Neil has made it to Brussels, and I made it to the bookshop where he was signing. Got American Gods signed and drawn in (a weird looking guy and “Believe!” next to him); bought Coraline and got this one signed with a drawing of a winged mouse (or rat). Cute.

Neil was very friendly, though he looked about to fall over. I’m surprised he’s managing to stay friendly; he looked like he hasn’t slept for days. Oh well, the price of fame... ;-)

He said that when he finished American Gods he told Gene Wolfe that he thought he finally knew how to write novels. But Gene told him the old truth--that you never learn to write novels, you only learn how to write this one.

Oh, and someone in the line ahead of me brought in a manuscript for Neil to look at... All nicely printed and bound, and with a transparent cover. You should have seen Neil’s face! He was trying to be polite... I was chuckling to myself. Luckily, I’m past that stage now. At least that one!