Neil Gaiman: Stardust

Since I have all these new renovation projects at our house (I hope to post pictures of the kitchen soon!), I've signed up for an Audible account. Painting and removing wallpaper is much more fun when you have an audiobook to listen to.
One of my favorites so far has been Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

Everything about this book was right up my alley. The full title is Stardust: Being a Romance Within The Realms of Faerie and that is exactly what you get. A charming, old-school fairy tale packed with adventure, magic, and romance. I admit I was skeptical with the billing "a fairy tale for adults," but I fell head over heels in the first ten minutes.

The story follows Tristan Thorne, who is determined to do whatever it takes to win the heart of the girl he loves. When she suggests (rather flippantly) that he catch her a fallen star, he crosses over into Faerie to do just that. Only the star is nothing like the cold stone he thought it would be, and Tristan's journey causes him to rethink everything he knows to be true in the world.

Intertwined with Tristan's story are the stories of other (more dangerous) travelers who are also searching for the star. As you can imagine, all the plot lines come together in an exciting, highly satisfying climax.

To top it all off, Neil Gaiman has to be the most charming audiobook reader around. I don't know that I'll ever be able to read another book of his in paper format, and believe me, I am a paper format kind of girl.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a bit of love and magic.

Neil Gaiman: The Graveyard Book

This weekend, Kevin and I went on an exciting trip to New York City where we ate great food, spent time with old friends, saw a great Broadway Show, and for the car ride, we brought along the audio version of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. You know...that little book that came out in 2008 and got some attention by winning the Newbery Medal, the Hugo Award, the Carnegie Medal, and oh, at least a half dozen more major literary awards. I admit, I'd never read it.

Now, I'll also admit, I'm *glad* I'd never read it. Because listening to Neil Gaiman read the book aloud is so much fun, I'm certain I wouldn't have enjoyed it half as much if I had read it on my own. Most books, I like to curl up on the couch and create a world in my own head. But Neil Gaiman's voice is built for storytelling. He draws you in and invites you to hang on his every word.

Of course, the story is chilling. Our hero, Bod (short for Nobody), enters the novel as an infant whose family has just been brutally murdered. In an unprecedented act of generosity, the ghosts of the local graveyard take him in and vow to protect him. What unfolds is part mystery, part straight-up fantasy/adventure, but what is most intriguing is Bod's coming of age story. Bod is a living, flesh-and-blood human being trying to fit into a world that is not his. In the end, after all is said and done, The Graveyard Book is about familial love, growing up, letting go, and finding your place in the world.

Next time you're trying to decide what to listen to on a long car trip, I recommend checking it out.

Book Trailers from Lane Smith & Neil Gaiman

I think I've posted a couple book trailers here before, but just in case you're new to the concept, it's basically a movie trailer for a book. I've been a little skeptical about book trailers...Are they effective? Worth the effort? Who will see them? Will they actually sell more books?

Well, here are two examples of book trailers that actually worked on me. As in, I saw the trailer, I had to have the book. What do you think? Are book trailers the wave of the future or just another passing fancy?

Trailer #1: It's a Book by Lane Smith
I plan to go out and buy It's a Book when it comes out in August solely because this trailer cracked me up. Now the question is, when August comes around, will I still remember it? I hope so!



Trailer #2: Instructions by Neil Gaiman
I just bought Instructions as a gift for someone who shall remain nameless (because I haven't actually gifted it yet) as a direct result of watching this trailer. What a great book for someone who is setting out on a journey or new direction in life (um, graduation, anyone?)

Jason Webley: The Cost of Living

I like to haunt around Neil Gaiman's blog, and a few weeks back, he recommended this musician Jason Webley. I made a note to check him out and then promptly forgot about it. Until this weekend.

I was working on one of those long, pull-your-hair out house projects requiring caulk, paint, and a steady hand. The kind of project I can't get through without music. But not just any music. For this task, I needed something with Ramones-style energy (to out my frustrations), but Andrew Bird-style beauty and drama (to stay my concentration). I stared blankly at my Rhapsody playlist for a while, and then decided to check out this guy Neil Gaiman likes so much.

Thank you, Jason Webley (and thank you, Mr. Gaiman) for seeing me through. I listened to The Cost of Living three times back to back, and I even mananged to do a decent job with the caulking.

I love the song Clear, which doesn't seem to be up on YouTube or any of the usual places you can listen to for free. But here is a clip (which, of course, too short to do it any justice at all):



Neil Gaiman posted Almost Time on his journal.

Now, when I was looking up Jason Webley songs on YouTube, I noticed that he often plays solo. Which is cool, but I was curious to see how he would deal with a song like There's Not a Step We Can Take That Does Not Bring Us Closer, which, on the album, has these great violin and trombone sections.

Well, here's how he deals with it. Heheh. I like it: