Hello Shaun Tan I was staying with friends in France last year. There we were, in our sixties, and our host produced their French edition of THE ARRIVAL. Can't read French someone said - no need to came the reply. For myself I was transported into the world you created. Nearly missed dinner! Back in Devon, England I bought the book (hard cover) for a friend's birthday - she scanned it briefly, saying quite naturally that she'd 'have a proper look later' as loads of people were arriving. She placed it on a table in the sitting-soom. After grub we all decanted there - one guy picked up the book, 'disappeared', returned and passed it on to the next eager person - and so it went until everyone was asking me who you are - how did I find the book etc. etc. All saying they would like their own and would look into other works of yours. Our birhtday host was quite bemused and was the only one not to vanish into the wonderment - course she could get to it later - and arrive. She has since emailed me saying that if she leaves the book on the table the cover attracts visitors like hungry ants on a sugar lump. She doesn't have to hold converations any more!
Thing is I've just bought another copy for another friend who really likes a good chat - better warn him don't you think!?
Have bought a few more of your books and thanks so much for enriching our lives.
I write short stories and Flash Fiction, some of them published. I just wish you weren't quite so darn popular/in favour/in demand then you might have free time to collaborate on my, sometimes, surreal takes on life etc! Ah well. It has been great to discover you.
Hi Tay, thanks for that, wonderful to hear, especially as I never really know how readers find or experience books, especially the good 'accidental' readers (ideal audience!). Thanks for sharing. I agree with you about availability for collaboration. I began work as a freelancer and while I don't miss the conditions, I did enjoy working with weird stories by such varied writers when working for magazines.
Hi Shaun - thanks for replying - but one thing you have inspired me to do is: find an illustrator/collaborator for my work, so thanks for that. Here's a thing hot off the press re THE ARRIVAL. Just had an email which I thought would tickle you re my friend's 8 year old grandson:
'....he has made a request to take the book (THE ARRIVAL) you gave me for my birthday to school to show the class as they are dealing with books with no words right now. So, your gift has been a big hit all round. He has taken it with the request that he takes great care of it. Isn't that lovely? He only mentioned the ipad once and we had a lovely day all round.'
No doubt the school will be as enchanted as the many others I mentioned.
Hello Shaun Tan
ReplyDeleteI was staying with friends in France last year. There we were, in our sixties, and our host produced their French edition of THE ARRIVAL.
Can't read French someone said - no need to came the reply.
For myself I was transported into the world you created. Nearly missed dinner!
Back in Devon, England I bought the book (hard cover) for a friend's birthday - she scanned it briefly, saying quite naturally that she'd 'have a proper look later' as loads of people were arriving. She placed it on a table in the sitting-soom.
After grub we all decanted there - one guy picked up the book, 'disappeared', returned and passed it on to the next eager person - and so it went until everyone was asking me who you are - how did I find the book etc. etc. All saying they would like their own and would look into other works of yours.
Our birhtday host was quite bemused and was the only one not to vanish into the wonderment - course she could get to it later - and arrive.
She has since emailed me saying that if she leaves the book on the table the cover attracts visitors like hungry ants on a sugar lump.
She doesn't have to hold converations any more!
Thing is I've just bought another copy for another friend who really likes a good chat - better warn him don't you think!?
Have bought a few more of your books and thanks so much for enriching our lives.
I write short stories and Flash Fiction, some of them published.
I just wish you weren't quite so darn popular/in favour/in demand then you might have free time to collaborate on my, sometimes, surreal takes on life etc!
Ah well.
It has been great to discover you.
All best
Tay
Hi Tay, thanks for that, wonderful to hear, especially as I never really know how readers find or experience books, especially the good 'accidental' readers (ideal audience!). Thanks for sharing. I agree with you about availability for collaboration. I began work as a freelancer and while I don't miss the conditions, I did enjoy working with weird stories by such varied writers when working for magazines.
ReplyDeleteHi Shaun - thanks for replying - but one thing you have inspired me to do is: find an illustrator/collaborator for my work, so thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteHere's a thing hot off the press re THE ARRIVAL. Just had an email which I thought would tickle you re my friend's 8 year old grandson:
'....he has made a request to take the book (THE ARRIVAL) you gave me for my birthday to school to show the class as they are dealing with books with no words right now. So, your gift has been a big hit all round. He has taken it with the request that he takes great care of it. Isn't that lovely? He only mentioned the ipad once and we had a lovely day all round.'
No doubt the school will be as enchanted as the many others I mentioned.
Tay