Who is Neil Gaiman?

Neil Gaiman, born 10 November 1960, is a multi-awarded writer with a very significant cult following. A native of Porchester, England, he now reigns over the world of fantasy fiction from his home in the state of Minnesota, USA. He was married to Mary McGrath and has three children — two daughters, Holly and Maddy, and a son, Mike. He also writes a regularly updated blog which is very popular with his legion of fans.

Neil Gaiman first reached geek god status with his re-imagining of a minor DC comics hero, The Sandman. His reconstruction of the virtually unknown character into Morpheus, a complex god of dream now adored by a plethora of fanatics, has resulted in one of the most sophisticated and thoughtful works in comics history. His effort eventually garnered him a World Fantasy Award, the only one given to a comic book.

From comic books, Neil Gaiman went on to conquer the world of fiction, mostly in the fantasy genre. Most of his books, whether novels or short story anthologies, have gained spots in bestseller lists. Titles include American Gods, Good Omens, written with Terry Pratchett, Neverwhere, also a television series, and Anansi Boys. He is currently writing what he calls the "Graveyard Book," which he says is about a young orphan who is raised by the undead in a graveyard.

Not content to rest on his literary laurels, Neil Gaiman is also turning his hand to film. After years of speculation, some of his works will now be seen on the big screen. He is billed as the producer of the cinematic adaptation of Stardust, a fairytale he wrote in 1998, set, at least partly, in Victorian England. The tale follows the adventures of a boy who enters a magical world to retrieve a fallen star which turns out to be a woman. The movie stars Michelle Pfeifer, Claire Danes, and Robert de Niro. He also co-wrote the screenplay for Beowulf, which counts Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie, and John Malkovich in the cast.