VOCÊS
Vamos lá meninas, os artigos têm preços mas façam os vossos, eu não vos faço mal! :)
Condições:
* Só aceito trocas pela minha wishlist
* Os artigos que foram usados serão lavados e passados antes de serem enviados
* Os portes não estão incluídos (excepto em alguns artigos)
* Pagamento por transferência bancária
* Envio a encomenda mal tenha o dinheiro na conta
* São aceites reservas
* Caso não haja resposta às reservas em 7 dias, estas serão canceladas
* Aconselhável o envio em correio registado, não fico responsável pelos problemas que se possam dar durante o envio
* Os preços podem ser negociáveis
* Não são aceites devoluções (estou disponível para mais informações e fotografias)
* Caso haja mais do que uma pessoa interessada num artigo, vendo-o à primeira que confirme a compra
* Agradeço um feedback do comprador
Disponível em: catarinae_@hotmail.com
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| Rumor Control |
[06 Nov 2009|01:17pm] |
Before the Fort Hood shootings, I was going to make another spoof message about the United States switching over to Sharia Law on January 1st. Prohibition would be reinstated. Public beatings and hangings would be held in every town. Jews would be exterminated, along with Evangelistic Christians and other supporters of Israel.
Well, it looks like I don't have to do the above. The alleged shooter is an ethnic Palestinian, according to reports. It has always been in the realm of possibility that we have servicemen in our military who believe that we are on the wrong side of the "War on Terror", but this is the first time we've seen anybody ACT on that premise. This war has always been ethnic and sectarian in nature and everybody understands that at some level.
Just last week, the site MEMRI linked to a Taliban article that proposed that the world's Islamic nations use their power in the United Nations to impose Sharia Law worldwide and dispose of Israel and the United States once and for all. I can't say this cannot happen. But it's high time everybody got clear on the stakes of this war, why we can't win it, and what it might do to our nation if we can't come up with a humane solution.
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| ROLLER DERBY NEEDS YOU!!! |
[06 Nov 2009|11:30am] |
If you live in Flanders (Belgium) and you want to join a hardcore, kickass roller derby team. HERE'S THE PLACE TO BE!
Come over every friday between 8 and 10pm to Rollerland Aalst and have a look.
But please email first (see flyer)!!!
Hope to see ya all soon on the track!!!
xoxox
Joelle aka Bang Bang Barbie
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| Note to self: Nights are for sleeping, Days are for Being Awake. |
[06 Nov 2009|05:09am] |
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http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/note-to-self-nights-are-for-sleeping.html posted by Neil
Still trying to get back onto a diurnal schedule. (And, I should add, failing.)
Maddy and I started watching the new season of Sarah Jane Adventures tonight, which seems back on form after a dodgy second season.
Many amazing things waiting for me when I got home -- I still haven't gone through them all yet -- but today's mail brought me a copy of the Fantagraphics Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons book. Three glorious volumes. I wrote the introduction to Volume 2, and thus got it for free. (If you're curious, there are many Gahan Wilson Playboy cartoons up at this website. There's a Gahan Wilson virtual museum over at http://www.gahanwilson.com
And, of course, although I posted it before, it bears repeating that you can watch the film that Steven-Charles Jaffe made of the "Dark and Silly Night" comic Gahan and I did for art spiegelman and Francoise Mouly's Little Lit at the New Yorker site, or here:
And if I'd been here for Hallowe'en I would have posted it here then. Which reminds me, The Graveyard Book party season is over. Over thirty independent bookshops had Graveyard Book parties (The ABA's Bookselling This Week reports on thirteen of the parties -- and the shops -- at http://news.bookweb.org/7149.html.) The very best one of all will get me in their shop doing a signing in December and, looking at these thirteen, I am very glad I am not any kind of a judge for the awards.
My only hope is that the shop that wins will be somewhere warm. But most of the places on the party map will be just as cold by December as my house. (Vague and only climate-based relief that HarperCollins said No to Alaska in the rules mingles with vague and selfish disappointment that they also said No to Hawaii.)
It looks like the CBS Sunday Morning profile on me is going out this Sunday, the 8th, 9:00-10:30 AM, ET. According to this website:
Correspondent Serena Altschul visits author Neil Gaiman -- the tender-hearted master of the macabre -- whose books, including Coraline and The Graveyard Book have topped best-seller lists for 25 years.
.. which left me wanting to go "I am NOT a tender-hearted master of the macabre, I am in fact VERY SCARY INDEED," but I suspect I would convince nobody.
Thrilled to see that Odd and the Frost Giants was listed as one of Amazon.com's Best Books of 2009. While I was in China The Graveyard Book was listed as one of the ALA's teens top ten for 2009 as well, an award voted on by over 11,000 teens. (And I made it onto the list with lots of other good people.)
Also, Fragile Things was awarded the French 2010 Les Grands Prix de l’Imaginaire Award for translated short fiction. My thanks to the judges, but mostly to the translator, who in this case is the incredibly talented Michel Pagel. If I ever look good, do well, sell books or am popular in a foreign country, it's because of the translators, and they never get enough thanks or acclaim. And I think I'll post the cover here, because I never have.  I am becoming hooked on http://curiousexpeditions.org. I was extremely disappointed by the news on the current status of Argleton in Lancashier, especially so since I was hoping to buy a house there. I was going to move to Chako Paul City in Sweden instead, but appear to be the wrong gender and orientation. So probably I'll stay home.
(Hmm. You know, posting that French book-cover reminds me that there are some really beautiful new covers out there right now, especially from Poland and Russia. I know for I have signed them for people. I'll try and get some nice clean examples to put up here.)
And finally, a link to Joanne Leow's blog. It was lovely to see her again, four years on, when I went to Singapore - it was a great interview, and you can watch us chatting about writing, what I'm currently up to, signings, and why I don't write the same sorts of things twice in a row, at the Primetime Morning site: here's part 1 and part 2.
...
Dear Mr. Gaiman,
I was wondering if you would be so kind as to mention an upcoming art auction on your blog. The art auction is “art for hearts”. It is an auction of artwork donated by children’s illustrators such as Korky Paul, Lynne Chapman and An Vrombaut. Most of the artwork is original although there are also some signed digital prints and screen prints too.
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to help fund research by the transplant team at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Transplanted organs do not have the same life expectancy as non-transplanted organs and the transplant team is looking at finding ways to combat this.
Full details of the auction are available to view at http://art-for-hearts.blogspot.com
It will run on Ebay for a week starting on the 2nd of November. To locate the items people will need to type "art for heart" into the search area and choose "Art" or "books" for items.
Many thanks,
Kristine Stacey
You're welcome. I think this link has everything for sale in the auction: http://shop.ebay.co.uk/scrawldog/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
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| I Hate Being Right |
[06 Nov 2009|12:08am] |
A few days ago, when another LJ'er was commenting on the politics of the time, I said:
I'm just waiting for the next Ruby Ridge, Waco or Oklahoma City incident. I don't trust things to stay civil and non-violent for long now.
And guess what?--Politically-motivated violence, if you believe the advertising. Is your bomb shelter stocked up? You may need it before it's all over.
FP
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