I've been reading Neil Gaiman a long time, in comics and in prose. If I had to have a role model, he'd be it.
I remember reading World's End, and seeing the giant figures and mostly just being puzzled by it. Then, a week later when I was doing nothing in particular, I suddenly froze when it clicked and I understood them. It broke my heart, right on the spot. It was like Neil had just come over and shot my dog. I kept going "Oh ****, oh ****, he's going to do it...."
I was a wreck for the rest of the Sandman run. Then we had the final three issues (particularly the one with Hob and the final one with Will Shakespeare) and then I was a wreck for a good deal longer.
American Gods was a wonderful book, I thought. So was Anansi Boys. Neverwhere, I thought he was still learning quite what he was doing, and Stardust was a magnificant fairy tale. Smoke & Mirrors has some good short stories, and if you can find it Adventures in the Dream Trade is a collection of articles, essays, and introductions by Neil and is a fascinating read.
If you get the chance to see him in person, do so. He's wonderfully charismatic, he entertains no end, and he's just downright nice.