Wossname - July 2015 - Main issue

[News and reviews about the works of Sir Terry Pratchett]

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2015 Main Issue (Volume 18, Issue 7, Post 1)

********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other 
stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works and activities of Sir Terry 
Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for 
members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, 
including the North American Discworld Society and other continental 
groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in 
Roundworld.

GNU Terry Pratchett: Sending Home, forever (and secreted in Wossname's 
own server)
Never forget: http://www.gnuterrypratchett.com/

********************************************************************

Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Wolfiekins, Mss C, 
Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancers: Jason Parlevliet, Archchancellor Neil, DJ Helpful
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) WITHOUT WHOM: A TRIBUTE TO THE LIVING
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) REVIEWS: THE LONG UTOPIA
06) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS AND UPDATES
07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
08) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
11) SOME NOTABLE "FANAC"
12) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS UPDATES AND REMINDERS
13) ROUNDWORLD TALES: WHAT DUCK? THE MEGAPODE WAS A MALLARD
14) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
16) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"It was lovely to get the chance to work with Terry Pratchett and 
creatively that's the top because you get to visualise what he was 
writing. When I first started working with him he had another artist 
called Josh Kirby who was doing covers. I actually queued up for a book 
signing for Terry and showed him some of the characters I had drawn and 
he later phoned me and said it was the closest drawing he had ever seen 
and from then on we started working together. Working with Terry was a 
fantastic opportunity because you are getting to a large audience. I 
think the diversity of Terry's writing is nice and most of the 
characters are not what you think they would be, so you have to try to 
depict them in the way that people see them."

– Paul Kidby, interviewed for Luton on Sunday

"It's impossible to escape inequality whether in a capitalist or a 
totalitarian system, but I do think that sometimes a benign dictatorship 
is preferable to a turbulent democracy."

– Pratchett fan Thomas Frith, aged 12, who presumably approves of Lord 
Vetinari's policies

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

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

The official Terry Pratchett website has had a bit of a reboot – and it 
looks fantastic! It includes a characters section, links to and updates 
from the official Pratchett Twitter and Facebook pages, a beautifully 
rendered timeline of Sir Pterry's life and achievements (with 
iconographs, of course), a guide to all the books, important links, and 
much more:

"'Dickens, as you know, never got round to starting his home page.' Sir 
Terry, on the other hand, most certainly did know his way around a 
computer... This is the brand new website for Terry Pratchett books, 
featuring a timeline of Sir Terry's life and a guide to some of the 
Discworld characters and the books they appear in. We do hope you like 
it, and thanks to all of you for bearing with us during the launch."

Wossname salutes all the people who worked hard to get the new site up 
and running. Do go have a wander around the site, O Readers!

http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/

*

For fans in the Continent of Fourecks, there's a *very* special offer at 
Booktopia for The Shepherd's Crown! "Pre-order your copy of Terry 
Pratchett's final novel, The Shepherd's Crown, by August 27th and you 
could win the ENTIRE DISCWORLD SERIES, worth $800!" Not only that, but 
if you pre-order now, the price is $32.95 – which represents a 27 per 
cent discount. You know you want to! To order, go to:

http://bit.ly/1ed6s1x

*

For residents of the UK: the Assisted Dying Bill will be debated in 
Parliament on 11 September. "On Sept 11th Terry Pratchett's wish to be 
'as good at dying as we are at living' is within the grasp of our MPs," 
say the organisation Dignity in Dying. If you are with Sir Pterry's 
wishes in this, now is a good time to contact your MP to say so.

http://www.dignityindying.org.uk/

*

Urgently needed: a decision on the cover art for the Gollancz reissue of 
Good Omens – and you, the reading public, are asked to decide! Closing 
date is 3rd August, so do hurry over and have a look and a vote:

"Calling all Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett fans! We need your help! 
We're delighted to announce that Gollancz will be publishing a new 
edition of the seminal GOOD OMENS, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, 
later this year. A while ago we produced a version consistent with our 
Discworld Library; now, for the first time, the book will be available 
in Neil Gaiman's consistent UK cover style, to sit alongside his 
existing backlist, which is with our sister company Headline. We've 
commissioned the artist for the Headline editions, Patrick Insole, to 
produce 3 possible images for the cover. We've shown them to Neil, and 
we showed them to Terry before his untimely passing, and they liked them 
all. Honestly, we couldn't decide – so now we want you to choose which 
one we use!

"Choose your favourite cover from the three below and we'll tally up the 
votes. The winning design will be used on the book – the others will be 
consigned to memory. And as a thank you 5 lucky voters will receive a 
copy of the new edition before it is published! Voting closes on the 3rd 
August at 23:59. Please leave a comment (you don't need to tell us your 
vote) below so we can include you in the prize draw. For full Terms and 
Conditions visit: http://bit.ly/1j04RgB Get voting!"

The three images, each with its own VOTE button, are featured directly 
under the text. Go for it!

http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2015/07/pratchett-gaiman-cover-pol/

[Your Editor's choice is lagging slightly behind, last time I looked. 
Here's hoping that enough other people agree with me on this...]

*

Paul Kidby's Discworld Knight has its own Facebook page – and yes, it 
can be seen by those of us who don't have a Facebook account! There are 
some excellent photos, information and links to enjoy:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Discworld-Knight/834625806644505

By the way, the quote from Paul Kidby at the start of this issue comes 
from a longer article in Luton on Sunday:

http://bit.ly/1KcW2xh

*

When Pterry received his honorary degree – one of many – from the 
University of Bristol eleven years ago, he joined a very distinguished 
company of co-honorees that included Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, 
David Attenborough, Alexander Fleming, Aung Sun Suu Kyi and Professor 
Peter Higgs of "god particle" fame. And the list goes on. It makes 
fascinating reading:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2015/july/famous-honoraries.html

Sir Pterry's other university awards included an Honorary Doctorate of 
Letters (Hon DLitt) from the University of Warwick in 1999 particularly 
notable as, shortly before the ceremony, he held a ceremony of his own 
to make Science of Discworld co-authors Ian Stewart and Dr Jack Cohen, 
who were also University of Warwick researchers, "honorary Wizards of 
the Unseen University"; an honorary Doctor of Letters in 2001 from the 
University of Portsmouth; one form the University of Bath in 2003; one 
from his "local", Buckinghamshire New University, in 2008, awarded after 
his keynote speech to the graduates; also in 2008, that rather more 
famous Litt. D. from Trinity College Dublin that led to his 
professorship there; Bradford University awarded him his honorary 
doctorate in 2009; also in 2009, the University of Winchester honoured 
him with a doctorate; a special DUniv from the Open University, for his 
contribution to Public Service; and last but certainly not least, an 
Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Australia in his beloved 
Fourecks. All of these richly merited honours were reported in Wossname 
at some point, but now you can say you have a list of them all in one place!

And now, on with the show.

– Annie Mac, Editor

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

03) WITHOUT WHOM: COLIN SMYTHE

The first – and unquestionably foremost – in what we hope will be a 
series on the vital but perhaps less widely known people who were 
instrumental in bringing Terry Pratchett's works to the world and 
helping to make him the literary icon he became...

The phrase "a gentleman and a scholar" is often used ironically or at 
least wryly these days, but in the case of Colin Smythe, Terry 
Pratchett's first publisher, long-standing literary agent, and lifetime 
close friend, it is nothing less than an accurate description. A 
graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Colin established an independent 
publishing company, Colin Smythe Ltd, in 1966, to specialise in 
publishing 19th and 20th century Irish literature; two years later, he 
met a young journalist who had written a children's book called The 
Carpet People. The rest is, of course, history – and sometimes Jograffy, 
Philosophy and Headology, not to mention Slood. Colin published Dark 
Side of the Sun, Strata, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic 
before handing over to Gollancz (in a co-publishing deal) in order to 
concentrate on being Pterry's agent, a position he continued.

The "and a scholar" part: in addition to his TCD qualifications, Colin 
is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of English Studies, School 
of Advanced Study, University of London, and has been a visiting 
professor in the English Department of the University of Ulster at 
Coleraine (1993–2002) and likewise at the Universidade Moderna in 
Lisbon. He received an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) in 1998 from the 
University of Dublin for services to Irish literature, and has edited 
and written a number of books on literary and historical figures, as 
well as contributing to other publications.

Despite years of travelling the world, Colin cherishes his home ground: 
he was born in Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire (barely 30 miles 
from London, for those of you not familiar with the Jograffy of the Home 
Counties), and has lived in Gerrards Cross in the county next door 
(Buckinghamshire, that is, and Gerrards Cross is very close to 
Beaconsfield where Sir Pterry was born and brought up) for forty-odd 
years now.

The "a gentleman" part: as a primary member of what your Editor thinks 
of as Team Pratchett, in addition to his agent-y duties, Colin has been 
an invaluable Guest of Honour at a number of Discworld conventions, 
where his savoir-faire and, yes, gentlemanliness have made him very 
popular with the fans. And he has been an equally invaluable and 
ever-helpful source of information for Wossname during the nearly twenty 
years of its existence, as well as pointing Pratchett fans around the 
world in the right direction for licensing and the other nuts and bolts 
of putting on Discworld plays. But most of all, Colin Smythe is a 
tireless worker for the Cause of Pratchett, always doing his best to 
ensure that the name and works of Sir Terry Pratchett will live on down 
the years and across as many lands and languages as possible. Oh, and 
did I mention the Archive? Since 2002 Colin has been donating Pratchett 
treasures – books, drafts, press and promotional material, Discworld art 
and models and posters, and indeed, even copies of Wossname – to a 
special library collection to help keep Sir Pterry's name up there with 
the like of that poet feller from Stratford.

So charge your glasses and raise a toast to Colin Smythe. Hurrah!

Biographical details can be found at 
https://2014.dwcon.org/pages/20/colin-smythe and 
http://idwcon.org/index.php/convention/confirmed-guests/colin-smythe.html – 
the latter includes a remarkable "mug shot".

The official Colin Smythe website lives at http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/ 
– Colin is currently working on major refurbishment of the sites, but 
there is a link on the main page to the archived version. Go on, have a 
wander...

p.s. Your Editor wishes to point out that Colin shares her passion for 
the works of William Butler Yeats. Between that and his work with and 
for Sir Pterry, no further proof is needed of the man's exquisite taste. 
Just saying.

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

04) ODDS AND SODS

4.1 SHAKING HANDS WITH DEATH: BOOK FORMAT RELEASE

"'Most men don't fear death. They fear those things – the knife, the 
shipwreck, the illness, the bomb – which precede, by microseconds if 
you're lucky, and many years if you're not, the moment of death.' – Sir 
Terry Pratchett

"You may have seen it on BBC1 or read it in A Slip of the Keyboard and 
now on 30th July, Shaking Hands With Death, Terry's most important essay 
on Alzheimer's and our right to a dignified death, will be available as 
a standalone book, with a new introduction by Rob Wilkins. When Terry 
Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in his fifties he was angry – 
not with death but with the disease that would take him there, and with 
the buggering disease can cause when we are not allowed to put an end to 
it."

Shaking Hands with Death will be released in paperback and Kindle 
editions on 30th July, with a recommended UK retail price of £3.99 
(book) or £1.49 (Kindle). To pre-order from Amazon if you must, go to:

http://classics.penguin.co.uk/c/11oILuXQxZYo0bWi43nhcYhwO

Your Editor will order it from a local bookshop. Delivery may take 
longer, price may be higher, but at least it's a more honourable and 
non-exploitative form of commerce.

Here be an image of the rather elegant cover, courtesy of Penguin 
Classics: http://bit.ly/1Ot1xXt

4.2 THE COMPLEAT DISCWORLD ATLAS: COMING SOON!

 From The Random House Group (UK):

Unseen University are proud to present the most comprehensive map and 
guide to the Disc yet produced. In this noble endeavour, drawing upon 
the hard won knowledge of many great and, inevitably, late explorers, 
one may locate on a detailed plan of our world such fabled realms as the 
Condiment Isles, trace the course of the River Kneck as it deposits silt 
and border disputes in equal abundance on the lands either side, and 
contemplate the vast deserts of Klatch and Howondaland – a salutary 
lesson in the perils of allowing ones goats to graze unchecked. This 
stunning work brings to life the lands and locations of the Discworld 
stories in a way never seen before. Accompanied by lavish full-colour 
illustrations and a detailed world map, this is a must-have for any 
Discworld fan.

Published by Doubleday, part of Transworld Publishers
Format: Hardback
Available to pre-order for 22 Oct 2015
Priced at £25.00

The page includes a direct Buy Now button:

http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/the-discworld-atlas/9780857521309

 From Penguin Random House Canada:

The Compleat Discworld Atlas Of General & Descriptive Geography Which 
Together With New Maps and Gazetteer Forms a Compleat Guide to Our World 
& All It Encompasses

By Terry Pratchett, aided and abetted by the Discworld Emporium

A brand-new and fully illustrated traveller's guide to Terry Pratchett's 
extraordinary and magical creation: the Discworld. Painstakingly 
compiled under the aegis of the Unseen University's Department of Cruel 
and Unusual Geography, The Discworld Atlas is a glorious travellers' 
guide to the marvellous world created by Sir Terry Pratchett. Drawing on 
myriad sources – from explorers' journals and prospectors' maps to 
archives of the great libraries and reports of merchants and 
missionaries alike – this stunning work brings to life the lands and 
locations of the Discworld stories in a way never seen before. 
Accompanied by lavish full-colour illustrations and a detailed world 
map, this is a must-have for any Discworld fan.

Available November 24, 2015
Priced at $42.00 (CAD) "subject to change"

The Compleat Discworld Atlas can be pre-ordered from McNally Robinson or 
Chapters-Indigo; just click on the name of the company in the box on the 
right-hand side of the page.

http://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/529787/compleat-discworld-atlas

4.3 REMINDER: "DISCWORLD AND BEYOND" IN LUTON

The Discworld & Beyond touring exhibition is now open at Wardown Park 
Museum, Wardown Park, Old Bedford Road, Luton, LU2 7HA (Tel. 01582 
546722) until 1st November 2015. Entry is free!

"'Discworld & Beyond' features interesting and colourful artwork created 
by Paul Kidby for Sir Terry Pratchett's popular comic fantasy series as 
well as a range of work from his own projects, including the recently 
published book 'The Charmed Realm'. Drawings, oil paintings and 
watercolours will be on display."

http://bit.ly/1LnVfWN

http://bit.ly/1SfgfUV

http://www.lutonculture.com/wardown-park-museum/whats-on/

4.4 SUPPORTING SECRET WORLD'S RESCUE WORK

Rhianna Pratchett writes on Twitter, "In honour of @SWWR's Spines & 
Shells wknd, here's dad with one of their 60 year old tortoises... Dad & 
I were patrons of @SWWR who do valuable world rescuing & rehabilitating 
British wildlife + occasional tortoises, turtles & terrapins." She also 
assures us that she continues to support Secret World Wildlife Rescue 
from her own heart and in her father's memory.

Here be that lovely photo:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CKYWnJlXAAA1Onm.jpg:large

4.5 STEPHEN BAXTER INTERVIEWS

 From his native city, an interview in the Liverpool Echo:

"What is it like publishing The Long Utopia without Terry Pratchett here?

"It's very sad. It's good that he saw the books and is happy with them. 
It's a shame not to have him see the covers and the advertising and the 
reviews and everything.

"How did you make it work?

"He had vision problems, that was how his Alzheimer's affected him, so 
it was through phone calls. We just swapped ideas and had meetings at 
conventions and other places. Six months on, we had a box full of ideas 
and I went down to stay for a week and we worked on storylines and 
drafted little bits. By the end we had a rough storyline at least for 
the first book and who was going to do what. I took it then, cut it all 
together into a reasonably coherent draft and went back down again and 
literally read it through line by line. We fixed each line and each 
scene together.

"What is it like collaborating rather than writing alone?

"It's nice to have a change to be honest. You get stuck a bit with your 
own obsessions so seeing how somebody else thinks and adding both our 
ideas together is quite stimulating. There's a third person in the room 
in a way, this pool from which joint ideas develop..."

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/terry-pratchett-happy-see-long-9521076

...and a more extensive piece in The Guardian by pro-Pratchett stalwart 
Alison Flood:

"'I think Terry was aware he was running out of time, and he wanted to 
do other things as well,' Baxter says. 'So we rushed through it a little 
bit. Terry's basic vision was the first step, but he also wanted to have 
a huge cosmic climax at the end, which would be book five ... We had no 
idea how to get there but we knew where we were going.' The Long Utopia, 
the fourth in the series, sees settlers on an Earth more than 'a million 
steps' west of ours stumble across a disturbing, insectile form of alien 
life. Like its predecessors, the novel is compelling not only for its 
central storyline of exploration and danger and humans doing foolishly 
human things – and in this case a particularly cataclysmic finale – but 
also for its slow, unhurried laying out of the minute differences 
between these empty-of-humanity Earths...

"The Long Earth, Baxter says, has 'a sort of basis in science: it was 
Terry playing with the idea of quantum mechanics, quantum parallel 
worlds'. That's where Baxter came in. 'I tried to think that the further 
you go the stranger the worlds get, so I'd try to put numbers on that,' 
he says, adding, with a twinkle: 'I wouldn't say we clashed, but he'd 
like to joke about how I turned up with a box file full of spreadsheets. 
It's a lie – but it was something like that. I did turn up with a big 
chart about how this might work, and a time scale ... So you had this 
mix of order and chaos. I think it worked well in the end. He needed the 
order from me but I needed the chaos from him to make it more chaotic 
overall and more interesting in the end.'... The final time Baxter and 
Pratchett saw each other was late last summer when Baxter went down to 
Pratchett's home in the Wiltshire countryside from Northumberland 'and 
we just talked. Terry had buzzing round in his head a new plot strand 
for book five, and we talked through that – we didn't do much writing 
that time,' he recalls. 'It was giant trees. He had this vision of 
trees, five kilometres tall, as tall as Everest, on one of the parallel 
worlds. Just remember that.'..."

http://bit.ly/1JEwKCD

4.6 ANKH-MORPORK THROUGH THE EYES OF A CIVIC DRAUGHTSMAN

A fascinating look at Ankh-Morpork though the eyes of Charles Board, 
architectural draughtsman and urban designer:

"Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld (and his science fiction) books are a 
joy, and being interested in cities, I had to put pencil to paper. The 
following is shared as an homage and a thank-you to Sir Terry Pratchett. 
I would like to thank Stephen Briggs for generously allowing me to 
digitally scan his published map of Ankh Morpork, and apologise for 
amending his plan here. I haven't finished drawing yet but here's the 
'so-far-(so-what)'. I welcome comments (and corrections when I get round 
to them) as long as we're all keeping up our medication."

The pages are:

City Growth:
http://plans-design-draughting.co.uk/ankh-morpork-city-growth/

Analysis:
http://plans-design-draughting.co.uk/ankh-morpork-analysis/

Details:
http://plans-design-draughting.co.uk/ankh-morpork-details/

http://plans-design-draughting.co.uk/ankh-morpork/

4.7 SWEARING AND "THE LAST HERO"

Writes Papageno: "In honor of the late great Terry Pratchett, I reread 
the novel 'Interesting Times.' In this story, a Horde of Elderly 
Barbarians (headed by Cohen the Barbarian, age 90-plus) finds that they 
have to act civilized for a spell – something which is quite against 
their nature. So they are provided with a list of words: If they find 
the need to use one of the banned words on the left, they are to 
substitute the word on the right. My favorite substitution is 
'lovemaking' for the F-word. I have resolved to make use of that 
substitution every chance I get. The wonderful irony is that the F-word 
is supposed to provide the ultimate emphasis. It is supposed to be 
startling, provocative, head-turning. Yet in today's society, where some 
people pepper their conversation with the F-word (showing severe lack of 
imagination for finding intensifiers), the word has lost all meaning. 
When I started using 'lovemaking,' the effect was all I could have 
wished for. People are startled. They pause for a moment, trying to 
figure out what I meant. When they catch on, they laugh. The word does 
everything the F-word has long lost the power to do. I recommend it. 
RIP, Terry Pratchett. Warm, funny, and wise, he will be missed."

http://www.twincities.com/bulletinboard/ci_28276973/do-you-use-f-word-more-than-you

4.8 A ROUNDWORLD PHYSICIAN'S APPRECIATION OF DISCWORLD'S DEATH

Some wise and yes, compassionate words from Liam Farrell, a doctor in 
Co. Armagh:

"Life used to be so simple – you're born, you live, you die. But it's 
more complicated now – you're born, you live, you die, you get CPR, you 
may or may not die, or end up with a few broken ribs and some hypoxic 
brain injury, you tweet about it, then you die again, and get CPR again, 
and so on and so on. Sir Terry's Death would be getting restless, having 
to hang around for 10-20 minutes twiddling his bony fingers. 'Give the 
poor guy a break, I've got others to see,' he'd be saying. And when does 
death really occur? When the senior doc says: 'That's it,' an archetypal 
example of performative utterance; we're dead because the doc says we 
are. As Tennyson said: 'Old men must die, or the world would grow 
mouldy.' When our time's up, we should depart gracefully, hopefully 
leaving a lot of bad debts for future generations to worry about; after 
all, what have future generations ever done for us? Death may be the end 
of the journey, but what really matters is the journey. It's not a 
defeat, but viewing it as a defeat leads to some of the worst excesses 
and abuses of modern medicine. This isn't solely our fault; pressure 
from well-meaning relatives and the inertia of medical bureaucracy only 
serve to paralyse our attempts to do our best for our patients. But we 
should take back that duty, make a stand. The buck stops with us and 
legal niceties shouldn't prevent us from making the call in our 
patient's best interests. What's right and what's necessary aren't 
always the same thing..."

http://www.gponline.com/liam-farrell-healthy-planning-death/article/1353139

4.9 RAISING STEAM FOR REAL IN SCOTLAND

"The first steam trains will travel along the new Borders Railway line 
in September, ScotRail has confirmed. The 60009 Union of South Africa 
will haul the service between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank on 10 
September, just four days after the new railway opens. It is one of six 
remaining LNER Class A4 steam locomotives in the UK, which were built in 
Doncaster in 1937. The train will run through the Borders three days a 
week, for six weeks. Mike Cantlay, the chairman of VisitScotland, said 
the steam trains would be an additional boost to tourism in the 
region... Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: 'It's fantastic to see 
these iconic trains back in operation, allowing so many people the 
opportunity to appreciate Scotland's countryside and railways from a 
unique and very special point of view'..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-33658814

4.10 PTERRY AND THE DISCWORLD SCULPTURE, A TALE

A delightful true story shared by English sculptor snuurg:

"I came fairly late to the appreciation of Pratchett, and to the 
Discworld in particular: in 1991 I was looking for a subject to be the 
main project of my diploma show for the last year of my model-making 
course, and was introduced by my brother to 'The Colour of Magic', a 
tale already nearly ten years old by then. The description of the 
Discworld struck a chord, and became my immediate obsession as the new 
major project for the show. I just managed to finish the piece on time, 
it was a very involved model – the turtle, the elephants, the Disc – but 
was proud to have achieved it, even though it curried little favour in 
my overall grade or otherwise... At the end of college, we had our last 
recession, and I ended up being unemployed for nearly three years. The 
Discworld had meanwhile been consigned to my parents' attic, and would 
probably have stayed there as it was rather too large to be displayed in 
the house; but it so happened that my mum had learned of a book-signing 
event in the nearby city – happening the day she called from her 
workplace about it! – and that she'd contacted the bookstore, who had 
asked to borrow the model for the event... I joined the back of the 
book-signing queue, and got to be very honoured by the fact that the 
actual Terry Pratchett stopped for a while – even though he had a car 
waiting to whisk him away – to offer me praise for my work – which was 
worth much more to me than any consideration (or lack of it) given by my 
diploma-invigilators. It was far more accommodating than he needed to 
have been, especially after a long bout of signing - but then he went a 
massive step further, and bought the model from me right there and then! 
I came home absolutely buzzing, greatly lifted from the depression of my 
failings in life... A few years later, just sitting down to the 
Christmas meal at my brother's house, we were watching the freshly-made 
adaptation of Pratchett's 'The Hogfather', when I nearly dropped my 
dinner – my model was in the background of a travelling shot in the 
toyshop! We were recording the show, and so of course rewound at the 
first opportunity to be sure we hadn't imagined it – and yes, there it 
was! Totally made my Christmas..."

http://snuurg.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/on-pratchetts-passing.html

http://www.snuurg.com/

4.11 SMALL GODS AND THE TULPA CONCEPT

An interesting piece about the concept of believing gods, demons, 
bogeymen and the rest into "existence", from ancient Buddhism to 
Slenderman, features a nod to Discworld:

"In the Discworld created by Sir Terry Pratchett, the full pantheon of 
Gods is dictated entirely by the concept of the Tulpa. This is covered 
beautifully in the book Small Gods. This particular story details how 
the power and presence of the many and varied Gods is dictated by how 
many people believe in them. The titular Small Gods are those deities 
who do not have sufficient followers to manifest in any significant way. 
Some examples of such Gods are Hyperopia - Goddess of Shoes, Lamentatio 
– Goddess of Interminable Opera and the entirely paradoxical God of 
Evolution..."

The entire article is well worth a read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allan-lennon/tulpas-when-thought-takes_b_7852742.html

4.12 THE COLIN SMYTHE TERRY PRATCHETT ARCHIVE

The Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive at London's Senate House 
Library is a wonderful thing. Sitting rightfully alongside other special 
collections such as the Durning-Lawrence Library collection of works by 
or about Shakespeare and Bacon, the collection encompasses all available 
editions, reprints and translations of Sir Pterry's novels, short 
stories and journal articles, including a copy of the first edition of 
The Carpet People, with the full-page illustrations hand-coloured by the 
author himself (as recently reproduced in the re-release of tCP). "There 
are also texts of adaptations, audio and video recordings, journal 
articles featuring Pratchett, newsletters and fanzines, press cuttings, 
and publicity material and spin-offs as diverse as maps, diaries, 
calendars, posters, jigsaws, bookplates, models, tee-shirts, and 
badges", all donated by Colin Smythe since 2002.

The catalogue of this collection is viewable online. For an overview, do 
a "mixed classmark" search from the drop-down menu 
(_http://catalogue.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/search~S1/l_) on "Pratchett". "Books 
are to be found at Pratchett A-C (the letter refers to size); audio and 
video versions of his work at Pratchett Media D-E; periodicals at 
Pratchett periodicals (runs) and Pratchett Archive (for single issues 
with articles by or about Pratchett); and press cuttings (e.g. 
interviews and reviews) at 'Pratchett Press Cuttings'." Also, there are 
papers, mostly drafts of Pratchett's work; these can be viewed at 
http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/Pratchett.pdf

For more information about the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive, go to:

http://bit.ly/1OSzErZ

More about the Library's collections: http://bit.ly/1IcFQX9

Members of the public can make use of this library for reference 
purposes after registering online. Day passes are available priced at 
£10.00, or one-week passes priced at £50.00. There are also longer 
public passes available, from three months to one year. To register, and 
to learn more, go to:

http://senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/membership/1-day-7-day-tickets/
http://senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/membership/other-categories/

About Senate House Library:

"Senate House Library (formerly known as the University of London 
Library) occupies the fourth to the eighteenth floors of the building 
with the public areas of the library on the fourth to seventh floors, 
which is open to staff and students of all colleges within the 
university (although levels of access differ between institutions) and 
contains material relevant chiefly to arts, humanities, and social 
science subjects.

"The library is administered by the central university as part the 
Senate House Libraries and in 2005 had over 32,000 registered users. The 
library holds around three million volumes, including 120,000 volumes 
printed before 1851. The Library started with the foundation of the 
University of London in 1836, but began to develop from 1871 when a book 
fund was started.

"Along with a subscription to over 5,200 Journals, other resources 
include the Goldsmiths' Library of Economic Literature, and the 
Palaeography room's collection of western European manuscripts. The 
library also holds over 170,000 theses by graduate students. From 2006 
onwards, the library has been undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment 
process. The Library is also home to the University of London archives, 
which include the central archive of the University itself and many 
other collections..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_House_(University_of_London)

4.13 THE DISCWORLD ART OF JACKIE MORRIS

If you don't own any Discworld calendars, you may have missed the art of 
the excellent illustrator and author Jackie Morris, who has contributed 
to a number of them:

"In 2003 I was commissioned by Nick May at Orion to produce an image for 
the Terry Pratchett Disc World Calendar. Orion had decided to commission 
people who had no previous experience of this type of work, and though I 
had done many designs for calendars I had not worked on science fiction. 
The brief was really open, a scene or a character from the Disc World 
books. Anything but Death! So I set to to read some of the books and 
pretty soon was hooked, as were both my children. I loved the city at 
the top of the up-sidedown mountain, full of dragons waiting for 
people's imagination to wake them and make them take form, so chose 
Wormsburg as the place I wanted to illustrate, sent off a sketch or two 
and waited... next year the brief was almost as open. I was asked to do 
an image from "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents". At the 
time I had a rat living in the kitchen, an uninvited guest, so the last 
thing I wanted to do was read a book with anthropomorphic rats in. But 
then as the commissioning editor said, at least I didn't have to look 
far for reference. The rat in the kitchen got away..."

http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/calenders.htm

http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/blog/dragons-torquay-museum/

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

05) REVIEWS: THE LONG UTOPIA

By Adam Roberts, in The Guardian:

"Our supply of original Pratchett is running dangerously low. Since he 
continued working almost to the end, there are several posthumous titles 
in the offing: one more Discworld novel (The Shepherd's Crown, due at 
the end of August) and two Long Earth books – this one and the series 
finale. After that, having been so busy a feature of the literary 
landscape for so many decades, and having inspired a devotion in his 
readers unparalleled in contemporary writing, Pratchett's voice will 
finally pass into silence. Something of that melancholy seems to have 
worked itself into the fabric of this novel, too. Earlier Long Earth 
books possess various degrees of whimsical warmth and inventive charm. A 
more autumnal breeze blows through The Long Utopia. It's a book much 
concerned with things coming to an end, with cosmic-scale disease and 
with the limits of knowledge. A premise that started as an infinite 
number of open doors is starting to close them around its characters... 
If you go to these books looking for the rich comedy of Discworld, you 
will be disappointed. It's worth remembering that hilarity isn't 
Pratchett's only mode. He started out as a science fiction writer (and 
fan), and jotted down the conceit for the Long Earth before he wrote the 
first Discworld novel. Indeed, one of the things that made his fantasy 
writing so distinctive was the scientific rigour with which he pursued 
even the most absurd of his premises. Baxter, similarly prolific, is 
Britain's leading writer of 'hard' SF, a seemingly inexhaustible fount 
of thought-provoking, imagination-tickling and sometimes mind-blowing 
ideas. Their collaboration is more a hymn to the joys of unfettered 
world-building than it is to story or character. But if the pace of 
plotting is gentle, the restless inventiveness more than compensates..."

http://bit.ly/1TYCNcs

By David Barnett, in The Independent:

"When Sir Terry Pratchett died in March, the general focus was on – and 
quite rightly – his 'Discworld' comic fantasy novels, which form far and 
away the greatest part of his prolific output. But those who confine 
themselves to his Discworld books – as wonderful as they are – miss out 
on some exceptional writing: his collaboration with Neil Gaiman, Good 
Omens; his alternate-history South Pacific fantasy Nation; and of course 
his Long Earth science fiction series with Stephen Baxter... It is 
perhaps too simple to suppose that Baxter brings the quantum 
high-concepts while Pratchett supplies the humanity and flashes of 
humour, but however the division of labour when writing these books 
shook down, the novels really are a triumph of the genre that manage to 
bring fresh and exciting concepts to an SF staple (parallel worlds) 
while keeping credible human characters at their heart... Once again, 
Joshua Valiente is the focus of the happenings across the multiple 
worlds, and with this fourth book Pratchett and Baxter really seem to 
have allowed the human (and non-human) stories more room to breathe. 
While the two previous sequels, The Long War and The Long Mars, fleshed 
out the multiverse, The Long Utopia seems to recapture some of the sense 
of wonder that made The Long Earth such a startling success..."

http://tinyurl.com/q2dbwev

By Paul di Filippo for Locus Online:

"Pratchett and Baxter are writing in 'info-dense' mode that seeks to 
overwhelm and inspire wonder with sheer plenitude. They certainly do not 
switch horses in The Long Utopia, volume four, a book with a slightly 
inappropriate title insofar as it depicts no conclusive settled state of 
perfection. But despite its similar generous overstuffed condition, the 
book nonetheless has a bit of a different feel, insofar as its venues 
are more compact, less spread-out: no journeys across millions of 
continua. But this does not preclude cosmic visions... This series has 
shown a rare desire not to replicate familiar thrills from one volume to 
another, but rather to always be moving into new frontiers of plot and 
future history, a strategy congruent with the very nature of their SF 
novum. This volume, more than the previous three, really drives home the 
weight of the changes, the resonance for the characters of all their 
shared weird history, and so perhaps ultimately does justify its 
Grail-assonant title..."

http://bit.ly/1SIrfaY

By Doug Anderson for the Otago Times:

"They are a odd couple, I will admit; Pratchett has always struck me as 
an optimist with a keen eye for the absurd while Baxter has a more 
cynical, detached view of humanity. You can pick out references to their 
previous works; one main character is Lobsang, which is also the name of 
one of Pratchett's more quirky creations. This book and the series are 
about exploring big ideas so, alas, there is no Discworld-style 
hilarity... This feels more like Baxter's book than Pratchett's; much 
care and attention is given to the big concepts, such as an entire 
planet being converted into a gigantic engine. Less goes to the 
characters, who tend to come across as two-dimensional and making 
unlikely decisions for the sake of advancing the plot. Even so, this is 
still worth reading..."

http://bit.ly/1MQJcT5

A somewhat unusual one by Ben Anderson for the West Australian:

"Like the opening book of the series, The Long Utopia owes more to 
Baxter's sci-fi epics than Pratchett's laugh-out-loud parodies... This 
is classic speculative fiction, the type that takes a central premise — 
in this case that humans can travel to parallel Earths — and uses it to 
generate an adventure so grand it needs a quantum string of worlds to 
contain its scope. Pratchett's other well-known collaboration, Good 
Omens with Neil Gaiman, was at times disjointed because it was obvious 
which chapters were written by which author. Here, Baxter and his 
higher- profile partner have found a single voice and maintained it for 
four novels, no mean feat..."

http://yhoo.it/1H8ohWy

...and by Sue Sheard for Culturefly:

"If you haven't read the previous books, as I hadn't, you would do well 
to read some of their reviews for a brief history of how earth has 
multiplied in number leaving millions of earths for the human and other 
races to go forth and colonise using a helpfully designed 'step' machine 
which is powered by nothing more technical than the humble potato... 
Whilst the previous books in the series have been criticised for having 
no real depth and being too scientific, I found this one to be genuinely 
sad and emotive. It wasn't all bleak though; there were some really 
playful and light-hearted moments in there, reminiscent of the humour in 
the Discworld books..."

http://bit.ly/1LLkpB7

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

06) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS AND UPDATES

6.1 NEW: NIGHT WATCH IN CARDIFF (SEPTEMBER)

Monstrous Productions are back with their latest Pratchett offering – 
Night Watch, adapted by Stephen Briggs and directed by Amy Davies:

"Hello everybody! We are incredibly pleased to say that, over the course 
of four plays since the start of 2013, we have raised over £12,000 for 
Alzheimer's Research UK! Luckily we added a matinee for Witches Abroad: 
our audiences were better than ever! But we don't stop there. In 
September we will be performing Night Watch!"

When: 9th-12th-September 2015
Venue: The Gate Theatre, Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3JW
Time: 7.30pm (doors open 7pm), plus a 2.30pm matinee on the 12th
Tickets: £8 (£6 concession), available soon from www.monstrousptc.com

To view their fine poster, go to http://bit.ly/1TycedT

6.2 REMINDER: ERIC AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE (AUGUST)

The Duck in a Hat theatre company will premiere their adaptation of 
Eric, adapted by Tim Foster, at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

"All amateur demonologist Eric wants is the usual three wishes: to live 
forever, to rule the world and to have the most beautiful woman fall 
madly in love with him. Instead he gets Rincewind, Discworld's most 
incompetent wizard, and Rincewind's Luggage, Discworld's most dangerous 
travel accessory. This brand new adaptation of Terry Pratchett's 
hilarious parody of the Faust legend is an outrageous romp through time, 
space and Hell that will leave Eric wishing once more – this time, quite 
fervently – that he'd never been born."

When: 8th-22nd August (all dates excluding the 16th)
Venue: The Studio, Paradise in Augustines, 41 George IV Bridge, 
Edinburgh EH1 1EL (phone  0131 510 0022)
Time: 7:15pm all shows
Tickets: £9.00 (concession £7.00, family £28.00)

http://duckinahat.weebly.com/eric.html
https://www.facebook.com/DuckInaHat
https://www.paradise-green.co.uk/show-details/brochure/details/1323/

Duck in a Hat rely on the support of sponsors. Here be their page:
http://duckinahat.weebly.com/sponsors.html

6.3 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN EXETER (AUGUST)

The Broadclyst Theatre Group will present their production of Wyrd 
Sisters in August.

When: 13th, 14th and 15th August 2015
Venue: Broadclyst Victory Hall, The Green, Exeter, Devon EX5 3DX (phone 
01392 467161)
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £9 (£6.50 for under-14s), available from Broadclyst Post Office 
or online via ticketsource.co.uk/broadclyst

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BroadclystTG/

6.4 REMINDER: MORT IN BRISBANE (AUGUST-OCTOBER)

The Brisbane Arts Theatre's newest Discworld production will be Mort!

When: 22nd August-3rd October 2015
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000 
(phone 07 3369 2344)
Time: 8pm Thursdays (except 27th August), Fridays and Saturdays; 6.30pm 
Sundays (6th and 20th September)
Tickets: Adults $31, Concession $25, Group 10+ $25, Group 75+ $20, Gold 
Members $15, Members $25, Student Rush $10 (10 mins before curtain). 
Members can redeem their included season tickets for this show. There 
are no refunds or exchanges once tickets have been purchased. To 
purchase tickets online, go to http://bit.ly/1Imz2tJ

http://artstheatre.com.au/show/mort

6.5 NEW: UNSEEN ACADEMICALS IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (NOVEMBER)

A heads-up from the Bucks Free Press about a production coming this 
November:

"The Marlow Players will stage the late author's work 'Unseen 
Academicals' in November and are looking for budding actors to join the 
company. The group, which has been entertaining audiences for more than 
75 years, needs volunteers to ensure the show can go on... Gloria 
Kendrick Hurst of the Marlow Players said the group plans to donate part 
of the proceeds from the show to the Alzheimer's Society..."

http://bit.ly/1HRjEnr

The company has not yet posted any more specific info, but the 
production will be presented at the Shelley Theatre, Court Garden, Pound 
Lane, Marlow, Bucks SL7 2AG. If you are interested in helping out, 
contact them through their website. Watch this space (as it were) for 
more details closer to the date:

http://www.marlowplayers.org.uk/

6.6 NEW: MASKERADE IN GLASGOW (SEPTEMBER)

The Antonine Players will present their production of Maskerade in 
September.

When: 17th, 18th, 19th September 2015
Venue: Fort Theatre, Kenmure Avenue, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow G64 2DW
Time: 7.30pm (doors open at 7pm
Tickets: £8.50 (£8 concession). Available online at 
www.ticketsource.co.uk/forttheatre or ring 0141 573 6620 or 0141 772 7054

The Players are currently seeking budding actors and technical staff to 
work on the production, which is about to go into rehearsal mode. If you 
are interested, ring George Hamill on 07508294643.

http://www.forttheatre.org/

6.7 REVIEW: MASKERADE IN PERTH, FOURECKS

By Gordon the Optom, whose reviews are well known in Perth theatre circles:

"The producers of the play, ARENAarts, have already brought us half a 
dozen wonderfully colourful and thrilling Pratchett stage plays over the 
past few years. This tongue-in-cheek story – 'comedy theatre production 
of operatic proportions' – is loosely based on the 'Phantom of the 
Opera' musical. Like most of Pratchett's stage plays, the book was 
adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs, and the director has further 
modified this (slightly)... The two and a half hour fun performances – 
which cost only the price of a cinema ticket – are brought to life by 
ARENAarts... The scenery was fairly simple (designer Simon James) but 
there were a great number of interesting props supplied by Linda Redman, 
who, along with Chris Ellis and Rachel McCann also provided the quality 
costumes. The director employed several areas of the stage, moving the 
attention of the audience with his clever lighting design – operated by 
Gordon Johnson (no relation, this tech has class) – this kept the pace 
moving very well with the minimum stagehand interruptions. The stage 
manager was Linda Redman, efficiently aided by Janet and Callum Vinsen...

"Director Simon James has been bringing joy to the Perth audiences for 
30 years, winning many awards on the way for his directing, acting and 
set designs. This is Simon's sixth Pratchett play, and he has regathered 
his regular team for this show. When you have a great cast, stick to 
them. This troupe was superb, not a weak link anywhere, they had pace, 
empathy, good comedic delivery – even the ballet dancers brought a big 
smile with their subtle, fun movements. The script was like that of a 
pantomime, plenty of one-liners and written on two levels, one for the 
young audience (this show would suit 10 years and above) and the 
'mature' double-entendre jokes for the parents. With a larger cast, one 
often spots the daydreamers who are not too sure what is going on, here 
the cast were word perfect, attentive and moved beautifully. Special 
mention should go to the two witches, Perdita and Christine who were 
magnificent; however, from Opera House owner down to the rat catcher and 
Walter, the cast were exceptional..."

http://www.ita.org.au/2015/07/maskerade-reviewed-by-gordon-the-optom/

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

07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

7.1 UPDATES FROM THE DISCWORLD EMPORIUM

"Something witchy this way comes..."

DISCWORLD DIARY 2016: A PRACTICAL MANUAL FOR THE MODERN WITCH

"The Discworld Diary 2016 is now available for pre-order! Published on 
20th August, this Practical Manual for the Modern Witch is teeming with 
a glorious mix of illustration, ephemera and hilarious one-liners, and 
features sage advice and guidance from the likes of Nanny Ogg, Granny 
Weatherwax and Tiffany Aching along with all the important Discworld and 
Roundworld dates to help you be as sharp as Miss Tick! More than just a 
diary, this Practical Manual for the Modern Witch gives a long-awaited 
insight into the wit and wisdom of some of Terry Pratchett's best-loved 
Discworld characters, the Witches! Featuring sage advice and guidance 
from the likes of Nanny Ogg, Granny Weatherwax and Tiffany Aching,The 
Discworld Diary 2016 teems with a glorious mix of cultural ephemera, 
illustration, and hilarious one-liners along with important Discworld 
and Roundworld dates to help you be as sharp as Miss Tick! We're very 
proud to have aided and abetted Sir Terry in the creation of this book, 
and as a celebration of our collaboration every copy bought from us 
includes an exclusive art print for your own witch's cottage with 
blessings from the hags of Discworld!

"AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER, PUBLISHED 20.08.15 Please select the correct 
shipping rate for your destination from the drop-down menu. Pre-ordered 
books will be dispatched on the publication date. Any additional items 
will be sent separately as per our usual service."

The 2016 Discworld Diary is priced at £16.99; add £3 for UK delivery, £5 
for European delivery, and £6 for delivery to the rest of the world.

If you order your 2016 Discworld Diary from the Discworld Emporium, you 
get a bonus free illustrated "Blessings be upon this house" art print: 
"We're very proud to have aided and abetted Sir Terry in the creation of 
this book, and as a celebration of our collaboration every copy bought 
from us includes an exclusive art print!"

To view images of the Diary, for more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/DiscworldDiary2016

THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN SPECIAL OFFER

"Terry Pratchett's final Discworld adventure, being the fifth novel 
chronicling the adventures of young witch Tiffany Aching is now 
available for pre-order. Every copy from the Discworld Emporium will 
include our free exclusive keepsake bookmark created to commemorate the 
release of this special book."

To view both sides of this lovely bookmark:

http://bit.ly/1D0RzLj and http://bit.ly/1I0bmra

The Shepherd's Crown in hardcover is priced at £20.00; add £3 for UK 
delivery, £5 for European delivery, and £6 for delivery to the rest of 
the world. For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/TheShepherdsCrown

TIFFANY'S HARE PENDANT – IN SILVER!

"To celebrate the release of I Shall Wear Midnight in 2010 we created 
the original Golden 'Hare Through Flame' Necklace, limited to an 
exclusive edition of only 200 worldwide. By popular demand our exclusive 
tribute to Tiffany's own necklace and the spirit of the hare is 
available once more in precious solid silver – the perfect present for 
any 'Wee Hag'! Each necklace is strung on a generous length of chestnut 
brown cotton cord for easy adjustment. Approx. 36mm diameter, cord 
length (end to end) 78mm."

The Tiffany Silver Hare pendant is priced at £55.00. The first run is 
already sold out, but the Emporium promises more will be available soon, 
so do check back!

For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/HareNecklace

LATEST STAMPS

Special Penny Patrician sheet: "Celebrating 11th anniversary of the 
ultimate fantasy collectible (according to Stanley Howler) this 
tongue-in-cheek limited edition minisheet of Discworld Stamps is 
available until the end of July! Each sheet features 11 frivolous and 
fun birthday variations of the most famous Discworld Stamp of them all, 
the Penny Patrician!* Measures 85 x 125 mm."

The Penny Patrician Minisheet is priced at £5.00. For more information, 
and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/BirthdayPatricianMinisheet

Kneck Valley: "The latest Little Brown Envelope stamp assortment is 
here! The Kneck Valley LBE contains at least one of two new issues from 
the warring countries of Borogravia and Zlobenia along with a chance of 
sports and rarities! The ever-shifting and consequently ever-disputed 
border of the Kneck River has resulted in the rival countries' re-use of 
each other's stamps through hostile overprinting! Every envelope 
therefore contains at least one limited edition issue bearing their 
rival's official military mark, exclusive to this LBE. The Borogravia 3p 
and Zlobenia 2 Zloty are also available to collect singly or as whole 
sheets."

The Borogravia 3p is priced at £0.75 for a single stamp, or £13.50 for a 
sheet of 18 stamps. For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-stamps/new%20stamps/Borogravia3p

The Zlobenia 2zloty is priced at £0.50 for a single stamp, or £12.50 for 
a sheet of 25 stamps. For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-stamps/new%20stamps/Zlobenia2Zl

To view all available new stamps, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-stamps/new%20stamps

Uberwald League of Temperance: "Available from Monday 27th July, The 
latest edition 'Little Brown Envelope' from Discworld Stamps! Each 
envelope contains an assortment of current issues, along with a brand 
new Ankh-Morpork 6p issue honouring the achievements of The Uberwald 
League of Temperance, whose efforts in the Big Wahoonie has spared the 
necks of many a denizen of Discworld's premier city. A generous 
spattering of sports, rare Blue Triangles and Dead Letter Labels, have 
been distributed throughout the edition along with some handy reminders 
courtesy of the League of Temperance to help keep you on the wagon! The 
Uberwald League of Temperance 6p Stamp is also available to collect 
singly or as beautiful whole sheets from Monday 27th."

The Don't Be a Sucker LBE is priced at £5.00. For more information, and 
to order, go to:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/DontBeASuckerLBE

The League of Temperance 6p stamp is priced at £0.40 for a single, or 
£14 for a sheet of 35 stamps. For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/LeagueofTemperance6p

SHAKING HANDS WITH DEATH, LECTURE IN BOOK FORM

"Terry Pratchett's ethical essay was first broadcast to millions as the 
BBC Richard Dimbleby Lecture 2010. Now more poignant than ever, his 
argument for our right to choose - the right to a good life, and a good 
death too - is published as a 64 page book. 'Most men don't fear death. 
They fear those things - the knife, the shipwreck, the illness, the bomb 
- which precede, by microseconds if you're lucky, and many years if 
you're not, the moment of death.' When Terry Pratchett was diagnosed 
with Alzheimer's in his fifties he was angry - not with death but with 
the disease that would take him there, and with the suffering disease 
can cause when we are not allowed to put an end to it. In this essay 
Terry addressed why we all deserve a life worth living and a death worth 
dying for.
Includes foreword by Terry Pratchett's friend and assistant of many 
years, Rob Wilkins."

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER, PUBLISHED 30.07.15

Shaking Hands with Death is priced at £3.99; add £3 for UK delivery, £5 
for European delivery, and £6 for delivery to the rest of the world. For 
more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/ShakingHandsWithDeath


[Editor's note: there's a compendium of related Pratchett works at 
http://www.discworldemporium.com/books/non-fiction – do have a shufti as 
the variety of available publications is tremendous, from Nanny Ogg's 
Cookbook to Johnny and the Bomb.]


7.2 UPDATES FROM PJSM PRINTS: HORSE AND HARE

A different version of Tiffany's hare pendant from PJSM – this one is 
available in both sterling silver and gold plate, designed by Tom 
Lynall, mounted on an 18 inch chain and gift boxed.

The Horse pendant is priced at £45.00, the silver Hare at £45.00, and 
the gold Hare at £55.00. To order, go to http://www.paulkidby.com/ and 
scroll down to the relevant box; there is an Add to Basket button for 
each pendant, which takes you to a page for calculating shipping charges 
(e.g. add £5 for shipping to Fourecks).

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

08) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

8.1 BIG PHARMA LOOKING FOR A CURE

"With life expectancy on the rise, the pharmaceutical industry is 
shifting its research and development funds. It is spending billions to 
meet a rising demand for drugs to treat chronic conditions in an 
increasingly elderly population.
That phenomenon is playing out in the rise of funding for research into 
dementia treatments. 'We are all living longer,' says Dr Doug Brown, the 
director of research and development for Britain's Alzheimer's Society. 
He welcomes recent reports showing that solanezumab, a potential new 
experimental treatment from Eli Lilly, can cut the rate of the 
dementia's progression by about a third if it is given to patients early 
enough. 'This is a big step in a direction where we could potentially 
have the first treatment for Alzheimer's disease that slows that disease 
process,' he says. 'We have a number of treatments currently available 
that treat symptoms, which aren't hugely effective. But this could be 
the first one that acts at the crux of what's happening in the brains of 
people with Alzheimer's to slow that disease process, slow that 
cognitive decline and really improve the quality of life.' The final 
results of those clinical trials will not be available for more than a 
year...

"Eli Lilly currently stands at the forefront of research for a treatment 
for the disease, but its efforts are still experimental. Solanezumab is 
raising hopes about an effective treatment, but experts caution against 
getting too optimistic, too soon. 'We are currently carrying a 30% 
probability of success,' says Jo Walton, pharmaceutical analyst at 
Credit Suisse, of solanezumab. Because of the history of failures with 
Alzheimer's treatments, many experts have low expectations. 'When we see 
more data, that probability might change,' she adds... With the number 
of Alzheimer's sufferers across the world set to rise as people live 
longer, experts say the demand for Alzheimer's treatments could 
skyrocket, along with the costs. Yet Dr Amit Roy, founding partner of 
the research firm Foveal, says that pharmaceutical companies are not 
just chasing profits..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33620066

8.2 PROMISING DRUG?

"The death of brain cells in Alzheimer's is currently unstoppable. 
Solanezumab may be able to keep them alive. Current medication, such as 
Aricept, can manage only the symptoms of dementia by helping the dying 
brain cells function. But solanezumab attacks the deformed proteins, 
called amyloid, that build up in the brain during Alzheimer's. It is 
thought the formation of sticky plaques of amyloid between nerve cells 
leads to damage and eventually brain cell death. Solanezumab has long 
been the great hope of dementia research, yet an 18-month trial of the 
drug seemingly ended in failure in 2012. But when Eli Lilly looked more 
closely at the data, there were hints it could be working for patients 
in the earliest stages of the disease. It appeared to slow progression 
by around 34% during the study. So the company asked just over 1,000 of 
the patients in the original trial with mild Alzheimer's to take the 
drug for another two years. And positive results from this extension of 
the original trial have now been presented at the Alzheimer's 
Association International Conference. They show those taking the drugs 
the longest had the most benefit..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-33617141

8.3 BLOOD CHEMICAL TO PREDICT BRAIN DECLINE

Scientists have discovered a chemical in blood that indicates whether 
people will have declining brain function.
Looking for the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease, they analysed 
levels of 1,129 proteins circulating in the blood of more than 200 
twins. These were compared with data from cognitive-function tests over 
the next decade, in Translational Psychiatry. And levels of one protein, 
MAPKAPK5, tended to be lower in those people whose brains declined. 
MAPKAPK5 is involved in relaying chemical messages within the body, 
although its connection with cognitive decline is unclear... Dr Steven 
Kiddle, a Medical Research Council scientist at King's College London, 
told the BBC News website: 'People think it may be hard to reverse 20 
years of potential damage to your brain. But if you could start much 
earlier in that process, then you might be able to find something that 
works.' He said a blood test could help identify people for clinical 
trials. But he added: 'A test you could go in to your doctor to say, "Do 
I have Alzheimer's disease or not?" I think that's a long way off.'..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-33135104

8.4 YOUNG SCIENTIST DEVELOPS PROMISING EARLY ALZHEIMER'S TEST

"A 15-year-old school student has developed a test which could give up 
to 10 years warning of Alzheimers before symptoms even start to show. 
Krtin Nithiyanandam, a pupil at Sutton Grammar school, developed a 
'trojan horse' antibody which can enter the brain and latch onto 
neurotoxic proteins, identifying the disease in advance. The antibodies 
injected into the bloodstream would also be accompanied by fluorescent 
particles which would appear on a brain scan. Nithiyanandam told The 
Daily Telegraph: 'The main benefits of my test are that it could be used 
to diagnose Alzheimer's disease before symptoms start to show by 
focusing on pathophysiological changes, some of which can occur a decade 
before symptoms are prevalent. Some of my new preliminary research has 
suggested that my diagnostic probe could simultaneously have therapeutic 
potential as well as diagnostic.'..."

http://huff.to/1MqHjft

8.5 FUNDRAISING FOR ALZHEIMER'S

"A group of three hardy teenagers from Ely are set to take on a climbing 
expedition in the Alps to raise money for charity. Toby Lancaster, 17, 
is organising the trip and together with his friends Henry Moore and 
Laurence Halfpenny, also 17, they are set to challenge themselves to 
climb two peaks in three days whilst spending the nights on the mountain 
in August. The three boys have gained experience in mountaineering 
through Ely Scheme which is an initiative run by King's Ely and has seen 
them taking on mountains in the Alps, Sierra Nevada and then finally a 
three-week expedition to Mongolia in 2014. This trip is the first one 
that they will have organised themselves and Toby has decided to use it 
as an opportunity to raise money and raise awareness for a disease and 
charity that many people will not be aware of. Toby said: 'The charity I 
have chosen is the National Brain Appeal and the Myrtle Ellis Fund which 
is specifically to support posterior cortical atrophy which is the 
visual variant of Alzheimer's causing the patient to lose vision and 
spatial awareness first. It is exactly the same visual variant that 
Terry Pratchett suffered from. The disease is different from the regular 
Alzheimer's in that it strikes at a young age, typically affecting 
middle-aged, fit, high achievers in the prime of their careers and life. 
The reason that I have chosen this charity is that one of my neighbours 
in Ely, Nigel Womack is suffering from this terrible condition and when 
at work was an eminent colorectal surgeon. I just wanted to use the 
opportunity to raise awareness as many people think of Alzheimer's being 
a disease of the elderly. My neighbour was diagnosed in his early 50's 
and is now only 60 but is now heading towards the final stages and I 
hope that by raising some money and awareness that other people and 
their families will not have to suffer in the same way.'..."

To sponsor the trio visit www.justgiving.com/TobyLancaster

http://bit.ly/1IoW56T

Editor's note: speaking of fundraising for Alzheimer's Lynsey Dalladay's 
JustGiving fundraising page for the RICE Centre in memory of Sir Pterry 
is still active, with £43,743.99 having been raised, but as RICE is an 
ongoing concern more funds are always appreciated:

https://www.justgiving.com/Terry-Pratchett

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

09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 NADWCON AT SASQUAN NEWS

9.1a Denise Connell's Pratchett documentary appeal:

The Turtle Moves
A documentary made by the friends and fans of Sir Terry, remembering how 
his words and the Disc impacted their lives.
Terry Pratchett was a beloved figure at Worldcons for over 30 years. In 
this, the year of his passing, we're filming a love letter to Terry in 
the form of a fan-made documentary at Sasquan/Worldcon 2015, which is 
being held August 19-23 in Spokane, Washington. Our film will be based 
on interviews with attending fans who are willing to share their 
memories of Terry and tell stories about the way the Discworld books 
have changed their lives.This is an excellent time to make our film as 
The Great Discworld Fan Gathering is set to take place at Sasquan; a 
first for any Worldcon. More information is available here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1686440358/the-turtle-moves-remembering-terry-pratchett 


Update from Denise:

People have been asking why THE TURTLE MOVES: REMEMBERING TERRY 
PRATCHETT is being made at Sasquan. That's because Sasquan is the site 
of The Great Discworld Fan Gathering. Sasquan/Worldcon 2015 is honoring 
Sir Terry in a wide variety of ways, including Discworld themed panels, 
events, dances, games, fan meets, exhibits, and more. With 6,000+ 
attendees it's the easiest (and cheapest) way to find a lot of Discworld 
fans from all over the world in one place.

This film is a non-profit venture, and we describe it as "a love letter 
to Terry Pratchett". This is going to be a positive and heartfelt 
commemoration, and it is being made by fans, for fans...

I am the Discworld Area Head for Sasquan and I've spent the last 18 
months working to make this a fantastic experience for the fans who 
attend. I've been privileged to work with a great team of experienced, 
well organized, talented and hard working volunteers on this con, and I 
think it's going to be one of the best Worldcons ever offered. If I can 
answer any questions about this convention, please let me know.

P.S. John is now a hair over $3,000 towards his budget of $6K and he has 
12 days left to make his goal. Thank you to everyone who has donated 
thus far, and to those who shared the link.

All good things,
Denise

9.1b SASQUAN WorldCon 2015

The Great Discworld Fan Gathering will take place at Sasquan/Worldcon 
2015 in Spokane, WA, August 19-23. Sasquan is honoring Sir Terry in a 
wide variety of ways, including Discworld themed panels, events, dances, 
games, fan meets, exhibits, art and more. With 6,000+ attendees it's a 
great way to meet Discworld fans from all over the world. The Terry 
Pratchett memorial panel will be on Thursday, August 20th. We will also 
be holding a public reading of Where's My Cow, and the attendees will 
make all the noises. The new Discworld game CLACKS will also have its US 
debut at this convention.

www.sasquan.org

9.2 SCHEIBENWELT (GERMAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION) NEWS

Less than two months until the Klatch-themed Scheibenwelt (Discworld) 
convention!

"The biennial Discworld Convention takes place at a castle in a German 
speaking country. The next Convention will be 10.09.-13.09.2015 at Burg 
Ludwigstein. During this period we offer our more than 200 guests 
workshops, talks, games, guests of honour and Discworld merchandising 
normally not available in Germany. You can visit us for a day or stay at 
the castle or a hotel nearby.

"There are 2 types of tickets:
Tickets for persons sleeping at the castle (Castle guests)
Tickets for persons visiting as day guests (Day guests)

"Tickets for Castle guests include the admission charge for the 
Convention, accommodations and catering. Tickets for Day guests include 
the admission charge and no catering. If required you need to book your 
own hotel rooms in the vicinity of the castle... All guests receive a 
reservation number with their order. It is only possible to pre-register 
for workshops using this reservation number. The basic package for a 
Convention visit contains accommodations from Thursday to Sunday. 
Thursday is the Arrival Day, the program takes place on Friday and 
Saturday and Sunday is the Departure Day. To ensure flexibility you can 
also order packages for Friday to Sunday. Our prices for Castle guests 
consist of a charge for the castle (about 40 € a day) and a small fee 
for the Convention program. Members of the Ankh-Morpork e.V. and young 
visitors receive a discount. Children less than 3 years old can be 
brought along free of charge."

Tickets for Thursday through Sunday are €149 (discount price for 
Visitors aged less than 12 years or members of the Ankh-Morpork e.V. 
€139), and for Friday through Sunday, €110 (discount price €105). Day 
tickets are also available: Friday or Saturday €20 (€18 discount 
Visitors aged less than 12 years or members of the Ankh-Morpork e.V.), 
Sunday €35 (€30 discount).

To purchase tickets, go to:
http://www.scheibenwelt-convention.de/viewpage.php?page_id=8

A large collection of Scheibenwelt convention t-shirts, mugs etc. on 
offer, from €11.90 to €19.90:

http://shop.scheibenwelt-convention.de/

http://www.scheibenwelt-convention.de/news.php

9.3 AUSDWCON NEWS

Apparently the t-shirts for this past February's Nullus Anxietas have 
finally shown up!

"FURTHER CON SHIRT UPDATE. Finally, we lined up a new supplier, the 
shirts have been printed and received, and they will be mailed out today 
to all those who ordered shirts at the convention. I am so sorry at the 
length of time this has taken to be resolved, and thank you for your 
patience in this."

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

10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

Yes, we're continuing to promote Clacks. Yes, your Editor is saving up 
for her own copy. Go on, you know you ant one for yourself...

"CLACKS – a Discworld Puzzle Game based on the 'Clacks' semaphore 
messaging system featured in Sir Terry Pratchett's Novel 'Going Postal'. 
The Fastest (non-magical) Messaging System on the Discworld. Using a 
semaphore system of shuttered lamps on top of high towers, the Grand 
Trunk Semaphore Company has revolutionised long distance communications 
on the Discworld. Their network of towers covers most of the Unnamed 
Continent, but now the old postal service is fighting back. Driven by 
the determination of newly 'volunteered' Post Master 'Moist Von Lipwig' 
the Ankh-Morpork Post Office has challenged the Clacks operators to a 
race from Ankh-Morpork to Genua.

"Play against your friends and claim the title of Fastest Clacks 
Operator on the line, or Play together as a team to win the race across 
the Discworld and prove that Clacks is here to stay. In the box there is 
rules for 'player versus player', a 'co-operative race game' against the 
Post Office and a 'Children's introductory game'. Clacks artwork was 
created by Amber Grundy (a.k.a The Artful Nudger).

"The game will be officially released at the 2015 Irish Discworld 
Convention."

Backspindle Games' Clacks page has buy buttons for UK, European and Rest 
of World customers. There are also buttons for buyers who intend to pick 
their Clacks up at the Irish Discworld Convention (2nd-5th October 2015 
or at the Spiel game fair in Essen (8th-11th October 2015)

Prices are: UK £34.98 (£29.99 plus £4.99 postage and packing); Europe 
£39.98 (£29.99 plus £9.99 postage and packing);
Rest of World £42.98 (£29.99 plus £12.99 postage and packing)

http://www.backspindlegames.com/clacks/

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

11) SOME NOTABLE "FANAC"

A worthy fanfic on Reddit, by knittingquark, written f0r the occasion of 
that petition to Death to restore Sir Pterry to the world of the living:

"At a black desk on a black floor in a black house, a figure in a black 
robe sat, twin points of blue fire the only discernable colour in the 
room as he stared out of the window at the black roses. Every now and 
then, he picked up the sheaf of papers in front of him, then let it drop 
with a sigh and picked up the grand Lifetimer. After a few hours of 
staring at it, he would set it gently down and pick up the papers again. 
He was trying to decide whether or not to answer. He understood that you 
were supposed to answer petitions, and he understood paperwork, so he 
knew he should. He just didn't know what the consequences would be. He 
could just send Quoth down with a note saying, 'NO.' If it were anyone 
else, he wouldn't even have thought about it, Auditors know he'd heard 
so many cries of anguish in his time from people who just wanted their 
person back. He understood. In his mind a single cartwheel bounced down 
into a dark ravine, smashing on the rocks. He never could give them 
back, though. Once they were taken, he could not upend the universe, 
even for The Creator.

"Weeks passed, and Death worked. In between, he would return to his 
desk, to the pile of papers, to the Lifetimer. Albert shuffled around 
him, worried. It had been a long time since he'd seen the Master so 
conflicted. He breathed out a long, shaky sigh of relief when, at long 
last, Death swept through the door, scythe in hand. 'I'M GOING OUT, 
ALBERT. I MAY BE SOME TIME. TAKE CARE OF... EVERYTHING.' The relief was 
short-lived. He hoped it wasn't going to be another of those farming trips.

"At a normal desk on a normal floor in a normal house, a normal man sat, 
his face lit only by the computer screen. Around him, the detritus of 
everyday life was scattered, along with Detritus, his model of a 
favourite character from some books he loved. Wasting time on Facebook, 
his evening had been going along so.. normally, when the air changed. It 
felt like all the reality had been sucked out of the room, and the man 
known as Tom froze, terrified. He could feel something behind him, but 
he was certain that, if he turned around, all he would see would be 
endless oblivion, pockmarked with distant galaxies. He tried to remember 
how to breathe, and a voice like the ending of a life sounded in his 
head. 'TOM... PRIDE?'

"Laughing to himself, because obviously this wasn't real, Tom turned. 
Perhaps there were galaxies and darkness beyond, but he didn't see them. 
His vision was entirely filled with the impossible figure of Death, 
exactly as he had been imagined by so many artists and fans. Somehow, 
the fiery eyes softened slightly, and the figure held out a huge pile of 
paper. 'THIS WAS YOU? TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AGREED WITH YOUR 
REQUEST. IT DEMANDS AN ANSWER.' The petition. Of course, the petition. 
It had been a while since he'd thought about it. It was absolutely the 
perfect response to a death like Sir Terry's, but it was just a joke. A 
sad, lost joke. He nodded.

"'I NEVER NORMALLY DO THINGS LIKE THIS.' Death looked sheepish, knowing 
that others probably thought they deserved an answer too. 'SO YOU CANNOT 
TELL ANYONE THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE. THEY WOULD PROBABLY THINK YOU MAD, 
AND THERE WOULD BE... CONSEQUENCES. THE CREATOR CANNOT BE REINSTATED. I 
CANNOT BRING HIM BACK TO YOU.' Tom nodded again, the tiny flicker of 
hope lit as he turned around in his chair extinguished. 'NO-ONE IS 
RETURNED TO THE WORLD, NOT EVEN MY OWN SON, NOT EVEN MY DAUGHTER. THEY 
LIVE IN MY DOMAIN NOW, AS I AM SURE YOU KNOW. ALBERT FEEDS THEM... FOOD, 
OF SOME KIND. HE REFUSES TO MAKE CURRY. HE SAYS IT HAS GERMS.' Death 
drew the Lifetimer out of his robes and held it out to Tom. He took it, 
expecting a dead thing, that the sand would now just look like sand and 
the magic would be gone. Instead, he saw the miracle immediately..."

To read the rest of this, go to:

http://bit.ly/1ILASEL


...and here be a photopost from 2014 that's recently come back to light. 
Cosplay time for the Ankh-Morpork City Watch (aka Pratchett club Perth 
Drummers) at Oz Comic Con:

http://sirius-luva.livejournal.com/87420.html

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

12) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld 
Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), meets next on Monday 3rd August 
2015. For more information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email
BrokenDrummers at gmail.com or nicholls.helen at yahoo.co.uk

The Broken Drummers' somewhat vertical July meet report, by Sim Lauren:

"Alcohol was drunk.
The punnes... OMG the Punnes!
Cootie-boxes were debated.
Paper flowers happened.
I'm not allowed to say that there was shark wrestling.
There was a shirt with *probably* a thousande elephants!
There was a discussion about how a Tasmanian has hair on his palm.
There was a quiz. It was on Marvel superheroes. And got very difficult 
very quickly. But there was lots of hints, so that's OK. Alex won the 
quiz without having to claim any bonuses for having the best Mustache. 
He is plotting the next one already!
There are Larry badges. They had an out of cheese error, and will 
re-emerge infinitely better.
We also debated if the phrase "Gary Gygax put TSR up his nose" is 
slander, libel, true or alleged."

*

Canberra, Australia has a new Discworld fan group, Drumknott's 
Irregulars! "We are a newly established Terry Pratchett & Discworld 
social group in Canberra called Drumknott's Irregulars. The group is 
open to all, people from interstate and overseas are welcome, and our 
events will not be heavily themed. Come along to dinner for a chat and 
good company. We welcome people all all fandoms (and none) and we would 
love to see you at one of our events, even if you're just passing 
through. Please contact us via Facebook 
(_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups 
(_https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or 
join us at our next event."

*

There is a new public Facebook meeting group, "The Gathering of the 
Loonies (Wincanton chapter)": "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will 
continue to be used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan 
Gatherings in Wincanton. Look here for information. Next event Loonies 
Christmas Party. Same weekend as Hogswatch would have been. ie 27/28/29 
November."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/

*

The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either 
Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things 
Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, 
Discworld photo scavenger hunts. Our recent 'Murder In Morpork' mystery 
party was a great night out. With 26 people attending, we had 24 
suspects, our special guest – Vetinari, and one dead mime! It was a fun 
night of food and murder and we are planning another Murder in December 
so stay tuned. We also attend opening night at Brisbane Arts Theatre's 
Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have about 100 members who 
meet meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane. For more info 
about their next meetup, join up at 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula 
directly at uwilmott at yahoo.com.au

*

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South 
Australia. For more information on their upcoming activities, go to 
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 6th August 2015 
(probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For 
more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers at yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 7th 
August 2015 (probably) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. 
"Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of 
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has 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, North Yorkshire, 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/

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 3rd 
August 2015 at 6.30pm (probably) in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George 
Street, Sydney,2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny 
Weatherwax): kenworthys at yahoo.co.uk

*

The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meets 
next on Monday 3rd August 2015 (probably) from 5.30pm at Carpe Cafe, 526 
Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia.

For details follow Perth Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers or join 
their Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/
– or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware at gmail.com>

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

13) ROUNDWORLD TALES: HO! THE MEGAPODE!

Many of you may have known that the Megapode chase at the start of 
Unseen Academicals was based on a real Roundworld university tradition, 
but the story of the odd ritual of the Mallard Society at All Souls' 
College, Oxford is even odder that one might expect...

"The origins of this association [The Mallard Society] are somewhat 
obscure. The earliest reference to the Mallard in connection with the 
College comes from January 1632, when three young 'Mallardyzers' were 
disciplined for bringing strangers in and causing disturbance and damage 
during the night. It is also reported that the Mallard Song 'was sung 
after a rude manner about 1658 about 2 or 3 in ye morning, which giving 
a great alarm to ye Oliverian soldiery then in Oxon they would have 
forced ye gate open to have appeased ye noise.'... By the early 
eighteenth century the procession had lapsed, but January 14th continued 
to be Mallard Night, a time for drinking and for singing the old song. 
We now begin to hear of the legend that when Archbishop Chichele's 
builders were digging foundations for the College in 1437/8 an enormous 
mallard flew up out of a drain where it had been trapped for many years. 
It has been plausibly suggested that the story arose from the discovery 
of a medieval seal bearing the name of William Malard, Clerk, in a drain 
on the College site... In 1801 the procession was revived as a one-off 
celebration of the new century. The procedure, like the commemorative 
medal that was struck for the occasion, was modelled on the old 
descriptions, but it was now a more solemn and dignified affair than the 
disorderly processions of the seventeenth century. The future Bishop 
Heber, then a freshman in Brasenose, observed about forty Fellows 
marching along the roof of the Codrington Library at four in the 
morning, carrying large torches and thundering out the song. The event 
was repeated on January 14th 1901, following an elaborate dinner [see 
below – Ed.]... Cosmo Gordon Lang, the future Archbishop of Canterbury, 
was the Lord Mallard. He was carried round the quadrangles on a chair, 
shoulder-high, singing the Mallard Song again and again, while everyone 
joined in the chorus. The ceremony was re-enacted on January 14th 2001. 
As in previous centuries, a commemorative medal was commissioned... But 
it is not just once a century that the Mallard is celebrated. The 
Mallard Song is sung twice every year, at the November Gaudy and at the 
Bursar's Dinner in March..."

http://bit.ly/1JEfnBT

Here be the menu for that dinner in 1901. How utterly UU in its 
lavishness, although we doubt Mrs Whitlow would be party to serving so 
much Quirmian "avec":

Potage des Tourterelles du Siecle Nouveau.
Tourbot, Sauce du Warden.
Eperlans a la Custodes Jocalium.
Vol-au-Vent du Ris de Veau a la Sub-warden.
Filets de Boeuf de L'Estates Bursar.
Chapons Rotis a la Roi Edouard.
Jambon d'Yorck.
Selle du Mouton.
Mallard Swapping Sauce.
Pouding d'All Souls
Gateau de Chichele.
Sardines de Chichele
Merluches Salade des Junior Fellows
Dessert du Common Room.

http://web.archive.org/web/20070713230403/http://www.all-souls.ox.ac.uk/events/menu.php

Here be an account of the proceedings in 1901:

"First came a few men with torches, one carrying before him on a long 
pole the stuffed mallard, then the Lord Mallard, carried on a chair 
shoulder-high by four men. At his side walked two others carrying wands 
in one hand, and with the other ready to steady his lordship should it 
be needful. Two more walked in front for the same reason. It was the 
Lord Mallard who from his seat sang again and again the song before 
referred to. Following him came all the members of the College - all in 
gowns, some with caps, and here and there a top-hat, looking very much 
out of place. (As must have felt their owners, gambolling in the night 
air.) The procession passed twice round the quad, making the tour of the 
smaller quad in between, and then proceeded to mount to the roofs, which 
was the next item on the programme. There was much laughter as they all 
disappeared from sight for a time, leaving us again in darkness, to 
emerge presently on a high roof near the chapel tower. Immediately in 
front of us, one by one they clambered up, and relit their torches at 
the top. Then again rang out the song as they slowly moved forward..."

http://web.archive.org/web/20070713230506/http://www.all-souls.ox.ac.uk/events/1901.php

...and here is the original Mallard itself, in antique plaster. Note 
that knowing smile on its beak. What duck?:

http://bit.ly/1MqwxrR

Wikipedia's page on the Mallard Song has the entire lyric, including the 
following bits. Be aware that the word "swapping" means, in modern 
parlance, enormous:

Hough the bloud of King Edward,
By ye bloud of King Edward,
It was a swapping, swapping mallard!

Hee was swapping all from bill to eye,
Hee was swapping all from wing to thigh;
His swapping tool of generation
Oute swapped all ye wingged Nation...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallard_Song

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

14) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Yet another round of Graeme Neill's (aka Pratchett Job) reviews...

The Last Continent:

"Rincewind novels are a problem and the issue is with Rincewind himself. 
He's a coward so all he can do is run away from things. By putting him 
through a traditional narrative arc where he overcomes his fears and 
saves the day, Pratchett would likely write a more satisfying book but 
would remove the only thing that makes him Rincewind. I really struggle 
to try and think of his other traits if his cowardice was removed... The 
book is an amusing and entertaining one but I can't really get what he 
is saying. Australians are different. They have corks on their hats to 
stop flies. Mad Max. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Ned Kelly. Weird 
food. Tinnies. The reader is shown a lot of different things but there's 
nothing below it. Like the other Rincewind books, there's a lack of a 
story arc. He doesn't change or develop as a character. He just runs and 
gets into scrapes... I feel I am being much too harsh here for a book I 
rather liked. In defence of it, the reader is thoroughly entertained by 
some nice comedic set pieces throughout. However, it's hard to write a 
post exploring a book that is just a list of things that are nowhere 
near as funny as they are in the novel..."

http://bit.ly/1HL7FI8

The Truth:

"I'm afraid that I was (and am) a journalist so a lot of what I will 
write about The Truth will need to be filtered through this bit of 
knowledge. I really enjoyed the 25th Discworld novel and it conveys the 
excitement and drive that journalists have about chasing stories. Of 
course, Pratchett was a local newspaper man when the Discworld was the 
mental size of a saucer. He knows the beat well... The Truth immediately 
brought two things to mind. The first was the reference to the infamous 
Sun headline about the Hillsborough football disaster. They accused 
Liverpool fans of causing the deaths of 96 fans, stealing from, and 
urinating on, corpses. It was abject bollocks of the highest order and 
they finally apologised for it 15 years after the horrible events. It's 
arguably one of the best known headlines in the history of UK 
newspapers. The second is Mark Twain's famous quote about never letting 
it stand in the way of a good story. And it doesn't. The Truth is more 
akin to screwball comedies such as His Girl Friday, rather than a satire 
of mac-clad, unscrupulous newshounds. There's more at play here... 
Pratchett's now customary suspicions about the absence of wisdom among 
the crowds raise their head here, although he questions his own 
assumptions in the book. The literally throwaway nature of The Times 
means that what it publishes doesn't lead to a mass uprising among the 
great unwashed against perceived wrongdoings. By publishing the truth at 
the end of the novel, de Worde does clear The Patrician's name, after he 
was framed for embezzlement. But there's far from a clamour for his 
release. The paper came out, and it didn't matter. People just seemed to 
accept things... I liked The Truth a lot, although with the wider 
Discworld knowledge swirling around my head, the plot isn't its 
strongest. This is potential fanboy criticism here so it should be 
treated with the respect that deserves..."

http://bit.ly/1LwhI82

Making Money:

"The novel gives us an interesting premise and in true Pratchett style 
forces us to think about the everyday in a different way. What do the 
coins and notes that sit in our pockets, wallets and purses actually 
represent? Why do they have value when their material worth is something 
very different? ... It's a neat extension on Pratchett's longstanding 
theme about the power of belief. We believe these chunks of metal or 
watermarked pieces of paper have value, with the buildings where we can 
borrow and deposit akin to temples. But the money doesn't actually 
exist. What we are spending is our faith... This being a Moist book, 
Vetinari is not very far from proceedings. My favourite Discworld 
character takes his opportunity to make some neat points about money's 
role in empire building and makes the reader, yet again, applaud the 
actions of a dictator. Like Moist, the reader has difficulty working out 
who the real Vetinari is. By keeping him at arm's length, he remains the 
enigma wrapped in the etc and so on... For me, the great books are those 
which require the reader to work at the novel, to try and make sense of 
the bits that don't quite fit, to imagine how a world works or fill the 
gaps within a character's past or present. But there's a difference 
between an author not treating their reader like an idiot, as well they 
should, and a book featuring a bunch of vaguely related concepts on the 
page and effectively forcing the reader to do the legwork. There's no 
arc to the story and it is very unsatisfying as a result. It reads like 
a first draft, where there is something there, but a lot of demolishing 
blind alleys and sharpening the edges of the narrative are required for 
it to be whipped into shape..."

https://pratchettjob.wordpress.com/2015/07/03/taxman-making-money/

Guards! Guards!:

"We are back in that wretched hive of scum and villainy, Ankh-Morpork. 
Yet again, after Dios in Pyramids, we learn that the most dangerous 
person in the Discworld is whoever is second in command. Lupine Wonse, 
deputy to The Patrician who runs the city, is using his alter-ego of the 
Supreme Grand Master of the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated 
Brethren of the Ebon Night to try and bring a dragon to the city, a 
threat that will allow him to install his own puppet king. Standing 
between him and his desires is the Night's Watch, the most despised 
group of men in the entire city... Pratchett's use of cliche and tropes 
is very clever as it hides another well worn story in plain sight. The 
reader is so busy giggling at Casablanca references and the like that 
they fail to notice that Carrot has been hidden as the one true heir of 
Ankh-Morpork throughout the novel, even though HE'S AN ADOPTED BLOODY 
SON AND PARAGON OF SODDING VIRTUE TRAVELLING TO A CITY TO SEEK HIS 
FORTUNE. At least I did anyway. But there are flaws. Vimes' journey from 
drunken wretch to hero is glossed over somewhat. He suddenly ditches the 
bottle and decides to serve the public trust, protect the innocent and 
uphold the law. He's a wonderful character – anyone who comes up with 
the line If there was anything that depressed him more than his own 
cynicism, it was quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life and 
who is constantly disappointed with himself will strike a chord with any 
reader – but the novel is erratic in his plotting. Vimes cleaning up his 
act happens much too quickly, but the book grinds to a halt about two 
thirds of the way in and infuriatingly spins its wheels before the plot 
kicks back in for its conclusion. Ankh-Morpork breathes here, at least 
as much as a shitheap city where the river is technically full of 
solids, rather than liquids, can do. Like any great crime novel, which 
Guards! Guards! ultimately is, the city is as much a character as its 
dramatis personae..."

https://pratchettjob.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/i-fought-the-law-guards-guards/

The Light Fantastic:

"The Light Fantastic is a Discworld book that I've read before. I 
remember not liking it. Beyond that? Nothing. So I was rather surprised 
to find I enjoyed it. In short, The Light Fantastic is The Colour of 
Magic but with plot. While its predecessor threw joke after joke at the 
reader to stop them from noticing that not a lot was actually happening, 
Rincewind and Twoflower, TCM's protagonists, are trying to halt The End 
of the World, albeit in their usual cack-handed fashion... The Light 
Fantastic is about power and responsibility. I'll try and keep the 
Spider-Man references to a minimum but in Trymon we are shown a ruthless 
and ambitious mage set on modernisation, without actually thinking 
through the consequences. So when he packs the seven Spells into his 
head, he opens a portal through which the dreaded Things from the 
Dungeon Dimensions can travel through (plot, remember?). So far, so 
straightforward, but where The Light Fantastic is interesting is how 
Pratchett explores the importance of the right kind of authority and 
knowing one's limits. Galder, the magician Trymon usurps as the head of 
the Unseen University, is characterised almost as a benign dictator who 
keeps magic in check. Trymon craves management – if there was something 
Trymon really liked, it was organising – but it is in bringing this to 
bear on the University that all hell almost breaks loose... By putting 
the reluctant hero Rincewind at the centre of the novel, Pratchett looks 
at how a quiet life can actually be worthwhile..."

http://bit.ly/1JRv09a

...and Snuff:

"I had been concerned just how Pratchett's writing abilities would have 
been affected post-Embuggerance. Making Money was clumsy, Unseen 
Academicals depressing but I Shall Wear Midnight was yet another 
fantastic Tiffany Aching novel. I was unsure whether it would be 
business as usual, as some Pratchett fans have argued, or whether the 
post 2007 Discworld novels were too sad to continue with. With Snuff 
(and with Raising Steam), I feel the answer sits somewhere between the 
two camps. They are enjoyable, and deeply admirable given his health, 
but nowhere near the heights of classic Discworld. As one would expect. 
There have been several stylistic changes. There are footnotes abound, 
instead of the occasional comic gem smuggled into the bottom of the 
page. His back and forth dialogue has been broadened considerably. 
Instead of the pithy comic chat that characterised so many of his 
novels, we have big chunks of conversation. While it doesn't quite 
overpower the novel, it does slow it down considerably. To its credit, 
the plot holds things together much better than I expected... Elements 
of the novel are fun. The massive set-piece barge chase at the end of 
the novel is deftly done. There's the concept of 'small crimes hiding 
bigger ones', where smuggling is the 'respectable' face of goblin 
slavery, is smart but regrettably undercooked. I loved Miss Beedle, the 
children's author who was one of the goblins' most vocal champions. 
Beedle's mother was raised by goblins when she was abandoned as a child 
and her telling Vimes of her family history delivers one of the book's 
best passages... Despite the pedestrian plot, it has a brilliant 
conclusion, where the world is changed in the goblins' favour. Sybil 
Ramkin, delightful, warm, exquisite Sybil decides to hold a concert 
where the talented goblin Tears of a Mushroom can showcase her 
otherworldly harp skills..."

https://pratchettjob.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/death-trip-snuff/

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

15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Sneak preview of the forthcoming Compleat Discworld Atlas! Photo by 
Kirsten Heath:
http://bit.ly/1fiqIiU

A 2015 Pratchett tribute: well dressing wizard in West Hallam, by Jane 
and Neve Metcalf, photo by Rachel Rowlands:
http://bit.ly/1GuKNs5

...and a closer view, photo by Paul Garton:
http://bit.ly/1Mf5tMc

Editor's note – well dressing is an old custom most closely associated 
with certain parts of England, most notably the Peak District. In other 
words, Lancre... but possibly the Chalk too (although there are well 
dressings in villages all around the UK). Here be a wiki: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well_dressing

Some of the Perth cast of Maskerade, in costume:
http://bit.ly/1Oz1GbN
http://bit.ly/1CWnkVO

Jon Sullivan's painting of the Battle of Koom Valley, from the 2010 
Discworld calendar:
http://www.jonsullivanart.com/images/the-battle-of-koom_03.jpg

A familiar-looking library, sent by Newshound Mss C. If anyone knows the 
credit for this photo, do let us know!
http://bit.ly/1IklVVe

...and a reminder, from Sam Vimes, of something that far too many 
well-meaning people have a habit of forgetting:

http://bit.ly/1LMItU8

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

16) CLOSE

And that's everything for the month of July. Don't forget to check out 
the mirror site/blog, for between-times updates, promotions for 
Discworld plays, and assorted images that don't fit in a text-based 
newsletter. And with that, I'm off to my bed. See you next month!

– Annie Mac

The mirror version of this issue can be viewed at

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner 
(at) pearwood (dot) info

———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2015 by Klatchian Foreign Legion