I need to get back to blogging. Too many things are stacking up, and I'm paying attention over on Twitter and Tumblr and such, but not here, and really, this is still the most important place to check.
Today I was interviewed by Lev Grossman (author of
The Magicians) for
Time Magazine about
Ocean at the End of the Lane. Lev and I have been having a conversation about fantasy since he interviewed me about
Stardust in 1998. (Although one time the conversation was
a threesome with Joss Whedon.) Lev does not appear to have perceptibly aged in 15 years. I find this suspicious. Also, we were wearing the same boots.
So, let's see.
This comes out tomorrow, designed and made beautiful by Chip Kidd:
Make Good Art (
Amazon link.
Indiebound link.) It's the anniversary of the original speech:
I finished signing about 9000 sheets of paper, which will be sent to the printers and bound into 9000 copies of THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE. They look like this. (When I got bored I drew ghosts.)
If you are in the US you can pre-order them from PORTER SQUARE BOOKS:
http://www.portersquarebooks.com/pre-order-signed-copy-ocean-end-lane. If you preorder by May 20th you can get your book by publication day, June 18th. (If you preorder afterwards, they will still have signed copies, but you will probably not get yours by publication date.)
When I was in Austin in March I recorded the Audiobook of
The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It's just been reviewed at Audiophile magazine:
http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/dbsearch/showreview.cfm?Num=77510"How long have you been 11 for?" That's just one of the mysteries in THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE, where otherworldly things might be strange but aren't in the least impossible. As the 7-year-old protagonist, Neil Gaiman projects all the wonders and terrors of childhood, both ordinary and extraordinary. His neighbors, 11-year-old Lettie, Mrs. Hempstock, and Old Mrs. Hempstock, have rural Sussex accents that get stronger when the things that they love and protect are threatened. Gaiman evokes the comforts of their farm lovingly--good food, a full moon that always shines on the back of the house just so--and they contrast with the coldly emotionless voice of the story's villain. Spooky, beautiful, and magical, OCEAN will stay with listeners for a long time. J.M.D. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
...which makes me very happy indeed. I'm more nervous about the audiobooks than I am about anything else.
....TOUR NEWS....
Right. We have a lot of sold-out tour dates. We have some that aren't yet sold out, and if you want to come and hear me talk and ask questions and get a book signed you might want to get your tickets very soon.
NOT SOLD OUT YET: The Publication Day event is June 18th. It's in Brooklyn, at the Howard Gilman Music Hall. This should be really fun and special. Surprise guests, publication day madness, and the special jet lag of an author who did his last event the night before in the UK and got off the plane earlier that afternoon.
http://www.bam.org/literary/2013/neil-gaimanWednesday June 19th NYC - SOLD OUT. I THINK.
Thursday June 20th - Saratoga Springs: NOT SOLD OUT YET (it's a big venue). The pre-signing interview will also be broadcast on NPR.
http://www.northshire.com/event/shelf-authors-conversation-neil-gaiman-presenting-ocean-end-laneFriday June 21st, Washington DC. ALMOST SOLD OUT - a hundred or so seats left.
http://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/neil-gaiman-ocean-end-of-laneSaturday June 22nd Decatur GA. SOLD OUT.
Sunday June 23rd Coral Gables (near Miami). It's an afternoon signing - starts at 2 pm. I think it may be my first ever signing in a
shul. NOT SOLD OUT YET.
http://www.booksandbooks.com/event/neil-gaiman-ocean-end-lane-temple-judeaMonday June 24th Dallas TX. ONLY BALCONY SEATS LEFT. It's at the Dallas Museum of Art. I like the idea of bringing OCEAN home: I finished it and typed the first draft in a Dallas coffee shop.
http://dallasmuseumofart.org/Events/ArtsLettersLive/Special/index.htmTuesday June 25th Denver, Tattered Cover. This is one of three stores whose tickets do not go onsale until publication day.
Wednesday June 26th Phoenix Az. ALMOST SOLD OUT.
http://www.changinghands.com/neilgaimanThursday June 27th. LOS ANGELES. I'll be talking with EW's Geoff Boucher. NOT YET SOLD OUT but selling fast and you may want to get in there,
http://livetalksla.org/blog/2013/04/02/june-27-an-evening-with-neil-gaiman/FRIDAY JUNE 28th SAN FRANCISCO is SOLD OUT
SAT JUNE 29 PORTLAND is SOLD OUT
(Then I teach Clarion West for a week in Seattle, interrupted only by...)
TUESDAY JULY 2 SEATTLE which is SOLD OUT
SATURDAY JULY 6 SANTA ROSA isn't yet sold out. If you're in the Bay Area and you are not happy about how fast San Francisco sold out, you should come to Santa Rosa.
http://www.copperfieldsbooks.com/event/neil-gaimanAlso at my request, the event start time has moved earlier in the evening, to 6:30pm as I was worried about how late it would go if it started at 8. (Sorry.)
and then I fly across the country like a speeding teatray and the next time I touch solid ground it's
Sunday July 7th and I'm in Ann Arbor, Mi. It starts at 6pm. it is NOT SOLD OUT -- info at
http://www.nicolasbooks.com/event/one-time-only-event-nicolas-books-brings-neil-gaiman-michigan-theater-ocean-end-lane-tour. (And if you are in the Chicago area and sad about the selling out of Chicago, you could hit the road and come and see me there.)
Monday, July 8th, Edina MN. This is the Twin Cities stop, and I am hoping to see lots of the home crowd. Tickets/wristbands etc do not go on sale until publication date, June 18th.
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/79661 is the B&N website, but it doesn't have much information -- there's more on everything at
http://www.neilgaiman.com/where/details.php?id=149Tuesday July 9th Chicago - this is SOLD OUT I'm afraid.
Wednesday July 10th Nashville TN -- this one is selling well, but it isn't sold out yet.
http://www.wmarocks.com/events/detail/neil-gaiman-war-memorial?perf-no=4009Thursday July 11th Lexington KY -- It's at Joseph Beth (a wonderful bookshop). Not sure how close to sold out they are -- Tickets are "
Purchase at Joseph-Beth Lexington or via 859-273-2911"And then I get my first day off! I fly back to Cambridge, I sleep in my own bed for the first time in over a month, and then...
Saturday 13th July I do the last signing of the tour. It's sponsored by Porter Square Books (who are selling the pre-signed books as well) and tickets are going on sale on publication day, June 18th, and can only be picked up locally. Information at
http://www.neilgaiman.com/where/details.php?id=153Then there will be three Canadian signings, which have not yet been announced.
And of the UK events coming up in August, the only one that's been announced is:
Tuesday 20th of August, when I'll be in Ely Cathedral. And I think that one is going to be fun....
http://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/neil-gaiman-2/
