On meeting Gaiman

I realized today that while I did tell the story of when I met Neil Gaiman, I didn’t actually post up any proof. No photographic evidence that I’m not just living an elaborate fantasy world contained entirely in my mind.

Wait, I guess I am. Living in my own fantasy world is kinda what they pay me for. But my point is that my rich personal fantasy life did not include meeting Neil Gaiman, that was a real bit that actually happened in my not-fantasy world.

And here’s the picture to prove it:

(I am the one with the Muppet-like beard.)

First, I would like to state, for the record, that I am not about to bite Neil Gaiman with the intention of devouring a piece of him, thereby gaining some of his power. I am actually laughing. Or I might be doing my Prince Vultan impression. Or both.

For those of you who have not squandered your lives watching bad movies, this is Prince Vultan from Flash Gordon.

Also this:

Uncanny, isn’t it? It’s like we’re twins.

You’ll also notice in the picture that I’m keeping a careful distance between myself and Gaiman. I read somewhere that if you touch him, God strikes you dead for your impiety. That’s why he’s carried everywhere on a platform supported by six burly Mameluke slaves.

Lastly, just to prove that I can look civilized when I have to, here’s a picture of me looking like an something other than a fictional character or a hobo:

Awww…. Look at me. I’m cute as a fluffy puppy.

This is back in 2002 at the Writers of the Future award ceremony with my fellow winner Neddi Okorafor. She’s one of the handful of cool writers that I got to know before my book came out and I got all popular and shit. Nnedi gave me advice on early drafts of my book, and has just generally been all-around cool over the years. Her second book, The Shadow Speaker, just came out. It’s good stuff and you should definitely check it out. She was also on the cover of this month’s Locus, so you know she’s a heavy hitter.

That’s all for now. I’ve got to get back to work…

Fondly,

pat

This entry was posted in meeting famous people, Neil GaimanBy Pat32 Responses

31 Comments

  1. Gehennaheretic
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 12:48 PM | Permalink

    Great pictures! And don’t knock the beard! It’s the source of your powers, I’m convinced!

  2. Josh Anderson
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 1:15 PM | Permalink

    Awesome, and somewhat freaky, photo comparison of you and the mighty Prince Vultan. Any reference to one of the finest movies ever made, Flash Gordon, deserves high praise. If only you referenced Clash of The Titans…— Fellow bad/awesome movie buff

  3. notcreepyJess
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 2:11 PM | Permalink

    that made me want to watch Flash Gordon…it’s been too longand I vote for the wild hair and beard look, it’s more author-y, like some Russian novelist… although, also, a little like my crazy uncle

  4. Brian Igelchen
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 2:36 PM | Permalink

    Wow, you suddenly seemed a lot younger. ^^You don’t have a bigger picture so we can get a better look at that beard?

  5. Haplo Peart
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 2:53 PM | Permalink

    As long as you don’t take the same life path as Brain Blessed and devolve into some kind of cross between a lizard and Dominar Rigel, you ought to be ok!

  6. Ben
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 3:24 PM | Permalink

    Yes, you DO look like Brian Blessed! It’s so funny that he was Vultan because he’s actually Shakespearean actor of high regard.Just look at it this way .. if you can’t beat them down like Vultan then you can confuse them with the Queen’s English. :DHope your holidays are good. And come to St. Louis when you can!Ben Rosenberg

  7. Brian Igelchen
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 5:28 PM | Permalink

    I suppose this is is a terrible blasphemy but…Who is Neil Gaiman? Written any good books?(No, this isn’t a joke)

  8. Mary J.
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 5:28 PM | Permalink

    You are still as cute as a little fluffy puppy- if it weren’t for Sarah I would have really enjoyed trying to vamp that memory stick away from you! ;-)

  9. Ben
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 5:49 PM | Permalink

    Brian .. Neil Gaiman has written some of the best novels published in the last 20 years .. he’s also the author of the DC comic Sandman. :DI’d say Amazon is your buddy.I would also throw my 0.02 in and say that although Gaiman is quite good .. he’s not as good as some would say. He’s an awfully nice fellow though.

  10. chris pierson
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 6:31 PM | Permalink

    I wish I looked like Brian Blessed when I grew a beard. I’d love to command the Hawkmen in battle.Instead, the last time I grew a full beard, I looked more like < HREF="http://www.toughpigs.com/images/anthhipster9915.jpg" REL="nofollow">Bip Bippadotta<>.

  11. Anonymous
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 6:32 PM | Permalink

    Wow pat I did’nt realise you were an actor as well as a writer. You never mentoined you played in the vultan film.

  12. Amanda
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 7:04 PM | Permalink

    … you look scary in the last one.

  13. Steven Weyerts
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 9:12 PM | Permalink

    For a moment there, I almost thought you were going to tell us that was your <>real<> Halloween costume.

  14. Aidan Moher
    Posted December 7, 2007 at 9:44 PM | Permalink

    Do I see Patrick Rothfuss, Neil Gaiman, Drew Bowling and David Anthony Durham all in the same photo?Good times must definitely have been had…~Aidan< HREF="http://www.aidanmoher.com/blog" REL="nofollow">A Dribble of Ink<>

  15. CL
    Posted December 8, 2007 at 4:52 AM | Permalink

    I was at Fantasy Matters. I was too chicken to talk to anyone, though. All I did was stare like an idiot. I was also big with the lurkage. Bah…it was still a good time.

  16. AndyB
    Posted December 8, 2007 at 6:55 AM | Permalink

    I really, really, really want to post some certain pictures of Pat in a certain costume but I am not sure he’d approve…

  17. Pat
    Posted December 8, 2007 at 8:20 AM | Permalink

    Heh. This is why Andy is such a good friend…. because he has blackmail material, and if I stopped being his friend he would use it…. As a handful of close friends know, I dressed up as Prince Vultan not long ago as part of a group Flash-Gordon-themed costume. Do you have a good picture of everyone, Andy? If so, could you e-mail it to me?

  18. Brian Igelchen
    Posted December 8, 2007 at 12:40 PM | Permalink

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnTHypbLlkEWatch from 03:03 – 03:16Gives you a pretty good impression of Prince Vultan.

  19. Steven Weyerts
    Posted December 8, 2007 at 7:59 PM | Permalink

    OMG. I was semi-right. You <>did<> wear that costume.

  20. Anonymous
    Posted December 8, 2007 at 9:33 PM | Permalink

    Hey is neil gaiman an actor? He was in a film ive seen. I thought he was an author or something.

  21. AndyB
    Posted December 9, 2007 at 6:15 AM | Permalink

    You’re wrong about the blackmail plan, Pat. “Buy low, sell high.” Your first book only recently came out and is still selling briskly. You have two books in the pipeline (and I’ve heard rumors of more). You have a movie agent. Why would I cash in my blackmail material now?

  22. Christian
    Posted December 9, 2007 at 11:53 AM | Permalink

    Muppet-like beard? I’d say that one’s worthy of Middle Earth!

  23. Kalligenia
    Posted December 9, 2007 at 8:30 PM | Permalink

    That is a photo just waiting to be captioned! Eerie resemblance to Prince Vultan… He could be your twim from another world.

  24. Chad
    Posted December 11, 2007 at 9:22 AM | Permalink

    Just wanted to state the obvious. The book’s awesome. Plain and simple. I’m about halfway through and I’ve already feigned sickness to stay home from work to keep reading. If I get fired, I blame you =]. Keep doing a kick ass job and you’re guaranteed at least one buyer.

  25. Anonymous
    Posted December 11, 2007 at 9:31 AM | Permalink

    Chads right that is the obvious, hell i was up untill 6 in the morning reading it (for the second time) when I have to leave for work at 7:30! So if I fall into any machinery or vats full of scary crap (like bone-tar) then it’s you’re fualt pat.

  26. Taliesin
    Posted December 11, 2007 at 9:42 AM | Permalink

    I’m much more interested in these announcements that you are about to make Pat, especially if they pertain to the unexpected delay of WMF.

  27. Ann S.
    Posted December 11, 2007 at 3:19 PM | Permalink

    (delurks)Hello, Pat. Just letting you know that I found your blog through the Whatever and I’ll be lurking. I realize that announcing I’m lurking defeats the whole purpose, but I don’t want to be rude! (relurks)

  28. Pat
    Posted December 11, 2007 at 7:40 PM | Permalink

    Welcome. Feel free to lurk to your heart’s content. I am, by nature, a bit of a lurker myself, so I can appreciate the impulse.

  29. Anonymous
    Posted December 13, 2007 at 12:35 PM | Permalink

    Hey Pat did you realy recomend the Kama sutra on amazon?

  30. Pat
    Posted December 13, 2007 at 12:40 PM | Permalink

    Sure. Why wouldn’t I? It’s a great book.

  31. Salix
    Posted August 4, 2011 at 1:41 AM | Permalink

    I feel like a newbie, commenting on such an old post. I wish I’d known about you when The Name of the Wind first came out… but then again, I can barely stand waiting for the third book.

    Anyway. I got a kick out of how the only photo in this post that isn’t loading up for me is the one in which you supposedly prove that you are, indeed, a modern, civilized human. One who neither eats his fellow authors nor wears Babylonan-esque armor.

One Trackback

  • […] Who Does Pat Get All Geeky About? 26) Books and Interview with Nnedi Okorafor: Pat interviews his friend and fellow Writers of the Future author, Nnedi way back in 2009. And here he blurbs one of her books, Who Fears Death. 27) Terry Pratchett: Pat gets a book signed by Terry Pratchett. He also shares some reflections after Pratchett passed away here. 28) Interview with Terry Brooks: An awesomely long interview with Pat and the legendary Terry Brooks that spans four posts and two blogs. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. 29) Interview with Mary Robinette Kowal: Pat and Mary discuss the definition of Regency, and when presented with the options of Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp, she correctly chooses Nathan Fillion. 30) How to Embarrass Yourself in Front of Famous People: Pat meets Amber Benson and is silly. Also, Pat meets Felicia Day, proving that he, like the rest of us, completely loses his crap when he meets his heroes.  Bonus: Pat does his best Prince Vultan impression for Neil Gaiman. […]

Post a Reply to Steven Weyerts Cancel reply

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • RSS info

  • Visit Worldbuilders!

  • Our Store

  • Previous Posts

  • Archives



  • Bookmark this Blog!

    (IE and Firefox users only - Safari users, click Command-D)