Hero Worship

They say 'Never meet your heroes'. I'm not particularly sure who 'they' are and what their authority is but I think I understand the gist of the notion:  Ultimately we put our heroes onto pedestals which usually brings us crashing down with disappointment when we finally get to see them for who, and in some cases, what they really are.

I had the privilege of meeting one of my heroes the other day when Neil Gaiman arrived at Ely Cathedral for a signing on his latest book; 'The Ocean at the end of the lane.'  For those of you that know me shall have to decide for themselves whether I'm the kind of person you'd expect to queue up with a thousand other fans at a fantasy writers book signing in the most famous religious building in the fens.  Even I find my presence in that statement a little incongruent.

Firstly, the book he was promoting was excellent. A couple of you have contacted me about my 'Twilight my fire' blog and mentioned a few books in related topics and I must confess that I was somewhat pleased with this. With the unrelenting technological advance of smartphones, online gaming and televisions with greater IQ's than the people who buy them I was starting to fear for the humble book. It turns out that that fear might be misplaced. There are more of us out there than I anticipated reading much more than just Faceboast updates.

So, I would recommend Gaimans latest novel, it is magical, simple yet deep and can be enjoyed on many levels, all the while brimming with imagination and energy.

Gaiman had entranced me years ago with the Sandman graphic novels, changing my concepts of what comics could be. They could be adult, bewitching and frightening and where other publications' duels were fought with fists and superpowers, the battles within the pages of Sandman were decided with wit, intelligence and slightly more abstract conflicts and concepts.

All this had me worried; this man had captured my imagination, the very way I saw life in literature - through an odd, fantastic kaleidoscope where real life, the arcane and subversive are interwoven. What if he turned out to be a grumpy bastard just churning out literature to pay his way? I believe current terminology would call this cynical process as 'doing a Bruce Willis.' What if he wasn't the man I'd always hoped had fueled my imagination and inspired my wholly non-committed attempts at trying to emulate?

As it would turn out, I needn't have worried, he was as genuine and charming as his writing. Funny, wistful and perhaps a touch melancholic. Hearing him speak and read a passage of his book was an absolute pleasure so I decided, in my own egotistical way to make sure when I took my things to get get his autograph, I would make him smile and say something to him he'd never heard at one of his signings. Something so profound, witty and astute that he would think back in days to come about 'that chap at the Cathedral' and just smile to himself and nod, probably thinking about my badass coolness.

Apart from it didn't work like that. The poor man was inundated with requests not just to sign his book but to write whole quotes of Shakespeare for some people... Three and a half hours from when his talk finished, at 00.30 we came face to face. I had three and a half hours to think of something amazing to blow Neil Gaimans beautifully odd mind with ultimate, triple distilled awesome. What did I say? Did I make a joke about how there was much more sex and violence in the queue at the last Alan Moore book signing? Did I try and reference a more obscure line from a lesser read title of his and just try and style out our conversation with casual aplomb, one weird guy to another. Nope. I said, 'Thank you very much. Do you mind if I take a photograph?

Badass coolness, eh?

As I walked, no, shuffled up to him it actually struck me. I think if I could choose a fantasy career, it would be his.  I've always wanted to write. I am just one of the many millions that keeps finding the time not to. I have lost count of the number of people that have told me I should be a writer, or just looked at me in that strange way, where they want to ask what on earth put such odd and misshapen ideas into my head but are just too polite to actually verbalise it.

Standing in front of Neil Gaiman, I have never felt more like a fake Neil Gaiman in my life.  Even down to the long hair.

                                       Never meet your heroes... you just might not measure up.

But... this blog doesn't end on that depressing note. Gaimans talk was actually very inspiring, even from his own humble viewpoint you could tell he had pushed to get where he has. Pushed himself and maybe a few other people too.  After leaving the Cathedral that warm evening I felt elated to have met him, to be reminded of what is possible if you are driven and willing to pursue your dreams. I was also reminded of the power of books, too, and have been encouraged to turn off technology a little bit more often these days and lose myself in the worlds between pages.

Someone pointed me not so long ago towards this lovely quote by Alan Bennett.  I think it is rather relevant to the whole topic of inspiration through books, authors and the connection it can create.

"The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken your hand."

I had wanted to ask Neil Gaiman if he had read 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. This was another inspirational book I have read recently (25 years late to the party), it seemed to fit in with my perceived dichotomy I was experiencing between achieving ones destiny and just forgetting you might even have one. I have been recommending The Alchemist to anyone and everyone that will listen to me and has this has completed the cycle of me falling in love with books and being inspired by the written word again. The Alchemist is a modern day fable about having the courage and conviction to follow your dreams and is a wonderfully motivating read for anyone who has ever questioned their direction and focus in life. Finishing this book and meeting Neil Gaiman made me feel very much the same way.

So in true regards to meeting your heroes, I actually found the experience exciting, inspiring and even would go so far as saying it was spiritually rewarding. So, if you get the chance - meet and embrace the people that inspire you... or read the Alchemist - there's less worry about that restraining order.