Walking with fangirls

[louiselux]

I met up with ntamara who lives slap in the middle of Oxford. Then foreverdirt and wednesdayschild turned up with cheesy chips, that well-known British delicacy. Then derryderrydown appeared as if by magic, in her flourescent coat. Borders was pretty packed by the time Neil showed up, and considering it was children's book there weren't that many in the audience, although there were a few. I stood in the 'pets' aisle and craned over the most enourmous man in the world's shoulder.

Neil was lovely and funny and I think, no, I know, I stood there with a stupid grin on my face all the time he was reading, and then through the questions, when he was funny and lovely some more.

He read the whole of the Wolves in the Walls. The first question was 'where do you get your ideas.' He was very gracious and said that 90% of authors lie about that and treat it as a joke question, and they'll say things like: 'from a man who comes round once a month with a basket and makes me choose.' Love! But he talked about confluence and things coming together, which is very similar to Stephen King's description of how he gets his ideas.

Someone asked him who is favourite charcters were, so he did it book by book because he said he couldn't choose. Mr Wednesday, the Marquis, Delirium because 'she writes her own dialogue', and Crowley! He talked quite a lot about Good Omens, and about he and Terry plotted the sequel together in a hotel room at 4 in the morning. By this point I was ready to shout out 'tell me the plot, for god's sake! Just tell it me now!' But of course I didn't, and he didn't. A certain forverdirt was tinhatting away madly in the self help aisle by this point at the mention of Terry, Neil and writing each other's Deaths. That's Deaths, not 'little deaths'. Ahem. Moving on, there were more questions but I can't remember them all as my brain was destroyed by the squee. Then we all formed an orderly scrum and waited to get our books signed. It took ages and I had plenty of time to think about how odd it felt meeting an author whose books I write fanfic for. I still feel very very very not-worthy.

I can't remember what I said to him because I had an attack of nerves and my heart went all poundy, but it was something cretinous like 'that's very lovely.' He draws little pictures with his signature! And I was cursing myself that I didn't get a copy of Good Omens signed, even if it was horrible black-covered one.

We went back to pick up ntamara who had run off to go and read some more potterfic. Then derryderrydown took us to the pub, where she showed me her Scottish country dancing shoes. They have tartan straps and they lace up round the ankle! Very fancy. By the time I had to leave, Foreverdirt, who had been driven insane by Neil's hypercool death ray of luuurve, was slashing fenceposts and trees, bless her. Ntamara walked back to the station with me, regaling me on the way with her long improbable Harry Potter murder mystery plot, which she must write.

I had a wonderful time, not only because I met Neil (guh) but because I met meeting such friendly, funny and entertaining people.

Comments

[katmaxwell.livejournal.com]

:sighs dreamily: Ah, that sounds so wonderful. :sighs dreamily again:

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

It was! I am still all ooh, Neil looked at me!

[daegaer.livejournal.com]

Sigh. Wonderful. And he's coming here next Monday! Joy! And the student hasn't brought back my copy of Good Omens! Woe! I may have to buy one just to get it signed</small.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Guhhh. You must! You must experience the Neil love. And get a copy of Good Omens signed. He drew a little cartoon Aziraphale in foreverdirt's copy! And we saw the beard too! It was all piratey. You could tell he'd have a real man-beard if he grew one, not one of those straggly types.

[zoerayne]

he and Terry plotted the sequel together in a hotel room at 4 in the morning

Interestingly, Terry talked about that, too, when he was here last month. [g] He said it took them forever to finally admit that neither of them really wanted to write the damned thing. (Which is really a pity, as I would love to read it.)

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Sigh. Me too. Ah well, he didn't give the plot away, so maybe there's hope.

[carmarthen.livejournal.com]

Foreverdirt, who had been driven insane by Neil's hypercool death ray of luuurve, was slashing fenceposts and trees, bless her.

Hahaha, oh, that sounds SO like her! Went I met her in California, she was slashing trains and tunnels.

[cenire.livejournal.com]

Wah, I want him back in the US and in my bedroom. ;)

But. Squee! I am glad you had so much fun! And are they actually going to write that sequel to "Good Omens"?

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

He sounded very dubious about it, and talked about how they wrote Good Omens when neither of them were very well known so they just wrote it to make each other laugh. He said that if the sequel ever happened, which he doubted, they wouldn't be also to write it with the same sense of fun. So much as I would love them to write a sequel, it doesn't sound very likely.

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

It was a wonderful, wonderful evening! I'm so happy with my shiny silver Dream and it was lovely meeting you.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Yay! I love my shiny silver dream too - I never guessed he was going to do that so it was a doubly nice surprise. It was very lovely to meet you to!

[afrai.livejournal.com]

He talked quite a lot about Good Omens, and about he and Terry plotted the sequel together in a hotel room at 4 in the morning.

While simultaneously shagging like rabbits!

Curses! The banananana daiquiris have got to me! Tell my mother goodbye! *throws self off cliff*