Neil Gaiman

<p>Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman was born on November 10, 1960, in Portchester, Hampshire. A voracious reader from childhood, steeped in C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and classic mythology, he began his career as a freelance journalist and interviewer in London before transitioning into comic book scripts, mentored by legendary writer Alan Moore.</p><p>In 1989, DC Comics launched Gaiman's magnum opus: <em>The Sandman</em>. Spanning 75 issues, the series followed Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, weaving literary history, folklore, and existential philosophy. It became the only comic book in history to win the World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction and established graphic novels as serious literature on the New York Times bestseller list.</p><p>Gaiman seamlessly transitioned into prose fiction with the apocalyptic comedy <em>Good Omens</em> (co-authored with Terry Pratchett in 1990), followed by <em>Neverwhere</em>, <em>Stardust</em>, and the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning <em>American Gods</em> (2001). His works for young readers, including <em>Coraline</em> (2002) and <em>The Graveyard Book</em> (2008), earned him the historic double honor of both the American Newbery Medal and the British Carnegie Medal.</p>