an email from Mike Carey about TRESE

Last October, while I was in the UK, aside from getting to meet Alan Moore, I also got to meet Mike Carey, writer of THE UNWRITTEN, and Vertigo editor Pornsak Pichetshote. They were attending the British International Comics Show and they were in the audience of Yuko Shimizu's talk, the cover artist of THE UNWRITTEN.

After the talk, I tried to find the best opportunity to introduce myself to them. But a lot of other people were talking to them and I didn't want to be rude and just butt in their conversation.

I finally saw my chance when they broke away from the crowd and went into the men's room. (No! I did not follow them in there!)

I waited for them to come out and quickly blocked their way and blurted out: Hi!I'mBudjetteTanfromthePhilippines!AndIjustwantedtogiveYOUacopyofmycomicbookTRESE!ThankYOU!

I gave them copies of TRESE and said thanks again. As soon as I walked away, other people came up to them greet them and talk to them. I looked back and saw that they were flipping through the pages of TRESE and that just made me smile.

Before I could take another step, someone tapped my back. I turned around and saw Mr. Carey and Mr. Pichetshote holding TRESE and one of them handed me a pen and they asked me to autograph their copies.

At first I didn't know how to react and panicked, thinking, "What the hell should I write? If I make a typo in my autograph, will this ruin my chance of getting into Vertigo?"

As I scribbled down things that resembled words, I said: OhMyGod!ThisfeelLIKEsomethingthatwouldhappeninTHEUNWRITTEN!

(ugh, hopefully, I didn't sound like some valley girl when I said that)

Anyway, the experience got me all buzzed and I was smiling on the train ride back to Macclesfield.

The other day, I got this email from Mike Carey:

Hi Budjette.
And here I am, more than six months later. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you.  


I finally got around to reading TRESE. I was very impressed, by the storytelling, the concepts and the high-contrast art. Trese herself is a very convincing and engaging protagonist, and I very much enjoyed your handling of magic in the story - both for scary and for humorous effect. All in all, a lovely read with a very strong sense of place.

Thanks again for the free copy. I very much enjoyed reading it, and I hope it's been a success for you both in sales terms and in getting your name known and getting further commissions.

Best,
Mike

And I'm buzzed all over again! Dizzy! Feels like vertigo!