Neil Gaiman Returns to Non-Fiction

Publisher’s Weekly reports that Neil Gaiman has signed with Morrow to write three non-fiction titles.

Monkey and Me: China and the Journey to the West will be the first tile and is described as "inspired by Journey to the West, a classical Chinese text by Wu Cheng’en, who lived in the 16th century."

The author has previously written non-fiction, breaking into writing as a British journalist. His last non-fiction book was 1998’s Don’t Panic: The Official Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Companion. His most recent novel, The Graveyard Book, was published last month.

The first of the three new books will see print in 2009 according to Morrow.  All three were acquired from Gaiman’s agent Merrilee Heifetz by senior v-p and director of editorial development Jennifer Brehl. After Moneky and Me, the remaining two books will cover subjects regular readers of his blog will be familiar with.

Gaiman will also be returning to comics with a two-part Batman story to see print in early 2009.

Away from print, he is involved as producer or director on several of his projects including Death: The High Cost of Living.  He recently announced The Graveyard Book will also see life as a live-action film. The next film based on his works will be February’s Coraline, a CGI-animated proejct from director Henry Sellick.