Every Imagination Needs A Guide

Back from Charlotte, which seemed like a nice little southern city (damning with faint praise? Maybe). Neil is as good a speaker as he is a writer, which is saying a lot. He read a talk about myth (from which the title of this post comes), a few poems (including the upcoming children's book Crazy Hair, quoted below), and the short story he mentioned back in August, Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire. It was, in a word, hysterical.

My favorite part of Crazy Hair (from memory, so perhaps not entirely accurate):

Hunters sent in expeditions
Radioed back their positions
Still, they lost a few in there
Some were eaten by a bear
Deep inside my crazy hair

Hopefully Dave McKean will finish the illustrations for that one soon, because it rocked.

Amanda and I waited on line for about 90 minutes at the signing afterward; she got her copy of Dream Hunters signed, and I had my copy of Smoke & Mirrors signed. Neil drew little pictures in each. I was going to say something like "Thank you for writing" or "Feel better!" or "Great talk!" or something comparably clever when I got to the front of the line, but lost my nerve when the time came and could only stammer "Thank you very much" when he handed the signed book back to me. I'm such a nerd.

October 19, 2003 - 05:59 PM