A Night with Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, so when we found out he was stopping in Nashville on his last ever signing tour we had to go. The event was last Wednesday night at War Memorial and it couldn't have been better. 

Neil was just lovely on stage, and read from his new book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. He said that at all the other tour stops he has read from the first or second chapter, but since there was a thunder storm going on during the reading he read a portion from the middle of the book that took place during a storm. It was so perfect, the thunder rumbled almost like it was being queued! The passage was just as creepy as I wanted it to be and I couldn't wait to get home and read the rest of the book. And it didn't dissapoint! I only wish it was longer because I wanted to stay in that world longer!

He also answered some questions that the audience had turned in (it was kind of disappointing that so many dumb ones were at the top of the pile. But his answers were always good) He read another selection from an upcoming book and Bela Fleck came out on stage to accompany him on the banjo!

After that Neil stepped off stage and the signing portion began. I think they said there were 1700 people were there and a LOT of them stayed to get their books signed. They pulled section and row number out of box to determine the order you got your book signed. We waited close to four hours and I can't believe how great the crowd was! I kept waiting for mutiny or people trying to cut in line but everyone seemed so good natured and just happy to be there! Even at the Maddie on Things signing week before people were complaining the whole time and we waited barely an hour!There was some exaggerated yelling whenever a section was called that WASN'T yours that was close, but people also cheered for other sections. When we got called we all leapt to our feet and it felt like we'd won something!

 As it always is when I meet someone that I really admire and love I couldn't think of anything to say but I was so happy to stand in front of Neil Gaiman and thank him while he signed my books. He was so good natured even after signing for HOURS and I can see why this will be his last signing tour. It has to be exhausting.

It was a very special night. You could get one other item signed after he signed your copy of the new book, so we chose Anansi Boys. We HAD ordered a cool new edition of American Gods that we planned to bring but we didn't get it in time. But I absolutely LOVE Anansi Boys so I was happy.

I highly recommend his books. Coraline was the first one I read when I saw the preview for the movie and it FREAKED me out, even though I mostly read it at work on my lunch breaks. Neil Gaiman has such a great and original voice and those are my three favorites I've read so far. His audiobooks are wonderful too, he reads most of them himself which I always love. Next I'm going to read American Gods. I didn't for a long time because I thought the cover was dumb (yes I know that isn't a good reason). BUT we've got a different edition now so I'm finally going to listen to Travis and read it. That is, if I ever make it through the Game of Thrones series! I'm 1700 pages in, with 1800 left. Geeze!

Are you reading anything good lately? Some friends and I are trying to start a little book club but are having a hard time finding something good to read that none of us have read before. It's just five of us so it shouldn't be that hard!