Praise for the Dead - In Two Forms...

Some good and bad news from the Writing world recently.

First, the good news. This past Monday Neil Gaiman won the 2009 John Newbery Medal Award for The Graveyard Book. It’s truly the most engaging, touching and pleasing tale I’ve read in a long time. I’m quite glad it received the honor. Bravo, Mr. Gaiman! Thanks again for writing it. From what you say, it had been a long time coming. It turned out beautifully.

Latest on the movie of The Graveyard Book:
Neil Jordan is writing and directing. They’re going the live-action route still. I’m especially happy to hear that Nobody Owens, the main character will be played by several different boys. Nobody ages from infant to teen in the novel. It sounds only logical to use more than one actor. But it also allows for the (pardon the pun) fleshing out the individual chapters. Each chapter of the novel is a story unto itself, though linked to the whole, of course. In each one, Bod Owens is his next age. Thus, each actor will be working on their own arc of development, and then also within a larger whole. Has a nice artistic ring to it.




Now, the sad news. Renowned author John Updike has put down his pen at age 76 today. I remember reading about him in my ‘Social Studies’ textbook. You have to figure any author who makes it into a grade school textbook on culture had to have made quite an impact. We all know he did: the Rabbit series, the Witches of Eastwick, over sixteen other novels, numerous short stories, poetry and non-fiction. He certainly left a legacy. Farewell, sir!

GRAVy! (Sorry...sorry...couldn't resist!)