Wossname -- November 2015 -- Main issue
News and reviews about the works of Sir Terry Pratchett
wossname at pearwood.info
Tue Nov 24 13:23:46 AEDT 2015
Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
November 2015 (Volume 18, Issue 11, Post 1)
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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other
stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works 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.
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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)
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INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) THE TERRY PRATCHETT SCHOLARSHIP: A REPORT
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
08) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE UNDELIVERED LETTERS
11) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
13) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"I have reached the conclusion that a person may make a decision to die
because the balance of their mind is level, realistic, pragmatic, stoic
and sharp. And that is why I dislike the term 'assisted suicide' applied
to the carefully thought out and weighed up process of having one's life
ended by gentle medical means."
– Sir Terry Pratchett, 2010, in his Dimbleby Lecture "Shaking Hands with
Death"
"We should always debate ideas that appear to strike at the centre of
our humanity. Ideas and proposals should be tested." – ibid.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
Hogswatch is a-coming, the sausages are fat... and as winter sets in
around the lands of the Ankh-Morpork Consulate and the dwellers in
Fourecks start to gear up for BBQ season, the naughty and the nice are
making their hopeful lists to send to the Hogfather. Item 7 is full of
excellent suggestions from the assorted artificers at the Discworld
Emporium and Discworld.com, should you be in the market for fanworthy
gifts. And if you're thinking of gifts of the dead tree variety, don't
forget your local booksellers, both real and virtual
(_http://www.myindependentbookshop.co.uk/_).
There is quite a lot of Discworldly art featured in this issue, both
official and fan-made. Some of it requires staying within the lines.
Some of it is also edible. I hope you enjoy the various art links we've
gathered for your delectation...
And that will do for the moment. But first, a word about a kerfuffle. In
last month's issue, item 9 ("Fanac") was devoted to a string of
Discworld-centric limericks sent in by one of our Newshounds. As no
source was given apart from "found this on Facebook", I did a number of
searches (as I normally do) but found nothing to indicate where the
limericks thread came from; but as it was obviously fan-made and
definitely fun, I decided to include it in the issue. Then, not long
after the month's issue went out, I received an email from Jason Anthony
of Discworld Monthly newsletter, explaining that the limericks came from
a thread on the Discworld Monthly Facebook group, which is a private
group. Jason and I have since discussed this and all's sorted. But as
offence was taken, Wossname hereby apologises to the Discworld Monthly
Facebook group for the uncredited sharing of a thread posted in that group.
The very purpose of Wossname, since its beginning back in the 1990s, has
been to make fans aware of both direct news of the life and work of
Terry Pratchett and various international activities of Pratchett fans,
including links to fan art and reposting of forum threads and assorted
fan poetry and essays; and that will continue to be our policy and
raison d'etre. But to anyone – staff or civilian – who wants to send in
any fan-based items from less than public sources in future, do let us
know the origins...
On with the show!
– Annie Mac, Editor
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
03) THE TERRY PRATCHETT SCHOLARSHIP: A REPORT
A special report by Danny Sag of the Australian Discworld Convention
Committee
As you may have heard, Sir Terry Pratchett has – posthumously – created
a perpetual scholarship at the University of South Australia, allowing
Masters students to undertake their research at the Hawke Institute at
UniSA and the Long Room at Trinity College Dublin.
On Monday September 28, Rob Wilkins – Terry's long time PA, Business
Manager and friend presented the scholarship to UniSA Vice Chancellor
Professor David Lloyd. You may have seen some of the news articles, or
the official video from UniSA (links below), but I'm here to tell you
about a fan's perspective.
Members of the Australian Discworld Convention committee including
myself were fortunate enough to be invited to this event, and so we
stood there nervously amongst many other university dignitaries, feeling
a little out of place - until Rob came in, recognised us, and gave us
all hugs!
Once the formalities began, Professor Lloyd introduced Rob and the
scholarship, Rob spoke for a short while about Terry's life since the
embuggerance, and the relationship Terry and Rob had developed with
Prof. Lloyd at his time at Trinity College Dublin and later UniSA. Terry
was given an honorary doctorate at Trinity College in 2008 and at UniSA
in 2014, and for some of the time in between, Terry was a visiting
Professor at Trinity College giving some lectures on writing. Rob then
told us how last October – on the day after Prof Lloyd had visited to
present Terry with his UniSA doctorate (together with a graduate's hat
with corks), Terry wrote letters to his family and to Rob, which were
not opened until Terry's birthday this year, after his passing.
The letter to Rob included a phrase similar to "I fancy a memorial
scholarship in my name. Speak to David Lloyd and make it so." – and it
has now happened! This is special as it's a perpetual scholarship -
worth AU$1,000,000 (there or thereabouts) – which should tie the two
universities together in Terry's name forever.
After the speeches, Rob presented Professor Lloyd with a large novelty
cheque from the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork, the official documentation
was signed (and stamped with Terry's bee), and a few of us had Rob sign
our copies of The Shepherd's Crown.
A fun morning all around, and we were *also* lucky enough to catch up
privately with Rob a little later to discuss the 2017 Australian
Discworld Convention, which will be held in Adelaide. But we can't
possibly tell you about that.... although if you sign up to the mailing
list at http://ausdwcon.org you'll find out about Nullus Anxietas VI
when we have stuff to announce!
Here be more photos: http://imgur.com/a/MlZfc
[Editor's note: there is indeed fresh Nullus Anxietas VI news! Scroll
down to item 9.1]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
04) ODDS AND SODS
4.0 PTERRY STATUE UPDATE
From the Salisbury Journal:
"A campaign get a statue of the late Sir Terry Pratchett installed in
Salisbury has gathered more than 2,500 signatures. Organisers say they
are now working [with] an artist and Sir Terry's management team to draw
up concept designs for the statue. Campaigner Emily Brand said: 'We've
had some fantastic support and media coverage for the project, and it
just goes to show how much love the community in both Salisbury and
across the world had for Sir Terry. It's been a little quiet the last
couple of weeks, but we are now working with artist Paul Kidby and Sir
Terry's management team to create some concept designs for the statue in
the near future. Once we have some designs I can go forward with the
official pitch which I have been invited to put forward to one of the
local councils. This project is going to be a long time coming to
fruition, but I am so overwhelmed by the positive responses we've had so
far, and I hope you'll all continue to follow us we work together to see
this tribute to one of Britain's great authors come to life.'..."
http://bit.ly/1OlfWFA
4.1 THE FIFTH AND FINAL LONG EARTH NOVEL
The final Long Earth novel is due to be published in June 2016. Here be
blurbage from Goodreads:
2070-71. Nearly six decades after Step Day and in the Long Earth, the
new Next post-human society continues to evolve. For Joshua Valiente,
now in his late sixties, it is time to take one last solo journey into
the High Meggers: an adventure that turns into a disaster. Alone and
facing death, his only hope of salvation lies with a group of trolls.
But as Joshua confronts his mortality, the Long Earth receives a signal
from the stars. A signal that is picked up by radio astronomers but also
in more abstract ways – by the trolls and by the Great Traversers. Its
message is simple but ts implications are enormous:
JOIN US.
The super-smart Next realise that the Message contains instructions on
how to develop an immense artificial intelligence but to build it they
have to seek help from throughout the industrious worlds of mankind. Bit
by bit, byte by byte, they assemble a computer the size of a continent –
a device that will alter the Long Earth's place within the cosmos and
reveal the ultimate, life-affirming goal of those who sent the Message.
Its impact will be felt by and resonate with all – mankind and other
species, young and old, communities and individuals – who inhabit the
Long Earths...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25859268-the-long-cosmos
...and here be an interview with Guardian journalist (and fan) Alison
Flood, back in 2010, when the Long Earth series was a mere project in
its infancy:
"Both authors are determined to put the parameters of their world(s)
down in concrete before getting started. 'Once you've got the science
and the background you have to be true to it. One of the problems of
Doctor Who-type fiction is that you can make it up as you go along. If
you do it right, you use the modelling clay you've got,' said Pratchett.
'You only get one chance to put down the parameters of what's possible.
I've been phoning doctors and people like that and saying "Can this
work?" You have to find something which seems right and not too
blatantly bad from a scientific point of view'..."
http://bit.ly/1P1tMzZ
4.2 THE BOING BOING REVIEW: THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN
By Cory Doctorow, with little to no spoilage:
"The Tiffany Aching books were Pratchett's personal favorites, a fact
that had puzzled me, because as good as they were, they seemed slight
alongside of the Moist von Lipwig books, whose exploration of the way
that modernity and technological change rippled out through society
really resonated with me. But in The Shepherd's Crown, I've come to
realize what it is about these books that makes them so special and
endeared them so well to Pratchett's own heart: it's their compassion...
In The Shepherd's Crown, Tiffany's coming of age arrives at its climax,
and Pratchett uses her challenges to bring her into contact with a much
wider piece of the Discworld. More importantly, he makes her confront
impossible situations – wicked problems where someone must lose. Into
this action, Pratchett introduces all kinds of symmetries and touches in
on some of the Discworld's old threads: the old romance between Granny
Weatherwax and Archchancellor Ridcully, the ongoing story of the
railroad (see Raising Steam), the social pecking order of witches, and
the relationship of gender to witchcraft and wizardry, first explored in
1987's Equal Rites.
"What makes this book so great – what made Pratchett so great – is his
commitment to making jokes into something more than gags. The early
Pratchett Discworld novels were rather thin by comparison to the later
ones (he confesses as much in some of his essays), because Pratchett got
better as he went along. Pratchett's early work was dominated by puns,
Douglas-Adams-ish comic footnotes (that often fell short of Adams's high
standard) – cheap yucks. But Pratchett got better. Lots better. He
didn't get better by giving up on those cheap yucks: he got better by
making them into something more than cheap yucks. The Nac Mac Feegle are
a silly gag about Scottish, drunken, ultraviolent Smurfs. In the Wee
Free Men, Pratchett played with this notion, figured out where and how
he could push it around. Five books later, the Nac Mac Feegle aren't a
gag anymore. They're full-blown characters, and if there are running
gags about them all being called things like
No'-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock Jock, they are
garnish, not the main dish, which is a deft way of using these
spear-carriers to move the story into complicated places where Tiffany's
wisdom, self-confidence, compassion and sense of duty are all tested...
I loved this book. I loved it even when it tore my guts out. If you love
Pratchett, I guarantee it will tear your guts out too, and even though
I'm not someone who worries much about spoilers, this one is big and I'm
going to leave it to you to discover. But you've been warned..."
http://bit.ly/21ccap7
4.3 DISCWORLD COLOURING-IN PAGES!
A set of Paul Kidby's Tiffany Aching novels illustrations for all ages,
generously made available on Terry Pratchett Books to print out and
colour...
Tiffany and her frying pan:
http://bit.ly/1Hh1ejm
Rob Anybody Mac Feegle of the Chalk Feegles, looking fearsome as a Big
Man should:
http://bit.ly/1MwAcn8
Miss Treason's Boffo skulls, Enochi and Athootita:
http://bit.ly/1PISjdc
...and a rendering of the original Paul Kidby cover for The Shepherd's
Crown:
http://bit.ly/1QCM0bt
And to get ready for next October, you can download the Shepherd's Crown
Halloween Pack, complete with costume suggestions and plenty of other
things, by going to http://bit.ly/1MwAkTw and clicking on the download
button
4.4 ADOPT A DRAGON!
From the Discworld Emporium and the creative genius of Paul Kidby...
"Please don't let our flames go out! At Hogswatch the Sunshine Sanctuary
is 'swamped' by countless dragons in desperate need of love and care. By
adopting a dragon today you'll help provide vital aid for the
sanctuary's most needy residents. In return for your contribution and
support, you'll receive 3 own baby swamp dragons, lovingly and
exclusively sculpted by Mr Paul Kidby! Produced in a beautifully glinty
cold-cast bronze finish, these dragon babies really glow! But that's not
all – you'll also receive adoption certificates to name and keep safe
with your dragons, all presented in transportation gift boxes to prevent
escape! Please remember: 'A Dragon is for Life, not just for Hogswatch!'
"Our dragons are house trained but will sit happily outdoors should they
become too much of a handful. It is also worth noting that these dragons
are 100% unexplosive, and pose no risk to your home or possessions."
There are several different dragons...
Swamp Dragon #1: "This little cutie measures 160(l) x 95(w) x 60(h)mm."
Priced at £30. For more information, and to order, go to
http://bit.ly/1MfT73b
Swamp Dragon #2: "This little cutie measures 95(l) x 100(w) x 95(h)mm."
Priced at £30. For more information, and to order, go to
http://bit.ly/1MfTb34
Swamp Dragon #3: "This little sweetheart measures 115(l) x 85(w) x
100(h)mm." Priced at £30. For more information, and to order, go to
http://bit.ly/1LUvpeV
Full set of three dragons: "These little b-lighters measure (mm): 95(l)
x 100(w) x 95(h), 95(l) x 100(w) x 95(h), 160(l) x 95(w) x 60(h)."
Priced at £80 the lot. For more information, and to order, go to
http://bit.ly/1Hw6WZh
To view the main Adopt a Dragon page, featuring photos of Mr Kidby
putting the finishing touches on his original dragon sculptures, go to
http://bit.ly/1PepeWW
4.5 JIM VISION'S NEW DISCWORLD TRIBUTE ART
Nomes! On a boat!
I've been following Jim Vision and End of the Line's Twitter feeds ever
since the Brick Lane Pratchett mural made the headlines many moons ago,
and I was gratified to find that there was further Discworld tribute art
to be had from the same artists in London. But as it.'s been several
months since the post about the "Terry Pratchett boat" and the starboard
side photos never materialised, here be the post with its incomplete set
of art photos:
http://www.endoftheline.co/the-terry-pratchett-boat-starboard-side/
Another straight-on view, from Jim Vision's collection:
http://bit.ly/1XTWbcx
"Following the production of the Terry Pratchett tribute wall by Jim
Vision & Dr Zadok, fans gathered far and wide to marvel at the
spectacle. One of them being barge owner and London resident Faith.
Faith got in touch with us to request her very own Terry Pratchett mural
to be painted along the side of her house boat which moors on the east
London canal. Jim Vision headed on over last week to get started and
completed the starboard side with signature Josh Kirby gnomes and frogs.
Take a look below. The port side still needs completing, so you can find
Jim & Faith's brand new boat on the canal this Saturday. Final images to
come next week.."
Photo credit on the page: T.Elhaj
http://jimvision.co.uk/
Also, here be an action replay of the Brick Lane mural, which has been
partially changed by the same artists to Star Wars figures, after an
unusually long tenure with minimal vandalism:
http://www.endoftheline.co/the-terry-pratchett-tribute-mural/
4.6 JOSH KIRBY GIVEAWAYS!
From the dedicated Josh Kirby Facebook page:
"In December we have two big giveaways planned so please share this page
with friends, family and fans of Josh Kirby, Terry Pratchett and Discworld."
https://www.facebook.com/officialjoshkirby/
Editor's note: the page can be viewed even by those who don't have a
Facebook account. If you're not familiar with Kirby's non-Discworld art,
go give yourselves a treat! And be sure to have a shufti at Mr Kirby's
biography:
http://www.artofjoshkirby.com/about.html
4.7 STEELEYE SPAN WINTER 2015 TOUR DATES
The wonderful co-creators of the Wintersmith songs, live on tour:
Tue 24 Nov The Stables, Milton Keynes – Box office/info: 01908 280800
Wed 25 Nov New Vic Theatre, Newcastle Under Lyme – Box office/info:
01782 717962
Thu 26 Nov Prince of Wales Centre, Cannock – Box office/info: 01543 578762
Fri 27 Nov Town Hall, Cheltenham – Box office/info: 0844 576 2210
Sun 29 Nov Royal & Derngate, Northampton – Box office/info: 01604 624811
Mon 30 Nov Epsom Playhouse, Epsom – Box office/info: 01372 742555 / 742227
Tue 1 Dec The Winding Wheel, Chesterfield – Box office/info: 01246 345 222
Wed 2 Dec Huddersfield Town Hall, Huddersfield – Box office/info:
01484 223200
Thu 3 Dec Sage, Gateshead – Box office/info: 0191 443 4661
Fri 4 Dec Leeds Town Hall, Leeds – Box office/info: 0113 224 3801
Sun 6 Dec Great British Folk Festival, Skegness – Box office/info:
0330 102 5295
Tue 8 Dec The Apex, Bury St Edmunds – Box office/info: 01284 758000
Wed 9 Dec Corn Exchange, Ipswich – Box office/info: 01473 433100
Thu 10 Dec St Mary's In The Castle, Hastings – Box office/info: 01323
841414
Sat 12 Dec The Lighthouse, Poole – Box office/info: 0844 406 8666
Sun 13 Dec Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch – Box office/info: 01708 443333
Mon 14 Dec Cadogan Hall, London – Box office/info: 020 7730 4500
Tue 15 Dec St George's Bristol, Bristol – Box office/info: 0845 40 24 001
Wed 16 Dec Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth – Box office/info: 0844
847 2362
Thu 17 Dec City Hall, Salisbury – Box office/info: 01722 434434
To purchase tickets online for any of these dates, go to
http://steeleyespan.org.uk/tour/ and click the button for the desired date.
4.8 THE RETURN OF... GREEBO?
In the Nottingham Post:
"A missing cat returned to its owners having lost an eye after five
years in the wilderness – and weeks before the couple perform in a play
featuring a one-eyed feline. Half-Persian tabby Silva was feared dead
when she went missing from her Colwick home in 2010. But last Monday
owner Gale Brammer received a call from Cat Rescue saying microchipped
Silva had been picked up by one of their volunteers. The news came as
Gale, 56, and her husband Richard, 48, were rehearsing the Colwick
Theatre Club's production of Terry Pratchett's Maskerade. Richard,
producer of the show, said: 'It's the most bizarre coincidence. It was
almost too coincidental to be true. In the play, Nanny Ogg has a tomcat
called Greebo, who only has one eye. Silva had two eyes when we last saw
her, so she must have been through some awful things. It's very sad, but
she's home and safe now.' The couple toyed with the idea of casting
their cat in the role but decided it would be too cruel to put her on
stage in front of live audiences. 'If it was being recorded like a film,
I'm sure we could have involved her,' said Richard. 'But it's just not
fair on her and we don't want to frighten her.'..."
http://bit.ly/1GHnOky
4.9 THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY BLOG: THE LANGUAGE OF DISCWORLD
An excellent Oxford Dictionaries blog entry about the language of Discworld!
"What first started life in 1983 as a parody of the fantasy and science
fiction genres has now blossomed into a minutely detailed world. One of
the most enjoyable aspects of Pratchett's writing is that, despite the
fantastical setting, the people and places seem very real and relatable.
One of the ways that Pratchett has achieved this is through richness of
language... The Disc is both 'a world and mirror of worlds', filled with
different countries and cultures which have more than a passing
resemblance to our own, and it's clear that Pratchett has had a lot of
fun creating the linguistic identities of Discworld's various
inhabitants... With so many different languages spoken on the Disc –
Morporkian, Klatchian, Ephebian, and Omnian to name a few – there's no
wonder that language barriers, as anywhere, can cause confusion. For
example, Ankh-Morpork might be the Disc's greatest metropolis but to a
native of Uberwald (a 'very wild' place indeed!) Morpork is a word for
an item of ladies' underwear. The Borogravian national anthem is another
familiar example of the problems of translation. While probably a
rousing call to arms in its native tongue, the Morporkian (or English)
translation is somewhat mystifying... If human language differences
weren't problematic enough there are also Trollish and Dwarfish to
contend with. A clear parody of Tolkien's own inventions, Discworld
dwarves speak a guttural language which, to the untuned ear, sounds like
someone in need of a throat sweet or two. Dwarves famously have no
single word for rock and can also communicate through a complex
pictorial language known as Minesign. Trolls, on the other hand, are
much more physical beings, communicating mainly by hitting each other
with rocks. They do, however, have both a written and a spoken language
and are perhaps responsible for the oldest writing on the Disc... Aside
from the amusing names and satirizing of cultural confusion, language
forms an important part of the underlying philosophy of the novels as
Pratchett recognises how language creates the reality it describes. He
also demonstrates the power of language in shaping the way we relate to
our own identities and the past..."
http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/06/the-language-of-discworld/
4.10 REVIEW: THE WORLD OF POO
In The Missoulian (of Missoula, Montana), a review by Marjorie Doyle:
"If you have a child around 9 or 10 years old and are a fan of
Pratchett's 'Discworld,' this is the book for you. If you've never read
Pratchett and need some humor in your life, this little book will have
you hooked. One of the only authors that my spouse and children have in
common, Pratchett's use of word play and irreverent humor will have most
chuckling all the way through this book 'for all ages.' The story of
young Geoffrey – who is sent off to visit his grandmamma while his
mother is preparing for childbirth – and his quest to collect samples of
poo of every variety is more amusing than can be imagined..."
http://bit.ly/1ShyN5F
4.11 A CHAMPION DISCWORLD CAKE!
In the South Wales Argus:
"An Ebbw Vale woman and her five-year-old son were 'over the moon' after
they were given top prizes in an international cake competition at the
weekend. Jay Humphris won gold for her two-foot goblin and fairy cake
while her son Toby Ashman, five, was given a certificate of merit for
his creation at the Cake International show in Birmingham. The pair
entered the decorative exhibit category alongside Emma Phillips, who
runs Ebbw Vale-based Epic Cakes and also won a silver prize for her
elaborate Terry Pratchett-inspired cake... Ms Phillips, who owns Epic
Cakes and runs classes in Ebbw Vale learning action centre, won silver
in the competition. She said: 'This is the first year I've entered. We
were delighted to bits. My cake was a bit of a nod to Terry Pratchett
because he passed away last year and my husband is a huge fan.'"
http://bit.ly/1NIhW85
And here is a photo of Emma and her award-winning cake:
http://bit.ly/1XgblXB
[Editor's note: for more amazing Discworld cakes, go to the Images section!]
4.12 TERRY PRATCHETT, MIRROR(ER) OF (REAL) WORLDS
Here be a well-crafted piece by Shweta Taneja about how speculative
fiction can provide a truer picture of reality, on the Indian culture
site Scroll:
"In 2001, while receiving the Carnegie Medal for his children's book The
Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, author Terry Pratchett said,
'We categorise too much on the basis of unreliable assumption. A
literary novel written by Brian Aldiss must be science fiction, because
he is a known science fiction writer; a science fiction novel by
Margaret Atwood is literature because she is a literary novelist. Recent
Discworld books have spun on such concerns as the nature of belief,
politics and even of journalistic freedom, but put in one lousy dragon
and they call you a fantasy writer.'... For fantasy, be it in gaming or
books or movies, is perceived by the majority as escapism and a desire
to live in alternate realities. But for many authors like Pratchett, the
purpose of fantasy is not to immerse yourself in another world so as to
forget your own, but to reflect on your own society, to gaze into its
gaping holes. In the same speech, Pratchett says, 'Far more beguiling
than the idea that evil can be destroyed by throwing a piece of
expensive jewellery into a volcano is the possibility that evil can be
defused by talking. The fantasy of justice is more interesting that the
fantasy of fairies, and more truly fantastic. In the book the rats go to
war, which is, I hope, gripping. But then they make peace, which is
astonishing.' And the skilled writer that he is, he manages to reflect
our society's political and social milieu through satire, mirroring
international bickering on climate change, the modern day obsession with
television, ambitious politicians who force war in the name of justice,
and even the disruptive role that everyday greed and cowardice play, all
through a bunch of monsters and wizards..."
http://bit.ly/1N4t0zW
4.13 "RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER" CONTAINS A TRIBUTE FROM RHIANNA TO HER DAD
In Gamezone:
"The daughter of beloved fantasy giant Terry Pratchett, she had the
opportunity to learn at the knee of one of the greats, but she's stood
out on her own skills and has carved an niche into the world of gaming
with writing credits for the 2013 reboot of Tomb Raider, Mirror's Edge,
Heavenly Sword, Overlord, and she's back with Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Lara's father has been a specter and motivator for the titular
archaeologist since her inception, exploring Croft Manor and traversing
tundra following his clues and with the passing of Terry Pratchett, the
younger saw a good opportunity to include an homage to the late author.
'There is one journal ... when my dad was being interviewed about his
Alzheimer's, he said that there was one particular memory he didn't want
to lose,' Pratchett recently told GamesRadar. 'It was about the time I
was born. The night I was born. I immortalized that memory in one of
Richard [Croft]'s diaries. So it's a little– it's a riff on that memory
of my father's, rolled into Richard's memories.' Pratchett described the
experience as cathartic and it's nice to see such a genuine tribute to
someone who was not only clearly dear to her, but to the many Discworld
fans around the world...."
http://bit.ly/1NjV1pp
There's also a full interview with Ms Pratchett in The Telegraph, about
the game and other things:
http://bit.ly/1O9ohxO
4.14 ON READING THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN
Tracy Briseno of the Ames Public Library has written a reflective essay
about the end of new Discworld novels:
"I am having trouble reading this book. Usually, I buy the newest
Pratchett book the day it is released and read it cover to cover that
day or at the very least, within that week. I devour the book, then
often go back and re-read it again once I've finished. Pratchett's books
are fun and interesting, thought-provoking, and make the reader see the
world around them with different eyes. I've read most of them multiple
times and regularly recommend them to friends (and strangers). The point
remains, that I don't want to finish this book. I dearly want to read
it, but when it is over, there will be no more new adventures in this
wonderful world I've come to love. That breaks my heart... The
interesting thing for me is that the loss is felt anew when you discover
an author you love, read through their whole body of work, then get to
the end... For me, this doesn't translate to wanting others to continue
ghostwriting (which Pratchett's daughter has assured fans will not
happen in his case.) I mourn the finality, but anything else would feel
like a sham, not quite right..."
http://amestrib.com/news/memory-terry-pratchett
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
5.0 NEW: UNSEEN THEATRE'S NEW AUDITIONS!
Unseen Theatre's next Discworld play will be Feet of Clay! The play will
run from 15th to 30th April 2016 – but first, a cast is needed. Director
Pamela Munt says, "This is a 'City Watch' play so I am hoping that lots
of you male actors out there are jumping in to attend auditions. Female
roles are also available of course. Basically we need a cast of thousands."
Auditions info:
When: Sunday 29th November 2015
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide
Time: 5pm
Rehearsals will be held each week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
evenings, running to this schedule:
December 8th to 20th (Christmas break)
Jan 3rd to Feb 11th (Fringe break)
March 15th to April 14th (Production Week commences Sunday April 10th)
If you are interested in auditioning, contact Pamela Munt at
pamela at unseen.com.au to let her know. "No appointment time is necessary
because the auditions will be run in a group format. BUT we do need an
idea of numbers."
5.1 NEW: ERIC IN CARDIFF (FEBRUARY 2016)
Monstrous Productions are going from strength to strength! Having raised
over £16,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK so far through ticket sales for
their Discworld plays – including £4,000 for their recent and much
lauded production of Night Watch – the company is now set to tackle Eric
in the new year!
When: 18th, 19th and 20th February 2016
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3JW Box
Office (029) 2048 3344
Time: 7pm all evening shows; 2pm matinee on Saturday 20th
Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions). To purchase online, go to
http://7889269b08cd.fikket.com/
"Tickets are now on sale for Eric! They're a bit cheaper than usual as
the play is shorter. Please be aware that there is one performance less
than usual too so there will be fewer tickets available."
5.2 REMINDER: MASKERADE IN CAMBRIDGE (DECEMBER)
Discworld plays and home of the Cambridge Footlights – what's not to
like? The ADC Theatre will present their production of Maskerade in
December.
"After the sell-out success of Wyrd Sisters, Bawds bring another
Discworld to the ADC Theatre with their unique mix of film, music and
comedy, directed by a former President of the Footlights and dedicated
to the proposition that 'in opera, no-one can hear you scream'."
When: Tuesday 8th – Saturday 12 December 2015
Venue: ADC Theatre, Park Street, Cambridge CB5 8AS (phone 01223 300085).
"Parking is available in Park Street Car Park operated by Cambridge City
Council. Street parking on Jesus Lane is often available for minibuses
and other large vehicles. Approach must be made via Victoria Avenue or
Maids Causeway due to traffic restrictions."
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £12/£10 concessions (Tue & Sat Matinee £10/£8 concessions). To
book, go to https://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/drama/maskerade.aspx and
select a date from the drop-down menu on the right of the page
https://www.adctheatre.com
5.3 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN HEXHAM (NOVEMBER)
The Queen's Hall Theatre Club are presenting their production of Wyrd
Sisters this week.
When: Thursday 26th – Saturday 28th November 2015
Venue: Main Theatre, Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham,
Northumberland NE46 3LS (Box Office 01434 652477)
Time: 7:30pm a shows
Tickets: £10 (concessions £9, under 18s £7). The Box Office is open from
10.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday & 10.00am to 4.00pm Saturday and one
hour before the start of every performance. To buy online, go to
http://bit.ly/1O5eIAp and click on the tab marked BOOK, then click the
BOOK tab for the date of your choice.
http://www.queenshall.co.uk/events/terry-pratchett%E2%80%99s-wyrd-sisters
http://www.queenshall.co.uk/
5.4 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN BELFAST (NOVEMBER)
The Bart Players will present their production of Wyrd Sisters this week.
25th–28th November 2015
Venue: Bart Players, 183 Stranmillis Road, Belfast
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10.00 (Concession for Under 18/Over 60s/Students £8.00; groups
of 10 or more will earn a discount). Tickets can be purchased online at
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bartplayers – or by email to
bartplayersbelfast at gmail.com,
or by phoning 028 9020 2280.
http://bartplayers.co.uk/
5.5 NEW: MORT IN YORK, 2016: AUDITIONS!
We Are Theatre, a performance group particularly dedicated to engaging
community and disability, will be presenting their production of Mort
next June – the 21st and 22nd, at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York.
But first, it's auditions time! Charlotte and Donna of We are Theatre
tell us: "York is readily accessible via transport and as a company, we
have an open door policy, so we do not have a core membership, instead
holding open auditions and casting from those auditions for each show."
When: 10th, 17th and 24th January 2016
Time: late afternoon/early evening. To book an audition, contact
wearetheatre at googlemail.com or ring 07521 364107, and give the following
information: name, age (if under 18), email address, telephone number,
and preferred audition date.
Rehearsals for the June dates will be held on Sunday afternoons/evenings
"from Spring 2016 onwards".
www.wearetheatre.co.uk
5.6 REVIEW: MASKERADE IN LINCOLNSHIRE
by Winston Brown in the Spalding Guardian
"The ever-ambitious Act II Theatre Company set its drama group the task
of bringing Pratchett's reworking of The Phantom of the Opera to theatre
audiences at Spalding's South Holland Centre... The production turned
into an epic, two-hour, 40-minute marathon with catchphrases like 'It's
all about the music', 'the show must go on', and 'if your house is on
fire, what's the first thing you would take out?' Kelly's remarkable
turn as Nanny Ogg, plus steal-the-scene turns from Lily Bergin (Sgt
Detritus) and Summer Milnes (Corporal Nobbs), added to reliable
performances by Morgan, Hayley and the precocious Alex Gilman (Greebo)..."
http://bit.ly/1NIgSkD
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
6.1 LEGO NO-GO
Some disappointing news for Lego and Discworld fans:
"Lego has just reported the results of Lego Ideas, in which it
crowdsourced suggestions from Lego lovers for new products. And the news
is bad. Not one of the ideas, all of which received the required 10,000
supporters, has been given the green light. In total, 13 ideas were
rejected, including a Lego set that replicated the living room from '80s
sitcom The Golden Girls; minifigures of the two elusive members of dance
act Daft Punk; a scene from the Discworld novels; a Tyrannosaurus rex;
the International Space Station; video game The Legend of Zelda and an
ice palace from Disney movie Frozen. Each suggestion received at least
10,000 backers between January and May this year, making it eligible for
Lego Review. But the Danish company decided not to forward any of the
projects to the production stage, an unwanted first in Lego history.
Lego did not divulge the reasons behind its decisions, although one
factor could be the challenge of securing intellectual property rights
on certain ideas."
http://yhoo.it/1X44u8M
However, some people remain undaunted, especially amazing large-scale
Lego sculptor Eero Okkonen, interviewed here by Lego aficionados "The
Brothers Brick":
"TBB: What was the hardest aspect of a Discworld character to capture in
LEGO?
"Eero: Probably the Librarian's shapes and proportions, especially with
my limited dark orange collection. The Dean's leather coat's text 'DEAN
– BORN TO RUNE' was tricky too. Most of the MOC was built simply around
it, as it set the scale for it.
"TBB: Did you have a moment of 'Eureka' when a particularly odd part
just seemed to fit?
"Eero: The Librarian's face, definitely. It took lot of shaping, but
came out surprisingly fast in night-time, two or three hours. I tried
all sorts of odd parts to capture his rubbery baggy face. The minifig
arms connected to the hip piece were going to be used as the brow but
they ended up in the lower jaw instead. The handlebar piece had the most
important 'Eureka' moment here, as it made a great upper lip and framed
the eyes. It also made it possible to move the yellow teeth a bit
forward, giving a bit less human-like and more orangutan-like overall
shape to the face.
"TBB: How much time does it take to complete a build? Do you revisit for
improvements before you are satisfied?
"Eero: The time taken differs... But I think I am quite fast builder.
These usually have taken something like six hours each, some less, some
more. Ridcully, who was the first one built, was done in a weekend
shortly after Sir Terry's death in March and it took a bit more; I
somehow found the legs challenging as most of my character builds
usually have longer cloaks. Rincewind, on the other hand, took a lot
less. His facial features took some shaping and SNOT work, but
everything else came together in hour or two, the shaping being very
simple here. I always revisit my old creations, but usually after they
are photographed and posted online..."
http://bit.ly/1lAcNse
If you haven't time at the moment to read the full interview, do take a
moment to look at these amazing photos of his Discworld work!
Ridcully, Rincewind, the Dean and the Librarian:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5687/23056056312_22b5f5c521_z.jpg
The amazing Vimes, with cigar, truncheon – and proper bare toes:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5707/21719775158_55b8f10547_z.jpg
...and Susan, dressed for The Duty and accompanied by the Death of Rats:
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/733/21808725266_2fdb0855ae_z.jpg
6.2 "CLACKS": A HOGSWATCH REMINDER!
No, there's no new news (or indeed, new ODs) since last month. But this
is where your Editor imp-lores all and sundry who haven't bought Clacks
yet to go to your nearest Roundworld game-seller and demand they present
you with a copy to buy. While I have no full review to offer yet since
it's taken a while to arrange a proper multiplayer session (December
issue will have the review), we at Wossname Central have tinkered a bit
with the game and can assure you that it's a goer. And what better way
to liven up your post-Hogswatch dinner family games, right?
http://www.backspindlegames.com/clacks/
http://discworld.com/products/games/
http://www.discworldemporium.com/Clacks
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
7.1 DISCWORLD.COM UPDATES
It looks like Discworld.com have got their hands on Tiffany's
goddess-of-summer cornucopia, when it comes to Discworld merchandise...
"Crunching snow, snorting boar and rolling turnips in the office herald
the approach of Hogswatch at Discworld.com HQ, and we're delighted to
invite you to explore our range of seasonal gifts on our NEW festive
favourites pages. Here you'll find tempting treats to delight every
Discworld fan, unusual stocking-fillers and some new ideas from the
Roundworld goodies vault. But do avoid disappointment and heed our last
ordering dates as we cannot guarantee postage of items ordered after the
following:
UK – 11th December
Europe – 4th December
USA – 4th December
The rest of the world (including Australia & New Zealand) – 1st December
http://discworld.com/products/festive-fun/
http://discworld.com/products/stocking-fillers/
Stocking fillers
"We have a ton of treats to stuff the stocking of any Discworld fan and
a host of affordable Roundworld gifts too so please take a browse
through our new Hogswatch pages, where everything is grouped together
for simpler, faster shopping! Brighten up your desk with one of our
quality mousemats, which are now all priced at just £5 – stock is
extremely limited so grab your favourite design while it lasts. Or order
one of our canvas bags and cover it with badges from our massive
selection – we even have a colourful range of six 'festive specials'.
Our quality Dweenie badges are always a hit but when the Hogfather turns
up who can resist! He's only available for a limited time so snap one up
while you can. And don't forget to deck your Christmas kitchen with
magnets and coasters from our Dweenie range, again the Hogfather is only
available for a short time. And grab the hugely popular rat chopping
board and NEW Death chopping board while we still have stock!"
http://discworld.com/products/stocking-fillers/
http://discworld.com/products/bags/
http://discworld.com/products/badges/
http://discworld.com/products/dweenie-badges/
http://discworld.com/products/coaster/
http://discworld.com/products/gimlets-kitchen/rat-chopping-board/
http://discworld.com/products/gimlets-kitchen/death-chopping-board/
And for under the tree...
"We're delighted to offer you a huge range of high quality goodies
featuring all your favourite characters from the Discworld. We have
t-shirts and hoodies, Tiffany's exquisite pendants, stunning artwork
(some still signed in person by Terry Pratchett), DVD's (including
Terry's 'Living with Alzheimer's', now back in stock) and a hog-load more."
http://discworld.com/products/t-shirts/
http://discworld.com/products/hoodies/
http://discworld.com/products/jewellery-discworld-merchandise/
http://discworld.com/products/signed/
http://discworld.com/products/dvds/terry-pratchett-living-with-alzheimers/
Festive Favourites...
"All your festive favourites are here in our Hogswatch special page,
from Death as the Hogfather specials to our seasonal range of
high-quality A5 Hogswatch cards. Beautifully illustrated gloss cards
featuring the artwork of Paul Kidby, they include a lineup of Discworld
characters guaranteed to titillate even the most cynical scrooge. Cards
feature The Hogfather, The Librarian (We all need a little extra 'Ook!
in life!) and Nanny Ogg in a festive mood. All cards have individual
messages and come complete with colourful envelopes."
http://discworld.com/products/hogswatch-cards/
http://discworld.com/products/festive-fun/
A really special gift...
"We have limited stocks of items that were personally signed by Terry
Pratchett. Keep a little piece of history and remember him by tucking
these items away on your shelf at home. A truly irreplaceable and
precious Hogswatch gift. We also have limited numbers of collectable
items and keepsakes for you to choose from for those extra special gift
ideas."
http://discworld.com/products/signed/
http://discworld.com/products/collectables/
"Books, books and more bOOKs! As well as a vast range of Discworld
novels in paperback and hardback, embossed with Terry's golden coat of
arms, we have a wonderful selection of gift books ranging from the
sublime Nanny Ogg's cookbook, Terry's incredible & moving 'Shaking Hands
with Death' and the wickedly funny 'Good Omens', to the glorious Death's
Domain and other Discworld mapps! We're all engrossed in the NEW
Discworld atlas too, well worth a read! 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."
http://discworld.com/products/paperbacks/
http://discworld.com/products/hardbacks/
http://discworld.com/products/books/book-nanny-oggs-cookbook/
http://discworld.com/products/books/shaking-hands-with-death/
http://discworld.com/products/books/book-good-omens-paperback/
http://discworld.com/products/books/book-deaths-domain/
http://discworld.com/products/books/book-a-tourist-guide-to-lancre/
http://discworld.com/products/books/the-discworld-atlas/
"Organise your year with us... With 800 days, 13 months, two of each
season and more festivals than Vetinari has mimes in his dungeon, a
Discworld year is hard to keep track of! But we CAN help you keep tabs
on a Roundworld Year with the 2016 Collector's Calendar. This unusual
collection features twelve pieces of original art from Joe McLaren,
cover artist for Gollancz's hugely successful Discworld Collector's
Library. The calendar includes all major realtime calendrical data for
Great Britain, Eire, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, as well
as notable Discworld dates. And the delightfully illustrated 2016 diary
is a must for any Pratchett fan's Hogswatch stocking! A durable, high
quality hardback, with heavy weave pages, this beautiful book comes with
all the functionality of an everyday diary but also packs the charm, wit
and wonder of the Discworld into every month – a must for the modern witch!"
http://discworld.com/products/books/discworld-2016-collectors-edition-calendar/
http://discworld.com/products/discworld-library/
http://discworld.com/products/books/discworld-2016-diary-a-practical-manual-for-the-modern-witch/
"Collect all your favourite characters from the Lancre Coven now easily
accessible in our special selection pages. From Granny Weatherwax, Nanny
Ogg, Magrat Garlick and Agnes Nitt to our youngest star, Tiffany Aching.
We have a wonderful selection of magical merchandise to please every fan
of the delightful Discworld witches."
http://discworld.com/products/the-witches/
"Cheer up the tree this Hogswatch! You asked for them and we're
delighted to announce the launch of three heavenly Hogswatch
decorations to brighten up the tree of any Discworld fan! These cheerful
designs feature Paul Kidby's ever-popular artwork. The reverse is
printed with festive mottos and each aluminium disc is suspended from a
jolly red ribbon – Happy Ho Ho Hogswatch from us all!"
http://discworld.com/products/hogswatch-decorations/
"We've launched three quality new phone cases just in time to make the
Hogswatch of any iPhone 5 or 6 user. Sporting three of our most popular
designs these cases are proving to be a huge hit so order while we still
have stock. And for those of you who don't have an iPhone, don't worry,
we're looking at stocking other covers so keep checking our Facebook,
Twitter and website!
http://discworld.com/products/phone-covers/
https://www.facebook.com/discworldofficial/?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/Discworld_com
http://discworld.com/
7.2 DISCWORLD EMPORIUM UPDATES
First off, the Hogswatch delivery news:
"'Nether rain nor snow nor glo m of ni t...' As an official branch of
the Ankh-Morpork Post Office we pride ourselves on offering swift and
reliable delivery all over the Roundworld."
For delivery in time for Hogswatch please make sure you order by the
following dates:
Asia, Cyprus, Far East, Japan, South America, Eastern Europe – 6th December
Australia, New Zealand, Greece – 9th December
Germany, Italy – 13th December
Canada, USA – 14th December
Rest of Europe – 15th December
UK – 18th December
"We will cease shipping from Friday 18th December. Orders placed after
this date will not be sent until we re-open on Tuesday 5th January.
Check the postal system for worldwide incidents or status updates by
visiting
http://www.royalmail.com/service-updates."
Editor's note: for the full info, go to http://bit.ly/1lBEUXP
Now, for some new stuff...
* The Great A'Tuin game mats!
"A generously proportioned Discworld game mat from Micro Art Studio
featuring Great A'tuin, the Star Turtle by Paul Kidby. This marvellous
mat isn't just for gaming though, oh no. In fact, we've been using ours
as a general desk mat but it is also ideal for crafting, table decor,
pet bowls and as a mouse mat for trolls for example! Measures 60 x 40cm,
fabric with 2mm rubber non-slip backing."
Each Game Mat is priced at £10.00. For more information, and to order,
go to:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-atuin-mat
* The Flora & Fauna of Discworld tea towel!
"100% cotton tea towel featuring some of our favourite Discworld plants
and critters, including the Curious Squid, Quantum Weather Butterfly,
Counting Pine, Hermit Elephant and Swamp Dragon! Illustrated exclusively
for us in glorious thaumicolour by Vladimir Stankovic in his wonderfully
dark story-book style, this fantastical tea towel is a tribute to some
of the 'wilder' creations from the mind of Terry Pratchett – the flora
and fauna that made the Discworld world just a little bit more, well,
Discworld. Measures 78 x 48cm."
Each Discworld Flora & Fauna tea towel is priced at £9.95. For more
information, and to order, go to:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-flora-and-fauna-teatowel
* The Death's Cloak pin!
"A replica of the Omega cloak pin worn by Death and Susan in the film
adaptation of Hogfather. Made in pewter with a heavyweight brooch clasp,
and delivered in a stylish presentation box. Measures 70 x 40mm."
Each Death's Cloak pin is priced at £10.00. For more information, and to
order, go to:
http://bit.ly/1vleZlt
...and the Kidby Dragons latest...
"Thank you! Our baby swamp dragons, exclusively sculpted for us by Mr
Paul Kidby, have twice sold out, meaning that lots of little dragons
have been adopted, helping to provide vital aid for dragons in desperate
need of love and care this Hogswatch. Each dragon is hand-cast, polished
and finished to achieve their special glow – so it takes time for them
to be created, but we're working hard to get them restocked soon and
will let you know when they are ready for re-homing once more."
http://www.discworldemporium.com/
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
08) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld
Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), meets next on Monday 7th December
2015 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London, W2 1JQ. For more
information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email
BrokenDrummers at gmail.com or nicholls.helen at yahoo.co.uk
*
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 at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.
Upcoming events hosted by the Pratchett Partisans include:
Homicide at Hogswatch. Sat 19 December 6pm-10pm. Grand Central Hotel
Dining Car. Will another Murder will be committed in Ankh Morpork? More
details will be released soon.
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
"Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala
Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am."
Upcoming events include:
Nov 26th Monthly Dinner and Games, Seven Stars Hotel, 187 Angas St
Nov 29th Planning Picnic, Botanic Park, 11.30am
Dec 6th Round World Events SA Annual General Meeting
Dec TBA End of Year Dinner
For more info, go to http://ausdwcon.org/fan-clubs/adelaide/quiz/
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 3rd December 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 4th
December 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 7th
December 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 7th December 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>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
9.1 AUSDWCON 2017 NEWS
Nullus Anxietas VI – The Discworld Grand Tour – will take place at the
Lakes Resort Hotel, West Lakes, Adelaide, South Australia on 4-6 August
2017. Read on...
Announcing The Discworld Grand Tour!
=======================================
Ladies, Gentlemen, Dwarfs, Trolls, Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins,
Feegles, sundry others and Nobby Nobbs – the Ankh-Morpork Tourism Board
invites you to a journey of wonder, whimsy, and, er, wossname at *Nullus
Anxietas VI – The Discworld Grand Tour – The Australian Discworld
Convention.*
The Discworld Grand Tour will be held on 4th-6th August 2017 at the
Lakes Resort Hotel, Adelaide, South Australia. This convention will be a
way to escape on a luxurious trip to the Discworld to enjoy three (or
four) fabulous days of fun and frivolity with your fellow fans of the
late, great Sir Terry Pratchett.
Our wonderful new website has just launched and can be found at
https://ausdwcon.org
Please visit the site to read all about the upcoming convention and to
book your tickets!
Let Rincewind tell you all about it:
https://youtu.be/j80m1JdktQA
Terry Pratchett Folio Special Offer
=======================================
Thanks to the kind generosity of Rob Wilkins, the first 50 people to
purchase tickets to Nullus Anxietas VI will receive a very special gift
– a limited edition Terry Pratchett Folio, containing some short
writings by our very favourite author. These have only been previously
available to attendees at the UK Discworld Convention in 2014, at Nullus
Anxietas V in 2015 and for a very short time at Discworld.com. This is
your chance to get one of the few remaining copies, simply by buying
your ticket to Nullus Anxietas VI!
For more information, see https://ausdwcon.org/shop/folio-special-offer/
HO! HO! HO! Buy your loved one a Hogswatch present!
===================================================
Also now available in the Australian Discworld Convention shop are
Hogswatch Presents – vouchers you can buy for a friend or loved one
which they can use at a later date to buy their Nullus Anxietas VI
ticket! This is a special limited-time sale – Hogswatch Presents will
only be available until December 20th.
Meet your fellow tourists
====================
You can find out more about Nullus Anxietas VI – The Discworld Grand
Tour – The Australian Discworld Convention and chat with other potential
tourists at:
Website: https://ausdwcon.org
Facebook page: https://facebook.com/Ausdwcon
Facebook group: https://facebook.com/groups/ausdwcon2017
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ausdwcon
IDWCON LETTERS
The Irish Discworld Convention committee have now released a collection
of these letters, from members of Team Pratchett and members of the
public, in .pdf form.
"Throughout the Convention, we ran a memorial event called
'Letters to Terry', where attendees were encouraged to write a letter
celebrating the impact of Sir Terry's work on their lives." A few
extracts to whet your interest:
"Well, if the old adage is true: 'no man is truly dead while his name is
remembered', then there are millions of us remembering your name old
darling, so many in fact that perhaps by some strange alchemy of fate
the concept you so wonderfully explored in 'Small Gods', of deities
being created by the prayers of their followers, then you might yet
appear in some vision to a virgin or as a rocking statue in the grotto
of your choice..."
– Bernard Pearson
"So many of us mourn you not just as an admired author, a fiction
producing superstar glimpsed from afar, but for the very real way your
writing touched our lives, widened our world view, improved our sense of
justice and made us laugh."
– Shivers
"I had never been part of a fan community. I knew nothing of fan
conventions or fan culture... And so, when the 2008 convention rolled
around, I, at age 48, packed up my bags and flew to England from New
Delhi to attend and it was the first time in my entire life that I had
gone somewhere alone, to be amongst people I had never met before for
any purpose, least of all for the purpose of celebrating works of
fiction and their author. I arrived, met a few people, started gophering
and the first duty I was given was to carry your bags. I was in awe..."
– Elizabeth Ann Warner Gaw
"I am a religious believer, and you weren't, and we had many a good
discussion on this. But ultimately, once one has crossed the black sands
under the starry skies, these speculations will disappear in the light
of reality. So it is my confident prayer that one day we shall see one
another again, and talk, and talk, and talk..."
– Jacqueline Simpson
"I was a geek when that was a thing that got you beat up regularly in
school, long before it turned into an ironically cool label. You were a
refuge, an example that people who unabashedly spent their time thinking
about witches and elves could be spectacularly successful and not
apparently bothered if others didn't care for the same thing... You gave
me joy, Terry, when I needed it. You gave me a way to connect with those
I love. You let me look at the world in a different way, and continue to
do so. I miss the idea that there is more to be heard from you, but I
know that's incredibly greedy when you've already given me so much."
– Kris Vasquez
To read the whole collection, go to
http://idwcon.org/index.php/convention/2015aftermath.html/ and click on
the Letters to Terry link. Beware, the whole document is 54 pages long
and may cause strong emotions...
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE UNDELIVERED LETTERS
As told by Maev Kennedy in The Guardian:
"Thousands of pieces of correspondence, many still unopened, were stored
away by Dutch postmaster and are now being examined by academics... an
extraordinary trove of thousands of pieces of correspondence, never
delivered, many still unopened and sealed closed, found packed into a
leather trunk and stored away for centuries in the Netherlands. The
collection includes letters from aristocrats, spies, merchants,
publishers, actors, musicians, barely literate peasants and highly
educated people with beautiful handwriting, and are written in French,
Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Latin... The letters were sent between 1680
and 1706, a time of constant war and political upheaval in Europe, and
were kept by a married couple, Simon de Brienne and Maria Germain, the
postmaster and mistress in The Hague. They were a canny business couple
who spent a period in England as court officials to the newly crowned
William III before selling their positions for £1,550 and a barrel of
Burgundy and returning home. At the time the delivery of letters was
paid for by the recipient, and many may have been undeliverable because
the recipient had changed address – one had been forwarded to a series
of different addresses, in vain – or even died. Smith believes that they
were kept in the hope that one day they would be collected and paid for.
'Something about these letters frozen in transit makes you feel like
you've caught a moment in history off guard,' he said. 'Many of the
writers and intended recipients of these letters were people who
travelled throughout Europe, such as wandering musicians and religious
exiles. The trunk preserves letters from many social classes, and women
as well as men. Most documents that survive from this period record the
activities of elites – aristocrats and their bureaucrats, or rich
merchants – so these letters will tell us new things about an important
section of society in 17th-century Europe. These are the kinds of people
whose records frequently don't survive, so this is a fantastic
opportunity to hear new historical voices.'..."
http://bit.ly/1HBvVKP
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
11) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Here be another thoughtful review by Kokay Maramot. This time it's Jingo:
"Jingo is easily Terry Pratchett's craziest stunt. Unlike most City
Watch novels, Jingo didn't start with a murder or death (or at least not
obviously criminal). It starts with squids and fishermen! It is fair to
say that everything would have continued peacefully where it not for a
freak geological movement which caused an island (much like Atlantis,
though possible less grander and definitely smellier), to surface. Crane
up to Ankh-Morpork where the social weathercocks are stirring in the
direction of war! From the humblest citizen to the bigwigs in the war
councils of Ankh-Morpork, everyone is talking big and thinking small.
But this being a City Watch novel and our main heroes and heroines [are]
policemen, it's not going to be about the merits of diplomacy. It's
going to be about the delights and excites of proactive crime
fighting... But while Jingo had a lot to say about the stupid things
people do that gets them into stupid wars, most of the novel is just
gratuitously fun. And that fun goes a long way when your subject matter
is something as grave as war. And I realized something peculiar at how
Terry Pratchett frames his omniscient authorial voice. One can't help
but laugh when Colon goes on with his aggressive jingoism, but feel
truly disgusted when the nobles do the same..."
http://bit.ly/1X5s9FR
...and here we have a fascinating blog post by one Jamie Gibbs, covering
all the stages of being in a Discworld play (this on being Monstrous
Productions' recent Night Watch), from auditions to final bows and
post-run celebrations, complete with terrific iconographs:
"It was a strange experience – I've not done any kind of performing for
about a decade, so suddenly being back in that world again was a little
nerve-wracking. I read Carcer's monologue at the audition – not too
successfully as I fumbled the words and didn't come across as menacing
at all. The dialogue scenes were easier as the nerves had worn off and
there was less of a deer-in-headlights feeling. Thankfully, that night
after the audition I'd been told I'd got a part and could become a
member of Monstrous Productions! As the play progressed, I was lucky
enough to get an upgrade to my role not once, but twice, due to cast
members leaving. And so it was that I went from Waddy to Billy Wiglet to
Ned Coates, earning me the award for 'Most Promoted' at the Night Watch
after-show party... When it came to the first day of show week, I'd
started to get a little nervous. Thankfully the rest of the cast and
their backstage shenanigans did away with any nerves pretty quickly. One
of the most satisfying things was, during a fight scene when I get
winded by John Keel and go down like a sack of potatoes, there were
audible gasps from the audience. Jes and I had practiced the fight
numerous times, but it was great to get confirmation that it was
believable..."
http://bit.ly/1PUEo2k
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
12.1 FAN ART
A selection of Discworld fan art...
A funky group portrait by FaQy:
http://faqy.deviantart.com/art/discworld-456356452
...and one by Yenefer:
http://yenefer.deviantart.com/art/Discworld-characters-121973566
...and one by Jesskat:
http://bit.ly/1PH0NS4
Bob Greyvenstein's fabulous take on Granny, Nanny, Lily and Tiffany:
http://bit.ly/1X5Eo5q
A (literally) eye-popping Rincewind by a-discworld-guild:
http://bit.ly/1NJmhHY
A collection of assorted Discworld fan art from the sublime to the, um,
less sublime:
http://bit.ly/1MJRVoR
...and a fine collection of Discworld animal life in sepia, by Andrew Salt:
http://bit.ly/1SRmVHl
Wossname has featured several "Discworld Doodles" drawings by the
extremely talented Amy Simmonds, who says, "I would just like to say
thank you very much for featuring some of my Doodles on the Wossname
newsletter and crediting me by name :D I have absolutely no problem with
you using any of my Discworld fan art but might I ask that you also
provide a link to my Discworld Doodles Facebook page please?" Of course
we will, Amy!
Amy's Facebook page:
https://t.co/Yf7B37PMKe
Amy on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/InkaDoodleDo
12.2 MORE CAKES!
A small but perfectly formed iconograph of possibly the best Discworld
cake ever, made by Mrs Barracude-Bruce, as posted on Cake Wrecks:
http://bit.ly/1MG1iVL
Natalie Porter of Immaculate Confections, cakemaker extraordinaire and
dedicated Discworld fan, made an amazing Grim Squeaker cake for
Hogswatch at the Discworld Emporium:
http://www.immaculateconfections.co.uk/grim-squeaker-hogswatch-cake/
Jo Orr of Ciccio Cakes made an amazing Hogfather from Rice Krispies
Treats, fondant, white chocolate and edible lace, for UK children's
charity Bake a Christmas Wish:
http://bit.ly/1SRljxc
And from Cake International 2013, a fine Luggage:
http://bit.ly/1lBIpO9
12.3 OTHER IMAGES
A marvellous montage! Some characters who will be in the Studio
Theatre's 2016 production of The Shakespeare Codex:
http://bit.ly/1kM3LIl
From Paul Kidby's official page: "Here is Granny's cottage in the
Ramtops, one of the endpapers I created for The Shepherd's Crown
collectors gold edition."
http://bit.ly/1KXd64F
https://www.facebook.com/paulkidby
We all know what Paul Kidby looks like, but if you ever wondered what
Josh Kirby looked like, here you go:
http://bit.ly/1KYaC6i
A set of photos from Uppingham Theatre Company's recent production of
Wyrd Sisters:
http://mdbaines1.jalbum.net/Wyrd%20Sisters/Friday%20Photos/index.html
Also, Magrat and Verence caught (almost) in the act:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSqGZT3WwAAYNnl.jpg
...and some of the audience, who definitely got into the spirit of things:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSrH5vWWUAErhxr.jpg
Some of the Alexandra Players' cast from their recent production of Wyrd
Sisters:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSo4Ef8WIAA0rKx.jpg
and https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSp8aoeXIAEEPT8.png
and https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSz0RM0WEAEyftn.jpg
...and finally, possibly the best Discworld cosplay ever – one David
Mountain and friends, doing true justice to Moist, Angua, Colon, Vimes
and Mort at a convention in the UK:
http://bit.ly/1Yn7quu
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
13) CLOSE
And that's the lot for the moment, apart from a few items:
The superb Good Omens radio play has been nominated for a BBC Audio
Drama Award in the Best Audio Drama (series or serial) category. Judging
for the awards will be on 31st January 2016 at Broadcasting House in London.
*
According to the Random House website, there will be a graphic novel
version of Small Gods, to be published in July of next year. Stay tuned
for updates!
*
Granny Weatherwax made it easily into a "top ten greatest witches of all
time" list in the Huffington Post:
"There are loveable witches aplenty in Terry Pratchett's Discworld
series, from the earthy Nanny Ogg to would-be opera diva Agnes and YA
heroine Tiffany Aching. Esme Weatherwax is exceptional in that she is
far from loveable, but will always do right by her village, even sitting
down to play dice with the Grim Reaper on occasion it it means saving a
life..."
http://huff.to/1NJhlD5
*
There's an interesting blog entry on The Oxford Student, about authors
and their "look". Included, of course, is The Hat:
"A distinctive look can reinforce, or play against, a reader's
perception of what an author is like based on their work. No-one is
surprised after reading Neil Gaiman's work to find him a slightly
dishevelled, tousle-haired goth with a fondness for black coats... The
late, great Terry Pratchett was known not only for his unique prose
style, but in his public appearances for his trademark black hat, to the
point where it was disconcerting to find pictures of him not wearing it..."
http://oxfordstudent.com/2015/11/13/an-author-after-a-fashion/
In closing, I'd just like to point out that Pratchett superfan Emily
Whitten is truly amazing. In addition to being bright, beautiful and
clever, she has written a top-notch topical essay that references a
certain Discworld book that can be said to reflect certain current
events. Do have a read: http://bit.ly/1NlGmtM
Wossname wishes our USA readers a very happy Thanksgiving. See you all soon!
– Annie Mac
Remember, the Wossname blog (_wossname.dreamwidth.org_) often features
image-based posts and is worth checking now and again. The mirror
version of this current issue can be viewed at
http://wossname.dreamwidth.org/26887.html
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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