my daughter and the crocodile + gaiman contest news

At work, I get a phone call from Nikki.

NIKKI: Are you busy?

ME: Not so much, what's up?

NIKKI: I just read your daughter your story.

ME: Which one?

NIKKI: "The Maiden and the Crocodile".

ME: Oh. But it's a bit complex for her, don't you think?

NIKKI: I read it to her frontwise. She listened to every word, and - at the end - she said "Mommy, that's so sad." And she began to cry.

ME: She what?

NIKKI: She cried and cried, you know, quietly, like her heart was broken.

ME: Oh no.

(When I got home later that day, I talked to Sage about the story.)

ME: Did you like my story? The one about the girl and the crocodile?

SAGE: No, Dad. It made me sad.

ME: Why?

SAGE: Because she took the crocodile's heart. It wasn't hers.

ME: But do you know why?

SAGE: Because she didn't have one. But it made me sad. I don't like sad stories.

ME: Yes, you do. You like "The Giving Tree" even though it makes both of us cry.

SAGE: Dad... I don't like your story.

ME: That's okay.

SAGE: But I still love you.


And there you have it, my friends. Separate the author from the text - literary criticism courtesy of Sage Alfar, age 4.


fully booked gaiman contest

I hear that the original announcement of the winners of the comics/spec fic content was supposed to be at the The 4th Philippine Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, originally scheduled for April 21-23 at the Rockwell Tent.

karenkristie says otherwise, pointing to July 16 (when it "might" happen).

And she's right. Fully Booked will make the announcement around June 15ish, in time to celebrate the anniversary of Neil Gaiman's visit.

Or so it seems ;)