Down the Mysterly River

[Karalee LeBlanc]

In case you all are wondering, yes I have a life. I'm just visiting with family I love that likes to watch a lot of TV that I don't care for, so I've been reading a lot. It works well, they watch TV, and I sit in the same room reading on my laptop, ready to pounce when they are in the mood to talk.

So, I read "Down the Mysterly River" in two days. What a good read! It kind of reminds me of a cross between "The Wind in the Willows", and "The Wizard of OZ". On the one hand, it is smooth and comforting, the way the four friends interrelate. On the other hand, it has that bite we've come to know and love from Bill's work. I don't think it is a spoiler to say it is also a good analology (I won't say for what). It reminded me of Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea series: which is a good fantasy in it's own right, but is also a good analogy for a psychiatric concept. (No, the analogy in "Down the Mysterly River" is not of a psychiatric concept).

Those of us that don't/can't write like this tend to think of writers as interchangeable. I saw a special with Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld where they said the hardest thing they ever did was trying to take the magic that makes them funny in stand up, and transfer it into a different medium, like sitcom television. It is a heck of a lot harder than people think. This is a big achievement, to be this good in a different medium. Bill, if Matt has to keep writing prose, you have to keep writing prose. This was really good.

[Bill Willingham]

You've got a deal, Karalee.

In fact, I've been re-reading my unfinished novel called Just Another Ranker, and it's not as wince inducing as I remembered, so my promise to Clockwork readers that I would finish it someday is finally going to be kept. My goal is to have it in shape to send off to prospective publishers by the end of January.

And I'm glad you liked Mysterly. I'm just a bit fond of it myself.

[Matthew Sturges]

I think Mysterly is one of the best things Bill has ever written.

[Karalee LeBlanc]

I agree. I don't know the publishing business, but why don't you guys resubmit Mysterly and Midwinter for publishing?

[Eduardo Blake]

Quick question: Is Down the Mysterly River self-contained or is it set in the San Cibola storyverse?

[Bill Willingham]

It's a self-contained story set in its own fictional universe.

[WarPlayer]

Every day, as part of his school, I read a chapter or so from a story to my son. I just finished reading Down the Mysterly River today. I virtually never read a prose work twice in a single 6 month period, or even twice in a year. I know of no better way to express my opinion of the work than to say that tomorrow I will start reading it, a chapter a day, to my son.

Thank you for the enjoyable story Bill.

[Craig Evans]

I'm fairly new to the party - just came across "Fables" a few months ago and have devoured each of the collected volumes I can find. I found "Mysterly River" thru Wowio, after Googling for Bill (OK, maybe there's a good reason not to make up verbs)... It's fantastic, in every sense of that word, and I absolutely loved it! I'm so impressed anytime someone can make such a believable world out of such unlikely elements. "Mysterly" has a great, classic feel to it, and I can't wait to re-read it, but that'll have to wait for 2 others in the house to get their turn. Don't remember the last time I was this happy with a new (to me!) writer, and I can't wait for my next dose. Thanks so much for Fables, Mysterly, and all of the other stuff I hope to come across.

[WarPlayer]

I felt odd asking, but since I couldn't find a "real" copy for love nor money, I took my computer-printed version to Wondercon and Bill signed it for me. It's pretty cool!

[Karalee LeBlanc]

"Down the Mysterly RIver" is really excellent, I agree. I don't feel bad about asking them to sign the covers of their books. I took a copy of the "Midwinter" cover (from my wowio.com pdf) to Matt at a local comic shop, and he seemed genuinely surprised and pleased to sign it for me. The way I look at it, work this good needs to be signed. If I see Bill at Staple! next weekend, I had already planned to ask him to sign his cover of "Down the Mysterly River".

[Bill Willingham]

Well, the news has broken, at last, and so I can talk about this.

I've sold Down the Mysterly River to TOR Books for major publication. Actually I didn't sell it, my far too talented agent(s) did. My participation was more or less, "Ken, can we try to place this somewhere?" Then Ken, not being a literary agent, found a specialist to do the deal.

Seems there were some Fables fans at TOR. Thanks to all involved for making this tale live again.

Here are some of the details: http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com/2009/12/tor-signs-bill-willingham-to-starscape.html

[Karalee LeBlanc]

Congratulations Bill! I'm really glad this is getting published again. Of two of your books I have read (the other being "Peter and Max") this remains my favorite. It deserves a second chance.

[Eduardo Blake]

A little update, from Bill's Twitter:

I just sent Down the Mysterly River off to TOR Books. It was my first prose novel and also newest novel (being highly rewritten).

[Bill Willingham]

Thanks. And since TOR and I are already talking about a sequel, I started it today.

[WarPlayer]

Woot! Hoody-hoo!
I look forward to reading it.