![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrixrefugeeThis story was too funny to keep to myself. The entry was about signing title pages of books for fancy-schmancy special editions, and how it reminded him of a similar incident when "American Gods" came out:
Friday, April 13, 2001
"What's in that box you just opened?" asked my daughter.
"Pieces of paper," I said.
"It says American Gods on the box. I thought it was books."
"No. They're just title pages. 5000 of them."
"5000 in that box?"
"750 in that box. 4,250 still to come."
"Why are they sending them to you?"
"Because I have to write my name on them?"
"On all of them?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because America is a very big place, and not everyone can get to a book signing. This way stores who order them will be able to sell a signed, limited edition for the same price as the regular ones, and so people in Texas or Florida or Utah will be able to buy signed books. See down at the bottom where it says 'This is a signed first edition of a limited number of 5000 copies.'? I'll sign above there, like this."
"Does that say 'Neil Gaiman?' It looks more like 'Nel Gurgle.'"
"It's how I sign my name."
"Will they take a long time to sign?"
"I expect so."
"When will you do it?"
"When I'm on the telephone. Or watching TV. Or listening to music. Or travelling."
"Can I sign some for you, to help?"
"I'm afraid not."
"I could write Nel Gurgle as good as you can."
"It has to be me."
"Oh. Okay then. Have fun. I'm going to ride my bike."
It doesn't look like Nel Gurgle anymore. Maddy thinks now it looks more like Ned Gun. She made no effort to offer to sign any for me this time, though.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MR again. I loved the name-mangling. "Ned Gun" caught my fancy so much that if I ever write a Raymond Chandler-type hard-boiled detective novel, I'll name the hero of the piece Ned Gun. Fitting, non?
Frank the Reporter: "I like it! It really works!"
Constantine: ::Has had a few and is at that level of tipsiness where he finds odd things amusing:: "Nel Gurgle... y' know, it sounds like the name of a tipsy whore in an ol' time Western."
Friday, April 13, 2001
"What's in that box you just opened?" asked my daughter.
"Pieces of paper," I said.
"It says American Gods on the box. I thought it was books."
"No. They're just title pages. 5000 of them."
"5000 in that box?"
"750 in that box. 4,250 still to come."
"Why are they sending them to you?"
"Because I have to write my name on them?"
"On all of them?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because America is a very big place, and not everyone can get to a book signing. This way stores who order them will be able to sell a signed, limited edition for the same price as the regular ones, and so people in Texas or Florida or Utah will be able to buy signed books. See down at the bottom where it says 'This is a signed first edition of a limited number of 5000 copies.'? I'll sign above there, like this."
"Does that say 'Neil Gaiman?' It looks more like 'Nel Gurgle.'"
"It's how I sign my name."
"Will they take a long time to sign?"
"I expect so."
"When will you do it?"
"When I'm on the telephone. Or watching TV. Or listening to music. Or travelling."
"Can I sign some for you, to help?"
"I'm afraid not."
"I could write Nel Gurgle as good as you can."
"It has to be me."
"Oh. Okay then. Have fun. I'm going to ride my bike."
It doesn't look like Nel Gurgle anymore. Maddy thinks now it looks more like Ned Gun. She made no effort to offer to sign any for me this time, though.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MR again. I loved the name-mangling. "Ned Gun" caught my fancy so much that if I ever write a Raymond Chandler-type hard-boiled detective novel, I'll name the hero of the piece Ned Gun. Fitting, non?
Frank the Reporter: "I like it! It really works!"
Constantine: ::Has had a few and is at that level of tipsiness where he finds odd things amusing:: "Nel Gurgle... y' know, it sounds like the name of a tipsy whore in an ol' time Western."
