“Belinda stared into the fire for some time, thinking about what she had in her life, and what she had given up; and whether it would be worse to love someone who was no longer there, or not to love someone who was.”

British author and storyteller of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Gaiman blends fantasy, science fiction, and horror with lyrical prose. He’s celebrated for works like *The Sandman* comic series, *American Gods*, and *Coraline*, as well as his contributions to children’s literature and film adaptations. His writing often explores myth, imagination, and the boundaries between worlds.