neil-gaiman - Tumblr blog

[neil-gaiman]

On the American Gods playlist, that would count as doing your homework for you, I'm afraid. But there are a lot of songs in the book.

hi neil! i’m reading american gods for an english assignment (i got to pick the book, so of course i picked my favorite!), and in the end i need to make a small playlist of songs relating to the story. do you have any suggestions or genres?

also, on a more unfortunate note, i was a little disappointed by dead boy detectives. the writing and dialogue just didn’t seem like you! did you just create the characters, and someone else did the writing? i was very excited to see Death though, she is phenomenal :)

i hope you and yours are well!

I didn't write much of Dead Boy Detectives at all. It's not my show, although I love it. (For the curious, I wrote one scene in Episode 1, one in Episode 7, and one in Episode 8.)

[neil-gaiman]

Do you fear what’s after life?

No.

[neil-gaiman]

You have any particular thoughts or rules you follow regarding violence or gore in writing? Certainly your own writing touches darker stuff like the occult and mythological, which often comes hand in hand with the occasional murder, dismemberment, etc. Your works sometimes have violence but others barely at all. What's too much? Is there a too much? How do you find that sweet spot, like with the Corinthian, where it's jarring and shocking but doesn't get an eye roll?

Mostly my rule is that if I do it, I mean it. If there's going to be violence then it will have physical and emotional results in the story. Beyond that, I just try and tell the story.

[neil-gaiman]

Were there any of your more popular books that you didn’t think would get popular/ not as well known books that you thought would do better?

I never expected Norse Mythology to become an international bestseller. I hoped Mister Punch would make more of an impact than it did.

[neil-gaiman]

How do you appreciate the praise and positivity from people while not letting the hate get to you?

You kind of have to not really let the praise get to you either.

[neil-gaiman]

Did you ever meet Cinnamon (comic inspiration for death) in person or go to Bill and Nadas in salt lake?

No, I never met Cinamon Hadley. She was Mike Dringenberg's friend.

[neil-gaiman]

hi neil! i’m reading american gods for an english assignment (i got to pick the book, so of course i picked my favorite!), and in the end i need to make a small playlist of songs relating to the story. do you have any suggestions or genres?

also, on a more unfortunate note, i was a little disappointed by dead boy detectives. the writing and dialogue just didn’t seem like you! did you just create the characters, and someone else did the writing? i was very excited to see Death though, she is phenomenal :)

i hope you and yours are well!

I didn't write much of Dead Boy Detectives at all. It's not my show, although I love it. (For the curious, I wrote one scene in Episode 1, one in Episode 7, and one in Episode 8.)

[neil-gaiman]

Simberg's Wounded Angel.

Hi Neil!

I just finished watching Dead Boy Detectives and loved it!!

I have a question about it, though:

There is a finnish painting called ”Lemminkäisen äiti” by artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, which really reminded me of the washer woman painting !! :))

I was wondering if there was any chance that it was inspired by it or if it’s just my imagination :D? (Really cool either way)

(Here’s the painting, it’s about Lemminkäinen’s mother griefing the death of her son, based on Finland’s national epic Kalevala)

I personally have always loved that painting -- i first saw it in the Helsinki art museum in about 1997 and it was my second favourite painting there.

But I don't know the answer to your question.

[neil-gaiman]

Hello, Mr. Gaiman.

What do you think of Netflix reapetedly cancelling actual good fantasy shows and mass produce another dumb pieces of garbage with poorly written characters and a weak plot without any message which either nobody watches or a bunch of people watch and conclude they're worthless anyway. They clearly don't care about fine cinematography. I wouldn't want that to happen to any of your shows, don't you fear it?

Kind regards, have a great time.

Not really. You make the best thing you can, hope it finds its audience, and keep going. Worry about things you can affect, not things you can't.

[neil-gaiman]

Hi Neil!

I just finished watching Dead Boy Detectives and loved it!!

I have a question about it, though:

There is a finnish painting called ”Lemminkäisen äiti” by artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, which really reminded me of the washer woman painting !! :))

I was wondering if there was any chance that it was inspired by it or if it’s just my imagination :D? (Really cool either way)

(Here’s the painting, it’s about Lemminkäinen’s mother griefing the death of her son, based on Finland’s national epic Kalevala)

I personally have always loved that painting -- i first saw it in the Helsinki art museum in about 1997 and it was my second favourite painting there.

But I don't know the answer to your question.

[neil-gaiman]

Hi, Neil! I don't have a question. I just wanted to say that i just finished watching Dead Boys Detectives and I love it every second of it. I really hope it gets renewed otherwise I don't know how I'll keep living 😨

Tell everyone you know in real life to watch it. Tell everyone you know online. Remember that the first month is the most important and that completion rates are the statistic that Netflix cares about at least as much as viewing figures. Post things anywhere you can post things.

It's up to all of you whether it gets a second season (or a third).

[neil-gaiman]

Were you the one who pioneered the concept of Hell being locked from the inside? With sinners crafting the punishments they feel they deserve?

I don't think I pioneered it. I used it for Sandman, and I think if I stole it from anywhere it was James Branch Cabell's novel Jurgen.

[neil-gaiman]

someone on pinterest called you god

Someone on Pinterest should be reminded that I (like everyone else here) am all too human.

[neil-gaiman]

Hello Mr. Gaiman,

I've been wondering- you took your idea for the cold open of The Doctor's Wife and used that for a minisode in series 7. How was that change? Cause the original script was for Amy, Rory and the Doctor. But the filmed version was a post-date-mini-adventure for the Doctor and River. Or, in better words, how did you fit to that change?

Also, since you are the only person, besides Steven Moffat, to have ever written an onscreen River Song story, do find any pride in that?

Thank you ;3

I don't even remember if I wrote that or if Steven Moffat did the final version from the deleted scene in the script. I THINK it was me.

[neil-gaiman]

every gay friend group has: the repressed academic, the ska loving "brawn", the formerly mean girl psychic, the match making anime fan, the astrology lover, the lesbian butcher/reluctant big sister, the sexy cat with nine lives, the walrus who runs a magic shop and the local witch who wants to kill everyone

[neil-gaiman]

Hi, Neil. I was wondering if you could confirm what the correct spelling of Edwin's last name is in the Dead Boy Detectives show since both Payne and Paine seem to be getting used in the tags. Thanks!

It was Paine in the comics and is Payne on the TV.

[neil-gaiman]

How does it feel to be really old

63 doesn't feel Really Old. Just old. I'm hoping to be able to tell you how it feels to be Really Old in about 30 or 40 years, though.