Writers who get close to you

Not so long ago, and thanks to my dear espresso bean, I have discovered a great author: Neil Gaiman. I am now religiously following his journal, checking everyday (my life is easier thanks to Google reader!) whether he has posted anything new on his blog. The man is really brilliant and still very humble. Another author's blog I really like following is French writer and philosopher Pierre Assouline's La république des livres. I'd never read any of their books, and reading their blogs makes me want to know more about their work. I wish more authors would do the same. I really applaud those who make the time to stay close to their readers and be able to write about anything they like to talk about. Thanks to their blogs, I also know where these authors are, it isn't that important to me to know that Neil Gaiman is in Tasmania now -although it is interesting- but knowing that Pierre Assouline is now in Amsterdam until 20 May is clearly relevant information. I can now catch any opportunity to go and listen to one of his lecture here in the city where I live.