WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
February 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 2, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) "THE LONG EARTH" NEWS
04) SIR PTERRY, BIRD WHISPERER? SECRET GARDEN APPEAL
05) GOOD OMENS FOR A FREEBIE
06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
07) NEW ISSUE OF EARLY DISCWORLD PAPERBACKS
08) "GOOD OMENS" DREAM CAST?
09) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
10) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
11) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
12) REVIEW: NIGHT WATCH
13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
15) TURTLES ALL THE WAY... TO DINNER
16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
17) DISCWORLD: BIG IN MARIBYRNONG
18) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
19) CLOSE

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01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"To misquote the immortal Terry Pratchett – using more than one
exclamation mark is the sign of a deranged mind while using more
than three is a pretty good indication that bystanders should begin
planning a break for the treeline."

– sportswriter Evan Fanning quoting Alex Hanton in The Guardian

["Immortal"? We like that idea very much! – Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Once again, WOSSNAME is coming to you from your Editor's sickbay (I
know, boring, isn't it). Here be a few odds and sods to start you
off...

Pratchett Pieces is an email discussion group worth noting. Co-
created by Michelle Vitard, whose review of the *other* Pratchett
Pieces (the recent world premiere at Unseen Theatre) is featured in
Item 10 this month, it lives here:

https://plus.google.com/113224978031189531427/posts

Snuff continues to top the Locus bestsellers list in hardcover:

http://tinyurl.com/89vk4lv

Open sourcers VideoLAN have just released new media player software
– called Twoflower!

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/2.0.0.html

Actor Mike Fenton Stevens has been recording the Science of
Discworld books for audiobook release. Here he is in the recording
booth, looking pleased with his progress:

http://p.twimg.com/AkcL_BwCMAA7I-j.jpg

...and on with the show. This month we have quite a lot of activity
in the Discworld Plays News section, and another big story is the
officially leaked synopsis and cover for the forthcoming Pratchett-
Barnes novel The Long Earth, which a little birdie tells me is truly
superb.

Speaking of little birdies, if you haven't seen the amazing pictures
of Sir Pterry with starlings and owls at Secret World yet, there are
links to them (and more!) below. Enjoy!

– Annie Mac

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) "THE LONG EARTH" NEWS

3.1 THE LONG EARTH LONG SYNOPSIS!

As posted on terrypratchett.co.uk:

The possibilities are endless (just be careful what you wish for...)

1916: the Western Front, France. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He
is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind
in the leaves in the trees. Where has the mud, blood and blasted
landscape of No man's Land gone?

2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Cop Monica Jansson has returned to the
burned-out home of one Willis Linsay, a reclusive and some said mad,
others dangerous, scientist. It was arson but, as is often the way,
the firemen seem to have caused more damage than the fire itself.
Stepping through the wreck of a house, there's no sign of any human
remains but on the mantelpiece Monica finds a curious gadget - a
box, containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a...potato. It
is the prototype of an invention that Linsay called a 'stepper'. An
invention he put up on the web for all the world to see, and use, an
invention that would to change the way mankind viewed his world
Earth for ever. And that's an understatement if ever there was
one...

...because the stepper allowed the person using it to step sideways
into another America, another Earth, and if you kept on stepping,
you kept on entering even more Earths...this is the Long Earth. It's
our our Earth but one of chain of parallel worlds, lying side by
side each differing from its neighbour by really very little (or
actually quite a lot). It's an infinite chain, offering 'steppers'
an infinite landscape of infinite possibilities. And the further
away you travel, the stranger - and sometimes more dangerous - the
Earths get. The sun and moon always shine, the basic laws of physics
are the same. However, the chance events which have shaped our
particular Earth, such as the dinosaur-killer asteroid impact, might
not have happened and things may well have turned out rather
differently.

But, until Willis Linsay invented his stepper, only our Earth hosted
mankind...or so we thought. Because it turns out there are some
people who are natural 'steppers', who don't need his invention and
now the great migration has begun...

http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/index.php/books/the-long-earth


3.2 THE LONG EARTH COVER REVEAL!

http://tinyurl.com/78v37em

"The (95% completed) cover artwork for the upcoming novel The Long
Earth has been revealed! Terry Pratchett and science fiction giant
Stephen Baxter are combining forces to write this first novel in an
astonishing, mind-bending new series... The Long Earth will be
published in the UK on 21st June 2012 and 19th June 2012 in the
US..."

For further details about The Long Earth over the coming months
leading up to publication, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/pratchett

http://tinyurl.com/7u3r94c

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04) SECRET WORLD "CALL OF THE WILD" APPEAL

Secret World, the wildlife rescue centre often featured in WOSSNAME,
has launched a new appeal to raise funds for a wildlife teaching
hospital and to continue and expand their vital work in rescuing and
preserving injured and orphaned wildlife. The appeal was co-launched
and endorsed by Sir Pterry. Donations can go towards everything from
blenders for preparing animal feeds to an X-ray unit for the
proposed hospital. A selection of articles are below.

For further information on the appeal, go to:

http://www.secretworld.org/fundraising_callofthewild.html


From This is Somerset:

"The fantasy writer, 63, spoke out in an effort to inspire nature-
lovers to look after endangered creatures such as the hedgehog and
the sparrow. He passionately backed a campaign to build a new
£4.4million wildlife teaching hospital – which would include an
education centre to train young vets... Sir Terry said: 'Orphaned by
traffic, hurt by our pollution and rubbish and forced out of their
natural habitats by our developments, Britain's wildlife is in
serious decline. So much so that even the sparrow and the much-loved
hedgehog are endangered. Fifty years ago there were 30 million
hedgehogs in Britain but now there is only an estimated 1.1 million
– so if we carry on at this rate they could be extinct in ten
years. Yet when humans decide to act they succeed in reversing the
trend. I urge everyone to play their part.'... Pauline Kidner,
Secret World founder, said Britain's wildlife had been hard hit by
the speed of development in rural areas. She said: 'We will receive
around 5,000 injured or orphaned animals and birds over the coming
year, yet when wildlife needs people's support most – the nation
is increasingly losing touch with nature....'"

(contains a lovely photo of Pterry with a hedgehog)

http://tinyurl.com/7jguejj


From The Telegraph:

"Sir Terry said: 'Orphaned by traffic, hurt by our pollution and
rubbish and forced out of their natural habitats by our
developments, Britain's wildlife is in serious decline...' Sir Terry
was joined by television naturalists Mike Dilger, Simon King, Steve
Backshall, Chris Packam and Michaela Strachan in backing the Call of
the Wild Appeal to raise money for the hospital."

http://tinyurl.com/6qmfcfs


From the Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News:

"The nationally-renowned rescue centre launched its Call of the Wild
Appeal with the help of fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett and the
Weekly News is calling on readers to dig deep and back the cause.
Launching the fundraising drive on Tuesday, Sir Terry, 63, said:
'Every so often when you work with wildlife something happens to
make you feel better about the world. I'm supporting this enterprise
because I feel we have to get the kids interested in wildlife...'"

http://tinyurl.com/7dmkhhs


From Somerset's Heart Radio newsround:

"The West Country is to have a new Wildlife Teaching Hospital and
Education Centre to save more wildlife and provide practical
experience for trainee vets from across the UK, and to inspire the
region's youngsters by giving them direct access to the natural
world... The hospital is to be developed at the Secret World
Wildlife Rescue Centre, near Highbridge, where a Call of the Wild
Appeal to raise £4.4 million to help fund the project and keep the
centre running over the next two years has been launched... Secret
World founder Pauline Kidner, said much of Britain's wildlife was in
decline and the South West had been particularly hard hit because
while being the largest rural region, it had also been the fastest
developing over the past 20 years...

"When completed, the new  teaching hospital will include an
operating theatre, examination, preparation and x-ray rooms with a
first floor laboratory, lecture theatre and library. It will give
Secret World the facilities to provide all veterinary care on one
site, to bring faster relief to suffering wildlife. An IT hook-up
will allow up to 120 resident students a year to watch procedures
being performed by the hospital's in-house veterinary surgeon in the
operating theatre below...

"As part of its Call of the Wild Appeal, the charity will be
launching a number of fund raising initiatives over the coming
months and is asking individuals and companies from all over the
region to send for an information pack and get involved. For further
information on the appeal, email save@... or visit
www.secretworld.org and click on the Call of the Wild link. It costs
£135 to rescue an animal or bird and £15 to inspire another child
so all funds raised will help to keep Secret World going...'

http://tinyurl.com/7b8txra


From This is Bristol:

"The author, who began his career in the city, is backing a £4.4
million appeal to build a teaching hospital at Secret World Wildlife
Rescue Centre... Rescued animals include a mute swan that crash-
landed onto the M32 close to Fishponds having mistaken the road for
a river and a hedgehog who wandered into a car dealership in Winter-
stoke Road.."

http://tinyurl.com/726fzmm


From the Weston and Somerset Mercury:

"Pauline said £2.2million has already been pledged for the hospital
and the charity is encouraging others to get involved. She said: 'We
all got to thinking that, after all of our work at the centre, there
needs to be a future in it otherwise everything we have achieved
could be lost. We have to make sure Secret World has a secure home.
We can educate people through the centre and we want to pass on that
knowledge.'"

http://tinyurl.com/7jljt2r


meanwhile, Nottingham's chad.co.uk has a hedgehog focus:

"Author Sir Terry Pratchett spoke about the issue during the site
visit for the proposed Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre, in East
Huntspill, Somerset earlier this week. He estimates that 50 years
ago there were 30 million hedgehogs in Britain but now there is only
an estimated 1.1 million. Paul Cook, senior ranger at Sherwood
Forest National Nature Reserve, which is managed by Nottinghamshire
County Council, said: 'The life of a hedgehog can be quite fragile.
Even this time of year – hibernation – is fraught with problems
– a hedgehog can perish if its body weight is too much or too
little. Out of hibernation season, I have only seen one hedgehog in
the forest here in the last few years because there are more
predatory creatures such as foxes, badgers and birds of prey which
can target them. However, a garden environment is great for
hedgehogs – people may want to leave a corner of their garden full
of decomposing leaves rather than throw the leaves away as that
provides a perfect habitat for hibernating hedgehogs. They are also
excellent at pest control as they target slugs and snails – again
families could consider getting non-toxic pellets for these pests as
they will not harm hedgehogs and are also kind to household pets..."

http://tinyurl.com/83nn9yp


...and don't forget the badger! In the Weston Mercury:

"Secret World has received one of its tiniest badger cubs ever, just
days after author Sir Terry Pratchett launched its £4.4million
appeal for a wildlife hospital. The cub, named Hope, weighed just
100g and was found with a grown female badger who was injured and
sheltering in a garden summerhouse in Crewkerne, near Yeovil. This
rescue comes shortly after the East Huntspill-based charity launched
its Call of the Wild Appeal, along with Discworld author Sir Terry,
to build a new wildlife hospital at the centre. Secret World staff
discovered the badger pair were not mother and daughter and Hope is
now being fed by a syringe..."

(with lovely photos of Hope the badger)

http://tinyurl.com/7lt3af7


...not to mention the dormouse. In The Sun:

"The adorable creature found himself at a tea party in the cafe in
Lyme Regis, Dorset, just like the cute critter in Lewis Carroll's
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He was scooped up by a visitor and
taken to the Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre, near Highbridge in
Somerset, where he promptly went into hibernation. Staff put the
furry dormouse inside the shell of a coconut. The snoring mouse was
woken briefly when famous author Sir Terry Pratchett visited the
centre to launch a £4.4million Call of the Wild Appeal for a new
animal hospital. Charity founder Pauline Kidner said the animal
occasionally woke briefly for a catkin snack before nodding off
again. He will be returned to Lyme, a well-known dormouse habitat,
in the spring..."

http://tinyurl.com/723rv4z

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) GOOD OMENS RELEASING INTO THE WILD...

Good Omens is one of the 25 titles that will be given away on World
Book Night, 23 April 2012:

http://tinyurl.com/6rxowv4

For more information visit the World Book Night website:

http://www.worldbooknight.org/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

The marvellous, moving, and award-winning documentary Terry
Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's is now available on DVD. Amazon
UK are offering it for £11.99 with free UK delivery, and there are
many other options. Highly recommended!

http://tinyurl.com/8a5rl2j

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) EARLY DISCWORLD PAPERBACKS WITH REVAMPED JOSH KIRBY COVERS

The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Mort, and
Sourcery will be re-released in June as "B-format paperbacks".
Signed copies of all five novels will be available to pre-order from
PJSM Prints from May.

To view facsimiles of the five "new" covers, go to:

http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) GOOD OMENS DREAM CAST

Some fascinating suggestions here, although your Editor wishes to
point out that they left out our own household favourites for
Aziraphale and Crowley, namely Anthony Stewart Head and James
Callis:

http://tinyurl.com/7cnao3d

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

9.1 ANKH-MORPORK NEWS

A very special offer from Treefrog Games This month and next month!
Here's Treefrog's Martin Wallace:

"Treefrog has a special offer for the next two months. From now
until the end of March all games will be shipped free of charge.
This also means the collector's and deluxe editions are cheaper to
buy now.

Also, Treefrog will have a presence at the Australian Games Expo in
Sydney this June. Their main featured product will be the Discworld
game. Treefrog are "looking for folks who might be willing to help
run the stand in return for free games." Interested? Then do contact
Martin:

martin (at) treefroggames.com


Our recent WOSSNAME exclusive review of Ankh-Morpork by Adam van
Langenberg is now featured on the gaming site Subterranean Death
Cult, with extra added iconographs!

http://tinyurl.com/7mq6s8r


9.2 GUARDS! GUARDS!, AN APOLOGY

Owing to illness in our home and amongst our friends, the marathon
session of Guards! Guards! *still* hasn't taken place. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, you can always go to:

www.guardsguards.com
www.facebook.com/guardsguards

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

10.1.1 REMINDER: MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN CARDIFF

Act One Cardiff's presentation of Monstrous Regiment continues
through the 25th of February.

When: 22nd-25th February 2012
Venue: The Gate Arts and Community Centre, Keppoch Street, Roath,
Cardiff
Time: 7.30pm (Saturday matinee 2.30pm)
Tickets: £7 (£5 Concession)
http://www.thegate.org.uk/buy-tickets-2/
(£1.50 admin fee online/phone payments)
Phone and buy from The Gate Box Office on (029) 2048 3344 (card
payment) Visit Reception @ The Gate, Keppoch St, Roath, Cardiff CF24
3JW (card or cash)

And there's a very special meal deal, too:

"Why not add to your Theatre experience by enjoying a meal before
you see your show? Come and enjoy our fantastic offer of two meals
for £9.95 (extra £2.50 supplement, per person, for steak choice)
at our Mad Hatters Restaurant, within The Gates Arts Theatre. Sit
down in our relaxing, candle-lit room and enjoy pastas, sharing
platters, hot salads, soups and much more. Please see our full menu
at

http://www.madhatters-catering.com/Evening%20Menu1.pdf

"To qualify for this offer, advance bookings are required. Please
call our booking line on 02920 431294, between 9am-5pm, so that we
can reserve a table for you."

http://www.thegate.org.uk/

...and here be the updated production blog:

http://eskarina54.tumblr.com/


10.2 TAMAHER THE MUSICAL IN ILKLEY

Ilkley Grammar School students will present their all-singing, all-
dancing production of The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents
musical, choreographed by sixth-form student and lifelong dancer
Maddy Hatfield-Allen. Work on the musical has involved around a
tenth of the school's population, including more than 100 members of
the cast and orchestra.

When: 28th February to 1st March 2012
Venue: Kings Hall, Ilkley
Tickets: £7.50 (£5 concessions), available from the Grove
Bookshop, Ilkley Visitor information Centre and Ilkley Grammar
School, or phone (01943) 608424.

http://tinyurl.com/7d5xfmu


10.3 MASKERADE IN BASILDON

The Thalian Theatre Group will perform their production of Maskerade
in March.

When: Wednesday 14th March to Saturday 17th March 2012
Venue: Mirren Studio, Towngate Theatre, Basildon, Essex
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £9.50 (£8.50 concessions) for the Wednesday and Thursday
performances, and £11.50 (£10.50 concessions) for the Friday and
Saturday. Tickets are available from John on 07788 997497, or email
thaliantg@...


10.4 WYRD SISTERS IN SHERBORNE

The Amateur Players of Sherborne will present their production of
Wyrd Sisters in late March.

When: Thursday 29th - Saturday 31st March 2012
Venue: Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset
Time: 7.30 pm
Tickets: £7.50 (Students £4). Tickets will be on sale in March.

http://www.aps-sherborne.co.uk/forthcoming-productions.html


10.5 AN APPEAL IN SODBURY!

The Sodbury Players, who will be putting on their production of
Guards! Guards! this May, are desperately seeking a new place to
craft their props and sets:

"We need your help! Sodbury Players have just had an incredibly
successful run of 'Aladdin' at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, selling
out all 11 performances but future productions are now in jeopardy.

"Part of the group's success is down to our big bright sets and
backcloths that transport the audience to that magical location, be
it a fairytale castle or inside a mystical cave. For nearly 10
years, we have been fortunate enough to rent some huts in Chipping
Sodbury from the Town Lands Charity in order to build and paint our
scenery but due to safety concerns with the building, this is no
longer possible.

Sadly large cracks have been found in the roof and the walls are
bowing. A building surveyor has inspected them and found that it is
not financially viable to attempt any repairs. Asbestos has also
been found which adds more complications and health concerns. We
thank the Town Lands Charity for their support over the last decade
with allowing us to use these huts but now we're in need of another
space locally where we can build, paint and store our sets and
props.

"We're calling out to local people to see if they can help. We're
looking to rent around 1500-3000 sq ft of space within a few miles
of Yate/Sodbury. It could be industrial space, old warehousing
space or maybe even a small plot of land on which we could build our
own unit.

"If you can help in any way, please get in touch with Sodbury
Players as soon as you can by calling Diane on: 0844 3320230."

http://www.sodburyplayers.org.uk/


10.6 REVIEW: PRATCHETT PIECES THREE IN ADELAIDE

Especially for WOSSNAME, a review of the recent Unseen Theatre
Company production, by Michelle Vitard:

Professor Sir Terry Pratchett is an author much beloved by fans all
over the world, especially for his Discworld series. So much so that
there are not only fan groups and reading groups and internet forums
but also monthly newsletters, Discworld Conventions and even amateur
theatre groups dedicated to Pratchett's works. In Adelaide
Pratchett/Discworld fans gather at the Bakehouse Theatre to
experience the works of Pratchett through the Unseen Theatre Company
under the direction of Pamela Munt. 2012 is promising to be a
splendiferous year for Munt and her inspired ensemble cast judging
from their first offering of 5 one-act plays entitled Pratchett
Pieces Three also part of the 2012 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

These plays in order of performance are:

Death And What Comes Next credited as a world premiere, adapted as a
2 person piece, Death's mask was the stand out performance for me.

The Trial known as short story The Sea and Little Fishes full cast,
with as many scenes as to warrant a second act. In fact they did
such a great job with this story that I'd like to see Munt flesh out
the story more, as the audience interest supports a full length
version. Stand out performances by Michelle Wichelo (Nanny Ogg) and
of course Pamela Munt was "nice" in her recurring role as Granny
Weatherwax.

Hollywood Chickens non-Discworld in setting, but the audience was
familiar with "in-joke" reference to Queen's Greatest Hits cassette
tapes found strewn on a highway which had them chuckling. The
chickens were fabulous and stand out performance from Kate Hall as
"Research Officer".

Turntables Of The Night non-Discworld in setting but with the oh-so-
familiar character of Death (Hugh O'Connor) getting his groove on.
Paul Messenger's (and I quote) "Eighties Shouty Man" voice held the
story together and drew the audience in beautifully with the aid of
Pratchett's well-timed gags.

A Collegiate Casting out Of Devilish Devices all the fellas have got
their wizard's hats on for this one and just enough time to sort
through some UU business and Pratchett's favourite digs at
committees, books for having been written and the metaphorical door
always being open, before the tea trolley arrives.

A special mention must go to Samm Blackmore who as Pratchett's
famous Footnote (asterisk) acted as Narrator, sewing the seams of
very diverse Acts together with confidence, poise and good humour.

As for the production, the sound queues and song choices were all
appropriately amusing and well-timed. The lighting design has most
definitely improved and so has the seating. The Bakehouse theatre
stage itself is quite an intimate affair with seating for less than
100 and a licensed bar where on occasion you might run into C. M. O.
T. Dibbler during intermission and sample his "gourmet" fare.

Opening Night Proceeds were donated to Alzheimer's Australia SA in
recognition of Terry Pratchett's own fundraising for Alzheimer's
cause and cure research. The company currently has a seasoned cast
who have now performed together on about four other occasions, give
or take a cast member, and are comfortable with the space and each
other. It seems the amateur actors' talent is blossoming under
Pamela Munt's direction, and it is difficult to pick out an actor to
praise as they do work so well together that the ensemble becomes
more than just the sum of its parts.


10.7 REVIEWS: MASKERADE IN SHEFFIELD AND IN WALLINGFORD

According to reviewers, it's a Must Do Better,sadly...

By Ellen Nicholls at Forge Today:

"Ending with a comical duel and death scene, Maskerade is a play
which pokes fun at opera by mimicking its exaggerated characters,
nonsensical plots and untalented prima donnas. Unfortunately, The
Company turned Pratchett's play from a light-hearted spoof of
musical theatre into a garish, amateur pantomime with cringe worthy
moments of misplaced comedy. What was supposed to be the weaving of
two subplots in a comic blending of fantasy and reality, became a
muddled narrative which proved confusing and entirely disengaging...
The only person worthy of merit was Ken Rowe, who played Nanny Ogg
with confidence and brilliant comic timing in the face of the
unnatural and forced ham acting of his peers..."

http://forgetoday.com/fuse/review-maskerade/


An uncredited review in The Star:

"The Company's latest outing is not one of their finest. The play is
slow and plodding and the jokes very hit and miss. I enjoyed
director Emma Portus's production of Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters but
this time the script isn't up to scratch. The acting however is
sound and the characters well cast. Most stage time is taken by the
two witches Granny Weatherwax, played by Sara James and Nanny Ogg
(Ken Rowe). The latter enjoys some of the better lines... Mr
Salzella played by Neil Sullivan has a fine line in laconic
irony..."

http://tinyurl.com/6rvd6oh


...but apparently things went better in Wallingford, at the Sinodun
Players' production in January. Hannah Smithson's review contains a
lot of iconographs of the production, which really do look rather
good:

"Directed by Paul Cleverly, this stage adaption was highly
professional, with an ever changing set, including clever adaptions
of classic stage props as well as a digital screen backdrop used for
special effects for when Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax embark on
their coach journeys. Accompanied by fantastic costumes and a
slight hint of song from the actual musical the play was a well-
rounded culmination of humorous satire alongside a more serious
moral of hiding behind invisible masks... The engaging parody of the
theatre within the theatre helped create the atmosphere in the wings
of the Corn Exchange in Wallingford. The chandelier hung, as the
audience waited for the terrible moment it came down. It remained
stable till the end of the show, that was perhaps my only
disappointment. But could it really beat the Chandelier at Her
Majesty's Theatre. Probably not. But then this was not the Phantom
of the Opera. This was simply great acting, a fantastically
delivered storyline in one of Pratchett's fabulous fantasy worlds
and quite frankly, downright good entertainment!..."

http://hannahsmithson.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/phantom-opera/


10.8 REVIEW: LORDS AND LADIES IN LICHFIELD

By Phil Preece on Lichfield Live:

"With its clever sets, original costumes and make-up (especially the
punky elves) plus the myriad detailed sound and lighting cues one
can only guess at the hard work that has gone into it overall. If
the complex plot's occasionally a little opaque for those of us not
fully initiated into Mr. Pratchett's Discworld it doesn't really
matter because there are gags aplenty and droll wordplay that gives
this show a kind of mystical panto aura. And if the proceedings show
even the slightest sign of turning dull [director] Mr Titley
introduces some brisk slapstick business to keep the bus rolling
merrily along... Gina Martin and Adrienne Swallow as the two
getting-on-a-bit witches, Gina delightfully dignified as the savant
who ultimately saves the day and Adrienne vivaciously down-to-earth
as the bucolic earth-mother who may have magic powers but isn't
averse to a bit of rumpy-pumpy (well, it's that kind of show –
think the Archers on acid). The overall effect is enhanced by the
presence of a lovely band of rustics (dead ringers for Shakespeare's
comic mechanicals) whose Morris-dancing tour de force got the
loudest applause of the night. But the mainstay of the show is Sarah
Stanley as Magrat Garlick the pretty young witch and fiancee of King
Verence (Ian Davies). Ms. Stanley carries this role which links the
whole play together seemingly effortlessly, from her naive village-
girl beginnings to her ultimate assumption of Queenly power that
brings happy fruitfulness to her new kingdom..."

http://tinyurl.com/8xlrmht


10.9 MORE ON MAURICE

On A.C. Black's website, the TAMAHER: the Musical performance pack
is available for £26.99  – three pounds lower than recommended
retail price.

http://tinyurl.com/7ujthd9

I have to say that the performance pack is superb, as is the music.
Possibly the very best of Discworld-related musical theatre so far.
A full review follows soon! – Ed.


10.10 TWENTY YEAR ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION IN ABINGDON

"For our next Discworld show, and to mark twenty years of staging
Discworld, we're doing a new staging of Stephen Briggs' published
adaptation of GUARDS! GUARDS! More news – on dates and tickets –
soon!"

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

11.1 AT LAST, DISCWORLD E-CARDS!

The Discworld Emporium now offer a selection of Discworld-themed
animated e-cards, and very clever they are indeed! There are four
different themes: Nac mac Feegles (rampaging through fairyland!),
Igor, the Assassins and Time. Each card can be previewed, and each
can be personalised before sending. The cards are priced at £1.50
each. A bit steep, but well worth it!

For more information, and to send, go to:

http://discworldemporium.com/ecards/

Note: to preview or view the cards, you'll need Flash on your Hex,
meaning that can't be accessed via an iPad or iPhone.


11.2 REASONS TO BE CHEERY!

There are hats, and there are hats, as every wiz(z)ard knows. But
never have there been hats like these amazing and affordable
creations! Just the ticket for a Dwarf who's having a bad beard day,
or a Roundworld human who wants to go to a Discworld party or
convention toting the axe of his or her grandfather...

http://tinyurl.com/87ls6t9

A few more photos here:

http://tinyurl.com/7j5tvpo

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) YOUNG READER REVIEW: NIGHT WATCH

Reviewed by Cate in The Guardian's young reader book club:

"'Night Watch', my favourite book so far, combines both the darkness
and the humor. It's about the city guards or more specifically, Sam
Vimes, and how the city guards came to be what they are. If you
haven't read any other books on the city watch, you'll probably be
okay. If you have, but you've only read 'Guards Guards', or another
of the earlier ones, you probably will get confused. Just a
warning... It is, like all Discworld stories, a complicated and
potentially grim scenario. In places, it is. But for the most part
it is incredibly funny and entertaining, even in the midst of chaos.
It's even more brilliant than usual, however, because of the younger
versions of all our most loved characters. They add comedic value
and background information. It's surprising and emotional. It paints
an even more detailed picture of Vimes – who was one of my
favourite characters already. Not only does it do that, but is also
pokes fun at every time travelling tale there's ever been. Well,
that's what it feels like..."

http://tinyurl.com/88lxx8f

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

13.1 WINCANTON SPRING EVENT 2012

"The next Discworld event in our calendar will be on the 5th and 6th
May 2012 in our hometown, Wincanton. This event is cosier and more
relaxed than our Hogswatch weekends, but is nonetheless bursting
with active ingredients and Pratchetty goodness to keep the
Discworld fan energised and enlightened! In a tenuous tribute to
this year's forthcoming Roundworld events, the Spring Fling shall
curtsey to the Queen's Jubilee and, er, squat thrust to the Olympics
with a Mr Shine Him Diamond/Gods theme. May trolls and deities
abound!"

http://www.discworldemporium.com/

13.2 DWCON 2012 NEWS

DWCon 2012 is now sold out. For those of you lucky enough to be
going, or just curious about what merchandise is available for
conventiongoers, the online shop is now open. Don't you just love a
little shop?

http://www.zazzle.co.uk/discworldconvention

There are now three editions of DWCon's News of the Disc available
for download:

http://www.dwcon.org/pages/38079/news-disc


13.3 SADWCON NEWS

This year's inaugural South African Discworld Convention will be on
a little later than the advertised time. Given the high quality of
the SADWCON Event, it will be worth waiting for though! Their
announcement:

The Turtle Moves ...

Forever onwards, towards the final destination, but there are may
interesting sights to be seen on the way. And one of those sights is
approaching; if you look to your left you might catch a glimpse of
it in the distance. Table Mountain, Cape Town.

But it seems that now the turtle will be taking the scenic route. We
have run into some difficulties, the one at the top of the list
being the delay in the processing of our charity status. This
boulder in our progress has caused an avalanche of other issues, and
has resulted in us being unable to move ahead with our plans at the
speed with which we had hoped to be able to move. So we had two
choices – either have a mediocre convention this year, or to have an
amazing convention at a later date. We have decided to go with the
latter choice – that of an incredible convention at a later date ...

So now we're going the scenic route – the long way around, but more
enjoyable. We have the scenery to look forward to, as well as
smaller events and days of fun. So keep your eyes open for
interesting spectacles and gatherings that will be announced. But do
we get to see the elephants?

Take part in the fun, be part of the planning – SADWCON 2014

Goddes and Men Saide It Was Notte To Bee, But They
Would Notte Listen!
Thys wille shok you!
With a 1,000 elephants!

http://sadwcon.org/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club meets on the last
Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St,
Adelaide (South Australia). Details, discussions and organisation of
extra events (such as play outings) are held on their email mailing
list, so do sign up at:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on 5th March 2012 at the Monkey
Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. The next
meeting will be on 5th March 2012. For more information, contact
Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax) on kenworthys@...

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional of first Monday of the month.
The next meeting will be from 6pm on 5th March 2012 at The Vic
Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) DISCWORLD... RESTAURANT?!

A shopping mall in Bulgaria is perhaps not the first place one would
think to find a Discworld-themed restaurant, but guess what? That's
exactly what and where "A'Tuin" is! And the descriptive text on the
mall's website is charming, in its English translation:

"Our idea is to embark together on a interesting and colourful
adventure, all aboard on the back of the giant turtle A'Tuin from
Terry Pratchet's Discworld books and steer away from the hasty and
stressful city. If you grant us faith, we will do everything in our
power to respond to all your needs with special offers, loyal
customer programmes and pampers for the most exclusive of tastes..."

http://tinyurl.com/7ph9ose

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

What birds? On PJSM Prints, a scan of a newspaper photo of Pterry at
Secret World, sporting some unusual headwear:

http://www.pjsmprints.com/images/news/february-2012-01.jpg

...and with less avian headwear but accessorising with a lovely owl:

http://www.pjsmprints.com/images/news/february-2012-02.jpg

...and undecorated, but looking serious, at the launch of Secret
World's Call of the Wild appeal:

http://p.twimg.com/AkfFQw8CMAEPzyw.jpg

...and a very lovely photo:

http://tinyurl.com/7j38rgc
(read the comments!)


Fan artist SM9T8, whose name is probably Charles Smith, has created
a charming map of the Sto Plains and other familiar pieces of the
Disc:

http://sm9t8.deviantart.com/gallery/29423274#/d3ado32

http://sm9t8.deviantart.com/gallery/29423274#/d3i8944


...and last, the A'Tuin restaurant logo in English:

http://tinyurl.com/72sx8vg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) DISCWORLD: BIG IN MARIBYRNONG

...and, no doubt, other Fourecksian libraries:

"Most of his books are set in a fantasy world known as the
Discworld: a flat disc of land supported on the backs of four giant
elephants who, in turn, ride through space on the back of the giant
turtle, A'Tuin. However, this fantastical scenario belies the true
nature of Pratchett's work which is concerned with real life issues
both historical and contemporary. Over Pratchett's large body of
work within the Discworld he has addressed such issues as: the role
and responsibility of media in society, the difference between
politics and governance, the authority and power of officers versus
soldiers during wartime and mob mentality. However, that makes his
work sound serious. Ultimately Pratchett crafts colourful, funny,
easy to read stories that simultaneously explore more serious issues
for those who care to listen. I happily recommend Terry Pratchett
to teenagers and adults alike..."

http://tinyurl.com/7d334cz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

On Reading to Our Kids, blogger Glenn reviews Wintersmith:

"These Tiffany books are aimed at a child/teenage audience (I think
they're classified as 'Young Adult Fiction'), so it has less
violence and innuendo than in some of the other Discworld novels.
It does mention the Feegles and their 'fightin' an boozin'' where
they get 'pished' (I had to explain those last two). Also, there are
some interesting themes introduced in this book. Essentially the
Wintersmith, i.e. the anthropomorphic personification of Winter,
falls in love with Tiffany. This is the first time in the Tiffany
books that romantic love is really talked about openly. It was
hinted at in Hat Full of Sky, but never really gone into. In this
one Tiffany has to deal with not only the Wintersmith's feelings for
her, but also her own confusion around how she feels about that,
plus her definitely-not-boyfriend-just-a-boy-who-she-writes-to
Roland... I've read all the Tiffany books previously (actually
there's only a couple of the Discworld books I haven't read) so I
get a lot of pleasure anticipating my kids' reactions to the
sections that are coming up. The book picks up the pace after this,
with Annagramma's troubles, the snow and then confronting the
Wintersmith. I'm really interested to see what Alanah makes of this
one..."

http://tinyurl.com/772n984

"I think it's safe to say that Alanah's favourite part of the last
part is when Rob Anybody confronts his 'heroic' task of reading a
book... It took a second reading for her to recognise it, but then a
huge grin appeared on her face as she realised where it was from.
It's from the book Where's My Cow, the children's book Pratchett
created for Samuel Vimes to read to his son in Thud. My kids got me
Where's My Cow for me for father's day a few years ago, they were
thrilled to be able to buy me a book that actually looked
interesting for a change, instead of those boring books with only
words in that Mummy buys for me! Sarah now assures me she's spent
the rest of the day yelling 'Where's ma coo!!!'

http://tinyurl.com/7jawwwo


Blogger and would-be novelist James T Kelly contemplates the
Pratchett Prize:

"There's a lot of guff in there about alternate Earths (I think
that's thrown in there to confuse people!) but it all seems to
boil down to this: the story 'must be theoretically possible on
some version of the past, present or future of a planet Earth.'
This is the muddiest part of the competition. After all, aren't
Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars all theoretically
possible? The winners of last year's competition are described as
'A dazzling, tragi-comic tale of childhood wonder, time-travelling
poets and theoretical physics' and 'a comedic tale of zombie
animals overrunning the UK'. This one's a judgement call, I'm
afraid. Your guess is as good as mine..."

http://tinyurl.com/7tvz7n9


Blogger Readingmater (note spelling!) has a few words to say about
Nation:

"Then I picked up a Young Adult book to re-read- Terry Pratchett's
'Nation' and it is full, full, of ideas to think about:
theodicy, cultural pressure (the voices of the Grandfathers' or
'grandmother' in the heroes' heads,) the coming of age and
rites of passage of a boy and a girl, ethics,cosmology. Mau's
Nation is destroyed by a tsunami while he is on the boys' island,
alone, preparing to become a man, and Ermintrude/Daphne is the sole
survivor of a shipwreck. Mau  argues against the gods who could do
this, fights the voices in his head, becomes the leader of the
ragtag survivors, while Daphne both becomes a woman and leader, and
resists the cultural pressures of the sort-of-victorian world she
comes from. Thrown in are ideas about parallel universes, cultural
jingoism and so on. This is a different way of thinking about the
links between events and the reasons why things are as they are. He
also, of course, refuses easy answers. All this together with
Pratchett's joyful manipulation of language..."

http://tinyurl.com/89y39o6


Roleplayer Geoffrey was disappointed in Discworld GURPS, but thinks
Discworld itself would be a rich setting for RPG:

"The first few novels are pretty much 100% D&D fare. With thieves'
and assassins' guilds in the faux-medieval metropolis of Ankh-
Morpork, with weird forgotten temples, druids and barbarians,
dwarves and trolls, wizards and witches, and just a pinch of
Lovecraft lurking in the background. The whole of Discworld is a
wonderful pastiche/satire on the typical early D&D/fantasy novel
setting of the time. I maintain that it should be easy to actually
do some roleplaying there, and that the problem with GURPS Discworld
was that it was overthinking it. What was the inspiration for
Discworld in the first place? Pretty much D&D, wasn't it? Terry
was a D&D player, he played the game, read the White Dwarf, created
his own worlds along this game. It wasn't GURPS guys in his age
group were playing in early 80s Britain (because GURPS did not exist
yet), it was beautiful, make-up-your-own-and-mix-with-whatever-you-
got D&D..."

http://tinyurl.com/77rrwzm


A short, sweet review of Small Gods by blogger whimsicalmeerkat:

"I don't even know how to express just how much I loved Small Gods.
I really, really, really enjoyed reading this. Sure, that may have
been because my boyfriend's great love of turtles has rubbed off on
me. It may have been a devious glee at the thought of a petulant
little god who never considered that he should do anything for his
believers. The great library and the hilarious stereotype of the
philosophers in Ephebe certainly didn't hurt. Nor did the penguin.
Or the history monk. Vorbis was creepy as hell, which added a slight
touch of reality. Seriously, go read this. Now. Go!"

http://tinyurl.com/89ctl58


...and another short sweet review, this one of ISWM by blogger
Trib:

"...the young Miss Aching appeals no end; she is moral, caring, a
thinker and understands that while she has a place in the world, it
is often complicated by difficult or potentially unpopular
decisions. Though Pratchett originally wrote this subset of the
Discworld novels for a younger audience, there's absolutely no
reason they ought not be on the reading list of any Discworld fan.
Nay, any fantasy fan. With the Tiffany Aching books, Pratchett has
moved beyond the (very excellent, mind you) silliness and satire
present in many of his earlier pieces to a more profound, gentle
humor laced with more than a condiment level of humanity..."

http://cannonballread4.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/3703/


Blogger Tom Russell, reviewing tCoM, came late to the party and is,
perhaps incurably, at least six drinks behind:

"I must say, I was a bit disappointed. It was clever in parts, but I
never really laughed. The exploits of Twoflower and Rincewind
plodded along with no real aim or purpose, other than Twoflower's
zeal to explore the world. They escape one threat after another by
mere chance and dumb luck. But, considering the wager by Fate and
The Lady, I guess that's somewhat the point. In any case, I found
myself reading the whole thing just to get through with it. Unless
someone tells me the series gets better I will probably not bother
to read the next one..."

http://tinyurl.com/6qz36gh


Blogger Librarianaut loves The Wee Free Men, but has a quibble with
its title:

"The Wee Free Men isn't the best title for Terry Pratchett's
excellent book about a girl, Tiffany Aching, who becomes a witch-
hero. Like The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents this is an
excellent younger readers-focused book set in the Discworld but kind
of off to the side somewhere. It has less to do with storybook
tropes, and more with analysis of what a witch actually does.
Basically Tiffany Aching is a ten-year-old badass through her
careful paying of attention to things and when her little brother
(who she doesn't really like) is kidnapped by otherworldly creatures
she goes off to save him because who can wait for the 'real witches'
to show up? She's got help from a toad (a bit) and the titular Wee
Free Men, who are pictsies that fight and steal and cuss. They're
kind of awesome and stuff, but it bugs me that the book is named
after the assistants, rather than the hero..."

http://librarianaut.com/2012/02/09/book-review-the-wee-free-men/


Blogger Miranda is suffering from Pratchett overdose...or not. It's
a familiar dilemma for many:

"I can't decide whether to read more Terry Pratchett now or to give
myself a break. I don't want to burn out, and there is just so much
good stuff to read. But then I think over what I might read instead
and all my brain does is go, 'But it's not Pratchett!' and then I
read Pratchett and my brain goes 'So...much...Pratchett...erglp.'
And then I think over what I might read instead and my brain goes,
'But it's not Pratchett!'..."

http://tinyurl.com/6pn5bh5


Blogger awritershailmarypass offers an essay-length piece on themes
and characters in the Discworld series:

"Terry Pratchett has written more than Discworld novels, but I think
those are his most famous set of novels. I think that these are some
of the best books I've ever read, although as I may have mentioned
before not always truly fantasy. If you are not familiar with
Pratchett, you should be.... I think Pratchett has gotten better
throughout the series, although the author is now suffering from
Alzheimer's. It's really a great shame. He does a great job with
characters that while they have very pronounced personalities and
quirks are still believeable. Sometimes he integrates a lot of the
magic of the world in his stories (see Sourcery), and sometimes he
deals with more modern themes (such as racism) using the fantasy
setting (see Thud!). Overall, an awesome series of books..."

http://tinyurl.com/7vt5po3


Here's a fascinating blog entry from Halley239. It's a lengthy post
about football (soccer to those of you not in the Commonwealth), in
which she credits Unseen Academicals with showing her the love of
the game:

"And then somebody scored a goal. I understood it was 'our' team
when my husband jumped up and yelled 'GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!' from
the top of his lungs. His face had lit up and he was grinning so
wide I could see each and every one of his 32 bright white teeth. I
stood up, hesitating and did the wave with the rest of the 100,000
spectators. That's when it happened. Terry Pratchett describes it so
much better in his book, Unseen Academicals – the unity, the
sudden rush, thousands of people screaming with joy or
disappointment, depending on their affiliation. I felt it. I went
through me like...a wave...if you excuse my unimaginative wording.

"I began to pay more attention to what my husband said about the
game and to cheer more at the goals (it was a game of many goals)
and after we got home, I made a decision. I became a fixture to the
Saturday or Sunday afternoons, sneaking into the downstairs living-
room and taking my spot in the darkest corner to watch our team
play..."

http://tinyurl.com/6uukf6h


Blogger Christina Rosendahl weighs in this month with her review of
Unseen Academicals:

"Pratchett gives his own version of Romeo and Juliet in this book.
Of course, Pratchett's Romeo and Juliet have far bigger problems
than just their families being against them – their issue is they
support different football teams...! Oh, and when Pratchett in the
end gets to the big game – it's amazing!

"What I love about Discworld is that after so many books, it has
become such a well-carved out universe that while each book is
readable on its own, you really get a lot out of having read at
least some of the others. Pratchett has main characters from other
books in the series show up for brief appearances. We get a brief
visit from Death, we speak to Vines from the Watch, Moist von Lipwig
covers the football match and of course there's a brief appearance
by Rincewind and the Luggage. This makes the world real because
these are the people who would show up in those circumstances. But
what I love even more than to get the feeling that this is actually
a real world, is the humor which is present on every page in the
book..."

http://tinyurl.com/7e5e6pl


Blogger Ian, a self-confessed Pratchett acolyte, reviews Snuff:

"Again, race is one of the big recurring themes in Pratchett's
books: people are people. Even when they're really small, and smell
a bit curious, and have a weird language. You'd think the message
would get old, but it's still one of those things that it never
hurts to hammer home: all people, are people... Pratchett also
throws in the reflections on the nature of law-enforcing, a few
thoughts on authority and nobility, some smuggling, thoughts on how
a parent mourns for a child lost, the common tropes of English
pastoral novels, and even the works of Jane Austen, or at least her
Disc counterpart, who enjoys a thoroughly curious luncheon with
Mister Vimes.

"Overall in terms of Discworld books, Snuff might not top anyone's
lists. Parts of the plot are similar to stuff that's already come up
in other books, only given a lick of paint and a new name. The
villain, by name of Stratford, is a decent enough murderous bastard,
but doesn't quite stick into your mind, like a knife in cold jelly,
the way, say, Nightwatch's Carcer or Hogfather's Teatime do. One
part, however, that I really liked were the segments Sam spent with
his family, actually enjoying himself. His son runs around and is
generally excited at everything while Sam keeps a watchful, and
proud, eye, and Vimes and his wife are always cute together, in the
way they have a gentle almost-but-not-quite-a-tiff and then
immediately return to happily married. Even the scenes with Vimes
taking charge of a boat and discovering a fondness for sailing, at
least not when it's in the middle of a raging maelstrom (that in and
of itself a cool moment that deserves reading), are very sweet. For
a man who wades through so much shit as a policeman, it's genuinely
nice to read Sam Vimes getting some sunshine and having fun, in the
spaces between the plot about murder and slavery...."

http://tinyurl.com/7suetvh

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) CLOSE

And there you have it. Too late to be an early edition, but early
enough to remind you about some time-related things. That's all from
us for the moment. See you at the back end of the month with our
regular Discworld horoscope and any late-breaking news!

– Annie Mac

p.s. Mmm, pancakes. Don't forget Tuesday next!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EDITION: ANKH-MORPORK STREET NAMING COMPETITION
February 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 2, Post 2)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) EDITOR'S LETTER
02) ANKH-MORPORK STREET NAMING CONTEST!

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A SHORT LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR...

Well, here we are again, and not even two days after the main
February issue came out! But this item simply won't wait, because
there's a brief competition on with a very special "prize": namely,
the opportunity to officially name a street in Ankh-Morpork! The
winning street name will be included in the Discworld canon forever
after. All you need is access to a smartphone, webcam or similar
video recording device, the ability to carry a tune for a very short
distance, access to some (not totally) secret information, and your
imagination...

Details are in item 2, below. Remember, this is a very brief
competition, only six days of the week left!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) NAME THAT STREET!!!

Here be the competition announcement, exactly as posted on the
interwebs:

Feb 21st! Win the chance to name a street in Ankh-Morpork!

by Terry Pratchett on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 2:39am

To celebrate four months until the publication of The Long Earth we
are giving one lucky fan the chance to name a street in Ankh-
Morpork. That street will go into The Compleat Ankh-Morpork, a
brand-new street directory of the Discworld city complete with
beautifully illustrated pull-out map which will be available on the
13th September 2012. Your street name will be forever immortalised
in the city for all to see, who knows what will happen there in the
future!

To win this fantastic opportunity read the below question - and film
yourself (or get a friend to film you) on yours (or their!) smart
phone (web cam or other recording device) singing the first verse...


QUESTION:

Upon arriving in Matamata, New Zealand, what is the name of the song
that was instinctively sung by Terry and Rob without even the need
to pause to confer? (submitted by Sir Terry Pratchett)

Send your video answer and chosen street name (be inventive!) to:

discworld@... *

*Please be aware all videos will be sent to Sir Terry and he may do
with them as he wishes!

Competition closes Monday 27th February.

To read this announcement on the web, go to Pterry's Facebook page:

http://tinyurl.com/892p826

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
February 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 2, Post 3)
*****************************************************************

1) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR FEBRUARY
2) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno! My friends, the Lady Asterisk is unavailable this month
as she has been chased up a tree by a rabid cheese, but do not be
afeared, for I, Fernando Magnifico, safely back from the Widdershins
Ocean, will take care of all your astrological needs this month.

My friends, Fernando is the very thankful of your kind well-wishes
during his time becalmed in the ocean near Fourecks. For many weeks
our ship was stuck in the ocean, waiting for the winds to pick up,
but Fernando put this time to good use to work on his tan, which is
now even more magnificent, and make friends with the sailors, who
taught Fernando many interesting things to do with rope. But
eventually all good times must come to an end and so Fernando has
made it back to Ankh-Morpork again, tanned and well (although a
little sick of hard-tack and ship's biscuit, they are nothing like
the biscotti Fernando's sainted mamma makes!) and ready to consult
the stars for you.

My friends, with Fernando's time on the ship, he learned many things
about pumps and bilges and sails and other nautical technology, and
so in honour of this Fernando has asked the stars, what sort of
technology are you best suited for?

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

Hoggers are well-known for being suited for, shall we say, *loud*
professions like the regimental sergeant major or greengrocer, and
so it does not surprise Fernando when the stars say that you have
the affinity for the mighty organs. The Opera House is famous for
its mighty organ, a B.S. Johnson, as is Unseen University, but they
are not the only such mighty organs here in Ankh-Morpork. Fernando
knows a thing or two about organs, especially mighty ones, and he
has been privileged to put his hands on Sir Harold Fussbender's
organ, which may not have all the extra knobs of the Opera House
Johnson, but is impressively large. Lord Sebastian Ffnaugh also has
a grand organ, although it must be said that it is suffering badly
from wear and tear after 35 years of heavy use. Another of
Fernando's favourites is the organ of Mr. George W. Wardrobe, of
Afternoon Lane, who hires out his organ for twenty cents an hour
(discounts for the children's parties). It is not the especially big
organ, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in power. Trust
Fernando on this, for he knows it is so. Fernando once saw Mr.
Wardrobe stun a flock of geese out of the sky with his organ.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

Sandies, the stars tell Fernando that, sadly, you have no affinity
for the technology at all. Fernando is sorry to tell you that,
whether it is the printing press, the clacks, or even the simple
3/8th Gripley, you are "all thumbs", as they say in Morporkian, when
it comes to the technology. But do not be afeared, my friends, for
even if you have no skill or talent with the technology, you at
least can still make the good living as the technology salesperson
or by writing the technical reviews for the magazines. Being good
with technology is not the prerequisite for being the great
salesperson; Fernando remembers well his second cousin Joseph, who
for a time had great success selling the "Mamma's Own Egg Timer"
family planning device even though he knew nothing at all about
calendars or thermometers. (Fernando also remembers well how cousin
Joseph had to run away to sea after four of his customers found
themselves with unplanned bambinos as the result of his personal
demonstrations and lack of the knowledge about the calendars and
thermometers, but that, cara mia, is altogether another matter.) All
you need to do is present the confident "front", practise the
"technobabble", and success will come to you. Trust Fernando on
this, for the stars do not lie!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

Hernians are lovers of all things small and misunderstood, and this
includes the (in)famous Gooseberry Dis-organiser. The stars tell
Fernando that you could have a very satisfying career in the repair
and maintenance of Gooseberries, for despite their faults, they
remain extremely popular, especially with the Young Ankhians trying
to make a name for themselves in business. The Gooseberry is very
useful for storing reminders, appointments, and short memos, and the
BlueNose Messenger Service is very useful for sending the short
messages. My friends, with your understandings of the Gooseberry,
let Fernando tell you that there is the very lucrative business to
be made in Gooseberry training and repair, especially when people
forget to feed the imp or drop it in the privy.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

Whether you are the keen sportsman, or prefer just to relax by the
quiet brook or lake, fishing gear is the most excellente technology
for Staffies. As the keen fisherman (or, in these more equalities-
driven times, fisherwoman, or fisherperson) will tell you, fishing
gear is not just a stick, a bit of string, and a hook, for there is
the art to making the rods, reels, and especially lures. An
expensive art, my friends, like the 7ft Morning Glory rod designed
by Greenwater and Son especially for Archchancellor Ridcully himself,
$95 dollars (plus an extra $11 for the optional knob on the end)
just for the rod alone. But worth every penny, at least according to
the Archchancellor after he used one to land an 18ft shark that was
found in a flooded basement of the Unseen University. For those with
the slightly smaller budget, the stars tell Fernando that the secret
to success is to concentrate on the lure, for a well-designed lure
is the path to glory of many a fisherman. The fluffiness of the
feathers. The configuratione of those tiny shiny bits of glass,
sparkly rock or Ankhstone that draw the attention of magnificent
carp or award-winning tunny. In fact, you should be careful that
your lures are not *too* attractive, or you could find yourself face
to face with a wandering sea troll, which would certainly spoil a
quiet afternoon's fishing.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

Bilians, it will come as no surprise to you that the technology for
which the stars say you are best suited is the technology of
distillation, also known as how to build the better still. But this
is a practice that is equalimente known as the *art* of
distillation. And as all Bilians know, when the science and the art
combine, you can get something more magical than a third-year
honours student wizard and more explosive than a crater-load of
alchemists! So for you who were born under the Sign of the God of
Hangovers, Fernando says go forth with your copper tubing, boiler
and fractionating column and discover newer and better ways to make
the health-hazardous beverages. But beware, my friends, and don't
travel the same road of discovery as the ill-fated Dmitri "Double
Reflux" Isopropeles, who included in his custom equipment a small
portable Procrastinator to produce the fast-distilled reannual
brandy. On the day of his first test run, Isopropeles disappeared
never to be seen again, and although a smoking pair of his boots
were found at the site of his former still, the Watch also found
some unexplained broom bristles and one constable was heard to
remark on how suspiciously well-swept the premises were.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose  24 Aug - 23 Sept

Perhaps the most exciting new technology in Ankh-Morpork is that of
Unseen University's Hex -- or perhaps technomancy is the molto
better term. Many young people today are applying to become wizards
just for the opportunity, in 7a years provided they graduate, to be
given the few minutes a week to run the high-speed spells on Hex, or
to work on breeding the new and faster species of ants. Nosers, the
stars tell Fernando that technomancy is your technology, and
Fernando has the excellente good news for you. Now that Brazeneck
University has built their Pex, which Fernando is assured is
absolutely nothing like Hex and works on completely different
fundamental principles, your chances of some day actually getting
your hands on such technomancy has doubled. Especially if, like many
Nosers, you are good at the chicken wrangling.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

Boring'uns, some people think that you are the far too quiet and
boring to be interested in the technology. But do not listen to
them, my friends, you should listen to Fernando instead! For the
stars say that you are best suited to the careful study of spoon
technology. Yes my friends, Fernando knows that you are already
getting the molto excitement at the thought of spending the many
long hours in dusty libraries reading about the history of spoon
manufacturing and the progressings from carved wooden spoons to
the modern metal spoons. Perhaps you will even create the Holy
Grail of spoon manufacturers, the first practical spoon with
built-in eye-guard, to prevent those terrible "poked myself in the
eye while drinking tea" moments. For those of you feeling brave,
you can even read about the famous Battle Spooners of the
Praetorian Guard of Emperor Percy the Timid (ruled 18th June 1428
to 23th June 1428), whose military record is still unmatched to
this very day: in just three days they chalked up 0 defeats, 0
victories, and 74 tactical withdrawals from the battlefield.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

Andies, the stars tell Fernando that your technological affinity is
to the iconograph. My friends, in these days with the latest
Tusselvlad iconographs with 16 micro-imps, anti-chattering sound
baffles and insta-etch functionality, it is easy to forget that the
taking of excellente iconographs is as much or more the product of
skill and art as it is of the cunning technology. Let Fernando tell
you, the careless and lazy iconographer, armed with the AM$200
Celesti iconograph with special lens filters, anti-vibration
hammocks for the imps, and the newest octaprism viewfinder, will not
produce work as good as the talented iconographer with an AM$12
Brownie-Inna-Box. Let Fernando give you the secrets of the most
excellente iconographers, for Fernando makes the magnificent
iconographs no matter which side of the lens he is on. Firstly, my
friends, give your imps a tea break every few hours, otherwise they
will get surly and start drawing the moustaches and eyepatches on
everything. Secondly, do not over-feed your imps. The fat imp is
sleepy and lazy, while the lean imp is keen and sharp (but do not
under-feed them, or they will eat their pencils). And lastly but
certainly not the leastly, do not skimp on the ink for your imp.
What is the point of spending the extra money on the 256-colour
palette when your "Agatean Fuchsia" and "Frosted Tulip" look
identical? Trust Fernando on this, for he knows that it is so.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

My friends, you might guess that your technology of interest would
be the spoons, like your constellation. But no, that would be silly
-- the astrology does not work that way! Sandies are not especially
fond of sandwiches, nor do Nosers run a lot. Spooners, the stars
have told Fernando that your personality is the especially well
suited to ladles, which are nothing like spoons. Ha ha, no, Fernando
is having his little joke, your technology of interest is actually
the great Stone Circles of the Vortex Plains, like the 12.5 megalith
computer at Plinth or the newer dual-cor circle being built to
replace it, so called because when it is finished it will be so big
and impressive that people seeing it for the first time will say
"Cor blimey, that's impressive! Cor!". My friends, do not let the
trend-seekers and dandies put you off the Stone Circle, for it is
the timeless classic. Long after the last Gooseberry imp has
evaporated, and Hex has been forgotten, the reliable old silicon
circle will still be as stable as a rock. Trust Fernando, for this
is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

Hokians, the stars tell Fernando that you are best suited to the
technology of clocks. The Guild of Clockmakers is keen to encourage
the amateur clock enthusiasts willing to buy "Make Your Own Clock"
kits, and Fernando has learnt of the many sorts of clocks: water
clocks, candle clocks, sundials, grandfather clocks, even clocks
using trained imps counting "one hippopotamus two hippopotamus ..."
for hours at a time. My friends, according to the stars Hokians are
perfectly suited to watchmaking, as they have a particular affinity
for the understanding of the very small devices and watches are,
after all, only small clocks. Although not the understanding of
Devices, for which you can thank the stars! Having an understanding
of Devices might bring your name to the attention of the Patrician,
after which you may find yourself summoned to the Palace and kept
there under the comfortable, well-paid, but extremely restricted
conditions until you have finished helping with the Undertaking.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken  21 Jan - 18 Feb

Squawkers, Fernando has consulted your stars and they tell him that
your most suitable technology is that of the high-performance racing
cart. "But what can I do with a box on wheels drawn by a horse?",
does Fernando hear you ask? Do not be afeared! There are many clever
and scientific improvements you can learn to make, like some of the
new breed of young "hot roaders", who will make the most
excepzionale modifications to their carts -- the anti-roll
suspensions, the go-faster axle polish, the double-slick wheels with
spring-loaded stabilisers for hard cornering, even the dangerous
application of fresh ginger in voonerable places to increase the
power of horse. Before you know it, you could be the becoming famous
for the fastest Sto Lat road run, or the fastest time getting from
Pseudopolis Yard to Scoone Avenue at rush hour (although the new
traffic division of the Watch tends to frown on this unless the one
doing the fast timing is their Commander). You might even, who
knows, become the famous "road racer" like Fernando's cousin Savio,
who loves his racing cart even more than his wife and bambinos and
who once won the Quirmian Grand Prix in his "hot road" cart. But
Fernando knows this only sounds impressive because it is in
Quirmish. All "Grand Prix" means is "big prize", although it sounds
like something else, a certain word Fernando feels is the best
describing of Quirmians.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

Umbragians, the stars say that you have the affinity with two
technologies. The Lesser Umbrage is the sign associated with thieves
(Fernando does not judge, as his Thieves' Guild subscription is due
for renewal next week), and as such you may find yourself with the
very close affinity with locks. Before coming to the wonderful city
of Ankh-Morpork, Fernando spent some time apprenticed to a
locksmith, and he knows well the many types of lock mechanisms used
by the suspicious husbands and how to pick them in the dark, a skill
which has come in very handy many times. Lesser Umbrage is also the
sign of most Igors, and like Igors, you may have the strong interest
in the thundering and lightning, or as Igors call it, "thparkth". My
friends, Fernando has travelled throughout Uberwald, and he knows
that Ankh-Morpork (Queen of Cities though she is) does not have the
magnificente, and frequent, lightning storms that Uberwald is
blessed with. But do not be afeared, my friends, for with the many
stray cats in the city, and Only Slightly Unhinged Dr Fastidious
Bonafides' Rotary Feline Spark Generator, you can produce thparkth
on demand as easily as the Igors in the craggy mountain castles.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) CLOSE

And that's our lot for February, unless something important happens
in the Pratchettverse in the next twenty-four hours. Happy Leap Day
one and all, and we'll see you in March!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
March 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 3, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) FORTHCOMING PRATCHETT BOOKS NEWS!!! WITH MULTIPLE EXCLAMATION
MARKS!!!
04) REMINDER: WORLD BOOK DAY AND NIGHT
05) SECRET WORLD "CALL OF THE WILD" APPEAL UPDATES
06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
07) MUSICAL MORT (NOT MORT THE MUSICAL!)
08) DISCWORLD BOOK REVIEWS
09) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
10) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
11) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
12) DEATH VERSUS...DEATH?!
13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
15) ACTION REPLAY
16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
17) PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNER'S NOVEL ALMOST READY TO ROLL
18) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
19) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Terry Pratchett has donated to The Alzheimer's Society to encourage
research. If this leads to another Discworld novel, there will be
millions of happy readers including me. It will be wonderful if he
himself can continue his creative work and also share some of the
happiness that he gives to so many other people."

– Dr Robert Lefever


"Thend him to athk for a thecond therving of thauthageth and thqueak
pluth a thmall thide thalad."

– the inestimable Pat Harkin to Pterry, on hearing that Rob
Wilkins had just been Igorishly numbed up for some dentistry, 6th
March 2012


"I think it more true that getting older changes how you see the
world. There is stuff in Snuff, for example, that I couldn't have
written at twenty-five. Although I had written things before
Discworld, I really leaned writing, on the job as it were, on
Discworld. I think that the books are, if not serious, dealing with
more serious subjects. These days it's not just for laughs. My world
view had changed; sometimes I feel that the world is made up of
sensible people who know that plot and bloody idiots who don't. Of
course, all Discworld fans know the plot by heart!"

– Pterry, interviewed by Neil Gaiman for BoingBoing, 10th October
2011

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

As you read this, Sir Terry and Rob are on their way to Borneo (The
Author delightedly clutching his new  "essential jungle equipment",
a Canon 5D Mark III camera). But theirs is a sad journey this time.
Back in 1995, Terry Pratchett visited Borneo with the Orangutan
Foundation and made the much-admired telly programme "Jungle Quest".
But since then, commercial interests wanting to clear land there for
palm oil plantations have prompted the destruction of vast tracts of
the orangutans' natural habitat, and the destruction of the apes
themselves.

For a heartbreaking look at Green the orangutan and her final days,
go to:

http://tinyurl.com/8y5u4us

The page includes many (upsetting) photos, and also video.

Additionally, the link to the documentary film itself:

http://www.greenthefilm.com/?cat=7

If you can look at these without being gutted, you've a stronger
stomach than I do.

Please, O readers — I know it's well-nigh impossible to find
*every* product that uses palm oil, but often this ingredient is
plainly displayed on the ingredients list of a product's packaging.
If you see palm oil listed, please don't buy.

*

In lighter news, according to Locus Magazine, Snuff is *still* their
number one bestseller for the third month in a row:

http://tinyurl.com/8axpqkh

...and we've received a rather interesting email from reader Gary
Nedzweck. Here is the text of it, in all its idiosyncratic glory:

"Dear Friend in DiscWorld,

"Wouldn't it be great if CMOT Dibbler finally got it together,
perhaps overturning the local gangstas and forging (pune not
intended!) an empire, after grasping life by the... whozenames?
Dibbler's rehabilitation into a tower of moral strength and virtue,
born of his eternal, indefatigable perserverance and optomism in the
face of the inevitable collapse of every one of his schemes: now
that would bring tears to his ol' mum! Eh?"

There's a lot of book news this month, and many other items of
interest. On with the show!

– Annie Mac

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) FORTHCOMING PRATCHETT BOOKS NEWS!!! WITH MULTIPLE EXCLAMATION
MARKS!!!

3.1 DODGER

The big blurb:

In an alternative London, ruled by the young Queen Victoria, an
enterprising lad can find adventure and opportunity – if he is
very smart, and very, very lucky. Dodger has the brains, the luck
– and the cheek – to scrape by on his own.

Everyone knows Dodger, and everyone likes Dodger. Which is a good
thing, because life for a boy on the streets is anything but easy.
And it's about to get seriously complicated as a simple haircut
turns momentous when Dodger unknowingly puts a stop to the murderous
barber Sweeney Todd.

From Dodger's encounters with fictional villains to his meetings
with Darwin, Disraeli, and Dickens, history and fantasy intertwine
in a breathtaking tale of adventure and mystery, unexpected coming-
of-age, and one remarkable boy's rise in a complex and fascinating
world.

Beloved and bestselling author Terry Pratchett writes at the height
of his powers, combining high comedy with deep wisdom, to the
delight of fans old and new.


...and the small blurb:

A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy
lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage, in a
vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her
be caught again? Of course not, because he's . . . Dodger!


Dodger —  Published September 13th 2012.

Signed copies available to pre-order from August.


3.2 THE LONG EARTH: CHARACTERS REVEAL!

"Here is the first character revealed from The Long Earth...

"Joshua Valiente: Joshua was an orphan born in another world, he
would rather lose himself in a forest than in the crowds of our
Earth, and can't wait to get away from it again.

"The second character to step forward into the light and onto the
pages of The Long Earth is Lobsang:   A Tibetan mechanic
reincarnated as a highly intelligent machine, with a high opinion of
himself to match.

"And finally the last Long Earthian to step from the page is Monica
Jansson: A Madison police officer with more imagination than most,
who is first on the scene when children start disappearing all over
the city."

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett


Signed copies of The Long Earth will be available to pre-order from
21st April from PJSM Prints:

http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html


3.3 THE WORLD OF POO!

Yes, it exists! For those of you who want a complete collection (I
shall always be glad we bought Where's My Cow? back when it came
out), Miss Felicity Beedle's entertaining and educational book is
not to be missed:

"The World of Poo
Published June 7th 2012.

Signed copies available
to pre-order from May."

http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html


3.4 TSoD4: IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!

All three Science of Discworld co-authors (that's Ian Stewart, Jack
Cohen, and of course, Pterry) have been meeting recently to discuss
The Science of Discworld 4. Although given the venue, perhaps
they're just meeting for more... liquid reasons? Here be an
iconograph of Pterry, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen thinking deep
thoughts-inna-pub:

http://tinyurl.com/7oplxq3

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) WORLD BOOK DAY AND NIGHT: DON'T FORGET!

World Book Day/Night 2012 takes place on the 23rd of April. Do get
involved!

Here be some of Pterry's own recommendations:

"London Labour and the London Poor — Henry Mayhew (without which
no library is complete)

"Feeding Nelson's Navy: The True Story of Food at Sea in the
Georgian Era (ISBN 978-1861762887) — Janet MacDonald

"And anything outside of your genre. We're on our third Sophie
Kinsella in a row. Beautifully written and very, very funny."

from Pterry's Twitter page:

http://twitter.com/#!/terryandrob


From Pterry's official Facebook page, as originally posted in
January:

"World Book Night represents the most ambitious and far-reaching
celebration of adult books and reading ever attempted in the UK and
Ireland. World Book Night 2012 will be held on the 23rd April and
they're once more looking for 20,000 volunteer givers. This year,
givers will be distributing 24 copies each (480,000 books) with the
further books distributed directly to prisons and libraries through
charitable partners... Reading changes lives and at the heart of
World Book Night lies the simplest of ideas and acts – that of
putting a book into another person's hand and saying 'this one's
amazing, you have to read it'."

http://tinyurl.com/7683ln6


About Book Night in the USA:

"What is World Book Night? World Book Night is an annual celebration
designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the
U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see
tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread
the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night
paperbacks. World Book Night, through social media and traditional
publicity, will also promote the value of reading, of printed books,
and of bookstores and libraries to everyone year-round.

"Successfully launched in the U.K. in 2011, World Book Night will
also be celebrated in the U.S. in 2012, with news of more countries
to come in future years. Please join our mailing list for regular
World Book Night U.S. news. And thank you to our U.K. friends for
such a wonderful idea! Additionally, April 23 is UNESCO's World Book
Day, chosen due to the anniversary of Cervantes' death, as well as
Shakespeare's birth and death."

http://tinyurl.com/8y4kth5


To see a full list of the chosen 2012 titles:

http://tinyurl.com/6u9f4m2

www.worldbooknight.org

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) SECRET WORLD "CALL OF THE WILD" APPEAL UPDATES

From the Bristol Evening Post:

"A campaign for a new multi-million pound animal hospital took a
major step forward after a store manager in Bradley Stoke donated
£25,000. Plans to build the £4.4million wildlife teaching hospital
– which would include an education centre to train young vets –
was launched by fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett at Secret World
Wildlife Rescue Centre in East Huntspill, Somerset – the site of
the proposed hospital.

Secret World founder Pauline Kidner recently received a £25,000
donation from Russell Hardyman-Richards, store manager of Pets at
Home in Bradley Stoke. 'This wonderful grant takes us one step
closer to raising the last £300,000 needed before we can start the
hospital phase of the project,' she said..."

http://tinyurl.com/6p7vjku


Remember, Secret World's "Call of the Wild" appeal is ongoing. For
a refresher on the information, and donation links, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/74esdxw

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

6.1 "CHOOSING TO DIE" WINS RTS AWARD

Choosing to Die just picked up the Royal Television Society award
for best documentary. Very proud of the whole team. Thank you. –
Pterry, from his Twitter, 21st March 2012

Reported by the Press Association:

"The winner of Best Single Documentary went to the controversial
Terry Pratchett: Choosing To Die."

http://tinyurl.com/7x6tf98


6.2 REGION-FREE "LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S" SIGNED DVDs AVAILABLE

"This programme follows Terry coming to terms with his diagnosis,
living with his condition, facing the certainty of its conclusion
and his mission to find a cure. Adamant that he has done nothing
wrong and that Alzheimer's sufferers should not be stigmatised, this
is a genuine personal journey of one man, through the science and
the reality of what it s like to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's
disease."

£15.00
Region: 0 (Worldwide)
Format: PAL
Running Time: 120 Minutes

http://www.pjsmprints.com/


6.3 ACTIVISM AND ARTICLES

From This is Bath:

"The best-selling fantasy author, who lives in Wiltshire, said
patients were seen as a nuisance and penalised because ministers see
the illness merely as a social care problem. And Sir Terry, who was
diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2007, said it was unfair that families
were 'bankrupting' themselves paying for dementia care when
treatment for other conditions is free on the NHS. Those with assets
worth more than £23,500, including their house, have to pay for
dementia care – which can cost £100,000 a year. Sir Terry, 63,
told the Alzheimer's Disease International conference in London that
labelling dementia as a social care issue 'takes the humanity out of
people with the disease'. 'Alzheimer's patients are discriminated
against by being seen as needing social care,' he claimed. 'What
they've got is a problem rather than a disease.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/6n6wg2l

Reported in the Daily Mail:

"And Sir Terry, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2007, said it
was unfair that families were 'bankrupting' themselves paying for
dementia care when treatment for other conditions is free on the
NHS... Sir Terry, 63, told a conference in London: 'I don't think
the Government cares about care very much. People with Alzheimer's
are penalised. The families of people requiring care could quite
possibly bankrupt themselves with the cost.'... But he argued that
as all patients pay for the NHS through their taxes they should all
be treated the same. 'We want Alzheimer's to be treated fairly, not
pushed on one side,' he said. 'If we all put into the NHS surely we
should be treated alike. It's as simple as that. If it's not a
disease, presumably people are malingerers in some way. They are
just hanging about requiring social care. It's just old people
wanting food and drink. But it is a disease that is doing this to
them, that can be seen on scans and you can see how the brain is
deteriorating. It's not something we dream up.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/84w7vpv


Two more articles from the Daily Mail:

"Hundreds of thousands more dementia patients could be helped by two
drugs that temporarily halt its symptoms, according to researchers.
In a trial, the treatments, which cost as little as 50p a day, gave
sufferers in the later stages of the disease precious extra months
to live independently and hold coherent conversations.

At present the two drugs – donepezil, more commonly known as
Aricept, and memantine, or Ebixa – are given to only about 50,000
patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Once the illness has
progressed beyond a certain point, prescriptions are usually stopped
because the drugs are not thought to have any further benefit. But
based on the findings of a ground-breaking study carried out at
King's College London, experts believe they could help 450,000
advanced sufferers in the UK. They also say the drugs could replace
harmful anti-psychotic medication routinely used to sedate patients,
which worsen symptoms and heighten the risk of strokes and death..."

http://tinyurl.com/6snzvgg

"Alzheimer's symptoms such as memory loss could be prevented by
targeting a chemical that dismantles brain connections, research
suggests. Scientists have already started work searching for a drug
that will block the mechanism, discovered in mice. If successful, a
treatment that effectively protects against the effects of
Alzheimer's could be available in the next 10 years... study leader
Dr Patricia Salinas said now that Dkk1's role was known, there was a
chance of developing drugs to target it. 'These novel findings raise
the possibility that targeting this secreted Dkk1 protein could
offer an effective treatment to protect synapses against the toxic
effect of amyloid-beta,' she said. 'Importantly, these results raise
the hope for a treatment and perhaps the prevention of cognitive
decline early in Alzheimer's disease.' Her team is now working with
a biotech company to develop molecules that can block Dkk1..."

http://tinyurl.com/6mqzqcs


...and a doctor (and Pratchett fan) weighs in:

"As a working doctor I was very familiar with the problem of
dementia. All doctors are. I was also well aware of the devastation
it caused in families. My aunt developed Alzheimer's disease. On one
occasion she shut my uncle out of their house, saying through the
letter box that she hadn't got a husband. It was tragic for him and
tragic for her, even though she may have been less aware of it. Any
advance in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease therefore has
benefits for family members, and other carers, as well as for the
primary sufferers. Even a short extension to an independent and
mentally competent life can lift heavy clouds and painful burdens.

"The drugs Donepezil (Aricept) and Exbixa (Memantine) have been in
the pharmacopoeia for some years. Currently they are prescribed to
about 50,000 patients in the early stages of their mental decline.
Another 400,000 sufferers, in the later stages of degeneration, have
not been given these drugs because it was thought that the medicines
lose their effectiveness after a time. This belief has now been
shown to be false. A clinical trial at Kings College Hospital has
shown that mental state, and also the ability to perform simple
tasks, are preserved, for longer than previously thought, when the
prescriptions are continued. These medications can also lead to the
discontinuation of anti-psychotic drugs used for sedation in these
patients. Some patients were found to benefit for a whole year
longer than previously anticipated. That is a huge improvement in
quality of life for these patients and for their carers..."

http://tinyurl.com/7mju2fb

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) MUSICAL MORT (NOT MORT THE MUSICAL!)

WOSSNAME reader Juliet Drennan writes to recommend a Discworld-
themed music player app with a familiar name:

"Did you know that there's a audiobook player named for Mort? It's a
very good player too."

And so it is, according to several of Your Editor's friends and
acquaintances!

"Simple to use music player for all those who prefer folder
structure over tags. (You want your mix folder, not separated by
artists, right?)...."

http://tinyurl.com/7jzpnom

The website of Mort developer Mirko Schenk (coder and Pratchett fan)
is here:

http://www.sto-helit.de/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) DISCWORLD BOOK REVIEWS

8.1 REVIEW: SMALL GODS

Olivia Houseman, a staff writer for The Clipper, Everett Community
College (Washington state, USA) student newspaper ("Since 1943"),
reviews Small Gods:

"Normally, I say away from series for reviewing purposes. I was
pleasantly surprised to find that this novel was brilliant as a
stand-alone story... I found this novel to be intellectually
stimulating, as well as absolutely hilarious (a tortoise screaming
curses? Come on!). The novel's themes — organized religion,
politics and philosophy – are in-your-face and thought provoking.
Pratchett reveals, with well-organized ease, the hypocritical
undercurrents that seem to flood politics, the ridiculous and needed
ways of the philosopher and the necessity of skepticism..."

http://www.clipperonline.info/node/2237


8.2 REVIEW: MORT

By "frustratedartist" in The Guardian books section:

"A skilled writer can seduce his readers into suspending their
disbelief. Pratchett does this- within a few pages his world becomes
real, in all its startling beauty and baroque complexity. It is both
gloriously alien, and uncannily like the world we live in – both
strange and familiar. His unforgettable characters often reappear
from one novel to the next, and to meet them again is like meeting
up with old friends... These two story arcs, the experiences of
Death as he attempts to live as a human, and the experiences of the
world as it attempts to cope without a functioning life-removal
system, form the twin backbones of the novel. They spiral around
each other like strands of DNA, intimately connected, but meeting
only at the end of the novel. And it is a lovely novel, outrageously
funny and hauntingly lyrical..."

http://tinyurl.com/7t8pb9h


8.3 REVIEW: NATION

In The Guardian's children's books section, ThePinkElephant reviews
Nation:

"The characters are quite brilliantly odd. You warm towards them
instantly, and you want to see where they end up. Daphne, Mau, Milo
and Pilu had me clenching my fists in places, welling up in others,
and mainly rolling around in fits of laughter. Nevertheless, this
novel has a far more in-depth plotline of discovery, finding roots,
religion, and of course, of rebuilding a nation..."

http://tinyurl.com/837kp92

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

9.1 "ANKH-MORPORK": THE TOURNAMENT!

Damo writes:

The people organizing next years Nullus Anxietas IV are running at
Ankh-Morpork Tournament on the 31st March.  The game is made by Tree
Frog Games and is very popular and very good. So if you happen to
live in the land of Fourecks (Australia) and fancy entering the
tournament then be sure to let the team know by liking their
Facebook page. Here are the official details:

On 31st March, 2012: Rule the City! Come and play Ankh-Morpork in
what is hopefully the first of many Ankh-Morpork tournaments.

     * Venue: Realm of Legends (190/198 Mt. Dandenong Rd, Croydon, Vic)
     * Time: 11-4
     * Cost: Gold-Coin Donation
     * Date: 31/03/2012

If you are planning on attending or better yet entering the
tournament, we would love to hear from you. We would love to heard a
report on the tournament, photos etc. This is something that should
be considered here in the UK as well. I expect the tournament will
prove a huge hit.

http://discworldfanatics.co.uk/ankh-morpork-tournament/


9.2 REVIEWS OF "GUARDS! GUARDS!"

Two exclusive reviews, as promised!

Guards! Guards!: The Board Game — A Review.
by Your Humble Correspondent Mogg

The arrival of Guards! Guards!: The Board Game provoked quite a bit
of excitement amongst our reviewing team, a group which largely
enjoyed Ankh-Morpork: The Board Game, or at the very least enjoyed
the spectacle of DisBo and the Dean attempting to wipe each other
off the board. Plans, or PLNs, to get together to play the game were
made, cancelled, re-arranged, settled, upset, and mangled until
finally a day arrived where all four members of the team were able
to be in one place for a couple of hours. YES!

Er, no. It turns out that Guards! Guards! is, in the words of the
Nac Mac Feegle, "verra comp-lick-ated". Oh waily waily!

The basic object of the game is for each player to collect the seven
plus one Great Spells and return them to Unseen University. Each
player is a member of a Guild that gives them a home section of the
board and different basic skills, and can acquire extra guild skill,
charm or magic as the game progresses. Each player recruits
characters, taken from the entire Discworld series, who have
different characteristics such as street wisdom, toughness, loyalty
and magic power, in order to help their mission. Players can bribe
or charm recruits, set them up to sabotage other players' attempts
to return a spell, or use them in fights if they bump into each
other on the board. Some recruits are also secret members of the
Elucidated Order of the Ebon Night who may at times, depending on
Fate, gather to summon a dragon to wreak havoc on a section of the
board. Fate cards can also decree other actions, some of which can
be positive and many of which are negative. Players can be infected
with Pox, which handicaps them until they visit a hospital to be
cured, and those with Pox can infect other players.  Useful items
and spells can be obtained by purchase or visiting a temple. To top
it all off, the Luggage wanders around the board stomping on players
who get in its way.

Phew, that's quite a lot! DisBo, our official Reader of Rules, had
to spend 15 minutes working out enough of the basics to start the
game. Then a try-it-out round ensued, which involved about an hour
of the basics of gameplay without any of the complicating factors
like dragons or sabotages. It took that long for our reviewing team
to get the hang of things and decide that, in fact, the game was
quite enjoyable, it just needed something like six hours to play. A
second, longer session was proposed, agreed upon, and promptly Dis-
organised.

Several weeks later...

Attempt the Second was convened and more time allowed for playing,
but once again we were defeated. We did get through enough game play
in a couple of hours to work out how all of the different features
work, but still only played about a quarter of the game — enough
time for DisBo and the Dean to resume their warfare, and for us all
to comment on the artwork depicting many Discworld characters (and
correct DisBo's pronunciation of some of the names, Pterry neophyte
that he is). In order to be as thorough as possible, official Owner
of the Game "Madame de Worde" therefore graciously allowed DisBo to
take it to his favourite bar to be rigorously tested by the Sundry
Denizens at the weekly games night on pain of pain should any damage
occur.

The overall opinion of all, in the end, was that the game is rather
too complicated. It has many good ideas, but there are so many of
them that instead of being a good, fun game it becomes a slog where
so many things slow the game play down that the basics become
repetitive. We had a mix of Discworld fans and non-fans, and this
seemed to hold true for all.

For the fans, there was also some hit-and-miss artwork and some
inconsistencies that were annoying. Some of the cards were lovely
representations of the depicted character, and some were very, very
wrong. And while great care had gone into finding a quote describing
each character to accompany the portrait, the game characteristics
assigned to each had little or nothing to do with how that character
was portrayed in the books. For someone not familiar with the books,
like DisBo, that would make no difference to how the game is played,
but for a fan the inconsistency was annoying.

There were also rules that were not well enough defined and caused
some problems with game play. For instance, there was nothing in the
rules about what happens when a player has been stomped on by the
Luggage and a player with the Pox already occupies the nearest
hospital. Does the stomped player get Pox, and if so, do the two
players continually re-infect each other as they try to leave the
hospital? Or should the stomped play instead go to the nearest
unoccupied hospital? The Sundry Denizens were unable to work out a
useful way of dealing with this situation.

In summary, this is a game clearly designed by big fans of the
Discworld, full of loving detail and good ideas to make the game
different. However, the good ideas should have, perhaps, to be
scaled back a little in order to not clash and cause the game to
drag out. Ultimate verdict: promising, but flawed.


Review of Guards! Guards!: The Board Game
by Steven D'Aprano

In "Guards! Guards!" (available from http://www.guardsguards.com),
the eight Great Spells are loose again, and it is up to you to
retrieve them, with a little help from the denizens of the Big
Wahoonie itself. Provided you can persuade or bribe them into
helping, while avoiding the pox, saboteurs, dragons, and the
Luggage.

"Guards! Guards!" is for serious game players: it takes a lot of
time to play all the way to the end, and there are a lot of rules to
learn and deal with: rules for winning over volunteers, combat with
dragons, conflict between players, collecting the Spells, wizards'
challenges, and more. The instruction manual even suggests that game
players can reduce the time needed by setting easier goals for
victory. But it can be fun, particularly for dedicated gamers who
aren't intimidated by complex rule sets. Stephen Player's
illustrated volunteer cards are excellent, and so it's a pity that
they spend so much time face down. To my mind, a highlight of the
game is the Luggage, which behaves as a sort of mobile "Go Directly
To Hospital" square. Less successful are the dragons, which I
believe unbalance the game.

My first attempt at running the game was a failure: my friends and I
realised that after an hour of game play we had barely got started.
As the next day was a work day we decided to try again when we had
more free time. Our second attempt was much more successful: we were
able to get through all the major elements of game play, enough to
see the fun side of it, although again we ran out of time and
declared the game over just before I was able to spring my cunning
plan and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

I can't really recommend this game for casual game players. It's a
big game, with many rules and a lot of different things happening,
and yet at the same time it's not a fast-paced game (perhaps partly
because we had to keep stopping to check the rule book). But for
serious gamers who like a long game with a fair bit of complexity
and challenge, I think this is more than worthwhile. One weakness,
in my opinion, is that it is too easy for players to spend their
time playing defensively by avoiding each other. But once we decided
to throw caution to the wind, the game thawed nicely and became much
more fun.

Overall, I would have to say that the game's successes are greater
than its failures. But next time I play "Guards! Guards!", I'll play
under House Rules and leave out the dragons.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

10.1 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN SHERBORNE

The Amateur Players of Sherborne will present their production of
Wyrd Sisters in late March.

When: Thursday 29th — Saturday 31st March 2012
Venue: Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset
Time: 7.30 pm
Tickets: £7.50 (Students £4). Tickets will be on sale in March.

http://www.aps-sherborne.co.uk/forthcoming-productions.html


10.2  COME JOIN THE STC

The Studio Theatre Club, otherwise known as Stephen Briggs' home
from home, is seeking warm bodies, um, fresh meat, erm, new
personnel:

"We enjoy staging a wide range of plays at the Unicorn Theatre in
Abingdon and we want our audiences to see the best shows possible.
We also meet socially outside rehearsals - for informal parties,
meals, pub nights, country walks, clubbing, girls' nights, lads'
nights, sitting around the TV watching old Johnny Depp DVDs, cinema
& theatre visits and other stuff I didn't think of when I was typing
this..."

For more info and a list of official and unofficial STC rules, go
to:

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/index.html


10.3 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN CHIPPING SODBURY

The Sodbury Players will be performing their production of Guards!
Guards! in May.

When: 16th-19th May 2012
Time: 19:30, except for 19th May: 22:30 (hmm, bit of a late start...
- Ed.)
Venue: Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury,
S. Gloucestershire
Tickets: £8 (concessions £7)
Box Office: 0844 332 0230 or tickets@...

http://www.sodburyplayers.org.uk/


10.4 THE TRUTH IN DURHAM

The Shoestring Theatre Company will present their production of The
truth in early May.

When: Thursday 3rd May to Saturday 5th May 2012
Venue: Stanley Community Centre, Tyne Road, Stanley, Durham DH9 6PZ
Time: Performances start 7:15pm
Tickets: £5 (£4 concessions)

For more details, email shoestringtc@... or ring 0776 675 1048


10.5 MASKERADE IN HAYLING ISLAND

Hayling Island Amateur Dramatic Society (HIADS) will be presenting
Maskerade next month.

When:Sat 19th May — Sat 26th May
Venue: Station Theatre, Station Road, Hayling Island PO11 0EH
Time: 7:45pm
Tickets: £7

http://www.hiads.org.uk


10.5 JOHNNY AND THE BOMB: NOW, THE MUSICAL!

Matthew Holmes, creator of the excellent TAMAHER The Musical, has
now turned his hand to adapting Johnny and the Bomb for children's
theatre, and a little birdie tells me it follows an appropriate
World War 2-era music theme and is very good indeed. The hour-long
production, which features seven songs and non-vocal music, had its
successful premieres at Church Broughton Primary School in
Derbyshire on the 8th and 9th of February and John Port School (also
in Derbyshire) on the 21st and 22nd of March.

The performance pack for Johnny and the Bomb (ISBN 9781408165607)
will be published by A&C Black/Bloomsbury Publishing PLC on 16th
August 2012. In the meantime, Waterstones online offers a pre-order
service:

"Sir Terry Pratchett's enquiring adventure into time travel has its
young teen hero, Johnny Maxwell, and his friends confronted with
their own bomb-stricken street in WWII. Can they change history and
avert the catastrophe? Matthew Holmes' script and song superbly
support the plot in a musical for young people to perform and
everyone to enjoy. Johnny and his friends travel back in time to
their own street, site of a bombing raid intended for a nearby
industrial complex. 'Collateral damage' is not the only disturbing
issue: what happens to the present if you try to save lives in the
past? Serious subjects, but with Terry Pratchett there's always the
humour as well, and the musical includes a host of likeable
characters. Matthew Holmes' script skilfully carries the plot along
in Terry Pratchett style and his music swings to contemporary pop
and the glorious sound of the forties Big Band. The complete
performance pack with its photocopiable script and piano vocal score
includes everything you need for rehearsing and presenting the final
show, plus there's full audio support on CD so you don't need to
read a note of music."

http://tinyurl.com/7twc2xo

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

We do need some steenkin batches! Here be the latest from PJSM
Prints:

Unseen University Alumni Badge: "Cock-a-snook at mere undergraduates
with this Unseen University Alumni Badge." Approximately 35mm high.
Price £4.50

Unseen University Doctoral badge: "Cock-an-even-bigger-snook at
holders of inferior degrees with this Unseen University Doctoral
Badge." Approximately 40mm high. Price £4.95

http://www.pjsmprints.com/


New Discworld minis — including Moist as head of Royal Bank with
golden top hat and Mr Fusspot (£8.00), Tiffany Aching with frying
pan (£7.50), and Guards!Guards!-era Sam Vimes in nightshirt and
fluffy slippers and armed with a loaded dragon (£7.50):

http://www.pjsmprints.com/miniatures/index.html


Those College Hoodies are now available as T-shirts! By Fruit of the
Loom (still a reputable quality Roundworld manufacturer) and priced
at £15.00 each, they come in sizes Small (38"), Medium (40"), Large
(43"), Extra Large (45"), and Extra Extra Large (48"). Designs
include Unseen University (golden yellow on burgundy), Brazeneck
College (burgundy on heather grey), and Bugarup University (white on
royal blue):

http://www.paulkidby.com/tshirts/college-2.html


...and another new ecard from the Cunning Artificer. This one's very
Monty Python-influenced and quite sweet...erm...that is...

http://discworldemporium.com/ecards/demo/?card=FromTheHeart

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) DEATH VERSUS...DEATH?!

Here be a fun little gem of an article entitled "Literary Slap
Fight: Gaiman's Death vs. Pratchett's Death", in which Susan Sto
Helit stands in for her more famous grandfather (as she often does
in Discworld narrative):

"Sure, we could comb through the world's rich mythology and pick our
favorite Grim Reaper, but why do that when our favorites can only be
found in the works of the two greatest living British authors. Both
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett have famous Deaths, and today we pit
them against each other for the honor of hauling our pasty spirit
out of the tub into whatever after life there is.

"In This Corner: In Neil Gaiman's Sandman cosmology, the functions
of living existence are overseen by seven beings called the Endless.
The second eldest of these is Death. Don't let the perky goth girl
outfit and bright smile fool you. Yes, she is friendly face upon the
end of your life, but she takes her job very seriously, and as one
of the most powerful forces in the universe it is generally bad idea
to piss her off.

​"And In This Corner: To keep things on a more even keel,
Pratchett's Discworld will actually be represented by Death's
granddaughter Susan Sto-Helit, who occasionally fills in for her
grandfather in times of need. Though she spends most of her time out
in the non-paranormal world, she has access to a wide variety of
abilities whenever she assumes her heritage..."

http://tinyurl.com/88d2pe4

(Be sure to click through to the second page!)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

13.1 UNSEEN UNIVERSITY CONVIVIUM UPDATES

AUTUMNAL UPDATE

Ladies, Gentlemen and Students, there's now only just over three
months until the Unseen University Convivium! Please come and join
us at the University of Adelaide, South Australia, Roundworld on
July 6-8, 2012. Details of the Convivium are, as always, available
at http://ausdwcon.org

ACCOMMODATION

We have managed to arrange some deals with hotels and hostels near
the University, so please consider booking at one of the following
places: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/accommodation

Options range from a luxurious four star hotel down to the budget
backpackers — but please do not feel restricted by our
recommendations, stay anywhere you like.

For those who would like to save money and share a room with a
strange friend or friendly stranger, please use this forum thread
for arranging things:

http://ausdwcon.org/forums/1/topics/495

If you live locally in Adelaide and would be willing to give up your
spare bed or floor space to a visitor, or if you're a visitor who
really wants to save money, please discuss billeting arrangements on
this forum thread:

http://ausdwcon.org/forums/1/topics/496

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

Some newly released information for items on our programme!

* The Maskerade costume competition is now open for applicants! You
can read all the details and
download an application form at

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/maskerade

* Transmogrification — Get yourself turned into a frog. Or a
werewolf, troll, zombie, vampire, Feegle, or any other creature!
Face & body painting available by appointment only at reasonable
prices. In addition, a demonstration of a full-body painting will be
done during Gaudy Night. To find out more details, see:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/bodypainting

And of course, our wondrous guests and performers will be presenting:

* Unseen Theatre Company's "Pratchett Pieces 3" — reprising some of
their short plays from the
Adelaide Fringe Festival
* Snowgum Films presents some behind-the-scenes footage and info
about their in-production film "Troll Bridge", based on the Terry
Pratchett short story
* Martin Pearson performs his own style of comedy and folk music
* Matt Falloon and his Trained Balloons will turn inflated bladders of
rubber into magical creatures before your very eyes!
* Matt Falloon will also be presenting Magic and Ballooning workshops
for those who wish to learn these amazing skills.

You can find out more about other programme items at
http://ausdwcon.org/pages/programme

The Unseen University Convivium programme runs at the following times:
Fri 6 July — 6pm to midnight
Sat 7 July — 9am to midnight
Sun 8 July — 10am to 5pm
Mon 9 July (Winery & Gourmet Tours) — 9am to 5pm

A more detailed timetable of events will be available in early June.
We are also still looking for several volunteers to run or
participate in various programme items, so please check out the list
and let us know if you can help us out!

EXCLUSIVE CONVIVIUM ATTENDEES-ONLY T-SHIRT AND SCARF

If there's one thing you need to show your friends that you've
attended the best Australian Discworld fan gathering of 2012, it's a
t-shirt bearing the slogan "I Learned To Spell Like A Wizzard."

If there's another thing, it's an official Unseen University
Convivium scarf.

Both items are now available for preorder at:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/exclusive_merch

These are exclusive to Convivium attendees only, and can be picked
up from the Faculty on arrival at the University. Orders must be
made by June 6th.

You can still buy other items of merchandise (available to everyone,
everywhere) from our Cafepress store at:

http://cafepress.com/unseenuni

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Read all the information available at the website: http://ausdwcon.org
Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/UnseenUni
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UnseenUni
Send us an email: UnseenUni2012@...

NULLUS ANXIETAS IV

Last of all, we'd like to let you know that the next major
Australian Discworld Convention after the Convivium will be Nullus
Anxietas IV, to be held at the Bell Rydges Hotel and Convention
Centre in Melbourne, Victoria from 8-10 March, 2013.

Detailed information will be at http://ausdwcon.org
after the Convivium, but for now, you can use social media to keep
yourself informed:
Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV
Twitter — http://www.twitter.com/NullusAnxietas4
Google+ — https://plus.google.com/105712341206990016676

Yours academically,

The Faculty
Unseen University Convivium
University of Adelaide, South Australia, 6-8 July 2012
http://ausdwcon.org


13.2 AUSDWCON 2013 NEWS

The official poster for Nullas Anxietas 4!

http://tinyurl.com/7g3xmk6


13.3 WINCANTON SPRING EVENT 2012

"The next Discworld event in our calendar will be on the 5th and 6th
May 2012 in our hometown, Wincanton. This event is cosier and more
relaxed than our Hogswatch weekends, but is nonetheless bursting
with active ingredients and Pratchetty goodness to keep the
Discworld fan energised and enlightened! In a tenuous tribute to
this year's forthcoming Roundworld events, the Spring Fling shall
curtsey to the Queen's Jubilee and, er, squat thrust to the Olympics
with a Mr Shine Him Diamond/Gods theme. May trolls and deities
abound!"

http://www.discworldemporium.com/

13.4 NADWCON 2013 UPDATES

The new official convention logo!

http://tinyurl.com/77suwbn

Some cautionary hotel news:

Because we keep getting asked and since we now have the hotel
contract signed I have created an official event for 2013. Start and
end times are subject to change based on programming and we will
update these to reflect the official opening and closing ceremony.

It is out intention to have the opening ceremony mid to late
afternoon to allow those traveling on the 5th to attend. The closing
ceremony will most likely be from 3-4pm. I expect there will be some
programming items prior to the official opening ceremony.

I will endeavour to get the dates prominently displayed on FB front
page.

Richard,
Chair, NADWCon 2013

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club meets on the last
Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St,
Adelaide (South Australia). Details, discussions and organisation of
extra events (such as play outings) are held on their email mailing
list, so do sign up at:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on 2nd April 2012 at the Monkey
Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. The next
meeting will be on 2nd April 2012. For more information, contact
Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax) on kenworthys@...

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional of first Monday of the month.
The next meeting will be from 6pm on 2nd April 2012 at The Vic
Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) ACTION REPLAY: PTERRY'S UPDATED BIOGRAPHY AT PJSM PRINTS

In case you missed this, the biography page was updated last year by
Colin Smythe. Well worth a read, as are Colin's collected convention
reports!

http://www.pjsmprints.com/biography/terrypratchett.html

http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/terrypages/tpemailnews.htm

(not http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/terrypages/tpconventions.htm as
given on the PJSM bio page)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

16.1 Covers! For Dodger! Both the UK and the USA versions:

http://tinyurl.com/6nzklzx


16.2 "My name is Tom Broadbent. I'm a photographer..." Broadbent's blog
about his Pterry photoshoot for Bizarre magazine (see also Around
the Blogosphere) includes two lovely shots!

http://tinyurl.com/88ja7p5


16.3 A great-looking larger image of last year's UK Nanny Ogg postage
stamp:

http://tinyurl.com/7x2lsvp


16.4 ...and some fabulous Paul Kidby Discworld art:

Rincewind in Fourecks: http://tinyurl.com/7aogzwv

Conina (wow!): http://tinyurl.com/7wvusnj

Greebo, human form, opera-ready (wrowwwrrr!):

http://tinyurl.com/7goglsq

Death, the beekeeper: http://tinyurl.com/6mae54d

Vimes, with loaded dragon: http://tinyurl.com/75agry8

The Hogfather (stamp design): http://tinyurl.com/865nqmg

...and Victor Tugelbend, perfectly captured as a 50-50 blend of
Errol Flynn and Liam Neeson:

http://tinyurl.com/6otjcgx

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) "APOCALYPSE COW" ALMOST READY TO ROLL

Michael Logan, co-winner of the first Pratchett Prize, is looking
forward to seeing his finished book on the shelves:

"We aren't there yet. It's rather like climbing a mountain and
reaching a plateau near the top only to see another peak ahead. The
foreword by Terry Pratchett, dedications, author bio and
acknowledgements are all missing from the text, but the end is now
in sight, and to actually have something in my hand that looks like
a book feels wonderful. The cover was exactly as I expected, and
looks very striking, but I was also pleased with the spine, which
looks very funky, and the prominent quote from Sir Terry on the
back, saying the book made him 'snort with laughter'. Even if the
book bombs, knowing I made the man considered one of Britain's
foremost humorists laugh gives me a sense of achievement that will
remain with me for the rest of my life..."

http://tinyurl.com/78qxc9k

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger easyondeyes on Jingo:

Ever since I read my first Terry Pratchett I was completely bowled
over by his storytelling; from the style of it to the content of it,
I found it riveting and the love has not waned. I love the way he
takes simple things we know and turns them on their head or twists
them till everything is facing the other way; and how even his
twisted and undeniable humour cannot hide the gentle, unbending
wisdom that runs through his tales. I wouldn't care if Pratchett
wrote for 5-year olds I'd still read his books... Jingo is a book
about everything and nothing.  No, I'm not getting philosophical on
you. But unless people fighting over an uninhabitable island that
grew out of the sea is an everyday incident for you then yes, it is
about nothing.  And yet, the metaphor is one that cannot be
missed.... as the crisis is brought to strangely unexpected
solutions (yes, more than one and unexpected if you're not reading a
Pratchett novel) you can't help but wonder if there are some
unlikely heroes amongst us too who'll rise when we need them most
and miraculously everything will be just peachy..."

http://tinyurl.com/7c64jp9


Ashtoreth Eldritch had a self-described "Weatherwax Moment":

"What it is about semi-truck drivers that think they can be road
hogs just because they're in a huge, gas guzzling machine is beyond
me. Said driver had parked across two columns of spaces and most of
one of the driving aisles, and decided that he was going to move
forward after I had begun backing my car out of my parking space. I
stopped in the middle of the aisle, turned round and stared at him.
He blinked and crept forward an inch. I stared at him. He blinked. I
stared. He blinked. The wheels on the semi began to move backward
very slowly..."

http://tinyurl.com/8ygzc6l


Blogger ashsilverlock offers a Pratchett overview:

"Pratchett makes no secret of outside influences on his work: they
are a major source of his humour. He imports numerous characters
from classic literature, popular culture and ancient history, always
adding an unexpected twist. Pratchett is also a crime novel fan,
which is reflected in the frequent appearances of the Ankh-Morpork
City Watch in the Discworld series. Growing up, Pratchett cites his
earliest inspiration as coming from reading the works of H G Wells,
Arthur Conan Doyle and, in his words, 'every book you really ought
to read' – something which he later came to regard as the best
education he could ever have received. It was the fantasy genre
which always held a special interest for Pratchett, however, as
illustrated by the comments he made in his acceptance speech upon
being presented with the Carnegie Medal, one of the most prestigious
awards in literature... With millions of fans and conventions
arranged regularly to celebrate his work, Pratchett is one of the
few authors who seems to have an influence that reaches well outside
his writing. He is involved in charitable work, voices political
opinions (often controversially so) and is incredibly generous with
his time to both fans and collaborators..."

http://tinyurl.com/7un7cx3


Blogger Literary Tiger has fallen in love with tCoM, but most of all
with the Luggage:

"My favorite character (if you can call it that) is the sapient
pearwood luggage. It's like a loyal pet that follows Twoflower
everywhere. It carries all of Twoflower's things, and it can get
vicious if kept between it and its master. I confess that I probably
would not have chosen this book on my own. It was a book club pick,
but I'm glad I read it.  So, if you're in a humorous frame of mind,
stop by Discworld. Don't worry too much about all the different
things you will encounter, you'll get the hang of it soon enough..."

http://tinyurl.com/75sdwsp


Blogger Ginna offers a brief review of Monstrous Regiment:

"Okay, so I like Terry Pratchett a whole lot! And this book is one
of the reasons why. The story follows a girl named Polly in the war
weary land of Borogravia (in Pratchett's Discworld). Polly's brother
has been away on the front lines for some time, leaving her to take
care of the family business. But when Polly doesn't hear from Paul,
and she risks losing their inn if he doesn't come  home soon, Polly
decides that she can't sit at home anymore. She cuts off her hair,
calls herself 'Oliver,' and joins Sergeant Jackrum's peculiar band
of inadequate recruits. (I know a few of you are thinking 'this has
been done a million times,' but, trust me, you haven't heard this
story before! There are twists that make this book 1000% worth
reading.)..."

http://tinyurl.com/7sms5rt


Blogger bodastory only just discovered Pratchett and Discworld (by
way of reading Going Postal as a first try!), but has embraced both
with delighted enthusiasm:

"I read it straight away, despite having a backlog of oooohh at
least 12 other books 'to be read', and had to admit my friend was
right, he was an amazing author! Obviously I started collecting his
works straight away (no mean feat as I live in Spain but collect
books in my native English, hurrah for the internet!) and I soon
picked out my favourites. Strangely, even though it was my first,
'Going Postal' is not one of my favourites. I loved – and still
love – Vetinari, but my absolute favourite characters are Nanny
Ogg, Granny Weatherwax, Death, Mustrum Ridcully, Sam Vimes and, of
course, the unforgettable 'Nobby' Nobbs.

"Pratchett's dry observations about society, our worries and our
issues are hilarious, poignant and right on the ball. His books are
a mix of sarcasm, wit, magic and pure genius. They can be read as a
series or alone, and you can expect to find observations on ANY
subject, ranging from football, dancing, foreigners, Hollywood,
death, science, fairy tales, rock'n'roll, hierarchy, literature,
modern-day films and much more... A person who since 1983 has
written two books a year on average, sold over 75 million books
worldwide in thirty-seven languages, has an asteroid named after
them, was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s, and is
currently still writing despite suffering from Alzheimer's disease,
is a genius in anyone's book..."

http://tinyurl.com/82mamrf


Blogger L.S. Engler is back, this time with a review of Moving
Pictures:

"One of my favorite things about Pratchett's writing is the nuance
he's able to accomplish. His humor and jokes are often subversive
and subtle, clever and underhanded. Most of the jokes and humor in
Moving Pictures, however, felt a little too obvious for my tastes.
As a matter of fact, the book itself felt that way. A parody of
Hollywood and the movie business, the writing is still smart, the
satire of such a pop culture entity searing, but it is one of the
earlier Discworld novels and I often feel that Pratchett hasn't
quite hit his stride yet with some of them. I was tempted to say
that perhaps the problem is that Hollywood is a distinctly American
phenom: Pratchett's British humor might be clashing a little with
the outrageous of an American product, but then I recall Witches
Abroad, which bring his characters to a very New Orleans setting,
and I thought that book was brilliant... Moving Pictures was still a
delight, though perhaps not the full tour de force as some of my
favorite Discworld tales. There is still an awful lot of clever
stuff going on here, some very nice turning of traditional
conventions and cliches onto their ears, and two main characters
that I found incredible real in the fact that I saw a lot of myself
in both of them..."

http://tinyurl.com/832v76h


Blogger The Raging Bibliophile wants a new ratings system, having
given Snuff more than five out of five stars:

"The best [Discworld] books are either the ones that are just
straight-up funny or the ones that tackle an issue with aplomb...
This is also not to say that I disliked the earlier books that
riffed on various plots from Shakespeare and the Greeks (Lords &
Ladies is terrific) but as Pratchett has gotten older, he's
started to turn his hand to social commentary. This is the first
book that I can remember (granted it's been many years since I
started the series and there are like 40 books) that, while quite
funny, tips the scales in favor of the social issues... I will say
that the funny is slightly lessened in this book as compared to
others. Sure, there's still something laugh-out-loud funny every
few pages – but there's a real seriousness to the tone of the
book and I'd be lying if I said that didn't catch me off-
guard... I found that the book demanded more from me than I
expected. Even the scenes of Sam watching Young Sam and reflecting
on what it is to be a father... there was an incredibly human
shading to all of it that touched something deep inside of me..."

http://ragingbiblioholism.com/2012/03/18/snuff/


Blogger Jen Dublin approves of Unseen Academicals:

"What I love most about Pratchett's writing style (aside from his
irreverent humor) is how Pratchett times the punch lines. His timing
builds anticipation so I wanted to keep reading. I knew something
was coming but I didn't know what which made this book fun to
read. And another aspect that I love about Unseen Academicals is
that it all comes together. The book has a plot and character
development. At times I wondered how Pratchett was going to tie all
together. Everything seemed to be a bit disorganized, but as I read
on everything made sense. The main characters are likeable (even
Lord Vetinari), and while there were a couple of slow spots, the
book provided a fast-paced read..."

http://dublinsreadingroom.com/2012/03/20/unseen-academicals/


Blogger jennieflower has mixed feelings about tCoM:

"This is the first novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series which
has sold over 20 million copies as a series since this book was
published in 1983.  I had never felt inclined to read a Terry
Pratchett novel before; I always thought that you needed to have a
lot of imagination to get along with them.  After reading The Colour
of Magic, I think I judged too harshly but it still wasn't my cup of
tea... I enjoyed the first story very much, it starts at the end of
the story and then goes back to how it unfolded.  The second story
was quite dramatic, but by the third I was quite bored..."

http://tinyurl.com/6r97f7b


...while blogger Lena Frank was thoroughly charmed by it:

"I admit when I first started, it took a bit to wrap my brain around
the eclectic style and imagery that Pratchett uses. Once I got into
the storyline though, it became a fun rollercoaster. Seriously, what
is there not to love about place & time distortions happening in the
middle of your storyline? His writing reminds me greatly of Douglas
Adams' work, as in they both make me laugh out loud and look
ridiculous wherever I'm reading..."

http://tinyurl.com/7gu62wl


Blogger and author Katie McDermott, aka A Thoroughly Good Blue,
offers a paean to Sir Pterry as author, Professor, *and* blackboard
monitor:

"Terry Pratchett is the reason I write because he taught me the fun
you can have with language. He taught me how important it is to
imagine how things should be and work towards them.He taught me a
lot about people. His presence as a member of staff in Trinity
College was the icing on the cake when [she was] choosing to study
here. His inaugural lecture last year was brilliant and this year
there was a questions and answers session with him and the head of
the English Department. Myself and my friends were sitting in the
front row, a meter, maybe a meter and a half from the genius
himself. Afterwards there was a wine reception and while a few
people monopolised his time, asking questions and that, we still got
a picture with him and got to hob-nob over glasses of wine in the
same room..."

http://tinyurl.com/7lob6ne


Blogger element119 liked Thud! so much that s/he reviewed it twice:

"Studying philosophy means that reading a light hearted work of
fiction is a breath of fresh air compared to reading the dense
original works of philosophers or even articles that comment on
their original work. Anyway, as usual, I stood in some bookshop with
a dumb look about my face. I had no idea what to get, I didn't know
what I felt like reading and everything just seemed so bleh. And
then I spotted Terry Pratchett's book, Thud! A smile crept over my
face, a smile of pure glee. Here and there in my childhood, I have
picked up Terry Pratchett's books and not a single one of them has
managed to disappoint me..."

http://tinyurl.com/75jhuaq

"Now it all sounds serious and political, and in a sense there are
serious messages within it. The historical aspect of the conflict
between the Dwarves and Trolls reminded me of the real world
irrational hate between ethnicities, one of the notorious ones being
the Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda which ended in a horrific genocide. But
of course, it is not so one sided and dull, as Pratchett uses a
combination of humour and real world parallels which are quite
charming. The one thing I remember from the book clearly was a
Gooseberry, a device obviously named after the Blackberry, that is
owned by Samuel Vimes. It is also very much like a Blackberry in its
functions; setting alarms, events, telling the time and carrying out
mathematical calculations, except that it is not a simple machine,
but a box that contains a mystic imp that speaks. Much more exciting
than a machine with a screen..."

http://tinyurl.com/7bb3zfh


Blogger Janet Sketchley was happily slain by Mort:

"Thank you to my friends who've been suggesting I read Terry
Pratchett. Starting part-way through his Discworld series may not
have been the wisest idea, but Mort stands alone quite nicely and I
don't think I lost anything this way..."

http://tinyurl.com/7phn2kk


Blogger The Imaginarator hasn't finished Snuff yet, but so far
thinks it's, well, up to snuff:

"Finally got my hands on the latest Terry Pratchett novel for the
DiscWorld series. Ok it's been out since October last year but I
haven't had time to read it until today. I'm only about 60 pages
into the book and it's been an absorbing read. I've always loved
almost any book by Pratchett and this is no exception. The last book
I read was I shall wear midnight, the final book in the Tiffany
Aching and Wee Free Men 'trilogy'. That made me laugh till my
stomach literally ached. So I have high hopes for Snuff..."

http://tinyurl.com/7tuydoa


Blogger quorren is rapturous about Witches Abroad:

"The book dovetailed perfectly with my on-again-off-again book, My
Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me, a modern collection of
short stories with a fairy tale vibe.  Fairy tales have been having
a comeback lately, with two Snow White movies due out soon and two
TV shows.  I love being an armchair sociologist, so I've been
fascinated by the past recent years trying to figure out why
something in our collective subconscious was drawn to superhero
movies.  And what is now pulling us towards fairy tales? The two
genres do have their similarities, namely being a conflict between
good vs. evil resurgence..."

http://tinyurl.com/6u97yk9


Blogger Brook Kuhn reviews Wyrd Sisters:

"Granny Weatherwax is making her second appearance here, and brings
with her Pratchett's concept of 'headology', which largely comes
down to that if you insist that things work a certain way, most
people will believe you, and if you're stubborn enough about it, you
can usually bully the universe into agreeing with you, too. Magrat
is Pratchett's usual 'awkwardly normal-looking, even in the right
light' heroine, and parodies the new age witches. Granny Ogg is...
well, an old woman who likes to sing about hedgehogs when drunk.
I've read a fair share of Discworld books, and this is certainly one
of them. It's funny and clever, but never amazingly so. I enjoyed
it, but I didn't get into it the way I did some of the others..."

http://tinyurl.com/8yw6u5w


Blogger Labyrinth Librarian is back, musing on Moving Pictures the
novel, and the power of real-life moving pictures:

"I could, if I wanted, just start to catalog all the movie
references that Pratchett makes in this book, but that would be
ridiculous. Besides, someone has already done that for me, over at
L-Space, and even they say it's impossible to list them all. Suffice
it to say, if enough people remember it from classic cinema, then
it's in this book in one way or another. If it's a story told about
Hollywood and they heyday of the studio system, then it's in here
too. Whether you're an avid fan of the cinema or you just watch
whatever your friends are watching, you should be able to get a lot
of enjoyment out of this.

"The themes that Pratchett explores in this book are interesting,
too. One of these is the nature of fame. In one scene, the Patrician
of Ankh-Morpork, a man who holds the life of the city in his hands,
is seated next to Vincent and Ginger, the Disc's first movie
superstars. Even though the Patrician has worked hard to become the
ruler of the city, even though he is responsible for the lives and
well-being of everyone in it, he is still far less famous and
beloved than these two people who are famous just for standing in
front of a camera and saying things. And even though he knows this,
he still feels an odd thrill that he's actually sitting next to
them... As he does so often, Pratchett is using his world to comment
on our own, and in doing so is taking note of the immense power that
Hollywood has..."

http://tinyurl.com/7ry57nc


Blogger Ermilia aka Eliabeth (note spelling) Hawthorne gives Eric
four out of five stars:

"Eric has a few drops of very interesting wisdom like laughing at
the world to keep from losing your mind.  Humans are more devious
than demons as the demons take note from the humans on how to
dethrone their leader and how best to torture people in Hell.
Inspiration from literature includes Homer's Iliad and Dante's
Inferno. It's a cute, possibly young adult story and very quick to
read..."

http://tinyurl.com/7ph7x9h


Blogger Ms Walsh was pleased by Snuff:

"I enjoyed Vimes tearing through the country side bringing Justice
to all who thought that they were beyond the law. However I was
expecting a little bit more justice but they just seemed to be dealt
with within a sentence or two :( Although this is a 'Watch' story
they weren't in it that much – I generally like these stories
however this time it felt that they didn't add much to it. I know
all of this sounds a bit negative but I did enjoy it and spent the
entire afternoon finishing this book"

http://tinyurl.com/6qgnod6


...and so was her friend Nicholas Whyte:

"Latest of the Vimes sub-series of Discworld novels by Terry
Pratchett; once again, as in Thud, he takes Vimes out of Ankh-
Morpork and the story is the better for it. I really enjoyed the
combination of toilet humour (because poo is always funny) with cold
clinical rage against racial injustice; I got a little lost with
some of the topography of the river, but then there are not a lot of
authors who would simultaneously try and satirise both Jane Austen
and Mark Twain..."

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1893935.html


Professional photographer and blogger Tom Broadbent talks about how
much he enjoyed shooting Sir Pterry for Bizarre magazine:

"The shoot was at a bar in Mayfair, and Terry greeted us with a warm
handshake and an offer of a cocktail. Which I would happily have
accepted were I not about to shoot one of the grand old men of
fantasy. As Terry and the journalist started shooting the breeze, I
couldn't help but notice what my editor had decided to sit on. It
was a black sheep, that's not an analogy. There were real black
sheep all over the bar. I had to convince Terry to sit on one for my
photo. Had to. There was no other way we were both leaving this
place until he'd posed on a sheep for me..."

http://tinyurl.com/88ja7p5


Self-confessed fanboy Damian aka Damo, who is on the AusDWcon
(Nullus Anxietas) organising committee, offers his Hogfather-heavy
musings on lies to children:

"I've gone from child to parent with Christmas these past couple of
years co-habiting with my soon-to-be step-daughter. It changes
everything! I ate three mince pies before I was satisfied with the
'santa bite mark' I left on the pie left behind for him. Oh, the
sacrifice! And my reindeer dental print in the carrot had to be seen
to be believed. For Easter one year I created massive bunny
footprints on the carpet. A point. I have one. Ah yes, my point
being that to maintain these beliefs for our credulous offspring (or
step-offspring, or random children on the street) we lie to them.
Unashamedly and with delighted malice (or is that just me?)..."

http://tinyurl.com/78emxt2


Here be a fun blog-article by Vovatia, about Jenny Greenteeth
legends. Of course the Chalk version gets a look-in, too:

"While Jenny Greenteeth is probably the most famous name for this
river hag, she's known as Peg Powler in the Durham area, and Peg
O'Nell in other parts of England. The name 'Jenny Greenteeth' is
sometimes applied to duckweed, which forms a continuous mat over the
surface of water, hence creating the illusion of safety. In fact,
it's been suggested that the hag might simply be a personification
of the plant. Finally, I should mention that Jenny appears in Terry
Pratchett's The Wee Free Men, in which Tiffany Aching knocks her out
with a frying pan..."

http://vovatia.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/how-green-were-my-teeth/


Blogger Kelly offers thoughts on the demise of the "dead tree" book
and why e-readers will, for some of us, never replace the real
thing:

"I can see the appeal of an eReader, and i intend to buy one at some
point in the future. However, that having been said, I do much
prefer reading a paper book or magazine to reading off of a computer
screen by far. For me a new book this is just been published (say a
new Discworld novel by Sir Terry Pratchett) has an appeal and smell
that is unique..."

http://tinyurl.com/6sdldbm


...and finally we come to yet another snarfleworthy train-wreck from
J. Holsworth Stevenson. His reviews have been featured here before;
when it comes to pomposity, ill-disguised ignorance, bombastic
sententiousness and overweening self-importance — not to mention an
apparent lack of a sense of humour, plus cultural perceptions so
skewed that they nearly have to be read with a sideways squint —
Stevenson never fails to disappoint... but the weirdly wonderful
thing is that he usually includes sudden compliments in his dissing
dissertations, which makes the overall jumble something of an
entertaining read. This time around it's Good Omens, which he says
"does not have much to offer":

"There are occasional digs at aspects of organised religion or
pieces of theology that either Pratchett or Gaiman find obtuse, but
generally what these authors do is set out their own systematic
theology, and despairingly ask why God – or people, or religion
– is not like that. This does not make for entertaining writing,
for the most part. It does not even make for very provocative
writing, of the kind Pratchett came up with in Small Gods, for
instance..."

http://tinyurl.com/7emf84c

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) CLOSE

Here be an exciting article in Canadian weekly current affairs
magazine Maclean's, about latest gadget brightening the lives of
Milwaukee zoo orangutans. No, it's not an April 1st fake:

"Once a week, zookeeper Trish Khan brings out an old iPad for them
to play with. 'I downloaded a bunch of apps I thought might interest
them,' she says. One favourite is Doodle Buddy, a fingerpainting
program; they also like apps that turn the iPad into an instrument
that can be tapped like a drum or strummed like a guitar. 'They love
to watch videos,' she says. The adult female, MJ, 'loves David
Attenborough...' Milwaukee's project has been such a hit that zoos
across North America, including Toronto, are clamouring to get some.
'We've got about 20 zoos waiting,' says Richard Zimmerman, director
of the non-profit Orangutan Outreach, which is running a campaign
called Apps for Apes that aims to get more tablet computers to zoos.
Eventually orangutans in different zoos will be able to visit each
other via Skype or FaceTime — maybe even start Internet dating..."

http://tinyurl.com/7x45k24

A page containing some Orangutan Outreach's Apps for Apes project
live videos:

http://redapes.org/apps4apes


Meanwhile, in Dublin, St Joseph's Secondary School students were
delighted to meet a certain Professor:

"The students attended the 'Unseen University Challenge' in the
Biomedical Centre, Trinity College earlier this month. The challenge
was staff versus students and the subject was of course, the novels
of Terry Pratchett, who also adjudicated. In an example of 'the
student teaching the master', the quiz was won by the students, with
quizmaster Terry Pratchett recommending to the staff that they
should read more of the author's work in future. Afterwards
Professor Pratchett took questions from the audience..."

http://tinyurl.com/836cny7

We'll be back next week with your monthly Discworld Horoscope, late
breaking news, and some in-depth reviews. Stay tuned...

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
March 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 3, Post 2)
*****************************************************************

1) A MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER
2) REVIEW: THE AMAZING MAURICE PERFORMANCE PACK
3) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR FEBRUARY
4) LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) A MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER

Folks,

I made my first journey to the jungles of Borneo back in 1994 to
film the Jungle Quest documentary. We travelled by some god-awful
airline and stayed in some grotty accomodation, but we shot a decent
film in less than a week. Today Rob and myself embark on another
journey to Indonesia and will be travelling in what we hope to be
slightly more luxury and will be staying until... well, we're going
to stay until the job is done. And what is that job? Hmm... for
that you will have to wait to the Autumn to find out, for no less
significant reason than the BBC have thought it best to not tell us
the whole story until we get there. Though for a little catch up on
what's going on in what remains of the jungle, you might wish to
CLICK HERE:

http://tinyurl.com/8y5u4us

And each and every day during our travel preparations (including far
too many inoculations and hallucinogenic anti-malaria pills) we have
promised ourselves that we would take time out to write a decent
update on what we've been up to. Trouble is, we've been far too
busy to take any time out and so the update would entirely consist
of great tales of;

1. Editing Long Earth.
2. Editing Dodger.
3. Shopping for dashing jungle wear.
4. Eating.
5. Sleeping.

So we'll just have to keep you up to date via Twitter (at the bottom
of this page if you're not registered) and will email photos to
Transworld for the Facebook page and also to Jason Anthony for
Discworld Monthly. That is if we find decent WiFi and, well,
electricity.

Finally, we've left a decent stock of signed books with Sandra right
HERE:

http://www.paulkidby.com/books/index.html

but you'll obviously have to wait a few weeks if items do go out of
stock while we're away.

Bon voyage to us. We'll report back as and when we can.

All the best.

(signed) Terry Pratchett


To view the original message on the web, go to PJSM Prints:

http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) REVIEW: THE AMAZING MAURICE PERFORMANCE PACK

by Annie Mac

"We're educated rodents, that's a fact
And an amazing cat
It's such a crazy act..."

The musical adaptation of The Amazing Maurice and his Educated
Rodents, by Matthew Holmes, is quite simply superb. It has a non-
formulaic freshness, an enthusiasm, an almost artless charm that
thankfully doesn't have that typical "has got West End written all
over it" identikit feel.

In his crafting of a school performance-level musical of TAMAHER,
Matthew Holmes has done an admirable job of condensing plotlines,
tinkering with characters, and other necessities that crop up when
one is interpreting a work in a very different medium from the
original (can you imagine how much longer the Lord of the Rings
films would have been if Peter Jackson and company had followed the
books exactly?). The original novel's philosophical and moral points
are untouched, but there are changes; for example, the character of
Malicia takes on multiple duty: where she was only a "co-star" in
the novel, here she's not only a part of the story and songs but
also serves as narrator, introducing the audience to the enhanced
rats of the Clan and setting the background of the tale, not to
mention a bit of typical Malicia-snarky editorialising: "...this is
a proper story with sub-text, narrative tension and social
commentary. Not to mention a bit of violence. But I'm getting ahead
of myself. I'm not even in this scene..."

TAMAHERtM features seven songs plus assorted pieces of instrumental,
incidental and scene-change music. The songs cover a variety of
genres and feels including finger-popping lightness ("Tell Them a
Tale"), military march ("Trap Disposal Squad"), louche swing ("Call
the Rat Catchers"), nervy intensity ("Something's Going Down"), and
the standouts, for me: the dark, emotive power of "We Stand as One",
the metal- and power-ballad-styled menace of "The Rat King's Song",
and the Celtic rock-influenced "Pipe the Rat". The lyrics are all
cleverly constructed, as high in quality as the music, and do a fine
job of advancing the narrative:

"Join the trap disposal squad,
It's a very dang'rous job,
Always hesitate, never take the bait
In the trap disposal squad..."

Sometimes the entire cast gets to sing ("Something's Going Down in
This Town", "Pipe the Rat"), or all the Clan rats ("We Stand As
One"). Bill and Ron, the evil ratcatchers, get their moment:

"Something nibblin' all the tasty fish?
Something widdlin' in your butter dish?
Gnawin' your vegetables?
Call the professionals..."

The Rat King gets an appropriately dark, disturbing number:

"I'm the creature in the night
I'm the noise beneath the floor
I'm the scratch and I'm the bite
I am tooth and I am claw
I'm the darkness in your mind
Scream revenge upon mankind..."

The official production pack includes a production overview, staging
suggestions, and costume ideas (lots of clever and thrifty
suggestions), plus – of course – the cast list and complete script
(book, lyrics and sheet music). Also included is an invaluable CD
with backing tracks for production use and demo tracks with pre-
recorded guide vocals for rehearsal reference (performed by Kaz
Simmons and Nigel Pilkington), plus a page explaining the
performance licence and how to get one online. The illustrations by
Mike Spoor, scattered through the booklet, are both useful and
attractive. The entire soft-cover pack is beautifully presented, and
seems to me to cover absolutely everything a school would need to
know to present the show.

I always promote Pratchett-related works, but having something that
stirs real passion in me makes it more a mission than a duty. At
approximately one hour's length, TAMAHER the Musical is a little
gem, and A & C Black's classy performance pack makes it easy to
translate to the stage for a young amateur cast. Highly recommended!

*

The Amazing Maurice performance pack is priced at £26.99 from A & C
Black (who kindly furnished WOSSNAME with a sample copy):

http://www.acblack.com/music/Musicals/books/list/51

Internationally, the performance pack can be obtained via Amazon:

http://tinyurl.com/d6lb4tm

For a listen to some of the tracks, and some available downloads,
go to http://www.terrypratchettmusicals.co.uk/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends! It is I, Fernando Magnifico, and I shall be
your astrologer this month, for the Lady Asterisk is indisposed as
an overly-affectionate squid has wrapped itself around her head and
will not let go.

My friends, Fernando knows well the difficulty many peoples has with
the making of the good living. As the small child, Fernando
remembers his sainted mama bringing home the washing and the mending
to earn the money to put bread on the table for Fernando and his
sisters Rosita, Dulcetta, Serena, Gracia, Elisabetta, little Effie,
and especially Delicata who has the wonderful personality but can
eat her own weight in lasagne. Many people stop Fernando in the
street and ask for the advice in making the money. Fernando's advice
is the same as his mama taught him, and it has never steered him
wrong: work hard, don't give credit to anyone but especially not
family, and invest in shares in treacle mines, for everyone needs
treacle.

"But Fernando," these people usually say, "all these things take too
long. Isn't there some way I can get rich quick?"

Do not be afeared, my friends, for with Fernando's and the star's
magnificente advice, you CAN get rich quick! No more will you have
to spend your time picking up inconsidered trifles from the gutters,
like Sir Harry King, or going up into the mountains on very sunny
days to extract the diamond teeth from the immobile trolls. Read on
for the secrets to getting rich quickly.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

Hoggers, Fernando has the good news for you, for the stars say your
plan to get rich quick is to invest in the new golem factory, which
Fernando is molto fortunate to have the "inside scoop" as they say.
My friends, this factory is built in Istanzia, where there are the
many suppliers of the good quality clay at the reasonable prices.
The developers have made the special deal with the local government
that Miss Adora Belle Dearheart is banned from the country, so the
most excellente returns are guaranteed (except for acts of the gods,
like the factory being hit by lightning). My friends, the only tiny
roadblock remaining is finding the priest who is willing and capable
of animating new golems, but Fernando is assured that the developers
will solve that any day now.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

My friends, we are all familiar with the amazing story of the Royal
Post Office, and how the Post-master General Moist von Lipwig, in
his hour of need, prayed to the goddess Anoia, who saw fit to lead
him to a lost fortune. My friends, it happened once, it could happen
again, and the stars tell Fernando that your best chances of getting
rich quick is to rattle the drawers for Anoia and perhaps throw in a
few tithes and donations. Fernando is not the religious man, but it
never hurts to have the Gods on your side, so Fernando suggests the
quadruple tithing this month.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

Hernians, your secret to getting rich is one which has been tried by
many, but rarely with any success. But with the assistance of the
stars, you can strike it rich and be an Instant Winner!!![*] Listen
carefully to Fernando, for he knows this is so: your lucky number
this month is 63, except on Tuesdays, when it is 24. Green lottery
tickets are especially likely to be lucky, but avoid the red ones.
Your preferred game of cards is Hersheba Hold'Em (Fernando says,
never raise on a pair of sevens), and don't try crippling Mr Onion
this month.

[*] Disclaimer: it may take you a very long time indeed to become an
instant winner.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

Staffies, Fernando hopes that you like the ocean, because the stars
say that your get rich quick plan is to trawl the Circumfence
looking for salvage. (What is Fernando saying? He is the most
magnificente astrologer, is he not, and he knows by consulting the
stars that you are fond of the ocean, especially the fishing part.)
My friends, salvage from the Circumfence is a good way to make the
much wealth very quickly: many a sailor has made the fortune after
salvaging chests of gold or the barrels of rarest spices from the
Brown Islands. It has to be quick, because the nation of Krull
considers that just because they built the Circumfence they have
exclusive right to collect salvage from it, and their patrols of the
heavily armed and magicked ships have a no-second chances attitude
to people found poaching from the Fence. So you can get rich quick
but you'll have to do it very fast. Trust Fernando, for this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

Bilians, the stars are not entirely clear on your get rich scheme,
but do not be afeared, for Fernando is here to give you the
magnificente advice. The stars suggest that you should export the
finest Morporkian ales and lagers to Fourecks, or perhaps it is that
you should import the Fourecksian beer to Ankh-Morpork – sometimes
the stars are a little unclear which way these things should go.
Ankh-Morpork is the Queen of Cities, and Fernando would never say
anything against her, but it does have to be said that her beers
are, shall we say, somewhat of an acquired taste. Fernando has spent
much time in Fourecks, and you should listen carefully to him when
he says that even the most polite Fourecksian is unlikely to say "No
worries mate" if you offer them the beer that tastes like something
the cat with the bladder infection would make.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose  24 Aug - 23 Sept

Nosers, Fernando can tell you that your plan to get rich quickly is
the oldest such plan in the book: marry someone wealthy. Yes my
friends, if it worked for His Grace the Duke of Ankh, it can work
for you too. Trust Fernando on this, there is someone for everyone,
except possibly Nobby Nobbs, for which we should all give thanks to
the Gods. Of course, to marry into wealth, it helps to be incredibly
beautiful or handsome, or famous, or both, like Fernando. But do not
be afeared, for Fernando has no plans to marry just yet my friends!
Fernando has too much love in him for just one person. He has tried
to settle down once before, it was a terribly sad story which
Fernando does not wish to speak of except to say that the poor woman
eventually regained the use of her legs, so you understand that it
is for everyone's safety that Fernando does not settle down in
marriage. (Although when Fernando tries to explain this to his
family back home, his sister Rosita always makes the snorting
sounds. Fernando tries not to pay attention to her nervous tic.)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

Boring'uns, the stars say that you have the great opportunity to
gain more wealth than you can possibly imagine, for your get rich
quick scheme is to sneak into Agatea and steal the very gold from
the streets! Of course, Fernando understands that the Agateans may
not be terribly pleased by this, and he hears that they do that
thing with the fine chainmail and the rock, but do not be afeared,
for with the stars' cunning plan, how can you fail? First, you must
assemble your team, starting with the Hon. Snedley Bridgeworth-
Hellebore-ffytch, who Fernando understands has just been released
from the Tanty. (If you are going to be the unlicenced Thief, having
the rich and powerful family is always an advantage.) You will then
need to assemble the rest of your team: the muscle, the forger, the
confidence trickster, the acrobat, and of course the sexy lady. Or
in these more equitable times, the sexy man. (Alas, Fernando is not
available, try to contain your disappointment.) With such a team,
you hardly need a plan – which is a good thing, my friends, for the
stars say that your first three plans are sure to fail and you will
have to improvise at the last minute.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

My friends, Fernando is the astrologer who is full of scruple, and
so he will always be the scrupley honest with you. In this case,
Fernando has the grave doubts about the wisdom of the stars, for
they are telling Fernando that your way to get rich quick is to
invest in the new Clacks Fortune Telling started by the Contessa
Monalisa di Numinosa. My friends, you know well how reluctant
Fernando is to be saying the bad things about the other members of
the Guild of Prognosticators, Soothsayers, Fortune-tellers,
Oneiromancers, Haruspices and Cunning-Men (divers wizards, witches,
priests, priestess and Mrs Cake exempted), especially one who is the
bella donna like the Contessa, but Fernando has always made the
needs of his readers the primo importance. My friends, it is with
the great regret that Fernando must warn you that in his
professional opinion, which is as you know magnificente, the
Contessa could not predict the future of a pint of cold beer in
front of Sergeant Colon on a hot day. Perhaps the stars are confused
by the presence of an unusual amount of utter nonsense flying
through the air through the clacks.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

Spooners, your plan to get rich quick is the pyramid marketing of
pyramids to Djelibeybi. My friends, Djelibeybi is well-known for
building pyramids. So how better to get rich than to sell pyramids
to Djelibeybi? Listen carefully to Fernando, who will tell you the
even better way: recruit others to sell pyramids to Djelibeybi, and
take a share of all their profits. Each person you recruit will pay
you $100 for each pyramid they sell. But it doesn't stop there –
they too can recruit people, who will pay you $50 per pyramid. And
anyone these second level marketeers recruit will pay you $25 per
pyramid they sell. And so forth – the scheme is sheer elegance in
its simplicity, as they say. My friends, if you recruit just eight
people, and they each recruit eight people, and they in turn each
recruit eight people, down just eight levels deep, and everyone
sells just one pyramid, you will earn over AM$17 million dollars
without ever selling a pyramid yourself! You hardly have to bother
selling pyramids, the money practically chases you down the street
and forces itself into your purse! What could possibly go wrong?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

Hokians, your get rich quick plan is to sell the Brass Bridge to
newly-arrived visitors to Ankh-Morpork. This could be considered
just another Hokian jape or the practical joke, apart from the
transfer of moneys of course. Fernando does not judge, for it takes
all sorts, and what a world it would be if we were all the same.
Although if we were all the same as Fernando, that would be
magnificente, would it not? Perhaps *too* magnificente, for it is
not clear to Fernando whether the Disc could survive such a
concentrated amount of sheer magnificence... perhaps it is for the
best that so many peoples can only be charitably described as "no
Fernando". But do not be afeared, my friends, for Fernando is sure
you have the many wonderful qualities, even if they are not as
magnificente as Fernando's.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken  21 Jan - 18 Feb

My friends, the stars tell Fernando that the get rich quick scheme
for Squawkers is to invest in the stock market. But which shares to
buy? Listen very carefully, for Fernando has consulted the stars,
the many business analysts, stock market experts, and the teen
tycoon Rudney Urch who made the killing on the Clacks (only not
literally you understand, the Morporkian is a funny language is she
not?). Pay no attention to stock in companies selling the doggy
treats over the clacks, even if the treats are made in the amusing
animal shapes. Ignore the safe, old-fashioned companies with the
steady business and good profits – your aim is to get rich quick,
not to save for your retirement. No my friends, for you the secret
of the stock market is to find out what CMOT Dibbler's next venture
will be, and immediately invest in his competitors. In this you can
do no wrong, trust Fernando in this, for he knows that it is so.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

Umbragians, Fernando has the good news and the bad news. The good
news is that your scheme for getting rich quick is tried and tested
and well proven, as many people have successfully used it to become
the "filthy rich", as they say in Morporkian. Such peoples as
Frenzied Earl Hargarth, Deranged Lord Harmoni, Nersch the Lunatic
and Laughing Lord Scapula have created a rather large fortune using
this simple plan, then used that to create a rather larger one. The
more observant among you will have noticed a certain pattern, and
Fernando can tell you you are correct: they are all former
Patricians of Ankh-Morpork. This brings Fernando to the bad news:
the plan involves overthrowing or assassinating the existing
Patrician, taking his place, and then ruling the city in the
paroxysm of corruption and incompetence until either the city is
bankrupted or you have been assassinated by the next would-be
Patrician. Or perhaps both. My friends, the stars give no guidance
as to which will be more difficult: overthrowing Lord Vetinari, or
getting away with it when Commander Vimes goes spare.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

A political breakthrough of sorts in the UK's "war on Alzheimer's"
is making news. UK Prime Minster David Cameron issued a national
challenge on dementia at the Dementia 2012 conference:

"...committing to

* give a boost to dementia research,
* address quality of dementia care,
* increase public understanding of dementia
* and make communities more dementia friendly

"Alzheimer's Society has launched a landmark report at a conference
in London exploring how well people are living with dementia in 2012
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Dementia 2012: A national
challenge presents new evidence on the experiences of people with
dementia, and pulls together existing evidence, statistics and
policy from a range of sources. These figures will be updated on an
annual basis by Alzheimer's Society...

"Alzheimer's Society is leading a dementia friendly communities
programme to support the changes we are calling for in the report.
Through the programme, we aim to support and give public recognition
to villages, towns, cities and national organisations who are taking
steps towards being more inclusive of people with dementia..."

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/dementia2012

(page includes video of the announcement)


And in a related item:

"Yesterday evening MPs unanimously backed the Director of Public
Prosecutions' (DPP) guidelines on assisted suicide, endorsing the
non-prosecution of those who compassionately assist a loved on to
die at their request, a move that SPUC Pro-Life, an organisation
which opposes assisted dying, say 'effectively decriminalises
assisted suicide'. This endorsement of compassion for those facing
difficult decisions at the end-of-life is a landmark in the
evolution of greater choice at the end-of-life. The debate was
heralded, by Richard Ottaway MP (who tabled the motion) as the most
remarkable of his 24 years as an MP..."

http://tinyurl.com/7j6g9gy


The Winner of the Name a Street in Ankh-Morpork competition is "Dave
Vierling and the Guards! A close second place went to Zack Phillips
and at Terry's request both will have their street names
immortalised on the Compleat Discworld Mapp!"

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett

The winning entry can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/37568773


And that's our lot for March. Happy Soul Cake Holiday to all, don't
forget to set your clocks forward (or back, in Fourecks), and we'll
see you in April!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EDITION: A NULLAS ANXIETAS FUNDRAISER
April 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 4, Post 1)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Special announcement for WOSSNAME readers in Fourecks!

The Australian Discworld Convention is having a fundraiser in
Melbourne on Friday 27th April (this coming Friday), showing The
Avengers movie which is being released in Australia this week.

Date:  Friday, 27 April
Time:  6:30pm
Place: The Palace Cinema, Westgarth

http://www.palacecinemas.com.au/cinemas/westgarth/

Address: 89 High Street, Northcote

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=89+high+street+northcote+australia

Price:  $20.50 adult, $18.50 concession

Old-timers may remember it as the much beloved, Valhalla Cinema,
home of the  24-hour science-fiction marathons and Friday night
Blues Brothers.

You can book tickets ahead of time here:

www.trybooking.com/BJBV

That region of Northcote is full of funky eateries, cafes, bars and
other  places where one can exchange money for goods and services.

It's also convenient to public transport (walking distance from the
Westgarth  and Merri train stations, slightly longer walking
distance from the St  George's Rd tram line, and a hop skip and jump
from stop 28 from the #86 High  Street tram). Less convenient for
private transport: parking in the area is  painful but not
impossible.

Be there or be an equal-sided quadrilateral thing!!!

-- Steven D'Aprano, occasional Assistant Editor

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EDITION: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIR PTERRY!
April 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 4, Post 2)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) EDITOR'S LETTER
02) "THE LONG EARTH" CONTEST
03) A MOST WONDERFUL PAUL KIDBY PICTURE...
04) CLOSE

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

First off – as it says in the title of this special post –
WOSSNAME wishes a very, no, extremely, no, ridiculously happy 64th
birthday to Sir Terry!! With multiple exclamation marks!!! And may
there be many, many more!!!!

(Note that I stopped at four exclamation marks; enthusiasm has its
limits when the men in the white coats are lurking, muhahahaha...)

Today's missive is short and simple, as normally the main monthly
issue would be out by now (don't arsk). We hope to send you all the
usual news, bits, bobs, thrills and spil–, erm, monthly features
while the calendar still says April, but birthday greetings just
couldn't wait... right? So for now, there are only two items. Read
on...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) "THE LONG EARTH" CONTEST

In its final days now, but there's still time to enter!

From Transworld's Lynsey, via Pterry's official Facebook page:

To win a very rare proof copy of The Long Earth email your name,
address and the answer to the question below to this address:

discworld@...

Q: Terry started writing about the Long Earth in 1986 playing around
with a few ideas ahead of Discworld going stellar. What was the
original working title?

The winners will be picked on 1st May.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) A MOST WONDERFUL PAUL KIDBY PICTURE...

...of one of the most iconic Music With Rocks In album covers in
Roundworld history, lovingly parodied by the incomparable Discworld
artist. Here be Mr Kidby's take on the Beatles' famous Sgt Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band cover photo. Apart from the Band With Rocks
In itself, who take the original roles of the four Beatles – Glod,
Cliff, Buddy, and the Librarian – a host of our favourite Discworld
denizens are included, from Death of Rats Nobby Nobbs and Susan to
the UU Faculty, Lord Vetinari, assorted Watchmen and Guild heads,
the Lancre Witches, the Canting Crew, and yes, a very familiar-
looking multiverse-spanning bearded gentleman at the back. Even Lu-
Tze and the New Firm get a look-in. Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/7lzzasx

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) CLOSE

Right, we'll see you some time in the next 72 hours or so...

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 4, Post 3)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) "CHOOSING TO DIE" NOMINATED FOR A BAFTA
04) PTERRY FOR HAY FESTIVAL
05) ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER SPRIG OF LILAC
06) "SNUFF" IS LIBERTARIAN AWARD FINALIST
07) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
08) SIR PTERRY ON THE WIRELESS
09) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
10) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
11) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
12) "TROLL BRIDGE" NEWS
13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
15) ACTION REPLAY: WIZARDS AND THAT THING THEY MUSTN'T DO
16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
17) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: AUTO-HARMONISING LIKE AGNES
18) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS: WWVD?
19) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
20) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"He's always been a genre of his own; it looks like fantasy, but
what he is really doing is satirising our recognisable world. There
is a loyal readership who are not that affected by fashion."

– publisher Marianne Velmans on Pterry's appeal

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

There is so much going on in the Pterryverse lately that it's hard
to keep up! More than two dozen assorted Pratchett releases this
year, awards nominations, awards awarded, Twitter tweets and
Facebook teasers and, well, it's enough to make a news-collector's
head spin. Among other highlights, Snuff comes out in paperback on
the 7th June, the same day as The World of Poo (in hardcover,
though): 7th June. Two weeks later – 21st June – sees the
publication of The Long Earth.

Even Transworld themselves admit 2012 is a bumper Pratchett year:

"Publishing director Marianne Velmans said the packed publishing
schedule was a result of 'it all coming together—things that we
had been working on for years. Plus [Terry] has been particularly
energetic and creative for the past year.' She said the aim behind
rejacketing the Discworld novels was to 'refresh the backlist; all
the other brand authors have B-format paperbacks, not A-format, so
this was an excuse to go back and refresh and clean them up a bit.'
She added that Pratchett has a large, loyal following, 'but we feel
that with Snuff he reached out to a new readership. Since he was
knighted, since he has done these very visible documentaries, he has
been regarded in a different way.' On the publicity side, Velmans
said Pratchett would do 'a few select things, but big things'."

(the above paragraph is taken from _http://tinyurl.com/7co7wlv_)

On Pterry's Facebook page, there's a new synopsis of Dodger from
Lynsey at Transworld:

"To celebrate Dodger being published on the 13th Sept here is a
little synopsis of the book:

"Dodger is a tosher – a sewer scavenger living in the squalor of
Dickensian London. Everyone who is nobody knows Dodger. Anyone who
is anybody doesn't. But when he rescues a young girl from a
beating, suddenly everybody wants to know him. And Dodger's tale
of skulduggery, dark plans and even darker deeds begins..."

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett

And let's not forget the current Pratchett Prize winners –
Apocalypse Cow and Half Sick of Shadows – which will be available
from 10th May 2012, priced at £14.99 each! WOSSNAME wishes every
success to the two Logans...

Elsewhere, in The Guardian's "Reading Room", a request for vampire
literature recommendations, Carpe Jugulum gets not one but two
mentions, including the wonderful quote "I'm sure Granny Weatherwax
would give the shiny, sparkly Cullens very short shrift!":

http://tinyurl.com/c79grtm

Now, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) "CHOOSING TO DIE" NOMINATED FOR BAFTA

Having already picked up this year's Royal Television Society award
for best documentary, "Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die" is in the
running for another major gong:

"Four sensitive and moving films compete in the Single Documentary
category: 9/11: The Day That Changed The World goes behind the
scenes through the memories of America's key decision makers to
show, minute by minute, how they struggled to manage the assault on
their nation; The Fight of Their Lives revolves around the infamous
world championship bout between Nigel Benn and Gerald McClellan in
February 1995; Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die – in which he
considers how he might end his life having been diagnosed with
Alzheimer's in 2008 and explores the realities of medically-
assisted death; We Need To Talk About Dad (Cutting Edge) follows a
family who are reunited to confront terrible events from their
past...."

http://tinyurl.com/7nmyb7j

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) PTERRY FOR 2012 HAY FESTIVAL

The 2012 Hay Festival looks like it's going to be a wide-ranging
smorgasbord of events:

"The 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens will be
celebrated by a personal portrait from his great-great-great
granddaughter, the author Lucinda Dickens Hawksley, and biographers
Claire Tomalin and Simon Callow. Featured authors include Terry
Pratchett, Lionel Shriver, Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis, Victoria
Hislop and Ian McEwan..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17649842

And the most relevant bit:

Terry Pratchett talks to Rob Wilkins

"The brilliantly inventive creator of Discworld discusses his work
and life", including The Long Earth!

Event 279
Wednesday 6 June 2012, 5.30pm
Venue: Barclays Pavilion
Price: £7.25

To book:

http://tinyurl.com/cvstcfr

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) ANOTHER GLORIOUS 25TH, ANOTHER SPRIG OF LILAC

Yes, we're barely a month away from Lilac Day again! Bruce Not Bruce
of Bugarup University writes:

"I'm wondering if we could lobby Google for a Wear the Lilac Day
Google doodle? Info from the site: 'Who chooses what doodles will be
created and how do you decide which events will receive doodles?'

'A group of Googlers get together regularly to brainstorm and decide
which events will be celebrated with a doodle. The ideas for the
doodles come from numerous sources, including Googlers and Google
users. The doodle selection process aims to celebrate interesting
events and anniversaries that reflect Google's personality and love
of innovation.'

'How can Google users/the public submit ideas for doodles?'

'The doodle team is always excited to hear ideas from users - they
can email proposals@... with ideas for the next Google
doodle. The team receives hundreds of requests every day, so we
unfortunately can't respond to everyone. But rest assured that we're
reading them :)'"

It's undoubtedly too late for this year, but Pratchett fans could
start a request campaign for next year.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) SNUFF IS LIBERTARIANS' AWARD FINALIST

We already know it's a *librarians'*  favourite, so why not...

"A Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett (winner of a Prometheus Award
for Night Watch, also set in Discworld), Snuff blends comedy,
drama, satire, suspense and mystery as a police chief investigates
the murder of a goblin and finds himself battling discrimination.
The mystery broadens into a powerful drama to extend the world's
recognition of rights to include these long-oppressed and disdained
people with a sophisticated culture of their own."

http://tinyurl.com/d3c4al7


"Science fiction features lots of characters who find their own way
in the universe, regardless of what megacorps or governments try to
tell them. So it's not surprising that one of the best ways to find
some of the most exciting new reads is to pay attention to the
Prometheus Awards for the best libertarian SF books. The six
Prometheus finalists for 2011 have just been announced, and they
include Terry Pratchett, Vernor Vinge, and some other great
authors..."

http://tinyurl.com/cmhx6rz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

7.1 UK GOVERNMENT TO DOUBLE DEMENTIA RESEARCH FUNDING

From an article in Pharma Times:

"The Cameron government has pledged to more than double annual
funding for research into dementia and neurodegenerative diseases to
over £66 million by 2014/15. The commitment was announced by Prime
Minister David Cameron as part of a broader dementia challenge that
will build on England's existing National Dementia Strategy to
drive up diagnosis rates, raise public awareness of the condition
and improve the quality of care for people living with dementia. The
financial boost will raise to an estimated £66.3 million the
combined value of funding for dementia research from the National
Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Medical Research Council
and the Economic and Social Research Council... The pledge comes
against a backdrop of recent criticism that the UK has been punching
below its weight in dementia research, with high-quality output but
a relatively neglected research base that lags behind higher-profile
categories such as cancer, stroke and heart disease...

"Besides the hike in research funding, the government will be
widening opportunities for people with dementia to take part in
research. Inviting patient consent to participate in dementia
research will become part of a quality marker for memory clinics.
The goal is to recruit 10% of patients into clinical trials for
dementia. Compared with other conditions such as cancer, the level
of public engagement in dementia research – whether through
donation or direct participation in studies – is low, the
challenge document points out..."

http://tinyurl.com/d864zpx


2. ALZHEIMER'S STILL IGNORED IN THE CONSULTING ROOM?

From an article in the Daily Mail:

"Over the past few years, Shirley had watched her husband change
from a bright, animated and capable man to someone who seemed
confused about where the local shops were. But despite repeated
trips to their family doctor, they had been sent away and told Mick
had stress or depression. 'For three long years, we tried to get
Mick's GP and specialists to listen to my concerns,' says Shirley.
'Now, finally, we knew the reasons for my husband's behaviour —
and could make plans, and see what could be done for him.' This
couple's journey to diagnosis has been harrowing, but theirs is far
from an isolated case. A study by the Alzheimer's Society found that
half of people with Alzheimer's will never receive a formal
diagnosis, and of those who do, two in three will wait longer than a
year...

"...this bleak picture is compounded by surveys and studies which
consistently testify to the paucity of diagnostic provision and care
in this country. A survey published in the Journal of International
Medical Research in 2004 revealed just 21 per cent of UK citizens
eligible for drug therapy are being treated. France treats 77 per
cent of its Alzheimer's patients. Similarly, 73 per cent of patients
in Italy and 56 per cent in Spain are being treated with
acetylcholinesterase anti-dementia drugs, such as Aricept... 'The
earlier a person is diagnosed, they more they are able to make
decisions while they still have the capacity, particularly about
their care,' says Professor Clive Ballard, director of the
Alzheimer's Society. 'It also means they are active for longer, and
the longer they are active, the better their quality of life and
health, and the better they and their carers feel. Yet diagnosis is
simply taking far too long.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/cj42emh

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) SIR PTERRY ON THE WIRELESS

A lovely post-Snuff BBC interview with Our Favourite Author, as
captured and posted (as an embedded YouTube file) by blogger
Catherine Dignan:

http://tinyurl.com/74c4tth

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

9.1 THE GAME THAT NEVER WAS

Ever heard of "Watch Out! A Discworld Game", by Bernard "Cunning
Artificer" Pearson & Trevor Truran? No? Well, that's not surprising.
It was a rejected test game created in the wake of the successful
"Thud!" game:

"Only thirteen test copies of this game were produced. Nine were
used in testing, and all sets got damaged in the testing process.
The other four sets were sold to Discworld collectors and regular
customers of The Cunning Artificer. A maximum of FOUR sets in
perfect condition exist. There is one for sale on eBay, making this
one of the rarest Discworld collectables ever produced... The game
set comprises of the following: Eight Watchmen, Eight Thieves, Forty
eight game tiles, which make up the board, Thieves Guild bag and
rule book... No one officially knows why it never got made.."

http://discworldfanatics.co.uk/watch-out/


9.2 "ANKH-MORPORK" TOURNAMENT REPORT
by Damo

The inaugural A-M tournament was held at Realm of Legends in
Croydon. I'd never been there before and I was in Geek Heaven as I
wandered through the doors carrying bags of Easter eggs, my
Librarian and two Ankh-Morpork Collector's Edition board games.
Realm of Legends is a fantastic space to play in. Massive tables
lined the main area of the shop, covered in intricate models and
landscapes. And in one corner, a medieval setting of painted grey
bricks, with four tables ready for some Discworldly fun. We had
chocolate. We had coffee. We had four tables. All we needed were
some players.

Our first game was just the committee members who were there. We
were obviously having enough fun to entice a random passerby who
wandered over, cried "Oh! Pratchett!" and didn't leave until the
end of the day.

Now we were running two games. The Librarian was eating the Easter
eggs. An actually invited guest joined us. More committee members
and a writer from the Wossname email newsletter turned up. By the
time we were in full swing, we had three tables full of mayhem.

In one turn, one competitor chuckled with true evil intent and then
stood up to play his turn (the chairs are REALLY low to the ground).
He played his entire hand in one go, paused, and then played a card
that allowed him to swap his hand with another player. "But you
didn't give me any cards!" she said. "I know!" he said, gleefully*.
He played two cards from her hand and sat back, hands behind his
head and a smug expression on his face. The next player looked
glumly at her empty hand, picked up five cards and nodded to the
next player.

In the end, committee member Sally won the golden turtle necklace
for most wins. Everybody else went away happy, full of chocolate,
with their own little silver turtle necklaces and Nullus bookmarks.
Most of us spent altogether too much money on gaming gear, mugs and
books.

The second round is to be played on the 6th May, still at Realm of
Legends. See http://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV/ for more
details.

*I know that you shouldn't use adverbs, but it fit so well in this
instance.

http://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV

[Editor's note: Actually, that should be "you shouldn't *over-use*
adverbs". Just saying.]


And the next round:

Ankh-Morpork Tournament II – Revenge of the Meople!

Again, we are at Realm of Legends,
(190/198 Mt. Dandenong rd, Croydon, Vic)
Time: 11-4
Cost: Gold-Coin Donation
Date: 6/05/2012


9.3 REVIEW OF "GUARDS! GUARDS!"

Guards! Guards! The Board Game
An Alternative Take
by Danny

I wanted to offer an alternative take on the Guards! Guards! board
game as a slight counterpoint to the reviews by Mogg & Steven
D'Aprano published in last month's WOSSNAME. We have only had the
chance to play the game twice, but it is definitely a game that
becomes quite fun once everyone playing has a basic handle on the
rules and the various parts of game play.

As noted in the previous reviews, Guards! Guards! is quite complex
and complicated – you need to have patient players who are prepared
to read the rule books in advance to try and get their head around
what's required. That being said, make sure you have downloaded the
extended rules and FAQ from www.guardsguards.com as they are quite
helpful at providing clarification, and the chart in the FAQ (from
Dec 2011) showing what each player can do on their turn is immensely
helpful. Considering the first edition is already sold out,
Backspindle Games are planning to do a re-write of the rulebook
before releasing the second edition, so with luck the new rules will
be laid out in an easier to comprehend fashion.

Once the big learning curve is overcome, the actual game play is
quite fun, especially as the players begin to be nasty to one
another. Placing saboteurs, deliberately running over someone with
the Luggage, infecting others with the pox, and summoning dragons to
make one section of the board virtually useless are good tactics to
annoy and confound your fellow players, and they'll probably do the
same back to you later.

Our games started off fairly slow as we worked out the game
mechanics, but by the time we were all up to our third spell run, we
had started to become significantly nasty to each other. Eventually,
the four player four hour game had a very close finish, with
everyone on their final spell run, with just one player lucking out
on the dice rolls to return their final spell.

Here's some strategy I was planning to save for myself the next time
I play, but I figure I'll share it here and just hope my future
opponents have forgotten it all by the time we come to play:

– early in the game, stick in your home quadrant and recruit as
many volunteers as you can, and earn money from your Guild. Each
volunteer deck has a tendency towards certain skills, so recruit
from all three. See the Guards! Guards! website & smartphone app for
the strongest volunteer in each skill.

– try and build up all your player attributes (charm, magic, guild)
as soon as you can – they will become very useful later in the
game. They are mostly boosted by recruiting specific volunteers, so
go out and recruit!  In my second game, I was on the final spell run
with only a Guild of 1 which meant I only had ONE chance to succeed
the Wizard's challenge (which requires a Guild roll of 9 – thus
meaning I needed to roll an 8 on the die). I risked it anyway, and
never managed to get that 8 before another player won.

– note that of the five spells you need to collect, two are on the
opposite side of the board, one in each of the neighbouring
quadrants, and one in your home quadrant. Leave the one in your home
quadrant until LAST – because it'll be harder to be sabotaged on
that final spell run, and there's fewer squares you'll need to move
to get to the University gates.

– Once you've returned all spells from a quadrant that isn't your
home one, and other players still need spells there, summon a dragon
(if you can). This makes that particular quadrant off-limits for so
many things and the players who do need the spells from there will
have to team up to defeat the dragon, thus delaying their actions
for a short while.

– Try and place a saboteur in each quadrant, and switch them around
occasionally. Consider not sabotaging someone on an early spell run,
saving it for later on.

– If you've got lots of money lying around, buy items and scrolls
and save the good ones – they can be quite useful later on,
especially ones that prevent others from sabotaging you on a spell
run, or allow you to move more squares that normal.

– Don't worry too much about guild abilities, or passing on the
pox. During our four player game, we rarely passed close enough to
another player to warrant using these, but it was worth giving it a
shot when the situations arose. Especially for the alchemist's
planting of firewater, which can be amusing when it blows up.

– Being hit by the luggage isn't all that bad – and it could be
advantageous if you were planning to go towards the nearest hospital
in any case!

Bonus rules from the designers to make the game run a bit quicker:

– Everyone starts with the first spell already returned. This
should be one of the two from the opposite quadrant (meaning you
have four to return, one from each quadrant)

– In the latter stages of the game, player attributes (charm,
magic, guild) can be bought for $10 for 1 point. This would
definitely have helped me in my game (see above) if I'd know about
the rule.

If you ever get stuck on a rule interpretation, or have questions,
contact the designers via Twitter (@guardsguards) or Facebook, I've
found them to be very helpful and quick in responding!

All in all, the game can be a lot of fun, but it is by no means a
quick game to play or understand. I suspect that if the same few
people played it often enough, then everything would proceed much
more quickly, but when almost all players are newbies, it can take
some time to understand the basic rules and game play.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

10.1 REMINDER: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN CHIPPING SODBURY

The Sodbury Players will be performing their production of Guards!
Guards! in May.

When: 16th-19th May 2012
Time: 19:30, except for 19th May: 22:30 (hmm, bit of a late start...
- Ed.)
Venue: Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury,
S. Gloucestershire
Tickets: £8 (concessions £7)
Box Office: 0844 332 0230 or tickets@...

http://www.sodburyplayers.org.uk/


10.2 REMINDER: THE TRUTH IN DURHAM

The Shoestring Theatre Company will present their production of The
truth next week!

When: Thursday 3rd May to Saturday 5th May 2012
Venue: Stanley Community Centre, Tyne Road, Stanley, Durham DH9 6PZ
Time: Performances start 7:15pm
Tickets: £5 (£4 concessions)

For more details, email shoestringtc@... or ring 0776 675 1048

www.theshoestringtc.co.uk


10.3 REMINDER: MASKERADE IN HAYLING ISLAND

Hayling Island Amateur Dramatic Society (HIADS) will be presenting
Maskerade next month.

When:Sat 19th May — Sat 26th May
Venue: Station Theatre, Station Road, Hayling Island PO11 0EH
Time: 7:45pm
Tickets: £7

http://www.hiads.org.uk


10.4 MORT IN GUILDFORD

Merrow Dramatic Society present their production of Mort in May.

When: 16th-19th May 2012
Venue: The Electric Theatre, Onslow Street, Guildford, Surrey GU1
4SZ
Time: 7.45pm (Saturday matinee 2.30pm)
Tickets: £11.50, concessions £10.50 and all Saturday matinee
tickets are £9.50. Buy 10 and get the 11th free!

Box office number: 01483 444789
Email: electrictheatre@...

Tickets can be booked over the phone on 01483 44789 or online on the
Electric Theatre website (a small booking charge does apply).

"Are you an avid Discworld Fan? Then have your picture taken with
your favourite character after the show!"

http://www.guildford.gov.uk/article/9655/Mort


10.5 HOW TO STAGE A PRATCHETT PLAY, LEGALLY

Thinking of putting on a Terry Pratchett adaptation at your local
am-dram society or school? Here be a guide sheet, courtesy of Colin
Smythe, for the current channels to go through for permission...

With immediate effect, all requests for permission to produce the
following of Terry Pratchett's novels as adapted by Stephen Briggs,
in English and in translation, should be sent to Stephen Briggs' and
Terry Pratchett's agent, Colin Smythe:

Wyrd Sisters, Mort, Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms (published by
Corgi)

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, Johnny and the Dead
(published by Oxford University Press)

Requests by email: cpsmythe@...

Requests by post:
Colin Smythe Limited
38 Mill Lane, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9  8BA
phone +44 (0)1753 886000
fax +44 (0)1753 886469

www.colinsmythe.co.uk

Nation, adapted for the stage by Mark Ravenhill, is published in two
versions: that of the play prior to its first performance at the
National Theatre, London, published by Corgi, and an edition for
schools, published by Heinemann in their New Windmills series,
publishing the revised version and  with additional material for
schools. Requests to perform either version  should be sent, before
commencement of rehearsal, to Casarotto Ramsay & Associates Ltd,
Waverley House, 7-12 Noel Street, London W1F 8GQ. No performance
may be given unless a licence has been obtained, and no alteration
may be made in the title or to the text of the play without the
author's prior written consent. Applications should be sent to:

rights@...

Other adaptations of Terry Pratchett's novels are published by
Methuen Drama (part of A & C Black), and Samuel French. For copies
and details of Methuen's Pratchett plays (Going Postal, Jingo,
Monstrous Regiment, Night Watch, Interesting Times, The Fifth
Elephant, The Truth, all adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs):

http://www.acblack.com/books/search/pratchett

and for their application form:
http://www.acblack.com/images/Drama/MethuenDramaForm.pdf


A&C Black Publishers Ltd publish (and control licences for) the
following Terry Pratchett musicals, adapted and with music by
Matthew Holmes and suitable for school productions:

The Amazing Maurice & His Educated Rodents

Johnny & the Bomb (publishing in August 2012)

For more information:

http://tinyurl.com/7ujthd9

http://www.terrypratchettmusicals.co.uk/

http://www.acblack.com/musicals

In case of difficulty please contact music@...

Samuel French publications: Making Money, Carpe Jugulum, Maskerade
(all adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs), and Lords and Ladies
(adapted for the stage by Irana Brown):

https://samuelfrench-london.co.uk/books/making-money
https://samuelfrench-london.co.uk/books/carpe-jugulum
https://samuelfrench-london.co.uk/books/maskerade
https://samuelfrench-london.co.uk/books/lords-and-ladies

To contact Samuel French:
https://samuelfrench-london.co.uk/contact

All companies wishing to have extra publicity for their productions
should notify Lynsey Dalladay at Transworld, who administers the
Terry Pratchett website; the information they supply will appear on
the EVENTS page of the site.

Contact: L.Dalladay@...

www.terrypratchett.co.uk

General enquiries can also be sent to:
Discworld@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

Some lovely paper products are available on the Cunning Artificer's
charming website!

Choose from the like of an Igor Donor Card (£11.50), Ankh-Morpork
Passport (£10.00), a set of Unseen Academicals Foot-the-ball Cards
(£8.00; mounted for display, £25.00), a Thieves Guild Receipt Book
(£9.95), marvellous Hogswatch Greeting cards (£5.00), Luggage
Labels (£10.00), and more:

http://tinyurl.com/7rw4axm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) "TROLL BRIDGE" NEWS

A report from the UK Discworld Fanatics site:

"The team at Snowgum Films have started filming the Troll Bridge at
last. I have highlighted their progress over the past few weeks, The
set looks amazing and the guys have been uploading more images of
the set and and rehearsal prior to shooting as well. Earlier they
posted on Facebook 'Rise and shine people! This bridge isn't going
to film itself!' I bet the guys behind it thought this day would
never come. Troll Bridge aims to be the largest scale short film in
history. Using resources garnered over eight solid years of
dedication, love, sweat, and tears – Troll Bridge has already
begun exceeding expectations as to what should be anticipated from a
short form production. With the scale of Lord of the Rings, the
absurdity of Monty Python, and the intimacy of Into The Wild –
Troll Bridge relishes the opportunity to present the Disc in all the
grandeur and depth of character she deserves."

http://discworldfanatics.co.uk/troll-bridge-filming-begins/

It ate'nt the Hobbit Production Diaries, but... here be some Troll
Bridge production iconographs. Things are looking very good indeed:

http://t.co/Jlk6LBJM


...and from the Snowgum gang themselves:

"After five amazing days of shooting, principle photography for
TROLL BRIDGE is officially wrapped! Huge love and thanks goes out to
our amazing cast, crew and supporters! Special mention goes out to
Inspiration Studios for their camera equipment and advice, Wicked of
Oz Studios for graciously helping us build a whopping great bridge
in their studio space, and Quality Theatre Supplies for making it
possible for us to construct a stupidly huge green screen!

"We went into this project with some pretty big aspirations – and
we can honestly say that they have been met and exceeded in every
way. The quality of art, performance and composition caught in the
camera is beyond our wildest dreams, which is testament to the ever
growing talents of our dedicated cast and crew. We really have a
great movie here. Now excuse us while we all fall down in an
exhausted heap. And then onwards... to post-production!"

On the subject of the many requests for the semi-legendary Run
Rincewind Run being made available to buy in DVD and/or Blu-Ray
form: "If we did it (Run Rincewind Run! that is), we'd be looking
at $30 for DVD and $40 for blu-ray). We would need to obtain the
rights to the music, which would be the only tricky (expensive)
thing here. We'd need to reach a certain number of confirmed
orders before proceeding. So if you want a copy of the awesome Run
Rincewind Run then post a comment here or on their social networking
sites and lets see if we can convince them to make it happen..."

http://tinyurl.com/cpdd49e

...and on the subject of donations:

"Since completing the funding drive for Troll Bridge, we've been
inundated with further requests to give us money to put towards the
film. For us, we're in a conundrum. We had enough money to make the
film when we hit $45,000 on Kickstarter. When we hit $82,000 at the
close of the drive, we had enough money to make the film of our
dreams. But far be it for us to convince people otherwise when cash
is on the table. We're still in production, and as such we'll
continue accepting contributions. We'll find a use for the money in
Troll Bridge while we're still in a position to spend money on it
and continue improving the quality of production. Filmmaking is
expensive, so the sky is somewhat the limit in what we can accept
and utilize. Refusal of such generosity at this point seems
insane..."

To donate, and for further information, go to:

http://www.snowgumfilms.com/trollbridge/backing.html

(page includes donate button)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

13.1 DWCON 2012 NEWS

From Richard at Discworld Fanatics:

This is the other news I wanted to mention from the DWCon
newsletter. The reason being is there is a lot of fan art for
Discworld and we here at Discworld Fanatics are trying to feature
fan stuff as much as possible. So this is something that should
interest a lot of people. Therefore, to demonstrate how varied and
copious Discworld artists (and their art) are, the DWCON have
arranged an Exhibition of `so-called' Fan-Art to be held at the
2012 Discworld Convention at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham.

Under the guidance of my Acting Lance-Deputy Curator – Mr. Keith
Stewart [Keith_art on his Convention badge] the exhibition is open
to all those Convention Members who are attending and can lug their
work along. For further details email keith:
negotiable.affections@...

Works will be open to scrutiny by all the Discworld Art-lovers
attending and every Conventioneer will have one vote to select the
piece they feel contains the qualities the Gods would be most
pleased with [Or whatever piece you like best]. The lucky 1st, 2nd &
3rd placed artists will of course get the Praise of the Gods heaped
upon them [yeah, a lousy rosette – but its better than a poke in
the eye with a bolt of lightning!] So; Get Exited – Get Creative
– Get lopping-yer-ear-off-artistic!'

http://discworldfanatics.co.uk/discworld-art-exhibition/


13.2 UU CONVIVIUM 2012 NEWS

As the days get shorter, and the weather colder, we hope that your
anticipation for the Unseen University Convivium is ramping up! Ours
certainly is – to quote the Librarian – "Oook! Oook! Eeek!
Oook!"

EXCITING NEWS! ANNOUNCING VIRTUAL GUESTS

Through the magic of the Omniscope we have the fantastic opportunity
to chat with some Discworld luminaries!

First and foremost, the man in the hat we all want to talk to –
Professor Sir Terry Pratchett himself! Sir Terry has kindly agreed
to join us for a call, and we are definitely looking forward to it!

Secondly, Professor Ian Stewart and Doctor Jack Cohen, co-authors of
The Science Of Discworld series, will join us for an enlightening
scientific discussion.

Our final virtual guest is the Cunning Artificer, Bernard Pearson,
proprietor of the Discworld Emporium and creator of artwork,
sculptures, stamps and currency.

Find out more about our guests (actual and virtual) at
http://ausdwcon.org/pages/guests

Many other additions and refinements of the Convivium programme have
recently been made – find out the full details at
http://ausdwcon.org/pages/programme

WIN A FREE, DELUXE ANKH-MORPORK!

Convivium Attendees have the chance to win a Deluxe Edition of the
"Ankh-Morpork" board game valued at $150, kindly donated by Treefrog
Games.

All you have to do to enter is purchase tickets or merchandise by
*MAY 15TH!* Every purchase gets you more entries into the prize
draw.

Full details on the competition are available at
http://ausdwcon.org/pages/winankhmorpork

DEADLINES ARE LOOMING LIKE MISS TREASON'S LOOM

As the Convivium approaches, so does the closing date for certain
items.

* Tickets to Gaudy Night can only be purchased up to JUNE 1ST. They
will not be available *at all* after this date, so if you wish to
attend our gala dinner, now is the time to buy!

Info: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/gala_dinner
Tickets: http://ausdwcon.org/gala_tickets/new

* The exclusive Convivium attendees-only t-shirt and scarf can only
be ordered up to JUNE 6TH. They will not be available to order *at
all* after this date.

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/exclusive_merch

* Winery and Gourmet Tour tickets are available online until JUNE
22ND. However, places are quickly running out, so get in fast to
secure your seat!

Info: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/tours
Tickets: http://ausdwcon.org/tours_tickets/new

* And of course, the Convivium Tickets for the entire convention are
available online until JUNE 22ND. After this date, you may be able
to buy at the door (depending on attendee limits), but it will cost
extra to do so.

Info: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/membership
Tickets: http://ausdwcon.org/memberships/new

ACADEMIC DISCUSSIONS GALORE

If you would like to discuss things and stuff with other fans,
please head over to our forums at http://ausdwcon.org/forums
You can also keep up to date by using social media:
UUC: http://twitter.com/UnseenUni http://facebook.com/UnseenUni
NA4: http://twitter.com/NullusAnxietas4
http://facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV
https://plus.google.com/105712341206990016676

Yours academically,

The Faculty
Unseen University Convivium
University of Adelaide, July 6-8, 2012
http://ausdwcon.org


Editor's note: re Nullus Anxietas IV in 2013, there's currently a
Bands With Rocks In album covers competition. Do join in:

http://ausdwcon.org/forums/6/topics/498


13.3 WADFEST 2013 NEWS

Those of you who got April Fooled by the Wadfest site might want to
check back: there's no longer any sign of ~cough cough~ boy
wizards, but there *is* a zombie apocalypse! That's the theme of
next year's Wadfest, "After the Apocalypse", 11th-13th August 2013
at the usual Trentfield site. The weekend (a provisional date, as
it's so far off, but still already bookable) will feature "Fun and
Games for all the family, Live Thud, Walking Masquerade, Talent
Contest, Decorated Tent Competition, Smack the Penguin, Zombie Game,
Hunt the Haggis, and lots more for both Children and Adults".

Event tickets include entry and camping site for the weekend and are
£35 per adult. To purchase ahead:

http://www.wadfest.co.uk/tickets.html

For more information and updates, visit the Wadfest forum:

http://www.citywatch.info/phpBB2/index.php

http://www.wadfest.co.uk/


13.4 NOTFEST!

"The unofficial summer camping event for Discworld and Sci-fi fans
everywhere – will be held weekend of 10th -12th August 2012 at
Trentfield farm campsite, Church Laneham, Notts.

"Just to clear up any unfounded rumours that people may have – all
of the regular Wadfestians simply didnt want to miss out on our
annual camping holiday so in the course of the usual drunken chats
at last year's Wadfest we decided that we would all go and camp
anyway and just have a holiday with like-minded friends.

"We have Waddy's blessing and in no way, shape or form are we trying
to "organise" anything – Waddy has said he may even come along. As
it isn't an official event – and there are two fields at Trentfield
– John – the owner – said we should have a name that we all
book under so he can ensure he puts us on the same field and the
name we came up with was "Notfest"

"Friday 10th -Sunday 12th August are the dates – don't forget to
book under the "Notfest" name so we are all put in same field!"

To Book:
http://www.trentfield.co.uk/booking.asp

www.trentfield.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/NotFest


13.5 2014 EASTERCON

Sir Terry Pratchett will be the guest of honour for the 2014
Eastercon. Eastercon 2014 will be held from 18th – 21st April
2014, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow:

http://www.satellite4.org.uk/

"Eastercon is the annual British National Science Fiction
Convention. It has been held over the Easter weekend every year
since 1955. Before 1955 it was usually held over the Whitsun
weekend. Eastercon attracts 800-1,200 fans of Science Fiction,
Fantasy and similar genres. Programme events usually include a fancy
dress competition, an Art Show, a large Dealers Room selling books
and other items, panels, quizzes, workshops, competitions and talks.
Items range from hard science through writing workshops to the fun
and silly. People are encouraged to take part."

http://discworldfanatics.co.uk/pratchett-news-snippets/


13.6 REMINDER: WINCANTON SPRING EVENT 2012

"The next Discworld event in our calendar will be on the 5th and 6th
May 2012 in our hometown, Wincanton. This event is cosier and more
relaxed than our Hogswatch weekends, but is nonetheless bursting
with active ingredients and Pratchetty goodness to keep the
Discworld fan energised and enlightened! In a tenuous tribute to
this year's forthcoming Roundworld events, the Spring Fling shall
curtsey to the Queen's Jubilee and, er, squat thrust to the Olympics
with a Mr Shine Him Diamond/Gods theme. May trolls and deities
abound!"

http://www.discworldemporium.com/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club meets on the last
Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St,
Adelaide (South Australia). Details, discussions and organisation of
extra events (such as play outings) are held on their email mailing
list, so do sign up at:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on 30th April 2012 at the Monkey
Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more
information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) ACTION REPLAY: WIZARDS, WITCHES AND, UM, ROMANCE

"Why Gandalf Never Married", a Terry Pratchett essay originally
delivered as a speech at Novacon 15 in 1985 and republished with
permission on the web, is a fascinating ramble covering magic,
fantasy, women in fantasy, and yes, sex:

"While I was plundering the fantasy world for the next cliche to
pulls a few laughs from, I found one which was so deeply ingrained
that you hardly notice it is there at all. In fact it struck me so
vividly that I actually began to look at it seriously. That's the
generally very clear division between magic done by women and magic
done by men... Sorceress? Just a better class of witch. Enchantress?
Just a witch with good legs. The fantasy world. in fact, is overdue
for a visit from the Equal Opportunities people because, in the
fantasy world, magic done by women is usually of poor quality,
third-rate, negative stuff, while the wizards are usually cerebral,
clever, powerful, and wise. Strangely enough, that's also the case
in this world. You don't have to believe in magic to notice that.
Wizards get to do a better class of magic, while witches give you
warts...

"[Wizards are] all bachelors, and sexually continent. In this
fantasy is in agreement with some of the standard works on magic,
which make it clear that a good wizard doesn't get his end away.
(Funny, because there's no such prohibition on witches; they can be
at it like knives the whole time and it doesn't affect their magic
at all.) Wizards tend to exist in Orders, or hierarchies, and
certainly the Island of Gont reminds me of nothing so much as a
medieval European university, or maybe a monastery. There don't seem
to be many women around the University, although I suppose someone
cleans the lavatories. There are indeed some female practitioners of
magic around Earthsea, but if they are not actually evil then they
are either misguided or treated by Ged in the same way that a Harley
Street obstetrician treats a local midwife. Can you imagine a girl
trying to get a place at the University of Gont? Or I can put it
another way – can you imagine a female Gandalf..."

from http://www.ansible.co.uk/misc/tpspeech.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Now here's an interesting instance of book classification, brought
to you by C.N.A. Bookshop, Bedford Centre, Johannesburg:

http://tinyurl.com/d2rjghs


The webcomic "Non Sequitur" offers a dilemma familiar to all readers
of a certain Lancre Witches novel:

http://tinyurl.com/78x92hr (click to enlarge)


On Paul Kidby's Facebook page, a series of iconographs showing the
Dodger cover art in progress:

http://tinyurl.com/cmpldyc

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET

Probably not as melodic as Agnes Nitt's chord-singing, but still
Gyuto monks are capable of producing chord-like tones:

"Spectral analysis of a segment of the chord-like tone shows the
individual harmonics of the sound as multiples of the fundamental
frequency, and indicates that the spacing between the harmonics is
about 63 Hz. The harmonics at 315 and 630 Hz are accentuated,
showing that the first and second formants are centered at these
frequencies."

http://www.gemstone-av.com/mot.htm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS: WHAT WOULD VIMES DO?

From Steven:

One of the most interesting things about Night Watch, in my opinion,
is  how good people (or at least not entirely bad people) can end up
doing  bad things: police brutality is more often due to fear,
confusion,  failure of leadership, and generally screwing things up
than due to  nastiness.

The recent pepper-spray incident at UC Davis is a good example. Lt
Pike  of the UC Davis police department[1] became an Internet meme
of a "bad  cop" for pepper-spraying peaceful protesters in the face
as they sat  quietly on the pavement. Well, the University's report
is in, and it  seems that Pike made a bad decision after being given
bad orders from  superiors who basically screwed up every way they
possibly could.

The only people here who didn't do anything wrong were, surprise
surprise, the protesters.

http://bradhicks.livejournal.com/459368.html

Pike apparently is feeling rather put out that he's being hung out to
dry as a "bad apple" by the police and university when the blame
actually went all the way to the head of the university.

I wonder what Vimes would have done?


A reply from Bobby, the Master of B-space:

Order Carrot to ask the protesters to leave and come back tomorrow,
and  point out to the head of the university that the protesters are
breaking  no laws by their actions and that the orders he's been
given are illegal  in and of themselves. Depending on his mood he
might even try to arrest  the head of the university.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger Pokist reviews Mort:

"This is the kind of book that you read for fun. Not the 'Oh, I find
this so fascinating'-way but in the laughing way. Terry
Pratchett's books about the Discworld (it's a series that you
can read independent of the order, so don't hesitate) and I would
recommend it if your into the humorous and amusing books. It's a
relief to read these kind of books once in a while, I really felt
like it this week and I'm pretty satisfied with my choice. I've
read a lot of books about the Discworld before, and although it was
a very long time ago since last time, I enjoyed it. It was a
splendid combobreaker after I've read all these serious books that
bring up social problems and unfairness. So thank you Terry
Pratchett, for making my week a little happier..."

http://tinyurl.com/cuqjdnb


Blogger Lizbeth reviews Small Gods:

"You shouldn't read it if you don't want a different view of
religion, or if you are uncomfortable reading about violence (there
is rather a lot in this book, unfortunately). It is a novel of
Discworld (a flat world on the back of a turtle, where the
unexpected is expected — adapted from the back of the book). If
you are familiar with Discworld, Small Gods might be surprising —
it is not about the large city of Ankh-Morpork, or the mountains
around the Hub. It is a story of the desert, and of a god... Almost
every page has a quotable sentence or two, or more. It really makes
you think about organized religion..."

http://tinyurl.com/d9q8lcd


Blogger wherethebodiesare reluctantly admits to being a huge
Pratchett fan, and reviews Guards! Guards!:

"Like many of Pratchett's books, reducing the plot to mere
synopsis would do very little to encourage you to read the novel
itself. Suffice it to say that the dragon is summoned to act as a
WMD for a Freemason-esque sect intent on returning the city to a
monarchy and that their plan succeeds beyond their wildest
nightmares. The joy here is not so much in the story, though that
most certainly satisfies as a `whodunnit', but in the exuberant
characterisation and the gleeful wit. A self-avowed mystery fan,
Pratchett takes great delight in playing with the clichιs and
conventions of the crime genre, amongst many other things. Parody
and allusion zing past at a startling rate and there is a definite
need for a second, slower reading to pick up on all Pratchett is
doing here. He is an astonishingly clever writer, yet rare perhaps
for that breed, an incredibly human one at the same time.  Never do
his insights into the human condition take the easy turn into
misanthropy and there is always laughter here, even if it is
laughter in the dark..."

http://wherethebodiesare.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/heere-be/


Blogger Matt reviews Thud! – the game, that is:

"Trolls are much easier to play as at first. Dwarfs require more
planning and the willingness to sacrifice a dwarf for the greater
good. Dwarfs want to create phalanxes of dwarfs to protect from all
sides, while trolls move against undefended dwarfs and take them out
quickly and risk-free. It's a fun game, but it's kind of rare,
so it's hard to find anyone to play against... I guess I'd
recommend it for fans of fantasy, especially Terry Pratchett, who
also like chess-like board games. If you're really into board
games, you'll probably like it either way..."

http://lovesexandthermonuclearwar.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/thud/


Blogger Ginna adores Tiffany Aching:

"Long before Disney's Tangled made it popular, Tiffany Aching was
hitting things with frying pans. (She was only nine at the time.)
Tiffany is one of my absolute favorite characters ever created ever
anywhere in the universe amen. She is pragmatic to a fault, prone to
grumpiness, hilariously astute. And, even if they don't realize
it, she is exactly what the people of the Chalk need. She may not be
thrilled with her new job title (especially since there is a decided
lack of wands and potions and easy-way-outs), but Tiffany does what
she must, because if she doesn't, who will? Being a witch on the
Chalk isn't easy. People look at you differently when you're
wearing that pointed hat. And when you take the hat off, they still
know: you're the witch. Tiffany is forever set apart, forever the
'them' to her neighbors' 'us.' She must see the world
before it puts on its face in the morning, be part of what goes on
behind closed doors in the evening, and accept the un-magical,
harsh, beautiful reality of life, all while pulling the strings that
others don't even know are there. Still, Tiffany rolls up her
sleeves and dons that pointy hat with love. Because that's who
Tiffany is.."

http://tinyurl.com/76y96x9


Blogger Marie G Cannon, writes about her "Discworld inspiration from
Senate House Library":

"Senate House Library has a wonderful history and and many, many
rare and special books in its collection... I saw many wonderful
books during my time there, including first editions of Charles
Dickens and Virginia Woolf, signed works of Oscar Wilde and Karl
Marx and some of the earliest (and most beautifully illuminated)
printed books in the entire world from the 15th century  among many,
many others. However, the highlight of my stay was viewing the Terry
Pratchett collection, and it was this that inspired the name of my
blog, the 'Unseen University Librarian'. Colin Smythe, who was Terry
Pratchett's agent, has very generously donated first editions of
most (if not all) of the Discworld novels, and not only in the
English language, but in every language they were ever published in!
Even more exciting is that Colin Smythe also donated all kinds of
weird and wonderful Discworld memorabilia, including computer games,
cartoons on VHS, mugs, keyrings, candles, board games, figurines ,
ornaments and even bottles of 'Ridcully's Revenge' beer..."

http://tinyurl.com/cjuxxzn


Blogger Tom Clementson reviews tCoM:

"You've likely seen similar characters from other books,
television and movies but Pratchett takes the classic comedy duo and
firmly plants them in a fantasy world that is over the top
hilarious. Rincewind and Twoflower are Discworld's Costanza and
Kramer with supporting characters who run the gambit of
personalities. You'll meet the brainless, brawny Hrun and the
tenacious, terrifying luggage; that's right, a seemingly living
piece of luggage with legs and an uncanny willingness toward
violence... Character growth, mixed with the multitude of laughable
moments provides smiles from beginning to end. Rincewind is layered
like an onion; cowardly and almost indifferent in the beginning but
certainly altered for the better as he learns the value of
friendship... Pay close attention to Pratchett's humorous pokes at
our view of traditional fantasy, religion and social norms that lace
neatly within the plot. Color of Magic is easily a family read with
enough mature comedy that adults will absolutely love this story's
wit..."

http://tinyurl.com/7mva8f9


Blogger gnasler reviews tCoM too:

"I sort of expected one story, one plot, one quest or something of
the sorts, but this book is actually, if I'm not mistaken, a
collection of shorter stories that all have the same main characters
and which happen in order. It's not a bad thing – it just took
me by surprise when I read it and it somehow muddled up my reading
experience a bit because I read it as one thing while it was
another... Really, the writing, the humour, and the characters did
most for me during the reading of this. The writing is highly
engaging, twisting and turning and all over the places – the
descriptions are vivid and unique, the humour I've already
applauded and the characters are really good fun. There isn't a
fantasy cliche that Pratchett hasn't turned into something funny
and original..."

http://tinyurl.com/87b68hd


At Blogcritics, Richard Marcus offers a long, detailed and very
insightful review of the Going Postal DVD:

"I'm not an initiate of Pratchett's Discworld, the who knows how
many books the author has written set in a fantastical world
populated by creatures from all corners of the magical universe. But
I have read a couple of his books and liked his humour and sense of
the absurd. You only have to read one or two in the series to
appreciate the amazing amount of detail that's gone into creating
the reality the books are set in. If you can picture a Victorian era
with a strange mixture of magic and technology populated by
vampires, werewolves, mortals, dwarfs, and all the others you'd
associate with tales of imagination and fantasy, then you can begin
to imagine the difficulties a filmmaker faces bringing it to life...

"While the people behind the production have done a wonderful job of
creating the world in which the story takes place and created a
script, with the aid of Terry Pratchett, that allows the story to
unfold without feeling rushed or forced, its the acting that really
carries the show. You'll never find more unlikely romantic leads as
the characters of Moist and Adora, but Richard Coyle and Claire Foy
do brilliant jobs of bringing them to life. Foy's characterization
is especially well done as she captures both the tough shell Adora
has put up to protect herself from being hurt after her family is
ruined and the vulnerability beneath it... David Suchet does a
beautiful job of making Reacher Gilt the type of character you love
to hate. He manages to take his characterization right to the edge
of overacting, but never crosses the line. As a result he is
delightfully creepy - his smile alone is a thing of absolute
beauty/evil guaranteed to make your skin crawl. The wonderful thing
about Going Postal is you don't have to be an aficionado of Terry
Pratchett's work to enjoy this adaptation...

http://tinyurl.com/852oucl

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

20) CLOSE

And as April's "shoures" give way to the merrie month of May, that's
all for now. We'll be back very soon with your monthly Discworld
Horoscope. Many thanks to this month's contributors!

Don't touch that dial...

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 4, Post 4)
********************************************

1) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR APRIL
2) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Editor's note: Last month, your horoscope included a recommendation
that Andies invest in the Clacks Fortune Telling business started by
the supposed Contessa Monalisa di Numinosa. Readers of the Ankh-
Morpork Times will hardly have failed to notice the incredible
events of the last 72 hours, starting with the dramatic revelation
that the Contessa's real name is Edna Galosh (Miss), followed by the
sudden collapse of her company, the recall of the Uberwaldian
ambassador under scandalous circumstances, the midnight flight of
Miss Galosh to Sto Kerrig, and her dramatic arrest by Captain Carrot
on the steps of the Post Office as she attempted to post herself to
Genua. Dear Readers, while we have great sympathy for those who
rushed out to buy shares in the Clacks Fortune Telling Company,
Fernando did express great scepticism and regardless of what the
Inquirer says, we at WOSSNAME are not responsible for your losses.


*

Buongiorno! The Lady Asterisk is not available due to a painfully
swollen nostril, but do not be afeared, for it is I, Fernando
Magnifico, and I shall be your astrologer this month!

As Great A'Tuin travels across the cosmos, the stars' influence can
change. Sometimes in the subtle ways, and sometimes with the great
drama, as in the Great Growl Shift of 1517 when people born under
the sign of The Cow Of Heaven suddenly became grumpy and
disagreeable. And so it has been in the almost four years since
Fernando last talked about the dealing with your family members.
Fernando's many fans often stop him in the streets to ask him for
the advice on dealing with family, and so Fernando has consulted
with the stars for the latest, most up-to-date information about
embarrassing family members.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar – 20 Apr

Hoggers, the stars tell Fernando that your embarrassing family
member is the rabid conservative, who is often your father or an
elderly uncle. My friends, some people seek change, while others run
from it with the speed of the small afeared forest gods. For the
rabid conservative, change is something to be fought (unless it's
the sort of change that sees "the wrong sort" being tarred and
feathered). The phrase "if 'twere good enough for grandad 'tis good
enough for me" is not just a slogan, it is the thing and the whole
of the thing, as the Dwarfs might say. Whether it is writing the
angry letter to the Times to complain about youngsters and their
slang, or petitioning the Patrician to round up all the Kvetch and
send them back to Borogravia, the rabid conservative is never happy
unless he (and on occasione, she) is complaining about how things
were better in the Good Old Days.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr – 21 May

Sandies, your embarrassing family member is the socially awkward
cousin, like Fernando's cousin Sforzando. My friends, most socially
awkward people are shy and retiring, at least until you ask them
about pins, but that is not the social awkwardness of which Fernando
speaks. No my friends, those like Sforzando are cheerful and
enthusiastic and do not understand the concept of personal space,
they are always ready to push themselves onto you at the most
difficult times, like the time Sforzando insisted on giving Fernando
the hug while Fernando was in the bath.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May – 21 Jun

My friends, the stars tell Fernando that your embarrassing relative
is the bottler. Embarrassing, and dangerous, for the bottler is
quiet and inoffensive right up to the moment that they "snap". The
bottler's barely suppressed rage makes no exception even for family!
One moment you are enjoying the family lunch with the big bowl of
pasta, cheerfully arguing with Uncle Enzo about the re-introduction
of slavery, and the next moment the pasta is thrown across the room
and five of your cousins are trying to hold Consanguino back from
stabbing cousin Mario with the bread knife over a carelessly tossed
aside olive pit. But what can you do, my friends? He is family.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun – 22 Jul

Staffies, your embarrassing relative is the nymphomaniac elderly
aunt. My friends, Fernando has no shame for the elderly people who
have the active love life, or even those who flirt with those
younger than them. Fernando has learned the many things from the
experienced older women. But there is a time and place, my friends,
and at the funerals is neither, especially not when Aunt Frigidia
tries to "chat up" as they say in Morporkian the widower, the
priest, the mourners, and even the grave-digger. The worst part was,
Fernando was the only one she did not put "the moves" on!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul – 23 Aug

As everyone knows, Bilians are fond of a drop or two of the vino,
often followed by the great many more drops. And so it is hardly
surprising that your embarrassing relative is the "wowser", or
prohibitionist, like Fernando's Aunt Malvasia. My friends, a glass
or two of what you fancy is good for the soul, and what is good for
the soul is good for the body. But if you listen to Aunt Malvasia,
you would never know this. It is the one thing to disapprove of
Uncle Lambrusco who is the rude and aggressive drunk, but it is
another thing to follow Grandmama around for twenty minutes
lecturing her because she had the small sherry for Hogswatch.
Fernando often wonders why Malvasia and Lambrusco ever got married
in the first place.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose  24 Aug – 23 Sept

Nosers, your embarrassing relative is perhaps not so much
embarrassing as disturbing. Fernando knows that the small childrens
are supposed to be loud and easily excitable, with the tendency to
picking their noses when they forget people are watching. But
Fernando knows that there is something worrying about the child who
at the age of four already insists on dressing for dinner, using the
correct sort of fish fork, and being formally introduced by the
traditional presentation of the calling cards before they will say a
word. My friends, there is something worrying about a perfectly-
mannered child with more etiquette than an Agatean Grand Vizier –
Fernando cannot help wondering what unpleasantness they are
planning.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept – 23 Oct

Boring'uns are known for their strong sense of empathy for others,
which is perhaps why it is the  exhibitionists who are especially
embarrassing for them: Boring'uns are uncomfortable with being the
centre of attention and would rather spend a quiet time at home
growing potatoes, and so the sight of the exhibitionist delighting
to have all eyes on themselves is sure to provoke anxiety in the
typical Boring'un. But not all, my friends, for the stars know that
there are a few, and very few, Boring'uns who have the heart of the
lion beating under their timid exterior, and it is they who will
take the most vicarious pleasure in watching others do what they
dream of, but never will, do. Perhaps this is why Fernando's
Boring'un niece Credenza is such close friend to cousin Sveltina the
Seamstress and her twin brother Svelto the rent-boy.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct – 22 Nov

Andies, the stars tell Fernando that you are often credulous and
easily fooled. Fernando does not mean this as the insult, for he
does not judge. None of us can help the way we are made, except
perhaps the Igors, and it is the burden of Andies to have the strong
tendency towards credulity. So my friends, understand that when
Fernando says that your embarrassing relative is the gullible idiot,
he is not talking about the  *ordinary* credulity like carrying a
lucky pressed lizard (lucky for you, not for the lizard) in your
pocket, or buying the not-actually-diamond ring for $30. No,
Fernando refers to people like his nephew Vincenzo who has never
come across a tall tale, scam, rumour or self-appointed prophet he
hasn't immediately taken to con molto gusto – whether it is the
folktale that the insides of crocket balls are filled with the most
poisonous substance on the Disc, the rumours that Queen Kelirehenna
of Sto Lat is an elf, or guru Mahatma "Boots" Mabrolly's
breathanairianism sect. He even believes the stories of the Ankh-
Morpork talking dog!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov – 21 Dec

My friends, Fernando tries not to get involved with the politics,
and so he is molto sympathetico to you, for your embarrassing
relative is the angry radical political activist, like Fernando's
young nephew Luca who insists on calling himself Uomo di Octoferro
and is always going on about how the Octarine Brigade will end
corruption, poverty, war and disease once all the bankers are hung
and the people have their eyes opened. Let Fernando give you the
word of advice: find an excuse to get your radical nephew talking to
the conservative uncle, stand back, and enjoy the fireworks.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec – 20 Jan

Hokians, your embarrassing relative is the boring pedant. Fernando
understands how frustrating it can be to be trying to tell the funny
joke about the bishop and the actress, only to have Uncle Umbragio
interrupt to question whether the actress was a music hall or
theatre actress, and then to explain that under the 3rd Reform of
1796 the priest's rank could have been no higher than a deacon. Not
only does it spoil the joke, but Fernando was there to witness it
with his very own eyes, and it *was* a bishop, may the gods put the
pimple on Fernando's nose if that is not true!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken  21 Jan – 18 Feb

Squawkers, the stars tell Fernando that your embarrassing relative
is the slacker, or idler, like Fernando's cousins Guillermo and
Theodoro. My friends, Fernando is not one to deny your freedom to
choose your lifestyle, whether to work hard, to live the life of
leisure, or to become a ascetic shunning the material goods. But the
slacker lifestyle combines the life of leisure with the expectation
that others will clean up the stains on your rented carpet after you
and your "dudes" share a midnight Klatchian curry takeaway feast, or
for that matter pay the rent on your rented premises. But Fernando
must admit that, in its own way, the life of the slacker requires
the molto dedication and the grosso concentration. So if you can
somehow convince these embarrassing relatives to bring the
dedication and the concentration to bear on a worthy project, such
as saving the Disc from evil time-travelling super-villains, you
might have some relatives who make you the proud, not the
embarrassed. Trust Fernando, for this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb – 20 Mar

Umbragians, the stars tell Fernando that your embarrassing relative
is the serial killer. Of course, the embarrassment does not come
until later, when the seven victims wrapped in the old lace are
discovered buried in the basement, and you have to explain to the
Watch that he seemed so nice and quiet and you had no idea about the
lime pits. But again, he is family, so what can you do?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) CLOSE

And that's our lot for April. We'll see you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 5, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) DODGER: THE MAY REVEAL
04) TERRY PRATCHETT ON THE TERRY PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNERS
05) PTERRY ON THE PTELLYTUBE
06) SNUFF: UP FOR ANOTHER GONG
07) PTERRY CASTS DOUBTS ON PTEXTING AND PTWEETING
08) DISCWORLD AND HEADOLOGY, BY HEADOLOGISTS
09) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
11) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
12) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
13) REVIEWS OF PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNER NOVELS
14) REVIEW: MAKING MONEY
15) ORANGUTAN "KIDULTS" DON'T WANT TO GROW UP
16) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
17) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
18) ACTION REPLAY: 1994 PRATCHETT INTERVIEW
19) IMAGE OF THE MONTH
20) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS
21) DISCWORLD AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
22) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"His descriptions of the human mind within the context of both
humour and an intriguing, intelligent narrative would transform any
ordinary Psychology lecture into a refreshing example of the
mechanics behind what it is to be human. If he hasn't already been
given one, I recommend Terry Pratchett be awarded an honourary [sic]
degree in Psychology."

– from an uncredited essay on the British Psychological Society
website


"I know, we should all be Terry Pratchett. But then what would *he*
read?"

– science fiction author Elizabeth Bear


"If Making Money were required reading at the Financial Services
Authority, perhaps we would all be in much better shape."

– finance reporter Simon English


"Terry Pratchett is expecting more books from Terry Pratchett."

– The Author, during an interview in Dublin

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

The Glorious 25th is almost upon us! There doesn't seem to be much
in the way of Wear the Lilac internet activity this year, but like
Sam Vimes, Reg Shoe, Lord Vetinari and a few other special Ankh-
Morpork dwellers (and millions of Discworld fans), we must never
forget...

What duck? A WOSSNAME reader spotted this adorable article about a
man who goes out with his trained pet duck Boris on his head:

"'People sort of look gobsmacked when they see me and Boris, they
can't work it out. They say to me "why have you got a duck?" and I
say "why have you got a dog?"... He doesn't think he's a duck. I try
to take him out for walks every day. And although Boris has taken to
pubs, cafes, beaches and cars like a duck to water, there's one area
where he won't take the plunge. Unfortunately, I didn't teach him
how to swim....'"

http://tinyurl.com/bmojpp8

In The Guardian online's travel section you can find a delightful
"literary walk" to Ashdown Forest in Oxfordshire, with detailed
directions and an interactive map. The walk begins at the Uffington
White Horse and includes a stretch of the Ridgeway (probably the
oldest road in Britain). And why is this of interest, apart from
the loveliness of the area (which your Editor knows well)? Why,
because it's Roundworld's version of *that* horse:

"One of England's outstanding ancient sites, the 3,000-year-old
White Horse has found its way into many stories and poems, including
GK Chesterton's The Ballad of the White Horse and, perhaps now most
famously, Terry Pratchett's A Hat Full of Sky. That book's heroine,
Tiffany Aching, grew up near a similar horse and wears a necklace
depicting it. ''Taint what a horse looks like,' she recalls her
father telling her. 'It's what a horse be.' Pratchett lives close to
the real one, and once you've seen it for yourself it's easy to
understand why it should appear in his work..."

http://tinyurl.com/6qd46eh

Remember, the 21st of next month sees the first special paperback
reissues of the first five Discworld novels (The Colour of Magic,
The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Mort and Sourcery). Each book will
be priced at £7.99 and each cover will feature one part of the
original Josh Kirby cover illustrations.

Now, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) DODGER: THE MERRIE MONTH OF MAY REVEAL

Lynsey from Transworld writes:

It's exactly four months till Dodger is dodging its way to
bookshelves and to celebrate we're exclusively revealing some
characters that appear in the book! Dodger features real characters
of the time in which it's set including the following:

Charles Dickens!
James Mayhew
Disraeli
Sir Robert Peel
and even Queen Victoria!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) TERRY PRATCHETT ON THE TERRY PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNERS

On Half Sick of Shadows by David Logan, Pterry writes:

"David Logan's anomalous world, the world of the Manse, is an
unsettling place to be, precisely because he springs that shock on
his unsuspecting characters – an uncommon trick, which requires
the audacity not just to make a new world from scratch, but to
unmake it too. After all, getting a second opinion on the rules of
reality can be a dangerous thing – as you'll know if you are
familiar with the poem from which Half-Sick of Shadows takes its
name. Once you start to question the laws and promises that hold
your world together, the whole thing can start to come apart. So
step inside the world of the Manse, and watch it unravel around
you."

...and on Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan:

"I was looking for books set at any time, in any place. I hadn't
considered the possibility of a world in which cows became ruthless,
libidinous killers, but it is a tribute to Michael Logan's
imaginative powers that he was able to do so, and serendipitously,
to come up with one of the best bovine puns in literary – or
should that be cinematic? – history.

"The key to creating an alternative world is that it has to be
believable – on another variant of Earth, there might be some
unusual goings-on, but you still recognize that it is Earth.
Apocalypse Cow has stayed true to that – the world it portrays is
so slightly removed from our own that it could almost be teetering
on the crotch of time, threatening at any moment to change its mind
and tip down our own trouser leg. Think about that the next time you
tuck into a steak."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) PTERRY ON THE PTELLYTUBE

Thanks to Ramtopsman of Discworld Fanatics, we can all watch
Professor Sir Pterry's recent extended interview with Ryan Tubridy
on The Late Late Show in Dublin:

http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=1660

[Editor's note: I have seen comments here and there to the effect
that LLS host and interviewer Tubridy is, as we say back home, an
"eejit" who ran a poor interview and seemed to know nothing
whatsoever of Pratchett's work. having watched both parts of the
interview several times, I can't say that I agree with any of these
claims; to me, Tubs comes across as a good, earnest interviewer
who's phrased some of his questions in a way to draw out explanatory
answers for viewers who *might not be* familiar with the man and his
work. Just saying.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) SNUFF: UP FOR ANOTHER GONG

From BBC News:

"Sir Terry's hit novel Snuff is in the running for the 13th
Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. It is the
author's fourth nomination having missed out the past three times...
The award is named after the humorist PG Wodehouse and previous
winners include Jonathan Coe's The Rotter's Club, DBC Pierre's
Vernon God Little and Solar by Ian McEwan..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18009921

From The Bookseller:

"Doubleday has two authors on the shortlist for this year's
Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction, with Sir Terry
Pratchett being nominated for a fourth time... The winner will be
announced in late May, with the prize consisting of a jeroboam of
Bollinger Special Cuvee, a case of Bollinger La Grande Annee, and a
set of the Everyman Wodehouse collection which totals over 80 books.
The winner is also presented with a locally-bred Gloucestershire Old
Spot pig..."

http://tinyurl.com/7rzrkkv


In The Guardian:

"All the chosen books, said judges, 'share an element of Wodehousian
humour', despite covering topics from post-crash London to goblin
slavery. 'It's a really happy list which resonates with lots of the
verbal wit, delightful characterisation and satirical edge of
Wodehouse's own work. There are three great comic writers on top
form – O'Farrell, Pratchett and Townsend, John Lanchester's
masterly novel Capital that teems with humour and Julian Gough's
picaresque satire Jude in London,' said judge and director of the
Hay festival Peter Florence..."

http://tinyurl.com/7m8bej5

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) PTERRY CASTS DOUBTS ON PTEXTING AND PTWEETING

In This is London:

"The 64-year-old fantasy author, who was diagnosed with a form of
Alzheimer's disease in 2007, said: 'Kids now seem unmotivated in
school. I think social media is not helping at all, and texting
certainly isn't. You have to have interaction with other people.
When people text me stuff I just think, "I'm not going to bother
with that". Shakespeare went to a lot of trouble for our language,
and now you've knocked away half of the consonants. If you have a
wide vocabulary you can think different thoughts. It stops you
getting frustrated. If you have the words to identify exactly what
you mean, you can get your message across and I'm sure this is
linked to rough behaviour.'

"Sir Terry, who has sold more than 65 million books and was speaking
at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, added: 'I have an industrialist
thing where if a kid comes to see me and can look me in the face,
shake hands, sit down in their chair and know how to look at someone
- it doesn't matter what kind of accent he's got. If he can make
himself heard and make me laugh and tell me a joke, if you can do
that I'd probably give him any kind of job I've got going.'
Educational psychologist Dr Kairen Cullen agreed that social media
and texting could harm a child's interpersonal skills..."

http://tinyurl.com/cqawnm9

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) DISCWORLD AND HEADOLOGY, BY HEADOLOGISTS

From the British Psychological Society:

"One could describe his work as fantasy meets fairytale, folklore,
quantum physics and philosophy, but they also tell us a lot about
psychology. One such example is the power of belief in creating
reality. There are numerous DiscWorld characters appearing
repeatedly in the series, including humans, trolls, dwarves and
other species. One character is Death, a large skeleton complete
with black robe and scythe (and white horse called Binky!). Death
came into existence in this form purely through human belief. There
are also many Gods in the world, some small, some all-powerful, some
barely a whisper on the wind. Their strength and power is entirely
dependent on the number of their believers and the strength of their
belief.

"Several books feature witches, who act as nurse, midwife, and
counsel to the villages in which they live. Generally, they do not
perform much magic (aside from broom transport) but as one witch,
Granny Weatherwax, often cites, their role is all about Headology –
again, what people believe is what is their reality. Communities
believe in the 'magical' power of their local witch – both to heal
and to destroy – and this, in turn, enables the witch to act with
authority, often with little questioning of her advice and
actions... Another theme relevant to Psychology is the concept that
'form defines function'. If something takes on human shape it
becomes human, affecting their thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.
Hence Death's human form can affect his actions and emotions, and as
the books progress he does indeed become more 'human'... His
descriptions of the human mind within the context of both humour and
an intriguing, intelligent narrative would transform any ordinary
Psychology lecture into a refreshing example of the mechanics behind
what it is to be human..."

http://tinyurl.com/c3scnow

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

MUSIC HATH CHARMS

In Wales Online, an article about a very special choir:

"Almost six years ago, Ann was diagnosed with early-onset
Alzheimer's at the age of just 58. She has the same rare form of the
disease as author Terry Pratchett and today her sight has failed and
she has lost coordination in her hands. But, like most sufferers of
dementia, music is proving the perfect therapy for Ann as well as
Alan, a retired journalist and former press secretary for the Welsh
Secretary, who now cares for his wife full time. They are members of
the Forget-Me-Not Chorus, which started life as a Welsh National
Opera community project during autumn 2010.

"Working with Cardiff and Vale Alzheimer's Society, the trial looked
at how singing was good for the brain and it proved such a success
that it was turned into an opera residency the following spring.
Although it's no longer part of WNO, the creative team behind the
short term project – Sarah Teagle and Kate Woolveridge – decided
to continue its work so the choir now meets weekly as the Forget-Me-
Not Chorus. It will be officially launched at the Millennium Stadium
on Thursday May 24... 'The choir's opened up a whole new world for
us," says Alan. "Ann loves the camaraderie. Everyone there has
different problems through dementia but everyone is united in music.
It's really inspiring...'"

http://tinyurl.com/8xh8och

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS: LOOKING BACK AT DISCWORLD NOIR

A fairly loving look back by Connor Beaton:

"This game is lacking about a decade of technological developments,
but it claims to have pioneered an in-depth interrogation system,
which is unfortunately a lot less Heavy Rain and a lot more Monkey
Island. Regardless, the ensuing dialogue is as compelling as the
pages of an actual Discworld novel, doing a remarkably good job of
conveying the tone and humour of our aforementioned author...

"If ever you find the opportunity to give Discworld Noir a shot, I
recommend you take it up: I first discovered the game at a car boot
sale years back, and while it's never made the list of my favourite
games, I think that's down to myself and the rest of the gaming
community regularly forgetting about its existence. Rest assured
that you'll be hard pressed to find a noir game as enjoyable as the
tale of Discworld's first and last private investigator..."

For the full piece, go to:

http://zcint.co.uk/article/looking-back-at-discworld-noir

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

11.1 REMINDER: MASKERADE IN HAYLING ISLAND

Hayling Island Amateur Dramatic Society (HIADS) is presenting
Maskerade this week.

When: to Sat 26th May
Venue: Station Theatre, Station Road, Hayling Island PO11 0EH
Time: 7:45pm
Tickets: £7

http://www.hiads.org.uk


11.2 WYRD SISTERS IN HEMEL HEMPSTEAD

The Hemel Hempstead Theatre Company will put on their production of
Wyrd Sisters next week in, yes, Hemel Hempstead.

When: Wednesday 23rd May through Saturday 26th May
Venue: The Boxmoor Playhouse, 72 St John's Road, Hemel Hempstead HP1
1NP (phone 01442 234 004)
Time: 7.45pm all shows
Tickets: £9, £8.00 concession (stalls) & £10 (tiers) (Concessions
available in the stall only)

For directions online, go to:
http://boxmoorplayhouse.co.uk/page11.html

To purchase tickets online, go to:
http://incoming.hemelhempsteadtheatrecompany.co.uk/page2.html

and click on the performance day you want, but note that you will
have to have printer access, as you will be emailed your ticket and
you must bring it with you to be admitted to the show!

According to the website, "Parking is difficult. There is off road
parking opposite the Church and opposite the Playhouse. There is a
Council Car Park in Park Road (HP1 1JS) — free after 6pm."

http://www.boxmoorplayhouse.co.uk/


11.3 ...AND WYRD SISTERS IN CORNWALL

"An amateur dramatic group in Fowey has been selected to perform in
the Royal Shakespeare Company's Open Stages project. Troy Players
will perform a 20-minute excerpt of Wyrd Sisters – a derivation
from the Weird Sisters who feature in Shakespeare's MacBeth – at
the Hall for Cornwall on June 20. Troy Players' committee member
Jules Jonklaas said the group was delighted with the opportunity and
hoped for support at the event."

http://tinyurl.com/cqlgdht


11.4 REVIEW: LORDS AND LADIES IN THE LAND OF FOG

Massey University Drama Society's production of Terry Pratchett's
Lords and Ladies reviewed by Mervyn Dykes:

"If there are two words designed to get a lover of fantasy's juices
running there's a good chance they would be 'Terry Pratchett'. Take
his flat-earth-style creation, Discworld, for example. It barrels
through space balanced on the backs of four elephants which are in
turn standing on a giant star turtle. Surely nothing "ordinary"
could happen in such a magic-infused world? Massey University's
young players make a bold attempt to prove this in their recreation
of Lords and Ladies... The cast gave it their all, but on opening
night the audience was too small to reach critical mass and gave
them little back to play off or to. Another problem was that the
imagery in Pratchett's books is so vivid that readers have no
trouble building the world in their minds. However, the stage
setting and costuming in the Massey production were too spartan and
ordinary to encourage the same effect. With a bigger and noisier
audience it might have been possible to get away with it, but not
last night. This said, Massey Drama Society's young players deserve
every credit for the energy and effort they put into this
production..."

http://tinyurl.com/7ryzfv3

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

An egg-sized "hard-boiled egg" inscribed with "Freedom Truth Justice
reasonably priced Love" would be just the thing for your next
Glorious 25th party - and the Discworld Emporium has them in stock!
"When commemorating the Glorious 25th of May, this elegant egg is
always a fitting tribute. Each egg stands at 2 inches high, and is
produced in an ivory finish. Presented in a lilac cotton drawstring
pouch."

Priced at £5.00 each. For more information, and to order, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/7nqolxh

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) REVIEWS OF PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNER NOVELS

In SFX Magazine, Will Salmon reviews Michael Logan's "Apocalypse
Cow":

"Despite its daft premise, Apocalypse Cow is played mostly straight.
For the characters, these events are horribly real. But while
Logan's breezy prose style is perfect for describing psychotic
Scottie dogs, it doesn't quite gel with the darker moments. An early
scene where a character watches a child get trampled beneath a flock
of sheep is particularly uncomfortable. Still, there are plenty of
laughs to be had, particularly from Logan's trio of charmingly
useless protagonists..."

http://tinyurl.com/7qoolyf


Blogger Curiosity Killed the Bookworm reviews David Logan's "Half
Sick of Shadows":

"Out of the two offerings from the Terry Pratchett prize, Half Sick
of Shadows is the more literary choice. This isn't going to appeal
to everyone. The blurb makes out that the story is about time
travel. Whilst it may very well be about time, don't expect lots of
time travelling escapades. The pace is rather slow, especially
during Edward's school years, yet each page is a joy to read and
contains something quotable. The humour is very different to
Apocalypse Cow, perhaps a bit cleverer but certainly more
charming..."

http://tinyurl.com/7qamqsv

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) REVIEW: MAKING MONEY

From a surprising source – the business section of This is London
– comes a fascinating review of Making Money:

"If Making Money were required reading at the Financial Services
Authority, perhaps we would all be in much better shape. When the
tyrant Lord Vetinari appoints the head of the post office to run the
Royal Bank of Ankh Morpork, objections fly. Doesn't he realise that
banks should be run by people who understand banks? Vetinari
responds: "People who understand banks got it into the position it
is in now. And I did not become ruler of Ankh-Morpork by
understanding the city. Like banking, the city is depressingly easy
to understand. I have remained ruler by getting the city to
understand me.' This storyline finds a parallel in the FSA's
handling of the sale of 632 branches of Lloyds to the Co-op, a deal
that now seems unlikely to happen. The difference being that unlike
Vetinari, the FSA insists that only people who have previously
mucked up banks can run them in future..."

http://tinyurl.com/8383ltu

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) ORANGUTAN "KIDULTS": THEY DON'T WANT TO GROW UP

First we had iPad-using orangutans ('as reported in last? month's?
issue), now it seems that some of them might want to spend all their
time playing Magic: the Gathering and being slackers:

"When male orangutans hit puberty, they develop distinct traits
known as secondary sex characteristics that separate them from
females. In addition to being much bigger, males grow longer,
shaggier hair on their arms and back and sport giant cheek pads.
They also have throat pouches that resemble large double chins,
allowing males to beckon females with loud long calls. Some males
are late bloomers, not acquiring these traits until as late as age
30. But looks can be deceiving. Even though these males appear to be
youngsters, they are sexually mature and capable of siring
offspring. Scientists think the two different types of adult males
— those with secondary sex characteristics and those without —
are two alternative mating strategies that evolved in orangutans...

http://tinyurl.com/dxq6hox

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

NADWCON 2013 UPDATES

From Denise:

Greetings everyone. I don't know about you, but I've been doing The
Happy Dance over the news that our convention hotel is the marvelous
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.  (1) Those of us who've been there
know that the ConCom has made an excellent choice.  Check out the
link and the photos at the hotel's website and you'll see what I
mean. Folks, you are going to love the Baltimore Harbor area, trust
me.  There is lots to see and do (and eat and buy) within easy
walking distance of the hotel and this area is very safe and very
family-friendly.

Today's FAQs:

WHEN CAN I BUY MY MEMBERSHIP?

Fans have been asking on Facebook when they can buy memberships.
Baltimore's Con Chair, Richard Atha-Nichols writes:

Not yet. We're working on the technical back end to ensure it's nice
a smooth. Bear with us, it should be up in a couple of weeks.

CAN YOU HELP ME BOOK MY HOTEL ROOM?:

Another Facebook fan who is new to cons wondered if they could book
their hotel and buy memberships from the website at the same time.
The answer from Richard is both Yes & Soon and he makes an important
note about hotel rates:

When registration becomes available we'll provide a link to book the
hotel at the discounted rates. Until then rooms can not be booked at
the Marriott at the discounted rates.

It seems NADWCon already has hundreds of fans with their credit
cards at the ready, all waiting to secure their spot at NADWCon
2013. Stay tuned to the usual sources:

*  NADWCon website, and/or the
*  NADWCon 2013 Facebook page and
* The @nadwcon Twitter page for further news.

I, too, will send out an alert as soon as the website is ready to
take your orders.(2)

See you there,

dj

(1) I didn't mention it before now because the hotel won't take our
reservations for the con this far out. See Today's FAQ section re
Booking Hotel Rooms.

(2) The con's web team is testing the website's order and credit
card functions and being verrra careful to make sure that security
is tight, privacy is protected and that there are no glitches when
the time comes to open the Order Page up to the fans.  I am glad we
have such a careful and professional web team on board - please give
them your patience and support - djc

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club meets on the last
Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St,
Adelaide (South Australia). Details, discussions and organisation of
extra events (such as play outings) are held on their email mailing
list, so do sign up at:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on 4th June 2012 at the Monkey
Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more
information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) ACTION REPLAY: : 1994 PRATCHETT INTERVIEW

From Albedo One:

"Mort was the first one that featured in best-seller lists but there
is no doubt that if best-seller lists had anything to with sales (I
know why it doesn't – they say the Bible would be number one all
the time) but the annual sales of the other books are such that it
would be surprising if there hadn't been weeks when they should have
featured in the best-seller lists, technically. But the lists don't
work that way. It's only to do with recently published books. So
Mort was the first one that made it and I have to say that
subsequent to that none of the others have failed. But there's
always a first time..."

"We knew in the Spring of '85 that Colour of Magic was doing well, I
chucked the day job in Autumn of '87."

"I would say it's likely if not definite that the next two years
will see the first non-Discworld adult novel. Put adult in any kind
of inverted commas you want. I've been thinking about it for some
time. Not because I'm tired of the Discworld but because there are
some things I can't do in the Discworld that I can do elsewhere. But
I will keep the Discworld going while doing something else as well."

"Johnny and the Dead is one of the books I am proudest to have
written. It would be wrong to say that it laid ghosts but it was a
book I was very glad to have written. There were things in it I
couldn't possibly have done in Discworld and it got me the Writer's
Guild Best Children's Book of the Year Award. And that was other
writers voting. It wasn't some sort of self-appointed committee, it
was other people who graft for a living. I was really chuffed to get
that award."

To read the full interview, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/7oudbgh

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) IMAGE OF THE MONTH

Pterry, relaxing in Borneo with a novel he made possible:

http://tinyurl.com/764vfl2

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

20)  AROUND THE BU CAMPUS

20.1 A PRATCHETT REFERENCE IN XKCD

The Snow Queen:
A wild Pterry sighting, sort of =oD
http://xkcd.com/1052/

Vera:
Pterry-onna-tripod!

Sir Jase:
That's gold but I wish he hadn't mentioned supercalifragilistic, I
kept getting that tune instead of Major General!

Vera:
But but but the number of syllables is different! And the length of
each line! If you take the sample line 'As Pratchett said,
geography's just physics slowed with trees on top' and try to fit
the syllables of 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' to it –
ignoring, of course the weird emPHAsis on the wrong sylLABles, heh –
you get 'AS Prat CHETT said GE o GRAPH y's JUST phy SICS slowed WITH
... TREES[1]', leaving 'on top' orphaned and lonely :P

[1] the ellipsis is there to indicate the half-time enunciation to
match 'docious'

Sir Jase:
I know that's what made it so horrible! It was just close enough in
tune/rhythm/style/whatever that it all got scrambled in my half
awake brain and I couldn't make it work in either cos I'd start a
line in one and end in the other: I am the very model of a modern
ali docious sor'a fing.

Vera:
So you were getting something like
'supercalifragilisticexpialiargharghnoooohippohippohippo!!!'?

Sir Jase:
Almost exactly that!


20.2 THE VETINARI GENEALOGY?

Mrs Cake:
Vetinari is often described as a member of an old and noble family,
and we've met his aunt, Lady Roberta Meserole – but where's the
rest of his family, parents, siblings, anybody?  As far as I have
been able to tell, he's a singularity. Anybody know?

Steven:
Presumably not that old and noble, or Downey wouldn't have been
calling him Dog Botherer.

Fuzzy, making the dread Wikipedia Assumption:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havelock_Vetinari
There you go :-)

Vera:
I think it's one of those 'don't look too closely at it' cases.
While we've never been given a solid origin story for Vetinari's
family in the Discworld novels, various nods and throwaways
throughout the series have mostly indicated that he comes from an
old, powerful and very wealthy family, and yet in Night Watch we're
given a strong impression that he's a day boy at the Guild – which
would indicate that he came from a poorer, and probably socially
lower, family... which is supported  by the insinuations that his
aunt – his only known relative, as you say – was a self-made
courtesan-turned-socialite who probably tacked on the 'Lady'
appellation herself.

Mrs Cake:
Perhaps his family was similar to the De'ath family – old and noble
but reduced to a few members or perhaps only one, and yet Vetinari
succeeded where Edward De'ath failed, though both seem similarly
driven.

Alternatively, perhaps Havelock was from another family, adopted or
sponsored by Meserole and remained separate from his "real" family
for reasons of state. After all, is it possible for a tyrant to be
so perfect with relatives hanging around?

Vera:
Ooh, I like these! Either or both. Mind you, now that it's on the
internet, Pterry will never let it happen :P

Steven:
There's a not-so-subtle difference: Edward De'ath is driven, but
Havelock Vetinari is driving. That is to say, De'ath's obsession is
driven by unconscious forces he cannot control and probably doesn't
understand. But Vetinari's obsession is far more under his own
conscious control. He may or may not have any insight into the deep
psychological basis for his care about the city (humans so rarely
understand or even recognise their deepest motivations), but he
controls it, it doesn't control him.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

21) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Your monthly round-up of Pratchett-related bloggery!

Blogger Novareylin reviews Guards! Guards!:

"Oh! To not write a biased book review, but will I be able to help
myself for this is, in my mind, one of the best Terry Pratchett
Discworld novels... Vimes is a deliciously interesting character and
as we see in this story he grows to be the man that we know him as
today... This book was phenomenal. Hands down, fabulous. All of my
favorite characters are in it and if you've never read Terry
Pratchett the great thing about the Discworld is that you do not
have to read them in order..."

http://tinyurl.com/7uzu3uw

...and also offers her own How I Discovered Pratchett essay:

"My husband kept insisting that I would love his books. He had quite
a few Terry Pratchett's laying around but my sense of humor and my
husband's differ greatly so I didn't want to pick them up. For all
of you naysayers out there, I definitely say, as hindsight is truly
20/20, that you should try at least one if not two or three of his
books to get a feel of how interesting and quite funny he can be. My
first Terry Pratchett was The Amazing Maurice and his Educated
Rodents. I could not put it down. I remember, laughing and crying
and simply wondering why it took me so long to pick it up. Maybe it
was because my husband wanted me to read it..."

http://myseryniti.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/terry-pratchett/


Blogger Dina has mixed feelings about the Discworld series but only
good ones about TAMAHER:

"I've had a very ambivalent relationship with the Discworld novels.
While I loved two of them (Going Postal and Guards! Guards!), I
found some others merely mediocre and got quite annoyed with the
humour – it was just too much of the same, repeating itself within
one story. However, Discworld never quite let go of me so I gave it
another try. And was very much rewarded... Being aimed at a younger
audience, I expected it to be simple with less deep characters. Boy,
was I wrong. Terry Pratchett manages to strike a tone that will
resonate with young adults (or smaller children, for that matter)
and grown-ups alike... Terry Pratchett wouldn't be Terry Pratchett
if he didn't use his stories to explore – in Discworld – some
real-world issues. Again, this may be a book written for young
adults but grown-ups (are we ever really?) can get just as much out
of it. Pratchett truly is a great story-teller and he shook out a
young adult (I'd even say middle-grade) novel that rivals authors
who write exclusively for children..."

http://tinyurl.com/6wvoyss


Blogger Thomas Evans reviews the Wee Free Men audiobook... with
footnotes:

"CRIVENS!!! I truly loved this story. Really... While in some ways
the Feegles steal the show due to their ridiculous behavior, Tiffany
remains the focus of this story throughout, and the proactive
heroine of the tale. Indeed, one of the things I loved the best
about this story is how brilliantly strong and proactive Tiffany is,
while still seeming a completely believable nine-year old girl.[3]
She is at times selfish, at times remarkably giving, at times
frightened and always heroic. As such, Pratchett creates a brilliant
role-model, particularly for young girls.[4]... Yet while the target
audience for this book is mid-grade to young adults, it remained
equally, if not more enjoyable for me: a middle-aged man. The tale
is funny, but at no point does Pratchett condescend to his heroes
(even the ridiculous Feegles) or to his audience. The latter is
perhaps the sign of a truly great writer of YA fiction... Stephen
Briggs does a wonderful wonderful wonderful job of narrating this
book. He let's narrative do the work, uses voices only when
necessary (and crivens! They are necessary in this book) and
captures Pratchett's tone in a way that only someone who has worked
closely with an author can do..."

http://tinyurl.com/6rw65wa


Blogger Jonathan Shaw reviews Snuff:

"Sam is a wonderful character, an uncompromising servant of the law
and believer in the rule of law who is all too aware of his own dark
side, his own demons (and this being fantasy, both the darkness and
the demons are literal). He discriminates among kinds of
evildoing... This is the third book Sir Terry has written since he
revealed to the world that he has Alzheimer's. He can no longer
type, but – with the help of voice recognition software – he can
certainly still write. For those who have kept up this book may be
showing signs of flagging mental ability, but it's full of wit and
passion and sheer inventiveness, and also wisdom..."

http://shawjonathan.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/terry-pratchets-snuff/


Blogger Trib gives ISWM five out of five in a short review:

"Though Pratchett originally wrote this subset of the Discworld
novels for a younger audience, there's absolutely no reason they
ought not be on the reading list of any Discworld fan. Nay, any
fantasy fan. With the Tiffany Aching books, Pratchett has moved
beyond the (very excellent, mind you) silliness and satire present
in many of his earlier pieces to a more profound, gentle humor laced
with more than a condiment level of humanity..."

http://cannonballread4.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/3703/


Blogger Hayatli17 reviews Thud!:

"Here and there in my childhood, I have picked up Terry Pratchett's
books and not a single one of them has managed to disappoint me. The
best part of his Discworld series is that they don't need to be read
in any order whatsoever. You can read any single one and it would
make complete sense... Pratchett's charm never fails to shine
through with all of his humour. He actually makes me chuckle aloud,
and people do look at me like I'm weird, but I admit that it is rare
for an author of a book, just through the power of words, to make
force me to make an audible noise of happiness at reading their
work..."

http://tinyurl.com/75jhuaq


The Labyrinth Librarian is back with a longish "no worries" review
of The Last Continent:

"What you most need to know about Rincewind is that he absolutely
does not want to be a hero. He craves a boring life, one in which
the most he has to worry about is whether to have his potatoes
baked, mashed, or deep fried. He does not want to be chased by mad
highwaymen, put in prison for sheep theft, or required to completely
change the climate of an entire continent. He doesn't want to time
travel, be guided by strange, otherworldly kangaroos or fall in with
a troupe of suspiciously masculine female performers. He just wants
peace and quiet. The universe, of course, has other ideas. And so it
is up to Rincewind to once again save the day... This book is, like
so many other Discworld, books, a lot of fun to read... I love
science and I love Discworld. While the actual Science of Discworld
series was kind of dry and boring in the end, I love it when
Pratchett explores real-world science through the eyes of his
Discworld characters..."

http://thelablib.org/2012/05/17/review-175-the-last-continent/


Blogger Joe Praba has fallen for Jingo:

"Jingo was the first Terry Pratchett book that I read (arrived late
to his books). It's been published for 12 years now, but although it
was the 21st addition to the 'Discworld' list and 4th in the 'City
Watch' series, I managed to get into the story with ease; and
enjoyed it immensely. Pratchett is truly a fabulous fantasy story
writer and his accolades and critical acclaim were well deserved I
say. His humor added to his creativeness is among the best in the
business – not to mention his clever simplicity and prose..."

http://jworqprojeqs.com/2012/05/01/jingo-is-a-real-word/


Blogger The Extravagant Platypus gives Equal Rites high marks on her
rather adorable rating system:

"I've always been fascinated with the way Pratchett brings pretty
high level theoretical physics into fantasy books for the younger
crowd. In this book, although vague, he manages to describe how the
fabric of the universe can be delineated through numbers. Now, I'll
admit that I have a rudimentary understanding of theoretical physics
at best. I get the general basics of string and quantum theory, but
that's really as far as it goes and if you asked me to explain it
I'd probably mutter something about quantum states and then refer
you to Richard Feynman. Pratchett, however, somehow manages to
encapsulate these huge ideas within these fantastic worlds and every
time I notice it I get this dopey smile on my face that would be
weird if I lived someplace with a subway system. But that's not why
these books are so amazing..."

http://theextravagantplatypus.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/equal-rites/


...while Cheryl Mahoney, often glowing in her Discworld reviews, is
a bit less impressed:

"It took a few books for Pratchett to quite work out Discworld, and
there seems to be universal agreement that the first couple are
simply not as funny. It's true for the third one too – it's funny,
but something's off. Timing, style, character... I can't put my
finger on it, but it's just not AS funny. Don't get me wrong here
– that still makes it one of the funniest books I've read this
year. It pales only in comparison to the rest of the series..."

http://tinyurl.com/6m5hqqg

...but waxes lyrical about her favourite Discworld novels:

"The biggest problem is where to begin, and that did put me off for
a while until a friend finally handed me one and told me to start.
I've read 18 since then (I think – I swear I counted my list five
times and it kept coming out different, which is actually very
appropriate for Discworld). I found out it doesn't really matter
where you start, so if you enjoy humorous fantasy with a satirical
bent, I highly recommend jumping in wherever you like... Maskerade
is the first Discworld book I ever read, sort of. I did read it
first, but I came at it solely as a Phantom of the Opera retelling,
had no context to put it in, and haven't reread it (or enough of the
books about the same characters) since reading others to really get
it into my head as part of the larger whole.  But technically it was
the first, and still a favorite... There are eight books focused on
Guard Captain Sam Vimes and his crew of more and less competent
watchmen. Guards! Guards! is the first, if you want to start there.
One of my favorites is Jingo, which satirizes the political
jockeying around wars... My other favorite City Guard book is Thud!
This one is about racial tension – and it's hysterically funny.
No, really... Going Postal is actually my usual recommendation to
people of where to start... The Truth is another good starting
place, another fairly independent one..."

http://tinyurl.com/6ogfab4


The Extravagant Platypus continues with "4 ink bottles" (out of 5,
we presume) for tCoM and The Light Fantastic:

"With regards to the folklore contained in this story, I'm
completely in love with the idea that Discworld is a giant sea
turtle, slowly swimming through the universe, and that on his back
Discworld is held up by four enormous elephants. As a version of the
Iroquois creation myth, it added a bizarre sense of familiarity to a
tale of magic and gods, though on some strange level this seems more
realistically modern to me. Sure the Iroquois would have set the
giant turtle in the ocean because that was the size of their world.
They didn't know at the time that they were sitting on a lump of
rock that's hurtling through space at a little under 70,000 mph
(only accounting for orbital movement, if you throw in the movement
of the solar system, it's 446,400 mph [numbers from here]).
Pratchett's expansion of the myth to include the fact that we know
we're hurtling through space brings the myth into the age of space
shuttles, which is kind of awesome. He includes the theory of the
multiverse (a personal favorite) making it actually possible that in
some version of the universe there could be a flat world suspended
above four elephants balanced upon a giant sea turtle IN REAL LIFE.
(I really didn't start that paragraph expecting to end in a line
about the multiverse, I promise.)..."

http://tinyurl.com/8xeaqee

"I was oddly thrilled to discover that Rincewind and Twoflower were
still our leading characters and, I have to say, the addition of
Cohen the Barbarian and Bethan was both welcome and highly
entertaining... It kind of stuns me the way Pratchett can talk about
huge big ticket items while keeping his books light and clever. In
this book, he covers religious intolerance in a big way without
bogging down the story. I mean, they basically have a witch hunt on
the Disc (though in this case, they're hunting for wizards) and
Pratchett does a marvelous job of subtly weaving in the impulsions
that can drive a group of people to clamor for death without
clouting me over the head with it. I don't know if he actually had
Group Think or mob behavior on the mind, but he built it in and
highlighted it in stark relief. Aside from the heavy stuff, which
actually manages to feel light when you're reading it, Pratchett
once again did a delightful job of crafting an entertaining tale..."

http://tinyurl.com/7nj5hey


Blogger Quorren's short review of Small Gods:

"Pratchett's satire is at its peak.  While it is the 13th book in
the series, it can easily be read as a stand alone book... [Small
Gods] has several parallels between the Old and New Testament God
from Christianity. Om was the great and terrible back in his
beginning, taking a more active role in the lives of his followers,
smitings and such. When he gets transformed into a tortoise, he get
in touch with the mortals once again, as his our mortality is
threatened by the lack of faith in the Omnians. However, the focus
of the book is really lampooning religion is general..."

http://tinyurl.com/7xrg8za


Blogger Ash falls for Moist von Lipwig's charms when reading Going
Postal:

"Moist von Lipwig is probably one of my most favorite characters
after Hercule Poirot and Granny Weatherwax. Once he gets his rhythm
going, there's no stopping him as he sets out to woo the crowds
employing some of the oldest tricks in the history of marketing...
As for the theme itself, there are several, first and foremost of
which is the Post Office. It so reminds me of USPS ... perhaps Mr.
Pratchett was alluding to the British Govt Post and the possible
changes that the postal system may have undergone in the last few
decades. Then there is reference to the telegrams and the mobile
networks ... as described through the improvements to Clacks. And
last but the most entertaining is the allusion to Organization and
Change management... to make my experience of this wonderful book
complete, I even got hold of the film adaptation..."

http://silvermists.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/going-postal/


Pratchett novice Bthereader reviews The Sea and Little Fishes:

"I have not read Pratchett, but this book indicates his fantasy is
more of an ironic satire of fantasy than a serious fantasy, and this
story is likely a nice example. The characters are deep and real, a
handful of witches attending the annual witching get-together and
competition. Granny Weatherwax is apparently the most talented of
them by far, and also a mean, driven, cold, intense mature woman...
I'm glad fantasy has someone talented writing satire perhaps akin to
Douglas Adam's works in the sci-fi realm..."

http://tinyurl.com/7kgyery


...and blogger Gary Bell reviews tCoM:

"This novel is a break from my usual action/adventure books that I
like to read, but after having heard so much about the series, I
thought it would be crazy not to have a read of it... This is a
clear fantasy book, and a one in which doesn't resemble the regular
world.  The book is a great escape for those wishing to indulge in a
visit to a strange new world where nothing is quite what it seems.
There are laughs aplenty, and confusion too, but in a world where
the spectrum is made up of eight colours, and is set on a disc
resting on the back of four elephants which, in turn, are riding on
a turtle through space; how could there not be..."

http://tinyurl.com/7j86pqr

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

22) CLOSE

And that's all for the moment, with more to come before the month is
out. We'll be back soon with your monthly Discworld horoscope and
any late breaking news. Here's to the 25th and especially to, well,
truth, justice and reasonably priced love...

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 5, Post 2)
********************************************

1) EDITOR'S NOTE
2) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR MAY
3) LATE BREAKING NEWS
4) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

We've some late breaking news items of note this month, starting
with a prestigious gong – "Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die" has
now scored a hat trick of awards after winning this year's
prestigious Single Documentary BAFTA award at yesterday's awards
ceremony in London. The programme, produced by KEO North for BBC
Scotland, had already received the 2011 BAFTA Scotland Single
Documentary award for the best Scottish documentary film produced in
2011 and was the 2011 Royal Television Society Programme Awards
winner for best single documentary. Many congratulations to all
involved for this uncompromising and thought- provoking film!

To view the presentation of the award, Sir Pterry's acceptance
speech, and the live interview afterwards, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=jX8ck6XpIFA&gl=AU

In the press:

"Newsreader Kate Silverton presented the Single Documentary award to
BBC2's Terry Pratchett: Choosing To Die – the best-selling author's
examination of euthanasia. Pratchett, who has been diagnosed with
Alzheimer's, thanked the BBC for 'allowing us to tackle this rather
strange subject for a documentary'. He also paid tribute to the
family of Peter Smedley who allowed the documentary film to show his
final days in the run-up to his death at a clinic. 'It turned us
about a bit but we saw what happened and so did you,' Pratchett
said."

http://tinyurl.com/6uu9en6

Assorted Team Pratchett members at the 2012 BAFTA awards:
http://twitter.com/terryandrob/status/206784196826505218/photo/1

Rob holding something shiny:
http://twitter.com/terryandrob/status/206825812937281536/photo/1

In closing: The Long Earth is a fast, exciting piece of
storytelling, and having read it last night, I can hardly wait for
the next volume! Fascinating ideas, great imagery, and some very
memorable characters. So place your orders now, O Readers, and stay
tuned for a full review next month.

And now, on with the horoscope! And don't forget to read on for news
about a live gig, a travelling company of players, some interesting
iconographs, and convention updates...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends, it is I, Fernando Magnifico, and I shall be
your astrologer this month for the bella donna Lady Anaemia Asterisk
is not available due to a bad case of succotash!

Fernando is the very charitable person, always willing to give the
small donation of moneys, time or even the close personal attention
(if you know what Fernando means) to the deserving poor and lonely.
He understands that there are the many charities and good works that
people support, such as the Sunshine Sanctuary for dragons, the
Spiteful Sisters of Seven Handed Sek, and the Lady Sybil Free
Hospital. With so many choices, how do you know which charity is the
right one for you? Listen very carefully, for Fernando has consulted
the stars to answer this question, and in doing so, he has made the
magnificent discovery – not as magnificent as Fernando himself,
but still magnificent, for last week Great A'Tuin's flipper battered
not one, but TWO stars, which bounced around the constellations like
the trick shot on a Genuan snooker table. As a consequence, there is
now the new Sign in the Zodiac, and the return of the long gone, but
not forgotten, old Sign!

Fernando is the careful and accurate astrologer, unlike those other
insensato so-called astrologers of the Guild of Prognosticators,
Soothsayers, Fortune-tellers, Oneiromancers, Haruspices and Cunning-
Men (divers wizards, witches, priests, priestess and Mrs Cake
exempted) who would not recognise a new constellation if they hit
their heads on it! While they are still scratching their stupido
heads trying to work out how many flippers Great A'Tuin has,
Fernando has already calculated the changes to the horoscoping for
this month! Read on, my friends, read on to learn which of the signs
have changed.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog 21 Mar – 20 Apr

Your charity: The Indigent Ex-Millionaires Association

Hoggers, there is much poverty and misery in the world, as Fernando
knows, but there are also the many charities for the relief of
poverty, such as the Skeleton Army, Bread For The Disc, and the
Gherkin Welfare Trust. But my friends, have you ever stopped to
think about the most wretched of all, the former millionaires who
have lost most of their money in poor investments? Fernando knows
that the "Skellies" are always there with a grin and a bowl of gruel
for the poor, but who can the former millionaires turn to for a six-
course banquet with three types of wine and brandy for afters? Have
pity for these poor souls who have lived like kings, now condemned
to a life of middle-class mediocrity, moderately-priced steak once a
week, and the affordable sparkling wine imported from Fourecks. It's
a hard life, but thanks to Hoggers and the Indigent Ex-Millionaires
Association, you can bring some relief to these poor miserable
wretches in their four bedroom houses on Moon Pond Lane.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich 21 Apr – 21 May

Your charity: People for the Ethical Treatment of Imps

The stars tell us that there is a great scandal going on this very
moment! Every minute, dozens of imp-powered devices such as
iconographs, dis-organisers and egg-beaters are thrown away when the
owner no longer has the need of them, the imps left to just slowly
fade away from the hunger and neglect. Sandies, don't let this
happen, for your charity is PETI, People for the Ethical Treatment
of Imps. PETI promises to find loving homes for abandoned, unwanted
and annoying imps. Homes where the little magical creatures can
frolic in the sunshine making bingly-bingly beep noises until their
spells eventually run out. And for the mere 97.2% of imps that
cannot be placed in such a loving home, PETI promises them a humane
and usually painless end with a half-brick.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Knotted String (formerly Herne the Hunted) 22 May – 21 Jun

Your charity: The Society for the Prevention of Animals

My friends, the Knotted String is back! It has been eight years
since the Knotted String was in the Zodiac, in the position now
occupied by the Big Chicken. Of course, it is a slightly different
knot, what with the bouncing of stars around, and former Hernians,
currently Knotties, will find their former tendencies to be
sensitive-skinned and self-indulgent yet pragmatic having the change
to become more, how do they say it in Morporkian, devil-may-care and
dashing. Of course Hernians were always dashing, but more the
dashing away from things kind of dashing, capisce? Now, my friends,
you may find yourselves more likely to sashay, to strike dramatic
poses at social events, and to do the thing with the attractive
female, the dark night, the high window and the box of chocolates.
The stars move in mysterious ways, cara mia!

Knotties, your charity is strongly influenced by your previous sign,
for Herne the Hunted is the god of small furry things which go
squeak. It is a hard, dangerous, and most commonly *short* life for
such piccolo animals, whose life is so often filled with such
cruelty to make even the heartless Quirmian footsball supporter
weep. And so it is that your charity is the Society for the
Prevention of Animals, which campaigns to end the cruel and
miserable lives of animals everywhere. For if there are no animals,
there can be no cruelty to them. Trust Fernando, for this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob 22 Jun – 22 Jul

Your charity: The Society for the Promotion of Naturalist Groups

My friends, the tendency for Staffies to make excellent wizards is
well-known, but what is less well-known here in Ankh-Morpork is that
Staffies also make the molto excellente druids and shamans. And so
it is that the stars tell Fernando that your charity is SPONG, or
the Society for the Promotion of Naturalist Groups. Fernando knows
very well that SPONG is the tireless supporter of nudists, organic
foodies, ramblers, lizard-pressers, sports-fishermen, and the lovers
of nature of all kinds. Except perhaps those who take "lovers" the
wrong way, if you understand Fernando, mia cara.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers 23 Jul – 23 Aug

Your charity: Friends of the Disc

Bilians, in these modern times there is much of the progress, but
some peoples feel that the cost of these progresses is too high if
it brings the harm to the world's resources. Friends of the Disc, or
FOTD, believe that the Disc itself is the more molto importante than
the peoples who dwell on it. FOTD is opposed to the rich countrys
such as Ankh-Morpork and Quirm exploiting unspoilt areas, and also
opposed to the exploiting of the non-human species, and also
concerned for the protection of the endangered sea-dwelling
creatures (though not the Sea Trolls because they protect themselves
very well without the assistance and are prone to endangering FOTD
members when bothered by them), and of course they are opposed to
war because it uses up resources and usually results in exploiting
the non-human species. So Bilians, FOTD is the charity that suits
you best!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose 24 Aug – 23 Sept

Your charity: The Home for Tired and Clapped Out Clacksmen

Fernando knows that Nosers are known for many magnificent
characteristics (although not as magnificent as Fernando, so few
people are, but do not feel the ashamed my friends, for there is
only one Fernando and he is he), but the strong affinity for the
mechanical devices is not usually one of them. Especially now that
the star known as the Lesser Pimple has been bumped out of the
constellation and is currently orbiting around Jerakeen. And so it
is somewhat surprising that the stars tell Fernando that your
charity is the Home for Tired and Clapped Out Clacksmen. (But not
surprising to Fernando, who knows that the stars often do these
surprising things!) My friends, with your generous support, old
clacksmen in their twenties who "burn out" as they say can enjoy
their final decades in comfort.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars 24 Sept – 23 Oct

Your charity: Campaign for Magical Disarmament

Fernando knows that Boring'uns know better than many the dire threat
that magical warfare posses to us all. There are still those who
remember when the Sourcerer all but destroyed Ankh-Morpork, although
not the wizards who assure us that they were all out of town
visiting aunts in the country at the time. But even the warfare
between ordinary wizards is of the molto serious danger to
civilians! The Campaign for Magical Disarmament, or CMD, warns that
Krull is now in possession of spells which can kill people and turn
the buildings to custard. And it is not just the threat of magical
war, but of accidents too. Fernando remembers very well when the
former Dean of Unseen University accidentally turned an entire row
of houses invisible. It took the intervention of the Patrician to
fix this, with the University insisting that they could not see the
problem.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis 24 Oct – 22 Nov

Your charity: Hands Across the Ramtops

Fernando prefers to make the love, not the war. Andies, the stars
tell Fernando that you too prefer to see the groups of many peoples
from all nationalities doing the same, instead of the usual battles.
And so it is that your charity is Hands Across the Ramtops, the
group formed to encourage international friendship and good
relations between Ankh-Morpork and the Hubland Steppes. Fernando
thinks that it is better to have the good relations than the hordes
of barbarians looting and pillaging everywhere they go, and that is
only young Morporkians on their "Grand Sneer". Ha ha, Fernando makes
the little joke. In recent years, Hands Across the Ramtops has also
started the good relations with Uberwald and Borogravia, which makes
Fernando very pleased, for is it not said that in the good personal
friendships, the more the merrier?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov – 21 Dec

Your charity: Little Timmy

Spooners, your charity is Little Timmy, the organisation responsible
for the "Little Timmy Alert" which is sent out to alert the Watch
and community groups whenever a particularly annoying or obnoxious
child comes into an area. No more do you have to fear having your
front door pelted with rotten eggs, or having stones sling-shotted
through your windows, by the little cherub-faced small childrens who
look like butter wouldn't melt in their mouths but have the soul of
the diavolo!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester 22 Dec – 20 Jan

Your charity: Touched by the Bladder

Hokians, your charity is one which, Fernando is sad to say, may be
very emotional for you, for your preferred charity is Touched by the
Bladder. No my friends, this is not for the sufferers from
incontinence, but is the organisation giving support to those
incapacitated with nervousness from encounters with Fools and
Clowns. It is a little known fact that nearly six out of every ten
people helped by Touched by the Bladder are former or current
members of the Fools Guild or their immediate families.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken 21 Jan – 18 Feb

Your charity: The Old Dears Preservation Society

Fernando knows that a nation's personality depends on its history.
Quirm, for instance, has the history of cheating at footsball, which
is why they are the nation of dirty footsball cheats, while Brindisi
has the great and glorious history of the greatness and glory. My
friends, listen to Fernando for he knows this is true, it is molto
importante for the nation to remember its history, which is why the
stars tell Fernando that your charity is the preservation and
restoration of old relics and ruins in Ankh-Morpork: the Old Dears
Preservation Society. Where would Ankh-Morpork be without the old
dears hitting people with their umbrellas? Probably less bruised, as
Fernando knows, but also the large piece of history would be gone.
With the old dears gone, who would remember the traditional
Morporkian Sunday afternoon traditions of bacon and banananana cream
pie, a small sherry, followed by many more small sherries, and
inciting the men to "give that Darlene's hubby a right seeing to, or
there's cold tongue for you"? Such fine old practices need to be
preserved.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hyperopia's Buckle (formerly Lesser Umbrage) 19 Feb – 20 Mar

Your charity: The Rational Trust

Umbragians, or *former* Umbragians, congratulations are in order,
for you have the brand new constellation, never before seen, and you
learned of it here first thanks to Fernando's most magnificent
astrological calculations! The Lesser Umbrage has been nudged out of
the Zodiac to make way for the replacement constellation,
Hyperopia's Buckle, named after Hyperopia the Goddess of Shoes. (My
friends, let Fernando tell you how fortunate you are, for were it
not for the addition of an extra star and the rotation of three
others, your sign would have been The Feegle's Armpit, which is not
something Fernando would wish on his worst enemy. Well, perhaps
Carlos, but Fernando will not speak of Carlos again.)

Bucklers, your charity is the Rational Trust, which is a group that
aims to raise awareness and funds for the preservation of good
brains for future generations. Of course it is run by Igors. If you
find yourselves too busy to work for the Trust, make sure that you
encourage your friends, neighbours and workmates – at least the
clever ones – to will their brains to the Rational Trust Think
Tank (lower rear entrance, Forbidding Castle, Weirdbergen,
Uberwald), for a good brain is hard to find. Trust Fernando, for
this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) LATE BREAKING NEWS

3.1 LORDS AND LADIES IN SOMERSET

Taunton Thespians will be presenting an outdoor touring production
of Lords and Ladies in various locations around Somerset next month
– including, of course, Wincanton.

Venues and dates:
Tuesday 12th   Bishop's Hull House
Wednesday 13th  Nynehead Court
Thursday 14th  Mount Somerset Hotel
Friday 15th  Hartwood House
Saturday 16th  Balsam Centre
Tuesday 19th  Maunsel House
Wednesday 20th  Muchelney Abbey
Thursday 21st  The Museum of Somerset, Taunton
Saturday 23rd  Cleeve Abbey

Tickets: £10 adults, £9 over-60s, and £4 under-16s and the
unemployed, with a £1 discount per ticket for each one bought in
advance. Available at the Brewhouse Theatre and Arts Centre
(01823-283244), Taunton Tourist Information Centre (01823-336344) or
online at the Taunton Thespians' website (see below).

Tickets are valid for any performance, so in case of a rained-out
performance your ticket can be used at a different venue.

www.tauntonthespians.org.uk


3.2 REMINDER: PTERRY AT THE HAY FESTIVAL

For our readers in the UK, and those planning to visit: remember,
the 2012 Hay Festival is on from 31st May to 10th June, and Sir
Pterry is one of the guest lecturers. He'll be discussing his career
and his battle with Alzheimer's. This is listed in the programme as
event 279.

When: Wednesday 6th June
Venue: Barclays Pavilion
Time: 5.30pm
Tickets: £7.25, available from the Hay Festival Box Office, The
Drill Hall, 25 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye HR3 5AD (phone: 01497 822
629)

http://www.hayfestival.com


3.3 SNEAK PREVIEWS DEPARTMENT: ICONOGRAPHS

A look at The Compleat Ankh-Morpork cover (due out on 8th November):

http://tinyurl.com/d2abkak

Messrs Pratchett and Baxter looking pleased during an interview for
The Long Earth:

http://tinyurl.com/7qx767y


3.4 THE CONVIVIUM COMETH

An announcement from the Wizards in Charge of the 2012 UU Convivium:

Dear Ladies, Gentlemen, and Students,

Time has crept up on us! Well, I guess considering he used to be
both a thief and a history monk, we should have expected it, but
there is now a mere few weeks remaining until the Unseen University
Convivium begins – on July 6, 2012. Now is definitely the time for
those last minute registrations, merchandise purchases and costume
design sessions.

DEADLINES

June 6th

* Convivium Exclusive t-shirt and scarf orders close. If you want to
proclaim your wizardly nature, or wrap up warm for winter, be sure
to get your order in!

Buy: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/exclusive_merch

June 22nd

* Online Convivium registrations close. This is also the last date
for Supporters to upgrade to an attending membership. Tickets will
be available at the door, but they are more expensive!

Buy: http://ausdwcon.org/memberships/new
Info: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/membership

* Gaudy Night ticket sales close. This is an extension kindly
granted by the caterers. However, if you would like to go to the
dinner and have dietary requirements, please register as soon as
possible.

Buy: http://ausdwcon.org/gala_tickets/new
Info including Menu: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/gala_dinner

* Winery and Gourmet ticket sales close. Only a few seats remaining
on both tours! Register early to guarantee your seat.

Buy: http://ausdwcon.org/tours_tickets/new
Info: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/tours

July 5th

* Transmogrification appointments must be completed. You can get
your face or body painted by professional artists!

Info & booking: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/bodypainting

SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE CONVIVIUM?

We now have a full and detailed programme of activities available
for you to peruse. Read all about the activities at

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/programme

and see the new timetable at
http://ausdwcon.org/pages/timetable

Some highlights:

* Omniscope calls with Professor Sir Terry Pratchett, Bernard
Pearson, Professor Ian Stewart and Doctor Jack Cohen

* The Maskerade costume contest (Entry forms available here:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/maskerade

* Troll Bridge – Behind the Scenes – from Snowgum Films'
writer/director Daniel Knight

* Performances by Unseen Theatre Company, folk singer Martin
Pearson, and Matt Falloon and his Trained Balloons

* Entrance Examination – a Discworld and Roundworld quiz

* Games! Ankh-Morpork, Guards! Guards!, Werewolf, Thud, and more...

* Try Wizarding children's activities (suitable for childish adults,
too)

We are also incredibly pleased to announce that Dymocks Adelaide and
the Adelaide Comics Centre will have stalls selling books, comics
and t-shirts at the Convivium.


VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED!

There are several jobs around the Convivium which still require your
assistance! If you can help us out with any of the following, please
send an email to the Librarian (uu.volunteers@...).

* Technician for operation of audio equipment. We will have
microphones, mixers, speakers etc all set up, but if you know how to
use them and can help us, we'd greatly appreciate it!

* Ops / Registration helpers
* Bledlows (Security, First Aid)
* General gophering

Activity volunteers needed:

* Entrance Exam (quiz) – judge, general gophers
* Commencement (opening ceremony) – If you have a wizard costume and
would like to be in the procession, let us know! (No acting
required)
* Games – supervisors, "Learn to play Thud" instructor, Werewolf
game runners

* Try Wizarding – assistants
* Terry's Shorts – short story readers
* The Great Debate – debaters, moderator. See
http://ausdwcon.org/forums/7/topics/501

NEWS FROM NULLUS ANXIETAS IV

Plans are well underway by the Dark Clerks for next year's Discworld
Convention to be held in Melbourne. You can find the latest news and
information and purchase tickets at

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/NullusAnxietasIV

The NAIV team are also holding a fundraising screening of "Cabin in
the Woods", Joss Whedon's love letter to horror movies. This will be
on Thursday, June 14 at Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St, Carlton,
Victoria.

You can find out more at
http://www.facebook.com/events/141708309287157
and buy tickets at
http://tinyurl.com/86692nx

SIGNING OFF

Thank you all for your support for the Unseen University Convivium.
We hope it to be a smashing good time for you all.

For those of you unable to attend, you can still adorn yourself like
a wizard with our fantastic merchandise available at
http://cafepress.com/unseenuni

Use the code AFF30 for a 30% discount off your total (until 1st
June, we think).

Yours academically,

Archchancellor Ridcully and the Faculty.

Unseen University Convivium
6-8 July 2012, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Roundworld.
http://ausdwcon.org
http://facebook.com/UnseenUni
http://twitter.com/UnseenUni

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) CLOSE

And that's our lot for May. See you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
June 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 6, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) IMPORTANT STUFF!!!
04) WODEHOUSE PRIZE (INCLUDING PIG) FOR "SNUFF"
05) ...AND HAY FESTIVAL TRIUMPH
06) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
07) REVIEWS: THE LONG EARTH
08) MORE REVIEWS OF PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNER NOVELS
09) BAXTER AND PRATCHETT: HOW THEY MET
10) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
11) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
12) REVIEW: WORLD OF POO
13) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Comic spirit is something which is impossible to define, but you
know it when you see it. And Pratchett's absolutely got it."

– Peter Florence, one of the Wodehouse Prize 2012 judges

"Do we keep the pig or champagne? The perennial pig/champagne
conundrum, eh?"

– Pterry, on receiving his Wodehouse Prize...pig?!

"I found PG Wodehouse when I was thirteen. I read everything of his
that I could get my hands on and because of him actually considered
one day taking up golf. It was a close run thing. Very many thanks
to those who inexplicably decided on giving me this award."

– ibid, sans pig

"I can't be bothered about death. I have made him so popular that he
owes me one."

– and during his talk at the 2012 Hay Festival

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR: EARLY EDITION

This early edition features a number of items about The Long Earth,
which will of course be published on 21st June – including several
reviews. But first, let me mention another great and iconic science
fiction author on the occasion of his passing: Ray Bradbury, who
died this month (5th June 2012) at the grand old age of ninety-
one. His touch with language was so exquisite, his influence vast.
He could lift the heart with his phrasing, or freeze the marrow
(there's one of his short stories, which I daren't even name, that
to this day evokes horror if I pause for even a moment to think
about its content). His penchant for melding the weird and the
utterly prosaic had no greater master.

I discovered his work in my early days, when I would sneak into
libraries (as an unaccompanied, very small, very young girl had to
do back then) and randomly pick and read. I carried on reading his
work through the years. Even in his later stuff, from Driving Blind
onwards, his wordsmithing lost none of its power.

I am glad he existed, glad he wrote, and glad he had a good long
run. Vale Ray Bradbury!

In other news, a reminder that 22nd June is the closing date for
online Convivium registrations, and also the last date for
Supporters to upgrade to an attending membership:

Buy: http://ausdwcon.org/memberships/new
Info: http://ausdwcon.org/pages/membership

Oh, and remember, the paperback edition of Snuff is out now and
contains exclusive material from The Long Earth! Speaking of which,
your Editor wishes to apologise for delaying the WOSSNAME Long Earth
review. As (far too) usual, illness got in the way of my completing
it on time for this early issue, but it *will* appear in a later
post this month.

Now, for exciting news about a certain iconic science fiction author
who ate'nt dead...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) IMPORTANT STUFF!

3.1 GOODY BAGS!

...are up for grabs in daily contests all this month on the official
Terry Pratchett Facebook page. The questions are simple, and to
enter the competitions all you need is email. Typical questions so
far have included "What type of wood is the luggage made from?",
"What is the name of the main character in The World of Poo?", "What
new species is introduced in Snuff?", and "The Long Earth is a
collaboration between Terry Pratchett and which other best-selling
science fiction author?" So go for it! Go to:

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett


3.2 PARALLEL WORLDS IN ROUNDWORLD!

Lynsey of Transworld says:

"For those who fancy a trip to London, next Wednesday 20th June
we're taking over a major London landmark at 12:30pm!! The location
is a secret at the moment and we'll be creating our own parallel
worlds with a special guest appearance from the man himself."

There will be plenty of Earths like this one:

http://tinyurl.com/c8avs5g


3.3 DINNER WITH DA MAN!

"Meet the legendary author Sir Terry Pratchett and pick his brains
over dinner for two at an exclusive Private Member's Club in London.
You'll also receive a signed copy of his latest book. (Please note:
dinner will be on Sir Terry, but travel and accommodation is not
included. Mutually convenient time and date will be worked out once
bidding closes.)"

http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=1698

**NOTE: the eBay page for this auction can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/cqbaqaf

Bidding for the relevant item – dinner with Sir Pterry – opens
on Sunday 24th June.

"Here at Dignity in Dying we consider ourselves very lucky to have
Patrons ranging from Sirs Patrick Stewart and Terry Pratchett, to
actors Kim Cattrall and Hugh Grant, to authors Nell Dunn and Ian
McEwan, as well as a host of other luminaries. On top of their
continued commitment to the campaign, this growing list of Patrons
recently told us they wanted to do something more to help. They
wanted to do something different; something which could help raise
awareness of our campaign among the wider public, and also generate
some money to help fund the campaign's crucial next steps. And so
Dignity in Dying is proud to invite you to our unique online auction
– Bidding for Choice 2012. Our Patrons have donated 18 incredible
items for auction, ranging from one-off experiences to signed
collectibles..."


3.4 LIVE VIDEO OF THE LONG EARTH AUTHORS!

Lynsey again:

"Next Thursday night Stephen Baxter & Terry Pratchett will be
talking all things parallel worlds at The Royal Institution! Not got
a ticket? Don't worry, you can watch the event in all its glory on
the Royal Institution's fantastic science video site, The Ri
Channel. The film will be available from 11am on Tuesday 26 June and
you can watch it by clicking here..."

http://richannel.org/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) THE WINNER! WODEHOUSE PRIZE FOR "SNUFF"

In The Guardian:

"Peter Florence called it a 'comic masterpiece'. He said; 'Yes,
there are little jewels of language and comedy, but it's the
generosity of spirit throughout the whole project which makes it
such a comic masterpiece,' he said. 'And even after all these years
he's spent in Discworld, he actually keeps refining it and making it
sharper and clearer. That's an extraordinary achievement. You would
expect a slowdown but there's none of that, and that, I think, is
almost an unparalleled feat.' Pratchett has been shortlisted on
three previous occasions for the Wodehouse award: the two authors,
said Florence, are surprisingly similar. 'There are so many things
he does which Wodehouse did too. It's not just the playfulness of
the language  he's also quite patently satirical in the way
Wodehouse was," he said. "Wodehouse was really hard on fascism. He
wasn't simply writing a comedy of manners, and neither is Pratchett
Both of their invented worlds are wrestling with the political
realities of their times.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/6pd6bru


In The Telegraph:

"The award, which is given to the book that best captures the 'comic
spirit' of PG Wodehouse, will be presented to Pratchett for his 39th
Discworld novel Snuff. It comes a week after the writer won a Bafta
for his documentary about euthanasia, Choosing to Die. Pratchett
beat fellow nominees John O'Farrell (The Man Who Forgot His Wife),
Julian Gough (Jude in London), Sue Townsend (The Woman Who Went to
Bed for a Year) and John Lanchester (Capital) to the title. The
prize itself includes a case of champagne, a set of Wodehouse
novels, and the unusual honour of having a locally bred
Gloucestershire Old Spot pig named after the winning work..."

http://tinyurl.com/7uq6rug


Sky News:

"It is the first time Pratchett has won the prize, named in honour
of Jeeves and Wooster creator PG Wodehouse, despite being
shortlisted on three previous occasions. Prize judge Peter Florence
said: 'I am thrilled he's won in this 25th anniversary year of the
festival. He's consistently funny, inventive and with an acute,
satirical view of the world.'..."

http://news.sky.com/home/article/16237709

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) ...AND HAY FESTIVAL TRIUMPH

In Wales Online:

"The talk started with Pratchett being formally awarded the
Bollinger Wodehouse prize, which saw him having a pig named after
his book, Snuff. The prize for comic writing signalled the beginning
of a talk that had fans calling him back for more. An hour wasn't
even enough time to touch the tip of the iceberg in the career of a
man who manages to fuse satire, political commentary and fantasy
with ease. When asked by a member of the audience if he wished he
was taken more seriously, he retorted 'no I bloody don't', before
going on to say that he never wished to be respected by the Turner
Prize panel, and was happy enough being rich... He was even
forthcoming when giving advice to young writers, telling them to
steer well clear of mimicking his style of writing, but telling
them: 'Look at how the best did it, but don't try to write like
me... that's suicide.' Whether or not he intended to use the word
which has appeared next to his name so often in newspaper headlines
of late we will never know, but this talk made it clear that
Pratchett is still an institution..."

http://tinyurl.com/7yzahdc


The Telegraph offers a short and somewhat wind-blurred video of
author and pig being interviewed:

http://tinyurl.com/d5m77m2


...and several op-ed pieces:

"Sir Terry, who was awarded the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize
for Comic Fiction, also made light of complaints he has not been
taken seriously by the critics – despite writing 50 books that
have sold 80 million copies. 'Oh dear me, the Booker people don't
like me. I don't care! I was brought up reading science fiction and
everything else – But I never expected anyone to say I was very
good at it – I hoped they would say I was very rich... I have been
given an award for being taken not seriously and I am very, very
pleased about that.'... He described writing as running down a hill
with wings on your back and taking flight, although sometimes you
have to run up and down a few hills...."

http://tinyurl.com/7lxdbk6

"More recently, the 'embuggerance' of a diagnosis of posterior
cortical atrophy – a rare form of Alzheimer's – and Pratchett's
emergence as a doughty campaigner for assisted suicide (and
presenter of a moving and award-winning documentary on the subject)
have ensured that the people have focused as much on what he says as
what he writes. This isn't just a shame, it's an injustice. Over the
years, without many people noticing, Pratchett has created one of
the most imaginative and fully realised fictional universes in
modern literature. It would be tempting to compare it to Wodehouse's
world of Eggs, Beans and Crumpets. Except that Pratchett's Discworld
isn't frozen in amber, but the product of decades of vital and
violent evolution...

"As a teenager, I was convinced that Good Omens was the funniest
book ever written. Yet as the years went by, my passion for
Pratchett cooled, whether because I was becoming more mature, or
because the production line that brought a new novel every six
months appeared to have drained much of the passion and sparkle from
his work. On returning to his work later in life, however, I found
something delightful: the gagsmith had transformed himself, without
anyone noticing, into a satirist..."

http://tinyurl.com/8ymzgwd

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

6.1 MORT IN BUXTON (NEXT WEEK!)

"Buxton Drama League is returning to the Opera House – and the
fantastical stories of Sir Terry Pratchett – with a stage version
of one of his most popular tales, Mort. Having previously
entertained local audiences with Pratchett's Maskerade and Carpe
Jugulum, the Drama League make a welcome return to the Discworld
with a cast of seasoned stalwarts and talented younger actors.
Director Alex Archer said: 'This is not a play just for Terry
Pratchett fans though, it is also a self-contained story which will
engage and excite any audience member. I guarantee that you will
never see a performance quite like this again and the outstanding
performances from the cast will definitely make it both a memorable
and enjoyable experience.'"

When: Friday June 22 and Saturday June 23 2012
Venue: Buxton Opera House
Time: 7.30pm, with a matinee on the Saturday at 2.30pm
Tickets: £10, are available from the Box Office on 0845 127 2190
or online at www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk.

http://tinyurl.com/6qhta6g


6.2 ...AND MORT IN TORONTO IN JULY

"Socratic Theatre Collective is proud to conclude its second season
with a sitespecific production of Terry Pratchett's Mort, adapted by
Stephen Briggs, presented at the 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival."

When: Saturday 7th July, Sunday 8th July, Friday 13th July, Saturday
14th July, Sunday 15th July

Venue: University College Quadrangle, 15 Kings College Circle,
University of Toronto St. George campus. Entrance gate is at the
north-west corner of the building, opposite the soccer field.

Time: Fridays and Saturdays 7:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm. In accordance
with Toronto Fringe Festival policy, no latecomers will be admitted.

Tickets: $10 at the door, $9 in advance ($2 service charge applied).
The venue box office is located at the entrance to the University
College Quadrangle, and will open 1 hour before each performance.
Only cash is accepted at the venue box office.

"The Toronto Fringe Festival also offers Value Packs available
online or by telephone from June 1 or in person from July 4. Due to
the outdoor nature of the venue, our rain policy is to proceed as
long as the performers' safety is not impaired. Cancellation due to
rain will be announced 15 minutes before any performance in
question.

"As part of the Site Specific program at the Toronto Fringe, the
production will take place in the University College Quadrangle on
the University of Torontos St. George campus. This unique and
eclectic setting provides the perfect venue for Terry Pratchett's
Mort; according to director Ruth Pe Palileo, we will create a living
version of the Discworld by highlighting the unique architectural
character of the University College Quadrangle. The audience will
move through different areas, thereby creating the sense that they
are journeying with us through the Discworld. This particular play
is very much about the journey that the main character makes around
the Discworld, and by giving the audience the experience of
movement, we will enrich their understanding of his journey."

Advance Box Office: www.fringetoronto.com
Tickets are available from June 15 to July 15
Telephone: 4169661062 (x1)a
Opening hours:
June 1530  10:00am5:00pmt
July 115  9:30am6:30pm
Payment options: Visa and Mastercard.
To buy in person, go to the Festival Box Office (parking lot behind
Honest Eds at 581 Bloor Street West)

For more information, contact Liz Bragg at 4169989772 or email
info@....

www.socratictheatre.com


6.3 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN MINNESOTA

The Historic Mounds Theatre continue to present Pratchett plays,
hurrah! After May's production of Amazing Maurice, next up is
Guards! Guards! in September.

When: September 7th-23rd, Fridays through Sundays
Venue: The Historic Mounds Theatre, 1029 Hudson Road, Saint Paul, MN
55106

No information on tickets and times yet, but their website is here:

http://www.moundstheatre.org/


6.4 LORDS AND LADIES IN PETERSFIELD (QUEEN'S JUBILEE 2012)

"Three theatre groups and a production crew from Petersfield have
united under one banner to produce a play for the Queen's Jubilee
next year. Winton Players, Petersfield Theatre Group, Lion and
Unicorn Players and the Green A Team have come together to form the
Petersfield Performing Arts Federation. The union planned to perform
fantasy author Terry Pratchett's 'Lords and Ladies' at St Peter's
Church in September 2012. Federation spokesman Phill Humphries said:
'This is important to us because we want this to be a real community
production. We will be holding open auditions in January 2012 for
anyone who is interested in any aspect of bring this production to
the stage. You do not need experience – just enthusiasm and an
open mind.'

Anyone who wishes to find out more should e-mail:

pghumphries@...

http://tinyurl.com/6s463wv


6.5 GOOD OMENS IN GLASGOW, 2013

Glasgow's Cult Classic Theatre (motto: "We do the weird stuff") has
received permission to present Good Omens in March 2013. Having
already successfully tackled Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, The
Man in the Iron Mask, and other tough nuts, the wonderfully
enthusiastic Amy Hoff, who will be directing her own adaptation of
the book, says, "We're really looking forward to it – it's going
to be a fairly large undertaking [and] we are all very excited."

The performances are set for 20th-23rd March 2013 and 27th-30th
March 2013 at Cottiers Theatre, a charming theatre-and-restaurant
venue in a converted church. But before that, Cult Classic Theatre
is holding auditions for the play.

Auditions will be held October 1st & 2nd, 7 pm at Cottiers Theatre,
93-95 Hyndland Street, Glasgow. For those of you up Caledonia way
then, do come along; you might even meet the Pineguin...

http://www.cottiers.com/

Have a look at previous productions on their website:

www.cultclassic.org


6.6 THE BIRTH OF A NEW PRATCHETT THEATRE COMPANY

"So, what exactly is Monstrous Productions?! Well, we're a Cardiff
based theatre company who solely perform Pratchett adaptations.
We're funded through sponsorship and investors and all of our profit
goes to Alzheimer's Research UK. Our next production will be Carpe
Jugulum in June 2013 (possibly `Going Postal' – will keep you
updated). I'm going to hold auditions for all of the South Wales
area; anyone who has the time to rehearse twice a week from March
until June is welcome, I'm hoping to get all ages and backgrounds...
As the play is so far away I don't really have to think about that
yet; first comes funding... It's all a little bit strange though. A
few months back I started this blog because I had the chance to
direct one Pratchett play and now I have a company that specialises
in them..."

The Monstrous Productions Facebook group is here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/296932487060197/

"Please join if you're interested in helping, auditioning or just
keeping up to date with what we're doing."

http://tinyurl.com/87rjt9b


6.7 REVIEW: WYRD SISTERS IN CORNWALL

In This Is Cornwall:

"A wordy play with meaty parts, there were outstanding performances
from Margaret Gardener, Carole Metters and Olivia Lowry playing the
three witches. Suzanne Bugano was pure joy as wicked Lady Felmet,
constantly sparring with her hapless husband the Duke, played by Ed
Blincoe. The Fool of the story was cleverly played by Richard
Thomas, with Tim Caulfield turning in good performances as the
chamberlain, the demon and Hwel, a playwright... Sadly, Wyrd
Sisters was not Troy [Players] at the top of its game; the prompt
was kept busy on the night I went and the play lacked pace. With
more than 20 scene changes, the set was brilliantly designed and
built to revolve, but what should have been a quick turnaround was
slow hampered by musicians trooping on and off stage in a bid to
distract the audience... It was a directorial error which irritated
rather than distracted..."

http://tinyurl.com/d79w4z3


6.8 REMINDER: LORDS AND LADIES IN SOMERSET

Taunton Thespians are currently presenting their outdoor touring
production of Lords and Ladies in various locations around Somerset.

Venues and dates REMAINING:
Tuesday 19th  Maunsel House
Wednesday 20th  Muchelney Abbey
Thursday 21st  The Museum of Somerset, Taunton
Saturday 23rd  Cleeve Abbey

Tickets: £10 adults, £9 over-60s, and £4 under-16s and the
unemployed, with a £1 discount per ticket for each one bought in
advance. Available at the Brewhouse Theatre and Arts Centre
(01823-283244), Taunton Tourist Information Centre (01823-336344) or
online at the Taunton Thespians' website (see below).

Tickets are valid for any performance, so in case of a rained-out
performance your ticket can be used at a different venue.

www.tauntonthespians.org.uk

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) REVIEWS: THE LONG EARTH

7.1 i09'S REVIEW

By Chris Hsiang aka Grey Area:

"The Long Earth is a brilliant Science Fiction collaboration with
Stephen Baxter: a love letter to all Pratchett fans, readers, and
lovers of wonder everywhere...

"This book is well-paced, featuring one bright concept after another
with many thrills and laughs along the way. Only at the very end are
we introduced to the really big conflicts and heavies leading up to
— yep, BOOM — a cliffhanger... It's great to see Sir Terry
return to science fiction, weaving a chuckling philosophy with an
appreciation for the wonders of the universe(s)... I found some
elements that seem recycled from Discworld novels, especially Thief
of Time. Then I remembered this came first, and of course a
Pratchett book will have Prachetty notes. Stephen Baxter seems to be
one of the last few practitioners of Hard SF around, and his
contributions here are noticeable. He's very good at the societal
impacts of new technology and the Big Picture..."

[WARNING: the full review contains spoilers. Many spoilers. Many,
many spoilers. Do not read if you don't want to know too much about
the story in advance! – Ed.]

http://tinyurl.com/878zfg6

Hsiang also offers a loving essay, "Bad Boys of the Multiverse: An
Alternate Universe Reading Guide", about the rest of the best in
multiverse-based science fiction and science fantasy. Well worth
reading! It lives here:

http://tinyurl.com/yanvbme


7.2 SFX MAGAZINE'S REVIEW

By Rob Power:

"A far cry from the comic fantasies that made Pratchett a household
name, The Long Earth reveals its intentions slowly, the
possibilities of the endless Earths gradually becoming apparent. The
central plot is wide-eyed exploratory SF in the American tradition,
interspersed with stories of individuals and families whose lives
are radically transformed by the prospect of a new life on an Earth
far away.

"It's a story that revels in big ideas... It also poses big
questions: why have humans only evolved on our Earth? Are there
other creatures out there? Where does the Long Earth end? What have
potatoes got to do with anything? You can sense the excitement of
the authors as they toy with the labyrinthine possibilities of their
premise, and it's infectious. As a co-write, things go pretty
smoothly. You can detect Pratchett's fingerprints in various gags
and character quirks, just as you can sense Baxter's imagination
at play as Lobsang and Joshua encounter strange new worlds together.
It's an intoxicating combination, infusing proceedings with a
great sense of purpose..."

http://tinyurl.com/cfj9tce

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) REVIEW: PRATCHETT PRIZE WINNERS

In The Daily Express, Mark Lawrence reviews Apocalypse Cow and Half
Sick of Shadows and gives both a very high mark, 4.5 out of a
possible 5:

"The TPABHABNFN Awards first year has brought forth two diverse
offerings, one entertaining and uproariously funny in places; the
other intriguing, beautiful, and ultimately baffling..."

On Michael Logan's novel, Apocalypse Cow:

"Writing comedy is hard. One-liners are all well and good but you
have to create characters that readers will care about. Fortunately,
Michael Logan has done a solid job of writing and an excellent job
of being funny..."

On David Logan's Half-Sick Of Shadows:

"David Logan writes magical lines, he works wonders with words,
loops them around ideas and captures them whole for you. He also
deploys the childs-eye view to highly amusing effect with innocent
interpretation and offbeat observation. The first part... reads like
literary fiction of high quality... Around the halfway point,
strangeness sets in, credulity becomes strained, characters
exaggerate into caricature but Logan has won such trust with a
skilful opening that you're carried onward..."

http://tinyurl.com/d2tkum2

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) HOW THEY MET: TERRY PRATCHETT AND STEPHEN BAXTER

The two authors interviewed together by Adam Jacques in The
Independent:

"I'd read Terry's science-fiction novels from the early 1980s, in
particular Strata, which stuck in my mind... I was never
particularly a fan of the fantasy genre, but having read his
science-fiction I followed his early Discworld novels, such as The
Colour of Magic. It was big, expansive, adventure stuff, full of
Dickensian wisdom that will long outlive us all. We met in 1992 at
an Arthur C Clarke event in Minehead: he had on that black fedora
hat even then. Over dinner we talked about sci-fi – between us
we'd read all the sci-fi written since the 1930s, and that broke the
ice. After that we'd go to sci-fi conventions together, while every
year our publisher would put on a dinner and stick us together.
Terry would say, "So what news of the quantum?" or "What are all
these cosmologists banging on about now?" He was really interested
in my background of hard science..." (Baxter)

"What I love about Stephen's books is that they're not so much
science-fiction as a reality that didn't quite happen... I liked
doing the Discworld series, because I can do lots of things with it,
but it isn't a 'what if...' [scenario], as Stephen's books are. I
think it does Discworld good if I don't write about it all the time:
sometimes you have to get it out of your system..." (Pterry)

http://tinyurl.com/czgd3a6

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Pterry and that pig!

http://tinyurl.com/8358frc

And another lovely shot of the pair: http://tinyurl.com/bpcndl5


Sir Pterry with his BAFTA award:

http://tinyurl.com/cal7ogk


Paul Kidby's delicious picture of Conina and Rincewind:

http://tinyurl.com/cy5u6cc

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

11.1 SPEAKING OUT...

In The Telegraph:

"The author, who suffers from early-onset Alzheimer's disease,
accused opponents – especially Churches – of relying on
arguments about 'gas chambers' and 'jackboots'. He told a gathering
of supporters of assisted dying in Zurich, Switzerland – home of
the Dignitas clinic – that the steady stream of people from the UK
travelling abroad to end their lives was the 'shame of Britain'. Sir
Terry... told the congress of the World Federation of Right to Die
Societies that the 'vast majority' of people in the UK supported
assisted suicide but that politicians were cowed by a vocal minority
of opponents. 'I have spoken about this many times and always there
is vociferous opposition to the idea and ultimately the opposition
is from a small number of people, usually associated with the
churches,' said Sir Terry. 'Politicians take no notice nevertheless,
and the opponents fill the air with dire warnings that elderly
people would be persuaded to opt for an early death so as to release
their money to the younger generation,' he said. 'The opposition is
very good at asking questions, and absolutely very bad at listening
to answers, a usual reaction to any suggestion being it would lead
to the gas chambers, and amazingly some newspapers in England print
this stuff without questioning how likely it is that the most stable
of all democracies on the planet would allow the wholesale killing
of the innocent.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/7jedggp


11.2 AND SPEAKING AT WORLD CONFERENCE ON EUTHANASIA

"Representatives from around 45 countries are expected at the five-
day congress of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, held
every two years. The venue of the 2012 meeting honours the 30th
anniversary of Zurich-based group called Exit, a group carrying out
assisted suicides in Switzerland where the practice is legal under
certain conditions... The conference will hear from acclaimed
British fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett, himself diagnosed with
Alzheimer's several years ago and patron of pro-choice group Dignity
in Dying... Pratchett will address the conference during its open
day on Friday along with Ludwig Minelli, founder of Swiss assisted
suicide group Dignitas, and German writer Ueli Oswald whose father
died with Exit... The congress, last held in Melbourne in 2010, will
also see the detractors of assisted dying have their say..."

http://tinyurl.com/8yl7xre

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) REVIEW: THE WORLD OF POO

A loving and whimsical review by Derek the Scottish Geek of a
lovable and whimsical book:

"In fact I didn't think a world famous author such as Sir Terry
Pratchett would release a book about that particular subject but
here we are... the story follows the adventures of young Geoffrey as
he learns about the various importance's of excrement from various
sources including why dog muck especially the white stuff (whatever
happened to that?) could be used in the process of making the very
best leather. Geoffrey decides to start a museum dedicated to poo
from every creature on the whole of the Discworld which to most of
us would seem like a disgusting project but when seen through the
eager young eyes of Geoffrey is conveyed as a hobby like any other
and a damned interesting one at that...I can't actually believe I
just said that. In fact I would go so far as to say that while
reading this book I didn't feel disgusted even once..."

http://scottishgeeks.com/the-world-of-poo-review/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) CLOSE

As quite a few of the items above are time-dependent, that's our lot
for this early edition. We'll be back soon with your monthly
horoscope, Around the Blogosphere, WOSSNAME's Long Earth review, and
all the usual late breaking bits and pieces. Stay tuned!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
June 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 6, Post 2a)
********************************************

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) REMINDER: "DINNER WITH SIR PTERRY" AUCTION NOT OVER YET!
03) LONG EARTH NEWS
04) INTERVIEW IN THE EXPRESS
05) THE LONG EARTH: BESTSELLING E-BOOK
06) DODGER: THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
07) FOR FOURECKSIANS: A PRATCHETT PALOOZA
08) THE LONG EARTH: THE WOSSNAME REVIEW
09) THE LONG EARTH: GUARDIAN REVIEW
10) OTHER PRESS REVIEWS OF THE LONG EARTH
11) BLOG REVIEWS OF THE LONG EARTH
12) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR JUNE
13) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

For our second posting of the month, we bring you not so much "late-
breaking" news as "nearly constant and ongoing" news! Assorted Long
Earth events, timely reminders, and a number of reviews of The Long
Earth, including my own giving the book a very high recommendation
despite what I consider to be its flaws.

Fernando finally delivered his Horoscope for the month, at the
eleventh hour as usual, and it's a cracker if I do say so myself.
But this time around you will find it at the end of the issue
instead of the front.

On with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

EDITOR'S EDIT: Ygroups seems to have been having some problems, and
the original posting of this issue went missing some twelve hours
ago, so I am biting the bullet and trying a re-post. If you
eventually get two copies of the same information, don't panic!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) REMINDER: "DINNER WITH SIR PTERRY" AUCTION NOT OVER YET!

Remember, Dignity in Dying's online auction of dinner with Terry
Pratchett is still open! It ends next Wednesday 4th July. The eBay
page for this auction can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/cqbaqaf

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) LONG EARTH NEWS

3.1 Group reading video!

In which a plethora of famous and familiar – and less famous and
familiar – faces read the opening chapter of The Long Earth aloud:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&v=duU3CbCVUHA


3.2 Official launch in Trafalgar Square!

http://terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=1885

Video of the launch "keepy-uppy":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&v=QZzQUbEMVpM


3.3 Genesis of The Long Earth cover!

http://terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=1787


3.4 How to make your own Stepper!

An animated tutorial:

http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/?p=1915

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) INTERVIEW IN THE EXPRESS

"Even when discussing the difficult subject of his rare form of
Alzheimer's he can't help but look on the bright side and even throw
in a few jokes for good measure. We are sitting in a plush London
hotel room to discuss his new book and Pratchett is punchy and
ebullient. Even as he tells me that his condition means he can no
longer tie his own shoelaces, he glances down at the black loafers
he's wearing and adds: 'On the other hand a nice pair of slip-ons
are okay and since I seem to be on flights a lot it saves time at
airport security.'...

"As the fantasy Discworld series became a huge success so the
fragments of his early sci-fi work lay discarded in a drawer. 'Then
about two years ago I picked them up again and thought there are
some good ideas here. It would be a shame for them to go to waste,'
says Pratchett. 'But I thought I can't do it by myself. I really
need someone else who can look quantum in the eye without
flinching.' In other words he needed an expert, specifically in hard
science fiction, which is where Stephen Baxter comes in... Pratchett
and Baxter each took different plotlines – sometimes one coming up
with the idea and the other writing it. 'In the end we weren't sure
who'd written what,' says Pratchett, 'though I'm sure there are some
fans who will say they can tell.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/c3evo28

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) THE LONG EARTH: BESTSELLING E-BOOK

The Long Earth tops BooksOnBoard's list of top-selling eBooks in the
UK:

"'The Long Earth, Terry Pratchett's new bestselling science fiction
ebook, is not a Discworld novel,' said Bob LiVolsi, founder and CEO
of BooksOnBoard. 'And I don't just mean that literally. The Long
Earth offers readers some of the humor that Pratchett utilizes in
his famous Discworld series, but the difference in approach and tone
is marked. This is a remarkably thought-provoking read, and it
refuses to offer readers easy answers to the questions it raises...
A team such as Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter could not be
expected to produce anything but a powerful, mesmerizing
landscape — or landscapes...'"

http://tinyurl.com/6s53cbt


...and it's also a bestseller in the less "listed" places:

"The London Evening Standard runs a quiet column every Thursday
which gives a list of bestsellers in the capital city. It takes its
sources from Daunt Books, Foyles, Hatchards, Heywood Hill, John
Sandoe and Waterstones. Whilst the usual bestseller lists tend to be
stuffed with crime and cookery books, these provide a more
interesting look into what people are reading and discussing. This
month we see pure escapism as people stock up for summer... Still
more escapist is Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter's The Long
Earth, which envisages a universe in which there are endless, pre-
lapsarian versions of earth to which people can, literally,
escape..."

http://tinyurl.com/753pg6x

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) DODGER: THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

The first Dodger-related event is gearing up! Topping & Company
Booksellers of Ely will be hosting an event, along with Sir Pterry
of course:

"We are delighted to announce that best-selling author Sir Terry
Pratchett will be coming to Ely to celebrate the publication of
Dodger, his new novel. This is a rare opportunity to hear Sir Terry
talking about Dodger, a tale of skulduggery and dark deeds set in
London, in the magical atmosphere of  Ely Cathedral. There will be a
very strictly limited opportunity for 100 ticket holders (chosen at
the event) to meet Sir Terry on the night; for everyone else, copies
of Dodger marked with a stamp designed uniquely for this event will
be available, allowing everyone the chance to have a copy linked to
this landmark evening."

When: Monday 17th September
Venue: Ely Cathedral, CB7 4DL
Time: Doors open at 6:45pm
Tickets: £10 for adults and £5 for children, with the price of
each ticket redeemable against a copy of Dodger on the evening (one
ticket redeemable per book).

Topping & Company Booksellers of Ely
9 High Street, Ely, Cambs CB7 4LJ
Telephone: (01353) 645005
Email: ely@...
Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 8.45am - 6pm
Sunday: 9.30am - 6pm.

http://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/sir-terry-pratchett/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) FOR FOURECKSIANS

7.1 A PRATCHETT PALOOZA

Melbourne, Australia's bookshop chain Dymocks, known for many years
as a loving promoter of Discworld and other Pratchett books, will
run a special promotion all through July:

"Fill those gaps in your Pratchett Library with a 'Three for the
price of Two' offer through to the end of July! (YES! Includes the
new titles!) Cheapest item free, naturally ;-)

"AND - here's a competition to blow your mind: Buy ANY Pratchett
title for the chance to win a Pratchett Prize Pack! A copy of LONG
EARTH signed by both Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter... A copy of
DODGER (to be released 18 September 2012)... A copy of each of the
winning titles of the Terry Pratchett 'Anywhere But Here, Anywhere
But Now' Prize, APOCALYPSE COW by Michael Logan and HALF SICK OF
SHADOWS by David Logan... A 'World Of Terry Pratchet 2012' canvas
bag [with the correct spelling on the bag, we hope! – Ed.]... See
instore for further details!"

http://www.facebook.com/PratchettPalooza


7.2 "ANKH-MORPORK" TOURNAMENTS

From Damian of the Nullus Anxietas gang:

I have recently begun running a monthly Ankh Morpork tournament.
The next tournament will be held on 29 July at Dymocks Melbourne
before returning to its regular home at Good Games Blackburn the
following month. $5 entry and a prize for the winner. For those of
you who are unaware, there is an Unseen University Convivium taking
place next weekend in Adelaide – all the details are here:

http://ausdwcon.org/

And we are only 9 months out from the next Australian Discworld
Convention (aka Nullus Anxietas) to be held in Melbourne on 8-10
March! We are planning lots of events in the lead up to NA4 so be
sure and check in on the website regularly or find us on Facebook,
Twitter and Google+

Got ideas on Discworldy  stuff you'd like to see in Melbourne?? Let
us know in the convention forums or any of the above websites and I
look forward to seeing some of you at our events!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) THE LONG EARTH: THE LONG REVIEW

By Annie Mac

A few weeks ago, I went to see The Avengers, the Joss Whedon-
scripted and directed superhero film. I like superhero films as a
rule, I grew up reading and loving Marvel comics, and I have been in
awe of Joss Whedon's writing and directing skills for many years
now, so my expectations were fairly high. And here's a funny thing:
I said, as my friends and I watched the closing credits, "That may
well be the definitive superhero movie"; I was sufficiently
impressed to go back to see it again (with mostly different
companions) two weeks later; I intend to buy the DVD of it and watch
it repeatedly over the years... and yet my one-sentence summary of
The Avengers was "Joss Whedon is such a genius that he *almost*
managed to make a silk purse." – because for all its clever
writing, fantastically witty dialogue and exquisite direction,
cinematography, editing and special effects, it simply did not touch
my heart as completely as the X-Men films have done.

So what has this to do with The Long Earth?

Well. In a brief mention in last month's issue, shortly after my
first reading of the book' I described The Long Earth as "a fast,
exciting piece of storytelling" containing "fascinating ideas, great
imagery, and some very memorable characters". All of that is true,
but The Long Earth also is not without its flaws, and those flaws
mean that this unquestionably well-crafted and clever novel
ultimately failed to lift and fill my heart in the way that Terry
Pratchett's other work always does.

Before I go any further, Reader, I'll stop right here and
acknowledge that some things I perceived as flaws may not be
considered flaws by some of you – read on to the section about
characters – but no, it isn't a matter of The Long Earth being in
a different genre. There has been much trumpeting here and there
along the lines of "Terry Pratchett's writing is taking a new
direction: he's doing science fiction now!"; but for many of us,
this announcement sounds daft, because we know that Terry Pratchett
has been writing – and releasing – some fine, fine science
fiction novels and shorter pieces for decades, among them The Dark
Side of the Sun and Strata (early-career but promising), the Johnny
Maxwell trilogy (especially the first and third books), Night Watch
(science fiction plus Literature-quality sociopolitics and
psychology, cleverly disguised as a fabulous Discworld novel), and
one of my own all-time favourite science fiction short stories,
*# ifdef DEBUG + "world/enough" + "time"* (which I rate at least as
highly as Robert Heinlein's classic "By His Bootstraps").

Let's be honest: there's no way to critique a new Pratchett novel,
in any genre, without comparing it to his extant body of work –
or, for that matter, without comparing it to any previous Pratchett
collaborations – and by that yardstick The Long Earth doesn't
quite measure up to most of the author's previous brilliance. But
given what we already know of Terry Pratchett's mighty writing-fu, I
cannot help but lay the blame this time at the feet of co-writer
Stephen Baxter.

Baxter's strong suit has always been the Big Idea, most notably that
of a technological advance that effectively rewrites human society
at a fundamental level, and he does it well, but he suffers from the
typical science fiction writer's weakness when it comes to putting
flesh on the bones of the story. A good example would be The Light
of Other Days, another collaborative novel (written, or at least co-
created, with Arthur C. Clarke): fabulous ideas set down masterfully
but let down somewhat by flat, poorly realised characters. In the
case of Baxter and Clarke, you have two bone-dry ideas men with
little grasp of how to create living, breathing characters, so this
is unsurprising. In the case of Baxter and Pratchett, you have a
bone-dry ideas man and a master of character depth, character
motivation and sparkling dialogue exchanges – and yet the end
result lacks that depth and sparkle that I expect from anything
Terry Pratchett has a hand in.

But that doesn't mean this review is a negative one. It really
doesn't. So let's start with the general and the positive, shall we?
To wit:

The Long Earth is a science fiction novel, very much so, well into
the realm of ideas-driven "hard" science fiction, and it delivers
the aforementioned fascinating ideas and great imagery. It gives
excellent new twists to well-trodden speculative concepts. It also
presents what has to be one of the most, if not the most, bizarre
accoutrements to inter-universal travel and demonstrates likely
social and political changes in a well-thought-out manner. The
actual wordcraft is miles above almost all other science fiction
(not that we would expect any less here). In short, it does what it
says on the tin, and on that level it works very well indeed.

Plot is not a particularly strong point, but this is often the case
with ideas-driven fiction. As most of you already know from The Long
Earth's long promotional run-up, the story revolves around a
homemade device, freely and anonymously released on the internet,
that allows its user to "Step" to and from alternate Earths in
alternate universes, and the ways this simple technology changes,
well, everything. We are shown the chaos, terror and joy of "Step
Day", the attempts of various nations' authorities to deal with the
opening of this ultimate frontier, the ways in which human nature
asserts itself in the same old manner even in the face of the new,
and the desolation of those who for unexplained reasons are
physically unable to Step. Beyond that, The Long Earth is the story
of two entities who set out together on an exploring trip to the
furthest reaches of the "High Meggas", a million or more Earths
beyond our own "Datum Earth" – Joshua, a hyperintelligent,
talented, methodical and rather obnoxious young man who was born
under very unusual circumstances, prefers his own company to the
extreme, and craves the Silence (no, not what you Doctor Who fans
are thinking), and Lobsang, an even more intelligent, talented,
methodical and rather obnoxious AI who is legally human (and yes, he
has a certificate of sorts to prove it; now where have we read that
one before, hmm...) – and whom and what they find along their way.

There is humour, though much of it feels slightly out of place and
does not meld as well as it could have with the rest of the "feel"
of the narrative. There is drama, though precious little of it. Some
guns of the Chekhov variety (Anton, not Pavel, in case you wondered)
are drawn but never fired – though in fairness, this is the first
of a multi-volume tale, so the reader has no way of knowing whether
the unfired guns are an oversight or merely a long-term, teasing
set-up for later parts of the story arc. Oh, and the book ends on a
cliffhanger. A big cliffhanger. A really big cliffhanger. Argh!

Speaking of guns, there aren't any on the alternate Earths, at least
not until settlers construct the necessaries to mine and refine
metals. But guns are hardly the only source of danger amongst
humans. The Long Earth seemed to have an unrealistic dearth of
violence – yes, the idea of having one's own unspoilt and possibly
untenanted (by humans, at any rate) planet would charm many, but
human nature is illogical at best and "I was here first!" would
surely take precedence, with people preferring to fight for *this*
or *that* Earth rather than to move along to the next empty planet.
There are mentions of crime at first, but not many; instead, we get
a "room and privacy solve everything" scenario that rings a bit
false for me.

When it comes to fiction reading, I expect – demand! –
characters I can take into my heart, or at the very least
figuratively invite home for a cuppa, whether they are likeable
people or not. The Lancre witches, the various Watchpersons and
denizens of Ankh-Morpork, Johnny Maxwell and his cohorts, Maurice
and the Clan, Mau and Daphne, almost all the characters in Good
Omens... I cared about them all. The characters in The Long Earth,
on the other hand, *should* have engaged me but never did. Creating
characters worth caring about can be done in science fiction. Larry
Niven did it, in his Known Space stories and even more so in his
tales of the Warlock and decline of magic as a natural resource.
Neal Stephenson does it almost all the time. I tried to find a
reason to care about any of the characters in The Long Earth, but
did not succeed, and this lessened my enjoyment of the story.

On a side note, Pratchett readers are already familiar with the
humble potato as an object of power (as seen in The Truth). This
time around, having your potato doesn't help you safely reach the
next life... or no, wait, it does. The easy to assemble Stepper is
strangely personal. Each would-be traveller has to finish assembling
their Stepper with their own hands; otherwise the device will not
work, unless you are one of the small but measurable number of
people who can "Step" without mechanical assistance (again, a teaser
that is not resolved in this first volume). Any sort of potato will
do, apparently – which to this reviewer's mind is itself a
figurative can of worms that could have been addressed or at least
mentioned. For instance, does the freshness of the potato count?
Does it matter if it's cooked? Is it possible to travel to an
alternate Earth with a Stepper powered by, say, a nice hot bag of
chips? Did the authors gather around a pub table at some point
discussing exactly those questions? Enquiring minds want to know,
for after all, science fiction is all about enquiring minds...

Also, I think we finally know who came up with the weird nuns in
Good Omens. That part (weird nuns in The Long Earth) worked, even
though we never actually met the most unusual of them.

In summation:

Is The Long Earth a good book? Certainly! Am I looking forward very,
very eagerly to the next instalment? Definitely! The Long Earth does
disappoint in some crucial areas, but that doesn't change the fact
that, when it comes to hard science fiction – or what-if fiction
– created in collaboration, The Long Earth is as good as it gets.

Final verdict 1: it's not a Discworld novel, but we already knew
that, so don't expect it to be.

Final verdict 2: a very good book that I feel should have been a
great one.

Final final verdict: flawed but compelling, and therefore highly
recommended.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) THE LONG EARTH GUARDIAN REVIEW

By author Adam Roberts:

"The Long Earth reads much more like a Baxter novel than a Pratchett
one. It's not very funny, for one thing – discounting some wry
dialogue and one not-very-successful stab at a comic character...
Instead our hero, Joshua, explores stepwise for a million earths or
so, the whole journey rendered with a characteristically Baxteresque
mix of big-scale imagination and scientific rigour. The resulting
novel is a surprisingly gentle piece of work. Something Wicked, or
at least Something Worrying, is sweeping in from the further reaches
of the long earth, driving frightened steppers before it like
refugees; but it's a long time before we become aware of this, and
not much is made of it. Otherwise human settlement upon the
alternate earths is rural and low-tech (steppers cannot carry iron
with them, for unexplained reasons) and almost entirely free of
crime, rapine and nastiness. Lacking the pressures of overpopulation
and with infinite natural resources to draw on, people just seem to
get along with one another. Indeed, I'm tempted to call The Long
Earth an exercise in utopian writing; an unfashionable mode
nowadays, when grim-and-gritty dystopias rule the publishing roost.
But I, for one, found it extremely refreshing..."

To read the full review, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/c5bmhrg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) OTHER LONG EARTH REVIEWS

On the Tor Books blog:

"It's a lot of ideas, themes, and characters for one book to carry,
and it's impressive that Pratchett and Baxter carry it off so
gracefully... As you'd expect from these authors, the writing is
elegant and witty, peppered with sly pop-culture references. The
worlds of the Long Earth are all richly rendered, and even the walk-
on characters are deftly imagined. Ironically, if any portion of it
doesn't completely succeed, it's Joshua and Lobsang's rambling
journey, during which the reader may become as frustrated as Joshua
does with Lobsang's habit of withholding information to drive the
quest (and thus the plot) forward. The conclusion feels slightly
rushed and not entirely satisfying; the great reveal at the end of
their journey is a little too easily resolved, the questions raised
about the nature of sentience and human intelligence talked through
a little too quickly..."

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/06/the-long-earth-pratchett-baxter


By Kate Padilla at the Daily Reporter:

"On the surface, this book works with a very cool idea. Parallel
universes are a widely-debated and -accepted part of quantum
physics. It's interesting to place characters and plot line in this
theory, to see how these characters will deal with the issues that
will undoubtedly arise.

"I'm told – since I am still new in my knowledge of physics and
science – that in quantum physics, these parallel Earths are
directionless. In a parallel world, I am still me, sitting at work,
but I might be listening to a different song or writing a different
article. But this world is not necessarily east or west of our
Earth, which is what Pratchett and Baxter suggest. Joshua and the
other steppers move west to one Earth, which they call West 1, and
so forth. I can overlook that, simply by ignorance. I can even
overlook the talking vending machine, Lobsang. But I can't overlook
the writing. In reading this book, I got the feeling that Pratchett
and Baxter thought that their readers wouldn't understand the
overarching science behind the book. But instead of using the
characters to slowly unfold the story alongside the science, they
wrote the dialogue to a lower level..."

http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1862909.html


By Karen Sandstrom at Cleveland.com:

"The notion of a parallel universe probably has been around since
humans first set down their spears to sniff daisies and ponder the
sky... So the idea at the center of the collaboration between
British fantasy masters Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter doesn't
exactly smack us on the head with originality. Yet it's the
execution that makes or breaks a novel, and there's a lot to like
about 'The Long Earth'... The collaboration works, especially the
writing... The Long Earth" sets up a fun sandbox of ideas, but does
less well with plot. As Joshua and Lobsang travel, their talks about
the meaning of it all overwhelm the action, which is too episodic
and a little tepid..."

http://tinyurl.com/bv96zh2

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) BLOG REVIEWS OF THE LONG EARTH

It's not been in bookshops for very long, but there are already
numerous reviews out in the blogosphere! Here be a selection...

By Monica at Baltimore Reads:

"What I love most about this book is the writing style. It takes
this quasi string theory idea and makes it as realistic as possible
while still adding in fantasy and adventure. While I can see
elements of the writing that I can say are definitely Terry
Pratchett and elements that are definitely not and thus must be
Stephen Baxter, that is mostly because I have read so much of Terry
Pratchett and know his voice. The two writers voices meld together
almost seamlessly to create an entirely new voice that is perfect
for this novel.

"Like Pratchett's Discworld books, the world created is perfect for
commentary about our own world, and the authors hit on some key
issues such as government economics and hatred of things that are
different (racism, sexism, specie-ism, etc). Unlike Discworld, this
book is less tongue in cheek satire and more of a thought
experiment. Whether this is the effect of Stephen Baxter or just a
more serious side of Terry Pratchett, I enjoyed the result..."

http://tinyurl.com/7vseho5


By the Speculative Scotsman:

"...though at the outset we experience the Long Earth from a variety
of incidental perspectives, these recede into the middle distance
the moment the Mark Twain sets sail. Thereafter the reader is so
removed from it all that this fantastic voyage feels oddly...
normal. Once the initial wonder of The Long Earth wears off, I'm
afraid there's not much more to it than a robot and a boy trading
barbs in a ship in the sky. Not until the Earth-shattering last act,
that is, when Pratchett and Baxter double down on their deeply
appealing premise, revealing — not before time — the infinite
possibilities of The Long Earth as a setting and indeed a series. I
won't give the game away, except to say that there's no going back
now — and how! On the whole, The Long Earth is a little more
frivolous than I might have liked, and the middle section sags to
the point of distraction, but thanks to Baxter the science in solid,
and overall the fiction is fantastic fun — that'll be Pratchett.
Whatever their respective roles, between the pair of them they get
it together when it matters most..."

http://tinyurl.com/87vwk2q


By Chris:

"I really like that the travel between worlds is done with a device
so simple you can build it with parts from Radio Shack and power it
with a potato. I also love that the authors explore the real-world
ramifications of what would happen if people could travel like
this... What I liked less, frankly, was much of the story execution.
The Green family is entirely unsympathetic... I also got a little
bored of the travelogue between Joshua and Lobsang. The
conversations and the various worlds they were visiting were
interesting, but it just kept going and going and going, and the
little cut-aways to what was happening with the Green family or what
was happening back home were more distracting than anything else,
and not always in a useful way. I also found the ending very
abrupt...

"So why the positive review with those complaints? Because while the
conversations do go on and on and on, they ARE interesting, as is
the travel. I also liked the various almost-humans and the possible
dinosaurian civilization that are encountered. I like that some of
the various problems these new worlds create with the old one are
addressed. I also really liked the characters of Joshua and Lobsang,
and Lobsang's very human nature. He seems the most 'Pratchettian'
character. I also liked the general concept overall. It's just
interesting to think that there could be well over two-million
alternate Earths, and possibly a lot more, that are out there, and
of those, ours is the only one with humans. But my favorite part of
the book comes near the very end, when we learn what has been
driving various non-human intelligences 'Westward' over the last few
years. It leads to something which reminded me very heavily of Star
Trek: The Motion Picture, 2001 and various episodes of Doctor Who,
and I mean all of that in the best possible way..."

http://tinyurl.com/7la9krw


By Zoe Oliver:

"I'm not hugely familiar with Stephen Baxter, but this read very
much like it was only somewhere around 10% Pratchett. Only a tiny
slice of his wit seemed to bleed through into what was at times a
very dull read. The Long Earth is a jumpy and disjointed novel,
although I suppose this is implicit in the theme of 'stepping'
between worlds. It's a choppy and often uncomfortable read. I
finished it somewhat unsure as to the target audience, but I'm
around 85% of the opinion that it's aimed at the YA market. That's
how it reads to me, for the most part. The timeline is jumbled and
the main plot feels weak, the other threads aren't enough to support
it and it flounders along, almost embarrassingly in some places.
Everything feels haphazard. There's a really nice concept to the
novel, but the potential wasn't realised at all for me.."

http://tinyurl.com/7vbpuwm


By birthofanewwitch:

"3.5/5 stars – a fun, solid multiverse tale!

"What I liked best about 'Long Earth' was the multiple points of
view and the multiple narrators, and how they were all related to
each other. After 'Step Day' (the first 'step', or travel, into an
Earth/universe other than 'Datum Earth', or the Earth as we know it
in our reality right now), there's a whole bunch of issues that now
face both people and their governments. There's the opportunity for
everyone to start over, and create the utopia for their dreams –
so tons of people are leaving to try to redo human society all over
again. Everyone involved in an important way in Step Day becomes a
narrator, so we get their story, and more details/backstory that's
not included in the general narrative about Step Day and everything
that's happened since then, which was really great. Pratchett and
Baxter do a fantastic job there, and the POV transitions flowed very
naturally, and nowhere did it feel stilted or unnatural.

"What didn't feel so complete were some of the more important
details of the Long Earth (the multiple Earths/universes as a whole)
itself. We're only given a few details – as in, with every big
choice humans have made, yet another Earth has become created. In
the blurb, we're told that the Dinosaur Extinction Event may or may
not have happened on some of these Earths, but in the book, it's not
really talked about all of that much. I didn't need too much more
information, but more than I got in the book, and that jolted me
about out of the world that Pratchett and Baxter created in this
book. So the worldbuilding wasn't airtight..."

http://tinyurl.com/7mpgwdb


By Classic Vasilly, who gave TLE 5/5 despite a few quibbles:

"There's so much for the authors to explain about these different
worlds and the pair do an excellent job with world building...
Pratchett and Baxter go to lengths to illustrate how society might
change if people are able to make new lives elsewhere. In the story,
the poor and those who are no longer willing to be chained to their
careers, leave Datum Earth without a second glance. Their absence
hurts economies and empty cities. The rich find their fortunes
dwindling but are unwilling to start over again in a new world.
Those who are unable to step find themselves in heartbreaking
situations, as they are left behind by family and friends. I thought
the changes in society were believable even though I wanted to know
more about the people who weren't exploring.

"What I didn't like about the book is that for the first 100 pages,
readers are introduced to countless characters. There's just so much
going on. You get attached to one character and the next thing you
know, you're being introduced to another character. There's this
constant back and forth. I almost put the book down for good but I
was curious about where the story was leading to. After the first
100 pages, not as many new characters are being introduced and the
plot picks up..."

http://tinyurl.com/7vqe6mk


By Falcata Times:

"I was really looking forward to this story for quite some time.
After all the last tale that was an amalgamation between Terry and
another (Neil Gaiman) was Good Omens and a real joy to read. What
this tale does is unfurl at an incredibly slow and convoluted pace,
its sadly lacking the magic that either of the authors bring on
their own and sadly feels more like a case of big names selling
rather than a tale of gripping imagination. It's difficult to work
your way through, feels like it has no real twists and sadly lacks
character wise for me as a reader to have anything to hold onto..."

http://tinyurl.com/7qlwuse


By David Hebblethwaite:

"It takes a while for The Long Earth to coalesce, as a number of
plot strands present themselves at the outset, and it's not clear
initially which will be the main focus. But it's quite exhilarating,
first to begin the story at a point where the notion of parallel
worlds and the stepping technology are well established (and, even
though Pratchett and Baxter do fill in the back story, they don't
especially dwell on it), then to have this sense of a raw story
coming together as the pages turn... There's not much humour in the
novel, and what there is – such as the comic-cut biker nun, Sister
Agnes – feels somewhat out of place. But the book's interplay of
fantasy and science fiction is interesting; structurally, the Long
Earth could be seen as a scientific riposte to the traditional
fantasy multiverse...

"The thing is, though, that – almost by definition – this is not
a set-up that lends itself naturally to drama: there's nothing much
for characters to act against , and most problems can be solved
simply by stepping to the next Earth. The novel never manages to
find enough drama to compensate for this..."

http://tinyurl.com/897ve8h


By The Literary Omnivore:

"As fond as I am of science fiction, I'm not really an idea-only
person. Even the dumbest concept can work if the characters work. I
firmly believe that good stories come from good characters. And The
Long Earth is firmly an idea-only novel. Based on a wee bit of
reading I did for this, Baxter is an idea man through and through;
he does hard science fiction. Now, of course, there's nothing bad
about being an idea man if you can deliver on characters and it's
good to have Pratchett, who does characters well, onboard to correct
if need be. But The Long Earth isn't about a cool story; it's about
a cool concept... There's no tension and little set-up. I'll be
honest — I'm tempted to blame Baxter, because I'm more familiar
with Pratchett's writing and I've rarely seen this happen. But I
think this is simply a case of two professionals succumbing to
Worldbuilder's in the worst way..."

http://tinyurl.com/7mrj4kr


By Paula A:

"There were a lot of really cool concepts in this book as well as a
lot of things that didn't feel quite developed enough. The idea of
The Long Earth and the consequences of its discovery is really
awesome. Some immediate consequences were that people were stepping
away from their lives to run away from their problems- one day they
just stepped away from everything and just kept walking into the
unknown. Other people and communities saw it as an attempt to
restart civilization on a random Earth and see if they can do any
better than what is on the Datum. The idea of an infinite number of
Earths was really neat as well- because on each one, things were
slightly different than the one before because evolution took a
slightly different path. But some things didn't feel like they were
wrapped up completely..."

http://tinyurl.com/7afbv3h

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno, it is I, Fernando Magnifico! My friends, the Lady
Anaemia Asterisk is not available this month due to trivets, but do
not be afeared for Fernando shall meet all your astrologicationary
needs!

My friends, if you have been paying the close attention to
Fernando's horoscopes – and who would not? – you will remember
that last month the astrological signs changed, not once but twice.
Well my friends, Fernando warned that there were still stars flying
across the constellations, which have played the havoc with the
lesser astrologers' feeble astrologing. But do not worry about them,
for you have Fernando to look after your needs, and Fernando has the
very nice and accurate star charts and mathematical calculations.

And so it is that yet again Fernando has trumped the lesser
astrologers, for while they are still arguing about last month's
changes to the constellations, Fernando knows that there is another
change. (Fernando is filled with wonder that with a simple mistimed
flap of the flipper, Great A'Tuin can cause so many changes to the
heavens!) Will it be your sign, cara mia? Read on to find out, for
Fernando is the great one for keeping his readers in the suspenders.

My friends, with so many changes to the stars, Fernando can forgive
you if you are feeling the uncertain and perhaps even the concerned.
But do not be concerned, for at a time like this you should remember
those great men and women who carve out their own destiny: the
Heroes. Who can forget Heroes like Cohen the Barbarian, who
conquered the Agatean Empire with nothing more than a small cucumber
and an army of a million invisible vampire ghosts, Hrun the
Chimerian, who fed the Giant Dimedes to his own man-eating Hares,
and Herrena the Henna-Haired Harridan, who broke into the Sultan of
Ymitury's harem and stole the famed Singing Scissors of Cecilly? So
this month, listen to Fernando and the stars tell you which Heroes
you are best suited to emulate or support.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Currant Bun (formerly The Adamant Hedgehog) 21 Mar – 20 Apr

Former Hoggers, Fernando has the molto excitement for you, for your
sign has now shifted to be the Currant Bun! This is good news for
those around you, for the Currant Bun will have a sweetening
influence on your disposition, although Fernando knows that there
are those (such as Fernando's Aunt Peppita) who get the wind from
the currants.

Bunnies, as you who were born under the Sign of the Currant Gun are
known, Heroes are not always the Barbarian. Sometimes the Heroes can
be the civilised person of the city, like Ankh-Morpork's own Captain
Carrot, who is nearly as magnificent as Fernando himself, or Genua's
Lieutenant Courgette, who it is said can kill a man with one blow of
her enormous eyelashes. And so it is that the stars have told
Fernando that the Hero most suited for Bunnies is, ironically, the
mysterious Hedgehog, the costumed crimefighter who strikes fear into
the superstitious criminals of the countryside with his
tranquilliser quills and his protection from being buggered at all.
Fernando is sad to say that, for the time being at least, the stars
do not reveal to us the Hedgehog's secret identity, but trust
Fernando on this, the stars say that we shall be hearing a lot more
about the Quilled Crusader.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich 21 Apr – 21 May

Sandies, your Hero is none other than Captain Morporkia himself, he
with the shield of Retribushium, the wing-ed helmet, and the breast-
plate armour engraved with the dollar signs and Morporkian
hippopotamus There are those unkind souls who say that Captain
Morporkia is not the real-life hero, that he is only the fictional
character published weekly in The Thread magazine, but listen very
carefully to Fernando, for he knows that this is so: the stars say
that it does not matter whether or not Captain Morporkia actually
exists in the real-life flesh and blood, for he is the quintessence
of Ankh-Morpork exemplified. As the philosophers might say, he
represents not just an idea, but an ideal, stronger than the mere
flesh and blood. And that ideal is best summed up by the Captain's
catchphrase "Qui sunt aspicientes ad, punc?" My friends, does this
not inspire you to the ideals of Me Ol' Mam, Knuckle Sandwich and
the Morporkian Way?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Knotted String (formerly Herne the Hunted) 22 May – 21 Jun

Knotties, the stars tell Fernando that your Hero is the famous, even
legendary, Cara Toff, treasure hunter, vanquisher of demons, and
noted lingeringy model for Bu-Bubble magazine. My friends, Fernando
does not like to brag, but he occasionally is the mighty Hero too,
and once Fernando was the molto fortunate enough to work with the
bella donna signorina Toff when she fought the Blithering
Belligerent Bug-beast of Bellerophon. Cara Toff lost her sword in
the battle, and with barely a moment's pause she grabbed Fernando's
mighty weapon out of his hands and was wielding it like the
professional. Fernando will not forget that in the hurry! It was
such a magnificent experience that it brought tears to Fernando's
eyes! With Cara Toff's skilful handling of Fernando's weapon, the
Bug-beast had not a chance and was soon laid low. Ah, if only you
could have seen it my friends, Fernando is not shy and wishes all
his friends had been there to watch!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob 22 Jun – 22 Jul

Staffies, the stars tell Fernando that your Hero is the molto tragic
figure. The story of Doctor Pontefrax "Ponce" Pennant is a terribly
sad story, mia cara, but Fernando knows that it is also one of the
great inspirational stories of our time. Due to a terrible accident
in the Brazeneck University Higher Magic Energy Department, mild-
mannered Doctor Pennant was exposed to a burst of manna rays. It was
a million-to-one chance for him to survive, but so he did –
although not unscathed. Today Doctor Pennant is the Incredible Honk,
and whenever he gets stressed or frightened, he turns into a huge,
furious grey goose who can clear a pub brawl in seconds by flapping
his mighty wings. My friends, you wouldn't like him when he's angry,
but Fernando feels much sorrow for him, for he only wishes to be
left alone with his terrible burden.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers 23 Jul – 23 Aug

Bilians, your Hero, or possibly villain, is the amazing Cider-man,
the mysterious costumed adventurer who gained the proportional
strength and potency of a bottle of scumble after drinking an entire
gallon (well, perhaps spilling most of it) of cider made from apples
grown in Empirical Crescent. My friends, even the stars cannot tell
Fernando if Cider-man is Hero or Threat (or as the recent headlines
on the Inquirer preferred to ask, "Cider-man: Threat or Menace?"),
but either way, it is to him that your devotion to Heroes should go.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose 24 Aug – 23 Sept

Nosers, the Hero you are most suited to be like is a heroine – not
Red Scharron, Jenna the Jungle Queen, not even Mad Lucy, but none
other than ZaZa the Warrior Princess! ZaZa, descendant of the
demigods of ancient Tsort via their less demigodly Agatean branch,
journeys across the continents with her winsome companion Barbie-
Belle on a never-ending quest for adventure, sometimes treading the
jewelled thrones of the Disc under her sandalled feet. And ah, what
lovely sandalled feet they are! Fernando remembers a vino-washed
night in far Farferee when ZaZa allowed him to burnish her sandals
with Hoo Hing's Goaty Goaty Goat Grease, and polished up to well
above ZaZa's lovely knees when Barbie-Belle found them together. My
friends, Fernando will treasure the memory of that black eye
forever.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars 24 Sept – 23 Oct

My friends, many people are surprised to learn that Boring'uns have
a Hero to admire, or emulate. But do not be surprised, mia cara, for
beneath the timid shell of the Boring'un sometimes beats the lion's
heart of the Hero. Or at least the tiny mouse's heart that dreams of
having the lion's heart. My friends, the Hero you are most alike is
the molto famous Boring'un Hero, the great Sokko, the Sorter of
Socks! Whenever there is washing to be done, Sokko is there to
separate the whites from the colours and to use just the right
amount of starch in the shirt collars. Whenever there is a great
tangle of washing, Sokko is there to sort the socks into the pairs,
and then with a great swish of his washing stick, he signs his work
by carving a great S on the nearest wall.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis 24 Oct – 22 Nov

Andies, your Hero is the famous Howondaland Smith, Balgrog Hunter.
My friends, if you are suffering from a plague of Balgrogs,
Howondaland Smith is your man! Fernando knows that there are few
things as annoying as having Balgrogs running around in the ceiling
keeping you awake at night, nibbling at your cheese, widdling in the
soup, and generally making the maledetto nuisance of themselves. But
do not be afeared, my friends, for the stars say you have the
special affinity for Howondaland Smith, and even if he is not
available to hunt the Balgrogs in your ceiling, with a little bit of
effort on your part, you should be able to get the most satisfactory
results!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov – 21 Dec

Spooners, the stars have told Fernando that your Hero is unassuming
secretarial assistant Miss Enith Chumless by day, secret
crimefighter the Brown Budgerigar by night. As the possessor of the
secret martial art of Oi Dong, the Brown Budgerigar's ear-destroying
cry of "oooh, I knowwwwww!!!" can reduce the toughest of evildoers
to quivering jelly. Trust Fernando on this, for he knows it is so.
With her distinctive feathered wig and chicken-skin tights, the
Budgie is known and loved by all, except evildoers, unlicenced
thieves, and secret agents of unfriendly foreign powers. (Although
not as known and loved by all as Fernando, for there is only one
Fernando.) Fernando assures you, my friends, there is no truth to
the cruel rumour that the Brown Budgerigar is nothing more than the
advertising performer for Colonel Dibbler's Genua Fried Pigeon
franchise.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester 22 Dec – 20 Jan

Hokians, your Hero is the great Hero of the Quirmian Revolution, the
Octarine Pumpernickel, whose bravery and selflessness saved dozens
of Quirmian winemakers from Madame Le Guillotine during the Grape
Terror of 1783. My friends, as Fernando may have mentioned once or
twice before, it is well known that the Quirmian vino is the rubbish
compared to the most excellente Brindisian vino, but even so, the
Grape Terror was the terrible thing to do, for without the Quirmian
winemakers, where would we get the paint thinner? As every child now
knows, except perhaps the ones who pay no attention at the schools,
the dandy Sir Perciful Muckney of Ankh-Morpork took on the secret
identify of the Octarine Pumpernickel to spirit away the winemakers
from under the very nose of First Citizen Pantalon de Fantaisie of
the Quirmian Revolutionary Committee for Revolutions. Even as far as
Brindisi we admired the derring-do of the dashing Pumpernickel as he
"cocked a snook" at the Revolution, as they say in Morporkian.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken 21 Jan – 18 Feb

Squawkers, the stars tell Fernando that your Hero is the famous Mr
Ernie Quickie, the fastest handyman in the entire Circle Sea area.
Ernie, or Mr Quickie as he prefers to be called, can fix a sticking
door in under three minutes, or whitewash an average sized
politician in twenty. Ha ha, Fernando is making the little joke! But
it is true my friends that Mr Quickie is amazingly fast, and he only
needs to sleep two hours a night because he sleeps fast as well.
People say, "there's that Ernie, fast asleep again". If he is that
fast asleep, how fast must he be when he is awake? My friends, it is
said that every great Hero has a terrible burden to carry, and they
are all the more great for carrying it. If this is so, then Fernando
can guess what Mr Quickie's burden is, for whenever he rushes past,
Seamstresses laugh behind his back...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hyperopia's Buckle (formerly Lesser Umbrage) 19 Feb – 20 Mar

Bucklers, Fernando has the most excellente news for you, for the
stars say that you have not one, but two Heroes: Mann-Zelaza of
Uberwald, with his clockwork-powered suit of armour, and his crime-
fighting partner, the molto beautiful mercenary Contessa di
Melanzana, a.k.a. the Very Dark Purple Widow. Mann-Zelaza, who is
actually Antimony von Schtarke, the brilliant but wayward heir to
the famous Schtarke Ironmongery dynasty, terrorised the Bad Wurst
district for years with his strange mechanical toys and wild
parties, laying waste to more innocent young ladies than all the
local vampires *and* a noble Dragon combined, until Melanzana
convinced him to use his powers for the good. Now these two heroes
fight iniquity in every land of the Disc, leading the organisation
known as F.I.E.L.D. (Fighting Iniquity in Every Land of the Disc) in
its battle against the Dungeon Dimension Demons, the would-be Dark
Lords, and the supernatural locals who would disturb the peaceful
order of things. Trust Fernando, for this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) CLOSE

And that's our lot for June. So much going on in the Pratchettverse
that WOSSNAME almost needs to be a weekly publication! The quiet
whimpering you hear in the background is your Editor having a
nervous breakdown at that prospect... oh well, enjoy your Midsummer
days and we'll see you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 7, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) DODGER NEWS
04) WINNING DINNER-WITH-PTERRY BID
05) THE LONG EARTH REVIEWS AND NEWS
06) EXCLUSIVE WOSSNAME REVIEW: DODGER!
07) REVIEW: THE WORLD OF POO
08) REVIEW: SNUFF, IN PAPERBACK
09) PRATCHETT, KEEPING CLASSICAL LITERATURE ALIVE
10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
11) RHIANNA PRATCHETT HEADS TOMB RAIDER REBOOT
12) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
14) THE REAL-LIFE DODGER
15) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS: ASTI'S NEXT CLIMB!!!
16) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
17) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
18) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"We've got different but overlapping styles, I'll put it that way.
I'd say what Terry likes to do is characters, situation and stick
them in a room and let them talk and you're off. And you kind of
discover the story that way. With the hard SF I do, what I tend to
do is maps and timelines, and try to get some idea of the universe
I'm going to explore, which changes as you work your way through,
depending on what the story needs."

–Stephen Baxter

"It was rather like doing Good Omens with Neil Gaiman. At the end of
it two guys had written a book. And you probably know the story: we
were going through the proofs and Neil gave a chuckle and said,
"That was a good piece you wrote.' And I said, 'I'm sure it was
written by you.' Occasionally, when we were giving talks, Neil would
pointedly put his jacket on the chair and I'd put my hat on top.
That was the third person we'd created who was actually doing some
of the work."

– Terry Pratchett

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

In last month's final post I commented that there was "so much going
on in the Pratchettverse that WOSSNAME almost needs to be a weekly
publication". This month is hardly less frantic! The Long Earth has
made a splash in so many places – various sorts of splashes, in
fact (and see another extended WOSSNAME-exclusive review in this
issue) – and there's The World of Poo, the first run-ups to the
publication of Dodger (also exclusively reviewed below), assorted
re-releases and paperback releases and news about more than one
member of the Pratchett family. There's hardly room for all the
reports on all the activity...

And speaking of room – room at the inn, please: the peripatetic
Asti, mountaineer, technomancer, and occasional WOSSNAME roving
reporter, managed to get a ticket for next month's sold-out DWCon
thanks to "fiends (note spelling) in low places" but finds herself
with no place to stay. Oh no, we can't be having with that! Asti has
requested that I send out a plea: "Looking for a roomshare at DWCon.
Preferably another woman. Preferably one who is no madder than I
am." Of course that leaves the filed rather wide open, muhahaha, but
if you know anyone who might be able to help, please email her:
astrid (dot) byro (at) gmail.com – you'll be helping an excellent
lady and also helping WOSSNAME in the process!

Asti also has a new charity project of interest; read item 15 in
this issue.

Right, on with the show...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) DODGER NEWS

3.1 THE BLURB AGAIN

...because it's so vivid:

"A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy
lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage in a
vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her
be caught again? Of course not, because he's ... Dodger.

"Seventeen-year-old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he gleans a
living from London's sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one.
He's not about to let anything happen to the unknown girl — not
even if her fate impacts some of the most powerful people in
England.

"From Dodger's encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd to his
meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens and the calculating
politician Benjamin Disraeli, history and fantasy intertwine in a
breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

"Beloved and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett combines high
comedy with deep wisdom in this tale of an unexpected coming-of-age
and one remarkable boy's rise in a complex and fascinating world."

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett/app_323739941043362

The planned release dates:

USA 25th September 2012

UK 13th September 2012


3.2 REMINDER: THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

The first Dodger-related event is gearing up! Topping & Company
Booksellers of Ely will be hosting an event, along with Sir Pterry
of course:

"We are delighted to announce that best-selling author Sir Terry
Pratchett will be coming to Ely to celebrate the publication of
Dodger, his new novel. This is a rare opportunity to hear Sir Terry
talking about Dodger, a tale of skulduggery and dark deeds set in
London, in the magical atmosphere of  Ely Cathedral. There will be a
very strictly limited opportunity for 100 ticket holders (chosen at
the event) to meet Sir Terry on the night; for everyone else, copies
of Dodger marked with a stamp designed uniquely for this event will
be available, allowing everyone the chance to have a copy linked to
this landmark evening."

When: Monday 17th September
Venue: Ely Cathedral, CB7 4DL
Time: Doors open at 6:45pm
Tickets: £10 for adults and £5 for children, with the price of
each ticket redeemable against a copy of Dodger on the evening (one
ticket redeemable per book).

Topping & Company Booksellers of Ely
9 High Street, Ely, Cambs CB7 4LJ
Telephone: (01353) 645005
Email: ely@...
Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 8.45am - 6pm
Sunday: 9.30am - 6pm.

http://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/sir-terry-pratchett/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) THE WINNING DINNER BID

Remember this item from last month's second post?

"Meet the legendary author Sir Terry Pratchett and pick his brains
over dinner for two at an exclusive Private Member's Club in London.
You'll also receive a signed copy of his latest book. (Please note:
dinner will be on Sir Terry, but travel and accommodation is not
included. Mutually convenient time and date will be worked out once
bidding closes.)"

Well. Bidding ended on 4th July, and the winning bid was a very
impressive £2,750.00! Pterry's reaction, via Twitter:

"OMG this – http://r.ebay.com/HuQBQL – scares us. Happy bidding!
And I suppose we better go somewhere really nice now."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) THE LONG EARTH: REVIEWS AND NEWS

5.1 Reviewed for WOSSNAME by our resident Science fiction expert
and sometime Relief Editor, Steven D'Aprano:

In the spirit of "The Carpet People", which Terry Pratchett
describes as having "had two authors, and they were both the same
person", this book review will have two reviewers – who are also
the same person.

Twenty years ago, in 1992 (coincidentally when "The Carpet People"
was re-published), I would have adored "The Long Earth" if only it
had existed. "The Long Earth" (TLE) is an Idea book: the story, at
least so far, exists to give the authors an excuse to explore a Big
Idea, "what if there are millions of parallel realities, and anyone
can just step out of this world into the next Earth?". And it is
exactly the sort of idea which appealed to younger-me: alternate
universes filled with unspoiled wilderness, hardy explorers going
off to explore the multiverse, a handful of mysterious alien beings,
an enormous superorganism like something straight out of the novels
of Olaf Stapleton or Brian Stableford, and homesteaders trekking off
across the multiverse to find a home like some sort of slow-motion
land rush. Great fun. Idea science fiction is often about exploring
the milieu it is set in, and the Long Earth is quite possibly the
biggest milieu ever: bigger than Great A'Tuin, bigger than Larry
Niven's Ringworld, bigger than Dyson Spheres, and possibly even
bigger than Greg Bear's Eon.

The me of then loves TLE, and I look forward to reading the sequels
to find out more about the multiverse and the adventures of the
people exploring and colonising the Earths. I can't wait to find out
more about the various aliens in the long earth (are they actually
*alien* if they come from Earth?), as we're only given a few hints
about their nature.

(Actually, when I say "sequels" I am being polite. TLE reads like
the first act in a three-part story, not a complete story in itself,
and even ends on a cliff-hanger. So a more accurate way of putting
this is that I'm incredibly frustrated to have to wait another 12 or
24 months to find out the next chapter in the story and perhaps get
some answers to the questions which have been asked so far, but such
is the way of so much modern fiction, alas. I'm told that people
like this sort of thing. Or at least publishers.)

If the me of then loves TLE, the me of now is a little more
ambivalent. As I've gotten older, I find it harder to care about Big
Ideas for their own sake, and more about the consequences for the
people in the stories. And unfortunately, TLE lets me down on that
regard. The characters are, well, interesting enough in their own
way, but none of them made me care like Sam Vimes, Granny
Weatherwax, or especially not Mau and Daphne of "Nation" do. Joshua
feels distant – not aloof and arrogant like Susan Sto Helit, or
impersonal like Vetinari, but just... distant. Lobsang doesn't feel
convincing as either a human reincarnated in a computer or as a
sentient computer. And while we hear about the social consequences
of Stepping, we never quite *see* the consequences, which makes the
whole thing feel rather remote.

I would have loved to have seen more of the Green Family as they
travel across the multiple Earths, but we only get a few glimpses
into their story – just enough to hint at their lives, not enough
to paint a rich picture of the characters as fully-fleshed-out
people. And they would make a fascinating story: apparently
successful middle-class parents who abandon one child, and take off
with another, into an unknown wilderness far from convenience stores
and hospitals, apparently out of a sense of ennui. Just their story
alone would make a novel, but a few sparse diary entries don't do it
justice. These are secondary characters though, and although we get
to see a few glimpses of Pratchett's excellence in writing strong
children, we don't see enough of them to matter. We can but hope
that the sequels will show us much more of these real people.

Even though Pratchett gets top billing, this does not feel like a
Pratchett book, unless it is one of his early attempts at science
fiction like "Strata" and "The Dark Side of the Sun". And not much
like either of those either! TLE is less of a parody than
Pratchett's early fiction. But it doesn't display Pratchett's
trademark humour, and nor does it show his usual fine
characterisation and insight into people. Pratchett's previous
collaboration, "Good Omens" with Neil Gaiman, reads like a Pratchett
book – even though Gaiman did half the work, the style is out-and-
out Pterry. But here, Pratchett's style is muted, and while we may
never know for sure, this feels to me like "story by Stephen Baxter,
based on a concept by Terry Pratchett". As somewhat of a Pratchett-
snob, I hope that people won't read this as damning with faint
praise when I say this is a good Stephen Baxter book. For those who
love Baxter's writing – and why not? – this is not a bad thing.
But if you are coming to TLE to read a Pratchett book, you may find
something different from what you were expecting. Different, and for
my own personal tastes, not as good. Although I think Baxter's usual
work is competently done, his work doesn't touch me like Pratchett
does.

The end result is that I found that reading TLE was not like reading
a Terry Pratchett novel, even if his name was on the cover. Instead,
it was like a return to the fiction I loved 20 years ago but can't
quite get enthusiastic about now. It is a good, fine piece of work,
in its own way, and while I have criticisms, they're not major
enough to spoil the story. But two in particular are niggling to the
point of distraction, right clangers to a author of the skill of
Terry Pratchett. Right at the start, TLE introduces us to a minor
but significant character, a British World War I soldier who
accidentally Steps into a parallel earth. Why, oh why, is he given
the *exact* same name as the Scarlett Pimpernel? From the moment we
learned Private Percy's full name, I was waiting for the other shoe
to drop. This isn't just a Chekhov's Gun that never gets fired, but
Chekhov's Howitzer, almost as big a distraction as if he had been
called "Harry Potter" or "Luke Skywalker".

And what's with the potato in the Stepper devices? It is too silly a
concept to be taken seriously in hard science fiction. If the
Stepper device requires some electricity to operate, it won't matter
if it comes from a potato or a nuclear power station, electricity is
electricity. It belongs in a parody as a gag, like the cheese drive
of Harry Harrison's "Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers", not in a
book that is intended to be read straight. If it's a shout-out to
the Discworld to remind us that Terry Pratchett was one of the
authors ("potatoes are funny, right? Rincewind is obsessed with
them, and there's that weird religion with potatoes") it fails
because it is more distracting than clever. If it is meant as a
joke, we were never given the punchline.

Like most milieu stories and hard science fiction, the major
weakness of TLE is that the landscape is so big it overshadows the
people in it. And that's a disappointment because Pratchett is
*astonishingly good* at setting real living and breathing people you
can care about in a powerful milieu without letting them get
overshadowed. When the witches cross gnarly ground in "Carpe
Jugulum", it's important because of the witches, not because of the
gnarly ground. There's a big fanbase for this kind of idea-driven
hard SF story with weak characters, and the me of twenty years ago
was one of them, but I've moved on. And so I give TLE a respectable
B. The me of twenty years ago wants to give it a better mark, but I
shall not be swayed – he doesn't know as much as me, so his vote
counts less. Well, okay, we'll make it a B+. This is nothing to be
ashamed of, and much, much better than so much of the science
fiction in my collection, some of which made me cringe even back
then. But Sir Terry has spoilt me, and I hoped for, nay, expected,
nothing less than an A+ from his work. So in that sense, TLE is less
than I had expected, even if it is better than most.

Overall, I'm not sorry I read this book. Despite its flaws, it was
an enjoyable, competent, well-written science fiction novel with a
truly fascinating idea. If the characters don't make you love them,
at least they don't make you despise them, and they get the job
done. The book is readable and entertaining if not gripping. I
keenly look forward to the continuation of the story and finding out
more about the multiverse of the Long Earth, and hope that the next
novel will have more of Pratchett's deft touch.


5.2 Reviewed by David Barnett in The Independent:

"Terry Pratchett has, of course, mainstream cachet, thanks to the
phenomenal success of his Discworld comic-fantasy novels and his
battle with Alzheimer's. Stephen Baxter, while not quite the same
household name, is one of Britain's leading science-fiction writers.
Baxter excels at high-concept 'hard SF', while Pratchett is more of
a character man with a finely tuned ear for dialogue, and it's this
blend of talents that makes The Long Earth such a triumph... The
Long Earth harkens back to the old SF of the Fifties and Sixties,
which revelled in the delight of discovering new worlds. But
Pratchett and Baxter have essentially democratised space
exploration, taking the joy of finding new Edens out of the hands of
rocket-owning millionaires and governments and giving it to the
masses. This is an accessible, fun and thoughtful SF novel that
offers the potential for a multitude of stories..."

http://tinyurl.com/6tz2qxd


5.3 Reviewed by Rowan Kaiser for the Onion AV Club:

"For Pratchett, well known for the comedic fantasy of the Discworld
series, it's an interesting late-career switch. There are some
recognizable Pratchett linguistic flourishes — one recycled joke
describes the protagonist as the sort of person who 'commences'
instead of just starting — but the book is largely dramatic over
comedic. Baxter usually writes hard science fiction, like The Time
Ships and the Time Odyssey series he co-wrote with 2001 author
Arthur C. Clarke. This collaboration doesn't contain the outright
silliness or wild far-future extrapolations of the authors' other
works, but it does have Pratchett's compelling characterization and
Baxter's fascinating ideas... The Long Earth also features interlude
chapters from side characters, adding further depth to the world by
depicting how humanity has reacted to having an infinite number of
worlds instead of one overcrowded one, as well as the new economic
and social tensions between those who can Step easily and those who
can't do it at all. The story is filled with dozens of huge
philosophical, scientific, and social questions, but it ends up
short on answers. It lacks a strong plot, and asks, 'What does it
all mean?' and 'What's going to happen to humanity?' several times
over its course, then ends with a promise of sequels. That promise
is welcome, but The Long Earth suffers slightly from its own
overpacked potential..."

http://tinyurl.com/ckgpock


5.4 VIDEO INTERVIEW

In The Guardian, both authors interviewed by Alison Flood:

http://tinyurl.com/czqdkqe


5.5 SFX MAGAZINE'S PRATCHETT AND BAXTER INTERVIEW

"'It's like working with Tommy Cooper,' says Stephen Baxter. 'You've
got to make the guys laugh,' protests Pratchett. In truth, Morecambe
and Wise is closer to the mark. While Pratchett is ever prone to
flights of fancy, Baxter plays the straight guy to perfection,
manfully trying to answer questions about a collaborative SF novel
that imagines what might happen if people were suddenly able to step
from our version of the planet to endless parallel Earths, but also
finding time for deadpan gags of his own. It's a terrifically
entertaining double act to witness at first hand, a glimpse, you'd
guess, of their working dynamic. This, after all, is a duo who can
happily bicker over whether unk! or clop! comes closest to
describing the noise a large predatory fish makes as it closes its
mouth, only to segue to an idea so good that it urgently needs
writing down for their next novel together. 'Can I have a piece of
paper?' says Baxter, and SFX apologetically resorts to ripping a
ratty-looking sheet from a notebook..."

To read the full entertaining interview, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/c5xjmzl


5.6 TLE audiobook, reviewed in Blogcritics by Colin Corlett:

"One way to tell how well the story is written is to look at how
quickly you start to believe the world in which it is set.
Sometimes, as with werewolves, this can take a little getting used
to. For The Long Earth I found the early chapters a little stilted.
It wasn't always clear what exactly was going on and where we were
going. However once the foundations were laid we were up and running
across the multiple or parallel worlds. You don't get funny alien
names, just normal ones like Joshua, Sally and Lobsang. Well maybe
Lobsang is unusual but it works as a name for a computer... The
reader does a good job with the various voices. He is consistent
across the characters and manages to cope with some of the more
unorthodox people. Looking back on the story I can't help but
think that this is what sci-fi used to be about. Bringing a sense of
wonder to the reader. Challenging their conceptions of the world
without necessarily embracing intergalactic wars, alien monsters or
just too much testosterone..."

http://tinyurl.com/d53qnl6

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) A TOSHEROON IN A WORLD OF MUDDY FARTHINGS

Dodger Reviewed, with Several Footnotes

by Annie Mac

Terry Pratchett has done it again. He made me cry, in the best
possible way, with Nation; now, with Dodger, it's action replay
time. And what wonderful action!

As you may already know, Dodger is the story of a street survivor, a
sewer-diver ("tosher") who interrupts a possible "'orrible murder"
in progress and then finds himself caught up in all manner of
intrigue amongst high and low society during the reign of young
Victoria. It takes place in a London many of us will recognise and
features a number of people from real-life history, as well as some
oh-so-famous fictional creations of that era as reimagined by one of
the great writers of our own time. The author refers to Dodger, in
his afterword, as "historical fantasy". That's a lovely description,
and an apt one.

As the book won't be published for a couple of months yet, I can't
do spoilage beyond what's already been "officially" done, so all I
can say is that it is on a par with Nation for brilliance of
wordcraft and storytelling, that it absolutely sparkles with the
love that so obviously went into it, and that any witty and
beautifully crafted novel that includes Dickens, Disraeli,
Bazalgette, and anti-poverty crusaders Henry Mayhew and Angela
Coutts among its major characters totally gets my vote –
especially as over the past year I've read quite a lot of recently-
unearthed or re-examined nineteenth-century history and the real
historical personages are as fresh in my mind as, well, a newly-
constructed richard. As for readers who *aren't* well-versed in
British history of that period when Albert was a living, breathing
Royal consort rather than a garish memorial, London air was thick
enough to eat with a spoon, and the dangers that lurked in every
dark alley were less lethal than the dangers that lurked in every
cup of municipal pump water, rest assured that you will be equally
captivated. See, I once knew a man who, being barely literate and
culturally disadvantaged despite a high degree of basic
intelligence, taught himself to read using Mort, Soul Music, and the
Lancre Witches trilogy. Most of the cultural references flew right
over his head, but he got as least as much pleasure from the stories
themselves and the quality of the writing as any of us Better
Educated Readers(TM) did[1], and I would say the same for Dodger in
terms of story and writing shining through.

Dodger is a wonderful work. A rollicking entertainment. A marvellous
story of "boy meets girl on a dark and stormy night" that takes the
reader to unexpected places. From the appropriately Bulwer-
Lyttonesque feel of the opening paragraphs[2] and the viscerality of
the attack in the dark and the mysterious rescuers, I was hooked.
Enthralled. All that sorta fing, know wot I mean?[3]

I only wish I had the ability to decorate this review with
appropriate Victorian-style poster graphics in the style of, say,
Wondermark, with elaborate arrows and tiny pointing hands and the
like. But as I don't, you'll have to imagine them yourselves. Here
we go:

You Will GASP in ASTONISHMENT at the Secrets Of The Toshers!

You Will NOD and WINK At The Power Of Semi-honest Journalism!

You Will SHUDDER at the Cruel Machinations of International
Politics!

You Will SMILE KNOWINGLY at the Revealed Wisdom Of The Ancients![4]

You Will GIGGLE at A Young Man's Clever Hi-jinks and DELIGHT in Acts
Of Accidental And Intentional Heroism!

You Will THRILL to Exciting Chases Through London's Underworld!

You Will Be AMAZED at the Instructional Voyage of A Famous Waste
System Saviour!

I could go on and on, but you get the idea...

Without engaging in spoilage, I can't go into more detail about the
story and themes of Dodger, but I can and will say that after the
relative dryness and emotional distance of The Long Earth, Pratchett
is back to his scintillating best when it comes to bringing
characters and milieu to life. Consider this typical example, from
page 198 (advance edition), where Dodger contemplates the social
ethos of London's bath-houses:

"Dodger was aware that in some of those places the water that the
nobs had bathed in ended up in the baths habituated by what you
might call the middle classes, travelling afterwards to the great
bath for the lower classes, where at least it arrived soapy which if
you took the cheerful view meant a saving. Even though you might
never sit down at a table with mayors and knights and barons, at
least you could share their bath, which made you proud to be a
Londoner."

and this brief passage (same page), so acute and accurate that one
can smell, feel and even taste what's described:

"The rain was falling faster now, rain that was undeniably London
rain, already grubby before it hit the ground, putting back on the
streets what had been taken away by the chimneys. It tasted like
licking a dirty penny."

Descriptive writing and stealth philosophy don't get better than
that.

In conclusion, I will say that Dodger, while powerfully affecting,
doesn't quite have the sheer wrenching emotional gut-punch of
Nation; but then Nation is a deceptively huge story of entire
peoples and cultures in conflict (and resolving those conflicts),
while Dodger is a delicious romp that will nonetheless make you cry
when you least expect it.

Dodger: it's a diamond. It's a beautiful piece of art that will run
and run and run. Damn, that man can write.


*

[1] Reader, I married him. Seriously.

[2] I mean that in a complimentary way; far too few people realise
what a good and influential popular writer Bulwer-Lytton was in his
day.

[3] No, that's not how Victorian Londoners talk in Dodger. It is,
however, a general Sarf Lundun/Mockney/Gaspode, and as a former
longtime south-of-the-Thames resident I find that when any
believable London is evoked my brain goes into that accent and
dialect mode.

[4] Including 4,000 years of food safety procedures. And what the
Romans did for us.


*

Editor's note: for those of you unacquainted with the webcomic known
as Wondermark, you might want to have a shufti here:

http://www.wondermark.com/

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07) REVIEW: THE WORLD OF POO

In the Worcester News, by Natalie Bowen:

"Terry Pratchett's hugely successful Discworld series has spawned
a number of spin-offs, and there are many references to established
characters. But grown-up fans, their young children and first-timers
should all enjoy this scatological addition, which is filled with
puns and snippets of unexpectedly fascinating information..."

http://tinyurl.com/d94yddc

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08) SNUFF PAPERBACK REVIEW

By Brandon Robshaw

"Terry Pratchett's Alzheimer's has not yet significantly eroded his
creative capacities, for which we must be thankful. This exhibits
all the humour and inventiveness of his previous 38 Discworld
novels... It's full of comic periphrasis and facetiously archaic
words ("aforesaid", "endeavour"); characters have an annoying
tendency to speechify and the running gags don't so much run as
periodically wallop you over the head. The characters seem to be
composites drawn from stock – Vimes's butler Willikins has a
distinct air of Campion's butler Lugg in Margery Allingham's
detective stories, though at times his diction seems to owe
something to Jeeves. There's also a sharp-eyed lady writer who is a
Discworld version of Jane Austen, and a cameo from Wee Mad Arthur
Nac Mac Feegle, the violent drunken six-inch Scottish gnome. It's
not my cup of tea I'm afraid, but it's well-plotted, eminently
readable and Pratchett's heart is clearly in the right place..."

http://tinyurl.com/729boer

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09) PRATCHETT, KEEPING CLASSICAL LITERATURE ALIVE

An online essay by Imke Stevens:

"In Adaptation and Appropriation Julie Sanders mentions John
Ellis' opinion that adaptations can prolong pleasure connected to
memory, in other words, adaptations extend the pleasure of the
original but also of the adaptation because of the link between the
two. In Pratchett's work this is actually the case. The reader
remembers the original that is played at in the novel, and derives
pleasure from that, and the reader's appreciation of the novel
itself is heightened through the reader's ability to make the
connection to the original work... The goal of any adaptation is to
ultimately re-tell the original story and, where possible, highlight
pieces and give them a new or a deeper meaning. In Witches Abroad
Pratchett does not re-tell every fairytale, he gives the reader
those snippets of information necessary for identifying the
fairytale that is playing a part.... The English literary canon is
famous, but when people stop reading it out of fear for dullness or
complexity than it is doomed to become forgotten and the only
knowledge of its fame will be in name. Terry Pratchett tries to keep
this canon alive by adapting it into his Discworld series. The
parody in his novels serves to give him the possibility to comment
critically on various fairytales and other works of literacy and by
doing so keeps those fairytales alive in the minds of the
readers..."

http://tinyurl.com/cl5sz76

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10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

10.1 GUARDS! GUARDS! NEWS

To celebrate DWCON 2012, Backspindle Games are running a very
special competition:

"The top prize is a 1st edition copy of Guards! Guards! A Discworld
boardgame, which contains one of only five signed certificates by
Sir Terry Pratchett decorated with a beautiful Discworld hologram.
Second prize is one of our sought after black hoodies and third
prize is one of our much loved t-shirts. The final prize will be a
complete set of the four special edition bookmarks normally only
donated to Discworld charity auctions.

"What do you have to do? Help us reach our target of 1500 likes for
our page and we will randomly draw four winners from all of our
likes. The sooner you spread the word with your Discworld friends
the sooner we will have winners. Good luck everyone!"

http://www.facebook.com/guardsguards


Guards!Guards! co-creator David Brashaw writes to WOSSNAME:

"Over the last four months we (Leonard & I) took Guards! Guards! A
Discworld boardgame to the UK Games Expo, Q-Con and local gaming
clubs. At each we tried the revised rules for the 2012 reprint. In
summary these are: The Luggage interacts with the Dragons, players
can purchase attribute points and it is easier to succeed in the
final Wizard's challenge.

"The response everywhere..everyone loved it, even more than
before...especially 'The Luggage'. We reviewed all of the fantastic
comments and FAQs by fans about the first edition and where possible
included then in the restructured rule book. We may be slightly
biased, but we think it's much better. It even has a 'What a player
can do on their turn guide'. Fans can pre-order the 2012 revised
edition at www.guardsguards.com

"For those fans who purchased the first edition, we will be making a
pdf version of the revised rules available on free download from our
website around the beginning of September.

"We hope to have copies for sale at DWCon 2012 (_www.dwcon.org_)
where we will also be demoing games and running two games of the
'live run-around the Convention' version of Guards! Guards! much
enjoyed at the Irish Discworld Convention (_www.idwcon.org_). We
also hope to have copies available at the international board game
convention Essen, in October:
(_www.merz-verlag.com/spiel/e000.php4_)."


10.2 ANKH-MORPORK NEWS

It's goodbye from them, but hopefully not forever... Martin Wallace
and his household are moving to Middle Ea–, erm, New Zealand, so
Treefrog Games will no longer be dealing with direct sales. If you
want to buy the Ankh-Morpork game you will have to go to a games
retailer and hope it's still in stock.

From the Treefrog website:

"We have now closed the warehouse but we have some stock back at the
house, so sales will continue until stock runs out – which in some
cases will not be long.

"Starting with Age of Industry we have changed the production model
for our games. From now on we intend to produce a 1000 copy limited
edition and additional copies of the standard edition. The limited
edition will differ from the standard version in that it will be
numbered and signed by Martin and will include some additional
components that will replace the components in the standard version.

"The limited edition will only be available direct from Treefrog and
once the limited edition is sold out that is it. The standard
version will be available through normal retail channels and when the
limited edition is sold out the standard version will be available
from us."

Remaining available games at time of post include Ankh-Morpork, Old
Men Of The Forest, Age of Industry Expansion 1, London, and Age of
Industry. For any queries email julia@...

http://www.treefroggames.com/collectors-edition

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11) RHIANNA PRATCHETT TO WRITE TOMB RAIDER REBOOT

Warp Zoned:

"The gay tortoise-owning, tea-loving, goddess of game writing that
is Rhianna Pratchett was revealed by Crystal Dynamics to be the lead
writer of their Tomb Raider reboot. The game scribe has had a hand
in crafting the stories for several well-regarded games in the past
including Heavenly Sword and cult classic Mirror's Edge. 'I grew up
playing Tomb Raider, uncovering the world's secrets and unearthing
its treasures; I have lived and died as Lara Croft, but nothing
comes close to the challenge of re-writing her,' Pratchett said.
'Seldom do we get the opportunity to reimagine and reinvent a
legend, so getting my narrative hands on Miss Croft was a once-in-a
-life-time opportunity. It was going back to the genesis of video
game action heroines and exploring how to make such an iconic
character meaningful and relatable for gamers today.'

"The announcement was made during this past weekend's San Diego
Comic-Con, where Pratchett appeared at the Tomb Raider panel
alongside the new voice of Lara Croft, Camille Luddington, creative
director Noah Hughes, global brand director Karl Stewart and
narrative designer John Stafford. Creativity certainly runs in the
Pratchett family..."

http://tinyurl.com/d5fgacq


The official Tomb Raider blog:

"'Rhianna has been working on the game with the narrative from its
early inception,' said head of studio Darrell Gallagher. 'She has
brought a unique perspective to the project and helped us explore
the character origins of Lara Croft. There is no doubt that Rhianna
has brought a depth and credibility to Lara, a heroine who will
really connect with today's gamers.' English-born Pratchett began
her career in the industry as a games journalist. Eventually she
shifted focus to creating narratives for games themselves..."

http://tinyurl.com/768sxe2


Computer and Video Games:

"Mirror's Edge, Heavenly Sword and Overlord scribe Rhianna Pratchett
has been revealed as the lead writer of Square Enix's Tomb Raider
reboot... According to Darrell Gallagher, studio head at Tomb Raider
dev Crystal Dynamics, Pratchett has been involved with the retelling
of Lara's origin from an early stage... Earlier this month,
Californication and True Blood actress Camilla Luddington was
revealed as the new face of Lara Croft."

http://tinyurl.com/d7c445k


New Game Network:

"Crystal Dynamics, a Square Enix studio, today announced games
writer Rhianna Pratchett is the lead writer of Tomb Raider. English-
born Pratchett has been writing for and about videogames for over 12
years. In 2007 her work on Heavenly Sword was nominated for a BAFTA
and a year later she won a Writers' Guild of Great Britain 'Best
Videogame Script' award for Overlord. Alongside writing for
videogames, she has also authored the 6-part Mirror's Edge
miniseries with DC Comics... Tomb Raider is the next title in the
icon series that is set to reboot the franchise with an origins
story..."

"Crystal Dynamics has announced that Tomb Raider will not make its
launch window of Fall 2012, and will come out in 2013 instead.
Darrell Gallagher, Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics explained:
'Our priority now is to make sure we fully deliver the very highest
quality game. In order to do this, we have decided to move the
game's release date by a few months, from Fall 2012 to the first
quarter of 2013. We're doing things that are completely new to Tomb
Raider in this game and the additional development time will allow
us to put the finishing touches into the game and polish it to a
level that fans deserve,' he added..."

http://tinyurl.com/785b9wp
and http://tinyurl.com/cdgb8x5


And furthermore...

Apparently there is a huge "controversy" (note ironic quote marks)
about the Tomb Raider reboot since Ms Pratchett and the male Tomb
Raider head honchos were interviewed, and showed one scene from the
forthcoming game, at Comicon the other weekend. Here's Steve
Farrelly at AusGamers:

"The furore that erupted post-E3 from Tomb Raider saw a lot of
misinformed blogging and blaming being thrown around, specifically
regarding what was commonly referred to as the 'attempted rape'
scene, and quite specifically from a lot of female or feminist
bloggers/writers up in arms over the sequence. 'Lazy',
'misogynistic' and 'male' were part of the problem, you see. At
least in the assumption that Lara's origin tale was being written by
a man, or men, and that males have no idea how to run a female
protagonist through her paces, or how to offer her real challenges,
and thus simply threw her into a scenario we all assume is tough to
deal with, but lazy to explore. Today all of that can be put to rest
though, as Square Enix has revealed that Lara's origin scribe is in
fact a woman, and one heck of an established writer at that..."

http://tinyurl.com/7m9p28o

...and Games blogger Becky Chambers, who addresses it intelligently
(unlike so many others) on themarysue.com:

"What would I have thought about Pratchett if I'd heard about her
before the controversy? Probably something like this: 'Tomb Raider
has a woman as its lead writer. That's noteworthy, because Lara
Croft has historically been written from and for a male perspective,
and because we don't often hear about women in the gaming
industry. I'm interested to see how the narrative in this game
plays out.'

"And here's what I think about her now: 'Tomb Raider has a woman as
its lead writer. That's noteworthy, because Lara Croft has
historically been written from and for a male perspective, and
because we don't often hear about women in the gaming industry.
I'm interested to see how the narrative in this game plays out.'

"How I feel about the Tomb Raider controversy has nothing to do with
Pratchett's writing for this game. That's an unknown quantity at
this point. To preemptively judge her work by the ill-advised
comments of others or by a PR move would be unfair. We can talk
about those things, but we should do so separately. So, what do I
think about Rhianna Pratchett as the lead writer for Tomb Raider?
I'll get back to you in March."

http://tinyurl.com/d75gcue

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12) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

12.1 CARPE JUGULUM IN GERMANY

Die Dramateure will present their production of Carpe Jugulum next
month.

When: Friday 17th and Saturday 18th August 2012
Venue: Hohe Landesschule, Alter Ruckinger Weg 53, 63456, Hanau,
Germany
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: 6 EUR

All proceeds will be donated to the Orangutan Foundation.


12.2 REMINDER: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN MINNESOTA

The Historic Mounds Theatre continue to present Pratchett plays,
hurrah! After May's production of Amazing Maurice, next up is
Guards! Guards! in September.

When: September 7th-23rd, Fridays through Sundays
Venue: The Historic Mounds Theatre, 1029 Hudson Road, Saint Paul, MN
55106

No information on tickets and times yet, but their website is here:

http://www.moundstheatre.org/


12.3 REMINDER: LORDS AND LADIES IN PETERSFIELD

"Three theatre groups and a production crew from Petersfield have
united under one banner to produce a play for the Queen's Jubilee
next year. Winton Players, Petersfield Theatre Group, Lion and
Unicorn Players and the Green A Team have come together to form the
Petersfield Performing Arts Federation. The union planned to perform
fantasy author Terry Pratchett's 'Lords and Ladies' at St Peter's
Church in September 2012. Federation spokesman Phill Humphries said:
'This is important to us because we want this to be a real community
production. We will be holding open auditions in January 2012 for
anyone who is interested in any aspect of bring this production to
the stage. You do not need experience – just enthusiasm and an
open mind.'

Anyone who wishes to find out more should e-mail:

pghumphries@...

http://tinyurl.com/6s463wv


12.4 REMINDER: GOOD OMENS IN GLASGOW, 2013

Glasgow's Cult Classic Theatre (motto: "We do the weird stuff") has
received permission to present Good Omens in March 2013. Having
already successfully tackled Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, The
Man in the Iron Mask, and other tough nuts, the wonderfully
enthusiastic Amy Hoff, who will be directing her own adaptation of
the book, says, "We're really looking forward to it – it's going
to be a fairly large undertaking [and] we are all very excited."

The performances are set for 20th-23rd March 2013 and 27th-30th
March 2013 at Cottiers Theatre, a charming theatre-and-restaurant
venue in a converted church. But before that, Cult Classic Theatre
is holding auditions for the play.

Auditions will be held October 1st & 2nd, 7 pm at Cottiers Theatre,
93-95 Hyndland Street, Glasgow. For those of you up Caledonia way
then, do come along; you might even meet the Pineguin...

http://www.cottiers.com/

Have a look at previous productions on their website:

www.cultclassic.org


12.5 REVIEW: MORT IN TORONTO

The Socratic Theatre Collective's 2012 Toronto Fringe production of
Mort, reviewed by Samantha Wu:

"This site-specific show (University College Quadrangle) adds
atmosphere to the show, situated outside surrounded by the old world
picturesque buildings of the University of Toronto. And yes you are
outside for the duration of this 90 minute show, keep that in mind
to bring a blanket or a lawn chair, water, snacks if you wish, and
sunglasses. The performance plays out around you so you'll have to
turn around to catch all the action. I suggest standing and walking
around to get a closer view. Being outdoors means sound can travel
and it may be hard to hear all the dialogue unless you get closer.
Just be mindful of other people and cast members who may need to
walk through the crowd. There are laughs to be had throughout the
show, even if it's just a chuckle here and there. The acting is
superb. Cheers to Basel Daoud who delivers Death with such deadpan
(excuse the pun) humor and an almost stoic confusion when he tries
to understand humans' preoccupation with 'fun'. And more praise to
Dave Heppenstall as his Mort really is endearing, dorky, lovable
and you can't help but feel for him throughout his disastrous
ordeal..."

http://tinyurl.com/cruxsck

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

13.1 NADWCON 2013 UPDATES

Booking a room at the NADWCon 2013 hotel: you can now book your room
at the convention hotel, the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront:

http://www.nadwcon.org/signup/hotel/book-your-room

More hotel information and photos can be found here:

http://www.nadwcon.org/signup/hotel


13.2 SADWCON NEWS

The Feegles have landed! In fact, The Feegles Have Landed! –
because, with appropriate capitalisation, that's the name of next
month's SADWCON 2014 pre-event. With only 150 places available, this
promises to be a small but enthusiastic event (like the previous
Event, which was very classy indeed). TFHL will feature a costume
parade, a Bloody Stupid Johnson workshop. a Discworld pub quiz, an
auction "with many goodies", and a chance to win a signed proof of
The Long Earth. WOSSNAME wishes Laura and the SADWCON team every
success on their way to South Africa's first-ever Discworld
convention!

When: 25th August 2012
Venue: St George's Grammar School, Mowbray, Cape Town, South
Africa
Time: 10am
Tickets: R150

For more information and to register, go to:

http://sadwcon.org


13.3 DWCON NEWS

"Good news! The guys at Backspindle Games have just confirmed they
should have a few copies of the 2012 reprint of Guards! Guards! A
Discworld boardgame for demoing and on sale at DWCon next month. The
revised rules, especially The Luggage interacting with the Dragons,
have already been very warmly received by many players. They will be
also be running two live 'run around the convention' games of
Guards! Guards! that were so much fun at the Irish Discworld
Convention. More information is available on their facebook page."

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett

www.facebook.com/guardsguards

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: THE REAL-LIFE DODGER

Here be a wonderful article by Mike Dash, sourced from Victorian
chronicler Henry Mayhew, about toshers, sewer-flushers, and other
Workers Below in the pre-Bazalgette days. Not to mention Queen Rats
and giant black sewer-hogs! And with illustrations, no less:

"Knowing where to find the most valuable pieces of detritus was
vital, and most toshers worked in gangs of three or four, led by a
veteran who was frequently somewhere between 60 and 80 years old.
These men knew the secret locations of the cracks that lay submerged
beneath the surface of the sewer-waters, and it was there that cash
frequently lodged. 'Sometimes,' Mayhew wrote, 'they dive their
arm down to the elbow in the mud and filth and bring up shillings,
sixpences, half-crowns, and occasionally half-sovereigns and
sovereigns. They always find these the coins standing edge uppermost
between the bricks in the bottom, where the mortar has been worn
away.'

"Life beneath London's streets might have been surprisingly
lucrative for the experienced sewer-hunter, but the city authorities
had a point: It was also tough, and survival required detailed
knowledge of its many hazards. There were, for example, sluices that
were raised at low tide, releasing a tidal wave of effluent-filled
water into the lower sewers, enough to drown or dash to pieces the
unwary. Conversely, toshers who wandered too far into the endless
maze of passages risked being trapped by a rising tide, which poured
in through outlets along the shoreline and filled the main sewers to
the roof twice daily..."

http://tinyurl.com/cpbmkdn

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15) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS: ASTI'S NEXT CLIMB!!!

Asti of BU, otherwise known as WOSSNAME's founder Joe's favourite
granddaughter and a wildly enthusiastic Discworld promoter,
continues her high-climbing quest! You may remember last year's
Everest ascent and the iconographs of Asti proudly displaying her
official Unseen University scarf at Everest Base Camp. This time
she'll be climbing to save important parts of Roundworld HEX
history, to wit the famous Bletchley Park. As reported in The
Register:

"An IT bod has vowed to clamber up Everest to raise £20k for
Blighty's National Museum of Computing and Bletchley Park Trust –
and she wants sponsorship and people to tackle the trek with her.
Astrid Byro, a tech consultant and publicity officer for the
Association of C and C++ Users, is heading to the mountain's base
camp, which she has reached before but this time she will be doing
it to help preserve computer history. Byro is calling the trip
'Astrid's Bloody Challenge', and described the joy of high-altitude
trekking thus: 'The trek to Everest Base Camp is an exhilarating and
truly challenging journey through an alien, craggy, glacier-strewn
landscape where oxygen is in short supply and the sun beats down
relentlessly. The sense of achievement in getting a close-up view of
Everest is never to be forgotten and worth every little hardship.'
Which sounds like a lovely Easter break.

"The expedition will leave on 24 April next year, and anyone willing
to join should fill out their paperwork by 24 November. Byro said
she will, as team leader, share her knowledge and experience of the
first 17,598ft of Everest with any newbies who want to come along to
the base camp in Nepal. Climbers can decide which of the two
charities – both in Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire – they want
to donate their sponsorship money to. Both organisations have
pledged to educate young visitors who are inspired by technology of
yesteryear in their exhibitions.

"The National Museum of Computing will use the money raised to buy
laptops to teach youngsters programming. Bletchley Park Trust will
spend the cash on laptops for hands-on code-breaking and cipher
classes for the 8,000 schoolchildren who visit site every year as
well as historical research sessions and collaborative university
projects. To donate dosh or sponsor the trekking techie, visit her
JustGiving page."

http://www.justgiving.com/Astrid-Byro-TNMOC

To join the climb, click here:

http://www.reallywildchallenges.com/index.php/everest-base-camp-ch

To read the article on the web, with photo and links included:

http://tinyurl.com/cjsnwfx

Asti's own blog about the proposed event:

http://www.abc-ebc.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/here-we-go-again.html

WOSSNAME wishes Asti every success and hopes she finds plenty of
sponsors!

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16) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

A new one! The WOTS (Omnian Temperance Society, Wincanton branch)
meets on the first Friday of every month starting with at The Bear
Inn, Wincanton (where else!) from 7pm. The WOTS is always keen to
welcome new members and enquiries!

*

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club meets on the last
Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St,
Adelaide (South Australia). Details, discussions and organisation of
extra events (such as play outings) are held on their email mailing
list, so do sign up at:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on 6th August 2012 at the Monkey
Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

For more info, contact BrokenDrummers@...

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more
information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

"Time to unveil a new cover. The new and improved cover for A Blink
Of The Screen; Collected Shorter Fiction by Terry Pratchett,
available 11th October 2012", posted by Lynsey of Transworld:

http://amzn.to/NCPx3T

A sneak preview of the new and expanded Compleat Ankh-Morpork. "The
city will literally come alive before your very eyes!" [Or so we are
told; has anyone checked this possible overstatement with Lord
Vetinari? After all, we know what happens when cities hatch, which
is to say "come alive, in unsuspecting households... – Ed.]

http://tinyurl.com/ccunn4p

Snowgum Films' Daniel Knight mugging in Doctor Hix-like fashion with
an amazing coffee mug at the Unseen University Convivium:

http://instagram.com/p/NKTyEoQ82-/

Rat onna stick in Roundworld! Nicholas Kristof writes, "I shot this
photo in Malawi on the win-a-trip journey of a boy selling these
roadside snacks. Mmmm."

http://tinyurl.com/bt553ok

Balloon Discworld!

https://p.twimg.com/AxK_AntCEAADxLV.jpg

Some Kidby classics!

Greebo at the opera (head):

http://tinyurl.com/87wwa7u

Stinky the goblin:

http://tinyurl.com/d8plvn5

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) CLOSE

Stephen Briggs and the Studio Theatre Club have left us an exciting
teaser on their upcoming productions plans page: they intend to
present the official adaptation of Dodger early next year! From the
22nd to the 26th of January 2013, apparently. "Watch this space for
news on this exciting project!"

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html

Also, I keep forgetting to recommend the continuing Pratchett
Podcasts. They're now up to podcast 7a, so do visit and listen!

http://thepratchettpodcast.wordpress.com/

Right, that's all for the moment. We'll be back in a couple of days
with your monthly Discworld horoscope, Around the Blogosphere, and
assorted late breaking news if any.

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 7, Post 2)
********************************************

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR JULY
03) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
05) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

And here it is, your final bit for this month. On with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Hallo my friends, it is I, Fernando Magnifico! My friends, the Lady
Anaemia Asterisk is not available this month after an experiment
involving hedgehogs went terribly wrong, but do not be afeared for
Fernando is here for your astrological needs!

Fernando has the bad news, for he has been called back home to
Brindisi for the family emergency. Fernando is packing his bags
right now, as he dictates this to the most excellente Miss Chlamydia
Figginbottle, whose dictation skills are second to none, and whose
rates are not as cheap as some but she is worth every penny, serious
enquires to old Mother Nightbucket at Number 15 Finders Keepers, no
time wasters please.

My friends, Fernando's family is in crisis, and it is Fernando's
duty to go back home. It is very terrible, for you see it all
started at the birthday celebration for cousin Cannelloni, and
Auntie Rosa-Marie had one of her little turns. Then Aunt Malvasia
made a comment about the spaghetti sauce being too thick for the
bucatini pasta. Well my friends, let Fernando tell you that you
don't criticise Aunt Maria's sauce like that! Fernando has no choice
but to rush back home to sort this out, before there is a repeat of
the melanzanie incident. Uncle Rafael still walks with a limp! But
do not be afeared my friends, for Fernando does his duty, and so
this month's horoscope may be short, but it will still give you the
most excellente guidance for the coming month.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Currant Bun (formerly The Adamant Hedgehog) 21 Mar – 20 Apr

Your lucky number: 37

Bunnies, this month the stars tell Fernando that Tuesday is the most
excellente day to start the new business venture, and Wednesday is
the excellente day to end the old business venture. Also my friends,
the stars warn that you should beware of crabs, with their claws
that pinch, and their little beady eyes, like the cheating Quirmian
footsballers, Fernando will never forgive what they did to the
Brindisian goalie Broccolino Stugatsi last week. And it was only a
friendly match.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich 21 Apr – 21 May

Your lucky letter: Q

Sandies, this is the good month for you to travel, especially since
this is also the month that your parents-in-law from Sto Lat are
coming for a surprise visit. Trust Fernando on this, even if you
don't have parents-in-law in Sto Lat, *somebody's* parents will
surprise you with the visit. If you hurry, you can probably be out
of town before they get here.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Knotted String (formerly Herne the Hunted) 22 May – 21 Jun

Your lucky fruit: kumquats

Knotties, beware of dogs with orange eyebrows. This is the good
month for keeping cats. Avoid eating cheese on Octeday, unless it is
the nice Brindisian hard cheese, which as everyone knows is good for
the digestion, not like that Quirmian rubbish that gives you chives,
or even worse, chives with avec. You may have an unexpected meeting
with wandering accountants this month, or at least it will be
unexpected if you do not pay attention to Fernando's horoscope!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob 22 Jun – 22 Jul

Your lucky bird: parrots

Staffies, the stars tell Fernando that this is the good month to
change your clothing style, and listen carefully to Fernando, for
his taste in clothes is incredible! Miss Chlamydia, have you seen
Fernando's silk trousers? Not those, the crimson pair. Never mind,
Fernando shall have to make do with the lime-green, the leopard-
skin, the peach, and the violet. My friends, it is time to "spice up
your wardrobe", as they say in Morporkian, and trust Fernando on
this, if you take Fernando's advice, you will be the centre of
attention when you walk down the street. Four words, mia cara:

Magenta. Leather. Knicker. Bockers.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers 23 Jul – 23 Aug

Your lucky drink: port, brandy, gin, beer, wine or sherry
Your unlucky drink: refreshing healthy drink made from apples

Bilians, this is the good month for you to indulge your artistic
side. Whether you are making the art, watching the art, or being the
art like Fernando, it is a good time to visit the art galleries. Ah,
my friends, Fernando is so very sorry, for it breaks his heart that
he will not be there with his fig leaf for you to paint. But do not
be saddened my friends, for although you cannot paint Fernando this
month, you can still get the enjoyment from the many magnificent
paintings and sculptures of Fernando – including the ones without
the fig leaf, available for private viewing by request.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose 24 Aug – 23 Sept

Your lucky item of clothing: undershirt

Nosers, beware of plagues of pineapples this month, especially on
days with the vowel in them. Friday may bring an encounter with a
man with one nostril selling chairs. Fernando is reminded of when he
was working as the villa-to-villa chair-salesman in Brindisi,
Fernando could tell you some stories!!! except the gentleman never
tells, of course. There was that one time where Fernando's
magnificent sales technique was the una poca too enthusiastic and he
broke *two* chairs demonstrating the sorts of things a lively young
man could do with them. Fernando made no sale that day, but it was
the very successful day, if you know what I mean.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars 24 Sept – 23 Oct

Your unlucky activity: combing your hair

Boring'uns, Fernando has the good news for you, for the stars say
this month will be the quiet and uneventful, apart from the mugging
on Friday, the flood on Tuesday, the upset stomach on Wednesday, and
the horde of barbarians on Saturday. But do not be afeared my
friends, for perhaps these things will happen to some other
Boring'un, mia cara.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis 24 Oct – 22 Nov

Your lucky animal: the donkey

Andies, the stars tell Fernando that this is the good month for the
romance, but Fernando knows that *every* month is the good month for
romance, isn't that so Miss Chlamydia? OW! My you do have the strong
arm there, you remind Fernando of his sister Rosita. Fernando will
cherish that bruise long after it has faded from his manly cheek
OWWWW!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov – 21 Dec

Your lucky condiment: pickled badger

Spooners, this month you can expect the dreams. Big dreams, little
dreams, the dreams within the dreams, and even the dreams which come
true. Fernando is the most expert on making people's dreams come
true, especially the passionate dreams involving the whipped cream
and the feathers, but for you my friends, the stars say that your
dreams will be deeper and more realistic than ever before, although
perhaps not the one about the man wearing cheese on his head.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester 22 Dec – 20 Jan

Your lucky practical joke: the whoopi cushion

Hokians, the stars say that this month is the good time for you to
have the magnificent party! Listen carefully to Fernando, for his
parties are talked about everywhere! Fernando remembers well the
party he organised for the Duc l'Orange and Madame Corsage in Genua
before coming to Ankh-Morpork. They were fishing alephants out of
the swimming pool for days afterwards! Do not be afeared my friends,
the alephants were fine, they just didn't want to leave even after
the punch ran out.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken 21 Jan – 18 Feb

Your lucky device: iconograph

Squawkers, watch out for banananananananas this month, no no Miss
Chlamydia, read it back to me, you left out one of the ananas.
Wednesday is a good day for repairing your roof, but beware of rains
of buffalo on Thursday. This is a good month for cabbage-related
business, so long as you know where your potato is. Avoid running
away to sea to join the gang of pirates this month, unless the
pirates are led by the most beautiful Captain Roberta, Pirate Queen
of Mante. In that case, tell her that Fernando sends his love which
is as strong and thick as his... are you all right Miss Chlamydia,
shall Fernando fetch you the glass of water? ...as his magnificent
hair.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hyperopia's Buckle (formerly Lesser Umbrage) 19 Feb – 20 Mar

Your lucky colour: that shade of yellow that's not quite as orange
as tangerine but more orange than yellow

Bucklers, this month beware the spirit realms! The stars say that
you can expect the visits from ghosts, ghouls, spirits, spectres,
poultrygeese and the divers things that go bump in the night. But do
not be afeared, my friends, for this is Ankh-Morpork, Queen of
Cities, and such ghoulies as haunt a place are just looking to make
the living, in a manner of speaking. Trust Fernando on this, for he
knows that it is so.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My friends, Fernando is now off to Brindisi by the very next
available coach! Take care, listen very carefully to Fernando's most
excellente horoscopes, and watch out for Feegles!

Again, my friends – ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) PTERRY AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

So much going on in Pratchett-related blogs this month! And most of
it is related to The Long Earth, though not all. Here be a selection
of interesting blog posts about Sir Pterry and his works...


The Incurable Bluestocking is back with a loving review of Good
Omens:

"Apart from being one of my all-time favourite novels, Good Omens
just has so many of my all-time favourite passages in it, and I
attribute that to the combination of genius you get by mixing up
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – two of my all-time favourite
authors. Pratchett's irreverence and Gaiman's ethereal qualities,
with the sense of the ludicrous profundity that they both possess,
together make for a fantastic book, capable of being laugh-out-loud
funny and spiritually transformative in the same paragraph...

"I never can decide what my favourite aspect of this book is. The
moral center, as it were, is obviously Adam, who starts to get
caught up in the idea of remaking the world in a more favourable
image, the ichor in his soul tugging at him, and has to decide what
would really be best. He and the Them are pretty amazing... But then
there are Aziraphale and Crowley, who, while not the center of the
story itself, are nonetheless the impetus behind the narrative...
They're a classic odd couple, and it's a brilliant pairing..."

http://tinyurl.com/cwmebbr


Blogger A Jane of All Reads finds The Wee Free Men absolutely
magical:

"Here I go again, singing Pratchett's praises and proclaiming my
adoration for his stories to anyone who will listen, even if it's
only my inner dreamer, that part of me that still holds hopes that
one day, magic will prevail and I'll find myself becoming the very
best witch. When Pratchett decided to venture into the the world of
Middle Grade/Young Adult literature, he began with a little book
called The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. It was a cute
little spin on the whole Pied-Piper legend, and was written with his
usual dry, good-natured, wit. And while it still took place in his
imaginary Discworld, I wasn't as enamored of it as I am his adult
books. So when he pinned[sic] The Wee Free Men, a book about a young
witch with Pratchett's own very special brand of magic (good sense,
paying attention and learning to read people, places and situations,
doing what needs to be done and keeping in mind that there are quite
possibly unseen forces at work so don't piss them off. Oh and
Headology), I was just a bit overjoyed. I want everyone to
experience his world and writing- these marvelous books that subtly
poke fun at our society and very quietly urge us to THINK and
QUESTION and BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, anything at all! And bringing his
wisdom to those untainted enough to benefit from it (youngins),
well, I just love it.

"This first book in the Tiffany Aching series, introduces us to a
very young witch as she comes into her 'powers' and realizes just
how important being the-person-who-does-the-hard-things is.
Pratchett likens his witches to teachers, nurses, paranormal
policeman and and other professions that our more delicate
sensibilities don't like to think about needing to be done. They
are, in the Discworld, those people who are reliable and
trustworthy, and Tiffany's desire to become one is quite an
honorable thing. The series follows her development and growth as a
witch, deals very much in right and wrong (and right again), and
holds some of the most powerful book-magic I've ever read. This is a
good place to start if you're ready to learn some..."

http://tinyurl.com/cr86rkt


Blogger hopehare has a blast listening to the Going Postal and
Making Money audiobooks:

"Stephen Briggs, the reader, does a grand job differentiating the
characters as he reads them... The story is of course silly – but
irresistible, and Moist is an engaging hero, sharp and devious, but
kindly. He falls in love with the no-nonsense, crossbow-wielding,
chain smoking Adorabelle Dearheart. How can you not love it? Once I
finished Going Postal, I had to keep going – addicted, is what it
was. So, Audible obliged, and I downloaded Moist's next adventure,
Making Money. Crammed with golems and wizards and magical rings –
not to mention, pole dancing, Rubber Goods of a Certain Variety, and
economic theory..."

http://tinyurl.com/bnx8xxn


Blogger Humanity's Darker Side celebrates Death – the Discworld
character, that is – in a long essay that gives credit where it's
due:

"Obviously death is a theme of all of the books in the Death series.
Terry treats this subject with warmth and a light heart. Death comes
to us all, after all. Poor old Death is going through a mid-life
crisis, and Pratchett's gentle mocking of the phenomenon is
heartwarming..."

http://tinyurl.com/d8nuvwo

...and offers another long and nicely (and accurately...) researched
piece on the various cultures of the Discworld, with illustrations:

http://tinyurl.com/ckggrpd


Blogger Myseryniti reviews Mort:

"Poor Death. I love him! I know that sounds strange if you've
never read any of the Discworld novels but Death just wants to live
like humans do. Maybe not exactly but at least get to enjoy the
things we do. Like cats... Only downside I see is the relationship
between Ysabell and Mort. There isn't much to it sadly and I would
have liked to see more between them to explain what was going on.
But the rest of the characters I absolutely am in love with, Death
most of all of course. He is hilarious for an anthropomorphic
personification and I just can not read enough of him!..."

http://tinyurl.com/crdurnt



Cheryl Mahoney is back, this time with Going Postal:

"Some comedy writers rely only on the humor and have novels that are
basically just strings of jokes. I like that Going Postal has a
compelling plot driving it forward, centered on the restoration of
the Post Office, the conspiracy and business competition of the
Clacks, and of course Moist's character development. The romance is
an interesting aspect of that. He's lived his whole life showing
people only the outside. I love that when he starts to fall for a
girl, it's because of what's behind her outside, stern exterior.
'Outside exterior' is redundant, but I trust you know what I
mean!... The Golem rights and the business corruption are probably
the most obvious satires. I was most intrigued, however, by Stanley
and the pin collectors. On the face of it, collecting pins is
ridiculous, with all his fascination in precisely how they're made
and what year they're from and so on. But on the other hand, how
many collectable items have value beyond what we put into them?..."

http://tinyurl.com/czxopg2


...and blogger Mervih also joins in the Going Postal conversation:

"The bright spot is Dearheart. She's quite an unusual female
character and doesn't require rescuing or anyone to take care of
her. The journalists are a delight... I've enjoyed the pin
collecting the most and was a bit disappointed when Stanley found
stamps. Although, the way he felt guilty for abandoning pins was
very funny...  I was a bit sorry to see the Post Office burn but
Moist's miracle heist was a stroke of genius. It seems to me that
he doesn't seem to realize the effect he's having on the people
around him..."

http://mervih.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/going-postal-week-three/



Blogger Simon Appleby reviews TLE:

"Mixing Stephen Baxter's talent for imagining the full implications
of new scientific concepts with Pratchett's trademark humour (toned
down when compared with the Discworld – don't expect the Luggage
or Corporal Nobbs) and humanity, The Long Earth is an enjoyable
adventure, a thought-provoking piece of science fiction and
hopefully the first of many instalments..."

http://tinyurl.com/cawq2xf


...as does blogger Kailana, in a book club discussion:

"I actually thought this book was a standalone until I got to the
ending. Then I wondered if it was just a bad ending, but people are
saying it is a series... I would have been happy if the ending was
not so abrupt to have this be a standalone. I think standalones once
in a while are a good thing. I get tired of keeping track of
trilogies and series and stressing about how many I have on the go.
Sometimes I just want to read a book and then move on. Sadly, that
doesn't happen very often. I will interested to see how this series
progresses, though. Don't get me wrong! If I had to start another
series, I am glad it is a Pratchett one...  I think the characters
have potential. There are just too many of them to be able to say
with any certainty which ones. I guess I should have known this was
a series in the very beginning because there are way too many people
to explore to just have one book. I think this book was basically
about introducing the characters and setting up the world. I am
hopeful the later books will deal with the specifics..."

http://tinyurl.com/cvgeb94


...as blogger Ana joins in the conversation:

"I have a soft spot for alternative Earth stories (I was a big fan
of the early seasons of Sliders back in the day), so the premise was
more than enough to get me excited... I wouldn't say that The Long
Earth is exactly Pratchett at his best, but it's a solid science
fiction novel, and it was fun to see him explore new territory. The
tone, for example, is pretty different from what most readers have
come to expect from him. As for Stephen Baxter, I'm definitely
interested in reading more of his work. I read somewhere that the
integration of evolutionary biology into the plot is very typical of
his novels; this piqued my curiosity quite a bit as I thought that
was one of the most interesting aspects of The Long Earth... My
favourite thing was the fact that all those alternate Earths
functioned as a series of evolutionary 'what ifs' – they gave
Pratchett and Baxter room to speculate about what things might have
been like in our planet if this or that seemingly small detail had
been different. And they write about this with a delight fuelled by
intellectual curiosity and a genuine sense of awe..."

http://tinyurl.com/c4q7l9z


Blogger Graham re-reads The Truth:

"As ever with a Discworld novel, there are several parts which are
laugh out loud funny. Terry Pratchett is a master at taking aspects
of our own world and making the reader look at them side-on by
showing them through the distorted prism of the Discworld..."

http://mybookyear.co.uk/the-truth-terry-pratchett


Blogger Patrick Cooper reviews the Going Postal DVD and gives it
very high marks:

"Terry Pratchett's Discworld mythos is one of the grand
achievements of the fantasy genre – spanning around 40 novels and
a grip of stage, radio, TV, comic book, and film adaptations. UK
production company Sky One has adapted three Discworld works:
Hogfather, The Colour of Magic, and their latest Going Postal... The
tone of Going Postal remains consistently fun and lighthearted
throughout, but there are some surprisingly dark moments, especially
when Moist has nightmares about the victims he's conned in his
past. His criminal past haunts Moist and at his lowest, he wishes
for an end to it all... As Moist, Richard Coyle (who stars in the UK
remake of Pusher) delivers a fantastic comedic performance that's
addictive to watch. He bounce back and forth between suave con
artist to broken man to suave postmaster with silky ease all while
filling out a gold suit and ridiculous hat without making it look
silly. Claire Foy plays the straight-faced Adora well and her and
Coyle have an obscene amount of chemistry... I've never read any
of Terry's novels and Going Postal was my introduction to the
Discworld universe. I'm glad I didn't dismiss it right away as a
goofy, steampunk-ish fantasy romp. There's a lot of great satire
in the tale and heaps of genuine heart. It's not difficult to
settle into the world of Discworld either. There didn't seem to be
any in-jokes or references only diehards would catch – if there
were, they didn't detract from the story at all... Going Postal is
a fast-paced, richly designed blast of satirical fantasy fun. It
surely doesn't feel like three hours long (split into two
'episodes'). It definitely left me itching to explore more of
Pratchett's Discworld universe...."

http://tinyurl.com/csu93uh


Blogger Sakura at Chasing Bawa reviews Snuff:

"In Vimes, Pratchett has created a character that is the Everyman.
Born in poverty and working hard to rise through what was a decrepit
and corrupt police system in Ankh Morpork, Vimes transforms from a
has-been alco-cop into the city's most upstanding and yet subversive
citizen and finds friends, love and titles without compromising
himself or getting an inflated ego. But not without a lot of soul
searching, of course. And using Samuel Vimes, Pratchett is able to
make acute observations about the state of our world and society
such as poverty, prejudice, and in the case of Snuff, slave labour
and people trafficking. I love the way Pratchett is able to make you
think about shifting morals without pontificating too much, and he
does give some powerful punches to pierce our comfortable existance.
Saying that, there is also much to laugh about and silently chuckle
in Snuff. One of my favourite things about Pratchett's novels is the
variety of species that populate Discworld that subtly overturns the
received ideas of fantasy characters. In this instance, Pratchett
introduces goblins who are ugly and stinky on the outside but with
hidden inherent virtues. Simple, yes, but touching nonetheless...

"Of all the different story arcs in the Discworld novels (Death, the
Witches, Unseen University, etc) my favourite is still the City
Watch arc which always has some sort of darkness bubbling beneath
the jokes, something I grew up reading and feel like I've matured
with..."

http://chasingbawa.com/2012/07/09/snuff-by-terry-pratchett/


Blogger Dogeardiscs reviews TLE:

"You can see a spark of both authors in the concept of a machine
called a Stepper that allows the user to literally step sideways
into parallel versions of Earth. The ramifications of such an idea
are abundant and soon there are many small plotlines branching off
from the central premise. This was an issue for me at first. I was
enjoying the interactions between Joshua who can step without the
aid of the Stepper invention and Lobsang a reincarnated Tibetan
motorcycle repairman who now lives as AI that is known as human in
the eyes of the world. Their relationship is one of humour and
suspicion. The pair are easily central to the story, but they also
provide much of the entertainment. Whenever the focus drifted away
to focus on pioneers settling in other worlds I found my attention
wavering. They weren't as fleshed out as Joshua and Lobsang, even
bit parts need some personality... The writing is fine but I felt as
if Terry Pratchett was overshadowed. I saw an interview with Terry
about the way they wrote it and it seems as if they each wrote 50%,
but the charm that Terry writes with gets lost throughout all the
scientific explanations of Baxter. Having never read any Baxter, I'm
intrigued to explore more, though. I actually really enjoyed the
book. The upsides were vastly better than the downsides and I walked
away wanting to recommend it to people as the idea is sound and the
universe being set up is ideal for a series..."

http://tinyurl.com/c84nz3t


Blogger (and Discworld fan) Gail O'Connor aka Disorganized As Usual
also reviews TLE:

"The problem with this book, and I am currently two-thirds of the
way through and unlikely to continue, is that this is a Big Dumb
Object story. The whole point of the book (so far) appears to be
exploring this amazing and mysterious new thing they've found. (For
those unfamiliar with this story type, it's less common than it used
to be. Well-known examples are Rendezvous with Rama and Ringworld.)
And the thing is, it's boring. I am neither interested in a
straight SFnal "let's extrapolate how this will change society"
exercise, nor am I interested in pioneer fiction, having been fed
more than a lifetime's supply of that in my childhood. And I never
enjoy science fiction that tries to show me the scope of a setting
or situation by hopping to lots of point of view characters..."

http://tinyurl.com/cv4tln9


Blogger The Book Boy was even less enamoured of it:

"Now Terry Pratchett's a bit like Marmite, you either like him or
hate him. I became a fan when I was a wee nipper – his Truckers,
Diggers and Wings books were three of my favourite reads, and as a
teen I read most of his Discworld novels. I finally met him in 2002
when he came to a book signing here in Norwich, so it's fair to say
I'm in the 'like' camp. 'The Long Earth' however, was bloody awful.
In fact, I'll go as far as saying that I couldn't see any traces of
Pratchett's writing or humour in it at all (apart from the
potato...)...  the main problem with this book is its main plot
feels weak, the other threads aren't enough to support it and it
flounders along, almost embarrassingly in some places. Everything
feels haphazard. There's a really nice concept to the novel, but the
potential wasn't realised at all for me. It skips about all over the
place, and there are huge sequences of travel through worlds which
is just monotonous and verges very much onto 'pointless filler'
territory. I struggled to pick the book up at times (and only
continued with it because I can't not finish something)..."

http://tinyurl.com/cy8qn3o


Blogger Alexandra L, on Fangirl Friday, gives a lovely Pratchett
overview:

"So why should you read his books? Because there's something for
everyone. I mean, unless you cannot abide even the slightest hint of
fantasy, humour, satire, or brilliance, in which case your life is
probably very sad and I feel sorry for you. Other than that, though,
no matter what you're interested in, there's probably a
Pratchett book for you. Want revolution and politics? Try Night
Watch or Interesting Times. Like fairy tales? Go for Witches Abroad.
The publishing industry? The Truth. War? Jingo or Monstrous
Regiment. Music? Pick up a copy of Soul Music. Enjoy police novels?
Read any of the Discworld books starring Sam Vimes of the Ankh
Morpork City Watch. Interested in religion? Definitely try out Small
Gods, or leave the Disc and read Good Omens, possibly the funniest
novel about the Antichrist ever written..."

http://blog404.org/2012/07/13/fangirl-friday-terry-pratchett/


...as does blogger The Literate Libran:

"At the time, I was something of a genre snob. 'I don't usually read
fantasy,' I'd sneer. 'It's full of unicorn-laden glades and heaving-
bosomed run-ons, and none if it is punctuated properly...' But I
made an exception for the man that co-wrote Good Omens, when my
boyfriend gifted me with a copy of Going Postal... Terry Pratchett
is so wonderful that he even makes up great words, like gevaisa
('tomb of living words'). And Going Postal was seriously awesome for
a plethora of other reasons, too. So I read Wyrd Sisters and Equal
Rites and a few more. And then, last night, I stayed up all night
long and read Sourcery on my Fire, because it's back-lit so I can
read when I have insomnia but am too lazy to be bothered with
lights. It was groovy, too. But a smart thing to do is not read
Terry Pratchett novels when you have insomnia, because they make you
want to stay up to see what happens next. So don't do that unless
you plan on staying up until you finish the novel..."

http://tinyurl.com/bpfzncp


Blogger Yvonne the Librarian reviews TLE:

"The narrative follows Joshua, a natural stepper who can flit
between the earths of the long earth without a device and without
feeling ill while stepping – which is a deterrent to most people
getting too far from datum earth (our earth). We also follow
Lobsang, a computer who is given rights as a human being since he
has managed to prove himself to be the reincarnation of a Tibetan
man. These touches of whimsy, and the odd jokes thrown throughout,
are definitely the Pratchett touches coming through! The book, while
fun and funny also brings up some really interesting 'what if?'
questions. ..."

http://tinyurl.com/bns782z


Blogger Jon Snow reviews Reaper Man, with awe:

One of my favourite things about Reaper Man, and a big part of the
reason why I think it may be the best of all of the Discworld
novels, is its potent symbolism. It takes two diverse, only
tangentially related stories and uses them to describe how Pratchett
feels modernity has changed humanity's views on life and death. I
can't go into any more detail without spoiling it but suffice it
to say that the villains of this novel are powerful (though not
subtle) expressions of the viewpoint. Besides the brilliant
characters, I also enjoyed the little jokes about university life;
they're something that Pratchett does very well, especially the
oblique reference to the younger wizards interested in
experimentation. The Auditors of Reality, the main villains of the
book, are a very clever construction. They are the bureaucrats
tasked with making sure that the universe works properly and
according to the rules. Admittedly they are a bit over the top but
they make very good villains nonetheless. Reaper Man is, I think,
the best Discworld book. In fact it is one of the most effective
books I have ever read..."

http://tinyurl.com/d9u2pwz



Blogger Tabitha the Pabkins reviews TLE:

"I do lament that there wasn't as much of Terry Pratchett's
signature humor as I was anticipating. I could definitely see some
of it here and there but I surely wanted more. A downside is it took
me quite awhile to finish this one. I thought I would gobble it down
in a day but for some reason I just couldn't get sucked in, even
though I did really enjoy it, there was just so much awesome
description and things to read about, all the POSSIBILITIES I SAY!!!
haha. I really think part of what gave me trouble was that I
couldn't pin down until about 100 pages the main characters in the
book were. Also, this was a very slow moving read, there wasn't
enough action compelling you forward... I think there is going to be
another book, and while I enjoyed this one I'm not foaming at the
mouth for the next one if it goes in a similar fashion as this
one..."

http://tinyurl.com/casn7f2


Blogger Patrick T. Reardon gives TLE a big thumbs-up:

"Near the end of 'The Long Earth,' after a long quest, the three
central characters come face to face with an entity that one
describes as 'a destroyer of worlds. An eater of souls.' Or, as
another more bluntly puts it, 'the end of the world' for humans.
That's a lot for a reader to bite off and gobble down. The end of
the world? Really? Yet, it's a measure of the skill and imagination
of Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter that, by this point in the
novel, the reader doesn't hear melodramatic echoes from bad sci-fi
flicks...

"This is a book that operates on three levels. The authors use their
science fiction story to connect to present-day issues for humanity,
in this case, the possession and threat of nuclear weapons. On
another level, the book is an exercise in scientific speculation. It
posits a discovery that we live in one of an infinite number of
parallel Earths (and universes), each shaped in large and small ways
by different random events. Then it asks: How different are these
Earths? And what happens if a way is found to slip from one Earth to
another?... This gives Pratchett and Baxter a lot of room to imagine
the species that might be found on other Earths, the landscapes, the
sentient beings. Even the tilt of the poles, the presence or absence
of the Moon. The result is an intellectually stimulating journey for
the reader... On its third level, the novel is also an adventure
story — patterned in some ways on the discovery of the Americas.
Yet, instead of heroes and villains, Pratchett and Baxter envision
worlds of people and animals just trying to survive..."

http://tinyurl.com/d4veojo


...but blogger Pocket Full of Books was unimpressed by the book:

"You know the ones that you look forward to for weeks, circle the
publication date in your diary and squee over when you finally get
your hands on a copy. Then you spend the first few chapters telling
yourself 'it's not so bad...it'll get better...it has to get
better....WHY ISN'T IT GETTING ANY BETTER?'. That's called denial my
friends and it doesn't work. So, instead of writing the glowing
review I thought I would be writing the day I finished this book I
am instead writing this one outlining how dull and utterly tedious
this book was. Sob. I still love you Mr Pratchett. Just about...
this book doesn't feel like Pratchett. It has none of the fun and
frivolity of Pratchett's regular books, or the charming Englishness
that is what I absolutely ADORE about his books normally. I haven't
read any books by Stephen Baxter, and I don't think I will be any
time soon. There were little injections, morsels if you will, of
Pratchett style and wit, but they were gone and buried just as soon
as they arrived. If you are looking for typical, comforting
Pratchett then I would definitely not recommend this book... It's
not all doom and gloom though. I did like the general concept of the
book and, if it had been delivered in a more exciting way, I might
have been able to get on board..."

http://tinyurl.com/d4d5v9m


...although blogger Random disagrees, in a long review:

"When I first read about The Long Earth, this collaborative effort
between Terry Pratchett and hard SF writer Stephen Baxter seemed to
me... a little odd. As it did to quite a few, I am pretty sure. But
now that I have finished the novel, I realize my suspicion was
absolutely unwarranted. In fact, now I see clearly that this co-
authorship is a match made in heaven. The Discworld series is, if
anything, one of the biggest arenas for fictional thought
experimentation ever imagined, be it related to technology, society,
art, etc. Stephen Baxter, on the other hand, has the know-how to
take Pratchett's skill and panache for world creation to the next
level – science fiction and its stricter adherence to mimesis. I
am happy to say that the brainchild of the two authors delivers
spectacularly... The Long Earth is relatively short and it reads
really fast. The reason for that is, I think, that Pratchett and
Baxter have adeptly turned their novel into a high-octane idea
generator. The world they have imagined into existence offers so
much in terms of strange possibilities that it is ideal for the
best strand of SF hypothesizing...

"The Long Earth is probably worth your time even only for its
conceptual vistas. It has other great qualities as well, like
Pratchett's epigrammatic genius and ability to paint a vivid
personality in a single paragraph. The book is quite witty at times,
although it is not very funny, not nearly as much as Pratchett's
other works. But I don't think it should have been so. Baxter too
shines through with his scientific sensibility and erudition. Thanks
to that the SF ideas in the novel feel truly SF. I was impressed
with the range of topics integrated into the fabric of the story:
there is quantum mechanics, embodied cognition, AI, various kinds of
engineering, even some ideas about the future of space faring,
despite the fact that the nature of the Long Earth seemingly
obviates that core SF dream. True, most of those are not explored in
detail and the fine-grained structure of this particular
Technologiade is not in focus, like in a Reynolds, Clarke or Brin
novel. Still, The Long Earth is good SF..."

http://tinyurl.com/bs5w8pk


...while blogger Fred Phillips was somewhere in-between:

"My love of most things Pratchett is no secret, but this is my first
encounter with Baxter since I'm not a big science fiction reader.
While I, in general, enjoyed the book, I didn't walk away from it
feeling really satisfied... The book is filled with great ideas, and
there seem to be some fascinating worlds and discoveries for Joshua
and Lobsang among a whole lot of mundane ones. But most of those
worlds and the developments there are never really explored. We're
taken along as observers on their ride, but it ends up being more
like a not very interesting travelogue for much of the book as they
pass worlds quickly with only a brief glimpse at the wonders they
hold. Likewise, there's not a great deal of development with the
characters. True, Joshua learns a few things about himself on the
trip and discovers things that answer questions he's always had. At
the end, though, he's pretty much the same person he was when the
book started.

"The narrative is a bit rambling without much storyline. Lobsang and
Joshua are basically traveling through dimensions to see what they
can see, but they don't see much because they're moving so rapidly
through them. There's a political storyline involving those who are
unable to step who are left behind and begin an anti-stepping
movement, though it remains largely undeveloped. And some of the
minor characters – Sister Agnes, for example – often strike me
as more interesting than the ones we're reading about... So, would I
recommend 'The Long Earth?' Tough call. It's entertaining enough to
probably make it worth a read, but it's a little disappointing at
the same time..."

http://tinyurl.com/bowgs99


...and blogger Chinoiseries is intrigued:

"I had expected the story to focus on historical fiction and not so
much on science fiction. All in all, I was far from disappointed.
The premise of parallel or alternate universes is not a new one, but
the idea of parallel worlds in which humankind is absent is. Just
picture all these worlds 'East' and 'West' (accessible by
moving the direction lever on the stepper box) that are unspoiled by
humanity, full of nature's natural resources, their number
stretching into infinity... It is curious – frighteningly so –
how there are humanoids scattered throughout the Earths, but none
like the ones on Datum Earth have been encountered so far… not
even by Lobsang – the former Tibetan motorcycle mechanic
reincarnated as a drinks vending machine – and Joshua Valiente.
These two protagonists travel the Long Earth in search of a meaning
and a possible ending to the multiple Earths, while discovering new
species of plants, animals and humanoids. Why does Joshua's head
throb sometimes? And why is he most comfortable on a world without
anyone else in it? Will there be a Earth East/West Terminus? Their
journey includes occasional stops and adventures which kept me well
entertained. I hope the sequel to this book will exceed my
expectations and answer some of the questions sprinkled throughout
the book..."

http://tinyurl.com/bmcj3dh


...but blogger Jo Carol Jones has very mixed feelings:

"I loved the premise. All of those Earth's and people could and
did step away to a new place and a new life.  I loved the fact that
there were all of the small stories included in the books and that
each of those stories were integrated into the main story line. I
liked the fact that Terry Pratchett's humor is mixed with Stephen
Baxter's hard science fiction. I felt like I knew the main
characters and I liked what I knew. I loved the journey and how
alike yet how different each Earth was... I did not like the ending.
I felt like I had been betrayed because there really was not real
ending or resolution for anything. The book just stopped. Here I was
along for the journey and there was not destination. I realize that
it must be the first in a series but come on. Don't just drop me
with nothing resolved. Give me some closure. I think that is why the
reviews are all over the place..."

http://tinyurl.com/bvtwa6a


...and likewise for blogger Dina, who thought there were touches of
greatness but could only award it 6 out of 10:

"Pratchett and Baxter start out well enough and had me intrigued
from the very beginning. They quickly lose themselves in countless
mini-chapters, explaining the Long Earth from different
characters' points of view. Most of these characters never show up
again and merely serve to show different aspects of the same
thing... Our protagonist Joshua, who I was most interested in (as I
was supposed to be, I'm sure) has to wait a long time to get any
real screen time. This posed severe problems for the pacing of the
novel. The plot only really gets driven forward by Joshua and
Lobsang, the awesome human/AI, and at the point when we follow those
two on their exploration of the Long Earth, the authors seemed to
have run out of ideas... What bothered me was that descriptions of
the millions (literally!) of Earths took overhand. I loved the
introduction of the characters and immediately fell in love with
Lobsang, whom we first meet as a soda machine. However, later when
characters are sparse and there would have been room and opportunity
to delve deeper into their pasts and motivations, we skim on the
surface and get a few funny conversations out of it. That's all.
For a writer like Pratchett, who can create a vivid, three-
dimensional character with just a few lines, I was surprised at how
superficial Joshua was left in the end..."

http://tinyurl.com/c34rxkv


...and meanwhile, the sour and possibly Nichtlachen-Keinwortz-
Syndrome-afflicted Tomekmoss seems to wish Baxter had written TLE
by himself:

"I haven't read Terry Pratchett in years, beginning and ending with
his first Discworld novel The Colour of Magic and a couple of
sequels, as anyone wanting to read his work should. And I don't have
anything against his writing per se: he can be funny (though often
corny), his huge imagination is commendable and there's a down-to-
earth goodness behind his stories. But in The Long Earth, I felt
that the serenity and wide-openness built up by Baxter, a hard sci-
fi hero, were all-too-often punctured by Pratchett's flat gags and
cheesy characterizations.

"Take Lobsang, the strongest character in the book, an artificial
intelligence that can exist simultaneously in different electronic
devices – a ship, a drinks machine, a sort of backpack – moving
freely between forms but with the same soul, existing not as one set
of circuits but somehow instead everywhere. An interesting idea, and
one that opens up some nice philosophical questions. Unfortunately,
the character misfires, thanks in part to a pretty awful
introduction where Lobsang first appears as a Dr Pepper dispenser
(Pratchett humour), clunky, cinematic dialogue (Pratchett) and a
backstory that Lobsang is, infact, the soul of a Tibetan motorcycle
repairman (Pratchett, Pratchett, Pratchett). The book is also too
light, rushing through Joshua and Lobsang's various pit-stops on
particularly fascinating earths without the thick, atmospheric
descriptions one would expect. If you're going to give me hundreds
of thousands of earths each with its own possibilities, at least let
me enjoy a few of them..."

http://tinyurl.com/bovquat


...unlike Space Coyote, who likes the whole package:

"Science fiction isn't usually my thing, but I know Pratchett's
novels are incredibly popular, so I gave it a try, and I am glad I
did. As I mentioned before, I didn't quite realize I was entering in
on a series, but I am okay with reading a few more books to see how
this all shakes out. The premise is incredibly interesting as
Pratchett and Baxter have hit upon something that literally has
endless possibilities for directions it can go in. And I will go
ahead and say the while the book does end on a cliffhanger, it isn't
a terribly frustrating one that will leave readers fretting too
much..."

http://tinyurl.com/dxldph8


Blogger Just Jacqui gets to grips with Thief of Time:

"This is one of the darker, more satirical Discworld novels. I've
been looking forward to revisiting the Monks of History ever since
they first appeared in Small Gods. But, the monks aren't the only
familiar faces. Two of my favorite characters, Death and Susan Sto
Helit feature heavily. Nanny Ogg has a cameo as Maiden, Mother, and
Crone. Not to mention the supporting cast of heroes, villains,
yetis, martial artists. And we mustn't forget the fifth Horseman
of the Apocalypse (who left before they became famous). A superb
send-up of science and philosophy, religion and death, Thief of Time
provides the perfect opportunity to kick back and unwind..."

http://tinyurl.com/cfg3jam



Blogger Katja Weinert, on YA's the Word, reviews Nation:

"Nation retains Terry Pratchett's wicked humour, but where I've
found his other books to be just a great laugh, this one's
surprisingly touching... Daphne's character is made up of layers of
loss, out-dated manners and a new awakening to who she really is
when you strip away everything non-essential... Daphne and Mau are
wonderfully complex characters; both are in their mid teens and at
the time of the tragedy, were each expected by their societies to go
through a ritual of marking their transition from childhood. Mau is
determined to prove himself as the warrior his family hoped he'd
become, and he tries to accept the strange Daphne as part of his
tribe of two. As the story progresses more characters finally arrive
on the scene, and we find that Mau the brave warrior is the perfect
combination with Daphne, the potential future Queen of England.
Together they face great challenges with humour and dignity... This
quirky tale isn't your typical fantasy novel. Although there's a
hint of romance, Terry Pratchett's writing focuses on the friendship
that develops between Daphne and Mau. I loved the characters, the
strange world, the oddly compelling story..."

http://tinyurl.com/cmfc78l


Blogger Luke Beach dissects Moving Pictures to explore its strengths
and weaknesses:

"So, to the negatives; Victor Tugelbend isn't a very interesting
character. He starts off as the same po-faced, innocent-yet-crafty
young person on the verge of adventure as Mort, Esk of Equal Rites
and Nijel from Sourcery, but doesn't seem to develop any further
than that. Instead, Victor and his love interest exist more as plot
devices and bases of satire for the story to progress further, while
the actual charisma and funny dialogue comes from other sources.
Here that's from series regular (mostly minor parts) Cut-My-Own-
Throat Dibbler (Ankh-Morpork wheeler-dealer extraordinaire) and
Gaspode the Wonder Dog (sarcastic talking dog). Victor kind of ends
up as a situationist hero, who fights the real evil lurking behind
Holy Wood almost because it's very similar to his job as a clicky
star, but without any of the poise or charisma that's needed to keep
the book interesting. Maybe it's kind of the point and theme of the
whole book; that ordinary people are magically captivated by the
idea of the movies to such an extent that we can't tell when art is
imitating life or vice versa. On the Disc, of course, the
distinction is utterly irrelevant.

"To be more positive, Moving Pictures is pretty funny, and certain
to be the Discworld book of choice for film buffs, as Pratchett
references and parodies dozens of films, studios and performers from
the very early days of Hollywood to more recent efforts. The book is
very thematic, and probably fun to study, with an intriguing look at
the effects of fame and fortune and its allure. Meanwhile, Gaspode
becomes somewhat of a fan favourite character, and is one of the few
new characters from this book to turn up in the future. Also,
Pratchett's now very familiar style of prose is out in full force,
having certainly been very well defined if not completely mastered
by its originator..."

http://tinyurl.com/bn89xsz


Blogger Helen reviews Mort:

"Terry Pratchett is a master of comedy. He manages to take the
mundane and turn it into the funniest satire. I loved that Death's
apprentice is named Mort and that the character that is Mort, brings
his own special sparkle to this incredibly funny story... Pratchett
shows us his remarkable talent as a writer of humour as Death
experiences an alternative existence.  As always, Pratchett's
excellent use of dialogue, shines brightly.."

http://tinyurl.com/cbz4usq



Blogger Susan Hated Literature certainly didn't hate Snuff:

"I'm sure if you are a Pratchett fan then nothing I say would
persuade you not to pick this up and I wouldn't want to. I'm not
sure why it took me so long, its been sitting on my shelves for a
year now. And if you aren't a Pratchett fan, well then you could
read this and enjoy it and love it, but you'd be much better off
starting with Guards! Guards!, which is the first adventure of
Vimes. If you don't love him after that then I don't want to
talk about it! Snuff has everything you want in a Pratchett book,
humour, fantasy, philosophical wonderings and speculations,
statements about the world and society, all hidden under comic
fantasy..."

http://www.susanhatedliterature.net/2012/07/snuff/


Blogger Quorren keeps expecting to be disappointed by the next
Discworld book read, but so far keeps getting disappointed by lack
of disappointment:

"One of my favorite things about Pratchett's writing is his
ability to write female characters.  Granny Weatherwax is one of my
favorite literary characters.  Pratchett can write a head-strong,
stubborn female that not once will the word 'bitch' be used to
describe her. As for Magrat, I had pretty much dismissed her early
on; she's the very definition of mousy. Which isn't to say,
she's a poorly written character, but if she was a person, I would
probably avoid her and talk about her behind her back. Pratchett was
able to transform Magrat in this book, putting her into a position
to find her inner strength.  It was just plain well done character
development..."

http://tinyurl.com/bsgw8dl


...and finally, the deliciously quirky Iron Duke reviews Michael
Logan's Pratchett Prize-winning novel Apocalypse Cow:

"This is a very funny book cursed by Terry Pratchett. Because it won
the Terry Pratchett Award. A cracking award for 'stories set on
Earth, although it may be an Earth that might have been, or might
yet be, one that has gone down a different leg of the famous
trousers of time' that hands £20k to a new author. Terry, or Wor
Tel as we like to call him, says 'Apocalypse Cow made me snort with
laughter'. Which one assumes is why it won the award. Problem is,
you read the book that has won the Terry Pratchett Award and you
expect Terry Pratchett who, for an old hippy in a dodgy hat, is one
of the funniest writers on the planet. A man who can give you a
beach/aeroplane book that is warm, funny, smart and offers the odd
insight into the human condition. Or in the case of his Discworld
books, the inhuman condition. A tough act to follow.

"Old hippies aside, this book is worth a look. Initially set in
Glasgow it centers around a spooky Government establishment where
they are experimenting on Bio-Warfare agents to knack foreigners by
stitching up their farm livestock. Nothing much wrong with that you
may think whilst wondering why they did not mutate it to work on
Scottish persons. But the virus gets out, turning cows and all other
non-human, non-bird life forms into flesh eating zombies. Sort of
like the Thriller video but without the irritating Michael Jackson
poncing about or the dancing birds in shredded clothes. The story
rocks along with a bunch of dysfunctional anti-hero's left to save
the day, or at the least say 'bollocks' to the day and save
themselves. Misfits after my own heart. They are up against a
superhuman baddie called Mr. Brown. Well, he's a bit over done to
be honest, all steely-eyed bald heeded dealer of death. But anyone
who can call down a bunch of Chinooks in Glasgy at five minutes
notice these days counts as superhuman in my book. There are some
nice plot twists as the characters evolve through the book and
there's some cracking gore, death, mutilation and death. Why
can't somebody write a book about nice zombies who take tea at the
Peebles Hydro?

"The author is one to watch for the future and I am sure he will
amount to something once he finds an honest job. At the moment he is
a journo but none of us are perfect, eh? I'm pretty close but I
chipped a nail at the weekend rebuilding a dry stone wall. All in
all, a canny, funny book and you can see what made Wor Tel snort
down his long white beard..."

http://tinyurl.com/c6zqbpv

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

4.1 MORT IN KINGSTON

Youth Music Theatre UK will be putting on their production of Mort
the Musical, adapted by Jenifer Toksvig (book and lyrics) and
Dominic Haslam (music), in August.

When: August 29th to September 1st 2012
Venue: Rose Theatre Kingston, 24-26 High St, Kingston, Surrey KT1
1HL (telephone 0871 230 1552)
Time: Wed. – Sat. 7.30pm (Thursday and Saturday matinees 2.30pm)
Tickets: Band A £25, Band B £20, Band C £17.50, Band D £15, Pit
Cushions £8

For more information, and to buy tickets, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/78zpz6s

or ring 08444 821556

www.rosetheatrekingston.org


4.2 THE LAST HERO IN BRISBANE

The Brisbane Arts Theatre will present the Australian premiere of
The Last Hero, adapted by Ian Rennie, in September.

When: 15th September - 13th October 2012, with special charity
matinees on Sunday 23rd September and Sunday 7th October at 2pm
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia
Time: 8pm (charity matinees at 2pm)
Tickets: AU$20-$37. To buy online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/curupto

All performance royalties will be donated to The Orangutan Project &
Gill's Old Bastards, with special Sunday Matinee performances to
support these two charities.

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/


4.3 WYRD SISTERS IN MELBOURNE

Monash University Shakespeare will present their production of Wyrd
Sisters, directed by Jem Splitter, in the MUST Space, Monash
University, in September 2012. The performance dates are 6th-15th
September. Times and ticket prices seem impossible to find so far,
but apparently you can email wyrdsisters2012@... or call 0438
001 664 to find out more information.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) CLOSE

And that's our lot for the month of July. For those of you glued to
your Omniscopes watching the Ephebian Games, don't forget that a
little fresh air and leg-stretching now and then is worth its weight
in goldish medals in the great game of staying healthy. Have fun,
and we'll see you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EDITION: FOURECKS-TRA!!!
August 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 8, Post 1)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) DISCWORLD PLAYS IN AUSTRALIA, AUGUST–NOVEMBER 2012
03) AUSDWCON NEWS
04) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

Hold the Antipodean front and back page! There is so much going on
in the Land of the Big Dry that it warrants its own special early
edition. A number of Discworld plays, from Unseen Theatre's latest
to a new offering by the whimsically-named WTF in Canberra to...
well, read on.

We also have some updates about next year's Australian Discworld
convention in Melbourne, Nullus Anxietas IV. Early-bird ticket
discounts will end soon, so if you're thinking of attending next
March this is a good time to get the maximum value. And Melburnians
and visitors to Melbourne, don't forget the regular "Ankh-Morpork"
game tournaments! All of this and more below. Down under, in fact...

I was hoping this early edition would go out over the previous
weekend, but sadly, we had a bit of a HEX-plosion which didn't get
sorted until I captured a passing Technomancer who kindly agreed to
look into the matter. All seems well now, but I have him chained in
the cellar just in case. Hat. Hat. Hat.

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02)

2.1 WYRD SISTERS IN CANBERRA

"Canberra theatre director Kerrie Roberts is bringing one of Terry
Pratchett's finest creations, Wyrd Sisters, to the Tuggeranong
Arts Centre (TAC) stage for a two-week season... Keen to see
Pratchett Tragics in the audience, the TAC is offering a $5 discount
for audience members who arrive clutching a Terry Pratchett novel."

When: 14th-25th August (Tuesday to Saturday)
Venue: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway ("We can
be reached from Drakeford Drive by crossing the lake on Soward Way,
turning right onto Anketell Street and right again onto Reed Street.
Parking is available on Reed Street.")
Time: 7:30pm
Prices: $30 ($25 concession)
Booking details: Phone reception at Tuggeranong Arts Centre 02 6293
1443 during working hours

Special offers:
1. TAC - Bring a copy of any Pratchett novel and get your ticket at
concession price (only applies when buying your ticket at the door;
doesn't apply to phone bookings)

2. Dymocks Tuggeranong special offer: buy Terry Pratchett's "Wyrd
Sisters" book at Dymocks Tuggeranong, take the purchase receipt to
TAC and get one ticket at concession price. Or, take your Wyrd
Sisters ticket to Dymocks Tuggeranong (along with the voucher you'll
get at TAC), and receive 20% off the Wyrd Sisters book

http://www.tuggeranongarts.com/
http://www.tuggeranongarts.com/t_2011season.html
http://www.facebook.com/WyrdSisters2012

And here's another piece about the production:

"The Tuggeranong Arts Centre Women's Theatre Forum (WTF) is a
community group dedicated to older women in theatre so get along to
what promises to be a charming incarnation of a Pratchett classic.
Yes, it's really called WTF."

http://tinyurl.com/8jxh24n


2.2 REAPER MAN IN ADELAIDE

Unseen Theatre are back with brand-new Discworld action! Reaper Man,
directed by Pamela Munt and David Dyte and featuring Hugh O'Connor
as DEATH, Pamela Munt as Miss Flitworth, Leighton James as Windle
Poons, Paul Messenger as Archchancellor Ridcully and Samm Blackmore
as Footnote, takes to the Bakehouse Theatre stage next month.
"Supported by a cast and crew of thousands!" Not to be missed!

When: 14th-29th September 2012 (preview night is Friday 14th
September, opening night is Saturday 15th September, and then the
season continues on Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th, Friday 21st,
Saturday 22nd, Wednesday 26th, Thursday 27th, Friday 28th and
Saturday 29th)
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000 (Tel:
(08) 8227 0505)
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: Adults $20/Concession $17/Fringe Benefits $16/ Groups (of
10+) $16 (Preview – all tix $15)
BOOKINGS: www.bakehousetheatre.com, or cash at the door on the night
(subject to availability)

http://www.unseen.com.au/
http://www.bakehousetheatre.com/shows/2012/reaper-man


2.3 THE LAST HERO IN BRISBANE

The Brisbane Arts Theatre will present the Australian premiere of
The Last Hero, adapted by Ian Rennie, in September.

"Cohen the Barbarian and his Silver Horde may well be over pension
age, but that won't stop them being Heroes. They're heading to the
home of the Gods, to give back what the first Hero stole - fire.
The genius inventor Leonard of Quirm and steadfast watchman Captain
Carrot are on their way to stop them blowing up the Discworld.
They're certain to succeed - except that they've brought the wizard
Rincewind with them...

"The BAT's popular Discworld series continues with this premiere
adaption of one of Sir Terry Pratchett's most popular stories. All
performance royalties will be donated to The Orangutan Project &
Gill's Old Bastards, with special Sunday Matinee performances to
support these two charities."

When: 15th September - 13th October 2012, with special charity
matinees on Sunday 23rd September and Sunday 7th October at 2pm
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia
Time: 8pm (charity matinees at 2pm)
Tickets: AU$20-$37. To buy online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/ch359jg

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/


2.4 WYRD SISTERS IN MELBOURNE

Monash University Shakespeare will present their production of Wyrd
Sisters, directed by Jem Splitter, in the MUST Space, Monash
University, in September 2012. The performance dates are 6th-15th
September. Times and ticket prices seem impossible to find so far,
but apparently you can email wyrdsisters2012@... or call 0438
001 664 to find out more information.


2.5 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN EMERALD

That's the charming little town of Emerald in Victoria, not the
considerably less charming one in Queensland... Director Evie
Housham and Assistant Director Ysabelle Dean (good Discworld-y name,
that) will direct the Gemco Players in Guards! Guards! from the 9th
to the 24th of November 2012.

When: Friday 9th–Sunday 11th November, Friday 16th–Sunday 18th
November, and Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th November
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive Emerald VIC
3782 (Melway reference 127 E5)
Times: 8pm for all Friday and Saturday shows. The Sunday
performances (11th and 18th) are at 2.30pm
Tickets: ring 0411 723 530 for bookings

For further information, email (gemcoplayers@...) or enquire
via snail mail:

Gemco Players
PO Box 480,
Emerald,
VIC, 3782

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/guards-guards

"Gemco is a community theatre group, which began over 30 years ago
in Emerald. Over that time Gemco has performed to over 45,000 people
using some 3,600 people on or offstage. Gemco has had over 1900
young people involved in its Youth/Children's programs. All
leaders and committee give their time voluntarily. Gemco has raised
over $20,000 for groups within the community and beyond. Over 70% of
material is Australian with much of it locally written. Gemco is
incorporated i.e. a not for profit organisation. The youth theatre
has grown in the last 9 years from 15 young people, to 60 young
people attending per week and a waiting list."

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/history/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) CONVENTION NEWS

3.1 AUSDWCON UPDATES

Damian of Nullus writes:

Wotcha!

Nullus Anxietas IV is the National Australian Discworld convention,
held in Melbourne over the Labour Day weekend (8-10 March, 2013) at
Bell Rydges in Preston.

We're selling tickets for the con, and at the moment, while we're
still setting up, we have a special Early Bird price. At the start
of September, we're upping the price by $30. Then, there will be no
early birds. Just birds. And of course, if you buy your supporting
membership now (only $30) you can upgrade later at the early bird
price (and that's cutting my own throat!).

Go to http://ausdwcon.org/ to buy tickets and find out what will be
happening. Follow @nullusanxietas4 to keep up with the news and say
hello. We are looking forward to seeing and chatting with you!


Now for some more very useful information:

Firstly, registrations and accommodation are both open for Nullus
Anxietas IV, March 8-10 2013. To find out about accommodation, go
to:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/accommodation

To claim your spot at the convention:

http://tinyurl.com/bpc9nh8


Nullus has regular updates on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV


...and on G+ at:

http://tinyurl.com/d9ntq6v (search for Nullus Anxietas IV)

We even dip our fingers in the Twittersphere (@nullusanxietas4) and
on Pinterest (I have nothing better to do with my life):

http://pinterest.com/nullusanxietas/


3.2 ANKH-MORPORK TOURNAMENTS

Following on from initial successes, the Melbourne "Ankh-Morpork"
game tournament is now a regular thing! The last Sunday in every
month is the day for the NAIV Ankh-Morpork Tournament. With prizes
of games vouchers from Good Games Blackburn, it is always a fun day
for experienced players and newbies alike. Specific information can
be found at:

http://ausdwcon.org/forums/6/topics/516

The next Ankh-Morpork tournament will be on Sunday 26th August. Bee
there or bee a rectangular thyng!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) CLOSE

That's the lot for Fourecks at the moment. My HEX is still cranky,
so I am going to post this out before it declares war on my again.
See you later this month for the usual WOSSNAME edition...

– Annie

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
August 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 8, Post 2)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
04) DODGER NEWS
05) BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS... AND A CALENDAR
06) A NEW ANIMATION
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) EXHIBITION: THE ART OF PAUL KIDBY
11) REVIEW: DISCWORLD GRAPHIC NOVELS
12) A PECULIARLY DISCWORLD-Y FANFIC
13) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: ANTS, CLACKS TOWERS, AND GLOOPERS
14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
15) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
17) "CHOOSING TO DIE" UP FOR ANOTHER GONG
18) PLASTIC FANTASTIC: DISCWORLD DIORAMAS
19) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
20 CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"I like to play with words. It's fun and it's my job."
– Terry Pratchett

"Do people really not realise that in writing the Long Earth, Terry
and Stephen have opened up a complete new genre of 'fantasy'
literature? There are so many 'hooks' here for them (and others) to
do follow-ups! Yes, we want to know what happens with both Lobsangs,
with Joshua and Sally, but we now have 4+ million earths waiting for
historical records, families (eg the Greens) crying out for a family
story, the Gap and the Long Mars (and Long Venus?), and what about
the Long Moon? Not to mention the complete story of Happy Valley,
and the post atomic Datum Earth. Which do you want first?"

– Pratchett (and science fiction) fan Mike Lacey

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

This month's main post comes rather later than originally intended,
owing to Hex issues at the WOSSNAME offices (otherwise known as my
dining room). But most of a week, and a visit from a nice friendly
electrician to instal a new circuit to keep power outages from
wrecking the domestic harmony of our family Hexes, here it is...

If you haven't seen Professor Sir Pterry's excellent Dodger-centric
Q&A session at Trinity College Dublin's famous library, all four
parts of it are available on YouTube. Go watch and you will learn
all manner of fascinating stuff!

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr__fQHkZaw

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pwhL4yAptk

Part 3: http://tinyurl.com/bupc7kw

Part 4: http://tinyurl.com/ca844md

Right,  we have all sorts of news and such this issue! On with the
show...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

Like it says on the tin...

3.1 A VERY SPECIAL CITY WATCH

An image so marvellous it deserves to be up here rather than down in
Images of the Month: the Watch as you've never seen them before!
Complete with Piecemaker, explanatory pamphlets and many other
familiar accoutrements! Here are Vimes, Carrot, Angua, Colon and
Nobby, Cheery, Constable Visit, Reg Shoe, Detritus and Dorfl in a
portrait you will never forget...

http://tinyurl.com/dyw6rwq

[Also see item 18, below – Ed.]


3.2 IT'S NOT WEATHERWAX SEASON YET

The other day, Pterry was asked "When will we see Granny Weatherwax
again?", and his answer was "Not in the next book. I have so many
Discworld characters. My characters are sitting in the green room I
pull them out when they have a job to do. There has to be a reason."

Fans responded with many comments, requests and observations. here
be a selection of interesting ones online:

Shelley Marie:
A reason? Nah! Granny Weatherwax doesn't wait for reason; she sticks
her nose in anything she damn well pleases, thank-you-very-much!

Kathy Stattel:
Can you publish a book like 'All I need to know I learned from
Granny'?

Barbara Blomeier:
Seen with the eyes of a midwife as I am, Granny is simply the best!
I would really really love to have her leading our fight for better
payment and against dying of our profession in Germany!! Terry,
can't you make her help us?

Julia Zeigler:
I'll take anything I can get, thanks :)

Dana Wolff:
But but but but but, I miss Granny Weatherwax. Write faster!

Debbie Smith:
Your characters are our friends. We get to missing them! Thanks for
all your hard work!!

Tanya Southern:
Look at what is happening in rural africa. Innocent people are being
murdered in the name of witch craft. And these poor souls aren't
even witches. As a fellow pagan, it breaks my heart. If only Granny
could come and sort them out and show them what REAL witch craft is:
headology.

Carol Williamson:
Ooook. What happens when Granny meets the Librarian? That's a scene
I'd love to read!

Colin Oliver:
Granny meets Vimes would love to see!

...and my favourite, from Sarah Niven:
I can imagine her in the green room, trying in vain to keep Nanny
Ogg away from the complementary [sic] hooch!


3.3 REVIEW: LORDS AND LADIES AUDIOBOOK

A short online review by Jonatan Rullman:

"I am relistening to Nigel Planers excellent rendition of Lords and
Ladies and everytime I do it strikes me how excellent the dialog is
in this book. It's not cheerful or slightly on the simple side like
many of the other books in the Discworld series. It is dark, it is
gritty, and I love every word of it. I really suggest everyone takes
a look at this audio book, even if you've read the book a thousand
times and don't usually listen to audio books. Planer truly does a
masterly job of capturing it."


3.4 ABOUT THAT CRAB BUCKET

Here's something one doesn't see every day – Pterry referenced in
an op-ed piece about football. On a gambling website, no less:

"My favourite author growing up (and still) was Terry Pratchett, the
most brilliant and coruscating genius of modern English fiction, and
in one of his books (on football, remarkably) the phrase 'crab-
bucket' turns up several times. It basically means that you can
keep crabs in a bucket with no lid, as if one should happen to climb
out the rest will pull it back, and when applied to humans relates
to the negative attitude some sections can have toward
achievement..."

http://www.bet123.net/wp/football/3517/ferdinands-folly


3.5 SIR PTERRY'S "GRANDDAUGHTER"

Well, in a manner of speaking. Here's the latest addition to the
Pratchett Dynasty – Rhianna Pratchett's new kitten, a beautiful
Ragdoll called Magrat (also known as You). As the "aunt" of
magnificently weird Ragdoll boy-cat "The Real Snoop Lion", your
Editor thoroughly approves:

https://p.twimg.com/ArWVDbbCEAAe8fM.jpg


3.6 ICONOGRAPHS OF NOTE

Finally, have a lovely iconograph of Pterry and a fan at DWcon 2012.
"Will You Sign My Chem, Sir?"

http://tinyurl.com/cgwk6g3

...and last but certainly not least, one of a very happy wordsmith
leaning on a very special street sign!

http://tinyurl.com/9h6z3vl

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) DODGER NEWS

4.1 THE LIVE-ACTION TALK!

There are still some tickets left for Pterry's 17th September talk
at Ely Cathedral. Tickets are only £10 for adults and £5 for
children; what's more, the ticket price is redeemable against the
purchase of a copy of Dodger:

"We are delighted to announce that best-selling author Sir Terry
Pratchett will be coming to Ely to celebrate the publication of
Dodger, his new novel. This is a rare opportunity to hear Sir Terry
talking about Dodger, a tale of skulduggery and dark deeds set in
London, in the magical atmosphere of Ely Cathedral. There will be a
very strictly limited opportunity for 100 ticket holders (chosen at
the event) to meet Sir Terry on the night; for everyone else, copies
of Dodger marked with a stamp designed uniquely for this event will
be available, allowing everyone the chance to have a copy linked to
this landmark evening."

The doors open at 6.45pm for this event, with a 7.30pm start.

http://tinyurl.com/972f8dj


4.2 THE LIVE-ACTION TRAILER!

First of its kind... a bit too clean-looking and saccharine for the
subject matter perhaps, but I have to say that Dodger himself is
quite well-cast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRgiZeekrpM


4.3 THE SIGNED PRE-ORDER COPIES!

Lynsey of Transworld writes:

Signed copies of Dodger are now available for pre-order! These are
really limited in number so it's a first come, first served basis as
it were ;)

http://www.pjsmprints.com/books/


4.4 THE AUCTION!

A UK uncorrected bound proof & UK First Edition/First Printing
Hardback of Dodger, signed by the author, was offered at auction
this month on eBay, to raise funds for the RICE Centre (the Research
Institute for the Care of Older People) in Bath. The bidding ended
on 19th August, and the winning bid was for £1,241.26.

The original auction page:

"A unique opportunity to own a signed UK bound proof and signed UK
first edition hardback of Dodger ahead of publication on 13th
September 2012. Both books have been hand signed by Terry Pratchett
and are in immaculate unread condition. Authenticated with the
official Pratchett stamp, security hologram and Terry's coat of
arms."

http://tinyurl.com/d3v7q8h

RICE's website:

http://rice.org.uk/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS... A BUMPER CROP TO RE-ORDER

In addition to Dodger and The World of Poo, there are several more
new and pre-orderable Pratchett and Discworld releases in the coming
weeks. First up is the all-singing, all dancing – all right, all
updated – Discworld Companion, which this time goes under a simply
irresistible pune of a title...

Turtle Recall

Pre-order price £12.80, release date 8th November 2012

"For safety's sake, you need a guide to lead you through the
highways and byways of this extraordinary world - how else will you
find out where to get the best curry in Ankh-Morpork**, or if the
rumours about XXXX, the lost continent, are true?*** * There were
once five. ** Klatchian Curry Gardens, corner of God Street & Blood
Alley. PS Don't use the kitchen entrance. *** They are."

(the most updated Discworld Companion yet, right up through Snuff)

http://tinyurl.com/co2qj7f


...and then there is – for the many who never got their hands on
their own copy of Once More* with Footnotes – a comprehensive
anthology of Pratchett bits and pieces...

A Blink of the Screen

Pre-order price £10.80, release date 11th October 2012

"In the four decades since his first book appeared in print, Terry
Pratchett has become one of the world's best-selling and best-loved
authors. Here for the first time are his short stories and other
short form fiction collected into one volume. A Blink of the Screen
charts the course of Pratchett's long writing career: from his
schooldays through to his first writing job on the Bucks Free Press,
and the origins of his debut novel, The Carpet People; and on again
to the dizzy mastery of the phenomenally successful Discworld
series. Here are characters both familiar and yet to be discovered;
abandoned worlds and others still expanding; adventure, chickens,
death, disco and, actually, some quite disturbing ideas about
Christmas,all of it shot through with his inimitable brand of
humour. With an introduction by Booker Prize-winning author A.S.
Byatt, illustrations by the late Josh Kirby and drawings by the
author himself, this is a book to treasure."

http://tinyurl.com/ck5cknd


...and next, a new Mapp(e) of our favourite Discly metropolis, in
familiar form but with a host of marvellous illustrations and
advertisements...

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork

Pre-order price £11.99, release date 8th November 2012

"Our city has grown well beyond its ancient walls, but the remit of
this commission from the honourable Guild of Merchants was to 'map
the city', the pulsing organ of commerce and culture, the heart as
opposed to the body, and this we have done. In spades. We ask that
when you pore over this glorious work you spare some thought for the
humble cartographers and surveyors who made journeys into the darker
corners of our metropolis – no less dangerous than the wilds of
Skund or Bhangbhangduc. To some the only memorial is the map you now
possess. Others, in their quest for knowledge, paid the highest
price that scholarship demands, which is to say, a day off in
lieu..."

http://tinyurl.com/czrub52


...and just released this month, the deluxe 2013 calendar...

Terry Pratchett's Discworld Collectors' Edition Calendar 2013

Price £9.10

http://tinyurl.com/cxpjfw2

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

06) TCD AND PRATCHETT ANIMATED FILM COLLABORATION

Hannah Ryan in leading Irish student newspaper The University Times:

"Part-time Trinity lecturer and world-famous author Sir Terry
Pratchett is working on a new project which will see the Old Library
and other parts of Trinity College animated on-screen. The film,
entitled 'The Duel', will be produced by The Animation Hub, a
collaboration of staff and students of Trinity's Creative Arts,
Technology and Culture initiative and Ballyfermot College, and
animation studio Giant Creative. It is funded by the Irish Film
Board and will premiere in early 2013 as part of the Tercentenary
Celebrations of the Old Library.

"The film is set in the Unseen University of Pratchett's Discworld
series and will centre on a duel between two wizards. Pratchett, who
lectures part-time in postgraduate English at Trinity, came up with
the story and will be writing the script... Pratchett said '"The
Duel" is something new from something old – "Discworld" is being
borrowed by our students in the Animation Hub to produce a wholly
new adventure-where some familiar elements from our world will
appear, but not quite as we know them. It's wonderful to see this
type of project supported and made real – and we intend to have a
lot of fun while we're at it'..."

http://tinyurl.com/9awhpby


Ken Sweeney in the Irish Independent:

The short film, which centres around a duel between two wizards,
received a huge publicity boost this week when Pratchett tweeted
about it to his 63,000 followers on Twitter... Pratchett's close
relationship with Trinity College began in December 2008 when he was
conferred with an honorary degree. Since then the relationship has
deepened, with Colin Smythe, Pratchett's literary agent, donating a
complete back catalogue of the writer's published translations to
the college library in 2009. Along with using Trinity as a setting,
the project will give students from the university and Ballyfermot
College the opportunity to work on the animated film penned by the
writer best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series
of comic fantasy novels..."

http://tinyurl.com/bwjnqnb


...and for a first look at the actual look of it, courtesy of
Pterry's ptweets:

http://tinyurl.com/bmy69o8

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS


...and plenty of it this month!

7.1 AUDITIONS FOR GOOD OMENS LIVE

Auditions for Cult Classic Theatre's exclusive 2013 stage production
of Good Omens will take place in September. Come angels, come
demons, come witchfinders, come one and all and see if there's a
part for you!

When: September 25th and 26th
Venue: Langside College, 50 Prospecthill Road, Glasgow G42 9LB
(tel. 0141 272 3600)
Time: 7pm

The show will take place at next march at Cottiers Theatre. Director
Amy Hoff says, "The script is finished and we are ready to go!"

The audition listing on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/275821469181152/

...and do visit Cult Classic Theatre's website for more info:

www.cultclassic.org.


7.2 MORT THE MUSICAL IN KINGSTON

Youth Music Theatre UK will be putting on their production of Mort
the Musical, adapted by Jenifer Toksvig (book and lyrics) and
Dominic Haslam (music), in August.

When: August 29th to September 1st 2012
Venue: Rose Theatre Kingston, 24-26 High St, Kingston, Surrey KT1
1HL (telephone 0871 230 1552)
Time: Wed. – Sat. 7.30pm (Thursday and Saturday matinees 2.30pm)
Tickets: Band A £25, Band B £20, Band C £17.50, Band D £15, Pit
Cushions £8

For more information, and to buy tickets, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/78zpz6s

or ring 08444 821556

www.rosetheatrekingston.org


7.3 REAPER MAN IN ADELAIDE

Unseen Theatre are back with brand-new Discworld action! Reaper Man,
directed by Pamela Munt and David Dyte and featuring Hugh O'Connor
as DEATH, Pamela Munt as Miss Flitworth, Leighton James as Windle
Poons, Paul Messenger as Archchancellor Ridcully and Samm Blackmore
as Footnote, takes to the Bakehouse Theatre stage next month.
"Supported by a cast and crew of thousands!" Not to be missed!

When: 14th-29th September 2012 (preview night is Friday 14th
September, opening night is Saturday 15th September, and then the
season continues on Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th, Friday 21st,
Saturday 22nd, Wednesday 26th, Thursday 27th, Friday 28th and
Saturday 29th)
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000 (Tel:
(08) 8227 0505)
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: Adults $20/Concession $17/Fringe Benefits $16/ Groups (of
10+) $16 (Preview – all tix $15)
BOOKINGS: www.bakehousetheatre.com, or cash at the door on the night
(subject to availability)

http://www.unseen.com.au/
http://www.bakehousetheatre.com/shows/2012/reaper-man


7.4 CARPE JUGULUM IN NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE

"Terry Pratchett's world famous witches are back! Following on from
our successful productions of Wyrd Sisters and Maskerade, The
People's Theatre, in collaboration with Young People's Theatre, are
proud to present Carpe Jugulum (Latin: 'seize the throat') following
the lives of Lancrastrians Nanny Ogg, Magret, Agnes Nitt and Granny
Weatherwax as they defend the kingdom from the undead."

When: 18th September–22nd September 2012
Venue: The People's Theatre, Stephenson Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
NE6 5QF (Telephone: 0191 265 5020)
Time: 7.30pm all shows (show ends at 10pm every night)
Tickets: £11.00 (£9.00 concessions). To book online, go to:
http://www.intelligent-tickets.com/index.php?th=pe

http://tinyurl.com/8fvbtml
http://tyneandwear.sky.com/home/event/28160


7.5 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN MINNESOTA

The Historic Mounds Theatre continue to present Pratchett plays,
hurrah! After May's production of Amazing Maurice, next up is
Guards! Guards! in September.

When: September 7th-23rd, Fridays through Sundays
Venue: The Historic Mounds Theatre, 1029 Hudson Road, Saint Paul MN
55106
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: Adults $15.00, students/Senior $10.00, children $6.00

http://www.moundstheatre.org/


7.6 THE LAST HERO IN BRISBANE

The Brisbane Arts Theatre will present the Australian premiere of
The Last Hero, adapted by Ian Rennie, in September.

"Cohen the Barbarian and his Silver Horde may well be over pension
age, but that won't stop them being Heroes. They're heading to the
home of the Gods, to give back what the first Hero stole - fire.
The genius inventor Leonard of Quirm and steadfast watchman Captain
Carrot are on their way to stop them blowing up the Discworld.
They're certain to succeed - except that they've brought the wizard
Rincewind with them...

"The BAT's popular Discworld series continues with this premiere
adaption of one of Sir Terry Pratchett's most popular stories. All
performance royalties will be donated to The Orangutan Project &
Gill's Old Bastards, with special Sunday Matinee performances to
support these two charities."

When: 15th September - 13th October 2012, with special charity
matinees on Sunday 23rd September and Sunday 7th October at 2pm
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia
Time: 8pm (charity matinees at 2pm)
Tickets: AU$20-$37. To buy online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/ch359jg

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/


7.7 WYRD SISTERS IN LANCASHIRE

St Joseph's Players, a Lancastrian (not Lancrastian!) company, will
present Wyrd Sisters as their play for September.

When: 11th-15th September 2012
Venue: St. Joseph's Players, Chapel Street, Leigh, Lancs WN7 2PR
(near the police station in Leigh town centre)
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: Tickets £7.00, Children under 16 £4.00
To order tickets, email p.galloway@...

http://tinyurl.com/c6dhsbz


7.8 WYRD SISTERS IN MELBOURNE

Monash University Shakespeare will present their production of Wyrd
Sisters, directed by Jem Splitter, in the MUST Space, Monash
University, in September.

When: 6th-15th September 2012
Venue: Monash Uni Student Theatre Grnd Flr, Western End, Campus
Centre (BLG 10)  Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Time: unknown
Tickets: possibly $11 MSA Card/$13 Concession/$17 Full (unconfirmed)
For more information, try emailing wyrdsisters2012@... or
ringing 0438 001 664


7.9 CARPE JUGULUM IN BEDFORD, ENGLAND

The Country Players will present their production of Carpe Jugulum
in September.

When: 12th-15th September 2012
Venue: The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £8.50 with (concession price £7.50). For the Wednesday
performance only, tickets are £7.50 (concession  £6.50), available
from the Central Box Office in Harpur Street, Bedford (phone
01234-269519) or can be ordered online at:

http://tinyurl.com/8byt47d

For more information:

http://www.countryplayers.org.uk//CP/Home.html
http://www.theplacebedford.org.uk


7.10 WYRD SISTERS IN STAFFORDSHIRE

Tower Players present their production of Wyrd Sisters in October.

When: 19th and 20th October 2012
Venue: The Rose Theatre, Rugeley, Staffs
Time: 7:30pm (doors open at 7pm)
Tickets: Adults £7, Concessions £6
Box Office 01889 584306
Enquiries : towerplayers@...

For more info, and to purchase tickets online, go to:
http://www.towerplayers.co.uk/tptickets.html

http://www.towerplayers.co.uk/index.html


7.11 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN EMERALD, VICTORIA (FOURECKS)

That's the charming little town of Emerald in Victoria, not the
considerably less charming one in Queensland... Director Evie
Housham and Assistant Director Ysabelle Dean (good Discworld-y name,
that) will direct the Gemco Players in Guards! Guards! from the 9th
to the 24th of November 2012.

When: Friday 9th–Sunday 11th November, Friday 16th–Sunday 18th
November, and Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th November
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive Emerald VIC
3782 (Melway reference 127 E5)
Times: 8pm for all Friday and Saturday shows. The Sunday
performances (11th and 18th) are at 2.30pm
Tickets: ring 0411 723 530 for bookings

For further information, email (gemcoplayers@...) or enquire
via snail mail:

Gemco Players
PO Box 480,
Emerald,
VIC, 3782

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/guards-guards

"Gemco is a community theatre group, which began over 30 years ago
in Emerald. Over that time Gemco has performed to over 45,000 people
using some 3,600 people on or offstage. Gemco has had over 1900
young people involved in its Youth/Children's programs. All
leaders and committee give their time voluntarily. Gemco has raised
over $20,000 for groups within the community and beyond. Over 70% of
material is Australian with much of it locally written. Gemco is
incorporated i.e. a not for profit organisation. The youth theatre
has grown in the last 9 years from 15 young people, to 60 young
people attending per week and a waiting list."

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/history/


7.12 REVIEW: WYRD SISTERS IN CANBERRA

Reviewed by Helen Musa

"In 'Wyrd Sisters,' chosen by director Kerrie Roberts for its
terrific female roles, the language is rich with puns, literary
allusions to Shakespeare (especially The Scottish Play) and the
Brothers Grimm, as well as argument about the primacy of language as
the means to power, all wrapped up in an epic tale where three rural
English witches overcome the forces of evil. This is an ambitious
production for Roberts, enhanced with magic tricks, echoing voices
and projected screen animation. Supported by a solid network of
designers, backstage workers, it features a substantial cast which,
in spite of the fact that it is a TAC Women's Theatre Forum
production, boasts slightly more men than women... But in an arch,
self- knowing script like Pratchett's, comic timing is of the
essence and alas, with the possible exception of Jonathan Sharp
playing the Fool, none of the cast nails it. The opening night was
full of long pauses, missed gags and throwaway lines and shuffling
sounds in the dark during the many unnecessary blackouts for scene
changes..."

http://tinyurl.com/92kpc5x

It should be noted that the cast also did a surprisingly musical
rendition of a certain song about hedgehogs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUnkBX8Db80


7.13 LORDS AND LADIES RAISES A LORDLY SUM

"Theatre lovers in Somerset dug deep into their pockets to donate
more than £290 to the Alzheimer's Society after enjoying
performances of the Taunton Thespians' recent summer show. The
outdoor touring production was a brand new adaptation of Sir Terry
Pratchett's Lords and Ladies performed at beautiful outdoor venues
across Somerset...  Mark Dawson, chairman of Taunton Thespians,
said: 'When Sir Terry very sportingly gave the Thespians permission
to adapt one of his novels for our summer show, we wanted to find a
way to say thanks. Since his diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease
several years ago, Sir Terry has done so much to raise awareness
about the disease. We decided to ask our audiences at the end of
each performance to make a donation to the Alzheimer's Society.
People were very generous and I was thrilled to be able to pass the
takings onto the Alzheimer's Society towards their excellent
work.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/9x3sf5d

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

In This Is Wiltshire, a piece about the son of another
Alzheimer's-afflicted British pop culture icon going fundraising for
research:

"Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson, who dreamt up the scripts for
the science fiction movies and films, cannot nowadays tell the
difference between his phone and TV remote control as his life is
taken over by Alzheimer's. Now his son Jamie Anderson, who lives in
Gloucestershire, will take part in three walking marathons –
including one in Wiltshire – in aid of the Alzheimer's Society.
Gerry Anderson, 83, who lives in Henley, is the latest celebrity to
join the fight against dementia, following the lead of former West
Country journalist Terry Pratchett, the author of the Discworld
series of books. His son will take part in three marathon Memory
Walks over three consecutive weekends organised by the Alzheimer's
Society, in Northern Ireland on September 1, Northumberland on
September 8 and at Stonehenge on September 16 – a total of 78
miles... Anderson, 27, said: 'I'd noticed changes in my Dad, for
instance on many occasions I saw him struggle to distinguish between
the phone and the TV remote control. He decided to speak out about
his dementia to help raise awareness and to show that it can happen
to anyone.. I support the Memory Walk because I have seen first hand
how dementia affects both the individual and their family. I urge
everyone to join me and sign up with their family and friends for
these challenging events.'

"Adrian Williams, community fundraiser for Alzheimer's Trust, said:
'It's fantastic that Jamie has decided to take part in all three
memory walks. These walks are an excellent opportunity for people to
walk together with the common goal of fighting dementia.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/8wvzjvu


In the Daily Mail, an article about rates of decline in different
age groups of Alzheimer's sufferers:

"A team from the University of California said the 'younger elderly'
showed faster rates of brain tissue loss and cognitive decline than
Alzheimer patients who were over 80 years old. The findings have
profound implications for both diagnosing the degenerative condition
and efforts to find new treatments... Study author Dr Dominic
Holland, said: 'One of the key features for the clinical
determination of AD is its relentless progressive course. Patients
typically show marked deterioration year after year. If older
patients are not showing the same deterioration from one year to the
next, doctors may be hesitant to diagnose AD, and thus these
patients may not receive appropriate care, which can be very
important for their quality of life.' The team used imaging and
biomarker data from 723 who participated in the Alzheimer's Disease
Neuroimaging Initiative... Co-author Dr Linda McEvoy said it's not
clear why AD is more aggressive among younger elderly. 'It may be
that patients who show onset of dementia at an older age, and are
declining slowly, have been declining at that rate for a long time.
But because of cognitive reserve or other still-unknown factors that
provide 'resistance' against brain damage, clinical symptoms do not
manifest till later age.' Another possibility, according to Dr
Holland, is that older patients may be suffering from mixed dementia
– a combination of AD pathology and other neurological
conditions..."

The study is published online at PLoS ONE on 2nd August.

http://tinyurl.com/dxczn5a


In Science Daily, a report on progress towards developing a simple
blood test for Alzheimer's:

"In a study to be published in the August 28 issue of the journal
Neurology, scientists have taken a step toward developing a blood
test for Alzheimer's, finding a group of markers that hold up in
statistical analyses in three independent groups of patients.
'Reliability and failure to replicate initial results have been the
biggest challenge in this field,' says lead author William Hu, MD,
PhD, assistant professor of neurology at Emory University School of
Medicine. 'We demonstrate here that it is possible to show
consistent findings.'... 'Though a blood test to identify underlying
Alzheimer's disease is not quite ready for prime time given today's
technology, we now have identified ways to make sure that a test
will be reliable,' says Hu. 'In the meantime, the combination of a
clinical exam and cerebrospinal fluid analysis remains the best tool
for diagnosis in someone with mild memory or cognitive
troubles.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/9xpu6bo


Canadian op-ed blogger Fat Louis gives a succinct, well-phrased
overview of Terry Pratchett's campaign to legalise assisted dying:

"He's squarely faced up to the dark end promised by his Alzheimer's
diagnosis and decided he wouldn't go out like that. Instead he's
decided to die in his own way, in his own time. Which lead to his
becoming the most famous proponent of legalizing assisted suicide
— or as he prefers, 'assisted death' — in all of Great Britain.
And that position has won him surprising amount of enemies... The
thought of being a burden to family and friends; helpless, unaware,
and unable to communicate, terrifies. It terrifies most of us so
much in fact that we are unwilling to even consider the possibility.
Mr. Pratchett however is made of sterner stuff. He's accepted the
fact of his own end — a long, painful, and humiliating end —
and, what's more, he's given thought to how to handle it: by dying
in his own time and on his own terms. His admission has lead to the
inevitable backlash (religious groups seem especially offended by
the idea of wilfully ending life early), but rather than argue
Pterry has simply said, 'Let's talk about this like adults.'... Most
of us only hope we face our own eventual declines with the courage
shown by this man. But, for those who refuse to bury their head in
the sand, there are things to be done: becoming an organ donor is a
good start. Writing out a living will to guide others in our care
when we are no longer able is also probably smart. Until then we
Canadians can only wait and see..."

http://tinyurl.com/8jqk9j4

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 AUSDWCON UPDATES

Damian of Nullus writes:

Wotcha!

Nullus Anxietas IV is the National Australian Discworld convention,
held in Melbourne over the Labour Day weekend (8-10 March, 2013) at
Bell Rydges in Preston.

We're selling tickets for the con, and at the moment, while we're
still setting up, we have a special Early Bird price. At the start
of September, we're upping the price by $30. Then, there will be no
early birds. Just birds. And of course, if you buy your supporting
membership now (only $30) you can upgrade later at the early bird
price (and that's cutting my own throat!).

Go to http://ausdwcon.org/ to buy tickets and find out what will be
happening. Follow @nullusanxietas4 to keep up with the news and say
hello. We are looking forward to seeing and chatting with you!

Now for some more very useful information:

Firstly, registrations and accommodation are both open for Nullus
Anxietas IV, March 8-10 2013. To find out about accommodation, go
to:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/accommodation

To claim your spot at the convention:

http://tinyurl.com/bpc9nh8


Nullus has regular updates on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV


...and on G+ at:

http://tinyurl.com/d9ntq6v (search for Nullus Anxietas IV)

We even dip our fingers in the Twittersphere (@nullusanxietas4) and
on Pinterest (I have nothing better to do with my life):

http://pinterest.com/nullusanxietas/


9.2 NADWCON 2013 UPDATES

News along the way as we head for next year's NADWcon (5th-8th July
2013 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, Baltimore,
Maryland)... guests will include Bernard Pearson (along with Reb
Voyce and Ian Mitchell, see below), Stephen Baxter, Esther Friesner,
and who knows...

"A special announcement for the 8/8, NADWCon 2013 are very pleased
to announce the Discworld Emporium team have agreed to be our
guests. At the helm of the Emporium is a small yet perfectly formed
team comprising Bernard 'The Cunning Artificer' Pearson, Isobel
Pearson, Ian Mitchell and Reb Voyce. Everything they make is Terry
Pratchett approved and created with due care and attention to
detail. Bernard, Ian & Reb were delighted to accept our invitation.
The lovely Isobel will however be staying behind to look after the
cats, the shop and the business, all the while keeping the home
fires burning.

"The Emporium have been bringing Discworld to life for over twenty
years, and during that time have created a range of figurines and a
collection of limited edition sculptures known as The Unreal Estate
including the Unseen University, Guild buildings, Thunderer Printing
Press, and 'Bloody Stupid' Johnson's Mighty Organ. They have also
collaborated on everything from film props to giveaway items for
limited edition hardback books and film adaptation DVDs. The team
are currently working with Terry to create a brand new Ankh-Morpork
City Map, with more projects in the pipeline..."

http://www.nadwcon.org/18-home-news/63-guest-announcement-tde

Sign up to get the party started:

http://www.nadwcon.org/signup/membership


9.3 SADWCON NEWS

It's Feegle time!!! SADWCon 2012 Event Day: The Feegles Have Landed

Nac Mac Feegle wha hae! We are celebrating the arrival of the
Feegles in South Africa. It will be a day of 'lovely sunshine, good
huntin', nice pretty flowers, and wee burdies goin' cheep!'. Well,
those are all actually optional extras, but these are definites:

Stand a chance to win a proof copy of The Long Earth
Practice your creative side in a Bloody-Stupid-Johnson Workshop
Test your knowledge at the Discworld pub quiz
Participate in the auction and take home some wonderful books and
goodies
Gussy up and enter the Masquerade to win prizes
Take part in an interactive Radio Play
Watch a Discworld film
Get up to crazy hijinks with other Discworld fans
There will only be 150 tickets for sale, so hurry to get yours!

Date: 24th November 2012
Time: Registration at 10 am for Opening at 11 am
Venue: To be announced
Ticket Price: Adult R150.00 – includes lunch, Children (under 13)
R80.00 – includes lunch

http://sadwcon.org


9.4 CABBAGECON (DUTCH DW CON) NEWS

"Between 24 and 26 May 2013 the second Dutch Discworld Convention
Cabbagecon 2 will happen at the NH Hotel Zandvoort in Zandvoort aan
Zee. It will be a happy occasion for fans of Sir Terry Pratchett
from the Netherlands and abroad to meet each other and have fun. We
hope to see you too!"

Attending fees for the Second Dutch Discworld Convention: valid till
1 January 2013

Adults
For the weekend €40.00
Day tickets €25.00

Concessions, students and children born after 26 May 1995
For the weekend €35.00
Day tickets €20.00

Children born after 26 May 2008 free only when accompanied by a
paying adult

ATTENTION: REGISTRATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE FOR REGISTERED USERS AND
VALID AFTER RECEIPT OF PAYMENT

Badge names: names longer than 20 characters are not allowed. Longer
names will be cut off. If you book for two or more people you may
enter multiple badge names. If you want to change your name, please
send a mail with your old and new name to info@.... You
will receive a confirmation mail after the change has been made.

To register, and for more information, consult various menus on this
page:

http://dutchdwcon.nl/?language=en

And here is an image of their delightful logo. If the cabbage won't
come to the tortoise, the tortoise will go to the cabbage:

http://dutchdwcon.nl/sites/all/themes/cabbagecon/logo.png


9.5 DWCON NEWS

Stay tuned for an exclusive DWCon 2012 report from roving WOSSNAME
reported Asti. meanwhile, here be some iconographs of the weekend!

An Auditor trap:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9b21zXSw31rolpy3o1_1280.jpg

Pterry and Rob in conversation:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9b1xsV1mE1rolpy3o1_500.jpg

An interesting parking notice:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m99og7dFID1rolpy3o1_500.jpg

...and a whole raft of convention photos:

http://tinyurl.com/co9pyd5

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD AND BEYOND: THE ART OF PAUL KIDBY

"Paul Kidby is best known as the illustrator for Terry Pratchett's
Discworld books. He started his artistic career in freelance
illustration before committing himself to work full-time on
Discworld in 1995. Today Paul balances his output between Pratchett
and his own projects and lives and works in the north of the New
Forest. This exhibition showcases the wonderful book covers and
illustrations for Pratchett's novels including favourite characters
like Rincewind, the Wee Free Men and of course Death. It also
reveals Paul's own projects influenced by British folklore and
landscapes..."

When: 18th August through 29th September 2012
Venue: St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, New Street, Lymington,
Hampshire, SO41 9BH (phone 01590 676969)
Times: Mondays to Saturdays, 10.00am to 4.00pm
Tickets: adult admission price (to the museum and exhibitions)
£4.00, concessions (senior citizens, students, unemployed, Museum
Association members) £3.00, children under 16 £2.00, Children
under 5 free, family ticket (2 adults and up to 4 children) £10.00

http://www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk/exhibitions/index.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) REVIEW: tCoM|tLF GRAPHIC NOVEL

Originally published in 2008 by Harper, a subsidiary of
HarperCollins, The Discworld Graphic Novels – an omnibus of The
Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic – is a curious project-by-
committee that ultimately succeeds despite some odd quirks and
definite flaws.

The two books were adapted into graphic novel form by Scott
Rockwell, who edited the TLF portion (David Campiti edited the CoM
chapters). Artists include Steven Ross, who also created the cover
illustration; Joe Bennet, artist and colourist for TLF parts III and
IV; Vickie Williams, who did most of the lettering; Mira Fairchild,
colourist for TLF part I; and colourist Doug Nishimura who did a
particularly impressive job in TLF part II (which was lettered by
Michelle Beck). The visual "feel" of the book reminds me of Antoine
de Saint-Exupery's illustrations for his novel Le Petit Prince, one
of my best-beloved childhood books as it happens. There is a
delicacy and otherworldliness to the art that also brings to mind
the heyday of Barry Windsor-Smith, who created the remarkable Conan
the Barbarian visuals for Marvel Comics several decades ago.

The books follow the original Discworld novels nicely. In fact, it
could be said that TCoM and TLF come across better in this form than
they do in the text-only medium. The storylines are fully accessible
to a first-time reader unfamiliar with Discworld canon.
Unfortunately, for those of us who *are* familiar with Discworld
canon, the artists made some decidedly weird choices. Rincewind's
robe and pointy hat, for instance, are drawn as a knit-brimmed
watch-cap (with a very short floppy short tail) and an ankle-length
woolly turtleneck jumper, more the sort of outfit Ponder Stibbons
might wear than what we're used to having Rincewind described in.
The Unseen University faculty's hats, though they at least are
pointy, are brimless and appear to be made of stiffened wide-wale
corduroy. Cohen is beardless (whut?) and missing his eyepatch
(*WHUT?!*). These oddities do jar, but the faithfulness of the
storylines and the high quality of the artwork bring the Discworld
so much to life that one can (mostly) forgive them. Spelling errors
are thankfully rare, but risible when they do occur – "guidence",
"exsistance", and funniest of all, "deft" when it's obvious the
letterer meant "daft" – but hey, Stan Lee and company have been
guilty of far more egregious gaffes over the years in that
department.

All in all, well worth adding to your Discworld collection.

– Annie Mac

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) YES VIRGINIA, IT'S AN AN ACTUAL FANFIC RECOMMENDATION

Blogger and Pratchett fan Bethbethbeth offers a nicely Oggish
(Oggesque?) recipe for "Leftover Sandwiches Soup".

Bethbethbeth says, "This is intended as a real recipe, but please
use your discretion; I am doubtful that tuna, mayonnaise, and
sweetcorn soup, for example, would be a taste sensation in a good
way. The author takes no responsibility for any food poisoning or
domestic arguments that result"' and here are some samples of text:

"Witches is known for bein resourceful, and the best food is free
food. This soup'll put meat on your bones. As I always say, everyone
needs something to keep them warm at night...and enough good eatin
too."

"Feeds 2 hungry witches, or probly bout 3 or 4 ordinry people"

"Remove leftover sandwiches from your string bag. Take out the
fillin, and throw away any green bits. Cut the fillin into little
pieces if it aint already. Set aside half the bread to use later*,
and chop the remaining bread into small squares. Get your daughter-
in-law to thinly slice the onion and root vegetables..."

To view the whole recipe, with trimmins, go to:

http://disc-fest.livejournal.com/6027.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET

13.1 IT'S THE REAL ANTERNET!

"Deborah Gordon, a biology professor at Stanford, has been studying
ants for more than 20 years. When she figured out how the harvester
ant colonies she had been observing in Arizona decided when to send
out more ants to get food, she called across campus to Balaji
Prabhakar, a professor of computer science at Stanford and an expert
on how files are transferred on a computer network. At first he
didn't see any overlap between his and Gordon's work, but
inspiration would soon strike. 'The next day it occurred to me, "Oh
wait, this is almost the same as how [Internet] protocols discover
how much bandwidth is available for transferring a file!"'...
Prabhakar wrote an ant algorithm to predict foraging behavior
depending on the amount of food – i.e., bandwidth – available.
Gordon's experiments manipulate the rate of forager return. Working
with Stanford student Katie Dektar, they found that the TCP-
influenced algorithm almost exactly matched the ant behavior found
in Gordon's experiments. 'Ants have discovered an algorithm that we
know well, and they've been doing it for millions of years,'
Prabhakar said..."

http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2012/pr-ants-mimic-internet-082312.html


13.2 CELL TOWER DEATHS

Roundworld events and situations that parallel Discworld ones often
make for amusing reading, but some of them are no laughing matter.
Of course, young clacksman Dearheart's death was also not at all
funny...

"On a clear evening in May, Guilford was dangling, 150 feet in the
air, from a cell tower in southwest Indiana. He had been sent aloft
to take pictures of AT&T antennas soon to be replaced by 3G
equipment. Work complete, Guilford sped his descent by rappelling on
a rope. Safety standards required him to step down the metal pole,
peg by peg, using a special line that would catch automatically if
he fell. But tower climbing is a field in which such rules are
routinely ignored. 'Bouncy, bouncy,' Guilford, 25, called jovially
to men on the ground. Then, in an instant, the hook attaching the
rope to the tower – broken and missing its safety latch – came
loose..."

http://tinyurl.com/bpfhj7o

"We take for granted that our cell phones should get reception. But
there is a hidden human cost to a strong signal. Across the country,
workers have been falling to their deaths from cell phone towers. To
satisfy the ever-increasing demand for smart phones, tower climbers
install and service cell antennas, a job that requires them to
ascend hundreds of feet into the air...."

http://tinyurl.com/cec9mpo


13.3 A FAMILIAR-LOOKING GLOOPER

http://tinyurl.com/bvx5mub

And then there's the airborne version. Would that be the Swooper?

https://sites.google.com/a/dominican.edu/econo-physics/Home

And another, definitely a Glooper and known as Moniac:

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/f/fortune/n/m03.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first
Friday of every month at the famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards.
Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome! The next WOTS meeting will
(probably) be on 7th September.

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on 3rd September 2012 at the Monkey
Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

For more info, contact BrokenDrummers@...

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, have been meeting on a regular
basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood
(presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists
normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, N
Yorks, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes
and raffles.

Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the
Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/


*

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club meets on the last
Thursday of the month from 6.30pm at the Ed Castle, 233 Currie St,
Adelaide (South Australia). Details, discussions and organisation of
extra events (such as play outings) are held on their email mailing
list, so do sign up at:

https://groups.google.com/group/adelaide-discworld-fans


*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more
information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger CGriff, serious Shakespeare fan and real-life Education
Administrative Assistant at the Folger Shakespeare Library in
Washington, DC, thinks Wyrd Sisters rocks as hard as the Bard:

"In the same vein of comic writing as Christopher Moore, Pratchett
uses timing very prudently. And, closer to the climax, introduces a
plethora of Shakespearean references, that were - quite frankly -
refreshing after a slog in the bogs of Lancre with the witches. LOVE
them. REALLY LOVE them... I think even Will himself is in this book,
in a way. If Discworld is a parallel world - and I don't know it's
mythology - then Hwel the dwarf poet who is plagued with inspiration
is our man..."

http://tinyurl.com/d8jftps


A Discworld overview and paean to Pterry from blogger Sage Abyss:

"A lot of our comedy [in America] is based around getting to a joke
and moving on to the next one. So when you have small one picture
memes that build of off existing things; well, like it or not that's
sadly the evolution of comedy, instant punch lines. That's a problem
with some of the comedic books out there... I've been getting into
Discworld lately and while I love Color of Magic over the course of
the books I've noticed something in Terry Pratchett's literary
narrative aside from the sheer overall improvement in quality.
Specifically how much balls the man has as his books go on. Don't
believe me?I just, just finished reading a novel called Witches
Abroad. It is an entire novel that deals with the idea of a fairy-
tale ending and why fairy godmothers, who force these endings onto
people, might be incredibly evil. I know a lot of you are muttering
Shrek 2 under your breath so I will point out that this book came
out in 1991 during the height of the Disney Princess era. As In the
same year as Beauty and The Beast. Now that's balls...

"After only three books with Granny Weatherwax the sheer thought of
her given the choice of turning evil is one of those horrible
outcomes that provides no hope for the universe much like destroying
the Xbox of a five year old or a tax audit. With a lot of characters
you look at them and imagine that if they turned evil it'd be a
manageable thing regardless of how bad it was. For example, if
Gandalf had picked up the one ring, he'd be evil, but he wouldn't
outdo Sauron. Granny though, is just one of those characters (like I
said earlier) that you are glad is on the side of good. Learning the
reason why and just how lucky the whole universe is that it worked
out that way only adds to the raw terror of the woman..."

http://tinyurl.com/d5wfl5e


Cheryl Mahoney's Pratchett blogposts this month include her review
of Wyrd Sisters:

"The witches are in fine form here.  This is the first with all
three of them, but they're already fully-defined... I think this
would be a great place for someone to start the Discworld series.
It's independent of earlier ones, introduces major characters, and
is brilliantly funny. It begins the Witches plotline, which spans
several books that are more interconnected than most of Discworld.
It worked out for me, even though I read them in reverse order..."

http://tinyurl.com/cqgykeg

...and her post about all the Discworld telefilms and animations:

"Books-to-movie adaptations are always a bit chancy, but on the
whole Discworld seems to have fared well.  They've all been TV
miniseries which allows more screen time, and that usually means a
more accurate rendition. And Terry Pratchett seems to have been
heavily involved, which also helps! I don't have quite enough to say
about any of them for a full review, so let's do a round-up instead.
The Color of Magic... The most fun, though, was Sean Astin in a role
not too far from his hobbit character. This is fun, although don't
expect too much, as it is based on two of the weaker Discworld
books... Hogfather: If you need a new Christmas movie, this is
excellent in a weird sort of way.... I particularly love Susan
(played by Michelle Dockery, Lady Mary on Downton Abbey) and Marc
Warren as Teatime is wonderfully creepy... Going Postal: This is
wonderful, though it does diverge farther from the book than most.
Moist's character is a little simpler (with a more straight-forward
path from jerk to honorable), and some of the funniest bits are left
out (including Grout's trip to the hospital, and most parts
involving the wizards). However, they also play up the romance and
Miss Dearheart's character in a way that I think works very well,
and much of the rest of the book is faithfully represented... Wyrd
Sisters... Don't come looking for brilliant animation – it's
decent, not terrible, not approaching Pixar or Disney either... Soul
Music... There's a lot that's fun here, especially the Death of
Rats!  I also enjoy Death and Susan as characters, and they're the
major focus for much of this..."

http://tinyurl.com/c9axh5k


Blogger Pokarlla reviews Carpe Jugulum:

"It was very humourous (as usual) and Terry Pratchett's take on
vampires is different, amusing and a little frightening. Look out
for the Nac mac Feegle (I love them! They're probably why I love
the Tiffany Aching character arc so much..."

http://tinyurl.com/cttq243


Blogger The Janitor, who has never read any Pratchett apart from The
Long Earth, gives it a rave review:

"One of the best I've read, in terms of piquing my interest anyway.
The authors do a good job throwing in the unexpected (in regards to
the other earths) and also unfolding the expected (such as how
society might unfold given the discovery of a seemingly endless
landscape with endless resources). I liked it so much I plan to read
it to my nephew after we finish Lewis's Space Trilogy (we're
currently on Perelandra). Many have complained about how this book
is nothing like Pratchett's previous work in the Discworld series.
Having never read any of the Discworld books, I can't make a
comparison. But most of the complaints I read looked unjustified: as
though they read the book with the expectation of another Discworld
and then were disappointed to find that it wasn't another Discworld
book..."

http://tinyurl.com/ctp684l


Blogger foodieboomboom throws a happy wobbler over Nanny Ogg's
Cookbook:

"Based on the recommendations of a then considered hot boy, this
token wound it's way to Red Lion Books in merry Colchester, and was
exchanged for not one but two Terry Pratchett novels... one of my
favourite things about the Pratchett novels is that despite the
involvement of dragons, wizards, six foot dwarves and were-police
ladies- it's is all so recognisable. You can really realate to it.
Perhaps because the most basic of human features issue in all
characters and stories (especially the un-human ones) or more likely
because Discworld is so complete in it's creation - down to the
cuisines of the various districts of this flattened fictional realm.
Fans will be all too familiar with the `red hot ice cube'
consistency of a Klatchian Curry, or the dubious greasiness of some
of Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler's dodgy street food which is almost
always served innabun. No great surprise that someone made a cook
book from it really, and as shameless merchandising goes, it's
bloody well done. Any Pratchett reader will love the little editor's
notes and communications with your marvellously naughty author,
Nanny Ogg. You could happily read this from cover to cover with no
intention of ever cooking or eating any of it..."

http://tinyurl.com/c2bby4x


Blogger Pokis makes a thoughtful review of Snuff:

"I noticed that unlike his other works, this one was distinctively
darker. Themes regarding racism, murder and aristocracy were very
obvious in the storyline. I'm fine with it, though it distinguish
itself from the other books because of it. It also makes it easier
to view it as normal novel, instead of the humorous and light books
Terry Pratchett. I don't mean to say that his book aren't serious by
that, only to specify the difference between them..."

http://tinyurl.com/c6gghbr


...as does blogger Corinna McGill aka wadingthroughbooks:

"This latest entry to the Discworld series is as strong as ever
(no, that's not a poo joke. I'm saving those for when I read The
World of Poo. No, that's not a joke either; yes, that is a
warning). The City Watch books are some of my favourite in the
series, and I always did have a soft spot for Sam Vimes. All he
wants to do is his job, and they keep making him be all respectable
and noble and political and not making any bloody sense. No one does
absurdism like the British, and Pratchett is a master at it..."

http://tinyurl.com/css67uq


Another review of Snuff, this one by blogger funkyfacecat:

"It seems to me that as Pratchett gets older, Vimes's pure blazing
fury that blasts through shades of grey and lights the darkness in
people's hearts and deeds burns brighter, although it casts shadows
of its own. Vimes will not see innocent (or rather no worse than
human) beings trodden down and exploited; he will not allow anyone,
regardless of class or wealth, get away with more than he can
possibly help. This will sometimes comes into conflict with
Vetinari, with the rest of the world, but here Vimes's family
provides much-needed comfort to him (and us?) amid the bleakness of
his (and our) world, while the battle of interests provides great
food for thought on morality and ethics and how not to treat
sentient beings like things... The great talent possessed by the
oppressed beings is awfully convenient, but then again I think his
point was the importance of looking beneath the exterior. Overall,
however, Snuff is a gripping read; there are plots and chases and
plenty of room for Vimes's trademark speeches while accosting
evildoers. There is lots of humour as well, bouncing in a typically
Pratchettesque (Pratchettian?) fashion from arch literary references
to mocking manners and mores to slapstick and wordplay to the
frankly scatological – Young Sam takes great delight in exploring
the world of poo. I very much enjoyed Snuff, continue to adore
Vimes, and find the development of Vimes the Family Man an
increasingly appealing layer in the novels set among the police
force..."

http://tinyurl.com/csfvlbj


Blogger Ash offers a review of Men at Arms:

"The book explores the history of monarchy, uncovers Captain
Carrot's past and how he came to be adopted by the dwarves not to
mention bridge the volatile relationship between trolls and dwarves.
Its a murder mystery to the core with humor taking a back seat if
only for awhile. It is however one of the best adventures which
revolves around the Watch..."

http://tinyurl.com/cg8hp6l

...and also reviews The Truth:

"The story is closely based on the origins of 'News' and
Journalism... the crux lies in the exploring the nuances of
journalism, newspaper and the invention of printing press. The story
becomes hilarious with the introduction of Otto Chriek, a vegan
vampire who joins William's team as the photographer. Its definitely
a book you'd want to read over and over..."

http://tinyurl.com/cgj58yc


Blogger mervih was delighted by the audiobook of Wyrd Sisters, read
by Celia Imrie:

"Obviously, MacBeth has inspired this book. There's also a Hamlet-
like ghost. Hwel, the dwarven script writer for the troupe, channels
Shakespeare and tries out various wordings... This is the first time
I've listened a Pratchett book and I really enjoyed Imrie's reading.
She has individual voices to all witches and most of the supporting
cast, too..."

http://tinyurl.com/dyy35qo

...and mervih also reviews Lords and Ladies (the print version):

"The book features no less than three possible romances, lots of
misunderstandings, and people not talking to each other even though
just five minutes honest talk would probably clear up most of the
misunderstandings. I generally don't care for such
misunderstandings but Pratchett manages to write them well, just for
comedic effect but in-character, too. As usual, underneath the
comedy, Prachett discusses about serious issues. This time it's
the way that what people believe makes them almost blind to how
things are; the nature of reality and thought/belief and how they
affect each other..."

http://tinyurl.com/btw977a


The Bookwitch was puzzled by The Long Earth, and explains why in her
review:

"Why is it that in sci-fi you almost always travel? This was less of
a space ship journey, because as I said, I'm not sure where the
characters went to. I do know where they started from, which was
Madison, Wisconsin (my second Wisconsin book in a row, so I will
steer clear of that, now). With or without their potatoes, people
`step.' Into another world, or ten, and occasionally one hundred
thousand worlds. Seeing how you are sick when you step, you can see
that it might be hard to step any distance... Maybe it's because I
don't like the unknown, that I felt unnnerved by all the new worlds
Joshua and his Dalai Lama pal visit. They pose countless questions
about life everywhere. I'm just not sure what conclusions are
reached. You can tell Terry Pratchett has been involved, because
there are many absurd characters and ideas (I don't know what
Stephen Baxter is like, but I'm guessing he's more science), nicely
juxtaposed to entertain the reader..."

http://tinyurl.com/bqr7aae


Blogger and author Heather Dixon gushes (her own term) about Going
Postal:

"In the world of creative writing, there are a lot of proclaimed
do's and don't's. Don't start your book this way. Do make your
chapters this long. Don't write what people actually say. Do write
what people actually say. Editors like this. Agents like that. Show,
don't tell... With Going Postal, I felt I left those pretensions
behind. He broke all the rules. Prologues, jumping POV's, footnotes,
varying fonts and sizes, chapters of all sizes, such stylized
characters, and he was funny. Every page made me laugh. In my
reading journey, like Moist, I had transformed..."

http://tinyurl.com/c6255te


Blogger madlyquizotic gives Snuff a thumbs-up:

"While I was reading it, I felt there was something darker about
this story than some of the other ones I read. It seemed to be a
little more serious, and the humour was there, but it was a little
less easy to pick up on. The characterisation was very good, and I
enjoyed the scenes with Lord Vetinari, partially because he managed
to lose his composure, most of all with the crossword compiler, who
still managed to get the better of him, and stay unthreatening.
Vimes, as nearly always, manages to combine good sense with creative
thinking, and I really did like it... Pratchett also manages to
tackle issues such as race and species with well thought out writing
– Vimes is adjusted to the idea of beings such as trolls, yet the
one thing which people still haven't become used to is the matter of
goblins, who are shown to be very much like anybody else. I liked
this story because the plot was good and the characterisations were
written to the same standard as previous stories..."

http://tinyurl.com/cpcebeh


In the blog Humanity's Darker Side, there is a fascinating post – a
combination of assorted Discworld book and film reviews and
spotlights on some Discworld technologies. Given that the blogger
seems to be intimately acquainted with the series, his-or-her
spelling is somewhat, er, creative (Windle Pons? Adela Dearheart?
*Vetinary*?!), but the post is well worth a read and includes
assorted fan art (by Justyna, Nuka-Winch, Jess Idres and JessKat),
much of which is rather good:

http://tinyurl.com/bvfsuou

There is also a good post about Death and the Death-centric
Discworld novels:

http://tinyurl.com/d8nuvwo

...and one about the witches:

http://tinyurl.com/bswmvjq

...and another, on cultures of the Disc:

http://tinyurl.com/ckggrpd


Blogger civilservant gives top marks to the Going Postal telefilm:

"The producers have created a great, 19th-century-ish, Steampunk
setting and a sharp, witty, gripping script.  The movie itself is
about two hours long and there is a second disc with lots of
wonderful interviews with the cast and crew. Easy to obtain over
Amazon.com and a good buy for the money. Although I'm a Pratchett
fan, I preferred the movie to the book..."

http://tinyurl.com/coltxns


Blogger bothari's shortish but loving review of Snuff:

"Pratchett has focused before on the idea of personhood, putting the
City Watch up against speciesism in Ankh-Morpork with dwarves,
trolls, vampires, and even zombies. The lesson is always the same:
if you're sapient, people aren't allowed to kill you (unless
you're trying to kill them first, of course). But the way the
lesson is taught is always a wonderful ride, filled with great
characters old and new, exciting adventures (including a chase scene
on a riverboat this time), and Commander Vimes himself, who is one
of my favorite Discworld denizens...."

http://tinyurl.com/c9nr2t3


A short essay by Cheryl Mahoney about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch:

The City Guard are led by Sam Vimes, the relatively sane focus point
in the middle of some very odd characters.  I think Vimes is what
makes these my favorite set of books. Besides being an awesome
character, he's the straight man who makes the comedians even
funnier. Vimes is a world-weary police officer with a cynical streak
a mile wide, who nevertheless believes in honor and justice and
above all, the rule of law. He's uncorruptable while completely
practical about the corrupt city he guards. He undergoes more
evolution than most Discworld characters, and even though I read him
all out of order it's interesting to see his character grow through
the books..."

http://tinyurl.com/cgmjhns


Blogger savidgereads has much to say about TLE, most of it good:

"Pratchett and Baxter create a really interesting Datum Earth, they
also create many possible back stories with characters like Private
Percy Blakeney who we meet 'stepping' during the war in 1916. There
is a real sense of humour to the novel, one of the characters
initial appears as a vending machine to which there were some
giggles from me when he 'lets a can go' as it were, there is also
the side effects of stepping too. It also looks at big subjects
affecting earth now. There is a strand to the story which is about
divides, some people simply can't step even with the machine, and so
the debate about 'difference' is part of the book as is human
nature. As soon as new planets are found some people go to find
their own private Idaho, yet some go to pillage and consume, other
want to control. My only slight qualm with the book was that it did
feel like the first in a series. The fact the book does rather
slowly, if with moments of adventure and discovery, trawl through
each parallel earth made me think 'this isn't nearly the whole
story' and also the ending very clearly suggests there will be more.
I should state that I knew beforehand there were more books coming
so that could have been in the subconscious part of my brain but if
I am doing a fair and honest review (which is always my aim) I
sensed it throughout, I could feel things were being slightly reined
in for the future and the bigger picture..."

http://tinyurl.com/bn2ag92


Blogger Josh's Sister reflects on OYCSM and how it reflects on and
in the real world:

"I was about 5 or 6 when I can remember watching journalists in
desert camouflage calling in the news.  In the book Only You Can
Save Mankind, the main character describes watching the news, and
the night vision bombing raids in green and black. I can vividly
remember those news reports. I remember Stormin' Norman, the
commander of it all but more importantly I remember the professional
wrestlers who acted out the war on a staged ring... It all seemed so
simple, we were good and they were bad so let's kill them all!! And
(spoiler alert) isn't that just like Sigourney in the book? Didn't
she feel life was a game and the only point of playing was to win?
(Does Terry Pratchett monitor my life?)

"And as I read the book and travel down a rocky memory lane I follow
the main character, Johnny, a boy who isn't the best or the bravest,
he is just there. He listens and he takes time to think. He asks
questions because he isn't certain that life is all figured out. And
I remember a conversation with my son. It was only a few months
after Josh was killed. I was very careful to tell Nicky that Josh
was killed by 'bad guys' because I didn't want him to hear 'taliban'
on the news and be confused that the threat was still out there. The
'bad guys' who killed Uncle Josh were dead-yes, there buddies too.
So it took me by surprise (as most of my mother-son conversations
do) when Nicky said, 'Mommy, I think the bad guys thought Uncle Josh
was a bad guy too'. 'What do you mean?' I asked, trying not to crash
the car. Why does he always do this to me when we are driving? 'I
think they thought that Uncle Josh was a bad guy to them, that is
why they killed him'. And I thought to myself, 'A three year old
just figured out war; he just figured out that there are teams but
that both sides fight and kill because they KNOW the other side is a
'bad guy'. Johnny, takes a similar view of the world. Everyone
fights because you think the other side is bad..."

http://joshsgoldstarsister.tumblr.com/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

The Author, armed with copies of Dodger and also, erm, armed:

http://tinyurl.com/cl69rhd

(click on the photo to enlarge!)


Two young members of the Bracewell family of Australia, dressed to
tell the world to read or else they'll gie ye sich a kickin', as it
were:

http://tinyurl.com/9qhn3l6


Lindsay Walker's excellent proto-poster for IDWCON 2013:

http://tinyurl.com/blzwb2a


Remember Taunton Thespians' "Lords and Ladies 2012 Summer Tour"?
Well, here is a delightful image that went with it along the way.
Though I'm sure Granny would never approve of such a mode of
transport!

http://tinyurl.com/d2n4shz

Published on the web in Wincanton Window, the original article (with
iconograph) is here:

http://tinyurl.com/cgttcdq


That famous "how to be a fantasy writer" t-shirt:

http://tinyurl.com/cs2zdn9


The French cover of Lords and Ladies, featuring the most perfectly
debauched Nanny Ogg ever (be sure to maximise the image!):

http://tinyurl.com/c3vdh7m


From the forthcoming Compleat Ankh-Morpork, a wonderful poster
advertising the Recovering Accordion Players Society:

http://tinyurl.com/d5bwqrn

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) "CHOOSING TO DIE" UP FOR ANOTHER GONG

Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die has been shortlisted for this
year's Grierson Trust British Documentary Awards, in the category of
Best Documentary on a Contemporary Theme – Domestic:

"The 40th annual Grierson Awards, which are this year being
presented in associate with Sky Arts, aim to honor the best in
documentary filmmaking. 'The shortlist contains some of the most
talked about television of 2010/11 and some little known gems,' said
Dawn Airey, chairman of the Grierson Trust. 'I wish them all the
very best as they prepare to battle it out to the final nominations
and on to victory in November.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/9gdntuh

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) PLASTIC FANTASTIC DISCWORLD

As mentioned up in the Odds and Sods section, here be some more of
Captain Smog's superb Discworld dioramas.

Interior view of an iconograph, with busy demon and drying prints:
http://tinyurl.com/92e6hh8

Hex!
http://tinyurl.com/9sb28on

Archchancellor Ridcully in his study, a lovely and complex piece:
http://tinyurl.com/9pn982t

Twoflower!
http://tinyurl.com/czs3kow

Rincewind and the Luggage!
http://tinyurl.com/9bex96o

Cohen and the Silver Horde:
http://tinyurl.com/cyhfvxt

Windle Poons in his wheelchair:
http://tinyurl.com/ckrwd9o

Hodgesaargh, with wowhawk!
http://tinyurl.com/caqqblv

The Canting Crew!
http://tinyurl.com/8fh3jet

Death of Rats, Albert, and Death:
http://tinyurl.com/9p9szd3

Nanny and Granny:
http://tinyurl.com/92xz327

The Assassins' Guild:
http://tinyurl.com/9smovqt

Dibbler and his pie cart:
http://tinyurl.com/9nqgjko

The old Omnian Quisition room:
http://tinyurl.com/9qhcoc5

The Library...
Complete view: http://tinyurl.com/cd6jsah
Stairs and banananas: http://tinyurl.com/8or7en2
View from above: http://tinyurl.com/98mp99n
Books, some chained: http://tinyurl.com/8hkp9ag
Books, flying, with ectoplasm: http://tinyurl.com/bqtsuzr
The Librarian: http://tinyurl.com/d9ucokt

All these – and more! – are on Captain Smog's photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/captainsmog/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

Updates from David Brashaw and Leonard Boyd, creators of the game
"Guards! Guards!":

"For the first part of this year we worked a lot on the revised
rules for Guards! Guards! 2012 reprint. We restructured them to make
them easier to follow, included FAQs from fans from the last four
months and included a 'What a Player can do on their turn' page.
Copies will be available for free download from our site around
September.

"In addition we made few small amendments to the rules to increase
player interaction and make it easier to finish. The changes are:
The Luggage interacts with Dragons, players can purchase attribute
points and on Final Spell rolls, if a player succeeds with one roll,
they do not have to reroll that success.

"In May we went to the UK Games Expo and let fans play the revised
rules. They were really well received. Everybody loved the Luggage
and the Dragons. We were delighted as this was the same response we
had while play-testing at Lisburn Gaming Club. In addition we also
demoed our new board game, Codinca (not Discworld, but still simple
& fun) and were delighted when it was shortlisted in the best new
abstract game of the year category.

"In June we had the same great response to our changes at Q-Con and
from The Little Metal Dog Show. We can confirm we are delighted to
be attending DWCon 2012 where we hope to have about sixty copies for
sale. We will also be demoing the revised game and running two games
of our 'live run around the convention' game of Guards! Guards! We
will also be demoing a secret new game...shhh

"If you can't make DWCon pre-orders of our game are now available
and should be dispatched around the Disc in early September."

http://www.guardsguards.com/blog.aspx

To pre-order the updated Guards! Guards! game:

http://www.guardsguards.com/category/1-board-games.aspx

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

20) CLOSE

Last up, some very exciting Clan Pratchett news: a new production
company, Narrativia Productions, has been formed by Pterry, Rob, Rod
Brown (ex-Prime Focus and The Mob, makers of the Discworld
telefilms) and Rhianna Pratchett, and will be taking over the
creation and production of "The Watch" television series and future
Pratchett-and-Discworld film projects. What's more, Narrativia
Productions will be actively involved in the upcoming Terry Jones
"Good Omens" project. I see no downside in this!

...and that's the lot for the moment. We hope to be back in the next
48 hours with Fernando's monthly horoscope and any late-breaking
news (and possibly even that DWCon report). Now I'm off to track
down some fresh ants for my Hex...

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
August 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 8, Post 3)
********************************************

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR AUGUST
03) LATE BREAKING NEWS
04) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

If you missed the main issue this month, go back and check, because
there's so much going on... but we seem to have got everything in
there, so this month's last post is exceptionally short. Whew!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Hallo my friends, it is I, Fernando Magnifico, writing to you from a
most charming riverboat on the Vieux (Masculine) River, on the way
to Genua, for as you know Fernando has been called home to Brindisi
to deal with the terrible family crisis about Aunt Maria's sauce.

My friends, Fernando has the bad news, for not only is Fernando
away, but the bella donna Lady Anaemia Asterisk is not available to
write the horoscope either, for she accidentally trod on a Feegle.
If only she had paid more attention to Fernando's most excellente
advice last month!

Fernando is not one to make the excuses, but you will have to excuse
Fernando this month, there will be no horoscope as Fernando's
luggage, including his astrological tables and star charts, has been
accidentally sent to Tifertu in Howondaland. Fernando is the most
upset, he is wearing the most hideous brown wool trousers borrowed
from the riverboat's First Mate, a most energetic man with much to
offer despite his poor taste in the clothing department. Fernando
has to make do with just the cerise smoking jacket and the violet
silk trousers for the special occasions, it is terribly sad.

But do not be afeared my friends, for if Fernando can put on the
brave face, so can you. Although Fernando cannot write the
horoscopes this month, he will take the opportunity to answer the
letters from his magnificent readers (although not as magnificent as
Fernando, but then again, who is?).


Fernando's first letter is from his very dear friend Lady Penelope
Pantaloon, who writes:

"Figgy you naughty boy, I missed you at daddy's birthday party last
month, it was so dull without you, Reggie cornered me in the smoking
room and *literally* bored me to death going on about his new ankh-
stone mine for *days*, I was forced to dance with Uncle Bertie and
his *hideous* hairpiece to escape, it was either that or chew my own
leg off! So now you have to help me, I'm sure Reggie will be at
Bongo and Daphne's engagement party next week and I need my big
strong Figgy around because there isn't enough gin in the world to
stop my head from exploding if I have to hear about the differences
between Morporkian and Kythian ankh-stones one more time!

Signed, Chompers"

Fernando is the most very sorry that he will miss the party next
week, but do not be afeared cara mia, for Fernando will not let you
down even though he is the many thousands of miles away! Listen very
carefully, for Fernando has the cunning plan! Fernando has the
cousin who works in the jewellery shop in Dragon's Egg Mews at the
Dragon's Landing redevelopment site, tell him that Fernando sent you
and ask him for the ankh-stone necklace, one of the really long ones
with hundreds of *tiny* stones in the complicated patterns. Wear the
necklace to the party, and when you see Reggie tell him that you
aren't certain that the necklace is genuine. He will be kept busy
all night inspecting it for spircles. (And if he finds any, you be
sure to tell Fernando and he will have the words with his cousin!)


Fernando's next letter is from long time readers Geoffry and Gladys
Ladlemarker, formerly of Cockleberry Lane:

"Dear Mr Fernando,

I don't suppose you remember me, I wrote you a letter nearly two
years ago askin yer advice about me and the missus buyin the
moveable home and travellin round the Disc for our retirement. Well
we've come back to Ankh-Morpork, I don't mind sayin that it was lots
of fun and it broadened our minds, especially some of them dancing
gels in Istanzia, yer a man of the world Mr Fernando I'm sure you
get what I'm gettin at, but its nice to be home where they speak
proper, no offence Mr Fernando you speak Morporkian real good for a
foreigner. The missus and me are real glad to have the plain honest
food wot you can't get elsewhere again. Gladys, that's the missus,
really missed her Spotted Dick, she don't mind sayin. And the
drinks, Mr Fernando I'm not one of them milk toasts who can't hold
their licker, but it's a real pleasure to be where a man can have a
nice ale with a thick froth and where the healthy fruit drinks don't
kick so hard. I couldn't see fer two days after we got to Lancre. Mr
Fernando, we wanted to thank you for the good advice to get the
moveable home and go travelling, and never-you-mind to that old
biddy Mrs Analgesia."

No offence taken, Fernando has worked many long hours to learn the
Morporkian, the second best language on the Disc behind only
Brindisian itself. Fernando has the good ear for talking the
languages and is molto proud of his magnificent oral skills.

Of course Fernando remembers your letter, for Fernando has the
excellente memory for his dear fans. Fernando had no doubt that his
advice would be magnificent, for he is the most careful horoscoper
who does not make the mistakes like those others who we will not
talk about, but it is always nice to get the letters from Fernando's
devoted fans. Your letter reminds me of the time that Fernando was
visiting his cousin Lino in Genua, and we went out to the little
tavern where they sold these little green drinks with cherries in
them. Fernando does not remember much about the tavern, but he
remembers waking up in a tree wearing nothing but an enormous
peacock tail. For three months afterwards, Fernando kept getting the
most passionate thank you letters from people he had never heard of,
and he still does not know what he did, or what was the fate of the
sforzanda peacock.


This letter is from Sharleene Scrot, writing all the way from
Fourecks:

"Gudday Fernando, it's Sharl here, how they hangin mate? I loves yer
horoscopes, we gets them a bit late here in Fourecks, that's cos yer
too far away and the clacks don't come this far yet but that's okay
we've got the bush clacks which is nearly as good, otherwise known
as the Upper Bunjiejummp Creek Ladies Social Club. So the horoscopes
ain't that helpful, on account of the things you say have already
happened, but we like readin them anyways, theys always come true.
Like me boyfriend Shawn, he's a Squawker and he's right into the
racing carts just like you said, honestly Fernando I reckon he
spends more time polishin the knobs on that cart than he spends with
me. And there was that time me girlfriend Shantelle got a pen stuck
up her nose, just like you said. Hey listen mate, when are ya comin
back to Fourecks, cos I reckon I could set you up with me girlfriend
Shirl who scrubs up pretty good when she washes the sheep dip out of
her hair, and me brother Shane reckons she bangs like a dunny door
after a few beers, I have no idea what he's talking about, ha ha ha.
Anyways, me sister Shaz and me was wondering who ya reckon will win
the footy grand final this year, we reckons that with the help of
you and the stars, winning the footy tipping competition will be a
piece of pee, pardon me language."

Fernando is not sure when he will next be visiting Fourecks, but he
will be sure to let you know as soon as he does. Fernando can not
make the promises, but he knows a man who owes him the small favour
or two for the services rendered, and perhaps there is the way to
get Fernando's horoscopes to Fourecks faster. Perhaps the homing
albatross. But for now mia cara, Fernando cannot cast the horoscope
for the footsball competition (not that it is the real footsball, it
is the Fourecksian aerial croquet). But do not be afeared my
friends, for Fernando is the expert sportsman in all forms of the
footsball, except perhaps that one they play dressed in armour with
the big helmets, and it is Fernando's considered opinion that the
Watyergunnadoboutit Wolves are certainties for the final so long as
their ruck man Dazza Drongo stays sober.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) LATE BREAKING NEWS

A short sweet blogpost from Diane Duane, confirming the good news
(although the Narrativia company didn't get mentioned by name here):

Okay, folks: the word is out. The new Discworld series "The Watch"
(AKA CSI:Ankh-Morpork) has been approved by Terry Pratchett and will
go into production with BBC Worldwide. The project to film GOOD
OMENS is also going forward. A "mood reel" of images evocative of
the story was put together by the production company and was shown
as part of the announcement. (This was commonly being referred to at
the convention as "the trailer", though it wasn't a trailer as such:
it is way too early for there to be a trailer in the conventional
sense, as no script material has been written, and therefore the's
no way for there to be genuine footage or any information about
casting, etc. No release date was specified. The mood reel video
said "COMING SOON", so your guess as to when is as good as
anybody's.) Meanwhile, let joy be unrestrained!

http://tinyurl.com/bn9uuoa

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) CLOSE

And that's us just squeaking in under the end-of-month deadline.
Take care, enjoy the end days of summer (or in Fourecks, the back
end of winter), and we'll see you in September!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
September 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 9, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
04) PTERRY THE TIME TRAVELLER?
05) DODGER NEWS AND REVIEWS
06) REVIEWS: THE LONG EARTH
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) A NEW PTERRY INTERVIEW
11) TROLL BRIDGE: THE UPDATE
12) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: RAT ONNA STICK?!
13) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
14) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
16) ORANGUTAN NEWS
17) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
18) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"A most excellent @DWCon – thank you to the committee, guests and
attendees. Now go away, remove your radios and relax... until next
time."

– ptweeted by Pterry, 29th August 2012


"Announcing the birth of Narrativia – a production company run by
myself, Rod Brown & @terryandrob. First up are Good Omens & The
Watch."

...and by Pratchett Junior on the 27th


"Terry is in excellent fettle. Had a long chat with him last night
and the Master is still very, very much in the building, in case
anyone was wondering."

– fellow fantasy author Diane Duane, at DWCon 2012

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Another day, another controversy... or not. UK newspapers have
reported on the coroner's inquest into the 2011 death of Thomas
Hobkinson, an elderly motor neurone disease sufferer who chose to
take his own life at the time of his own choosing and who had seen
the documentary Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die. Despite there
being no reported facts specifically linking the programme with Mr
Hobkinson's decision, most of the newspaper articles are worded in
such a way as to suggest that the programme exercised a specific
influence on Mr Hobkinson. Here are some samples of the articles'
almost identical opening lines:

The Telegraph: "A terminally-ill man killed himself after watching a
TV program about euthanasia by Sir Terry Pratchett, an inquest
heard."

The Sun, and the Scottish Sun: "A dying man killed himself after
watching a TV show about euthanasia by author Sir Terry Pratchett,
an inquest heard."

The Express: "A terminally-ill man killed himself after watching a
TV programme on euthanasia by fantasy writer Sir Terry Pratchett, an
inquest heard."

Well, actually, no. If you read further, you find that this man
killed himself after watching a video of his son's wedding. Yes, he
had seen Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die, but at some unspecified
but patently much earlier time, since he then spent weeks to months
preparing his own death. While we can never know what Mr Hobkinson's
private thoughts were, it's reasonable to assume that watching the
programme had *some* effect on him (quite possibly a lifting of some
of his emotional burden, as he was shown other people suffering from
an ever-worsening quality of life with no possibility of getting
better and considering their options), but the juxtaposition of
"watched the programme" and "committed suicide" is, in my opinion,
suggesting to the reader that watching Choosing to Die *caused* this
man to rush off and kill himself. Deliberately worded to create a
stir? Certainly looks that way to me.

On the other hand, the Plymouth Herald, a regional organ with an
online presence as This is Plymouth, opens its report far more
responsibly:

"A heart-broken wife has described the moment she left the room
while her 'courageous, strong-willed and determined' terminally-ill
husband of nearly 40 years took his own life." Moreover, although
all reports included the coroner's verdict of death by suicide, only
the Plymouth Herald included a further piece of information that
strikes me as very relevant in the face of veiled accusations:

"When Coroner Dr Emma Carlyon asked if there had been any third
party involvement, assistance or pressure exerted on Mr Hobkinson to
kill himself, the officer replied: 'Absolutely none whatsoever.'"

If you would like to read the full text of all of these, here are
the links:

The Telegraph: http://tinyurl.com/9gdxcro
The Sun: http://tinyurl.com/8hw9wcn
The Scottish Sun: http://tinyurl.com/92c4kac
The Express: http://tinyurl.com/9cpoweh
This is Plymouth: http://tinyurl.com/92qthc6

The subject of assisted dying, right to die, legalised suicide –
call it what you choose – is a complex, highly emotive, and yes,
heartbreaking one. It deserves to stand apart from sensationalism
and deliberate misinformation.

In your Editor's opinion, the best comment on the subject comes from
thousands of miles away, in a telly guide "show of the week" piece
by Giles Hardie in the Sydney Morning Herald. The recommendation, of
course, is for "Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die", which is airing
on Australian free-to-air channel SBS:

"Terry Pratchett is a best-selling British fantasy author who is
best known for his delightfully satirical Discworld series. Yet here
he is dealing with the starkest of realities and playing it very
straight. Though Pratchett has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, this
is not about him choosing to die. Nor is it an argument disguised as
a documentary. Pratchett is open about his desire to have some
control over his own demise, but he is far from convinced by the
available options... The journey is confronting for Pratchett and
the audience. The facts are startling and provide ammunition for
both sides of the argument. The location where people administer a
fatal draught of poison to themselves is banal but captivating...
Although it isn't making a case, this is very much a subjective
tale. It is presented by Pratchett in extreme close-up and we see
his often emotional response to every step of the journey. It is
harrowing for him and us..."

http://tinyurl.com/8r3p4nb


*

In a lighter vein, do remember that the Paul Kidby Discworld and
Beyond art exhibition is still on, up through 29th September:

Venue: St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, New Street, Lymington,
Hampshire, SO41 9BH (phone 01590 676969)
Times: Mondays to Saturdays, 10.00am to 4.00pm
Tickets: adult admission price (to the museum and exhibitions)
£4.00, concessions (senior citizens, students, unemployed, Museum
Association members) £3.00, children under 16 £2.00, Children
under 5 free, family ticket (2 adults and up to 4 children) £10.00

http://www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk/exhibitions/index.html


...and Sir Pterry's live evening at Ely cathedral went very well:

More than 1,000 people filled Ely Cathedral last night to get their
hands on a copy of Sir Terry Pratchett's new book. Sir Terry,
renowned for his fantasy Discworld novels, about the inhabitants of
the city of Ankh Morpork, gave a talk about his latest novel,
Dodger, set in Victorian London, and about his life and career in
general... Rebecca Harris, events organiser for the shop, said: 'We
sold 1,300 tickets for Terry's visit which made it a sell-out. 300
of those were sold on the actual day the tickets went on sale. He
has generated a huge amount of local interest and there was a real
buzz about his visit.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/9ftx8go

And here be a link to many iconographs of the evening, including
individual portraits of Sir Pterry and the various "lucky 100
winners":

http://www.flickr.com/photos/87158940@N03/


Right, that's well enough here. On with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

Like it says on the tin...

3.1 TSoD4: THE PRELIMINARIES

How did I miss this one?! Here be a video of Sir Pterry and his
Science of Discworld co-authors Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart being
interviewed at Trinity College Dublin's Science Gallery in June,
which includes a discussion of the forthcoming Science of Discworld
4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CMdTlbGhXQ


3.2 In the Toronto Star, Nation is highly recommended for readers
aged 13 and up:

"Pratchett's eminently able to spin a yarn and at the same time,
engage theology, philosophy and the meaning of life. And make us
laugh. Nation, in new teen-friendly format, is one of his best... As
the wave's survivors straggle in, the two contrive ways for all to
live, scavenging old traditions and confronting new, surprising
thoughts about gods, nationhood, culture and science. Murderers,
sharks and beer strong enough to curl your hair (if not burn it
off!) — there's lots of action here. There's also wit, wisdom and
literary flair, as Pratchett ranges from broad humour to serious
thinking; from political satire to a compassionate portrayal of
first love and adolescent growth..."

http://tinyurl.com/c4hnozn

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) SO THAT'S WHY DODGER SEEMS SO REALISTICALLY RESEARCHED...

Right. Click on the link below. Marvel at what you see. Then feel
free to send WOSSNAME your suggestions for a caption. Go on, you
know you want to...

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_magecj1Bak1r9bgwyo1_500.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) DODGER NEWS AND REVIEWS

5.1 PTERRY'S USA DODGER LIVE APPEARANCES!

Sir Pterry will make three live appearances promoting Dodger in the
USA in October! Two are in New York City and the third is in
Chicago.

Friday, October 12th
New York ComicCon
Unbound Stage Appearance @ 1PM
Autographing Session @ 5:15PM
NOTE: You must have a ticket to the New York ComicCon to attend this
one

Saturday, October 13th
Barnes & Noble Union Square
New York, NY
Session begins at 2pm Eastern Standard Time

Tuesday, October 16th
Pfeiffer Hall Auditorium, Naperville, Chicago, IL
Hosted by Anderson's Bookshop
Session begins at 7pm Central Standard Time


5.2 READ DODGER ONLINE NOW!

Well, an extended extract, at least. Epic Reads has made this
officially available for the nonce. Go and enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/crwneoy


5.3 REVIEWS OF DODGER

By Nick Curtis in The London Evening Standard:

"Let's pause and note how slyly Pratchett disses Dickens, suggesting
he later traduced Dodger, and the lad's noble Jewish mentor Solomon,
by writing them up as villains, albeit likeable ones. His own aim is
similar to Dickens's, to entertain while highlighting the extreme
gulf between rich and poor in Victorian London. Pratchett now
suffers from Alzheimer's but on this evidence it has not dulled his
larky spirit or his descriptive powers.

"The book is written in a picturesque, rhythmically involving
version of Victorian dialect which the author cheerfully admits is,
like much of the book, not strictly historically plausible. He's
good on the underclass world, taking as read the usual parade of
whores and footpads and drunks and instead filling in details of
shonky shops and the damaged soldiers of Wellington's wars... But
narratively, Pratchett is here no match for Dickens, or even for his
own Discworld stories. The mystery girl nominally adds romance and
political intrigue but really she is just a red herring to drive
Dodger up through the social strata. Pratchett quite often gets
carried away on riffs about toshing, or Dodger's first sight of a
flush toilet, or his rambling chats with Solomon, and has to remind
himself to get back to the plot.."

http://tinyurl.com/8g3pupq


By Rob Power in SFX Magazine:

"It makes sense that Sir Pterry wants to write as much as possible
while he still can, given his condition, but his impressive work
rate is enough to put the rest of us to shame... Thankfully, all
this activity hasn't meant a drop in quality. Dodger is a foray into
historical fantasy that proves the goddess Narrativia still smiles
upon Pratchett... Clearly a labour of love for Pratchett, Dodger's
descriptions of the capital, from its slums and sewers to the homes
of the middle classes and the bolt holes of the elite, paint a
vivid, immersive picture. The attention to detail in both the break-
neck storytelling and historical veracity are mightily impressive,
while his characters remain as compelling and three dimensional as
ever..."

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/09/14/dodger-review/


In Publishers Weekly:

"This superb novel from Pratchett is relatively subdued in its humor
and contains virtually no fantasy, beyond a flavoring of early
Victorian alternate history. It's not only a fine Dickensian novel
— Dickens himself figures prominently. It follows a sewer-scouring
'tosher' and thief named Dodger, 'a skinny young man who moved with
the speed of a snake,' who, like a knight in soiled armor, leaps out
of a drain one night to protect a young woman who is being severely
beaten. Two of London's most famous figures, Charles Dickens and
social reformer Henry Mayhew, appear on the scene a moment later. A
complex plot gradually unravels involving the identity of the
mystery girl, known only as Simplicity, and the reasons someone
powerful wants her dead. Making guest appearances are such
luminaries as Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria, and Angela Burdett-
Coutts, the richest woman in the world at the time. Full of
eccentric characters and carefully detailed London scenes, the tale
embodies both Dickens's love for the common man and a fierce desire
for social justice."


Kirkus Reviews loved it and starred it:

"Pratchett leaves Discworld to bring us something that is quite
nearly – but not exactly – actual historical fiction. Dodger is
a guttersnipe and a tosher (a glossary would not have been amiss to
help readers navigate the many archaic terms, although most are
defined in the text, often humorously). He knows everyone, and
everyone knows him, and he's a petty criminal but also (generally)
one of the good guys. One night he rescues a beautiful young woman
and finds himself hobnobbing quite literally with the likes of
Charlie Dickens (yes, that Dickens) and Ben Disraeli. The young
woman is fleeing from an abusive husband and has been beaten until
she miscarried; power and abuse are explored sensitively but
deliberately throughout. And when he attempts to smarten himself up
to impress the damsel in distress, he unexpectedly comes face to
face with – and disarms! – Sweeney Todd. As Dodger rises, he
continuously grapples with something Charlie has said: 'the truth is
a fog.' Happily, the only fog here is that of Dodger's London, and
the truth is quite clear: Historical fiction in the hands of the
inimitable Sir Terry brings the sights and the smells (most
certainly the smells) of Old London wonderfully to life, in no small
part due to the masterful third-person narration that adopts
Dodger's voice with utmost conviction. Unexpected, drily funny and
full of the pathos and wonder of life: Don't miss it."

Both above reviews courtesy of the Barnes & Noble site:

http://tinyurl.com/9jcb32y

Dodger is also listed in the top ten must-reads in the Kirkus site's
blog section:

http://tinyurl.com/9v84m4b


In the Daily Mail, reviewed by Harry Ritchie:

The maestro has left Discworld for his second novel of the year and
the squillionth of his career, swapping Ankh-Morpork for the
possibly even danker and ranker world of early-Victorian London in
one of three London-based fantasies reviewed here. Our Dickensian
heroes are Dodger - a scavenger in Victorian London's noisome sewers
– and Dickens himself... Also featuring Sweeney Todd, Benjamin
Disraeli and Sir Tel's pitch-perfect chirpiness..."

http://tinyurl.com/8qgvjmv


Also, some nutshell "reviews" from fans commenting on Pterry's
Facebook page...

Claragh O'Reardon:
Oh Why did I start Dodger on a day when I had one of my very rare
social engagements? A good book demands a full days uninterrupted
attention. Note to self - Must graduate on from being the sort of
person people RARELY invite to social events to being the sort of
obnoxious crazy old woman that people NEVER invite to social events.
Thereby leaving more time for the the really important things in
life i.e. Books (Oh and tea but that goes without saying)

Alice Watts
Loving dodger :) he reminds me a little of nutt

Susan Owens
Dodger is sparklingly good. Mr Pratchet I love you!

John Kent
Dodger is now in my life. late nights until its finished.

Paul Leuty
Dodger arrived today.... sealed slipcase edition.... I wonder what
number it is? So tempting, so pretty, so shiny.... Must resist

Duncan Purves
Thank you Mr Postman. My copy of Dodger arrived this morning.

Kate Scott
In bed with Dodger ...

Sarah Kenhard
Kids in bed, husband pub, bath run, chilled crabbies in one hand,
dodger in the other.......heaven is a place on earth!

Rob Biggy Witcomb
Had tickets for I shall wear midnight & broke my knee on way there,
now it's time for dodger and I'm. In hospital....

Jackie Henrick
Recieved Dodger yesterday was pre-ordered, just started to read it,
so far as i have read it is yet another great book, from the best
author i have ever read. well done to Sir Terry, always look forward
to his books.

David Ash
As a confessed lover of the 'disc' and the characters so
thoughtfully created and reused since, I regret that my annual fix
of that fare will not be in my Christmas sock this year. I will
however not let that get in the way of appreciating what is sure to
be a humorous look through a distorted lens at Dickensian London.
Happy Publication Day to all his followers and I hope to see many
more with Terry Pratchett.

Andy Hardiman
Terry, you brought a huge smile to my face, and I am sure many
others, this morning with your [promotional for Didger] appearance
on BBC Breakfast show. Thank you not only for your books and
sideways slant on life but thank you for showing what you can
achieve no matter what life delivers you. Your a living
inspirational Legend and long may that continue.

http://www.facebook.com/pratchett

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

O6) REVIEWS OF THE LONG EARTH

...from all over Datum Earth!

By Geoff Adams in the Otago Daily Times, New Zealand:

"Pratchett should be congratulated on hatching out new fields for
his writing but this one seems to lack his trademark quirky humour
and possibly owes most to the SF writer. Its theme is one of
multiple universes, but the basic premise that some people can
naturally "step" from one to another – or that other people can do
so with the aid of a newly invented little box of wires and switch,
powered by a potato (of all things!) – just did not spud in for
me... what was worse than my stretched incredulity was that 52
chapters and 355 pages of this novel are essentially rather boring
(apart from its new reason to plant early potatoes)... there is a
more serious quest by Joshua (a natural stepper, who doesn't
actually need a potato) and Lobsang, but it doesn't go anywhere with
really interesting action. I finished the book feeling it was a
'Very Long and Slow Earth' indeed..."

http://tinyurl.com/8taloys


By Mohsin Siddiqui on Pakistan-based Dawn.com:

"I love Terry Pratchett's work. I like Stephen Baxter's almost as
much. The former is an A for me, the latter a solid B, so when I
picked up The Long Earth, all hopes were primed for an A+.
Unfortunately, it seems that the law of averages applies even to
fiction, and the combination of an A and a B resulted in a 'good-
but-not-great' B+... Baxter is known for his remarkable imagination
and Pratchett for his dry, witty insights into human nature, and so
one would expect The Long Earth to be a masterpiece. Unfortunately,
while the collaboration results in some fun ideas and concepts, the
plot somehow fails to gel. The further away Joshua and Lobsang step
from their home Earth, the lengthier and more tepid their
conversations become...

"I wish there were more to say about this book, but unfortunately,
it's just not very exciting. Neither is it terribly funny, nor
particularly dark. It's like tofu prepared by a master chef: you get
glimpses of the technique and skill involved, but mostly you wind up
wondering what on (the long) Earth possessed someone to turn soy
milk into pressed curd and serve it as a meat substitute. And while
there are moments when you think, 'Hey, this is pretty good', at the
end realise that your craving for red meat is in no way satiated..."

http://tinyurl.com/8k2ntcr


By Mary Louise Ruehr on Ohio news site Recordpub:

'The Long Earth' by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter is a sort of
alternate-reality travelogue/adventure, featuring occasional bursts
of Pratchett's trademark humor and delicious silliness... Lobsang is
a fascinating character, and his relationship with Joshua is multi-
layered. The two travel by airship and encounter a variety of people
and bizarre creatures... This is good storytelling, and I had fun
with it, but I wished some of the dropped storylines had been
pursued further...".

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5188570

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

Again, a whirl of activity in the Discworld and Pratchett stage
world...

7.1 WYRD SISTERS IN PORTSMOUTH

Crossfade Amateur Dramatics are presenting their production of Wyrd
Sisters this weekend!

When: Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd September 2012
Venue: St Peter's Theatre, Fraser Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hants
Time: Friday 7.30pm; Saturday two shows, 2:30pm & 7.30pm
Tickets: £7/£5 concessions

For more info, and to purchase tickets online, go to:

http://www.southseaboxoffice.co.uk/


7.2 REMINDER: AUDITIONS NEXT WEEK FOR GOOD OMENS LIVE IN GLASGOW

Auditions for Cult Classic Theatre's exclusive 2013 stage production
of Good Omens will take place in September. Come angels, come
demons, come witchfinders, come one and all and see if there's a
part for you!

When: September 25th and 26th
Venue: Langside College, 50 Prospecthill Road, Glasgow G42 9LB
(tel. 0141 272 3600)
Time: 7pm

The show will take place at next march at Cottiers Theatre. Director
Amy Hoff says, "The script is finished and we are ready to go!"

The audition listing on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/275821469181152/

...and do visit Cult Classic Theatre's website for more info:

www.cultclassic.org


7.3 ...AND AT LAST, NEWS OF THE 2013 STAGE PREMIERE OF DODGER

The Studio Theatre Club is holding the First Reading for their
January 2013 production of Dodger next Monday (24th September).

"Want to be involved? Come along at 19:30 on 24 September [to]
Bullingdon Community Centre, Peat Moors, Oxford, OX3 7HS

"Rehearsals for the world premiere staging of Sir Terry Pratchett's
just-published book will begin at the STC on 24 September. The play
will be staged on 22 to 26 January. Tickets will go on sale on 22
October – book early!"

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html

contact us info@...


7.4 REMINDER: REAPER MAN STILL ON IN ADELAIDE

Remember, Reaper Man is still running in Adelaide! Unseen Theatre's
latest amazing Discworld production continues until the 29th of this
month (see item 7.12 below for review):

When: Thursday 20th, Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd, Wednesday 26th,
Thursday 27th, Friday 28th and Saturday 29th September
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000 (Tel:
(08) 8227 0505)
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: Adults $20/Concession $17/Fringe Benefits $16/ Groups (of
10+) $16
BOOKINGS: www.bakehousetheatre.com, or cash at the door on the night
(subject to availability)

http://www.unseen.com.au/
http://www.bakehousetheatre.com/shows/2012/reaper-man


7.5 REMINDER: THE LAST HERO STILL ON IN BRISBANE

Remember, The Last Hero is still playing in Brisbane! The Brisbane
Arts Theatre presentation continues on the following dates:

Thu. 20th, Fri. 21st and Sat. 22nd September (plus special charity
matinee on Sun. 23rd)
Thu. 27th, Fri. 28th and Sat. 29th September
Thu. 4th October, Fri. 5th and Sat. 6th (plus special charity
matinee Sun 7th)
Thu. 12th, and final performance on Fri. 13th October

Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia
Time: 8pm (charity matinees at 2pm)
Tickets: AU$20-$37. To buy online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/curupto

All performance royalties will be donated to The Orangutan Project &
Gill's Old Bastards, with special Sunday Matinee performances to
support these two charities.

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/

For one view – review, that is – of the production, see item 7.13
below.


7.6 WYRD SISTERS IN SILCHESTER

The Silchester Players will performing their production of Wyrd
Sisters in October. Publicist Pete Reynolds invites one and all to
this enthusiastic amateur theatre event!

When: 12th, 13th, 19th & 20th October 2012
Venue: Silchester Village Hall, near Basingstoke, RG7 2ND
Time: Doors open 7.00pm, curtain at 7.30pm
Tickets: Adults £8, Concessions £6, and can be booked by phone on
0118 981 5600.

For further details, go to:

www.silchesterplayers.hampshire.org.uk


7.7 ...AND IN STAFFORDSHIRE

Tower Players present their production of Wyrd Sisters in October.

When: 19th and 20th October 2012
Venue: The Rose Theatre, Rugeley, Staffs
Time: 7:30pm (doors open at 7pm)
Tickets: Adults £7, Concessions £6
Box Office 01889 584306
Enquiries : towerplayers@...

For more info, and to purchase tickets online, go to:
http://www.towerplayers.co.uk/tptickets.html

http://www.towerplayers.co.uk/index.html

Enquiries : towerplayers@...


7.8 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN SCUNTHORPE

Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club will be performing Guards!
Guards! in October.

When: Wednesday 17th October to Saturday 20th October 2012
Venue: The Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe, Lincs
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: £9
Box Office: 0844 854 2776


7.9 ...AND IN EMERALD, VICTORIA, FOURECKS

That's the charming little town of Emerald in Victoria, not the
considerably less charming one in Queensland... Director Evie
Housham and Assistant Director Ysabelle Dean (good Discworld-y name,
that) will direct the Gemco Players in Guards! Guards! from the 9th
to the 24th of November 2012.

When: Friday 9th–Sunday 11th November, Friday 16th–Sunday 18th
November, and Friday 23rd–Saturday 24th November
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive Emerald VIC
3782 (Melway reference 127 E5)
Times: 8pm for all Friday and Saturday shows. The Sunday
performances (11th and 18th) are at 2.30pm
Tickets: ring 0411 723 530 for bookings

For further information, email (gemcoplayers@...) or enquire
via snail mail:

Gemco Players
PO Box 480,
Emerald,
VIC, 3782

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/guards-guards


7.10 REVIEW: MORT THE MUSICAL IN KINGSTON

By Robert Edwards:

"The baby-faced cast directed by Luke Sheppard executes Prachett's
distinctive wit with precision and bite – its 36 members
choreographed skilfully by Heather Douglas amidst the lumbering –
though expertly managed – 8ft puppet of Death incarnate...
Embracing the generous space afforded by the Kingston Rose stage,
Victoria Spearing's moody, spartan, though engrossingly cleaver set
beckons the audience through assorted worlds, bathed in
sophisticated blends of lighting courtesy of Alan Valentine...
Toksvig's lyrics, heartily accompanied by Dominic Haslam's bombastic
score, loyally furnish Pratchett's beloved characters and are
delivered with charm and boisterousness..."

http://tinyurl.com/8eoq6sr


7.11 MORT THE MUSICAL - ICONOGRAPHS

Of August's Rose Theatre production:

http://tinyurl.com/8vub39t

There are additional photo albums on the page, of Death wandering
around Kingston and also several more great shots of him meeting
Pterry:

http://tinyurl.com/8vub39t

And a couple more good'uns of the Youth Music Theatre production,
these from One Stop Arts:

http://tinyurl.com/9td39nf

http://tinyurl.com/9sesvxn


7.12 REVIEW: REAPER MAN IN ADELAIDE

By Stephen Davenport

"Although not quite as compelling as other Unseen re-imaginings,
Reaper Man is an ambitious, thoughtful and potent comedy that
realises the Discworld in spectacular fashion and benefits from Hugh
O'Connor's charismatic work – in his first leading role – as DEATH.
The tale is studded with references that make most sense to those
intimate with Pratchett's novels, and who love his elegant satire,
peppered with gleaming ideas, with a unique narrative and, most
significantly, lots of heart... Produced with an amateur cast – all
are solid – with astonishing imagination and homage, the play is
bright, genuinely funny, gleefully entertaining, very clever and
imaginative indeed..."

http://tinyurl.com/99o2fqg


7.13 REVIEW: THE LAST HERO IN BRISBANE

Reviewed by John McMahon

"Much about the production was excellent and this started with the
comprehensive and attractive programme. The sets were simple but
really effective and clever and the quality of the lighting added to
the performance...In the acting department the men were uniformly
good. John Grey as Lord Vetanari and John O'Connor as Boy Willie
along with Daniel Grey as Rincewind and Greg Stiff as Captain Carrot
all gave very believable performances. The barbarians were all well
cast physically and worked well off one another. They really looked
like the Barbarians that time forgot..."

http://tinyurl.com/9xrlxyb


7.14 REVIEW: WYRD SISTERS IN CANBERRA

By Australian playwright Trevar Alan Chilver:

"The play has a huge and diverse cast of characters, and director
Kerrie Roberts did very well at casting performers with
complementing multiple characters, which can often be a confusing
task. Overall it's an impressive cast, although comic timing may not
have been everyone's forte. As a play for the Women's Theatre Forum,
I am not sure it quite gives adequate focus to the witches, or to
Duchess Felmet. The action and plot really centre on the ineffectual
Duke and his fool, played by Tony Cheshire and Jonathan Sharp, both
of whom I've had the pleasure of directing in other productions.
Despite the strength apparent here, I would certainly have enjoyed
seeing greater depth and greater attention for Janine O'Dwyer's
lovable Nanny Ogg, Elaine Noon's forthright Granny Weatherwax, and
Tracy Thomas's young and idealistic Magrat. Nonetheless, Wyrd
Sisters is a funny and enjoyable show with an enthusiastic cast..."

http://tinyurl.com/9rvoron

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

8.1 Sir Pterry confers a new research award:

"Nottingham scientist Dr Chris Medway has been awarded Alzheimer's
Research UK's second dementia research fellowship named in honour of
Sir Terry Pratchett OBE. The Sir Terry Pratchett Fellowship, awarded
once every three years by the UK's leading dementia research
charity, recognises Dr Medway, from the University of Nottingham, as
one of the most talented young researchers in the UK. The occasion
was marked at a special ceremony today (18 September) when Sir
Terry, a Patron of Alzheimer's Research UK, presented the scientist
with a glass award inscribed with a single word chosen by the
author: Strive.

"The three-year fellowship, worth £137,445, will see Dr Medway
collaborate with leading researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Florida
in the largest project of its kind, searching for rare genetic
changes that may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease... Using
an advanced new technique called Next-Generation Sequencing, Dr
Medway aims to reveal much more of the picture. As part of the
project, he will travel to his US collaborators' lab, where he will
have access to one of the world's largest banks of DNA samples with
over 10,000 samples available, potentially holding a wealth of
information that is waiting to be unlocked. By identifying genes
that increase the risk of the disease, researchers can begin to
unravel the causes – a vital step for developing effective
treatments. Dr Medway said: 'I'm thrilled that Alzheimer's Research
UK have chosen to invest in my research and delighted to receive the
award from Sir Terry in person. Sir Terry's work in promoting
understanding of Alzheimer's disease and his support of research has
been fantastic, and it's a real privilege to receive this honour in
his name. Alzheimer's affects so many people, yet we still have no
effective treatments to stop the disease in its tracks. Through my
research, I hope to uncover new clues about some of the risk factors
for the disease and bring new treatments a step closer.'

"Sir Terry, who has just published his new novel Dodger, said: 'It
was good to meet Chris today, an inspiring scientist at the
forefront of research. I'd like to congratulate him on receiving
this fellowship – now he needs to bugger off and find a cure!
There's only two ways it can go: researchers, with as much help as
we can give them, may come up with something that reduces the
effects of this dreadful, inhuman disease, or we will have to face
the consequences of our failure to prevent the final years of many
of us being a long bad dream. The strain on carers and their support
is bad enough now; before very long the effects on the health
service and society itself, will be unbearable.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/8ca4pxa


8.2 A moving and thought-provoking op-ed piece by Nelson Jones in
New Statesman about recently deceased euthanasia advocate Tony
Nicklinson – a man who was and is much admired by Sir Pterry, as he
mentions in the extended new interview (item 10 in this issue) –
and the way the law views the issue of human euthanasia and assisted
dying:

"'It is not for the court to decide,' said Lord Justice Toulson...
'whether the law about assisted dying should be changed and, if so,
what safeguards should be put in place.' Yet there seems little
immediate prospect of legislation. Despite decades of debate and the
fact that public opinion has long been sympathetic to euthanasia
(provided that there are strict safeguards to protect the
vulnerable) Parliament has so far proved reluctant to act. Instead,
the law finds itself in a position of moral incoherence. On the one
hand, it refuses to draw distinctions that most normal people would
regard as obvious. As the Lord Chief Justice made clear in 2010,
upholding the murder conviction of a mother who ended the life of
her severely brain-damaged son, the law 'does not distinguish
between murder committed for malevolent reasons and murder motivated
by familial love.' A law that puts a loving mother in the same legal
category as Ian Huntley, sentencing both to life imprisonment
(albeit with different tariffs), is clearly deficient...

"If Tony Nicklinson were a dog, it would not merely be legal to end
his suffering, it would be a criminal offence not to do so. The
RSPCA routinely prosecutes pet-owners who cannot bear to see their
beloved animals put down. Perhaps the dog, if it could talk, would
express a wish for its suffering to end; perhaps it would cling to
life. Society assumes, though, that to be merciful and compassionate
is to put the animal to sleep. Why should a fully conscious and
intelligent adult human being be treated with less humanity and
compassion than a dog? There is, in fact, no real conflict between
the sanctity of life and the right of someone in Tony Nicklinson's
position to end it...

http://tinyurl.com/8acp927


8.3 A good general overview of the state of the Alzheimer's "war":
the disease, its possible causes, methods of treatment, and possible
solutions:

http://tinyurl.com/9br4eco

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 IRISH DISCWORLD CONVENTION 2013

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The 3rd Biennial Irish Discworld Convention is
coming upon us! 1st – 4th November 2013! The Radisson Blu Hotel,
Limerick! Ladies and Gentlemen, Trolls and Dwarfs – of both definite
and possible gender, Vamps, Vampires and Vampirinas, Orcs, Goblins
and all other denizens who inhabit the Disc! We would like to invite
you to the 3rd Biennial Discworld Convention. We bid you welcome!
Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!"

Membership prices are Adult €40
Student €30
Concession €30
Teen (13-18) €15
Junior (8-12) €10
Mini (0-7) Free!

To purchase your membership, go to:

http://www.idwcon.org/purchase-membership

For more information in general:

http://www.idwcon.org/

https://www.facebook.com/idwcon


9.2 REMINDER: IT'S FEEGLE TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA

SADWCon 2012 Event Day: The Feegles Have Landed

Date: 24th November 2012
Time: Registration at 10 am for Opening at 11 am
Venue: To be announced
Ticket Price: Adult R150.00 – includes lunch, Children (under 13)
R80.00 – includes lunch

http://sadwcon.org


9.3 DWCON REMNANTS

Reader Brian Dominic has written to claim credit for last month's
DWcon "Auditor trap" and "interesting parking notice" photos (August
main issue, item 9.5):

"Those two were mine, posted on the Tumblr feed for DWCon by the
technologically simple method of them borrowing the memory card out
of my camera each morning and picking which pictures they wanted. I
also spent a delightful hour or more in the Bar on Sunday night,
chatting to the only barrister I've ever known to hide dyed blue
hair under her formal wig – yes, it was your Convention's Chair!
We talked about all sorts of things before getting shanghaied into a
game of werewolf – my first ever!"

Brian also had an entry the in 2012 DWcon Art Display – imagining
the coming of Discworld railways, he designed and built a Luggage
van (not to be confused with a luggage van) and loaded it with cute
little Luggages! Look here:

http://www.mdlr.co.uk/luggage.html


9.4 WADFEST 2013 NEWS

Wadfest in 2013 will run from 9th–11th August at the new venue:

Wood Green Animal Shelter
King's Bush Farm
London Road, Godmanchester,
Cambridgeshire, PE29 2NH

It is in fact a new and *improved* venue, offering a licensed bar
and cafeteria, as well as a dedicated event area with integral sound
system. And with the new venue comes a new and improved ticket
price: £20, which is £5 less than the 2011 price.

For more info, go to:

http://www.wadfest.co.uk

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) NEW INTERVIEW IN THE TELEGRAPH

In The Telegraph, a new interview, conducted by Elizabeth Grice:

"By now, you fear, he will be slowing up, imagination fogged,
creative powers shrivelled as a walnut. Instead of that, the little
man in black is a delightful affront to medical science, looking
wizardly well in his black fedora with a jaunty feather in the trim.
His handshake is firm, his eyes piercingly bright. He talks for 90
minutes with great fluency – although it does occur to me after a
while that his habit of answering questions with an anecdote, or
another question, may be a way of playing for time... 'I have to
tell you that I thought I'd be a lot worse than this by now,' he
says. 'And so did my specialist. At the moment, it's the fact that
I'm well into my sixties [he is 64] that's the problem. All the
minor things that flesh is heir to. This knee is giving me a bit of
gyp. That sort of thing. And I'm well into the time of life when a
man knows he has a prostate. By the time you've reached your sixties
you do know that one day you will die and knowing that is at least
the beginning of wisdom.'... Is putting a book together more
difficult now? 'Better! Easier!' he yelps. 'If it all came back, I
would probably stick with talking. Because we're monkeys. We
chatter. It's easy to do. It's mutable.'..."

The whole interview is well worth reading. To read it online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/d7u29q2

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) TROLL BRIDGE: THE UPDATE

It seems that with the huge success of Snowgum Films' Kickstarter
appeal, Troll Bridge the Movie is finally moving at a faster rate.
Here's some exciting news from director Daniel Knight:

Well, it's been a little over a week and I'm extremely proud to
announce that principle photography for Troll Bridge is wrapped!
Finished! Finito! Troll Bridge the Moving Picture is in the can, as
they say! After six epic weeks of set construction with Nightshade
FX at Wicked of Oz Studios, we spent 5 solid days shooting all the
action that occurs on and around the bridge. For some people like
our awesome lead actor and make-up team, this resulted in 12 hour
days to accommodate getting in and out of the prosthetics. Six weeks
of set construction. Five days of shooting. Insane.

Given that everyone working on this, has donated their time and
talents for free, I can't even possibly begin to thank or praise
everyone enough!  I know myself and a few other key crew members
have come down with a horrendous flu directly after shooting... our
body's way of saying we pushed hard enough to make this film as
awesome as possible. :)

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank some of our corporate
sponsors. Specialty Theatre Supplies for providing and installing
our awesome green screen curtain, Wicked of Oz Studios for giving us
a home to build over the past two months (and helping us during
every step of the process), and lastly Inspiration Studios for
offering their camera equipment, knowledge and advice. The camera we
shot on is the same model that Peter Jackson is currently shooting
The Hobbit on. Spectacular quality and our camera department
executed some incredible footage with it!

I'm not going to go through and name everyone who did amazing work
on this shoot – the list at this point would be stupidly long and
impossible to read – but you can see them all tagged in the
production photos we've been uploading to Facebook. Check them out
and tell them how awesome they are – they deserve it!

Yes, we've also uploaded the photos to Flickr for those who prefer
to be off the grid. You can check those out here. :)

One person I'd like to call out though is Troll Bridge producer
Ahren Morris. The work load and dedication he has given towards
making any of this production possible is staggering – and I think
warrants special note. Without him, Troll Bridge would just be a
whole heap of talented people running around and smacking into one
another. If anyone is the backbone for Troll Bridge, it's this guy.
Thank you Ahren. For absolutely everything!

So where does that all land us now? Post-production. We've still got
a heap of work ahead of us, we're not out of the woods yet, but I
think it's safe to say we've certainly broken the back of this film.
It's all downhill from here (even if that hill is a particularly
large one). Once we get the offline edit completed, and distributed
amongst our various post-production departments we'll have a better
idea on time frame for release. If you want to be involved with
post, get in touch! The beauty with post is it can be quiet the
global effort.

So... in the meantime – check out our photos from the shoot! It's
been an incredible journey thus far, and I can't wait to see what
the next phase brings us!

To read this announcement on the web, and see the photos, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/c3rzyxs

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: RAT ONNA STICK?

From Roundworld, current news that sounds rather familiar:

"Cane rats and 'shocking' quantities of illegal and 'potentially
unsafe' meat have been sold to the public in east London, BBC London
has found. Secret filming showed meat that broke food safety laws
being prepared. West African and environmental health officer
sources said Ridley Road Market, in Dalston, was a known hotbed of
illicit meat activity... Confronted with BBC London's evidence,
Islam Halal Meat; Punjab Halal Meat and Fish and Dalston Butchers
denied they were selling illegal meat. The manager of Great
Expectations, a food store which sold two Ghanaian rats to the
undercover BBC researcher, said: "I don't sell rats, I never sell
rats, I don't sell rats. I don't have any rats, why you come to
video me?" The manager of Adom Trading, another shop that sold bush
meat described as a Ghanaian "grass cutter" rat, also denied selling
it. 'What you are saying is a lie, a 100% lie, I don't sell
rats...'"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19622903

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19628943


The Huffington Post has a feature on this, with instructive
photographs:

"An undercover investigation conducted by the news service in one of
London's busiest food markets, Ridley Road Market, has revealed that
massive quantities of bushmeat, including rat, goat and sheep, are
being sold illegally... [BBC investigators] discovered that Ridley
vendors were not only selling 'smokies' (blow-torched goat and sheep
meat that is illegal under UK and European food laws), but also rat
meat. Grasscutter rats, also known as cane rats (cat-sized rodents
found throughout sub-Saharan Africa), were sold to undercover
reporters by several butchers. The discovery at Ridley Road Market
is not the first time evidence of an illegal meat trade has been
found in England. In fact, the BBC writes that the bushmeat trade is
'a persistent problem for the UK authorities.' In 2009, for example,
The Independent reported that 10 tonnes of illegal bushmeat from
Africa was being imported in London markets every day..."

http://tinyurl.com/8eyy5rd

[Apparently, only one official complaint was registered. Possibly
from a disappointed Dwarf? – Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South
Australia. TCoSG have regular dinner and games nights, plus play
outings, craft-y workshops, and fun social activities throughout the
year. For more info and to join their mailing list, go to:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/smallgods


A new group, the Broken Vectis Drummers, have held their inaugural
meeting and will now meet on the first Thursday of every month from
7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. The next meeting
will be on Thursday 4th October. All new members and curious
passersby are very welcome! For more info and any queries, contact:

broken_vectis_drummers@...


The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first
Friday of every month at the famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards.
Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome! The next WOTS meeting will
(probably) be on Friday 5th October.


The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on Monday 1st October 2012 at the
Monkey  Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

For more info, contact BrokenDrummers@...

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/


The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, have been meeting on a regular
basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood
(presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists
normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, N
Yorks, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes
and raffles.

Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the
Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/


Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...


Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. For more
information contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger sevenbeasts offers a post titled "Where to start when youre
in Discworld":

"I'm currently reading Wee Free Men and it's great! Less humorous at
times, with spurts of comedy most of the time. I'm entranced by his
words, trapped by the legend of Granny Achings and in love with the
limits of hard rock magic. Tiffany Aching is a precocious, unusually
advanced child-and yet she still manages to be realistic. In the end
that's what fantasy boils down to. A dream that you think could be
real. But this isn't about blathering on about the bits of Wee Free
Men I've read. This is about where to start in Discworld. And that
has one of the easiest solution-what are you interested in? I,
unusually started with the Colours of Magic, which I'd only really
recommend to those interested in continuity..."

http://puffice.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/discworld-hullabaloo/


Blogger Pete Howorth enjoyed The Long Earth:

The book mostly takes the perspective from Joshua Valiente who is
what's known as a natural stepper... It shows us what happens if
dinosaurs weren't made extinct, what would happen if the moon formed
from Earth, what'd happen if Earth was destroyed by a cataclysmic
event, etc. Overall I think it's a fantastic concept and it really
plays out well in the book, however I feel most of the work was done
by Stephen Baxter, I'm not sure how much Pratchett was involved, it
didn't seem like a Pratchett novel to me; never the less it was well
worth the read...."

http://tinyurl.com/8debo7o


Blogger easyondeyes offers a delighted, and delightful to read,
full-marks review of Going Postal:

"There are things Moist Van Lipwig has never been before. Moist Van
Lipwig, for instance. And a postmaster for, well, another instance.
He's been many other people but he's never tried the Mr Lipwig hat
on for size... There are many things I loved about Terry Pratchett's
Going Postal, the brilliant, shiny humour that beautifully balances
the ever-present dark side in Pratchett's works, not the least of
them. In fact, I think the humour is more evident in this one than
in his other books I've recently read, just as is the satire. It is
not often than Pratchett kills like this in his books while this one
begins with one death and the threat of another. Even the telling of
the story of the golems resounds with sorrowful instances from human
history. The characters are lovingly created and even Moist Van
Lipwig is easy to love with the wry sense of humour surrounding him
and also because he is just exactly as the hero in this book should
be..."

http://tinyurl.com/8owcn6s


Blogger Rushed Reader was well satisfied by Snuff:

"I have caught myself watching out for changes in his novels that
tell us that it's time to say Goodbye to one of the UK's most
unusual and prolific authors. The good news is that the time hasn't
come – Snuff is inventive, well-written and further develops the
Sam Vimes/City Watch arc of stories by taking the Commander out of
the City and sending him on 'holiday' to his wife's privileged
country seat... the challenges of family life are explored by
contrasting Sam Jr.'s needs and demands with Sam Sr.'s adventures
and past events which haunt him, tied together by his wife Sybil's
gentle and understanding nagging and the social demands on his time
arising from her status. I know these novels are considered part of
the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, but in many ways they are a distorted and
at times satirical version of our own world, sharply observed and,
often poignantly, capturing the foibles and prejudices of people
anywhere, even on a world held up by elephants and travelling
through space on a giant turtle..."

http://tinyurl.com/92uucms


Blogger Reading Mater (note spelling) has mixed feelings about The
Long Earth:

There were moments when I... came across a piece that was so
typically Terry Pratchett, but much of it must reflect the other
author. Pratchett has a way of introducing important thoughts and
issues in an off-hand or humorous way that I love. One of my
daughters once wrote to him asking if he had studied in a seminary
(=theology) and, as I remember, in his reply he said no, but that he
thought a lot... much of the book is the hero's travelling, meeting
various interesting animals and human living situations and stories,
in the company of an artificial intelligence who is clearly a
person. Intricate and interesting, but not answering the big
question..."

http://tinyurl.com/8w9zgms


Blogger Elisabetya ponders on the visual delights of The last Hero:

"'The Last Hero', while beautifully illustrated (and once I've
finished reading the story, I intend to go back and study the art in
detail), is not a picture book as such, anyway, but even if it were
I'd happily read it. Maybe not on the train, though, because I like
to examine the pictures at my leisure and public transport doesn't
lend itself to proper study. I love the art and pared back story of
picture books, and fully appreciate the difficulty of writing one.
Which set me pondering what it is about Pratchett that I love so
much. It's the worldbuilding, I think, and the characters, as much
as the clever plots. He creates a world that engages my imagination
to the point that I want badly to live in it..."

http://tinyurl.com/8rap87g


Blogger TylerDFC recommends Snuff, but not as a first Pratchett
experience:

"There are details of the book that are a bit difficult to grasp,
especially if you didn't read Thud, like the fact Sam is possessed
(sort of) by a vengeance demon that helps him see in the dark and
helps him with the case. While the narrative does get a bit muddy,
the classic Pratchett satire is razor sharp and serves as an
allegory against the mistreatment for any marginalized people. He
does a great job of making you care about the victims and feel Sam's
righteous rage at the injustice that must be corrected at all cost.
For a Watch novel it is all standard stuff, but taking Sam out of
the City does make for a new setting for him to get in to scrapes.
The book moves fast and, as happens in nearly all Discworld novels,
around the half way point the momentum picks up considerably and
maintains a breakneck speed all the way to the end..."

http://tinyurl.com/8rlce6d


Blogger storytellersarchivist believes that`Night Watch, in addition
to being a simply superb book, can be a good starting point for
reading the Discworld series:

"While the previous books have been mostly an ensemble cast
production, this one belongs to Sam Vimes, probably one of my top
three favorite characters in the setting. Honest (when he needs to
be) and realistic (unless the cost is too high), he's the very
definition of a copper. Not necessarily a good copper (he's been
known to toss aside the badge), but he always ends up doing the
right thing. So it isn't surprising that he tries to step in
someone's shoes to fill the gap inadvertently opened up by Carcer's
murderous ways... It's also interesting to see how Sam adapts to the
past. He's a very different man now than he was then, and we get a
good look at the contrasts between the two-and some of the
similarities that seem to have held true over the years. His
experiences put him ahead of virtually everyone in the Watch, even
though they don't really know that. It also means that things he
considers old are new again..."

http://tinyurl.com/8bn3y4j


Blogger Sidonie Helena was less than enthralled by Snuff:

"I really do love Terry Pratchett, and the discworld series, but I
only found this installment okay. I'm not sure if it was the strong
crime fiction ties (although, very funny at times) but I just
couldn't get my teeth into it like other discworld novels. Don't
miss understand me though, I didn't think Snuff was awful, anything
but, but it just wasn't for me. Not even a barge named 'The
wonderful Fanny' could rectify, what to me, was a dragging storyline
(although that was quite a funny name). I think I'll just wait for
dodger, it sounds like more of my type of read..."

http://tinyurl.com/9rlyyrf


Blogger Chris Gladis aka the Labyrinth Librarian is back with a
long, complex review/essay of Men At Arms – with illustrations, no
less:

"The idea that one has responsibility for one's own actions and
well-being is dominant in the Guards books, no more so than in this
one... this book is all about making choices in life. Vimes is
engaged to be married to Sybil Ramkin, and thus his days as the
Captain of the Watch are numbered. He may be in a better position
than he was in the last book – having someone try to kill you is
always refreshing, after all – but he knows that the life he's
giving up, with all of its pain and trouble and heartache, is the
life that he needs to live. Corporal Carrot needs to choose how best
to serve the city of Ankh-Morpork. He is an excellent policeman,
probably the only man on the Disc who could get in the middle of an
incipient troll/dwarf race riot and shame them out of killing each
other. People do what he says – he is, in his own words, 'good at
being obeyed.' If he wanted to, he could run the city and the city
would be glad to let him do it. But is that the best thing for the
city? The troll Detritus and the dwarf Cuddy both have choices –
will they conform to the ancient animosity that stands between their
two races, or will they overcome it for the common good?

"...it's a very gripping book. There's the mystery of it, of course
– who has the Gonne, and why are they using it – but it's also a
story about characters and the choices they make for themselves. My
absolute favorites in this are Detritus and Cuddy. Trolls and dwarfs
have a famous antagonism, stretching back to the ancient battle of
Koom Valley (the only battle in the multiverse where both sides
ambushed each other) and it would be very easy for them to fall into
simple, culturally conditioned roles. They're better buddy cops than
you'll likely to see in the movies, anyway. While it may be a cliche
to say that they found common ground, learned to look past their own
prejudices and learned to respect – nay, to like one another,
that's exactly what they did. It is due to Pratchett's skill as a
writer and as a creator of characters that we come to deeply care
for this relationship, investing a lot of hope in it. We know that
if Cuddy and Detritus can become friends, then maybe there's hope
for everyone. This emotional investment pays off, and Pratchett
reaches deep into our hearts at the end, showing that just because
you start with a cliche, it doesn't mean it can't have depth. Of
course, if you're not quite as analytical as I am, you can still
enjoy it as a good murder mystery..."

http://tinyurl.com/9tfsswo


The ever-readable Cheryl Mahoney offers a loving review of Night
Watch:

"It's a slightly complicated plot, but somehow it works right along
while you're actually reading it. I think that was true the first
time I read it too. I liked it even better on a re-read, because I
knew who everyone was. Part of the fun of the book is seeing
recognizable characters when they were much younger... The best
thing about Night Watch is that you get to see Vimes at his
Vimesest. He's a copper and he's tough and he's practical. He
doesn't seem to believe much in honor, while being very honorable.
He believes in Law and he believes his job is to keep the peace and
protect the ordinary man–while having no illusions about the
nobility of your typical Ankh-Morporkian. He's the kind of man who
doesn't fight a mob or yell them into submission. He steps out in
front of the mob, lights a cigar, asks if they're having a pleasant
night and would they like to step into the Watch House for some
cocoa, and if not they really ought to go on home, it's getting
cold. And it works. Vimes understands Ankh-Morpork and its people,
he knows the streets and he knows the crowds and he can handle all
of it. I love this book because we get to see all of this..."

http://tinyurl.com/94qag22


Finally, blogger Vicky Rayson returned to the Discworld books of her
younger self's shelves and was not disappointed:

"The characters that Pratchett creates are almost too interesting to
be true. At one point whilst reading The Light Fantastic, I placed
the book down on my lap, turned to my mum and said, 'people in the
real world are just not this damn funny.' (I must add that this is
not a criticism!) Amusingly enough however, my favourite character
from these novels so far, even though it doesn't speak, is
Twoflower's Luggage – a charming enchanted object if ever there
was one.

"When browsing the internet for a suggested reading order for this
massive collection, I came across many people who suggested that The
Colour of Magic (despite being chronologically first) is not the
most suitable place in which to start your Discworld adventure.
Perhaps I simply have not read enough of the novels to know better,
but for me personally, The Colour of Magic made a perfectly pleasant
place to begin. Pratchett provides you with enough of the history
and science of the Discworld for you to feel that your feet are
firmly placed upon it, without the information being too heavy
going, which I often find to be the case in fantasy novels which are
set in the author's own created world..."

http://tinyurl.com/9f6fblo

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Georgia Simone's amazing and astonishingly detailed full-back tattoo
of Great A'Tuin and the Disc:

http://tinyurl.com/9eq47fq


The Author himself, shaking hands with a certain seven-foot
skelington:

http://tinyurl.com/92d8xn2

The Hat ends up in the oddest places:

http://tinyurl.com/8ppal8o


A collection of collages inspired by various Discworld persons,
places and institutions, all created by the worryingly-named Opal
Koboi (does she want to rule the Disc now?!):

http://www.polyvore.com/discworld/collection?id=564270


Kidby does Dodger's Dickens:

http://tinyurl.com/9qfv5v4


Edible Discworld, continued...

A marvellous confection of cupcakery:

http://cupcaketeer.com/2011/07/24/discworld-cupcakes-cake/

A birthday cake to go bananananas for:

http://tinyurl.com/cdpbdyq


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) ORANGUTAN NEWS

16.1 APPS FOR APES: IT'S SPREADING!

An updated article in the New York Daily News. You may recognise
some of the photographs from the feature in the March 2012 main
issue of WOSSNAME, but the content is new:

"Zookeepers across the United States and Canada are discovering that
apes also get excited about apps. As part of a program called Apps
for Apes, 12 zoos across the two countries have been incorporating
iPads into the enrichment time allotted for orangutans, the giant
furry red primates native to Indonesia and Malaysia. 'We're finding
that, similar to people, they like touching the tablet, watching
short videos of David Attenborough for instance, and looking at
other animals and orangutans,' said Richard Zimmerman, founding
director of Orangutan Outreach, the New York City-based non-profit
that runs the program...

"At the Toronto Zoo, zookeeper Matthew Berridge uses apps such as
Doodle Buddy for drawing, Montessori Counting Board and Activity
Memo Pocket, a memory game, in addition to playing YouTube videos
for the apes. 'It's a lot like when we're showing children pop-up
books,' said Zimmerman, adding that the orangutans are among the
most intelligent primates, with the intelligence level of a young
child. Zookeepers are also investigating how communication apps,
such as those for the autistic, can help the animals to express
themselves better, according to Zimmerman. 'Let's say an orangutan
has a toothache. He or she would be able to then tap on the iPad on
a picture of a tooth and communicate it that way,' he explained. One
very intelligent, but armless, orangutan at the Center for Great
Apes in Wauchula, Florida is so intent on using the device that she
uses her feet to navigate through the touchscreens..."

http://tinyurl.com/cygxe4a

The Orangutan Outreach main composite photo:

http://tinyurl.com/cz6axkn


16.2 PROMISING CANCER TREATMENT FOR A STRICKEN ORANGUTAN

"An orangutan called Peanut, suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma,
has become the first in the world to be treated with aggressive
chemotherapy just like a human. Peanut, who lives together with her
fraternal twin Pumpkin at Miami's Jungle Island, has received
numerous treatments to combat the aggressive lymphoma since
August... Peanut's diagnosis came by chance when her veterinary team
found she had an intestinal obstruction and further testing revealed
the cancer. The private zoo had no board certified veterinary
oncologist on staff and turned to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer
Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A team
there, along with UM's Division of Comparative Pathology, which
specializes in wildlife, confirmed the diagnosis and is now
providing guidance for Peanut's treatment. 'I've never had the same
combination of fear and enthusiasm in one patient before,' said Dr.
Joseph Rosenblatt, one of the doctors treating Peanut. 'We don't
know what to expect and yet we're intensely curious and potentially
hopeful that we can help the animal.' Working on an orangutan is a
first for Rosenblatt, who has never worked on an animal larger than
a mouse. 'When the animal looks at you in the eye, it's both a
sympathetic as well as a look that radiates intelligence,' he
said... Orangutans share about 96 percent of a human's genetic
makeup, and Peanut's treatment plan is closer to that of what a
human would receive for the same type of cancer, making this the
first documented case of an orangutan being treated with this type
of therapy..."

http://tinyurl.com/8w4tgtf

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

17.1 DISCWORLD GAMES NIGHT IN SYDNEY

Two Discworld boardgame sessions for the price of one (the price
being free, and that's cutting their own throats)... or possibly the
Battle of the Boardgames? Not to be outdone by Melbourne's taking on
regular monthly "Ankh-Morpork" tournaments, the Sydneysiders are
starting a Discworld games session next month.

Games: Ankh Morpork & Guards Guards. Selection by popular demand on
the night
When: Friday 12th October 2012
Where: Ashfield, Sydney
Time: 7pm for a 7.30pm start

For more information and directions to the actual venue, contact
patrick@...


17.2 "GUARDS! GUARDS!": NEW AND IMPROVED

The updated Guards! Guards! game is available now! And for those of
you who pre-ordered, shipping is now underway. To recap from last
month's info about the changes:

"For the first part of this year we worked a lot on the revised
rules for Guards! Guards! 2012 reprint. We restructured them to make
them easier to follow, included FAQs from fans from the last four
months and included a 'What a Player can do on their turn' page.
Copies will be available for free download from our site around
September.

"In addition we made few small amendments to the rules to increase
player interaction and make it easier to finish. The changes are:
The Luggage interacts with Dragons, players can purchase attribute
points and on Final Spell rolls, if a player succeeds with one roll,
they do not have to reroll that success."

http://www.guardsguards.com/blog.aspx

http://www.guardsguards.com/category/1-board-games.aspx


17.3 "ANKH-MORPORK" GAME DESIGNED MARTIN WALLACE INTERVIEWED

On the site Here To Inspire, trainee journalist thereal007girl
interviews Treefrog Games' honcho Martin:

"Gaming is something you have to be interested in as a child, I
played simple games like Monopoly when I was I child. When I was in
school one of the teachers was into war games; he founded the war
games club where I learnt about other types of games.When I left
school I worked for Games Workshop and then I decided when I was
about 30 I would have a go at designing games. I was teaching by
that point so it was something I could do alongside my job. In 1993
I published my first game- it was self published and I have been
designing games ever since. I went full time in 2008 and I am now
only one of about three board game designers who live in the UK...
[Pratchett] was only involved in the fact that he decided what the
characters should look like on the cards. All the artwork was
presented to Terry to say yes or no and if there was a charater that
they weren't sure would look like -there are a lot of characters
that have never been created by an artist- then Terry would be asked
what does the character look like? and Terry would say well a bit
like Hatty Jakes or such and such a person and then we would give
that to the artist and then he would do something along those lines.
But I didn't personally talk to him! I've got to know people who are
old friends of Terry's and they managed all the artwork so it's all
a team effort..."

http://tinyurl.com/8f4dd6a

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) CLOSE

Oh, just before I close – I only just discovered that Sir Pterry
is a "guest star" in Unseen Theatre's current production of Reaper
Man, as he recorded the Voice of Azrael for the production! Read all
about it here:

http://tinyurl.com/92dcdxk

And as a bonus, here be a fine photo of the Auditors on stage:

http://tinyurl.com/d3hmz2q

Here be something that resonates with TLE: a review by Joel Boyce in
the Winnipeg Free Press of another current science fiction
collaboration that would appear to have the same imbalances noted in
so man reviews of The Long Earth:

"Rapture of the Nerds is – like another collaboration, Terry
Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens – a sort of absurdist comic
novel, if not as funny. As the story goes on, the misfortunes of
RotN's protagonist escalate steadily in both degree and
implausibility. Unlike other British comic authors like Pratchett or
Douglas Adams, the humour is more slapstick than dry. The novel is,
in point of fact, a 'fix-up' of two previous novellas by the
authors, rewritten and combined with a new concluding section
intended to knit it all together. This, combined with the authors'
tag-team approach to plotting, may explain the semi-random nature of
the narrative and contrived story resolution at the end. But such
seat-of-the-pants plot development might be forgiven if the story
engages the reader. The greater weakness is the passive nature of
its hapless hero, who takes very little initiative beyond
complaining grumpily at all the terrible things that keep happening
to him... Doctorow fans looking for something along the lines of
Makers or Little Brother, however, will be disappointed. Like celery
in a beet soup, even the Doctorow bits taste pretty much like
Stross..."

http://tinyurl.com/9kjh5vk

Your Editor will pass on that one, but is extremely excited to learn
that Homeland, a sequel by Doctorow to his fantastic 2008 novel
Little Brother, will be published early next year... though not as
excited as I am to get my hands on Sir Pterry's autobiography,
currently a work in progress.

And so we come to the end of truly enormous issue, WOSSNAME's
longest yet. We'll be back later this month with more of Fernando's
horoscopes (or not-horoscopes) and any late breaking news. Take
care!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
September 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 9, Post 2)
********************************************

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR SEPTEMBER...
03) LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

It's deja vu time, as they say in Quirm:

"If you missed the main issue this month, go back and check, because
there's so much going on... but we seem to have got everything in
there, so this month's last post is exceptionally short. Whew!"

...although there *is* some good late-breaking news. So off we go...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Hallo my friends, it is I, Fernando Magnifico, writing to you from
the Le Pisoir d'Or in Genua, a most friendly and understanding
hotel, which is the molto bene for Fernando has had the terrible
disasters and arrived here in Genua without even the trousers off
his back! Fortunately, the concierge is the most hospitable man who
fits Fernando like the glove. Fernando has borrowed the most
magnificent citron satin trousers and is again fit to be seen in
public.

My friends, as you know Fernando has been called home to Brindisi to
deal with the great and terrible sauce crisis. Things have gotten
worse: Auntie Maria has taken to hitting people with her broom more
than usual, Uncle Enzo and Uncle Alfonzo have blackened each other's
eye, and Aunt Malvasia isn't speaking to anyone except to shout at
them. Poor cousin Luciano is so upset by the arguments that he is
off his feed. They tell Fernando that he only ate half a sheep last
week. But do not be afeared for Fernando's family, for Fernando is
only a few days away from Brindisi by ship (provided he is not
captured by the Dread and Beautiful Pirate Queen of Mante, Captain
Roberta, again.)

They say that bad news comes in threes, or sometimes fours or fives,
and so it is with Fernando who has the more bad news. (If Fernando
did not know better, he would suspect the hand of Carlos in this.
But Fernando shall not speak of Carlos.) Fernando's luggage is still
lost, including his star charts. The kind lady at the coach company
tells Fernando that they are pretty sure they have found the luggage
now, apparently it has accidentally been sent to No Thingfjord where
one of Fernando's pants fell out of the case and caused a small
riot. And since the Lady Anaemia Asterisk has come down with
aardvarks again, there will be no horoscopes this month. But do not
be afeared my friends, for Fernando shall instead tell you the true
tale of how he got to Genua without his luggage, his money, or his
silk trousers.

As Fernando's dedicated readers will know, Fernando was last on the
riverboat on the Vieux (masculine) River, with only the clothes on
his back after his luggage was accidentally put on the wrong coach
and sent to Howondaland. But Fernando did not let this spoil his
journey, for such are the trials that Fate sends to test those as
magnificent as Fernando. And so it was that Fernando was on the
riverboat with no luggage, only the small bottle of his special hair
creme, a single pair of silk trousers, and yet still determined to
be as magnificent as he can be.

And so it was that Fernando came to meet the young lady who Fernando
shall call "Signorina X" so as to protect her honour. Signorina X
had been playing the friendly card game with Mr Frank and his
friends against the strict instructions of her brothers. Alas my
friends, sometimes the Lady smiles upon the ladies, and sometimes
She does not, and this was one of those times, for Signorina X lost
her money, her purse, and the locket her dearest mamma had given
her. Of course Fernando cannot bear to see the signorina in
distress, and so he took it upon himself to win Signorina X's locket
back for her. Fernando's many hours playing Cripple Mister Onion
with Uncle Enzo paid off, for Fernando was able to sneak the locket
off the table while Mr Frank was counting his winnings.

It cost Fernando $37, but the look of gratitude on Signorina X's
face when he presented her with the locket was worth every penny.
She was so overcome by emotion that she felt faint, and so Fernando
of course immediately loosened her corset, thinking only of her
health you understand, for Fernando is always thinking about the
importance of the good pair of healthy lungs for the womans. And so
it was by the purest chance, with Fernando's hands occupied with the
corset, that the button of his silk trousers popped loose, and
Signorina X (being a kindly and thoughtful young woman) immediately
grabbed the trousers. Purely to stop them from sliding down to his
ankles, of course.

And that was the very moment that her brothers returned to the
cabin.

Mia cara, Fernando is not the stranger to the suspicions of those
who are jealous of his magnificence, but it continues to stab him in
the heart like the ice-cold dagger each time. And so it was the
Fernando shortly found himself heaved off the riverboat into the
river, a three day walk away from Genua, without his luggage, his
money, or his trousers. (Although fortunately Fernando did manage to
save the bottle of hair creme.)

My friends, Fernando must go now, for his ship leaves in two hours
and Fernando wishes to pay a visit to Lieutenant Courgette of the
Genua Watch to find out whether the stories about her magnificent
eyelashes are true. Until next month, ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

3.1 THE DODGER LAUNCH PARTY

Last week, Team Pratchett celebrated the launch of Dodger, in London
at The House of St. Barnabas:

"Founded as a charity in 1846, the historic building now acts as an
altruistic members club which supports London's homeless by helping
them back into sustainable employment. The house and courtyard are
also said to have inspired the residence of Dr. Manette and Lucy in
Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, making it the perfect venue
for the occasion. Guests, who included Sir David Jason, AS Byatt and
Michael Fenton Stevens were served pale ale from London's St Peter's
Brewery and entertained by a Punch and Judy puppet act. Many chose
to stay true to the Dickensian theme and there was a magnificent
array of Victorian costume to be seen throughout the evening..."

The page is full of wonderful photos of the event, including Sir
Pterry dressed as Dodger and Rob and Pratchett Junior looking spiffy
indeed in matching period costume. Go look!

http://tinyurl.com/9bnpbly


Also worth a look is the first photo of the cover for A Blink of the
Screen:

http://tinyurl.com/9ousgqw

Remember, A Blink of the Screen will be published on 11th October.
To order a signed copy (price  £25.00) from PJSM Prints, go to:

http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html

Also-also, for those of you who missed Rob Wilkins' birthday last
week (24th September), do join with WOSSNAME in wishing him a
belated best!


3.2 A WIBBLY WOBBLY TIMEY WIMEY FUNDRAISER FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH

Since so many of us Pratchett fans are also Doctor Who fans:

"A host of celebrity Doctor Who fans have shared their memories of
the science-fiction drama in a new book entitled Behind the Sofa, to
boost funds for Alzheimer's Research UK. Al Murray, Jonathan Ross,
Chris Tarrant, Lynda Bellingham and Martina Cole are among over 100
famous contributors. Compiled by author Steve Berry, the book will
be published on 27 September. Behind the Sofa also contains
recollections from a number of former stars of the long-running BBC
series, including Hugh Bonneville and Tracy-Ann Oberman. The book
will be available in hardback and eBook format and all proceeds will
be donated to Alzheimer's Research UK, the UK's leading dementia
research charity...."

http://tinyurl.com/8zrorys


3.3 NADWCON NEWS

An update from 2013 Chair, Richard Atha-Nicholls:

"We've had lots of questions recently about registration. I want to
re-assure everyone that, all being well, registration will be back
up next week and that NADWCon 2013 is definitely going ahead as
planned. Once registration is open again, the reduced rate of $88
will be held for 8-days. When I say 'all being well' it is probably
best to elaborate on why registration has taken so long to come back
up. So if you're interested please read on.

"Registration was taken offline on the 31st July. Although this
coincided with our last day at the reduced rate it was actually the
credit card processing that resulted in us having to suspend
registration. The underwriters for our credit card processor at the
time pulled the plug on us with little to no warning. Some of you
would have received credit card not approved messages. Since then we
had to seek a new credit card processor and not end up in the same
boat. Many of the credit card processors we approached used the same
underwriter. Our new credit card processor is BluePay and their
underwriters approved us at the end of August. However, as part of
being able to take credit card payments online we also have to be
PCI-DSS compliant. And it is this that has taken a little time in
completing. We successfully tested the registration system last week
and are waiting on the final steps of PCI-DSS approval which
involves a vulnerability scan of our payment servers. This is
scheduled to take place next week and 'all being well' we will pass
with flying colours.

"I appreciate that for you, the fans, this may have been a
frustrating time. I hope you'll all appreciate that the ConCom have
been working diligently to get registration back online and in doing
so are protecting you and your sensitive data. That being said, we
hope you'll all be joining us for this fantastic convention in
2013!"

https://www.nadwcon.org/


3.4 NEW ORANGUTAN POPULATION CONFIRMED!

This week in the Borneo Post, some great news:

"The presence of a 'significant population' of wild orang utans in
Ulu Sungai Menyang, Lubok Antu district has been confirmed through a
recent survey led by Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) under the Heart
of Borneo (HoB) initiative. It is a milestone for the state as it is
believed to be the first wild orang utan population discovered
outside of a national park or sanctuary. According to a FDS press
statement, the population of wild orang utans in the state was
previously believed to be between 1,200 to 3,000 individuals, with
95 per cent of the state's orang utans found in the Batang Ai
National Park and Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary. With this new
finding, the state's estimated orang utan population could increase
by as much as 15 per cent. The local Iban community, tour guides and
foreign tourists have previously reported sightings of orang utans
in Ulu Sungai Menyang, which is situated between the Upper Ai River,
the Indonesian border and the Batang Ai Lake. However, this is the
first time that researchers have officially recorded and established
the presence of orang utans in the area..."

http://tinyurl.com/9h769c9

...and the Historic Mounds Theatre's production of Guards! Guards!,
which finished its run yesterday, featured a Librarian whose costume
design seems to owe a certain conceptual nod to the parrot in the
National Theatre production of Nation a few years ago:

http://tinyurl.com/9eebd8x

p.s. Speaking of Librarians, the Cincinnati Library has the most
wonderful fountain outside:

http://tinyurl.com/8muw8fz


And that's it from us for September. See you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
October 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 10, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF NARRATIVIA
04) PTERRY AT THE CHELTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL
05) DODGER REVIEWS
06) NEW INTERVIEW IN THE INDEPENDENT
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) THE LONG EARTH: REVIEW
11) THE ODDEST RINCEWIND EVER
12) RHIANNA PRATCHETT INTERVIEW
13) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
14) ENTER THE DODGERVERSE: THE SEVEN DIALS RAPSCALLIONS
15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
16) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: JEREMY'S CLOCK?
17) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

This month's leading quote is a quote about a quote ("man is where
the falling angel meets the rising ape", in Hogfather):

"Actually a sentence fragment, this little phrase — among my very
favorites bits from any author, anywhere — embeds three thousand
years of Western philosophical and spiritual tradition neatly into
post-Enlightenment empiricism with an economy of words and a grace
of phrasing that I could write a hundred years without ever
matching."

– Jay Lake


"Had 'Dodger' been required reading in school, I might have liked
Dickens more."

– an uncredited reviewer in the Daytona Beach News-Journal

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

The first part of this month's issue is arriving in your inboxes a
bit earlier than usual, in order to spread the news of a number of
Discworld plays being staged over the course of the next fortnight.
Not to mention news of the official launch of Narrativia (the
production company, not the goddess, though the idea of another
Discworld-styled spacecraft heading out over the Rim into the great
unknown with an icon of Narrativia on its prow has a certain charm)
and some exciting interviews and reviews...

Meanwhile, according to the wording of hollywood.com's report on the
International Emmy Awards shortlist, which was announced on the 8th
of October, our favourite author is trying to commit suicide. Erm,
they got it a bit wrong there:

"Meanwhile, controversial BBC film Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die,
which chronicled the author's Alzheimer's Disease battle and his bid
to end his life, is in the running for Best Documentary, up against
South Korea's Across Land, Across Sea, Argentina's Hitler's Escape
and Germany's Wettlauf Zum Sudpol (Race to the South Pole)...."

http://tinyurl.com/8r6fgpk


...whereas the BBC got it right, bless Auntie:

"Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die is nominated for best documentary.
The BBC Two programme looked at how best-selling author Pratchett,
who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2008, might choose to
end his life. It was honoured at both the Bafta TV Awards and the
Royal Television Society Awards earlier this year."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19884012

[The winners will be announced on 19th November – Ed.]

Right, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF NARRATIVIA

The announcement in P-space:

1st October 2012, London – International bestselling author Sir
Terry Pratchett today launched NARRATIVIA, a new multimedia
production company with exclusive worldwide rights to all of the
writer's work across Film, Television, Merchandising and Digital
Media.

NARRATIVIA will bring the management and development of the
Pratchett brand under one roof and the executive team, headed by
Managing Director Rod Brown, will be based in Soho London. Brown
will work closely with the author, and NARRATIVIA directors,
Pratchett's business manager Rob Wilkins and author's daughter and
fellow writer, Rhianna Pratchett, on a day to day basis, to drive
the company forward.

NARRATIVIA is already working on a number of Pratchett related
Television and Film projects with high profile production partners
and script writers, details of which will be announced in due
course. NARRATIVIA will ensure that projects stay true to the
author's intelligent and empathetic vision, while diversifying into
the formats that will introduce the work, both old and new, to new
territories and audiences.

Sir Terry Pratchett said, "This is an exciting and natural
development for me and my works, and I look forward to working
closely with the team to develop new stories in areas other than
just print and ebooks and, of course, seeing my first Big Screen
project come to fruition."

Rod Brown said, "This is a dream challenge for me! Having worked
very happily with Terry, Rob and Rhianna over the past decade on the
three mini series for Sky 1, I have grown to love the world and
characters Terry has created so when Terry invited me to head up the
company for him, it was easy to say yes... please!"

http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html

In The Guardian:

"Narrativia will produce TV adaptations of some of Pratchett's best-
known novels, including a four-part series based on his 1990s comedy
Good Omens... Narrativia is in the process of producing a 13-part
series set in Ankh Morpork, the fictional city from Pratchett's
Discworld novels, named The Watch, after the city's police force.
Good Omens will be co-written by Monty Python star Terry Jones and
Gavin Scott, whose credits include The Mists of Avalon and Legend of
Earthsea. The Watch will be written by Guy Burt, whose credits
include The Borgias and The Bletchley Circle. Pratchett's move to
launch his own production company follows a successful series of
Sky1 adaptations of his Discworld novels Hogfather, The Colour of
Magic and Going Postal..."

http://tinyurl.com/9efqw4y

In Bleeding Cool News, an interesting typing error suggests that The
Watch will be the least expensive telly series ever made:

"The first series of The Watch is planned to run to thirteen
episodes of sixty minutes each. According to Broadcast, this will
require a budget of £13-15 in total. Several international
broadcasters or home entertainment distributors will have to bite to
make this possible..."

http://tinyurl.com/8asq9nt

In The Stage:

"A statement issued by the company today said Narrativia is
currently 'working on a number of Pratchett-related television and
film projects with high-profile production partners and script
writers'. 'Narrativia will ensure the projects stay true to the
author's intelligent and empathetic vision, while diversifying into
the formats that will introduce the work, both old and new, to new
territories and audiences,' it added...."

http://tinyurl.com/8l6tqbw

In Variety:

"Founded with former Prime Focus Prods. topper Rod Brown, projects
in development include 'The Watch,' a police procedural series based
on characters from 'Discworld,' his hugely popular genre series. The
13-part skein, budgeted at £2 million ($3.2 million) an episode, is
being written by former Monty Python star Terry Jones and Guy Burt,
a writer on Showtime's 'The Borgias.' It has yet to be picked up...
Brown said, 'Terry's in good shape. He is writing some of his best
ever stuff, including the recently published "Dodger," which is a
bestseller'... The new company will be run by Brown, Pratchett's
daughter Rhianna Pratchett, and his business manager Rob Wilkins.
Each will take an equal stake in Narrativia, named after a deity
created by the novelist who smiles down on writers..."

http://tinyurl.com/9385yjo


...and on Planet Friesen, home of all the recent Pterry internet
logos:

http://donteatanybugs.net/FabFour.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) PTERRY AT THE CHELTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL

A quotable bit of quoting from The Times (which now requires paid
subscription, sadly):

"Sir Terry Pratchett has a few more books in him before he becomes
incapacitated by Alzheimer's disease, he reassured an audience at
Cheltenham. 'I'm good enough for purpose. I've got mechanisms that
help me write and I very much enjoy using them. So I am okay, and I
would not wish to be anybody else.' He promised at least one more
book in his Discworld series and an autobiography, which he wants to
write 'before some bastard does it'."

http://tinyurl.com/9pxzss9


A report by Daisy Blacklock in the Gloucestershire Echo (This Is
Gloucestershire):

The author, who has sold a jaw-dropping 80 million books, was
diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's in 2007, and made his
appearance on day three of Festival 2012 to talk about Dodger, his
latest, Dickens-inspired book for young adults. The writer is
showing few signs, if any, of slowing down, however. His talk with
PA and fellow writer, Rob Wilkins, spanned everything from
Narrativia, his just-launched, multimedia production company, and
the 13-part prime-time TV series that is in-the-pipeline, to the
first draft of his next Discworld book – along with a colourful
anecdote or few from his travels round Australia and America...
Speaking on the inspiration behind Dodger, Pratchett said that as a
boy he had been struck by Dickens', and the social reformer Henry
Mayhew's, depictions of poverty in the reign of Queen Victoria.
'Dickens used fiction to spell out the plight of the underclass in
early Victorian London, while Mayhew used hard facts. He was a man
of a statistics ...you can't believe how bad things were for the
poor in London ...that stayed with me for a long time.'"

http://tinyurl.com/8bj8dh9


Pterry enjoying himself in the backstage tent:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A4nM4xiCYAIUj6F.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) DODGER REVIEWS

Reviewed by Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing. I love it when one of my
favourite authors gives a (rightly justified!) rave review of work
by another of my favourite authors:

"Nominally, this is an historical novel, a fictionalized account of
the fictionalized person who inspired Mr Charlie Dickens to create
his much-beloved character The Artful Dodger. But as the story
unfolds, the parallels between the early Victorian London of Dickens
(and Mayhew) and the Ankh-Morpork of Pratchett's Discworld novels
become sharper and clearer, so that by the end, we're reading a
story that really could be set in either one of those fantastical
places, and what's more, there's a kind of vividness to Dodger that
comes, I think, from its proximity to the origin of Pratchett's
inspiration, a cask-strength version of what makes Pratchett so
addictive and so loved...

"Dodger features some of Pratchett's most engaging characters yet –
which is saying something! – inasmuch as these people are allowed
to experience and react to the mercilessly cruel world of Victorian
London, which Pratchett is fearless about describing... This is a
book that is every bit as funny as any Discworld novel, and includes
Pratchett's signature trick of hiding the gravity of the world in
absurdity, a very serious pill wrapped up in a fluffy, sweet
confection. What's more, Dodger features the most satisfying climax
and denouement of any Pratchett novel of my recollection, a
thunderous final chord that lingers and stretches..."

http://tinyurl.com/9npxos8


An uncredited review in the Daytona Beach News-Journal:

"I was particularly looking forward to 'Dodger,' Pratchett's dip
into the Dickensian world, since frankly I've never been much of a
fan of anything of Dickens that didn't involve Muppets or
Blackadder. But his stories are so universally beloved they've
become part of the fabric of our society, and the Artful Dodger was
one of his best creations. Why not give him his own book? ... Much
like in his last Discworld book, 'Snuff,' his protagonist faces a
lot of adventure but not enough setbacks, in my view, to have a
really satisfying feel. But Pratchett's strengths of
characterization, dialogue and human insight are all here in force,
and his peculiar blend of humor and tragedy puts human faces on the
downtrodden and the gentry alike...v The main character in 'Dodger,'
however, is not a street urchin. It's London. 19th century London
seems to be a passion of Pratchett's and it's here in all its
glory..."

http://tinyurl.com/93wgng2


An NPR review by Tasha Robinson:

"Asked about the increasingly grim turns in his best-selling
Discworld novels (recent books have dealt with war, systemic
slavery, demonic possession, and what it means to be human),
Pratchett suggested that it wasn't illness but age that has made him
cynical and prone to see the world more critically. But that
cynicism isn't apparent in his new young-adult novel Dodger, one of
only a handful of Pratchett books that departs from his 39-volume
Discworld series. His protagonists normally display bitter, hard-won
humanism, and battle their own skepticism along with outside forces.
But Dodger is sunnier and more upbeat. As Pratchett explores life in
Victorian London, bringing in famous figures and lingering over
unusual professions, it's hard to shake the notion that he's
enjoying his excursion into historical drama too much to be all that
hard on his characters... He has a similar fascination with the
era's slang and the historical oddities of Mayhew's 1851 social
survey London Labour and the London Poor. For instance, he devotes a
fair bit of the book to exploring the entrepreneurial creativity and
secret religion of toshers, who made their living searching for lost
valuables in London's sewers...

"Stylistically, Dodger doesn't differ significantly from Pratchett's
books marketed to older readers. He still engages in his usual wry,
straight-faced wordplay: Dodger contemplates being a "successful
urchin" by "studying how to urch." At another point, a suspicious
doctor gives him "a cursory glance which had quite a lot of curse in
it." But these linguistic gags are rare in a book that's more
focused on the violent, miserablist aspects of Victorian England,
which Pratchett doesn't soften or elide for young-adult readers..."

http://tinyurl.com/cjdsznk


Reviewed by Nicholas Tucker in The Independent:

"Doubly Dickensian, it both features the great author as a character
and borrows from his novels when it comes to giant-size emotions,
flawless heroines and convoluted plotting. Dodger himself is nothing
like the sharp-eyed original from Oliver Twist. Instead he is a
basically noble young gentleman of the London rookeries,
effortlessly competent in everything from thieving to outwitting
villains, with an ability to come out on top that verges on the
supernatural... On his final noisome journey he is accompanied by
Dickens, Disraeli and Sir Joseph Bazalgette. All highly unlikely,
but with writing of this warmth, who cares?..."

http://tinyurl.com/9stdamm


Reviewed by Pam Norfolk in the Lancashire Evening Post:

"Terry Pratchett is on his very best form in this atmospheric tale
of dastardly deeds and scary skulduggery in deepest, darkest
Victorian London. It's a tribute to Charles Dickens, one of
Pratchett's heroes and another socially aware author, with the star
role going to an 'artful' character called Dodger, a teenage sewer
scavenger with a heart of gold... A master magician and storyteller
extraordinaire, Pratchett manages to combine social realism with his
special brand of humour, a rollocking adventure story and an
eccentric and colourful cast of characters. Funny, poignant and
exciting..."

http://tinyurl.com/8kjz4rl


Reviewed by Jennifer Obloy on Examiner.com:

"Dodger is yet another prime example of Pratchett's ability to weave
a story rife with his signature motifs of fantasy, adventure, and a
healthy amount of wit. What makes Dodger particularly intriguing is
the incorporation of endeared figures in both English literature and
history. From Sweeney Todd to Charles Dickens to Benjamin Disraeli,
the marriage of Pratchett's genius with those of many other
masterminds creates a spectacularly robust plot that is fitting for
both veterans and newcomers of Pratchett's illustrious
idiosyncrasies..."

http://tinyurl.com/9f3of7c

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

O6) NEW INTERVIEW IN THE INDEPENDENT

A fine interview conducted by Arifa Akbar:

"He begins haltingly, with a gentle frost around his words. Then, as
he warms up with stories about the seamier side of Victorian life
(the subject of his latest novel for young adults, Dodger) and his
constantly delayed endeavours to write his memoir (working title: A
Life in Footnotes), he undergoes an almost physical transformation.
By the time he's recalling his entry into Science Fiction as a boy
(via a porn shop run by an old dear), and reflecting on his prolific
output in spite of being diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's
(a career-spanning set of short stories, A Blink of the Screen, was
released weeks after Dodger), he appears positively youthful: sharp,
wry, glinty-eyed, mischievous...

"'Dodger is a fantasy based on a reality. This is a historical
fantasy, and certainly not a historical novel,' he states. His
extensive research into the weird and wacky side of the period has
even fed into Discworld. 'I had been researching old London for a
long time because it's also really useful for Discworld. There you
also have a very grotty but also very powerful city.'... There is a
small tremor to his handshake, and he searches for a word in one
prolonged moment of silence, but there is little sinister in this,
for a 64-year-old. He concurs. 'If you didn't know, you wouldn't
know.' For now, he says he is largely battling old age... Nowadays,
unable to type, he uses the computer program TalkingPoint, which
requires him to speak his stories out loud (his assistant later
types up the pages). The change in work practice has not thrown him.
In fact it is quicker, and perhaps more fluent, than screwing pages
up and starting again, he says. He has even taught TalkingPoint the
necessary Discworld vocabulary. "As a journalist, sometimes you're
writing your copy against a wall. What is it you are ultimately
doing? You're telling a story. How do you tell it? You use your
mouth. The way I'm doing it now...'"

http://tinyurl.com/8syxqmx

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

7.1 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN SILCHESTER

The Silchester Players' production of Wyrd Sisters is still running.

When: 19th & 20th October 2012
Venue: Silchester Village Hall, near Basingstoke, RG7 2ND
Time: Doors open 7.00pm, curtain at 7.30pm
Tickets: Adults £8, Concessions £6, and can be booked by phone on
0118 981 5600.

For further details, go to:

www.silchesterplayers.hampshire.org.uk


7.2 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN STAFFORDSHIRE

Tower Players present their production of Wyrd Sisters next week.

When: 19th and 20th October 2012
Venue: The Rose Theatre, Rugeley, Staffs
Time: 7:30pm (doors open at 7pm)
Tickets: Adults £7, Concessions £6
Box Office 01889 584306
Enquiries : towerplayers@...

For more info, and to purchase tickets online, go to:
http://www.towerplayers.co.uk/tptickets.html

http://www.towerplayers.co.uk/index.html

Enquiries: towerplayers@...


7.3 REMINDER: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN SCUNTHORPE

Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club will be performing Guards!
Guards! this coming week.

When: Wednesday 17th October to Saturday 20th October 2012
Venue: The Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe, Lincs
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: £9
Box Office: 0844 854 2776

For a current article in This Is Scunthorpe about the production, go
to:
http://tinyurl.com/9c7hzly


7.4 GOING POSTAL IN HALIFAX

The Halifax Thespians bring Going Postal to the stage next week!

When: Tuesday 16th to Saturday 20th October
Venue: Halifax Playhouse, King Cross Street, Halifax HX1 2SH (phone
01422 365998)
Time: 7:30pm (Saturday matinee at 2:30pm)
Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions). Some "two for the price of one"
tickets are also available. The box office is open on non-show
weekdays from 1pm to 6pm and on show days from 1pm to 6pm and 7pm
(6.45pm Saturdays) to 8pm. Or to buy tickets online, go to:

http://halifaxplayhouse.ticketsource.co.uk/

Box office: 01422 365998

http://home.btconnect.com/playhouse1/productions/Postal.html


7.5 WYRD SISTERS IN TORQUAY

The TOADS Tadpoles Youth Theatre will present their production of
Wyrd Sisters on Halloween week.

When: 31st October to 3rd November 2012
Venue: TOADS Theatre Company, The Little Theatre, St Marks Road,
Meadfoot, Torquay TQ1 2EL (phone +44 1803 299330)
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets £7/£5
Box office hours are 10.30am - 1.30pm Monday to Friday, and 6.30pm -
8.00pm on performance evenings

http://toadslittletheatre.co.uk/forthcoming-shows/

More about the Tadpoles:

http://www.toadslittletheatre.co.uk/tadpoles/


7.6 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN EMERALD, VICTORIA, FOURECKS

The Gemco Players will perform their production of Guards! Guards!
in November.

When: Friday 9th–Sunday 11th November, Friday 16th–Sunday 18th
November, and Friday 23rd–Saturday 24th November
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive Emerald VIC
3782 (Melway reference 127 E5)
Times: 8pm for all Friday and Saturday shows. The Sunday
performances (11th and 18th) are at 2.30pm
Tickets: ring 0411 723 530 for bookings

For further information, email (gemcoplayers@...) or enquire
via snail mail:

Gemco Players
PO Box 480,
Emerald,
VIC, 3782

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/guards-guards


7.7 CARPE JUGULUM IN GLENBROOK, FOURECKS

Glenbrook Players will present their production of Carpe Jugulum –
featuring Nullus Anxietas chair Carmela as Lady Sybil – in
November.

When: 16th-24th November 2012
Venue: Glenbrook Community Theatre, Great Western Highway and Ross
Street, Glenbrook, NSW (phone 4739 1110) Note: the theatre is beside
the Information Centre and on the opposite corner to the Caltex
petrol station
Time: 8pm (matinees on 17th and 24th November are at 2pm)
Tickets: AUD$25 adults, AUD$22 children (opening night and matinees:
all tickets are at the lower price)

How to get there:
http://www.glenbrookplayers.com.au/location.html

For more info and to book, go to:
http://www.glenbrookplayers.com.au


7.8 GOOD OMENS IN GLASGOW: THE LATEST NEWS

The 2013 world stage premiere of Good Omens, to be presented by the
Cult Classic theatre company, has now been cast (except for the part
of Mr Young, Adam's earthly father) and is ready to begin
preliminary rehearsals. As you can see below, there will be a cast of
thousands – well, of dozens. Once again, WOSSNAME wishes director-
facilitator Amy Hoff and the company every success in this ambitious
venture!

Also, Amy and the Cult Classic gang would like to hear from "any and
all people interested in backstage work (costumes, props, tech,
etc). If you are interested in any of these things for Good Omens
please do get in touch."

Aziraphale: Stephen Bell
Crowley: Christopher Honey
Newt: Stewart Archibald
Anathema: Jennifer Mackenzie
Shadwell: Ian Hughes
Madame Tracy: Debbie Foster
Adam: Nicky Stanley
Brian: Richard Elliot McGonigle
Pepper: Joy Coppell
Wensleydale: Linn Mattison
Famine: Sanjay Lago
War: Kerry Burley
Death: Jamie Adams-Taylor
Pollution: James Carter
Frannie/Tompkins: Evonne Beardsworth
Sister Grace/Sherryl: Simona Koleva
Sister Mary: Amy Lawn
Pedro/Beelzebub: Ciaron Kelly
Fernando/Metatron: Christopher Stanley
Pianist/Radio Announcer/Guard: Eilidh Leiper
Postman: Joseph Bell
Narrator: Bill Albright
Hastur: Alasdair Reavey
Ligur: Vharri Laverz
Voice of Satan: Pete Sneddon

For more info, and assorted photographs (cast photos will be up
soon!), go to:

www.cultclassic.org


7.9 DODGER IN ABINGDON 2013: UPDATES

The Studio Theatre Club's world stage premiere of Dodger will take
place on 22nd to 26th January 2013!

The STC says:

"Dodger is a tosher – a sewer scavenger living in the squalor of
Dickensian London. Everyone who is nobody knows Dodger. Anyone who
is anybody doesn't. But when he rescues a young girl from a beating,
suddenly everybody wants to know him. And Dodger's tale of
skulduggery, dark plans and even darker deeds begins... Rehearsals
for the world premiere staging of Sir Terry Pratchett's just-
published book have just begun – still time to get involved, if
you'd like to! The play will be staged on 22 to 26 January. Tickets
will go on sale on 22 October – book early!"

How to book:

Send your ticket order (with back-up choices if you're after Friday
or Saturday tickets); your cheque (payable to 'STC' – £8.50 per
ticket), and a stamped, self-addressed, envelope to:

Studio Theatre Club (Dodger)
PO Box 1486
Oxford
OX4 9DQ

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

8.1 Wired magazine reports on Sir Pterry's appearance at New York's
ComiCon this month:

"Vimes is the no-nonsense commander of the City Watch, a burgeoning
police force in the fantasy Discworld city of Ankh-Morpork. His
exploits will form the basis of the show, to be called The Watch.
'Think of it like a Pratchett-style CSI,' the charismatic British
novelist said. 'Only you won't get it over here because you tipped
our tea in the harbor 'n' all that shit,' he joked to the laughing
crowd. It might be fair to say that Samuel Vimes and Sir Terry
aren't all that dissimilar. Vimes worked his way up from poverty-
struck origins to the aristocratic circles of Ankh-Morpork society.
Pratchett grew up in public housing and described himself at Comic
Con as a 'poor man with lots of money. I still clean my own toilet,'
he hastened to add... 'I fully intend there to be a Dodger sequel,'
he said, but with a caveat: 'as long as I'm spared. You must pray
for me.' Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in
December 2007. He didn't waste the opportunity to playfully mock his
fans, though: 'You don't look like a praying lot, I must say.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/98zc4u4


8.2 The animated Discworld?!

http://tinyurl.com/dyvr2rx


8.3 Team Pratchett and Transworld's Lynsey Dalladay in Dodger-era
garb for the launch party:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A3KwlkhCYAAm5ib.jpg


8.4 A Dodger video "intro" by The Author on YouTube:
http://tinyurl.com/8agwwd6


8.5 Also on YouTube, Science Gallery's Q&A session with the Science
of Discworld trio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XR8OfsiB80

(Full video is 1 hr 8 mins long – Ed.)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 NAIV (AUSDWCON) UPDATES

News from the Nullus Anxietas IV crew:

We are excited to announce that, after some clever wheeling and
dealing by our Chair, and due to the endless good favour of Bernard
Pearson, the Discworld Emporium is joining us at Nullus Anxietas IV!
Bernard "The Cunning Artificer" is lending us Ian Mitchell and Reb
Voyce, who will be touting their wares. For those unaware of the
Discworld Emporium (call yourselves Discworld fans?) check out their
Facebook page and their website:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Discworld-Emporium/110497847377

http://www.discworldemporium.com/

All contact information for Nullus Anxietas:
http://ausdwcon.org/
http://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV/
@nullusanxietas4
nullusanxietasiv.tumblr.com
and search for Nullus Anxietas IV on Google+


9.2 CABBAGECON (DUTCH DW CON) NEWS

"Between 24 and 26 May 2013 the second Dutch Discworld Convention
Cabbagecon 2 will happen at the NH Hotel Zandvoort in Zandvoort aan
Zee. It will be a happy occasion for fans of Sir Terry Pratchett
from the Netherlands and abroad to meet each other and have fun. We
hope to see you too!"

Attending fees for the Second Dutch Discworld Convention: valid till
1 January 2013

Adults
For the weekend €40.00
Day tickets €25.00

Concessions, students and children born after 26 May 1995
For the weekend €35.00
Day tickets €20.00

Children born after 26 May 2008 free only when accompanied by a
paying adult

ATTENTION: REGISTRATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE FOR REGISTERED USERS AND
VALID AFTER RECEIPT OF PAYMENT

Badge names: names longer than 20 characters are not allowed. Longer
names will be cut off. If you book for two or more people you may
enter multiple badge names. If you want to change your name, please
send a mail with your old and new name to info@.... You
will receive a confirmation mail after the change has been made.

To register, and for more information, consult various menus on this
page:

http://dutchdwcon.nl/?language=en


9.3 WADFEST UPDATES

An update on the Wadfest forum from Wadfest's Rob Lupine:

Some of you may have noticed an absence of forum on the Wadfest site
recently. There are a few reasons for this. The main reason is that
Waddy found a red button in the forum programming software that was
labelled, "Do not press this button under any  circumstances!" and -
well you know the rest. However we have decided to take this
opportunity to launch a brand sparkly new forum in its place as part
of the big Wadfest reboot! When you register to this forum you'll
notice some changes right away. We hope you'll find it a more
relaxed, less formal format. You'll be able to contribute to
community discussions round the virtual campfire, keep up to date
with the latest Wadfest announcements and trade or swap memorabilia
on our trading post. There is even an exclusive section for ticket
holders, where they can plot and plan activities for the big
weekend!

The new rebooted forum is now up and accessible via the link on the
Wadfest homepage. Wadfest in 2013 will run from 9th–11th August at
the new venue:

Wood Green Animal Shelter
King's Bush Farm
London Road, Godmanchester,
Cambridgeshire, PE29 2NH

With the new venue comes a new and improved ticket
price: £20, which is £5 less than the 2011 price.

For more info, go to:

http://www.wadfest.co.uk


9.4 IRISH DISCWORLD CONVENTION 2013

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The 3rd Biennial Irish Discworld Convention is
coming upon us! 1st – 4th November 2013! The Radisson Blu Hotel,
Limerick! Ladies and Gentlemen, Trolls and Dwarfs – of both definite
and possible gender, Vamps, Vampires and Vampirinas, Orcs, Goblins
and all other denizens who inhabit the Disc! We would like to invite
you to the 3rd Biennial Discworld Convention. We bid you welcome!
Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!"

Membership prices are Adult €40
Student €30
Concession €30
Teen (13-18) €15
Junior (8-12) €10
Mini (0-7) Free!

To purchase your membership, go to:

http://www.idwcon.org/purchase-membership

For more information in general:

http://www.idwcon.org/

https://www.facebook.com/idwcon


9.5 REMINDER: IT'S FEEGLE TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA

SADWCon 2012 Event Day: The Feegles Have Landed

Date: 24th November 2012
Time: Registration at 10 am for Opening at 11 am
Venue: To be announced
Ticket Price: Adult R150.00 – includes lunch, Children (under 13)
R80.00 – includes lunch

http://sadwcon.org

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) REVIEW OF THE LONG EARTH

By Michael Cheang in Malaysia's The Star:

"I have to admit, what attracted me most to this book was the name
'Terry Pratchett' printed on its cover. I'm a huge fan of
Pratchett's books (Discworld or otherwise), but I had yet to read a
single book of Baxter's until now, even though he is one of the most
prolific authors in the science fiction genre... [Neil] Gaiman once
told me during an interview that many people assume that Good Omens
had him doing 'all the dark bits' while Pratchett just walked around
behind him adding in the jokes. Well, I had that same assumption
about The Long Earth, which really felt as though Baxter had written
a serious science fiction book, and roped in Pratchett to make it
funnier. Granted, that may be because I'm more familiar with
Pratchett's work than with Baxter's, but I just could not shake the
feeling that this was more of a Stephen Baxter book than a Terry
Pratchett one. Don't get me wrong though, The Long Earth is pretty
good, as long as you're not expecting one of Pratchett's Discworld
books... All in all, The Long Earth is an easy enough read (I
managed to finish it within a day), and has enough charm and
ingenuity to make it pretty compelling as well. However, I felt that
there really should be more to the story, and that there is so much
more potential to the universe Baxter and Pratchett have created..."

http://tinyurl.com/cv45wsl

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) THE ODDEST RINCEWIND EVER...

In the Huffington Post, news of a very unusual pin-up calendar:

"Lee Moyer's lifelike illustrations have donned album covers and
Laurel & Hardy box sets. Last year, he made his first-ever literary
pin-up calendar, with profits going to Patrick Rothfuss's literary-
themed charity Worldbuilders (Rothfuss is a co-author of the
project) and this year he's back with more illustrations. But this
time there's a twist – rather than illustrate the works of long-dead
authors, he's gone for modern-day fantasy writers, including Neil
Gaiman, Patricia Briggs, George RR Martin, Terry Pratchett and Jim
Butcher, who approved the concepts and illustrations of their own
characters... Terry Pratchett in fact, approved both the concept of
his pin-up and also the model, who is the talented model and actress
Clare Grant of Team Unicorn..."

http://tinyurl.com/8g6km8l

A direct link to the image of "Rincewind":

http://tinyurl.com/9u4cte3


In The Guardian:

"It's a fantasy fan's dream: from a sexy female Rincewind to a
sizzling Lady Amalthea, a series of reimagined fantasy characters
from the pens of authors including George RR Martin and Terry
Pratchett will be making up a 'literary pin-ups' calendar for 2013.
Artist Lee Moyer, backed by fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss's
charity Worldbuilders, published his first literary pin-ups calendar
last year, featuring takes on the works of Charles Dickens, Mark
Twain and Nathaniel Hawthorne. This year, Moyer decided that
'instead of deceased authors who couldn't fight back', he'd ask 12
fantasy writers to take part... Pratchett, meanwhile, signed off on
Moyer's unusual version of Rincewind, a far cry from the author's
description of the character in The Colour of Magic as 'scrawny,
like most wizards'..."

http://tinyurl.com/d9va2v5


A whimsical view in Escapist Magazine:

"You may remember Rincewind as the skinny drink of water with the
spirit of a wizard but the body of a long distance runner, from
Terry Pratchett's Discworld series; however should you lay your
hands on a copy of Lee Moyer's 2013 Literary Pin-Up Calendar you'll
note one or two minor changes to the canon. Moyer has taken – with
full permission from the authors concerned – inspiration from some
of fantasy's most well-beloved characters to create this latest
version of his charity cheesecake series. The last time Moyer – a
Dark Horse and DC Comics veteran – tackled something like this, he
used the likes of Dickens and Hawthorne. However Moyer decided that
2013 deserved living authors' works, not the dead and dusty Twain,
and so he contacted twelve fantasy icons and asked if they wouldn't
mind lending Moyer their characters for the next calendar. They
agreed, and thus Rincewind with a fake beard – among other things
– was born..."

http://tinyurl.com/8ekzvax


And the reaction to the news, on the BU campus...

Professor Pumpkin:
Potatoes! Keep thinking of potatoes...

Vera:
Lovely creamy round potatoes, with lots of... milk...

Libwolf:
So Esk grew up...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) RHIANNA PRATCHETT INTERVIEW

For all you Tomb Raider aficionados out there, here be a new
interview in Escapist Magazine that's really worth reading...

"For me, it was about going back to a more human Lara - one who
didn't have all the answers and gadgets, and hadn't been in such
extreme circumstances before. It was important to the team that both
the story and gameplay brought out her bravery, empathy and
resourcefulness. But also her pure geeky love of archeology and her
burning desire for understanding and knowledge. I also wanted to put
a bit more warmth back into Lara, as I think over the years she's
become a bit of a Teflon-coated ice queen (especially in the
movies.)... I can completely understand why people were initially
upset [by the supposed rape scene in the game trailer at ComicCon –
Ed.], but it really is important for players to see, and judge, that
scene in context. Only then is it more obvious that the scene isn't
about the guy's fumblings, but Lara's reaction (which wasn't fully
shown in the trailer.) If we felt that sexual assault was important
for Lara's journey, then it would have been used much more strongly.
But we didn't, so it isn't. What you see in that scene is very
honest and appropriate for those characters in that moment. It's not
prolonged. It's not done for titillation. It's uncomfortable, yes.
Because it should be! Character is not built in a few fleeting
moments, but by a series of challenges, actions and reactions. Lara
has already faced quite a bit of adversity before that scene and
will go on to face many more..."

http://tinyurl.com/9xmanrq

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South
Australia. TCoSG have regular dinner and games nights, plus play
outings, craft-y workshops, and fun social activities throughout the
year. For more info and to join their mailing list, go to:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/smallgods


The Broken Vectis Drummers meet on the first Thursday of every month
from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. The next
meeting will probably be on Thursday 1st November, but do email
(see below) to check. All new members and curious passersby are very
welcome! For more info and any queries, contact:

broken_vectis_drummers@...


The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first
Friday of every month at the famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards.
Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome! The next WOTS meeting will
(probably) be on Friday 2nd November.


The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on Monday 5th November (remember,
remember!) at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

For more info, contact BrokenDrummers@...

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/


The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, have been meeting on a regular
basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood
(presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists
normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, N
Yorks, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes
and raffles.

Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the
Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/


Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...


Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. The next
meeting will be on Monday 5th November. For more information
contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) ENTER THE DODGERVERSE: THE SEVEN DIALS RAPSCALLIONS

We can't time-travel back to the era of Dodger, but a dedicated
group of strolling street players have brought Dodger's world back
to life in the modern age. The Seven Dials Rapscallions are "a group
of like minded individuals who portray characters living the side of
Victorian life that is always overlooked... these characters were in
the majority but their lives are never really seen through re-
enactment. We chose to bring these people and their lives to the
fore through our passionate link for historical interpretation and
interaction with the public... Our goal is to promote the history of
the Victorian era that no-one sees. The beggars and the vagabonds,
the petty criminals and the 'peelers', the working women and the
children who scratched around in poverty to survive. Our characters
are re-created in miniscule detail from costume, the language of the
day, the currency, the goods for sale, the food and the social
activities of the time. Witness bare knuckle fights, try your luck
at games of chance, see the little match girl, the flower seller,
ladies of a not altogether honest nature. Beware of pick pockets, of
scoundrells who will take your last penny and then ask for more.
Relish the sight of the 'Peelers' who try to impart law over the
disorder, we are street theatre at it's best!"

Here be a marvellous photo of the rapscallions in Seven Dials,
Dodger's home patch!

http://tinyurl.com/9t6szo3


To contact the Rapscallions directly, email
thevictorians2010@... or ring 0798 625 1000

For more information about their activities, and a wealth of
photographs, have a wander around their website:

http://www.sevendialsrapscallions.co.uk/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Good Omens knitted & embroidered cover. In a word, WOW!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A4IjzsGCYAAsS1Z.jpg


Granny in ink. Looking like Pterry has always described her:

http://tinyurl.com/8rz6r96


Great A'Tuin and the Discworld, in oils on canvas by Genie Lee:

http://tinyurl.com/97f5359

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) WHERE THE MULTIVERSES MEET: JEREMY'S CLOCK?

"Researchers have now proposed an experimental design for a 'space-
time crystal' that would be able to keep time forever. This four-
dimensional crystal would be similar to conventional 3D crystals,
which are structures, like snowflakes and diamonds, whose atoms are
arranged in repeating patterns. Whereas a diamond has a periodic
structure in three dimensions, the space-time crystal would be
periodic in time as well as space. The idea of a 4D space-time
crystal was first proposed earlier this year by MIT physicist Frank
Wilczek, though the concept was purely theoretical. Now a team of
researchers led by Xiang Zhang of California's Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory has conceived of how to make one a reality...
Zhang and his colleagues suggest that a space-time crystal could be
constructed using an electric field to trap charged atoms (called
ions), and taking advantage of the natural repulsion between two
like-charged particles (positive and positive, or negative and
negative), which is called Coulomb repulsion... At its lowest
quantum-energy state, also known as its ground state, the system has
no disorder, or entropy, and there is no way for its entropy to
increase over time. Thus, the crystal's temporal structure and
timekeeping ability would continue even after the universe reached a
state of 'heat death,' also known as thermodynamic equilibrium, when
it had devolved into entropy..."

or http://tinyurl.com/9vjo6ue

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) CLOSE

We'll be back at a more usual date later in the month with more news
and either a new Horoscope or more about Fernando's travels. Stay
tuned!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
October 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 10, Post 2)
********************************************

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) ODDS, SODS AND LATE BREAKING NEWS
03) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR OCTOBER
04) PRATCHETT AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
05) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

Plenty of late breaking news this month! And the latest of all, in
eleventh hour sense, is for Fourecksian Discworld board-gamers in
the Melbourne area: the final Ankh-Morpork Tournament at Good Games
will be held on Sunday 28th October:

Good Games
3/66-70 Railway Rd, Blackburn, VIC.
(03) 9877 8136

For more info, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/NullusAnxietasIV

Now, on to the news. And to the horoscope, as Fernando is finally
back in the star-gazing saddle again!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) ODDS, SODS AND LATE BREAKING NEWS

2.1 A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR – WITH ICONOGRAPH!

"Dear Reader: Science of Discworld IV is being lovingly crafted
right now just for you. Be excited. We are."

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A6Jkv4LCQAAwLgW.jpg


2.2 A SPECIAL READER TREAT FROM TRANSWORLD!

For those of you who don't yet have your hands on a copy of A Blink
of the Screen, you can read an extract online. It's the short story
known as Theatre of Cruelty. Yes, I know that one was also included
in that rare and famous earlier collection, Once More* With
Footnotes, but not many people have that, so here be the link:

http://tinyurl.com/8k5bfz8


2.3 A MAD SESSION OF CURIOSITIES! WITH EXTRA ADDED PTERRYNESS!

"The Natural History Museum and the team behind BBC Radio 4's
cerebral comedy panel show, The Museum of Curiosity, have joined
forces to bring you an evening of razor sharp wit, fascinating facts
and virtual burglary.

"Relax in the beautiful surroundings of the Central Hall as our
illustrious panellists plunder the nation's treasure house of
natural history for their own infinitely curious museum."

Speakers include:
- John Lloyd
- Terry Pratchett
- Alan West, First Sea Lord
- Erica McAlister
- Richard Fortey
- Dave Gorman

"More to be announced soon. Watch this space."

When: 9th November 2012
Venue: Central Hall, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London
SW7 5BD
Time: 19:30 - 22:00 (doors open at 19.00)
Tickets: £35, Members £31.50
Booking is required. To book online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/9jqkwbx

To view the announcement and for more info:

http://tinyurl.com/8qjeew4


2.4 A SPECIAL BLINK OF THE SCREEN OFFER!

For UK readers of SFX Magazine (the "dead tree" version, that is):
W.H. Smith in conjunction with SFX is offering a special discount
price on A Blink of the Screen for the next two and a bit weeks!

"Every issue, SFX teams up with WH Smith to offer you a special
discount on a key new SF/fantasy book. And this month we've got
offers on two titles... To get your discount, simply cut out the
relevant voucher in SFX issue 228 (you'll find them in the book
reviews section) and present it in your local high street WH Smith.
Sorry, printouts or photocopies will not be accepted... The RRP is
£20, but you can get it for £10."

The voucher for A Blink Of The Screen is valid from 17th October to
13th November 2012.

http://tinyurl.com/8hnszsr


2.5 A.S. BYATT'S BLINKIN' INTRO!

In The Telegraph, an authorised extract from A.S. Byatt's
introduction to A Blink of the Screen. Here be extracts from the
extract:

"Terry Pratchett says his readers are people who work with
computers. But my literary friends are often addicted as I am – I
once had a very polite tug-of-war over a new book (I think it was
Thief of Time) with my scholarly and brilliant editor in a bookshop
where I was giving a reading. Last week, I had a good talk with a
philosopher at a high table about imaginary worlds in general and
Pratchett in particular... people who don't read, read Pratchett.
Boys of 12 who hate books. I hope he is never taught in schools –
his biography on the back of the books used once to claim that 'some
people had accused him of literature', and of course he is
literature, but best enjoyed in solitude and retreat. J R R
Tolkien used the term 'secondary worlds' to describe fictive,
invented worlds with their own creatures, geography, history,
people...

"Pratchett's world is wonderful because he has the energy of the
great storyteller: you think you know all it is possible to know
about a dragon, or a policeman, or a plot or a landscape, and he
tells you more, a lot more than you had any right to expect, and
this is exhilarating. From book to book he gets better and his world
gets more intricate. He gets more and more attached to his own
characters, who become more complicated – consider the way in
which Captain Vimes grows from being a drunk in charge of a
dysfunctional Night Watch to a commander who arrests two armies for
a breach of the peace...

"Pratchett, despite the slapstick, the terrible jokes and the very
clever complicated jokes, is somehow wise and grown up. As a reader
I trust him. I was once asked by a television interviewer, 'Isn't
all this simply really about us?' and I indignantly replied, 'No',
because I needed my secondary world to be other, separate and
coherent. But he is, of course, writing about us..."

To read the *entire* extract, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/9qxk96f


2.6 AN EXCELLENT BIG INTERVIEW IN "THE BIG ISSUE"!

"The most inspirational thing about Terry Pratchett today, now 64,
the planet's most passionate proponent of legally assisted dying, is
that he's far more interested in talking about life than he is about
death, and in telling a funny story, determined to make you laugh.
'My short-term memory is not very good,' he'll explain,
contemplating his condition today. 'On the other hand, my short-term
memory is not very good... I was waiting for you to laugh!' You soon
realise that it's you, in fact, who's considerably more preoccupied
with the assumed deterioration of Pratchett's mind than he is...

"In 2012, Pratchett's imagination remains as robust as his
personality – 'My creative self seems to be alive and well; I'm
still me'. Dodger, his latest novel for young adults, a lively tale
of a sewer scavenger in Dickensian London, sees Pratchett's
gloriously vivid language undiminished even as he notates his words
to voice-recognition technology...

"Pratchett remains a conversational riot, if impossible to
interrupt: any attempt to interject into his infinite anecdotes is
met with a highly mischievous 'Shut up and let me finish my story!'
Sometimes, when memory fails him, he's sure it's merely 'being in my
60s', as perhaps is his habit of recalling his colourful past:
stories about his parents, who he adored (his mechanic dad was
'stoic', his formidably bright, book-encouraging mum could 'see
through rocks'), about being 'a disruptive force' at school in High
Wycombe, a cosmology-obsessed teenager forever bringing in Private
Eye and Mad magazine 'even though Harry (the headmaster) was
determined to keep the '60s out of High Wycombe'..."

To read the full text of the interview, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/99thqz9


2.7 A NEW PRESS REVIEW OF DODGER!

In The Guardian, by Marcus Sedgwick:

"Though the plot of the novel is relatively simple, there is as much
pleasure in seeing Dodger charm, sneak and sometimes bash his way in
and out of a series of dark and dangerous encounters as he seeks to
protect Simplicity, as there is in reading Pratchett's prose. Here,
once again, is the mark of a great writer; that we are captivated by
ingenious word-building on every page... Pratchett's game-playing
abounds; he introduces Sweeney Todd to the story, gleefully paying
no heed to the twin facts that the Demon Barber is not only
fictional but hadn't even been written at the time. There are some
lovely jokes surrounding Dickens. When Dodger worries that
Simplicity will be shut up in some bleak house, we can almost see
Mister Charlie snatch his notebook from his pocket and fumble for a
pencil, with that faraway look writers get once in a while. And then
there's the name of Solomon's dog. At this point, your open-mouthed
reviewer found himself thinking, no, he can't have called it that
– surely the editor would have taken it out. Perhaps it only
survived redrafts through naivety in the editorial department, and
yet, upon my word, here's the author in the closing pages inviting
us to google what Onan means..."

http://tinyurl.com/cpnczsv


2.8 EMILY WHITTEN'S NEW YORK COMIC CON REPORT!

Emily Whitten's New York Pterry live gigs report:

"While he was at NYCC, for me the high was not his NYCC appearance
(we'll get to that in a second!) but his appearance at the Barnes &
Noble in nearby Union Square. Despite a pretty full house, the store
was so quiet you could hear a pin drop (or Terry and his business
manager Rob bantering with each other on stage) as everyone listened
to an excerpt from the book and a fun Q&A... Other information
shared with the crowd is that Terry fully intends that there be a
sequel to Dodger; that he has been working on the second Long Earth
book with co-author Stephen Baxter; and that (as some may have heard
already) he has formed a production company with business manager
Rob Wilkins, Managing Director and producer Rod Brown, and daughter
and fellow writer Rhianna Pratchett. Upcoming projects include The
Watch series (a 13 episode series described in a nutshell as 'CSI:
Ankh-Morpork') and the Good Omens miniseries, along with more
upcoming Discworld adaptations. Yay!

"The placement of Terry Pratchett's NYCC panel. Don't get me wrong
– Terry and Rob were as entertaining as always, and I was
delighted to see them. But for the first time in my experience, NYCC
committed a major error in planning when they stuck the best-selling
adult fiction author in the UK in a giant echo-y hallway next to a
music stage (which started playing loud music half-way through) for
his event. I can't even imagine what they were thinking, and can
only assume it was done in complete ignorance by someone who has
mysteriously never heard of Terry and couldn't be bothered to look
up whether his panel was likely to be popular or anything else about
him. Even if they didn't realize that Terry's Alzheimer's
necessitates that he have a lavaliere microphone rather than a hand-
held, or that he often speaks rather softly and so a loud hall is
not the best venue for him, such placement is unforgiveable, and I
hope NYCC never makes such an asinine mistake again..."

http://tinyurl.com/9ydubvm


2.9 A SELECTION OF GREAT IMAGES!

From Tower Players' production of Wyrd Sisters at Rugeley Rose
Theatre, a very acceptable Granny, Nanny and Magrat:

http://tinyurl.com/9gassrv


A Sir and his hats, in a photoshoot for that Big Issue interview:

"I cheekily asked if I could tag along with Sir Terry and his PA
whilst out hat shopping. To my absolute delight they agreed and we
were led to Bates hat store on Jermyn Street which is a regular
haunt for them. The manager and staff were very hospitable (for
which I am very grateful) and provided us with plenty of different
headgear to try on throughout the shoot. After stating that his only
stipulation was for the hat to be black, midway through Terry asked
if he could make a suggestion to wear the most inappropriate hat in
the store..."

http://lhschiefer.com/blog/sir-terry-pratchett/


Photos from Pterry's "Dodger USA tour" (check the right-hand side of
the page, too, for links to other events of the tour, e.g. New York
Comic Con and Pfeiffer Hall!):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dodgerusatour2012


Absolutely awesome cosplay effort from Death of Rats fan Morgana
Zampieri:

http://tinyurl.com/9szdqnx


...and a marvellous Lancre Witches jack-o-lantern carved by Caitlin
Hosking of Fourecks:

http://tinyurl.com/8okbd9w

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends, it is I, Fernando Magnifico, writing to you
from his home in Brindisi, the most magnificent nation on the Disc
(although Ankh-Morpork comes a very close second, you must
understand that she is not Brindisi!). My friends, Fernando has the
sad news, but also the most excellente news: the beautiful Lady
Anaemia Asterisk is not available to write the horoscopes this
month, because of badgers in her pergola, but the good news is that
Fernando's luggage has finally been found and returned to him, and
although some of Fernando's unmentionables are mysteriously missing,
his astrological instruments and star charts are in the perfect
working order! My friends, try to contain your excitement, for
Fernando is at last able to write his most magnificent horoscopes
again.

Fernando is the much grateful to Miss Diamante Mousselet of the
Cochon Volant Coach Company in Genua for her most excellente work at
tracking down Fernando's luggage, in Ushistan. My friends, you can
trust Fernando on this, for he will be sure to show his proper
appreciation to the lovely Miss Mousselet when he returns to Genua.

My friends, you are probably desperate to find out what has happened
with the great and terrible sauce crisis. If only you could have
seen the tears and the shouting and the recrimination. It was almost
as bad as the lasagna incident! My friends, Fernando may have
mentioned once or twice that he is a man of peace who prefers to
make the love, not the war, but there comes a time when a man has to
bang a few heads together, and Uncle Enzo and Uncle Alfonzo will
think twice about hitting Fernando with the chair again! My friends,
respect for one's elders is all very well, but sometimes you need
the "tough love" as they say. Auntie Maria can have her broom back
when she apologises to Nonigienico the fishmonger, who didn't
deserve what she did no matter how much the fish he gave her
reminded her of Aunt Malvasia. Who, Fernando is pleased to say, has
admitted that perhaps the reason the sauce was so thick is because
she put the too much grated Parmesan cheese on her plate. So
Fernando is very pleased to say that once Nonigienico can sit down
again things should be back to normal and he can return to Ankh-
Morpork.

Fernando has had the many clacks messages from his magnificent
readers (although not as magnificent as Fernando, of course, for
there is only one Fernando). My friends, Fernando will reply to each
and every one of you personally (although some of your requests are
perhaps the physically impossible), but this month Fernando has
received this clacks asking:

"hi fenado luv ur horascps when wil u rit them again? i hav rash on
left elbo wot shuld i do luv ur bigst fan – signed, Kvn14"

Dear Mister 14, listen carefully to Fernando for he knows that this
is so. Fernando is not the doctor, but he has consulted the stars,
and so he has the molto better chance of the right diagnosis of your
illness! The stars say that you have caught a walrus, and will be
"right as rain" as they say in Morporkian after a couple of days bed
rest with a glass of whatever takes your fancy. It might not cure
you, but it will make you feel better until the walrus gets bored
and wanders off on its own.

So my friends, for those of Fernando's devoted fans who have caught
a walrus, this month Fernando has consulted the stars to determine
which is the disease you are most likely to catch this month.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Currant Bun (formerly The Adamant Hedgehog) 21 Mar – 20 Apr

Bunnies, your disease of the month is Rhinopositus, the compulsion
to stick your nose in other people's business at the least excuse.
Highly contagious, it is especially spread by particles of
inspiration whenever somebody says aloud "won't somebody think of
the children?". My friends, unfortunately there is no cure, although
the good news is that on rare occasions sufferers have been known to
undergo the spontaneous remission, and on the even rarer occasions,
former sufferers develop the opposite condition of Agabbia, which is
a morbid fear of spreading or even listening to gossip and idle
chit-chat. My friends, if you ever find yourself saying "There
oughta be a law" in response to somebody doing something harmless
and innocuous, you might just be a carrier.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich 21 Apr – 21 May

Sandies, your disease of the month is Sammy's Foot, the foot trouble
caused by walking on cobblestones and pavements incorrectly, or in
the wrong footwear. Frequently experienced by the Watch and Ladies
of Negotiable Affection. The only treatment is a change of shoes, or
in extreme cases, to stop walking and be carried everywhere. Perhaps
many of the great barbarian chieftains who were carried on their
shields were suffering from Sammy's Foot? My friends, let Fernando
tell you something ironic: His Grace Sam Vimes is one of the few
Sammies who has never suffered from Sammy's Foot.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Knotted String (formerly Herne the Hunted) 22 May – 21 Jun

Knotties, your disease of the month is Candiditis, the compulsion to
tell unpleasant truths such as "Yes, your bottom does look big in
that", or to tell one's deepest secrets to strangers. My friends,
Fernando has the much scruples and always tells the truth, except
perhaps when the little white lie is the better for everyone, for
sometimes people cannot handle the truth without the coating of the
sugar, as they say in the charming Morporkian vernacular. The
symptoms of Candiditis often first appear at important merchants'
conventions, where sufferers will find themselves offered the famous
treatment known as the "cold shoulder", or at large family
gatherings such as weddings, where sufferers will find themselves
offered the famous treatment known as the "punch in the mouth". Wise
sufferers will cure themselves after as few treatments as possible,
or when no cure is the coming forth, take up the new career as a
hermit.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob 22 Jun – 22 Jul

Staffies, your disease of the month is Witchy Scalp, a most
uncomfortable skin condition frequently found among witches who
don't get enough air circulating on their heads due to a refusal to
take their hats off. It also affects wizards who are overly attached
to their pointy hats, and people who wear too-tight bowlers. It will
usually clear up on its own if you take the hat off, but for those
who won't or can't, let Fernando pass on the most excellente cure he
learned from an old woman in Sto Lat many years ago. Rub the
affected area with a paste made from three parts sheep dip, two
parts coal ash, the white of a duck egg (under no circumstances
substitute the egg of the chicken unless you want to attract
gnats!), a dash of Wow-Wow Sauce, and a pinch of plaster dust from a
house where red-headed twins live. Cover with the leaves of a
cabbage, Micklegreens Juicy for preference but Scentless Mute will
do in a pinch, for three days or until your hair falls out. Avoid
naked flames, rain, stone fruits and flying camels, and you will
surely be cured. Or if not, since Witchy Scalp is made worse by hot
conditions, replace your hat with a fez, because fezzes are cool.
Fernando knows this is true!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers 23 Jul – 23 Aug

Bilians, your disease of the month is Lime Disease. Lime Disease can
be contracted by contact with lime trees, or on occasion other
citrus fruits, in areas with the unusually high level of background
magic such as the Forest of Skund or Empirical Crescent. The
symptoms are the sour bellyache, and the sprouting of limes from
your nose, ears and other more personal body orifices. But do not be
afeared my friends, for Lime Disease is easily treatable with the
help of the Brown Islands coconut which is imported in most places
these days. You put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up, and
call the doctor in the morning. A good-sized dash or three of rum
may help, trust Fernando on this for he knows it is so.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose 24 Aug – 23 Sept

Nosers, your disease of the month is Punter's Crash, the emotional
crash and physical symptoms that occur when you realise that for the
sixth time in a row the horse you bet on has come fourth. It is
especially prevalent in the days just before the rent is due.
Married sufferers often find that Punter's Crash is accompanied by a
companion disease that affects their spouse, leading to lots of
shouting and the occasional frying pan being thrown across the room.
Some people are naturally immune – in the charming Morporkian
vernacular which Fernando is so fond of, they are known as "toffs"
and "rich buggers". For the rest of us, let Fernando pass on the
secret cure told to him by his Uncle Miguel who has been known to
get this from time to time: the only sure cure for Punter's Crash is
to have the whispered words straight from the horse's mouth.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars 24 Sept – 23 Oct

Boring'uns, your disease of the month is Wanabi Syndrome, a mental
disturbance causing the sufferer to seek fame at any price. My
friends, nobody knows what causes Wanabi Syndrome, but from time to
time a shy, retiring Boring'un who was perfectly content staying
home in the evenings washing socks will suddenly dress in the most
scandalous clothes that would shock even Fernando (and Fernando is
the molto open-minded about the clothing), buy the biggest hat they
can find, and publicly propose marriage to a famous opera singer or
music hall performer. In other cases the urge to be famous is such
that they will challenge the Patrician to a duel, attempt to punch
out Captain Carrot, or try to duplicate some of BS Johnson's more
infamous works. Sadly my friends, the stars tell Fernando that there
is no cure for Wanabi Syndrome, and most sufferers will just have to
be content with being talked about down the pub by their friends and
families.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis 24 Oct – 22 Nov

Andies, your disease of the month is Bella's Complaint, a
psychological problem where the sufferer develops an obsession for
creepy, over-protective, dangerous "bad" boys or girls, especially
the sparkly ones who creep into the boudoirs to watch the sufferer
sleeping. Bella's Complaint is a most worrisome affliction, worse
than Dark Lady Syndrome (where sufferers develop an obsession for
wearing the trailing-sleeved black lace gowns and the far too much
mascara). In the most severe cases, the sufferer craves marriage to
the sparkly creep and takes up inventing truly embarrassing baby
names. Bella's Complaint is best treated with the wooden stakes and
lots of garlic. Or as an alternative, Fernando recommends eating the
extra-large double garlic pizza before bedtime.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov – 21 Dec

Spooners, your disease this month is Hooping Cough, a disorder
mostly of women caused by working the long hours on embroidery in
the cold draughty castles. My friends, do not confuse this with
Hopping cough (a disease that only affects frog princes), Hoping
cough (affects only ageing unmarried bridesmaids, is brought on by
the loud ticking of their biological clocks), or Hyping cough
(affects auctioneers, used cart salesmen, and purveyors of sausages
inna bun). Hooping Cough is best treated by putting aside your
embroidery, putting on steel armour (spikes are optional but
recommended), picking the largest battle-axe you can swing, and
having a few rather loud words about female emancipation to the
King. My friend, Fernando is in favour of the emancipation of
females, especially of those in the steel breastplates who are
carrying the big battle-axes.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester 22 Dec – 20 Jan

Hokians, your disease of the month is the Uncommon Cold, which is
caused by a type of invisibly small biting imp that flies out your
nose when you sneeze. To prevent spreading the imps from person to
person, it is best to always sneeze into a cloth handkerchief, or if
you do not have one handy, into your sleeve. The uncommon cold is
best treated with a healthy drink made mostly of herbs and fruit,
and can be best avoided by staying at home away from everyone else,
wrapped up in a nice warm blanket, with a parrot on your head to
frighten away the imps.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken 21 Jan – 18 Feb

Squawkers, your disease of the month is Kidney Scones, a very
painful disease caused by eating the bread products without chewing
every mouthful 100 times. Or at least this is what Fernando's Great
Aunt Granita has told him. My friends, please forgive Fernando for
being the indelicate, for are we not all adults here? (Except for
Kevin, and don't think that Fernando is not aware that you have been
writing those letters to Fernando's editor trying to get Fernando's
job.) Those with Kidney Scones often find it is the very painful to
pass the water, even under a bridge. Fortunately Kidney Scones are
easily cured with lashings of tea, strawberry jam and cream.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hyperopia's Buckle (formerly Lesser Umbrage) 19 Feb – 20 Mar

Bucklers, your disease of the month is Wee Jock Itch, the
infestation of Feegles in one's underwear. Do not be the shamed my
friends, for most people suffer from the embarrassment and
inconvenience of Wee Jock Itch at some time during their life. It is
usually caused by spilling Special Sheep Liniment or scumble down
your trousers, which is unpleasant enough, but if this ever happens
to you my friends be sure to rip your trousers off before the fumes
knock you out. For if you don't, and it soaks through to your
underwear, you too may attract Feegles. If this ever happens to you,
listen very carefully to Fernando's most excellente advice: pour the
largest glass of whiskey or brandy you can and leave it out in a
quiet corner of the room. The Feegles will soon abandon your
underwear for the glass. While they are gone, dispose of your
infested underwear by setting it on fire. But be quick, for Feegles
are notoriously fast drinkers! And do not forget to take your
underwear off first before setting it alight. Trust Fernando on
this, for he knows that this part is the molto importante.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger and author Marion George Harmon's long, thoughtful review of
The Long Earth:

"How many times has our conceptual paradigm been shifted? When we
moved the Sun to the center of our universe. When we realized how
big our universe was and how far from its center we were. When
scientists figured out a theory of life that didn't require God. Our
technological paradigms have shifted more often; electricity,
vaccines, combustion engines, antibiotics, wire and then wireless
communication, flight, x-rays and organ transplants, computers,
etc., have all changed our worlds. Conceptual paradigm shifts are
sudden, but take years or decades to work through the permutations;
in a free market, technology shifts are often much faster, and
seriously change the way we live... So what does this have to do
with The Long Earth? The point is that serious science fiction,
unlike sci-fi adventure or sci-fi fantasy, asks the Big Questions.
How will discoveries change us? What would easy space travel mean?
What would immortality mean? What would an economy driven by
material fabrication and robot-labor mean? What if we really met
E.T.? In The Long Earth, Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter posit a
paradigm-shifting invention, a 'stepper.' Easy for anyone to make
(you can do it with Radio Shack components and a potato), the
stepper allows you to step into the endless chain of parallel worlds
to the right and left of our reality. And other than some illusive
and mysterious world-stepping hominids, these worlds are empty–at
least of intelligent life. So, if we had access to steppers, if each
step took us to a new world, each new world one step different than
ours, what could we do? What would we do?..."

http://tinyurl.com/99ldl84


Blogger old_fat_and_hairy, on the Army Rumour Service site, reviews
Dodger:

"Terry Pratchett is one of my favourite authors; I have a reverence
for his men of the City Watch and a deep and abiding love for the
witches of the Ramtops, but this book is different to any other of
his that I have read. And, I have to say, as good too. There are
flashes of the old master there, in some of the asides and
mutterings, but in general it is quite different to his Discworld
books, although, having said that, Victorian London is much like
AnkhMorpork in many ways. The book is funny, thrilling and oddly
romantic...

http://www.arrse.co.uk/content/1273-dodger-terry-pratchett.html


Blogger Ana reviews Dodger on book discussion site Things Mean a
Lot:

"Pratchett does a wonderful job of bringing the underbelly of
Victorian London to life in this novel. Dodger is full of
interesting historical details, and it features appearances by
several notorious Victorians. In addition to Charles Dickens and
Henry Mayhew, there's Sweeney Todd, Disraeli, Robert Peel, Ada
Lovelace, and Angela Burdett-Coutts. Some have very brief cameos,
but others play important roles in the story; I was particularly
impressed by the way Pratchett managed to make these appearances
seem organic rather than forced. There are also several nods to
Dickens' fiction: I caught some references to Great Expectations,
and I bet I'd have picked up on more if not for my appalling Dickens
ignorance (I know, I know – I've been saying for years that I'm
going to do something about that). The more you know about Dickens,
the more you're likely to get out of the intertextuality in
Dodger...

"The thing that interested me the most in Dodger was its engagement
with themes such as ethics and social exclusion. Dodger inhabits a
world of petty criminals; a world full of people who were pushed to
the very edges of society. These are people who are frequently
dehumanised, but Pratchett portrays them with empathy and insight...
If you're familiar with Terry Pratchett's City Watch books, you
won't at all be surprised by the political undercurrents in
Dodger..."

http://tinyurl.com/9c489et


Blogger Brianna discovers to her delight that when it comes to I
Shall Wear Midnight, you can't judge a book by its cover:

"If this cover didn't say 'Terry Pratchett' on it I would not have
given it a second glance in a bookstore or library. This is the case
with most fantasy covers that I see... My husband read Wee Free Men,
as well as several of the Discworld books about witches, and has
been telling me for ages that I would enjoy the feminist themes that
emerge in those stories. My favorite Discworld plots were in the
City Watch and Moist von Lipwig lines, so I never bothered to pick
up the others. I am so glad that I finally did, because Tiffany
Aching (the central character of this book) is one of the most
Slatebreaking characters Terry Pratchett has created yet... Tiffany
is simply brilliant as a female character. She's smart and
confident, but she has her moments of self-doubt, just like anyone
would when faced with such great responsibility. She often feels
like she's the only person in The Chalk who sees any sense at all in
a situation. She also has such wonderful intuition. Throughout my
reading, I desperately wished that I could have been more like
Tiffany when I was sixteen. She is exactly the kind of YA heroine
that I search for in the stacks of books I read each year..."

http://tinyurl.com/8gjuudy


Blogger Lakshanisuranga offers a short, loving review of Nation:

"I personally cried through the whole book, not essentially because
it was sad all the time, but because it has the ability to bring out
happiness and sadness in tears. At the heart of the book is the
concept- 'The world is a globe-the farther you sail, closer to home
you are.' It also examines roots and religious beliefs, taking a
closer look at human understanding of their nature and self in the
face of desperate situations. In my opinion it is Pratchett's best
work. The complicated and odd characters in the book, including Mau
and Daphne have so much to contribute to its unique brilliance..."

http://tinyurl.com/8wlm9n2


Blogger Ash gives three short reviews of Folklore Of Discworld,
Jingo, and Maskerade:

Folklore of Discworld... is very informative as it traces Terry
Pratchett's thoughts and his sources for inspiration. Worthwhile to
have it in your library if you are a fan of Discworld series and
intend to continue on...

Jingo... worthy to note that this book explores politics and its
effect on the law enforcers and general public but the tone adopted
is of a lighter vein to help the readers enjoy the story while
reading about such issues.

Maskerade... Probably this is one book where the limelight is split
between the Witches and the Watch and perhaps not so much on Agnes
Nitt. Its an enjoyable light read."

http://tinyurl.com/9rqaj6k


Blogger Nicktropolis gives Maskerade a qualified but high
recommendation:

"If I'm honest, aside from a few particularly outstanding examples
(Night Watch, The Thief of Time and The Truth), and a few that are
actually quite bad (Sourcery, Eric, The Last Continent
(Coincidentally, all of which star Rincewind)), once you've written
about one Discworld book, you've written about all of them. This is
far from a bad thing, just that there's only so many times you can
really say 'Brilliant characterisation, witty prose and a wonderful
narrative' without it sounding repetitive. Maskerade is fairly
standard fare for the Witches, and Granny Weatherwax is a wonderful
as ever, but there's just something missing without Magrat there.
It's essentially a parody of Phantom of the Opera, which I might
have appreciated more if I was more familiar with that. As it stands
though, the book is still enjoyable..."

http://tinyurl.com/9mvv74d


Discworld newbie coffee2words gets to grips with tCoM:

"At first, I was less than pleased. It is a lot to take in, with all
the different words for things and the slightly odd way the
characters talk. This probably continued until the second little
story in this. That one just seemed to make everything click and it
all started to make sense... By the end of the book, the sheer size
of this world and the vast and illogical order to it started to make
more sense and even had me guessing what would happen next. Terry's
writing style will not be for everyone, the humor neither, but if
you do pick this book up, give it until the third part before you
make up your mind"

http://tinyurl.com/9gcnyj5


Blogger and librarian windowseatreviews gives Dodger a thumbs-up:

The book's greatest strength lies in the character of Dodger... I
loved the little nods to Dickens' works. The author does make a
point of the fact that Dodger is a historical fantasy; he takes some
liberties with timelines, but the conditions of the poor are
described vividly and accurately (though Dodger's life is probably
more glamorous and easier than the average tosher's would've
been)... I really enjoyed the ending, as Dodger uses the 'fog' that
obscures people's perceptions of how events actually happen to his
advantage..."

http://tinyurl.com/8fouq68


Blogger droberts1 is very happy with a pinch of Snuff:

"In Snuff the Commander is forced to go on vacation to his wife's
country estate by both his wife and Lord Vetinari, where he is more
than a little out of place among both the upper and lower crust...
Of course there's a crime, and then another, and they just keep
piling up while Vimes attempts to spend some quality time with his
wife and son, a young man with a unusual interest in poo. Add some
gnomes, and the question of what exactly makes a being sentient and
things get very complicated. As always Pratchett's unique style of
wit keeps the reader on their toes..."

http://tinyurl.com/9n52626

...and gives 5/5 to Making Money:

"This time Pratchett takes on the banking industry and the illusion
money creates... As always Pratchett keeps the reader on their toes,
nothing is as it appears and, much like the real banking system, not
all of it makes sense..."

http://tinyurl.com/92s3byv

...and gave 4/5 for Thud!, but only for printing errors rather than
any weakness in the content:

"As always politics, culture, drugs, alcohol, a game and murder mix
in ways that drive the Commander, well you have to read the book.
Pratchett once again succeeds in pulling it all together for a very
satisfying conclusion. Who knew the power of a child's book? War,
politics and cultural diversity all take a beating in this wonderful
book. My only complaint is that the copy I have was not edited well.
There are spelling errors and some pages still had editing
markups..."

http://tinyurl.com/8jcwl6j


Blogger Faith Mudge, usually a fantasy fan, was blown away by The
Long Earth:

"The master of compassionate cynicism, Pratchett's touch is evident
in The Long Earth, from the omnipresent Tibetan robot Lobsang to the
long-suffering police attempting to maintain law and order in
unexpectedly extended jurisdictions. I'm unfamiliar with Stephen
Baxter's other work – something I do intend to rectify – but his
style has meshed seamlessly with Pratchett's, creating a consistent
tone throughout. Towards the end the story slowed down with a
puzzling denouement, then picked up speed again in an astonishing
ending that practically demands a second book. 'Stepping' is an
extraordinary idea that is expertly explored, with potential that is
as endless as the Long Earth itself..."

http://tinyurl.com/9f4wxur


Self-confessed geek blogger reviewsadstuff gives G!G! ten out of
ten:

"One of the most important characters in a Pratchett book is often
the general population. In Guards! Guards!, as always, the
population of Ankh Morpork is captured perfectly. Pratchett is great
at capturing the stupidity of the general population, especially
when they act as a crowd. What else could explain them actually
buying things from CMOT Dibbler?!... Pratchett's books are generally
not about the story anyway, they are about his wit and humour. There
are few jokes that work out of context, so you cannot really explain
it easily to those who do not read them. Some lines do stand out
though..."

http://tinyurl.com/9k49k3k


Blogger judysp gives a short, approving review of Jingo:

"This book is not as funny as most of Pratchett's books, though
there are some funny moments like Corporal Nobbs in his harem
outfit, while exploring his feminine side... This book is
Pratchett's quirky look and indictment on war, mob rule, politics,
nationalism, diplomacy, and land disputes. As usual Pratchett's
books are an enjoyable read. I love all his characters, and the more
you read about their adventures in the various books, the more you
come to like them..."

http://tinyurl.com/9vg4gzn


Blogger novelink gives us a Pratchett paean in blank verse:

I first met you when the pied piper, the rats, and a cat
Were in on that scam. The only time I've seen a rat king
Eight tails, eight feral bodies melded together, one mind.
My favorite things are words like yours that tumble around
Fall off the page and imbed themselves in everything
Adding weight that changes the tilt of my world.
Maybe even the whole planet's. I won't forget.
A mind like yours slips away not everyday.
I won't forget what you said.
For as long as I am,
I am
Your fan.

http://tinyurl.com/9c3watm


Blogger Christopher Ndife is delighted to have discovered the
Pratchett:

"Now, not only are his novels are as excellent as they are popular,
but apparently Terry Pratchett himself is just the fanciest, most
awesome person ever. Seriously, look at him! Not only is he a very
dapper gent, but a knight as well. In fact, his personal coat of
arms happens to be the coat of arms for the city of Ankh-Morpork, a
central city in the Discworld series. Now this is enough to make any
body awesome, but no. This isn't enough for Terry Pratchett. He then
goes and forges his own sword with a CHUNK OF METEOR IRON AT ITS
CORE. This feat of awesome shoots him to the top of the "I do what
I want!" ladder and nestles him high atop the list of my personal
heroes. Suffice to say that I will not only be reading many more
Discworld novels, but Terry Pratchett's other works as well..."

http://tinyurl.com/9awf2mr


Blogger, playwright and novelist Elizabeth Hawksley is in love with
Dodger:

"I loved this book. Pratchett writes brilliantly. It's a tale full
of surprises: there are nods to various Dickens novels (Dodger
himself surely has an 'Artful' cousin), Mayhew's London Life,
Bazalgette's dream of a new sewerage system, the astute millionaire
Miss Burdett-Coutts, Benjamin Disraeli, shopping in Savile row, the
notorious (if fictional) Sweeney Todd, and scores of other
contemporary references. There is a philosophical element, too,
which gives the book added depth, as Dodger works out what sort of
man he wants to become. I have an MA in Victorian Studies and all
this, together with the lively Victorian low-life slang, hugely
increased my enjoyment. The story is a cracker. I was hooked,
frantically turning over the pages to see what was going to happen
next, every now and then shrieking with laughter. It's glorious
mixture of inventiveness, fun and slightly massaged history. It
illuminates London's Victorian underworld brilliantly..."

http://tinyurl.com/8mdtv86


Blogger farshiftnovel, who just might be the real Twoflower, offers
an excellent how-to blog about building The Luggage, complete with
diagrams, iconographs, and, well, all the rest:

"In construction of The Luggage, every effort was made to adhere to
the descriptions given in the books as well it's interpretation in
the Skyone television series 'The Colour of Magic/The Light
Fantastic.' Some things however, were completely impossible to do
technically or simply illegal, such as jumping up and down,
swallowing people whole, and interdimensional transit..."

http://tinyurl.com/8grhcod


...and blogger Evan Mandery is well pleased with Dodger:

"Pratchett brings the atmosphere of his London to life, conveying
not just the difficulties faced by his characters through poverty,
but also the ways they might survive (or not – his portrayal of
Sweeney Todd as a damaged individual is especially vivid). The plot
of Dodger doesn't quite succeed: the antagonists remain too shadowy
to have a full dramatic impact. But running through the novel are
themes of pragmatism and appearances being deceptive, and here
Dodger shines..."

http://tinyurl.com/8ua76yn

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) CLOSE

And that's it from us for October. Happy Hogswatch to all of you who
celebrate it early, Happy Halloween to all Roundworlders, Happy
Birthday to your Editor who entered the proceedings on the last day
of October many long years ago, and Happy Everything Else to
everyone else in the multiverse. See you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
November 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 11, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
04) GRIERSON AWARD FOR "CHOOSING TO DIE"
05) REVIEWS OF DODGER AND A BLINK OF THE SCREEN
06) THE MAPP APP IS COMING!
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) "ONE MINUTE WITH..."
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
11) ACTION REPLAY: INTERVIEWED BY THE BOOKWITCH
12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
13) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"For an old British white guy, Terry Pratchett writes refreshingly
feminist fantasy."

– blogger and Discworld fan Brianna


"What people fear is a bad death. They fear being halfway dead. In
some clinic. Where they're prodding and pushing you about."

– Pterry, interviewed by The Big Issue, October 2012


"We saved Tweet 1,000 for this very photo – @neilhimself in our
office. We're going to have a commemorative plaque made."

– and on his official Ptwitter account, 1st November 2012

[See Images for the pic! – Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

We're starting the November posts early again, and once again it's
partly to accommodate the ever-growing roster of Discworld plays
being staged around Roundworld. But it's also about news, news,
news! So off you go, and do pay special attention to the Odds and
Sods section...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

3.1 THIS WEEK'S CLEVER CONTEST!

From Lynsey at Transworld, an inspirational challenge:

Here's how you could win one of five copies of The Compleat Ankh-
Morpork. Fancy an esteemed position in the Guild of Merchants?
Already know what your trade would be? Well this is a question of
cleverness and imagination!

We want to know what you would call your shop/organisation if you
had one in Ankh-Morpork! Sir Terry will pick the best five names and
those people will win a copy of The Compleat Ankh-Morpork and a
Terry Pratchett book bag to put it in!

Send your answers to:

discworld@...

(if you have problems with the email address try typing it in rather
than cutting and pasting)

Open Worldwide, ends 16th November.

Good Luck!


3.2 THE STICK AND BUCKET LURCH!

For the latest annual Zombie Shuffle in Melbourne, Australia, local
Morris dancers Brandragon transformed themselves into, um,
Zombieshambles. Some say the old traditional squeezebox sounds like
a dying person's last gasps, but in this case the accompaniment –
and dancing – is definitely postvital. Here be the video proof:

http://tinyurl.com/8d3dbo5

For more about Brandragon's er um normal activities (for a Morris
value of "normal"), do visit their website:

http://brandragon.morris.org.au/


3.3 THE DODGER LAUNCH PARTY VIDEO!

All-singing, all-dancing, all-period-costumed, all-Pterry:

http://tinyurl.com/bsvm7uc


3.4 THE GREAT DEBATE!

Should you happen to be in Dublin next Monday, there's an
extraordinary event taking place with a certain Professor Sir:

"...a public debate next Monday evening which is hosted by School of
English, Trinity College Dublin, in association with Lively
Conversation Debate Topics. On the night, staff and students of
Trinity College Dublin will debate the motion 'That This House Would
See Unseen University Run by Witches' – Ably Adjudicated by
Professor Sir Terry Pratchett, OBE, Blackboard Monitor..."

When: Monday, 12th November 2012,
Venue: Quek Hall, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Pearse
Street, Dublin 2
Time: 6:30pm
Tickets: free entry. There are 300 seats in the lecture theatre,
which will be filled on a first come, first seated, basis.

http://tinyurl.com/b5h6fvo

...and the wonderful poster that accompanies this announcement:

http://www.cearta.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Debate.png


3.5 FANS ON PTERRY'S FACEBOOK PAGE SAY...

Kelley Gryphon said...
Today I met Sir Terry Pratchett in NYC. I told him how my parents
started reading his books to me when I was in elementary school. He
told me I had good parents and asked if they were still with me. I
said yes and he said to remember him to them and then it was over.
What I wanted to say was this:
Terry Pratchett, your books are amazing. I loved your books as a six
year old because of the colorful story lines and imaginative
characters. I love your books now because of the spot on satire and
witty wordplay. I named my angel plant Crowley in honor of how long
and hard I laughed about his terrified house plants in "Good Omens."
I couldn't put your books down and I got detention repeatedly for
laughing out loud while reading in class. Thank you Terry for
writing such wonderful books. That's what I wanted to say. :)

DK Mok said...
My expression when I first heard about Dodger ^_^
My expression when I got hold of a copy of Dodger ^_^
My expression when I finished reading Dodger ^_^
Entertaining, educational, and inspiring, as always.

Michael Stephens said...
Ah Mr. Pratchett. Thank you for changing my perceptions of the
"real" world. You helped me grow so much over the course of my life,
but I am not done learning yet. I am never done learning. Because I
am imperfect and the world is imperfect. But I love it all the same

Andy Kerr said...
Thank you for the imagination. I was 7 years old when I found my
Grandad's collection of science fiction books, and proceeded to read
them all, almost 50 books, the good old hard back style, and I was
hooked. Your stories have taken me to another level, which has
included my oldest daughter (31 years) and I am sure my youngest
daughter (6 years) will follow suit. Thank you Sir!

Glynis Mcdonnell said...
My copy of The Compleat Ankh-Morpork arrived this morning from
Amazon, all I can say is WOW it's outstanding! I adore the map and
will get a frame made for it, the only problem is which side do I
want on view. The whole package is so well put together and
beautifully done. I cannot put it down. Thank you so very much for
this latest offering, it's beautiful. I hope that you are faring
well, you're one amazing man.

Martin Cameron said...
Hi iv just finished reading dodger and i must say i was disappointed
with the ending, mainly because it ended!!! I could of kept reading
it for months yet!! Fantastic story as always thank you

Chanelle Louise Lee said...
I would just like to say that you are absolutely fantastic and I
always find your books an absolute inspiration to read and that you
are also an inspiration. I cannot wait for my seven year old son to
be able to start reading your books. they are truly imaginative and
fascinating. You are an absolute idol in my eyes !!

Lyndon Street said...
The more i think about it the more ecstatic i am....after all the
many years of reading his work i am so profoundly pleased that the
great man himself will read my thoughts and that he will genuinely
see my thanks.

Lee Paul said...
I heard a Biology expert on BBC World Service tonight describe a
situation involving the replacement of wild species with
domesticated ones as "Forcing history down the wrong leg of the
Trousers Of Time." I wonder if he studied at Unseen U?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) "CHOOSING TO DIE" WINS GRIERSON AWARD

"Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die" has picked up another prestigious
award. The announcement on Sir Pterry's Twitter account:

"Choosing To Die wins @griersontrust Best Documentary on
Contemporary Theme. Blimey! Thank you."

...with iconograph:

pic.twitter.com/nyAJixOp


In The Telegraph:

"Pratchett, who suffers from Alzheimer's, presented the documentary
which featured Peter Smedley, a 71-year-old man who suffered from
motor neurone disease. The documentary was awarded Best Documentary
on a Contemporary Theme. The chairman of the awards jury said it was
'beautifully cast and genuinely revelatory'. The documentary was one
of several winners at the event, which was hosted by artist Grayson
Perry, who donned a bright red dress for the ceremony at The Empire
Leicester Square. The awards were celebrating their 40th year and
were set up by the Grierson Trust in 1972 to commemorate the life
and work of world-renowned Scottish documentary film-maker John
Grierson, whose work includes the GPO film Night Mail..."

http://tinyurl.com/an7uswb


In The Guardian:

"The awards, hosted by Grayson Perry, also recognised author Sir
Terry Pratchett for another controversial documentary, Choosing to
Die. Pratchett's BBC2 documentary was controversial because it
showed the moment of Peter Smedley's death at the Dignitas clinic in
Switzerland... Highlights from the awards will be shown on Sky Arts
2 on 12 November."

http://tinyurl.com/azz6ps4

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) REVIEWS: DODGER, A BLINK OF THE SCREEN

By Michael Dirda, in the Washington Post:

"Most of the Discworld novels skewer familiar cultural institutions,
whether journalism ('The Truth'), religion ('Small Gods') or
Hollywood ('Moving Pictures'). Like many other satirists, Pratchett
is also a not-so-secret moralist, critical of all ideologies and
accepting of our usual human failings in this strange mixed affair
we call life... Such is the case, too, for 'Dodger,' which borrows
the Artful Dodger from 'Oliver Twist' and transforms him into an
unlikely hero, a lad who prospers in surprising ways, if not quite
in those that would win the approval of Horatio Alger Jr...
Pratchett keeps the action rattling along as it gradually grows
clear that the abused young woman, known only as Simplicity, is a
counter in a deadly game of international politics... Throughout,
Pratchett's focus is resolutely on Dodger — the growth of his
soul, the renewed purpose that love gives to his life, the eventual
discovery of a vocation. The resulting novel is certainly
enjoyable..."

http://tinyurl.com/bge7pdn


A Blink Of The Screen, reviewed by Jennifer Peterson-Ward:

"Terry Pratchett has made a name for himself as a fine craftsman of
self-contained universes. It should come as no surprise, therefore,
that his shorter works likewise showcase a wealth of fantastical
settings, scenarios, heroes and heroines. Spanning the whole of his
writing career, A Blink Of The Screen is a wonderful collection of
rare Pratchett gems, including the hilarious The Hades Business,
penned when he was a boy of 13, as well as a few stories which are
sure to satiate ardent Discworld fans..."

http://tinyurl.com/aqvttuz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

O6) THE ANKH-MORPORK MAPP APP APPROACHETH!

Something new and Discworld-y for your Gooseberry, um, smartphone:

"Having sold more than 70m books in his career as an author, Terry
Pratchett is now turning his attention to the App Store. He's
announced plans for an iPad app based on his Discworld books. 'You
might think it's exciting news: a new Discworld app is coming,'
announced Pratchett in a 17-second teaser video posted on the app's
official website. 'It's secret, so keep it under your hat!' A
release date for the app hasn't been announced beyond the "Coming
Soon" message at the end of the video. The publisher is Transworld
Publishers, a subsidiary of Random House. The company has been
working on the app with British developer Agant, which has worked on
a series of book-apps with publishers, most recently two Shakespeare
apps for Cambridge University Press... The app's title indicates
that it's a spin-off from Pratchett's Discworld books rather than a
digital version of a specific novel..."

http://tinyurl.com/blxl7mr


The app's official website:

http://discworldapp.com/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

7.1 WYRD SISTERS IN BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA

Burlingame High School Drama Department presents a production of Wyrd
Sisters this month.

When: 16th, 17th and 18th November 2012
Venue: Burlingame High School theater, 1 Mangini Way, Burlingame, CA
Time: November 16 & 17 at 7:00pm and November 18th at 2:00pm.
Tickets: $12 Adults, $10 Students/Seniors

For more information: facebook.com/BurlingameDrama


7.2 ...AND IN MASCOUTAH, ILLINOIS

Mascoutah High School Drama Club will present their production of
Wyrd Sisters this month.

When: 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th November 2012
Venue: Mascoutah High School, 1313 West Main Street in Mascoutah,
Illinois
Time: 7pm (except Wednesday 14th, which is a noon matinee)
Tickets: Reserved tickets will only be sold in advance from 5:00 to
7:00 pm on Tuesday, November, 6th and Thursday, November 8th at $5
for adults, $3 for students, or by special arrangement via email.
General admission tickets will be sold before the performances.

For more information, call Mascoutah High School at (618) 566-8523
or contact Scot Erickson at ericksons@...


7.3 ...AND IN ABINGDON

[That's Abingdon, Oxon, of course, as opposed to the Abingdon in
Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia,
Canada, or Fourecks! – Ed.]

Abingdon & Witney College will present three performances of Wyrd
Sisters in December.

When: 11th, 12th, and 13th December 2012
Venue: Abingdon & Witney College Abingdon Campus Performance Theatre
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £6 for adults and £4 for concessions
To book tickets, ring 01235 555585

For more info, go to:

http://www.facebook.com/events/328497730579533/


7.4 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN EMERALD, VICTORIA, FOURECKS

The Gemco Players are currently presenting their production of
Guards! Guards!

When: Sunday 11th November, Friday 16th–Sunday 18th November,
Friday 23rd–Saturday 24th November
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive Emerald VIC
3782 (Melway reference 127 E5)
Times: 8pm for all Friday and Saturday shows. The Sunday
performances (11th and 18th) are at 2.30pm
Tickets: Adult $22, Concession $20, School student $15. Group
discount for bookings of four or more: $20 per ticket
To book, ring David on 0411 723 530 or to book online, go to
http://tinyurl.com/afejdsa

For further information, email (gemcoplayers@...) or enquire
via snail mail:

Gemco Players
PO Box 480,
Emerald,
VIC, 3782

http://www.gemcoplayers.org/guards-guards


7.5 CARPE JUGULUM IN GLENBROOK, FOURECKS

Glenbrook Players will present their production of Carpe Jugulum –
featuring Nullus Anxietas chair Carmela as Lady Sybil – this month.

When: 16th-24th November 2012
Venue: Glenbrook Community Theatre, Great Western Highway and Ross
Street, Glenbrook, NSW (phone 4739 1110) Note: the theatre is beside
the Information Centre and on the opposite corner to the Caltex
petrol station
Time: 8pm (matinees on 17th and 24th November are at 2pm)
Tickets: AUD$25 adults, AUD$22 children (opening night and matinees:
all tickets are at the lower price)

How to get there:
http://www.glenbrookplayers.com.au/location.html

For more info and to book, go to:
http://www.glenbrookplayers.com.au


7.6 DODGER IN ABINGDON 2013

More details at last for the Studio Theatre Club's world stage
premiere of Dodger!

When: 22nd-26th January 2013
Venue: Unicorn Theatre, Thames Street, Abingdon, OX14 3HZ
Time: 19:30 (the Saturday 26th matinee starts at 14:30)
Tickets: £8.50
How to book:
Send your ticket order (with back-up choices if you're after Friday
or Saturday tickets); your cheque (payable to "STC" – £8.50 per
ticket), and a stamped, self-addressed, envelope to:

Studio Theatre Club (Dodger)
PO Box 1486
Oxford
OX4 9DQ

Note: the Saturday evening performance (26th January 2013) is
already sold out!

The STC website notes that the Unicorn Theatre is located in a
medieval building; therefore "wheelchair access is extremely limited
and most areas of the building (including the toilets and bar area)
are only accessible by stairs or steps."

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html


7.7 REVIEW: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN SCUNTHORPE

Review of the Little Theatre's production of G!G!, in the Scunthorpe
Telegraph:

"As you'd expect from a fantasy tale, the show is full of both
wizards and technical wizardry alike, as the dragon (cleverly only
ever heard, though never seen on stage) wreaks havoc on the city. In
a well-cast role, John McKenzie is The Grand Master in charge of the
Brethren, supported by an equally talented cast. The play, which has
some great comic moments, is partly told through a narrator, who
takes a 'snapshot' of the stage every time she appears. This
involves the actors staying perfectly still for the duration of her
speech – a skill that all manage well. Although Pratchett's work
may not be for all, with great costumes and visual effects, LTC
successfully opens up Pratchett's imaginary world..."

http://tinyurl.com/975nmor


7.8 REVIEW: WYRD SISTERS IN MAINE

This production by the Monmouth Community Players of Monmouth,
Maine, which ran from 26th October to 4th November, seems to have
slipped under the radar, but the review is amusing, and not only for
the reviewer's lack of understanding of the milieu and his assorted
misconceptions – thinking the play was based on a graphic novel, and
Pratchett is a virtually unknown "niche" author in the USA (hellooo,
McFly! Ever heard of the New York Times bestseller list?):

"'Wyrd Sisters' is a comedy with a distinctly British pedigree that
sometimes misses the mark with an American audience. Furthermore,
it's a play derived from graphic novels about an alternate
universe with its own particular set of physical forces. 'Wyrd
Sisters' manages to create plenty of laughs, whether the audience
buys into the back-story premise or not. The lead roles are well
done by several actors from central Maine, but the plot seems to
dart off in so many directions that just when interest is building
in one area, it is diverted to another... Although Monmouth
Community Players makes a noble effort to bring 'Wyrd Sisters'
to a Maine audience, it seems to be a questionable choice of
material... Nevertheless, there are plenty of chuckles and good-
natured parodies of Shakespeare in this production..."

http://tinyurl.com/b2zt2b4

The Players' site:

http://monmouthcommunityplayers.com

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) ONE MINUTE WITH THE MASTER

A mini-interview with Pterry in The Independent:

"Describe the room where you usually write

"It's a building separate from the house with a lot of books. If you
could get books on the ceiling...

"Which fictional character most resembles you?

"Commander Vimes from 'Snuff', who starts out as a copper and ends
up as the knighted chief of police. He realises he is no longer a
man of the people, though he's always seen himself as that. His wife
has to explain how he should do things now..."

http://tinyurl.com/8nbmv3j

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

REMINDER: IT'S FEEGLE TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA

SADWCon 2012 Event Day: The Feegles Have Landed

Date: 24th November 2012
Time: Registration at 10 am for Opening at 11 am
Venue: To be announced
Ticket Price: Adult R150.00 – includes lunch, Children (under 13)
R80.00 – includes lunch

http://sadwcon.org

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

The latest updates from David Brashaw of Backspindle Games:

We (Leonard & I) have just returned from the biggest board game fair
in Europe, Spiel 12 at Essen, Germany where for a second year in a
row "Guards! Guards! A Discworld boardgame" completely sold out!!!

Despite being situated in a minor exhibition hall, we were snowed
under with gamers wishing to pay our game. We had to increase the
number of games we demoed. The international gamers loved playing
Guards! Guards!, especially The Luggage chasing off Dragons and
sharing The Pox with each other. They really liked the new page at
the back of the revised rule book 'What a Player can do on their
turn' and said it was a great help learning the game. If you order
now from www.guardsguards.com before Christmas you can also get a
free limited edition bookmark illustrated by Stephen Player.

There are many iconographs of Spiel 2012 game sessions on the G!G!
boardgame's Facebook page, but be warned – you must be signed in to
Facebook to view them:

http://tinyurl.com/a3v4tyv

www.facebook.com/guardsguards

Otherwise, you can sign in to the WOSSNAME group site as a member,
click on Photos (left-hand sidebar) and then on the appropriate
photo album:

http://tinyurl.com/ata4m2x

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) ACTION REPLAY: A GREAT PTERRY INTERVIEW IN TEXT

An excellent 2009 interview conducted by the Bookwitch:

"Right, I get a lot of letters like 'Dear Sir, We thought our son
was dyslexic and he wouldn't read anything at all and then we gave
him Terry Pratchett and he read all the way through Terry Pratchett
and now he is professor of comparative philology at the University
of Oxbridge.' And I'm not kidding, because I've been around for long
enough now that the boys have grown up and have got kids and in some
cases grandchildren..."

"I never started writing, reading rather, until I was about nine or
ten, when I discovered the library, and wanted to read every damned
thing. I went absolutely through it. I went not knowing they were
sexy novels, but read sexy novels and Tove Jansson and Just William.
I read anything that I saw, and I think among children that read,
differentiation between adult and children's gets really quite
blurred..."

http://tinyurl.com/9bpasgz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

The band's back together, but only for a photo-op: the creators of
Good Omens, in front of the iconograph in 2012:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A6jICrwCYAA_Its.jpg

*

A sign of the times, at New York Comic Con:

http://tinyurl.com/9lan6vh
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A5GIiCKCEAAoiwF.jpg

...and its explanation, from Maurice Barnes aka Mr Octarine on
Twitter: "90% of the magic controlled by 99% of the wizards, we are
the 1%!"

...and an addendum from Miranda Forth:

"Rincewind is the 1%"

*

Hanging with Twoflower – Pterry and Sean Astin at Comic Con:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A5GHscLCYAAyLt7.jpg

*

The Nullus Anxietas 2013 Committee in their very eye-catching
t-shirts:

http://tinyurl.com/9pycmsk

A closer look at the new logo:

http://tinyurl.com/9zfqsh4

*

Om masquerading as A'Tuin, courtesy of Tom Wilbur and his tortoise
The Stig:

http://imgur.com/emEn2

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) CLOSE

Lastly for now, the making of a cuddly total whittle:

http://tinyurl.com/ay4v4p2

...and we'll be back later in the month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EXTRA
November 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 11, Post 2)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) EDITOR'S LETTER: FAN POWER FOR THE WIN
02) GOOD OMENS KICKSTARTER APPEAL
03) WIZZARDLY DOINGS IN FOURECKS
04) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

On Planet Kickstarter, we've already seen the Pratchett fan
community flex its collective wallet-muscles on behalf of "Troll
Bridge", raising far more than the requested total for Snowgum Films
to complete the production. Now there is another Kickstarter appeal
on behalf of a smaller-scale but no less wonderful Pratchett work:
Cult Classic Theatre's upcoming world premiere production of Good
Omens!

Cult Classic Theatre is a Glasgow-based amateur company of very high
standard and, well, unusual ambitions (their motto is "We do the
weird stuff"), who are currently engaged in preparing the March 2013
exclusive production of Good Omens. Director Amy Hoff and the rest
of the Cult Classic "family" of cast and crew have already
successfully produced the world stage premiere of "Doctor Horrible's
Sing-along Blog" and a number of other whimsical productions on all-
volunteer shoestring budgets. Now they would like to give
Aziraphale, Crowley, Anathema Device and the rest of the Good Omens
characters the best possible treatment. Enter Kickstarter. Amy says,
"If everyone donates even £1 we could succeed! Rehearsals have
started this week, and it's shaping up to be an amazing production."

There are fifteen days left to run on the Kickstarter appeal. Do
give a little. Or even a lot. Go on, you know you want to help bring
Good Omens to life on the stage!

Here be the link for the Good Omens Kickstarter page:

http://tinyurl.com/ak33upz


By the way, advance tickets for the production can be booked at the
Cottiers Theatre website:

www.cottiers.com/theatre-program/good-omens/


...and do have a shufti at Cult Classic Theatre's website:

http://www.cultclassic.org/


– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ANGEL (AND DEMON)!

The Cult Classic Theatre "Good Omens" Kickstarter appeal:

"Cult Classic Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland, is honoured to be the
first to have the permission to adapt Good Omens for the stage. With
your help, and the assistance of Cottiers Theatre, we hope to make
this production our most spectacular yet.  The play is scheduled to
open in March 2013 and our dedicated cast and crew will be working
hard to produce a performance to remember. This will be a non-
exclusive, non-profit amateur production.

"This will be a very large undertaking. Challenges include cast
dropouts, illness, and the inability to source products in time. Of
course, the final challenge is attracting an audience.

"A great deal of our Kickstarter money will be going to advertising.
We have also worked around cast dropouts in the past and have worked
with very few resources to make sure a project gets onstage, and we
haven't failed in that yet. Should we attract enough funding, the
director will focus entirely on the production of the show,
advertising, and research to ensure that it will be a great
success."

Again, the Kickstarter link:

http://tinyurl.com/ak33upz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) FOURECKSIAN HIJINKS: THE PIZZARD'S WICNIC

Nullus Anxietas IV is hosting the First Annual Pizzard's Wicnic this
month! Come one, come all! The theme is general wizardry, so while
Discworld is the obvious choice, feel free to come as any wizard
from any fandom.

A limited number of places are available for pre-picnic ride on the
famous Puffing Billy steam train. If you want to grab a place, ring
0419 592 317 or email hex@...

When: 25th November 2012
Venue: Emerald Park Lake, Emerald, Victoria, Australia
Time: 12 noon (earlier if you're going on Puffing Billy, of course)

For more info, go to:

nullusanxietasiv.tumblr.com

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) CLOSE

We'll be back at a more usual time with the usual news, reviews,
odds and sods. See you soon!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
November 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 11, Post 3)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) IT'S OFFICIALLY HERRYDE-PTERRY!
04) "CHOOSING TO DIE" WINS INTERNATIONAL BEST DOCUMENTARY EMMY
05) INTERVIEW: DAILY MIRROR
06) INTERVIEW: ONION AV CLUB
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
09) THE THINGS PRATCHETT FANS SAY...
10) REVIEW: THE LONG EARTH
11) REVIEW: A BLINK OF THE SCREEN
12) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
13) TERRY AND ROB ON DAVID TENNANT
14) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
15) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
16) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"I was surprised that both my editors gave me a thumbs-up on a lot
of the parts of Dodger, saying 'Today's kids know about vampires and
all kinds of stuff.' They aren't the kids that were kids when I was
a kid."

– Pterry, interviewed by the Onion AV Club

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

And here we are with the third post of the month, and it's only
three weeks in! But once again there is a bumper crop of news,
reviews, things, stuff and possibly whatnots. Do check out the trio
of superb new interviews – from the New Statesman, the Onion AV
Club, and the Daily Mirror – and give a congratulatory nod to the
"Choosing to Die" team for winning the 2012 International Emmy for
Best Documentary (item 4) and a nod of enormous thanks to Sir Pterry
(with vital assistance from Rob Wilkins) for *not* dying yet (item
3).

From Lynsey at Transworld, here be a timely reminder to budding
science fiction authors:

"We are only six weeks away from this years deadline for The Terry
Pratchett Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now First Novel Award. Have
you written your submission yet?"

http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=1348

Also from the world of publishing comes the news that the Pearson
and Bertelsmann companies, better known to us civilians as Penguin
and Random House, are merging "to recover ground lost to technology
groups Amazon and Apple, the leaders in the ebook revolution.
Education and media publisher Pearson said the joint venture, which
will bring under one roof fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett, 'Fifty
Shades of Grey' author E L James and 2012 Nobel prize winner Mo Yan,
would be named Penguin Random House..."

Penguin Random – I like the sound of that! To read all about it, go
to http://tinyurl.com/caqs6rg

And now for the rest of the news...

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) IT'S OFFICIALLY HERRYDE-PTERRY!

Interviewed by Laurie Penny for the New Statesman, Sir Pterry tells
the world that Rhianna will continue the Discworld when he's gone:

"Most science-fiction and fantasy authors who become successful must
confront their own politics sooner or later, because inventing a
universe from scratch and inviting millions of readers to join you
there demands a certain moral responsibility. Writers from Ursula K
Le Guin and Robert Heinlein to China Mieville have used the
fantastic as an explicitly political space, imagining other worlds
where humanity might organise itself differently. Pratchett went in
precisely the opposite direction. He began to write like a man who
knows that the most fascinating place in the known and imagined
universe is this one, right here. Pratchett uses nerdy fantasy and
slapstick comedy as tools to tell stories about racism and religious
hatred, war and the nature of bigotry, love and sin and sex and
death, always death, knotted into the ersatz adventures of talking
dogs, zombie revolutionaries, crime-fighting werewolves, tooth
fairies, crocodile gods and funny little men who sell suspicious
sausages on street corners...

"Decades ago, when the internet first opened up to non-specialists,
communities such as alt.fan.pratchett quickly developed for readers
of his books to share stories and meet each other. 'You have to have
a bit of nerd in you to get used to it, of course,' he says. He
sizes me up suspiciously. 'If you're not a nerd I don't want to
speak to you. You must at least have taken the lid off your computer
at some point?' I don't dare say no, because I suspect if I admitted
that I work on a Mac and am worried about voiding the warranty, the
interview really would be over...

"You can't really understand Terry Pratchett without understanding
Rob Wilkins, whose name I keep accidentally writing down as
Willikins, a loyal butler-character with hidden depths who turns up
in many of the Discworld books. Rob is, in many ways, the archetypal
Terry Pratchett fan. He's big-hearted, fizzing with all the nerdy
energy of a first-generation immigrant to the digital universe,
crammed into a badly fitting black T-shirt, and utterly devoted. If
there is a reason why Pratchett's debilitating illness has had so
little effect on his output to date, Rob is it. He's the one who
turns up at the house at any time of day or night to take dictation
or fix a problem, and Terry's wife has resigned herself to the fact
that this is part of the job...

"When he began writing novels, more than 40 years ago, he and his
wife, Lyn, were 'hippies, but hippies with jobs', he says. 'I had a
beard that Darwin would have got lost in, but I worked as a sub-
editor on a paper, and we just had about enough room in our small
cottage to have one child. Rhianna's an only child, which is
probably a good thing. You either go under when you're an only child
or you become a fighter. Rhianna is a fighter.'...

"Pratchett is whip-sharp, and talking to him makes you want to sit
up straight and make sure your shoelaces are tied, yet he is
noticeably frailer than his 64 years might lead you to expect, and
occasionally he drifts off at the end of a sentence. In fact, just
before this interview went to press, Rob contacted me to say that
Pratchett had almost died of what they had thought was a heart
attack, in early November, while in New York on a book signing tour.
The pair were on the way back to their hotel from a visit to Ground
Zero, Rob says, when Pratchett 'took a very bad turn. We were
sitting in the back of a taxi when I noticed his breathing had
become laboured.' A few minutes later, Pratchett passed out. In a
written account of the incident, which he plans to publish, he
claims not to remember much, other than feeling 'simply dreadful,
and very cold, although sweat was pouring down my face, and I
couldn't even focus and just seemed to be slipping away. Rob kept
asking me if I was OK and telling me we didn't have far to go . . .
I have to take his word for what happened next.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/b2mbzl8

[Editor's note: this is an excellent in-depth interview; it's well
worth tracking down a dead-tree copy of the issue it's in, or buying
the digital version.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) "CHOOSING TO DIE" WINS INTERNATIONAL BEST DOCUMENTARY EMMY

From the official International Emmys site:

"The 9 International Emmy Award Winning programs and performances
are: Songs of War (Arts Programming), Dario Grandinetti (Best
Performance by an Actor), Cristina Banegas (Best Performance by an
Actress), The Invisible Woman (Comedy), Terry Pratchett: Choosing to
Die (Documentary), Braquo season 2 (Drama Series), The Amazing Race
Australia (Non-Scripted Entertainment), The Illusionist
(Telenovela), and Black Mirror (TV Movie/Mini-Series)... 'The
International Academy is proud to be shining the spotlight on the
world's best television programming and performances, for the last
40 years, and we congratulate tonight's winners for their
outstanding achievements as they enter into Emmy history.' said
Academy President Bruce L. Paisner."

http://www.iemmys.tv/news_item.aspx?id=159


from the Daily Mail:

"After being aired in Britain the controversial television
documentary Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die was criticised by
religious leaders, charities, and politicians of being 'one-sided'
and 'propaganda' for euthanasia. But not every viewer felt the same
and on Tuesday night Sir Terry was honoured with the Best
Documentary gong at the International Emmy Awards in Los Angeles...
Following his win at the glitzy event, a message that read '"I will
accept any award that isn't posthumous"; brilliant!' was posted to
his Twitter page."

http://tinyurl.com/auvx8vf


from Contact Music:

"Pratchett's documentary was given a hefty amount of criticism from
religious charities and leaders, as well as politicians, who all
considered it to be 'euthanasia propaganda'. Clearly however, the
judges of the awards thought much more highly of the film..."

http://tinyurl.com/b4kbzja


from the Radio Times:

"On a more serious note, Pratchett's powerful BBC2 documentary
followed patients at Switzerland's Dignitas clinic, who had chosen
to end their lives through assisted suicide, and was prompted by the
author's own diagnosis with Alzheimer's. Last night's award
follows a win for best single documentary at this year's Baftas."

http://tinyurl.com/aa9udnu

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) DAILY MIRROR INTERVIEW

Well-known journalist and telly presenter Fiona Phillips, daughter
of an Alzheimer's sufferer, interviewed Sir Pterry at length for the
Daily Mirror:

"The Discworld author first said he had [Alzheimer's] in December
2007, just over a year after I'd lost my mum Amy to early-onset
Alzheimer's. It was a particularly bleak period as we were told that
my dad Neville also had it. Until then, I'd felt a bit of a voice in
the wilderness, going on about the lack of understanding and good
care. Terry's honesty was a eureka moment for me. Since then I had
always wanted to meet him and he, apparently, was keen to see me.
But it didn't seem that way when I introduced myself and went to
shake his hand. Dressed from head-to-toe in his trademark black, a
top hat and frock coat, he looked like an authoritarian Dickensian
character from his Oliver Twist-inspired novel Dodger. When he
didn't offer his hand back my heart sank a little. 'He can't see
your hand,' his book publicist Lynsey explained. Terry, 64, has a
form of early-onset Alzheimer's called PCA (Partial Cortical
Atrophy) which affects the part of the brain responsible for visual
signals...

"Terry's twinkly-eyed humour made me, by contrast, recall my mum's
constant tears and depression. He has written eight books since his
diagnosis and his doctor has told him he has 'Terry Pratchett's PCA,
which isn't like anyone else's PCA.' He can no longer use a keyboard
but, instead, has a program which enables him to talk to his
computer... His words are very considered, his answers long and
drawn out. If he forgets a word there's a silence as he cogitates,
before returning to the point where he left off and continuing the
anecdote. I try not to ask too many questions so as not to interrupt
his thoughts. You can almost hear the determination to hang on to
facts and to maintain his fluency...

"Does he ever get depressed? 'No, my father was a stoic,' he replies
before asking about my father. I tell him he was killed by the
overuse of drugs for his Alzheimer's. 'Ah, so that was murder,' he
exclaims...  So, does Terry have an end-of-life plan? 'Yes, I plan
to die... it's all the rage,' he cheekily retorts. 'I have a living
will and I have friends, and I have money and I have hope. There are
things around and I know where they can be got quite easily but I
quite like waking up to the sunshine. I don't think about the end
game. I've got lots to occupy my mind. It's the rage that keeps me
going.'... "

http://tinyurl.com/bjfyncs

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

O6) AV CLUB INTERVIEW

A fantastic interview by Tasha Robinson, who has interviewed Pterry
before:

"TP: Right now, I have, on what I call the naughty shelf, another
one of those things. There is a lovely Discworld one, and a lot of
it is done, and it's got some elegant characters, really infested
ones, and some wonderful things in it. [Whispers.] But there's no
fecking plot. There's no fecking plot! I'm having such fun with the
interactions of these people...

"AVC: It sounds like you're working on four things at once in your
head most of the time. Is it necessary to have that subconscious
help to keep it all straight and to make parts progress?

"TP: Shit knows, I don't. That's just how I do it...

"AVC: Was there a process of preparing to write Dodger? Did you
revisit Charles Dickens, or Henry Mayhew, or any of your other
inspirations?

"TP: Oh, good question. In my early teens, I read every bound volume
of the magazine Punch. Every writer of any distinction in the
English language, and I mean including America and England, at some
time wrote for Punch. Jerome K. Jerome, who wrote Three Men In A
Boat, I loved. I was very impressed when I read a piece by Mark
Twain in Punch, and realized that despite the fact that they were on
different continents, Jerome K. Jerome and Mark Twain had the same
kind of laconic, laid-back, 'The human race is damn stupid, but
quite interesting' attitude. They were almost talking with the same
voice...

"AVC: Did you see yourself in Dodger, or did you see your
experiences in what he's trying to do?

"TP: If parallels are there, other people will see them. I don't. I
can see myself in Commander Vimes, because I actually used bits of
myself in him, because I'm a kid from the council houses, the
tenements. So first of all, I get the OBE [Order Of The British
Empire, a high British honor. — ed]. Ka-ching! Not too long
afterward, an elderly lady is behind me bringing down a big
sword—I got knighted. It's the Queen. She's quite small. When it
was being done, my mother — I'm so glad she was alive to see
it—she was in a wheelchair so close to the Queen, with the same
kind of hairstyle. I thought, 'I really hope we don't mix them up
when it's time to go home.' [Laughs.] It would have been much more
interesting for the future of the world. You think, 'How did I get
from there to here? Who am I to have got from here to here? What
happened?' And Vimes is doing all this as well...

"AVC: You mentioned the scene of Dodger fighting a mugger while
wearing women's clothing as being in the book for the movie. Do you
hope to see a movie made out of Dodger?

"TP: One always hopes. And now we've got our own production company.
We might be able to do something..."

http://tinyurl.com/cs9zdvu

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

7.1 THE FIFTH ELEPHANT IN READING

The Progress Theatre of Reading will present their production of The
Fifth Elephant (adapted by Stephen Briggs and directed by Chris
Moran) in January 2013.

When: Thursday 17th to Saturday 26th January 2013
Venue: Progress Theatre, Reading, Berks
Time: 7:45pm (with Matinees on Saturday 19th and 26th at 2:30pm)
Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions), available in advance from Reading
Arts Box Office (phone 0118 960 6060, booking fee applies) or by
application in person at the Hexagon or Town Hall.

http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/shows/the-fifth-elephant/


7.2 DODGER IN ABINGDON

The Studio Theatre Club's world stage premiere of Dodger will take
place on 22nd to 26th January 2013!

How to book:

Send your ticket order (with back-up choices if you're after Friday
or Saturday tickets); your cheque (payable to 'STC' – £8.50 per
ticket), and a stamped, self-addressed, envelope to:

Studio Theatre Club (Dodger)
PO Box 1486
Oxford
OX4 9DQ

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html


7.3 REVIEW: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN EMERALD, FOURECKS

Reviewed by Damian Perry

Last Friday night I went to see Guards! Guards! As performed by the
GemCo Players. I was excited, looking forward to seeing a giant
dragon setting things on fire all over the stage, and to see our
Chair, Carmela, playing Sybil Vimes. Well, I got to see Sybil!

If you haven't seen (or read) Guards! Guards! then... well, I think
this review will be almost completely meaningless to you. But
basically, it is the story of Carrot, a human raised as a dwarf,
come to the big city to join the Watch – he had heard it would
make a man out of him. And then, there's a bloody great dragon
terrorising the city.

The show was an outstanding success. It is always a bit of a gamble,
watching Pratchett plays on stage. A director with no sense of
humour, or a cast with no comic timing can really destroy the
master's work. This was not the case in this production. The crowd
were roaring with laughter in a number of places, and chuckling for
most of the rest of the show.

The biggest bones my wife and I had to pick with the show were the
length (it started at 8 and the first act finished at 9.30. The
second half dragged a little as the jokes thinned out and the hour
got later) and the Footnote. I get it. The Footnote is a very
difficult plot device to use on stage. It is completely necessary
when trying to put across the essential Pratchett-ness of a show,
but as a completely written device, it often doesn't translate well.
But it was overused in this production. The actor (I'm sorry, you're
probably a fine actor!) wasn't comfortable in the role, was very
forced in her humour and folded her glasses one too many times. The
director could have easily dropped at least half-a-dozen of the
interruptions, letting the cast take some of the exposition, or
letting the audience fill in the gaps.

Apart from that one little '*' the cast were mostly excellent. There
were a wide range of ages involved, but for the most part, age had
nothing to do with talent. Obviously I thought Carmela did a great
job, especially when we first saw her – or the heavy dragon armour
that surrounded her. She had a good relationship with Vimes and a
great stage presence.

I was surprised to see that four of the characters were played by a
Grade Four student, but happily, he was one of the stand-out comedy
parts in the show. His Brother Dunnikin especially had me in
stitches as he mumbled about chastised thuribles and the three
dollars he would never see again.

Dibbler was my next favourite. During intermission he mingled with
the audience, selling chocolates (sometimes for double the price)
and assuring us that he was 'cutting his own throat'. He had a real
presence on stage and played three very different characters. My
wife felt that his Thieves' Guild Head was a little over the top,
but I was happy.

The Guards were (again, mostly) well-cast. Colon was very amusing,
Vimes had a great physicality and good comic timing. Carrot took
awhile to get used to because of all of the guards he is the one
that is described the most in the books. But he had a goofy,
innocent expression that was instantly endearing and he played off
against the other characters with a real skill. Nobby was a case of
mis-casting rather than bad acting. He was out of place in the
ensemble, but wasn't a bad actor, just a bad Nobby.

Vetinari and Wonse were both well-cast and Wonse's range of
expression was excellent as the play progressed. He worked well with
his secret brotherhood, who in turn, played a number of bit parts
throughout the play.

Who have I missed? Of course, the Librarian! His costume wasn't the
best, and he forgot that he was a mon- er, an ape, some of the time,
but he was hilarious, especially when playing charades. He made Ook
mean exactly what he wanted it to mean, every time. Apparently he
also doubled as Death – a seven foot robed skeleton with glowing
blue eyes and scythe. Very effective.

All in all, I enjoyed myself immensely. My seven-year-old daughter
loved it. My wife loved it. It was definitely worth the drive out to
Emerald.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

8.1 SNUFF REVIEW

In Fife Today, reviewed by Gordon Holmes

"Even when he doesn't live up to his high standards, he is still
head and shoulders above the vast majority of writers, and when he
is on top form... well, read 'Wyrd Sisters' and you'll soon know
what I mean. This is, incredibly, the 39th Discworld novel and when
you consider his ongoing battle with Alzheimer's, that Pratchett can
continue to produce work so clever and funny, with his on-the-mark
insights into the darker aspects of human nature, is nothing short
of genius... 'Snuff' deals with serious issues and as such has fewer
laugh out loud moments but is still a compelling story..."

http://tinyurl.com/a5eeck2


8.2 KEEP THOSE LIBRARIANS SMILING!

A study has found that orangutans may, like humans, experience "mid-
life crisis":

An international team of researchers assessed the well-being and
happiness of the great apes. They found well-being was high in
youth, fell to a low in midlife and rose again in old age, similar
to the "U-shape curve" of happiness in humans. The study brought
together experts such as psychologists, primatologists and
economists... 'What we are testing is whether the U-shaped curve can
describe the association between age and well-being in non-human
primates as it does in humans,' psychologist and lead author Dr
Alexander Weiss of the University of Edinburgh told BBC Nature. Dr
Weiss hoped the results would show a similar curve because of the
close relationship between humans, chimpanzees and orangutans. The
study showed that male and female humans, chimpanzees and orangutans
have the same U-shaped curve despite differences in social roles,
and the phenomenon is therefore not uniquely human. The sample
subjects included 508 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and orangutans
(Pongo sp.) of varying ages, from zoos, sanctuaries and research
centres. They were assessed by zoo keepers, volunteers, researchers
and caretakers who had worked with the primate subject for at least
two years and knew its behaviour. The animals were numerically
scored for well-being and happiness on a short questionnaire, which
was based on a human well-being model but modified for use in non-
human primates...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/20359229


An older article about happiness and lifespans in orangutans shows
that happiness is a true life-extender for these apes:

"A team of researchers in the UK and US devised a method to measure
the happiness, or subjective well-being, of captive orangutans. In a
follow-up study seven years later, the scientists found that happier
primates were much more likely still to be alive... The team, led by
Dr Alex Weiss from the University of Edinburgh, asked the people who
worked closely with each captive orangutan to participate in the
study. He asked the keepers and carers to complete a questionnaire
about individual animals they knew well; assessing the orangutans'
personalities and attitude. 'The assessment was modelled on
[established] methods of assessing human well-being,' Dr Weiss
explained to BBC Nature. The questionnaire posed four key questions,
including how much time the orangutan in question spent 'happy,
contented and enjoying itself'. It also asked the human participants
to imagine how happy they would be if they were that orangutan for a
week. By working out a happiness score for each of nearly 200
animals, the team was able to see how happiness influenced the
orangutans' lives..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13925983


8.3 THE POLITICS OF PRATCHETT

Also in the New Statesman (see Laurie Penny interview, item 3
above), a political analysis by Helen Lewis of the Discworld series:

"One of the commonest misconceptions about Pratchett's books is that
their fantasy setting somehow divorces them from the real world and
its concerns. But as the Discworld series developed, its themes
became increasingly political (with both a big and a small 'p').
Take Feet of Clay (1996), possibly my favourite in the series. It is
an interrogation of power as an ancient vampire herald called
Dragon, King of Arms searches obsessively for the 'true ruler' of
the city-state of Ankh-Morpork – while Captain Carrot, the only
living descendant of the last monarch, steadfastly refuses to
acknowledge that he is the heir, preferring to serve in the City
Watch... Similarly, Going Postal is about capitalism. It tells the
story of a notorious conman given a second chance if he promises to
revive the Post Office. This is a shambolic bureaucracy, but one
that offers steady jobs to the old and the slightly simple –
unlike the rival 'clacks', a semaphore system where equipment is run
into the ground and profit is put before the workers' safety... The
moral cores of the series are Vimes and the witch Granny Weatherwax,
characters to whom Pratchett has returned again and again. Both are
feared – Weatherwax's nickname from the trolls is 'She Who Must Be
Avoided' and to the dwarves she is 'Go Around the Other Side of the
Mountain' – but they are also unbending in their principles..."

http://www.newstatesman.com/helen-lewis/2012/11/politics-pratchett

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) THE THINGS PRATCHETT FANS SAY...

Alex Leung said...

My copy of the Ankh-Morpork cityguide just arrived in the mail
today!!! So very happy! As a cartographer AND someone who works in
the guidebook publishing industry can I just say thank you! You have
done an absolutely amazing job. Love it!

Rachel Matalon said...

Hello. I just want to say thanks to Patrick Couton, the man who
translate T. Pratchett's books in french. Thanks to his work, french
people can appreciate T. Pratchett's humor. It was not easy.

Tanya McIlwraith said...

I met a man in Berlin who recognised us as Scottish because we
sounded like the Feegles! He told us he learnt English by reading
Discworld novels when held in an "institution"!

Bill Howard said...

At work we have several bulletin boards, one of them being "books".
This post made me laugh out loud: The other day I got home from work
to a rather irritated significant other. She's been reading the
Watch (Sam Vimes) books from Discworld, on my insistence, and
finished Snuff about two days before. Since then she's tried to read
three different books – Mills and Boon or what I'd call penny
dreadfuls and even an attempt at Twilight. Now she hates me because
she can no longer stand poor authors. I've pointed her in the
direction of Peter F. Hamilton for her sci-fi fix, and suggested she
read the rest of the Discworld books before trying any other fantasy
authors, but the hilarity of the situation made it impossible but
that I had to recount the event here. An (almost) direct quote:
"You've ruined bad writers for me. I hate you."

Rick Hippy (or possibly Gaspode, to judge from the spelling) said...

i remember the 1st time i ever went on hoilday by plane, in the gift
shop i purcased "reaper man", i giggled all the way there... after
checkin in2 my hotel i desided an explore was in order and came
across a an open area were people were possing 4 photos with a man
dressd up as death!.. long story short, i demanded he drop what he
was doing and come 4 a drink with me, my treat. what followd was 1
of the most entertaing nights of my life. me on the piss with
death(real name pablo) in amsterdam. and its all thanx 2 u. :)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) REVIEW: THE LONG EARTH

By Ian Nichols in The West Australian:

"Make no mistake, this book is an entertaining read, filled with
oddness and laughs and one or two tears, plus the usual acerbic
Pratchett insights and Baxter plot intricacy. The trouble is, it's a
bit too full, and it is very obviously the beginning of a series,
right up to the teaser at the end. So many plot elements are left
unresolved, so many characters crying out for further development
that the book becomes a jumble sale of orphans. The immense threat
from the other worlds makes an obligatory appearance, driving all
before it in waves of creatures that can step naturally. Then
there's the the unforeseen disaster for which Lobsang had prepared
comes and goes. The necessary love interest. The sub-plot of the
colonists and their ambitions. And all the other sub-plots that are
simply tossed in and seem to be forgotten about – until the next in
the series. The idea is big, an immense tapestry which can contain
just about any story you wish to tell, and that's the problem.
Pratchett and Baxter have tried to tell too many stories and
introduce too many plot elements in one middling-sized volume...."

http://tinyurl.com/d887lc8

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) REVIEW: A BLINK OF THE SCREEN

By Harry Ritchie in The Guardian:

"This year's fourth Pratchett is a collection of his short works. It
kicks off with 'The Hades Business', a story about the devil's
attempt to mount an ad campaign to boost hell, which for some reason
has been languishing unvisited for the last 2,000 years. Clever,
neatly constructed and funny, this is an amazingly precocious work,
written when Pratchett was 13. In a sign of things to come, what
started as a homework assignment (marked 20 out of 20 by the young
Pratchett's lucky English teacher) was published in the school
magazine and then in a proper fantasy magazine, earning the
schoolboy a £14 fee, which he invested in a typewriter... There
follow a few more school-mag storyettes, then some pieces from his
apprenticeship on local newspapers – children's stories written as
'Uncle Jim' for the Bucks Free Press and some satirical journalism
for the Bath Evening Chronicle. Eager Pratchettians will note that
one of those early Uncle Jim pieces features a storyline that would
later be expanded to form the basis of Truckers and a gnome called
Rincemangle, whose name prefigures that of Discworld's rubbish
wizard Rincewind. Similarly, the idea of countless, easily accessed
parallel worlds in 'The High Meggas' would turn up again a quarter
of a century later as the basis for The Long Earth... The real
surprise of this book is that there are so few standalone stories in
it. 'Short stories cost me blood,' Pratchett admits. He reckons he's
written fewer than 15 of them in his career – a paltry return by
his own preposterously prolific standards. As a result, this book,
subtitled on the dustjacket 'collected shorter fiction', is more
accurately labelled 'shorter writings' on the contents page, and the
conventional stories are accompanied by all manner of bits and
bobs.."

http://tinyurl.com/baawdan

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South
Australia. TCoSG have regular dinner and games nights, plus play
outings, craft-y workshops, and fun social activities throughout the
year. For more info and to join their mailing list, go to:

http://ausdwcon.org/pages/smallgods


The Broken Vectis Drummers meet on the first Thursday of every month
from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. The next
meeting will probably be on Thursday 4th December, but do email (see
below) to check. All new members and curious passersby are very
welcome! For more info and any queries, contact:

broken_vectis_drummers@...


The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first
Friday of every month at the famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards.
Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome! The next WOTS meeting will
(probably) be on Friday 7th December.


The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld
meeting group, will be from 7pm on Monday 3rd December 2012 at the
Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.

"We welcome anyone and everyone who enjoys Sir Terry's works, or
quite likes them or wants to find out more. We have had many
visitors from overseas who have enjoyed themselves and made new
friends. The discussions do not only concern the works of Sir Terry
Pratchett but wander and meander through other genres and authors
and also leaping to TV and Film production. We also find time for a
quiz. The prize is superb. The chance to set the quiz the following
month."

For more info, contact BrokenDrummers@...

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/


The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, have been meeting on a regular
basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood
(presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists
normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, N
Yorks, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes
and raffles.

Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the
Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/


Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney
at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@...


Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the
month, from 6pm at The Vic Hotel, 226 Hay St, Subiaco. The next
meeting will be on Monday 3rd December 2012. For more information
contact:

Daniel Hatton at daniel_j_hatton@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) PTERRY AND ROB AND THE DOCTOR...ISH

From pop-culture blog Across the Pond TV comes a transcription from
some amusing video footage...

"Today at B&N at Union Square, NYC, Terry Pratchett and Rob Wilkins
had a discussion about Terry's new book Dodger. The conversation was
wonderfully derailed several times, and they got to share other
Pratchett news about The Watch TV series and Nation and so on (I'll
be sharing those on this blog in forthcoming posts), as well as
tangents about things like Doctor Who. Below is the transcript and
video of Sir Terry's opinion on the casting of the Doctor.

"Rob: David Tennant could play anyone. He could play Moist von
Lipwig.

"Terry: I was there for the first episode of Doctor Who. The thing
about Doctor Who, if you are a real Doctor Who fan, you might know
that when the BBC put it out, not many people watched the first
episode, but those that did were telling people about it. So, on the
next Saturday, they repeated the first one so that people could see
what it was all about. Just a piece of trivia, but there it is,
because I was there, hiding behind the settee.

"Rob: William Hartnell was no David Tennant, though, I'm sorry.

"Terry: No, but David Tennant is a definite David Tennant. He is the
best Doctor Who of ever because he is an actor. The best of them
are..funny, the modern ones are just bloody clowns. A bit like you
[Rob], but nevermind.

"Rob: That's okay. I'll audition for the part.

"Terry: Ha!

http://tinyurl.com/9rgtcny

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

French artist Boulet's stylish interpretation of *those* Four
Horsemen:

http://tinyurl.com/avqfenm


From Spike Livingstone, an interesting ballot:

http://tinyurl.com/cd3h4p3


Pratchett fan Mila Puhakka's fine drawing of the Grim Squeaker:

http://tinyurl.com/c32jowh


From Jesse Bates, a photo of Pirate, who is a very believable
Roundworld Greebo:

http://tinyurl.com/d77nk34


The excellent Broken Drummers logo:

http://www.brokendrummers.org/images/sitebrokendrummers.png


B. Alex Frain noticed a sign that would please Susan:

http://tinyurl.com/c684366


...and finally, the obligatory Humorous Vegetable:

http://i.imgur.com/GXXyO.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

In a long, well-constructed and articulate review, blogger Random
gives Dodger high marks:

"Pratchett's homage to Charles Dickens, a story he has probably
wanted to write for a long time, is very much interested in this
toshing business, literally and metaphorically. From the very start
we get a strong sense of that... The approach to imagery is
obviously Dickensian but identifiably Pratchettian at the same time.
Come to think of it, Pratchett donning the mantle of Dickens is an
alignment of literary traditions that makes a lot of sense. Their
works are compatible in terms of social and ethical themes, wit and
tableaux (the city, mostly). Not to mention sheer volume and
popularity. In Dodger these similarities are amped up, and Pratchett
has made considerable efforts to mimic the sentimentality and
pathetic fallacy typically found in Dickens...

"Admittedly, Pratchett's Victorian London could be more vivid and
detailed, but even as it is the tour is worth the time spent. Mostly
because of Dodger, a guide that can take you from the smelliest
nooks to the poshest crannies. He is a decently-imagined and written
character, but in addition to that he is Pratchett's primary
focusing lens in this novel..."

mybiochemicalsky.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/dodger-terry-pratchett/


...and so does blogger Fyrefly, on hearing the audio version:

"This book's got everything one might expect from a Pratchett novel:
sympathetic characters, a smart sense of humor, and a down-to-earth
perspective on the world and on growing up. It was maybe not as
sharply satirical of some of the other of Pratchett's books that
I've read, although it made its points quite clearly about choosing
who you want to be, and the way in which perception is not truth,
particularly the perception of who someone is, and even if it were
truth, truth can be shaped and manipulated and looked at from
different angles. Sometimes, perhaps, it makes those points a little
too clearly; there were times when it seemed like Dodger was
repeating himself, having the same revelation he'd had a few
chapters ago. But they're smart revelations that maybe bear
repeating, so I didn't mind too much. There's also enough action to
keep the readers busy, and a surprising depth of character, not only
for Dodger, but also for a number of the secondary characters as
well... Stephen Briggs yet again does a wonderful job with the
audiobook narration; his dry tone is just a perfect match for
Pratchett's sense of humor..."

fyreflybooks.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/terry-pratchett-dodger


...whereas blogger OmniRambles, an apparent self-declared wit, hates
it with a passion; an unsurprising reaction since this blogger seems
to fail to get any of the book's elements:

"This book was an unpleasant surprise from one of my favourite
authors... In most respects, Dodger is the opposite of what I have
come to expect from reading dozens of Pratchett novels. Usually,
Pratchett's stories have multiple, complicated plot lines but this
effort has only one very thin, predictable one. Usually, the
characters are surprising and unique but Dodger's are relentlessly
cliched (including racial stereotyping). Usually, Pratchett is
hilarious and satirical but this book is not very witty and provides
only a minimum of social commentary on Victorian London..."

http://omnirambles.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/dodger/


USA Blogger Chris Gladis, left cold by sport in general, had a bit
of hard going with Unseen Academicals:

"If my attitude seems kind of lackluster or disinterested, keep in
mind that it's probably not Sir Terry's fault. The book, you see, is
about football. Not the sissy-pants American kind where the guys are
so afraid of grievous bodily harm that they wear protective armor
all the time, but the good, old-fashioned British kind, wherein
people get their heads cracked open by cobblestones and die on the
streets... Seriously, I couldn't care less about football. The
book's not really even about football, to be honest. It's about
identity and self-image, two things that are inextricably tied up in
sports and sports fandom. The book is a lot less subtle than usual,
pretty much hitting you over the head with a mallet and saying, 'You
are who you choose to be!!' over and over again...

"It's hard for me to filter through the sports aspect of this book,
which is disappointing because it's something that a lot of people
will probably enjoy. There's something about the devotion to a sport
or to a team that is very important to most people that I just don't
get, and so my general lack of interest in this book is entirely my
fault, and not Terry's..."

thelablib.org/2012/11/15/review-201-unseen-academicals/


...but blogger Matt, who thought it would be a hard 'un to enjoy,
felt the love:

"To be perfectly honest, I ended up putting it down the first time
that I tried to read it. The business with the Megapode within the
first handful of pages was a bit of a turn off for me. This second
time around, I soldiered on past the silliness (which was actually a
rather coy set-up for a satire that I completely missed on the first
go around) and I was completely blown away. Unseen Academicals is
pure Pratchett. Love, the importance of family, social tolerance,
sportsmanship... All of these themes written into the rich tapestry
that Pratchett has created with the birth of Discworld nearly 30
years ago..."

therankspoon.com/2012/11/03/unseen-academicals-by-terry-pratchett


...and blogger Joe Praba gave it a short but enthusiastic thumbs-up:

"Rating : 5 of 5 stars An absolute pleasure and joyful read this!"

http://jworqprojeqs.com/2012/11/03/unseen-academicals/


Blogger Edouard Stenger enjoyed Jingo:

"Ankh Morpork is at war against Klatch and Terry takes the occasion
to show how wars are preposterous and completely unnecessary. As
always, Pratchett offers a great caricature of our world and how
utterly stupid we can be. I had a huge laugh at the bits hinting on
H.P. Lovecraft works as there is a Dagon Street and curious Squids.
(Yes, I read The Call of Cthulhu and a few other unmentionable H.P.
Lovecraft's novels). This book is a good opus of the Discworld
series. Strongly recommended if you liked the others!"

http://edouardstenger.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/jingo/


...as did blogger leftoverrecipes:

"While I loved this book, this shouldn't be your first book in the
series – it would be better to read at least one more of the Night
Watch books (Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Night
Watch) first. Jingo captures perfectly the absurdities of war, while
at the same time mourning war's inevitability. Jingo makes you
think about politics and war in a different way than you did before.
Jingo also looks at racism and preconceived ideas about different
cultures. And Pratchett achieves this while making you laugh. In my
opinion, this is one of his best books. Highly recommended..."

leftoverrecipes.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/terry-pratchett-jingo


Finnish blogger mervih is back with a review of Men at Arms:

"The new recruits are really the stars of the book along with
Carrot... Also, Gaspode the talking dog steals pretty much every
scene he's in... As usual, Pratchett has strong themes in the book:
racism (or rather speciesism since Discworld has different species)
and the way that power corrupts..."

mervih.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/terry-pratchett-men-at-arms

...and also reviews Guards! Guards!:

"Lady Sybil Ramkin is a significant secondary character... in
defiance to the fantasy traditions of small and young and delicate
little princesses, Lady Ramkin is big, fat, middle-aged, and tends
to wear rubber boots. Along the way Pratchett makes wry observations
about dwarven culture, the nature of libraries, and the nature of
humans. Oh and the discussions near the end about how one chance in
a million will always succeed is priceless..."

mervih.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/terry-pratchett-guards-guards


Blogger Dave Brendon gets to grips with The Long Earth:

"The Long Earth takes the parallel-Earth idea to an entirely wide-
spread level, because instead of 'the world next door' being opened
to a select few scientists and marines, 'the worlds next door' have
been opened to practically all of humanity, to anyone who can 'step'
from our world, the Datum, to the worlds 'beside' it... There were
also some character-spotlights, I'll call them, that served to
explain what kind of effect the emergence of the Long Earths had on
people – and I ended up really enjoying these spotlights because
they showed, to a much greater degree than with Joshua, how the Long
Earths affected people – who saw it as an opportunity to move
toward a better way of life; who saw it as a new way of exploiting
the environment; who became so captured by the Long Earths that they
just couldn't settle down anymore because there was suddenly so much
more within stepping distance. I actually wouldn't have minded at
all if the entire book consisted of these spotlights, that's how
much I enjoyed them. :-)

"Plot-wise, The Long Earth unfortunately disappointed me... when the
'climax' came I felt a bit let-down, almost cheated – the idea of
the climax, and the danger that Joshua and Lobsang have been trying
to find out about, is an interesting one, but it just didn't have
the impact I was expecting. Also, there was another, smaller climax
in the novel that had, confusingly, a bigger impact than the 'big'
climax – at least, that's my opinion... Don't get me wrong – The
Long Earth is entertaining, pacey, surprising and interesting and it
seems to me that both authors did a brilliant job of balancing what
they both brought – as individual writers – to the table (there are
plenty of genuinely funny moments), but I just can't shake the
feeling that The Long Earth as an idea is just too big, almost too
chaotic, to have made the novel work has it should have..."

http://tinyurl.com/aohyjnf


...while it's a bit of a labour of strained love for blogger Zoe
Hinis:

"I know it's a co-authored work (which has been done well before
with Gaiman) and I know it's not Discworld. And that's fine, because
an author should always be trying something new. And I admire that,
and I admired the plot of Long Earth. It involves lots of delicious
what-ifs and timey-wimey stuff. Yay for that. But what happened to
Pratchett? The absence of the beloved author was made glaring by the
moments in the book that were pure Pratchett, the moments that shone
amongst the general pabulum of the book itself. It took me two weeks
to finish this, and I had to force myself through the first 100
pages. It was like a dear friend had invited me to a party, and I
was really excited to go, but then I got there and the wine was
cheap, the snacks dry and the company less than stellar. And for the
first two hours of the party, I wanted to fall upon a knife. But
eventually it got sort of better and it didn't feel too wasteful..."

http://tinyurl.com/c6xsguh


...and photographer and blogger Paula Kamysz was definitely not
impressed, but devoted plenty of time and textspace to reviewing
fairly and to highlighting her chosen hits and misses:

"It was so mediocre that I'm not sure what to say; it's hard for me
to believe that Terry Pratchett had a hand in this. .. The authors'
dichotomy was so apparent that I could have highlighted who wrote
what, split the sections out, and written two different books... I
recommend it for people who aren't so jaded by formula scifi that
they'd rather jump legs-first into a stump grinder than read more
trash. I recommend it for those people, too, but with the caveat
that you put on blinders and use it as down-time reading so that it
doesn't become toilet paper..."

http://tinyurl.com/dxyfyon


The mysterious datbookreviews neither loved nor hated Making Money:

"I felt like I was waiting for things to kick off through most of
the book. They did, mind you, but not to an epic level. I think that
a lot of things were 'bigged up', such as the invention of bank
notes, but never really used... It was all a bit samey really, and
without the subtle rivalry between Lipwig and Reacher Gilt... Mr
Lipwig is still Mr Lipwig of course, but he seems to have lost some
of his charm. Or at least, we see less of it. There is less of his
wit and intelligence in devising solutions to all the problems of
the bank, and more focus on.. nothing, really. I still enjoyed
Vetinari's persona in the book, his style is still crisp and unique,
so we're all swell there..."

http://tinyurl.com/a9yqvvy


A post about the Discworld witches novels by Filipina blogger Lala
Ordenes:

"A few months ago, I have finished reading all of Sir Terry
Pratchett's Witches novels. There are 10 in all so far, including
the three Tiffany Aching series. I loved every single one of them.
And I have never laughed so hard reading as when I'm reading
Pratchett. He has found my funny bone. I just get him. Or he gets
me..."

http://tinyurl.com/awnt7qe


Media Studies student The Rambling Wanderer offers a 500-word essay
on why Pratchett is "my favourite author":

"I have great admiration for Terry Pratchett, and this has impacted
me greatly. All of the characteristics I listed above have impacted
me profoundly. The first time I read Terry Pratchett was in grade 3
in the school library. I'll admit I chose his book because the
cover looked interesting, but I am glad it caught my attention. His
books have been a companion to me while growing up. He provided the
worlds to which I could escape and never begrudged me for it. His
books and worlds had many levels. You could just escape into the
world for a short time, and that would be all, or you could study
his books, pick up the hidden messages and themes and still be able
to escape into the books. He blended pastime with study and
instilled in me a sense of enjoyment in writing. He wrote for
himself, and he wrote fantasy because it was a way to portray a
world he sees. To him fantasy is a perspective, and his books show
this with the relatively average and normal going-ons becoming
fantasy with just a dash of the unexplained or special..."

theramblingwanderer.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/terry-pratchett/


In a review of a review, blogger Carolyn Pollard reviews AS Byatt's
review of Snuff in The Guardian last year. A fascinating little
piece of deconstructing deconstruction:

"I personally have never before read a review in which the title
itself has been broken down, and so this makes a pleasant change.
These small bits of detail are what make for a good review, and it's
refreshing to see other similar snippets, such as the referral to
past works of Pratchett's... It appears that Byatt herself may not
be the master of humour, but she has skilfully overcome this matter
in quite a clever way – instead of making her own jokes about the
book, she instead directs us to the humour to be found within... You
will find that Byatt may not be the best reviewer you will ever come
across, but she has not failed to deliver an insightful detailed
review..."

http://tinyurl.com/bdkvkvf


The latest blog review from Cheryl Mahoney is a solid prop for
Dodger:

"There's no Fagin, but there is Solomon, a wise old Jewish
watchmaker who gives Dodger a place to sleep and helps him stay on
the straightish and somewhat narrow path. There's no Oliver Twist,
but there is Simplicity, a young woman Dodger rescues from a couple
of thugs – a young woman who turns out to have crowned heads of
Europe intensely interested in her... All in all, I didn't love the
book, but there is a great deal here to like very much.  There's
enormous fun in the various historical figures Dodger's path
crosses–from Fleet Street journalist Charlie Dickens to up-and-
coming politician Benjamin Disraeli, and a host of others I didn't
have enough historical grounding to recognize (but there's a helpful
afterword).  We also wander into fictional territory when Dodger
meets Sweeney Todd, more sad than demonic and a powerful lesson
about the tendency of the world to create the story they want to
hear...

"My favorite things are a couple of character quirks.  First,
especially near the beginning, Dickens has a tendency to make a
remark, get a look in his eye, and hastily jot something down–as
when he made a reference to 'our mutual friend.' I would have loved
even more Dickens quotes sprinkled throughout – though there may
have been more that I just missed. Second, I love Solomon's
religious life. He frequently explains situations to God, perhaps
when someone is doing something a bit, well, dodgy. But Solomon will
make matters clear to Him, in a lightly humorous and never offensive
way. It has much the same feel as the beginning of the song 'If I
Were a Rich Man' in Fiddler on the Roof..."

http://tinyurl.com/a28ff8j


Pratchett newbie Oscar AzAl loved Making Money:

"Terry Pratchett fuses fantasy and reality in perfect harmony making
the mixture genuinely natural. The reader's perception is that of a
likely story with bits of plausible unreality... This has been my
first book by Pratchett and I loved it. Some friends and bloggers
speak wonders of this author and I've been given several of his
books as presents. It was about time I read any and I'm definitely
going to read some more..."

http://oscarazal.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/making-money/


Blogger Eric on Eleventh Stack enthuses about the Bromeliad trilogy:

"Even though Pratchett is probably best known for his Discworld
series of books (which are excellent, by the way) I'm interested in
telling you, dear Eleventh Stack blog reader, about The Bromeliad
Trilogy. These are three novels (Truckers, Diggers and Wings) that
Pratchett wrote for a YA audience that are as accessible for older
folks as they might be for younger folks.  Yes, the book is about
nomes, and yes, some of these nomes live in a department store for a
time  (see...describing it sounds kind of dreadful!) but the
overarching ideas of discovery, of attempting to come to grips with
the nature of belief and the evolution of those beliefs, and the
conflicts of having to come to grips with all of this while dealing
with other people are also present and are excellently discussed. In
addition, it's funny. It's REALLY funny. And it's a good story. It's
a REALLY good story..."

http://tinyurl.com/bj94fa9


Blogger Ash is back with an overview of the Tiffany Aching series:

"The Wee Free Men introduces the notorious Scottish pictsies, the
Nac Mac Feegles and sets the context of their meeting Tiffany... I
could say with conviction that this is yet another beautiful story
amongst the Discworld books. It turns hilarious at points where
readers are introduced to the simple world of the Nac Mac Feegles
and their famous gonnagles...

"A Hat full of Sky... The book explores Tiffany's frustrations with
the craft and the fact that witches live a second-hand life compared
to the wizards. She is put to test constantly having to choose
between what's cool and what's the right thing to do...

"Wintersmith... Tiffany finds herself drawn to the dance and
inadvertently treads the danger zone catching the interest of
Wintersmith, the anthropomorphic personification of winter. What
follows is an interesting courtship...

"I Shall Wear Midnight – The last book of the series serves more
of a coming of age story for Tiffany who is busy juggling her
personal and work life. It also explores the challenges Tiffany
faces in the wake of being accepted as a Witch and her relation with
her parents..."

http://tinyurl.com/chr93er


And finally, blogger Carol Wuenschell's long and respectful literary
"love letter" to Sir Pterry:

"The addressee is Terry Pratchett, a writer whom I first discovered
decades ago, one who grew on me steadily until by now I can't
imagine the world without his books in it. He's a writer whose books
I have read – and in some cases, re-read – to my children during
their formative years. Over the years, I've become so intimately
acquainted with Terry's prose, that I find myself thinking about him
on a first-name basis – this despite the fact that I have never
met the man and don't expect to. My children got used to having
their mother stop after a particularly delicious passage and say,
'Oh Terry!' – and then re-read the passage aloud just to savor
it...

"Yes, I do love Terry Pratchett. He's a master of humor (of course)
but also of story-telling, of characters, and of the well-turned
phrase (those Oh Terry's). There is often a seriousness underlying
the humor. (Check out the Terry Pratchett Quotes link, below. His
wit and wisdom are just boundless.) And the thing that most endears
him to me is his keen observations of humankind – both as
individuals and in aggregate. In the earlier Discworld books, the
observation is sharp and biting. In the more mature works, the
sharpness is not lost, but there is also something I can best
describe as a subtle affection..."

http://tinyurl.com/adjyj78

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) CLOSE

Do remember that there's still a week to run on the Cult Classic
Theatre's Kickstarter appeal for their 2013 exclusive premiere stage
production of Good Omens:

http://tinyurl.com/ak33upz

And that's it for the moment, but who knows, we may yet be back
before the month is out – especially if Fernando remembers to cast
your monthly horoscope. WOSSNAME wishes a very happy Thanksgiving to
all our USA readers, and we'll see you again soon!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EXTRA: HE ATEN'T DEAD, BUT...
November 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 11, Post 4)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM SIR PTERRY

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As printed in The Guardian on Saturday 24th November 2012:

Terry Pratchett: signing books was nearly the death of me

"Now that I have been made painfully aware of the ticking clock,
tiny voices are saying: You could be sitting at home happily writing
books"

(by Terry Pratchett, author)


I once heard somebody say that signing tours could kill you faster
than drink, drugs and fast women; regrettably my experience in at
least two of those categories is limited, but during my recent mini-
tour of New York and Chicago it nearly came true. My assistant Rob
accompanied me to New York ComicCon, which was frenetic to say the
least, but even when you are jetlagged it's all in a day's work;
we've done this many times before. There is such a thing as signing
tour machismo.

It was a great event, especially meeting the actor Sean Astin and
catching up after a few years. So the day passed noisily, but that
was only one day down and then there was business to deal with at my
US publishers before a talk at Barnes & Noble and then more
publishing business and interviews and so on, after which we had a
free day before heading off to Chicago. Rob suggested we go and pay
our respects at Ground Zero. Unfortunately both of us had gone down
with a little bit of food poisoning, or so it seemed, but it
appeared to have gone away after lunch and so we got in a cab for an
extremely bumpy ride.

We headed south through Manhattan, both feeling absolutely dreadful.
We arrived at the foot of Freedom Tower and had enough time for one
single photograph before I decided to turn back, as I was feeling so
nauseous. We got back into the very same cab and began the trek back
to 52nd Street. However, we were only five minutes into the journey
when, according to Rob, my breathing became very laboured. I felt
very cold, although sweat was pouring down my face; I couldn't focus
and just seemed to be slipping away. There was nothing I could get a
grip on. Rob kept asking me if I was OK and assuring me we didn't
have far to go … the little liar! We still had a good 15 minutes
in that bumpy cab, and I have to take his word for what happened
next; I collapsed back into the seat and, again according to Rob,
was now definitely in a very bad way. But chalk one up for the boy
scouts and their first aid training, because he grabbed me and
cleared my airways – no task for the squeamish – while yelling
at the cabbie to drive faster.

By the time we got back to our hotel I was conscious enough to
decide that this was just one of those things and insisted that a
lie down would do the trick. However, my young-adult editor had
already called the doctor, and filled me up with Pringles and
vitamin drinks while we waited; and since they were worried, I was
worried too. By the time the doctor arrived I felt fine again, but
he insisted on giving me a good checking over. And good job he did,
because when he took my pulse he felt an irregular heartbeat and
immediately packed us all off to the nearest hospital. There I was
warned that I might quite possibly remain for a few weeks, as a
worst-case scenario, as they couldn't possibly recommend that I fly
in that state.

I was suddenly covered in miscellaneous pipes and electrodes. I was
impressed by the thoroughness of it all and even more impressed when
towards six in the morning they declared that as my heart had
spontaneously returned to a normal rhythm as far as they were
concerned I could leave, with a stern instruction to see my
specialist back in England as soon as possible. I did so and it
turned out that I had low blood pressure, probably exacerbated by
the circumstances of the signing tour, odd hours, jet lag, the
irregular meals and general rushing about. Nevertheless, on the day
after leaving the hospital we flew on to Chicago, where we did an
event at Anderson's bookshop – one of the best there is – and we
had a great crowd, none of whom would have known that there was
anything wrong. The show must go on.

The flight home was bearable, but I started thinking to myself,
"Look, you are in your mid-60s, with stents in your heart and a
daily pharmaceutical regime in a myriad glowing colours. And only a
few months ago you were charging through a bog in Borneo in search
of a lost orangutan." I remembered the days when I used to fly
around the US with nothing more than a transparent plastic bag, a
mobile phone, a wallet, yesterday's washing and a friendly grin for
every homeland security officer – necessary because authors on
signing tours don't have the same footprint in the eyes of security
professionals as real people; we tend to have a lot of one-way
tickets. My perfectly transparent bag also worried every single one
of them, because I wasn't carrying much clothing. (As recommended by
Neil Gaiman, I had adopted the sensible routine of buying fresh
clothes as required and then giving to the helpful escorts who
attend every author when they arrive in a new city a small bag of
used clothing and the money to post it back to the UK. Some of the
nicest ones actually washed them before doing so!)

When I put it like that, it seemed totally mad. Fun, but mad.
Perversely, it was a great life – it still is on the whole – and
I wish to keep it like that for as long as possible. Right now, I
see the calendar filling up and note that next year I will already,
among other things, be doing a tour of Australia and New Zealand,
attending the next American Discworld convention in Baltimore and a
host of lesser media engagements. It is amazing how many people want
me to do something that will take just "a moment of my time", which
invariably takes more than a week, and I suspect this is the same
for almost all authors.

Now that I have been made painfully aware of the ticking clock, and
the possibility of an erratically ticking heart, tiny voices are
saying things like, "You damn fool! You could be sitting at home in
the chapel, happily writing books and not worrying your wife too
much and staying within easy reach of a surgery and a pretty good
hospital." It's a thought, I suppose – and I will respect the
advice of my medics.

And the clock ticks...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Editor's note: to read this in its original form on the web, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/d4yjtsv

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
November 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 11, Post 5)
********************************************

01) EDITOR'S NOTE
02) YOUR DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE FOR NOVEMBER
03) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

In December, there will be reviews – of A Blink of the Screen, of
The Compleat Ankh-Morpork, or Turtle Recall, of Discworld plays
productions, and much more. But for now, as the last day of November
draws to a close and the Roundworld holiday madness and shopping
frenzy begins, I would like to make one very heartfelt
recommendation:

The! Compleat!! Ankh-Morpork!!! With multiple exclamation marks!!!!

Seriously, O Readers. If you only buy one Discworld product this
season, make it that one. This is an astonishingly fine production,
both artwork and text, and ought to grace every mantelpiece at this
time of year. Just buy it. And no, I'm not getting paid to say this.
All the rest of the new releases are great (I am assuming you
already have your copies of Dodger or have been assured they'll be
waiting under the tree for you at the appropriate time), but The
Compleat Ankh-Morpork is a triumph and delight that can be enjoyed
for years to come. Go on, you know you want to!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends! It is I, Fernando Magnifico, currently
returning to Ankh-Morpork from Brindisi after dealing with the
terrible family crisis about Auntie Maria's sauce. My friends, Lady
Anaemia Asterisk is not able to write the horoscopes this month, due
to armadillos, but do not be afeared, for Fernando will be your
horoscoper this month.

My friends, coming back to Brindisi has reminded Fernando how much
he misses the most excellente food of Brindisi and Genua. Ankh-
Morpork is the wonderful city, but, really, tinned bully beef,
boiled cabbage and knuckle sandwiches? Fernando knows the peoples of
Ankh-Morpork think a steaming bowl of Slumpie with Distressed
Pudding to finish is the height of grande cuisine, but if we are
going to be the truthful, my friends, we admit that height runs in
two directions and Ankh-Morporkian cuisine is not, as they say, at
the upper end. So this month, Fernando consults with the stars, and
his Auntie Maria, for suggestions and recipe tips to help improve
your cooking!

[Note for Roundworld readers: while we have taken every effort to
confirm that Fernando's recipes work as expected on the Discworld,
the lack of Narrativium and a magical field mean that we cannot
guarantee that the recipes will behave as expected on Roundworld. Or
even be safe for human consumption. – The Editor.]

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Currant Bun (formerly The Adamant Hedgehog) 21 Mar – 20 Apr

Bunnies, your cooking tip for this month is hardly cooking at all,
for it is how to prepare the most excellente salad, Brindisian
style, so simple that even the Brindisian men folks can do it! First
you must start with the salad greens. There are the many different
types of lettuce, you can use any of them (although Fernando
suggests you avoid the Sto Lat Bitey, as it tends to eat the rest of
the salad). But no cabbage! Cabbage is the fine vegetable, my
friends, but it is not for the salad. Chop up some ripe tomatoes,
add a few of the bocconcini cheeses or chunks of the baby Mozzarella
(do not worry my friends, it is not cruel, they hardly feel a
thing), perhaps the few slices of the red capsicum and a handful of
olives, then a splash of the olive oil and vinegar (red wine vinegar
for preference, but cider vinegar will do), mix well, and you will
have the salad fit for a Brindisian King!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich 21 Apr – 21 May

Sandies, the stars tell Fernando that your cooking tip is to make
the new invention from Ankh-Morpork itself, the deep-fried dripping
sandwich. My friends, a couple of deep-fried dripping sandwiches on
the cold winter day will stick to your ribs and keep the Morporkian
winter chill out, trust Fernando on this. Take the large pot of oil
and gently bring it to the boil. While that is happening, prepare
your favourite batter, spread a generous amount of dripping on some
bread, and top with a second slice. Once the oil begins to bubble,
batter the dripping sandwich, place it in the wire basket, and lower
it gently into the oil to cook for a couple of minutes. But watch
out for splashes, especially if you are like Fernando and prefer to
do your cooking "au naturale" as they say, excuse my Quirmian.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Knotted String (formerly Herne the Hunted) 22 May – 21 Jun

Knotties, let Fernando and the stars pass on to you the secret for
making the most excellente roasted chickens, Brindisian style. But
beware, for this is not for those with the delicate stomachs,
neither for the invalids and the small childrens, for this is the
hot chilli style. After eating one of these, you too will have the
red-hot blood like the Brindisians! Take your cleaned bird and split
it down the middle along the breast bone. Spread it out and cover in
ground hot chillies, red wine, finally chopped garlic, herbs and
more chillies. Let the chicken marinate for a few hours, then roast
in the oven as usual. Did Fernando mention the hot chillies? Trust
Fernando on this, there is nothing like eating the hot and spicy
bird to clear out the tubes.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob 22 Jun – 22 Jul

Staffies, while Fernando is sure that many of you have the good
cooking skills, unfortunately even more of you can barely make
yourself the cup of tea even if someone else boils the water first.
But do not be afeared my friends, for if you listen carefully to
Fernando and the stars, you too will be able to, well, if not quite
cook, at least make yourself the cup of tea. There are, of course,
the many styles of making tea. There is the "old boot" style, where
you take the handful of tea leaves, toss them in an old boot (for
preference, an old army boot), and boil until the leather is soft
enough to eat. Toss the boot away, and you have the perfect cup of
tea just as His Grace Commander Sir Samuel Vimes would drink it. For
those of the more delicate taste, leave out the boot, add the tea
leaves to the freshly boiling water after straining out any newts,
and allow the tea leaves to stew for a few minutes.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers 23 Jul – 23 Aug

Bilians, in these multicultural times you never know when you may
find yourself preparing a meal for Dwarfs. You can show your
cultural sensitivity by preparing a meal for them in their native
style. Here is how to cook stuffed rat, Dwarfish style. Take a dozen
cleaned and shaved rats and one loaf of the genuine Dwarf Bread,
none of that rubbish made from plaster. Using the hammer and chisel,
break the dwarf bread into the pieces small enough to stuff into the
rats. Season well with salt, pepper, garlic and chopped parsley.
Place in a large casserole dish with a bottle of ale. Help yourself
to a bottle while you're working. Bake, covered, for five hours. Add
four chopped onions and another bottle of ale, plus one for the
cook. Return rats to the oven for a further five hours. Add another
couple of bottles of ale, one for the rats, one for the cook. Bake
another five hours. Continue in this way every five hours until the
rats are tender or the cook can no longer stand, whichever happens
first. Serve piping hot with a sprig of fresh parsley and a large
tankard of ale. After the meal, separate the pieces of dwarf bread
from the left-overs, as they are good for filling potholes.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

My Uncle's Nose 24 Aug – 23 Sept

Nosers, your recipe tip this month is the healthy apple jelly made
from apples. Mostly apples. My friends, this is the especially good
treat for the small childrens when they are over excited, a bowl or
two of this and they will sleep the sleep of the innocent, possible
for two or three days. Take four pounds of good tart cooking apples,
unpeeled and uncored. Chop into quarters, mix with three cups water
and one cup cider vinegar. Add cinnamon, allspice, the juice of one
lemon, and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain
the juice out, add four cups of sugar and mix well. Don the
protective clothing, available for reasonable prices from swamp-
dragon fanciers, and very carefully add one half cup of best quality
scumble to the juice. Make sure you are using a copper pan, you know
what scumble does to iron. Boil for a further 10 minutes or until
the fumes become overpowering. Allow the jelly to set, and serve
with cream. Keep away from naked flames.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars 24 Sept – 23 Oct

Boring'uns, there is only so long that a person can live on the weak
milky tea, the boiled cabbage, and the plain lettuce salads. Even
the Boring'uns sometimes has the craving for something a little more
exciting, even exotic. So listen to Fernando as he tells you two
exotic words: Boiled. Rice. Yes my friends, you too can learn to
make the boiled rice, just like the Agateans do. Start with a pot of
water. Bring it to the boil. Add your rice, and cook until done. Be
careful about overdoing it my friends, for today it is boiled rice,
and tomorrow it could be fried rice, and then where would you be?
Trust Fernando, for this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis 24 Oct – 22 Nov

Andies, Fernando has checked his star charts, and checked them
again, and even the third time, and he is afraid that he has the bad
news, for there can be no doubt – your cooking tips are about the
Quirmian cooking. Huh, they call it cooking, but let Fernando tell
you, it is hardly worthy of the name. They cut the garlic up the
wrong way, and use the wrong sorts of onions, and don't get Fernando
started about the cheese! And the avec! It's avec with this, and
avec with that! And they deliberately use the confusing language, as
in the saying "fines herbes" when they simply mean good tasting
herbs, or "confit" when they simply mean "cooked in something gooey
until it falls apart and goes all runny and then stored in the runny
goo". My friends, there's hardly anything to be said for the
Quirmian cooking tips. Take any old slop, toss in the double-handful
of avec, and as quick as a Quirmian footsballer can fake being
injured to get the free penalty shot, you have the Quirmian cooking.
Fernando is so very sorry.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov – 21 Dec

Spooners, it is one of those little jokes of the Gods that your
cooking tip is all about the soup. Which you eat with the spoon.
(Feel fortunate that, as Godly jokes go, this one has no rains of
fire.) So listen very carefully to Fernando: the secret to the good
soup is not to hurry it. If you just boil up your ingredients the
quickly, you will get soup, but it will be the thin, mild soup,
suitable only for Boring'uns. For the most excellente flavourful
soup, be prepared to leave it simmering on the low heat for the many
hours. Fernando's Auntie Maria sometimes would keep a pot of soup
simmering for three days. She would guard it night and day to stop
anyone sneaking a taste before it was ready. As a small boy,
Fernando would often get the wooden spoon rapped over his knuckles.
But it was worth it, for when the soup was finally ready Auntie
Maria would give Fernando the first bowl of piping hot soup with the
thick slice of crusty bread.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester 22 Dec – 20 Jan

Hokians, your cooking tip is how to turn the common banananananana
into the meal fit for the king. First, take your banananananana to
the Unseen University Library, and say to the Librarian, "Mr
Librarian, I shall give you this fine banananananana which has
hardly any bruises at all to you in exchange for a bag of sugared
peanuts." Then take that bag of peanuts to Sator Square, where you
will find C.M.O.T. Dibbler, to whom you will say "Throat, I will
barter this bag of peanuts, with nearly all of the sugar left on
them, for one of your fine sausages-inna-bun with mustard." In this
way, by the carefully "trading up" as they say each time, in just
six or seven months you will have exchanged a common banananananana
for a seven course meal at La Mere des Dieux aux Grands Seins.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Big Chicken 21 Jan – 18 Feb

Squawkers, your cooking tip from the stars is for not so much the
cooking as the baking. And what could be more basic to the art of
the baking than making a cake? Many peoples think that the baking of
cakes is the molto complicated, but trust Fernando, if you follow
this basic recipe you will not fail! First you beat 3/4 cup of sugar
with 1/4 cup of butter, then beat in one teaspoon of the vanilla
essence. Then take two eggs of the hen, one cup of ordinary flour,
two teaspoons of the baking powder (Fernando is told that Morpork
Bakeries, the traditional figgineers in Morpork Street, make the
best baking powders) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and mix these into
the first mixture in the alternating batches. Last of all take the
half cup of the fresh milk and stir it in. When your cake batter is
smooth as the skin of a Brindisian senorita, pour into your baking
dish and bake until done. If the cake is crunchy, you forgot to
separate the eggs from the egg shells. See? Simple. Trust Fernando,
for this is so!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hyperopia's Buckle (formerly Lesser Umbrage) 19 Feb – 20 Mar

Bucklers, you are known for your tendency to enjoy molto
enthusiastic celebrations, especially if they involve the exciting
"grog" or even the Special Sheep Liniment, so you will be pleased to
hear that your recipe tip this month is for Party Punch, so called
because the parties with the Party Punch often end up with the
lawyers getting involved because the party of the first part punched
the party of the second part. According to legends the original
Party Punch was invented in Klatchistan from the fermented palm sap,
spiced tea, sugar, water, and the juice of lemon, and punch purists
will tell you that true Party Punch always will have only five
ingredients, but punch *drinkers* will tell you that any number of
ingredients is molto bene so long as the final concoction is tasty
and doesn't burn holes in the host's carpet. There are many Party
Punch recipes to choose from, from the Genuan Rum Punch to the
classic Brindisian Sangria Punch to the famous Agatean Wedding Punch
which includes the Barking Dog fireworks powder. There are even the
recipes for the alcohol-free punch, but Fernando knows you have no
interest in those! But the Party Punch that is most appropriate for
Bucklers is the recipe known as Rubbish Bin Punch. First you need a
30-gallon rubber rubbish bin (new is best of course), as sold by the
Wallace Sonky factory at very good prices. Then you take the
following ingredients with your bin to the party: ten bottles of
light rum, ten bottles of dark rum, four bottles of orange liqueur,
three stones of firm fruit and ten pounds of stone fruit, three
gallons of orange juice, three gallons pineapple juice, thirty cups
of fresh lime juice, ten cups of pomegranate syrup, five tablespoons
of Wow-Wow Sauce, and a very large bottle of maraschino cherries.
Mix all together, steal a few cases of beer to drink while the punch
is marinating, and you and several hundred friends will be
guaranteed of the good time!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) CLOSE

And that's it from us – finally! – for November. Now to see if I
can have a few quiet days before yet more Pterry news comes over the
Clacks... See you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

———————————————————————————————————
If you have any questions or requests, write:
interact@...
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
December 2012 (Volume 15, Issue 12, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Thomas
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2012 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) WOSSNAME REVIEWS: A BLINK OF THE SCREEN; THE COMPLEAT ANKH-
MORPORK
04) PRAISE FOR THE LONG EARTH
05) "THE DUEL" PROGRESSES
06) WINCANTON'S HOGSWATCH AND TWINNING CELEBRATIONS
07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
08) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
09) THE THINGS PRATCHETT FANS SAY...
10) REVIEW: DODGER
11) REVIEW: A BLINK OF THE SCREEN
12) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
13) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
14) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
15) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
16) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Our fondest memory will always remain eating astronomers chilli
with Patrick Moore & @DrBrianMay at 3am during a Perseid shower. A
legend."

– Terry Pratchett


"Pratchett, despite the slapstick, the terrible jokes and the very
clever complicated jokes, is somehow wise and grown up. As a reader
I trust him."

– A.S. Byatt

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Here we are in the final days of 2013, a year some of probably
thought we'd never see – and a year that Sir Terry Pratchett,
creator of the Discworld, thought would be past the days of his last
projected Discworld novel! Or so he told Stephen Briggs back in
1994, when Mr Briggs was conducting the "definitive" Terry Pratchett
interview for the very first Discworld Companion:

SB: Do you see yourself still writing Discworld books in ten years'
time?

TP: No. Not even in five years' time. Certainly not on a regular
basis, anyway.

How fortunate for all of us that he was so spectacularly mistaken!
Some eighteen-plus years and twenty-one Discworld novels later (not
counting a host of ancillary Discworld publications, most of which
featured The Author in – at the very least – a collaborative
role), the Discworld series is far from finished... and even though
none of us lasts forever, we now know that the series will endure
with a Pratchett at the helm for longer still. So raise your
already- charged holiday glasses in a toast to the
continuinuinuation of Terry Pratchett and Discworld. Long may both
endure, and so say we all!

As you probably know by now, the fourth Science of Discworld is
ready for the printers (see item 14 below for an image of the
forthcoming cover art). In January 2013 the Dorset Humanists will be
hosting a presentation by Science of Discworld co-author about,
yes, the science of Discworld, in, yes, Dorset!

"The Science of Discworld is a trilogy (with a fourth title expected
soon) of popular science books written by Terry Pratchett in
collaboration with mathematician Ian Stewart and biologist Jack
Cohen. Each book combines a Discworld-based story by Pratchett
interwoven with chapters on real world science by Stewart and Cohen.
In this highly entertaining presentation, Professor Cohen will help
us to view the science underpinning our world ('Roundworld') from a
completely different perspective. Join us for a talk that will
appeal to everyone with an interest in science, as well as to fans
of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series."

When: Saturday 12th January 2.00pm
Venue: Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown,
Bournemouth BH9 1TW
Tickets: free entry (donations appreciated). Everyone welcome!

Read all about it: http://tinyurl.com/d8vdla3

Word on the street is that Science of Discworld 4 will be released
on 11th April 2013. Stay tuned for more details!

Have you ever heard of the Unseen Library? No, not the UU one – a
very special run of deluxe Discworld books published in our own
universe! here is a description from the Fine and Finer Editions
blog:

"These deluxe volumes were published in batches by BCA, starting in
2001, often coinciding with the release of a new Pratchett novel.
Bound in quarter leather, with lavish gilt and using high quality
paper. The endpapers feature colour maps of Discworld and the covers
a tipped in image by Paul Kidby... The Unseen Library editions were
initially very popular – the run for The Colour of Magic was 7000
copies – but the series ran out of steam with the final release,
Maskerade, running to only 3000. Apparently the cost of production
was high so the printing error that required Maskerade to be redone
may have killed them off. (copies of MASKARADE are naturally very
collectable!) Nevertheless, these 18 volumes contain most of
Pratchett's best work in the Discworld universe: Guards! Guards!,
Small Gods, Equal Rites etc. Copies of the more popular novels are
often more expensive, yet supplies are plentiful and conditions are
often near perfect."

If you happen to be looking for some last-minute presents and happen
to have an enormous surplus of disposable income – or if, like me,
you simply want to drool longingly over some fabulous collectibles
that you might never be able to afford – have a shufti at this
link. Most of the volumes are offered for prices in the hundreds,
but it seems that there are a few going for prices commensurate with
an "ordinary" new Discworld hardcover edition:

http://tinyurl.com/c3hh3pm

(Source: _http://tinyurl.com/d8ldkk4_)

And now, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) THE WOSSNAME REVIEWS

By Annie Mac

3.1 A BLINK OF THE SCREEN

A Blink of the Screen: Collected Shorter Fiction, by Terry Pratchett

This is a book no Pratchett collector should be without. Far more
than a mere collection of leftovers and oddments, A Blink of the
Screen is a fascinating portrait of the evolution of a great writer.
Many of the pieces in it were formerly unavailable to the general
public, or cached away in a collection of other authors' wildly
uneven efforts, or mouldering in the archives of local newspapers
and minor science-fiction and fantasy magazines; others are reprints
or re-reprints but having them all in one place is a good, welcome
thing.

The book certainly counts as value for money. Over 300 pages long,
it consists of a foreword by award-winning author and noted
Pratchett fan A.S. Byatt, a section titled Non-Discworld Shorter
Writings, a section titled Discworld Shorter Writings, and an
Appendix which includes a deleted scene from the novella-length
Lancre Witches story, The Sea and Little Fishes. There are also
three generous selections of lovingly reprinted illustrations
commissioned for the original publications, almost all by Josh
Kirby.

The non-Discworld fiction that goes back to 1963 and has been
collected for the first time here includes, inter alia, the very
short stories Solution (clever, Nivenesque, about a smuggler and the
enforcer chasing him) and The Picture; the humorous bureaucrat-
bashing shorts Kindly Breathe in Short, Thick Pants and There's No
Fool Like an Old Fool Found in an English Queue; several of
Pratchett's charming "Uncle Jim" tales that show early hints of what
would become his Discworld writing style; and The High Meggas, "seed
story" for The Long Earth, which was originally published in 1986.

There are a fair number of stories that are technically second-hand
reprints, as they were originally collected and published in 2004's
Once More* with Footnotes, but given that OM*WF was meant to be a
special publication for WorldCon attendees, there were very few
copies of it printed and most Pratchett fans probably have never
seen much of its contents, so their inclusion here is justified. The
re-reprints include – and be warned, this list is long but even
so, not complete – Incubust (less a story than a cutely nerdy
drabble); Final Reward (a delicious tale of an author's
deliberately-killed- off creation coming back to haunt him; much,
much more fun to read than, say, The Dark Half, Stephen King's take
on the same subject); Turntables of the Night (which counts,
perhaps, as Early Death even though it has an original post-Mort
publication date of 1989); # ifdef DEBUG + "world/enough" + "time"
(I'll say it yet again: this is one of the all-time great science
fiction short stories, head and shoulders above even Robert
Heinlein's classic By His Bootstraps); Hollywood Chickens (a
howlingly funny short that walks all over the William Goldmans and
Howard Waldrops of this world); The Secret Book of the Dead (a twee
but truth-filled poem about pets' mortality); Once and Future (a
flawed but clever take-with-a-twist on the King Arthur legends); FTB
(possibly a cousin of Hex!); The Hades Business (his earliest
published story, presented with a needlessly apologetic foreword;
yes, the writing is rough and unpolished compared to his later work,
but even so it is of a standard that many published – and even
successful – authors *never* reach); The Ankh-Morpork National
Anthem (the full lyric and the story of its creation, both in
Roundworld and Discworld history); Medical Notes (a short catalogue
of uniquely Discworldly afflictions such as Attention Surplus
Syndrome and Paranoia Inversa); Thud — A Historical Perspective
(the title says it all); and Death and What Comes Next (about
uncertainty... and inevitability).

We also get The Sea and Little Fishes (Granny Weatherwax is forced
by circumstance – and Mrs Earwig – to be "nice"; the ensuing
horror is every bit as horrible as you might imagine); the Punch and
Judy-themed Theatre of Cruelty (in which Carrot investigates a
possible murder in a very Carrot-like fashion); and the famous Cohen
short story (and nascent film epic) Troll Bridge (while it's
fantastic as a standalone story and self-contained satire of fantasy
convention, in the context of the evolved Discworld canon it clangs
with wrongness. However, this probably makes it a very good way to
introduce non-Discworld readers to the series. Just a thought...)

And there's more! The marvellous A Collegiate Casting-Out of
Devilish Devices – in which A.E. Pessimal comes to do a time and
motion study at Unseen University, with predictably hilarious
results. Sir Joshua Easement: a Biographical Note (2010) –
Pratchett's contribution to the National Portrait Gallery's
"Imagined Lives" series, in which famous authors were invited to
provide faux biographical details for anonymous period paintings;
it's great fun to read and has a familiar feel as shown by this
sample: "Such of his papers as survive give a tantalising hint that
in failing to discover the Americas, he may inadvertently have
discovered practically everywhere else..."; the text of a short
speech, A Few Words from Lord Havelock Vetinari, on the occasion of
the twinning of Ankh-Morpork and Wincanton in 2002; and lastly,
Minutes of the Meeting to Form the Proposed Ankh-Morpork Federation
of Scouts (I found it clever but mild; my husband, on the other
hand, giggled madly, so your mileage may vary). All of these are
introduced by short observations from the author about the
provenance or original circumstances of publication of each.

All in all, A Blink of the Screen is a literary meal that satisfies.
If I had to pick a personal favourite from this huge and varied
collection, it would probably be the deleted scene from The Sea and
Little Fishes; I can see why it was deleted in the first place,
because the tone of it is much darker than the rest of the finished
story, but frankly that very darkness lifts it to a much higher
level of emotional impact. One can also see in it the seeds of some
important parts of Carpe Jugulum and the Tiffany Aching stories.

A Blink of the Screen is more than a reference and more than a
history. It's a compendium that can be re-read over and over, and a
fine addition to any Pratchett bookshelf. Highly recommended.


3.2 THE COMPLEAT ANKH-MORPORK

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork is truly a marvel. I was looking forward
to its publication, and I have to say that it exceeded my
expectations in every way. Starting with the exquisite slipcase,
which is a facsimile of the City Guide's hard cover and contains a
sturdy pocket for the removable map itself – and a sturdy pocket
is needed, as the map is huge! – you open it to find a gorgeous
book in which no detail has been overlooked, from the rich blue-and-
gold of the covers to the subtly marbled endpapers and the
parchment-like paper of the pages to the flawless print quality of
the many images. It's a fabulous thing to look at, and it brings the
Citie of One Thousande Surprises to life as never before.

In The Compleat Ankh-Morpork you will find a treasure-trove of
"Essential Information for the Traveller", covering notable laws and
ordinances, public transport, accommodation, where to eat (and,
especially, drink), where to buy stamps or send a clacks message, a
guide to various entertainments, and a guide to places of worship.
There is a Guilds guide, a guide to Clubs and Societies, a section
of the Unseen University, a selection of Walking Tours of the City,
a Directory of Principal Pumps and Wells, and a detailed set of
"Maps of the Shades and Environs". And then you have the main
event(s): a fully illustrated 35-page Directory of Ankh-Morpork
Merchants, Traders and Services, and the Annotated Directory of the
Streets, Alleys, Roads, Lanes and Yards of Ankh-Morpork, giving
exact map locations for all and fascinating histories for many.

And oh, the illustrations! The original Ankh-Morpork map and
gazetteer, The Streets of Ankh-Morpork (Corgi, 1993), was created by
the collaborative duo of Pterry and Stephen Briggs, drawn –
beautifully – by Stephen Player and illustrated – also
beautifully – by the multitalented Mr Briggs. This time around,
the art and text of the Guide is a collaboration between Pterry and
The Discworld Emporium (Bernard and Isobel Pearson, Reb Voyce, and
Ian Mitchell) and is every bit as beautifully drawn and illustrated,
but the difference lies in quantity rather than quality. To call the
illustrations "lavish" barely does justice to their impact. The
sheer number of them! The detail! The complexity! The way they seem
to combine all the various official visual realisations of this
great city, from the earliest Map to The World of Poo! (My personal
favourite is the full-page illustration on page 102, which would
surely bring a tear of delighted approval to Hogarth's eye were he
still among the living.)

Most of all, The Compleat Ankh-Morpork is a testament to the way the
Discworld universe has grown, evolved... and grown up. Yes, the
tradition of using wonderfully awful puns as names has continued –
in addition to the many amusing place and street names we already
knew, we also now know that the great city of Ankh-Morpork contains
Over-Easy Street (coming off Tenth Egg Street, appropriately), Fair
Fowl Lane, Wartson Hall Road, Turney Down, Backhand Forth, Robes
Pier and Amper Sands, to name but a few – but there is also a
wealth of the kind of ingeniously daft (and oddly believable) names
that made us fall in love with the Big Wahoonie in the first place.
Blatant Moorsfoot, First On The Right Street, Proven Fruit, High
Trouser Lane, Diribitory March, Butter Gusset Lane, Loopers Maw,
Feathermist Vennel, Small-But-Delicious-Fishes Avenue... the list of
wonderful names goes on and on yet never wearies. The Directory of
Principal Pumps and Wells alone contains more punnery than you can
shake a Fools Guild bladder-on-a-stick at. And for the er um more
fandom-oriented aficionado, there is the fun of finding all the
"insider" names (for instance Harkin, a "place close to the Cattle
Market, renowned for small back-room operations, the production of
quack medicines and brewing")... and for the rest of us, the fun of
wondering "Who is Frederick Hillam and why does he have a crescent
named after him?"

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork combines in one volume the whimsy of the
various Discworld Almanacks and the visual delights of some of the
best of Discworld art. If I seem ridiculously enthusiastic about it,
I assure you that I mean every word of praise. The only cavil I can
come up with is that the map itself seems to be of a thinner and
lesser-quality paper than its 1993 predecessor, but given its
increased size and the fact that it is a double-sided printing –
on the reverse of the map is an iconograph-style panorama of the
whole of the city, so anyone wanting to frame and hang it might have
to consider buying a second copy, and that might be entering the
realm of the truly obsessed – this is probably an unavoidable
situation.

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork is superb. It is, in my opinion, the best
of all the ancillary Discworld publications. It is, in a word...
compleat. Buy it, pore over it, get lost in it. You'll never look
back – especially if you find yourself on Don't Look Back Street!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) PRAISE AND KUDOS FOR THE LONG EARTH

WOSSNAME congratulates Sir Pterry and Stephen Baxter on The Long
Earth being voted best science fiction book of 2012 by the reader-
driven site Goodreads. TLE won the category (science fiction) with
7670 votes.

Also, The Independent lists The Long Earth as one of its most highly
recommended "books of the year" in science fiction, fantasy and
horror, calling it "a rollicking tale:

http://tinyurl.com/b3fdode

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) "THE DUEL" PROGRESSES

On Irish media news site IFTN:

"Pre-production has begun on Irish animation 'The Duel', with
acclaimed fantasy writer Terry Pratchett on board as executive
producer. Dublin-based Giant Animation Studios developed the idea
and began pre-production after award-winning writer Pratchett
approved an initial treatment... The project is a collaboration
between Giant Animation and the Animation Hub; a collective of
animators from Ballyfermot College of Further Education and Trinity
College Dublin. The aim of the Animation Hub is to work on high end
projects that have an educational/incubation remit, where students
get hands-on experience on a full production delivered by a
professional studio...

"Sean Mullen, Alex Sherwood and Ben Harper of Giant Animation wrote
the script and will direct the short. Giant's Daniel Spencer and
programme leader of the BA (Hons) Animation Gareth Lee are
producing. David Lloyd is the executive producer with Pratchett...
'The Duel' is due for completion in August 2013."

http://tinyurl.com/c62dwdf

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

O6) WINCANTON'S HOGSWATCH AND TWINNING CELEBRATIONS

Here be a blogpost from the lovely Muriel Lavender, performance poet
and Discworld fan:

"I've given several poetry performances this weekend as part of the
10th anniversary celebrations of the twinning of Ankh-Morpork, the
greatest city on the Discworld, with Wincanton in Somerset – home,
naturally, of the Discworld Emporium and the finest Hogswatch
celebrations you'll see anywhere. It's an overwhelming thing to have
been part of – the love, warmth and passion of all those Discworld
devotees, who brought together all those other warm and passionate
Discworld devotees from around the globe... I believe Sir Terry
Pratchett himself describes his most dedicated Discworld followers
as 'Bloody Loonies'. It's clear that his regard for these Loonies is
both warm and mutual. I was privileged to be part of all this
inspired lunacy this weekend. Speaking of Sir Terry, he came in
during my performance and took a seat. That was a very special
moment for me. The generosity (and, it must be said, devoted fandom)
of the Discworldians who attended the auction, raised over £2900
for The Research Institute for the Care of Older People..."

Muriel's page includes a number of photos from the day, including
some very impressive Discworld costumes!

http://tinyurl.com/cqb2zz6


From This Is Somerset:

"The town welcomed hundreds of visitors as part of the three-day
annual Hogswatch celebrations. An army of Pratchett fans joined
local dignitaries in celebrating the tenth anniversary since
Wincanton was twinned with fictional Discworld city Ankh-Morpork. A
civic ceremony was held in the town hall on Saturday to mark the
milestone. Despite Saturday's scheduled grand parade from the
Discworld Emporium to Market Square falling victim to the foul
weather, organisers were delighted to see that 'the spirit of the
occasion was not dampened'. Reb Voyce, who works at the Discworld
Emporium, said: 'We had so many new people travelling into the town
from all over Europe. It's a truly unique event to celebrate a
unique link that Wincanton has with Discworld...'"

http://tinyurl.com/cmnwmom


From the Western Gazette:

"The Compleat Ankh-Morpork is the newly-released travel guide to
Pratchett's famous fictional metropolis. Each book includes a giant
double-sided street map and aerial view along with a comprehensive
trade directory and gazetteer. To mark the book's launch, an army of
loyal fans travelled from far and wide to Wincanton – in
traditional Discworld attire... Treacle Mine Road, Peach Pie Street
and Morpork Street are among Wincanton's streets showcasing its
fantasy phenomenon. Bernard Pearson, owner of the Discworld Emporium
on the town's high street and good friend of Sir Terry, pioneered
the twinning of the town with Ankh-Morpork ten years ago. He said:
'This latest book is the culmination of a year's research and
artistic endeavour, and a testament to Pratchett's genius as a
fantasy writer. All of us at the Discworld Emporium are proud to
have played a part in it's production, and pleased to further
strengthen Wincanton's ties with Ankh-Morpork in the tenth
anniversary year of the famous town twinning.'...

"Colin Winder, mayor of Wincanton, said: 'Hogswatch is absolutely
great for the area, anything that gives us wide publicity has to be
welcomed...'"

(includes a lovely photo)

http://tinyurl.com/c4smf84

[Editor's note: Wincanton's mayor has an eerily appropriate surname
– let's just hope he doesn't share certain less salubrious
qualities with the former Patrician of Ankh-Morpork!]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

07) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

7.1 REMINDER: THE FIFTH ELEPHANT IN READING

The Progress Theatre of Reading will present their production of The
Fifth Elephant (adapted by Stephen Briggs and directed by Chris
Moran) in January 2013.

When: Thursday 17th to Saturday 26th January 2013
Venue: Progress Theatre, Reading, Berks
Time: 7:45pm (with Matinees on Saturday 19th and 26th at 2:30pm)
Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions), available in advance from Reading
Arts Box Office (phone 0118 960 6060, booking fee applies) or by
application in person at the Hexagon or Town Hall.

http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/shows/the-fifth-elephant/


7.2 REMINDER: DODGER IN ABINGDON

The Studio Theatre Club's world stage premiere of Dodger will take
place on 22nd to 26th January 2013!

How to book:

Send your ticket order (with back-up choices if you're after Friday
or Saturday tickets); your cheque (payable to 'STC' – £8.50 per
ticket), and a stamped, self-addressed, envelope to:

Studio Theatre Club (Dodger)
PO Box 1486
Oxford
OX4 9DQ

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/CurrentPlans.html


7.3 REVIEW: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN EMERALD, FOURECKS

Reviewed for WOSSNAME by Sir Jase

Last Sunday my family and I headed up the hills for our first taste
of live Discworld with Guards Guards by the Gemco Players. After
complimentary sherries (which were also complementary to the
experience) and an assurance to one CMOT Dibbler that one programme
each was enough thanks, we headed into the intimate theatre at the
Gem Community Arts Centre.

The amateur cast handled the play with an enthusiasm which engaged
the intimate but full theatre. They delivered the jokes well and
played the physical comedy with no hesitation. Supporting cast held
their end up and allowed a number of standout performances. Carmella
Pezzimenti played an appropriately robust and hearty Lady Sybil with
just a touch of softness and Adam Ballis played his characters with
relish, especially a particularly affronted Urdo Van Pew. Adam
Houham's descent into madness as Lupine Wonse almost made me forget
I was watching a comedy for a while.

The brotherhood provided plenty of laughs, notably ten year old
Caleb Hope's Brother Dunnykin harping on about his three dollars,
and the three watchmen had good chemistry as a team. Having not seen
a Discworld play before, I was interested to see how the Librarian
would work, but Jordan Galt injected sentences of meaning into every
Ook!

We did find Footnote a little distracting. The schoolmarmish
character was played well enough, but we noticed that the slow
expository style did disrupt the comedic flow in the faster scenes
– delivering the footnote with the same pace as the rest of the
action would have felt more integrated.

The set was well constructed, using limited space with versatility
– a rotating set to one side allowed quick, unobtrusive changes,
and the director's good use of the whole area helped to engage the
audience. The heads of the watchmen poking above the rooftops made
for good visual comedy. Errol was adorably puppeteered, and lighting
and special effects lent depth and magic to the action on stage.

Overall, a great afternoon was had by us. In her first major
production Evie Housham has directed an energetic band of Gemco
Players to a very enjoyable show.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

08) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

8.1 STEPHEN PLAYER INTERVIEW

Some extracts from a recent Plain Ketchup podcast interview with
Discworld illustrator Stephen Player:

"Is it true you rather draw from memory and imagination than pure
observation?

"What seems to be strange in America is that referencing things
seems to be completely acceptable. When I was a child, if you were
found to have copied it from a photograph, then that negated the
whole thing. Everybody would be like "You cheated," so I forced
myself to learn to draw so that I could draw things from imagination
because that's all that was valid. It was a strange little "Village
of the Damned" that I was living in because it doesn't seem to have
affected anybody else.

"You were the concept artist on the film Hogfather. Your work
inspired their wardrobe designers, CGI artists, and set designers.
To actually see things that you designed in existence, how surreal
is that?

"I'm very aware of how art changes from the conception to being in
the movie, so I didn't expect my designs to appear as I did them,
but there were a lot of things in that movie that were straight from
my drawings. I was quite surprised. The sock eating creature was
pretty much 100% from what I drew, and Hex the computer, and of
course the bone castle.

"Do you still have any drawings from when you were a kid?

"Recently, my sister had found some portfolio that was stuck under a
bed forever, full of my stuff from school. So yeah, I suddenly
discovered this whole treasure trove–well, I know treasure isn't
quite the word–but it was actually strange, like meeting old
friends you'd almost forgotten. And then, 'Oh my God, I spent hours
and hours over that drawing.' What I should say is that they were
not as good as I remembered because that would show humility, but I
was actually kind of impressed. Because I teach now, you see, so I
know the levels that tend to be around, and I was actually pretty
good for that age."

Player also talks about the process of designing the very first
Feegles in Wee Free Men. To listen to the entire interview, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/cbv53t8


8.2 ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH ROUNDUP

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine are experimenting with a new
use for "brain pacemakers":

"The surgery marks a new direction in clinical research and it's
designed to slow or halt the ravages of Alzheimer's. Instead of
using drugs, this study uses low-voltage electrical charges
delivered directly to the brain. In 2010, as part of a preliminary
study, the devices were implanted in six Alzheimer's patients in
Canada. Patients with mild forms of the disorder showed sustained
increases in glucose metabolism, an indicator of neuronal activity,
over a 13-month period. A second patient will undergo the same
procedure in December. 'Recent failures in Alzheimer's disease
trials using drugs such as those designed to reduce the buildup of
beta amyloid plaques in the brain have sharpened the need for
alternative strategies,' states Paul B. Rosenberg, site director of
the Johns Hopkins clinical trial. Some 40 patients will receive the
brain stimulation implant over the next year at Johns Hopkins and
four other institutions in North America as part of the ADvance
Study led by Constantine G. Lyketsos and Andres Lozano. Only
patients whose cognitive impairment is mild enough that they can
decide on their own to participate will be included in the trial...
The surgery involves drilling holes into the skull to implant wires
into the fornix on either side of the brain. This is a brain pathway
instrumental in bringing information to the hippocampus, and the
portion of the brain where learning begins and memories are made..."

or http://tinyurl.com/d73dmtc


Scientists in the UK have created brain cells from skin cells, to
study diseases such as Alzheimer's:

"Cambridge scientists have, for the first time, created cerebral
cortex cells – those that make up the brain's grey matter – from
a small sample of human skin... [this procedure] will enable
scientists to study how the human cerebral cortex develops, how it
'wires up' and how that can go wrong (a common problem leading to
learning disabilities). It will also allow them to recreate brain
diseases, such as Alzheimer's, in the lab. This will give them
previously impossible insight, allowing them to both watch the
diseases develop in real time and also develop and test new drugs to
stop the diseases progressing. Dr Rick Livesey of the Gurdon
Institute and Department of Biochemistry at the University of
Cambridge, principal investigator of the research, said: 'This
approach gives us the ability to study human brain development and
disease in ways that were unimaginable even five years ago'...

"Dr Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, the
UK's leading dementia research charity, said: 'We are really pleased
to have contributed funding for this work and the results are a
positive step forward. Turning stem cells into networks of fully
functional nerve cells in the lab holds great promise for
unravelling complex brain diseases such as Alzheimer's...'"

or http://tinyurl.com/bnxe397


A study has found new information about how the tau protein, an
Alzheimer's indicator, spreads in the brain:

"In the study, the researchers used genetically modified mice to
have a human gene for abnormal tau protein in the frontal lobe,
where tau is supposed to begin its accumulation. The brains were
analyzed over a period of 22 months to map the protein's spread.
They discovered that tau spread to different regions of the brain
across the synapses. These new clues might provide a way to stop the
neurodegenerative disease from getting worse. Karen E. Duff, a
pathologist at the Columbia University Medical Center, in New York
City, states that this follows what they see in the earliest stages
of human Alzheimer's disease. Scientists knew that the disease
spread from one region in the brain to others, but brain scans and
autopsies remained inconclusive. The tau pathology starts in the
entorhinal cortex, and spreads from there. An effective treatment,
which would emulate how physicians treat cancer, would include early
detection and some form of a new treatment at the early stage of the
disease, when it's most amenable to treatment..."

or http://tinyurl.com/bteqava


8.3 BUY THIS BOOK!!!

As reviewed in item 3.2 above: here be details regarding the
purchase of that most excellent artefact, The Compleat Ankh-Morpork.
No Discworld-lover's home should be without one. No, really.

"This magnificent guidebook is the culmination of a year's research
and artistry, a feat only possible with the vision, direction and
penmanship of one Sir Terry Pratchett. As proud producers of this
marvellous tome we can confidently say that The Compleat Ankh-
Morpork is one of the most detailed, and finely crafted fantasy maps
ever devised. Contained within is a comprehensive gazetter and trade
Directory, along with all the civic and municpal information deemed
useful to the inhabitant, or visitor to the Big Wahoonie. Also
included is a spectacular double-sided pull-out map measuring a
whopping 95 x 85cm. One side boasts a detailed plan of all known
streets, cuts and alleys, while the other bears an artistic
rendition of Ankh-Morpork so beautiful that it is guaranteed to stir
wonder in the hearts of any Discworld fan."

The price is £23.00. Yes, you might get it cheaper on a certain
enormous and world-spanning commercial website, but that isn't
really the point – and if you order from the Cunning Artificer's
Discworld Emporium, not only are you supporting a business at the
very heart of Discworld-dom, but you will also get a beautiful extra
that's totally exclusive to the pride of Wincanton:

"As we were lucky enough to have a hand in producing The Compleat
Ankh-Morpork, we're giving away 'The Compleat Story' with every copy
in celebration of it's release, and as a thank you to our loyal
customers. This A3 double-sided behind-the-scenes tale will give you
a special insight into our involvement in the project from
conception to 'compleation'. Features material from the cutting room
floor, insider information and, we're delighted to say, a little bit
of nudity!"

For more information, and to order, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/d7rp53j

And while you're there, adding a mere tenner will get you a related
– and also fabulous – Ankh-Morpork keepsake:

"Fed up?  Need a break?  Looking for a change? Why not rent a place
in the most interesting part of the most exciting city in any
Multiverse? For just £10.00 you could have a pied-a-terre in the
'folklorique' and fragrant heart of Ankh-Morpork!

"Send no money today and you could miss out on the opportunity of a
lifetime, or sign up with Portal Properties, sole agent for Unreal
Estate at the Discworld Emporium, and secure an affordable living
space in a most desirable dwelling house in the Shades. We have a
portfolio of properties available to rent now - Just leave it all to
us; with space at a premium and many neighbourhoods being populated
by newcomers of various species, our team of experts at Portal
Properties will find the right place for you.

"As soon as we receive your down-payment, a short-term lease will be
drawn up on the property we have selected for you. This will be sent
to you along with our terms and conditions. No references required!
You will be sent three legal sized, colour sheets inside an
attractive property portfolio. The first sheet is your lease and
tenancy agreement, the second sheet outlines the position and nature
of your property and surroundings and the third sheet deals, mainly,
with your conditions of tenure. Each lease is good for a year and a
day and has the relevant duty stamp."

Price: £10.00

For more information, and to order, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/c2kgsba


8.4 NADWCON UPDATE

For those of you planning to attend next year's NADWcon, membership
discounts still apply until the end of December! A full adult
membership 9ages 13 and up) costs $99 now but will go up after New
year's Eve to eleventy ($111, for any non-hobbit-savvy).

Child memberships (ages 6-12) are now $49.50, going up to $55.50 in
January; family memberships (up to two parents/guardians and their
dependent children), now $297, will become $333; memberships for
children ages 5 and under are free. There are still supporting
memberships available until the end of this month, priced at $33.
For further details, including qualifications for dependent
children, go to:

www.nadwcon.org/signup/membership

Confirmed guests for the convention, which will run from 5th – 8th
July 2013 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, include Sir
Pterry (health permitting) and Rob, Pat Harkin, "Team Artificer"
(Bernard Pearson, Reb Voyce and Ian Mitchell), Esther M. Friesner,
and The Long Earth co-author Stephen Baxter.

www.nadwcon.org

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

09) THE THINGS PRATCHETT FANS SAY...

Sean Hosking says...
Just finished reading Snuff. Went straight out and bought world of
poo for my 5 year old son. lol. Now tonight to start Dodger! Hooray.
Can't wait. Snuff was awesome by the by. If I could have a man
servant to watch my kids it would be Willikins hands down. That guy
is as tough as 2 dollar steak.

Paul Davis-Cooke says...
Like millions of other people with this terrible addiction, I have
everything Sir Terry has published, some in more than one format. My
self control has been so undermined that I cannot resist the
temptation to read, re-read and continuously torture myself with his
outpourings. Dodger is a triumph and has only one fault, it should
be three times as long. I was so immersed in the atmosphere that I
didn't want it to end. I am still waiting to wake up on discworld
and find that all this was a crazy dream, but The Long Earth,
Nation, Dodger, is there nothing he can't do?

Estelle Pieters says...
My very beloved husband recently passed away, he introduced me to
Terry Pratchett many years ago, and in his last few months re-read
every novel Terry had written, the amazing humour and truth and
wonderful way of looking at life made his last months more bearable
for him. Thankyou to a great author, you will always be cherished.

Les McCormick says...
You were the first author to make me laugh VERY loud on a public
bus. Ill never forget that. From that i was hooked. Before that, I
had read things, very quietly. I still remember the moment, and the
bus that i caught. thank you Terry, thats what started me reading,
PASSIONATLY. I have always found it hard to relax, to get my brain
to stop ticking. But after reading your books i found a way to
relax. THANK YOU Terry. If you are ever in Sydney I would love to
but you a drink. As you good Sir changed my life.

Alexandria Hadkinson-Dunn says...
You are a genius of our times sir and my partner and I think you are
MOST incredible.

Mishka Greene says...
You are a great writer:) have thoroughly enjoyed nearly your whole
catalogue, and will again:)

Robert Benson says...
I had a really weird dream last night about Discworld. Lord Vetinari
passed away and Moist Von Lipwig became the new Patrician of Ahnk-Morpork.

Rogahar Zealus says...
I'd just like to say thankyou, Sir Pratchett, for bringing me an
entire childhood and continuing early adulthood of joy and laughter
from your excellent Discworld series :) I still have my father's
full collection of original paper and hardbacks of every one thus
far, save for Dodger which I plan on buying in short order. :D You
are a master of the written word, and you have my eternal thanks.

Sean P Barry says...
Just read your interview on A.V. Club website. Your closing comments
inspired me to come here and comment. You said you wish to be
remembered as "a really great writer", but you don't think you are.
Considering how many hours of happiness and entertainment your books
have given me Sir, I think you're a bloody fantastic writer, thank
you!

Alexandra Weisman says...
Just finished reading Snuff! I absolutely loved it! Thank you Sir! A
million thanks! It was such a pleasure reading it!

Brandon Tasha Bledsoe says...
Read "The Long Earth" today. So irresistibly captivating &
enthralling, I couldn't put it down until the end!

Kath Whitehead says...
I've made a convert! My friend asked me to loan him s few of my
discworld books, he's now hooked and keeps asking for more! He
managed 54 years without Pratchett, now he can't wait for next book!

Shea DuPree says...
The media player I use(VLC) just released an update called
"Twoflower" that they report will help with all the Ogg problems –
I nearly widdled meself!

Abbie Boniface says...
I have been reading the Wee Free Men to my kids. My son (6) just
said 'Ah Crivens, I've just spilled my juice!'

Dave Blackburn says...
It's beginning to smell a lot like Hogswatch,
Down at the old stockyard. Chops and hams and bacon rinds,
Rendering the lard...

Rebekah JosiLynne Sloan says...
Every Christmas for the past few years it has become tradition to
watch Hogfather. Today I put the movie on for me and my 7 year old
daughter and about halfway into the first night she says "I believe
in Santa and the Hogfather