The Sandman: Book of Dreams
Encyclopedia
The Sandman: Book of Dreams (1996), edited by Ed Kramer and Neil Gaiman
, is an anthology
of short stories based on The Sandman comic book
series.
Apparently, DC Comics
(the owners of The Sandman) were giving out contracts that included provisions very different than those the editors had originally told the authors when solicited for material.
The editors tried to get DC Comics to change the terms of the contracts back to what was originally told to the authors, but were unsuccessful. As a result, several authors dropped out of the project, among them Harlan Ellison
, Jane Yolen
, Charles de Lint
, Martha Soukup
, Karawynn Long, and Michael Berry.
Afterword: Death by Tori Amos
Two of the dropped stories are available from the authors' websites:
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
, is an anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of short stories based on The Sandman comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series.
Behind the scenes
Before the eventual publication of The Sandman: Book of Dreams, controversy surrounding it almost caused the book to not be made.Apparently, DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
(the owners of The Sandman) were giving out contracts that included provisions very different than those the editors had originally told the authors when solicited for material.
The editors tried to get DC Comics to change the terms of the contracts back to what was originally told to the authors, but were unsuccessful. As a result, several authors dropped out of the project, among them Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
, Jane Yolen
Jane Yolen
Jane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
, Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint is a Canadian fantasy author and folk musician. He is also the chief book critic for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction....
, Martha Soukup
Martha Soukup
Martha Soukup is a Nebula award-winning and Hugo award-nominated science fiction author, and playwright for the emerging playwrights group. In 2003, she won their annual commission....
, Karawynn Long, and Michael Berry.
Contents
Preface by Frank McConnellFrank McConnell
Frank Duncan McConnell was a Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.In 1912 he was eliminated in the first round of the 100 metres competition as well as of the 200 metres event....
- Masquerade and High Water by Colin GreenlandColin GreenlandColin Greenland is a British science fiction writer, whose first story won the second prize in a 1982 Faber & Faber competition. His best known novel is Take Back Plenty , winner of both major British science fiction awards, the 1990 British SF Association award and the 1991 Arthur C...
- Chain Home, Low by John M. FordJohn M. FordJohn Milo "Mike" Ford was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, game designer, and poet.Ford was regarded as an extraordinarily intelligent, erudite and witty man. He was a popular contributor to several online discussions...
- Stronger Than Desire by Lisa GoldsteinLisa GoldsteinLisa Goldstein is a Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Award nominated fantasy and science fiction writer. Her 1982 novel The Red Magician won the American Book Award for best paperback novel, and was praised by Philip K. Dick shortly before his death...
- Each Damp Thing by Barbara HamblyBarbara HamblyBarbara Hambly is an award-winning and prolific American novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction...
- The Birth Day by B.W. CloughBrenda CloughBrenda W. Clough is an American science fiction and fantasy writer.Brenda W. Clough has been nominated to an Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in 2002 for her Novella "May Be Some Time"...
- Splatter by Will ShetterlyWill ShetterlyWill Shetterly is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction best known for his novel Dogland . The novel is inspired by his childhood at the tourist attraction Dog Land owned by his parents...
- Seven Nights in Slumberland by George Alec EffingerGeorge Alec EffingerGeorge Alec Effinger was an American science fiction author, born in 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio.-Writing career:...
(this features Little NemoLittle NemoLittle Nemo is the main fictional character in a series of weekly comic strips by Winsor McCay that appeared in the New York Herald and William Randolph Hearst's New York American newspapers from October 15, 1905 – April 23, 1911 and April 30, 1911 – July 26, 1914; respectively.The...
) - Escape Artist by Caitlin R. KiernanCaitlin R. KiernanCaitlín Rebekah Kiernan is the author of many science fiction and dark fantasy works, including seven novels, many comic books, more than one hundred published short stories, novellas, and vignettes, and numerous scientific papers.- Overview :Born in Dublin, Ireland, she moved to the United States...
- An Extra Smidgeon of Eternity by Robert RodiRobert RodiRobert Rodi is an American novelist, playwright, comic book writer, essayist, and performance artist.-Biography:...
- The Writer's Child by Tad WilliamsTad WilliamsRobert Paul "Tad" Williams, born in San Jose, California, is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchaser's Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers....
- Endless Sestina by Lawrence SchimelLawrence SchimelLawrence Schimel is an American science fiction and fantasy writer, translator, and anthologist whose work frequently deals with gay and lesbian themes, and with Jewish themes. He was born in New York, and received his B.A. in Literature from Yale University. Schimel is a member of the National...
- The Gate of Gold by Mark Kreighbaum
- A Bone Dry Place by Karen HaberKaren HaberKaren Haber is a science fiction and non-fiction author and editor, as well an art critic and historian. She is the author of nine novels including Star Trek Voyager: Bless the Beasts, and co-author of Science of the X-Men...
- The Witch's Heart by Delia ShermanDelia ShermanCordelia Caroline Sherman , known professionally as Delia Sherman, is a fantasy writer and editor. Her novel The Porcelain Dove won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award...
- The Mender of Broken Dreams by Nancy A. CollinsNancy A. CollinsNancy A. Collins is a United States horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue. Collins has alsowritten for comic books, including the Swamp Thing series, Jason Vs...
- Ain't You 'Most Done? by Gene WolfeGene WolfeGene Wolfe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the...
- Valóság and Élet by Steven BrustSteven BrustSteven Karl Zoltán Brust is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
- Stopp't-Clock Yard by Susanna ClarkeSusanna ClarkeSusanna Mary Clarke is a British author best known for her debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell , a Hugo Award-winning alternate history. Clarke began Jonathan Strange in 1993 and worked on it during her spare time...
Afterword: Death by Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
External links
Two of the dropped stories are available from the authors' websites:
- The Voice of Her Eyes by Karawynn Long
- Merv Pumpkinhead's Big Night Out by Michael Berry