WOSSNAME Main Issue, October 2013

[wossname]

WOSSNAME

Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion

October 2013 (Volume 16, Issue 10, Post 1)

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

Copyright 2013 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) RAISING STEAM NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
05) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
06) MADDY PRIOR INTERVIEWED RE WINTERSMITH
07) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
08) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
09) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
11) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
13) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"He looked proudly at the Combination Harvester. Of course, you needed a horse to pull it. That spoiled things a bit. Horses belonged to Yesterday; Tomorrow belonged to the Combination Harvester and its descendants, which would make the world a cleaner and better place. It was just a matter of taking the horse out of the equation. He'd tried clockwork, and that wasn't powerful enough. Maybe if he tried winding a – Behind him, the kettle boiled over and put the fire out. Simnel fought his way through the steam. That was the bloody trouble, every time. Whenever someone was trying to do a bit of sensible thinking, there was always some pointless distraction."

– Reaper Man (Gollancz 1991 hardcover, p. 153)

"He is friendly to his fans and really open... He had no qualms about talking to people, would sit for hours in bookshops with enormous queues and he wouldn't go until everybody had been up to have their book signed. He's probably one of the most approachable people I have ever met. He really is."

– Pat Harkin on Pterry

"When I'm a long way from home and need cheering up, Terry Pratchett's Discworld books do the trick."

– author Val McDermid

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02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Now this is what you can call a packed issue! It includes plenty of exciting information, and if I've gone a wee bit overboard on the exclamation marks, at least there is no instance of five in a row...

The Steeleye Span "Wintersmith" album is released today, and here's to it making plenty of waves... or drifts, as that's more appropriate. Go to item 6.3 below and have a watch and listen. Whether the band and the folk-rock genre are to your taste or not – and while I admit that my personal first choice to do an album based on Wintersmith would have been a reunited Planxty or The Waterboys, I'm not Terry Pratchett and it's only right that *his* favourite band should handle the project! – I defy you to listen to the whoosh of wind and the tinkling ice sounds at the beginning of the album trailer without feeling the shiver of combined delight and fear that the true spirit of Winter inspires.** "Wintersmith" features my second favourite folk fiddle player in the world, whose interview about the album and about working with Sir Pterry can be found below at item 6.2.

** That's for the many places that have actual winter, of course. Of which Fourecks is not one. My husband, a born-and-bred Fourecksian, once told me about how amazed he was, on seeing the film "Fargo" before we met, at the vast expanses of snow-covered landscape. I admit I goggled at him: "But but but that's just normal winter in North Dakota! And most of the upper end of the USA! And nearly all of Canada. And most of northern Europe! And and and..." Yes, there's a reason why seasonal skiers down here say they're "going to the snow" – it's because they only have one of them...

*

Also down in section 6, Cory Doctorow interviews Sir Pterry about The Carpet People (which is about to be released in the USA for the first time ever, don't forget!). Doctorow, one of my own favourite science fiction writers and a (sometimes caped) crusader for freedom and privacy issues – not to mention being the benevolent ruler of BoingBoing – asks some very interesting questions, and Sir Pterry gives some very interesting answers. Enjoy!

*

In other news, American publishers have struck a new ten-book deal for USA Pratchett releases – or more properly, a pair of deals!

"The first book, 'Raising Steam,' will be released in March as part of a seven-figure deal. Mr. Pratchett, whose books have sold more than 80 million copies, is known for his satirical series 'Discworld.' Edward Kastenmeier, executive editor at Vintage Anchor, is the acquiring editor. 'Terry's work has a huge following and an enormous footprint in the fantasy world, as they were the first adopters of his enthralling, hilarious fiction,' Mr. Kastenmeier said. 'With mainstream readers warming to the work of Neil Gaiman and George R. R. Martin, we see this as a crossover moment for Terry, an opportunity to expand his audience.'"

http://tinyurl.com/lnbbol9

Here be some more details, courtesy of Colin Smythe:

There is a seven-book deal with the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group that covers the 40th Discworld novel, Raising Steam, the four Science of Discworld books, A Blink of the Screen, and the forthcoming A Slip of the Keyboard. Transworld/RandomHouse UK are licensing three additional titles to Doubleday/Knopf/Anchor: an updated edition of The Folklore of Discworld, The World of Poo and The Compleat Ankh-Morpork.

The schedule of releases for 2014 are as follows:

March 2014: Raising Steam (Doubleday, in hardcover); The Folklore of Discworld (Anchor, paperback only) June 2014: The Science of Discworld (Anchor, paperback only) December 2014: The Compleat Ankh-Morpork (Doubleday, hardcover only); The Science of Discworld 2: The Globe (Anchor, paperback only).

I know many of you American Pratchett fans are dismayed by the delayed release date for Raising Steam, but on the other hand you will be getting a number of releases formerly not planned for the USA.

A further note about changed released dates: as the UK Doubleday edition of A Slip of the Keyboard was replaced in Doubleday's publishing schedule by Raising Steam, it will not be published until October 2014. But again worth waiting for!

*

Jacqueline Blitenthall asks a fascinating question: "How do you get 'rights' to using a Paul Kirby drawing as a tattoo idea?" (I assume she means Paul *Kidby*.) In this case I would imagine the best way is to write to Mr Kidby via his website or Facebook page, but as we already know, there are hundreds of Kidby-derived Discworld tattoos out there that came about as a result of the customer taking an illustration in to an inker and asking for it to be turned into a tattoo. However, it does give one to think: of course Team Discworld is far too civilised to chase after unauthorised Discworld tattoo- wearers with a "have that lasered off right now or else!" solicitor's letter, right? – but I can imagine scenarios like that involving the evil lawyers of certain megacorporations, can't you? "Take that Mickey and Minnie tatt off RIGHT!NOW! or there will be trouble and no mistake!!!" It's certainly worth passing along to intellectual rights discussion boards to see what the fair-use gurus think.

And now, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) RAISING STEAM NEWS

As the countdown to the publication of Raising Steam enters its final days, some more teasers...

3.1 A POSTER!

Here be a printable sepia poster version of the official Raising Steam cover, and a handsome thing it is too. To view via the Raising Steam Machine, go to http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=2792 and
enter the password 2261. Or to view directly, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/mvfofdc


3.2 EEE BAH GUM! AN EXTRACT! ALL ABOUT THE DISC'S "MAN OF STEAM"!

As readers of Reaper Man will remember, Ned Simnel of Sheepridge was the inventor of the ill-fated Combination Harvester. When we left young Ned, he was picking up the pieces of his failed machine. It would seem, according to the (deliciously long and intriguing!) extract below, that in the years after the events of Reaper Man Ned Simnel married and fathered a son, and also developed an interest in the potential of steam power. It would also seem that Sheepridge is in the Discworld version of what we might call "storybook Yorkshire" (I suspect your Editor is not the only one who will find themselves hearing the theme music from Last of the Summer Wine as they read the extract).

If you want the fun of going through the Raising Steam Machine to see it in all its image-of-vellum loveliness – and yes, someone has put a lot of work into these teasers and done a very good job – go to http://terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=2818 and click on the "Read all about him" link; the password to enter is 2112.

If you want to cut to the chase and view the extract the "fast" way, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/p4dabt8

And if your internet is acting up or you just want plain text, the extract is reproduced below for your convenience:

"Some background information on the man behind the railway

"Dick Simnel was ten years old when, back at the family smithy in Sheepridge, his father simply disappeared in a cloud of furnace parts and flying metal, all enveloped in a pink steam. He was never found in the terrible haze of scorching dampness, but on that very day young Dick Simnel vowed to whatever was left of his father in that boiling steam that he would make steam his servant.

"His mother had other ideas. She was a midwife, and as she said to her neighbours, 'Babbies are born everywhere. I'll never be without a customer.' So, against her son's wishes, Elsie Simnel decided to take him away from what she now considered to be a haunted place. She packed up their belongings and together they returned to her family home near Sto Lat, where people didn't inexplicably disappear in a hot pink cloud.

"Soon after they arrived something important happened to her boy. One day while waiting for her to return from a difficult delivery, Dick walked into a building that looked interesting, and which turned out to be a library. At first he thought it was full of poncy stuff, all kings and poets and lovers and battles, but in one crucial book he found something called mathematics and the world of numbers.

"And that was why, some ten years later, he pulled together every fibre of his being and said, 'Mother, you know last year when I said I were going hiking in the mountains of Uberwald with me mates, well it were kind of...sort of...a kind of lie, only very small, mind you.' Dick blushed. He didn't like lying to his mother and so continued, 'You see, I found t'keys to Dad's old shed and, well, I went back to Sheepridge and did some experimenting and...' He looked at his mother anxiously. 'I think I know what 'e were doing wrong.'

"Dick was braced for stiff objections, but he hadn't reckoned on tears – so many tears – and as he tried to console her he added, 'You, Mother, and Uncle Flavius got me an education, you got me the knowing of the numbers, including arithmetic and weird stuff dreamed up by the philosophers in Ephebe where even camels can do logarithms on their toes. Dad didn't know this stuff. He had the right ideas but he didn't have the...tech-nol-ogy right.'

"At this point, Dick allowed his mother to talk and she said, 'I know there's no stopping you, our Dick, you're just like your stubborn father were, pigheaded. Is that what you've been doin' in the barn? Teck-ology?' She looked at him accusingly, then sighed. 'I can see I can't tell you what to do, but you tell me: how can your "logger- reasons" stop you goin' the way of your poor old dad?' She started sobbing again.

"Dick pulled out of his jacket something that looked like a small wand, which might have been made for a miniature wizard, and said, 'This'll keep me safe, Mother! I've the knowing of the sliding rule! I can tell the sine what to do, and the cosine likewise and work out the tangent of the quaderatics! Come on, Mother, stop fretting and come wi' me now t'barn. You must see 'er!'

"Mrs Simnel, reluctant, was dragged to the great open barn he had kitted out like the workshop back at Sheepridge, hoping against hope that her son had accidentally found himself a girl.

"Inside the barn she looked helplessly at a large circle of metal which covered most of the floor. Something metallic whizzed round and round on the metal, sounding like a squirrel in a cage, giving off a smell much like camphor.

"'Here she is, Mother. Ain't she gradely?" Dick said happily. 'I call her the Iron Girder!'

"'But what is it, son?'

"He grinned hugely and said, 'It's what they call a pro-to-type, Mother. You've got to 'ave a pro-to-type if you're going to be an engineer.'

"His mother smiled wanly but there was no stopping Dick. The words just tumbled out.

"'The thing is, Mother, before you attempt owt you've got to 'ave some idea of what it is you want to do. One of the books I found in the library was about being an architect. And in that book, the man who wrote it said before he built his next big 'ouse he always made quite tiny models to get an idea of how it would all work out. He said it sounds fiddly and stuff, but going slowly and being thorough is the only way forward. And so I'm testing 'er out slowly, seeing what works and what doesn't. And actually, I'm quite proud of meself. In the beginning I made the track wooden, but I reckoned that the engine I wanted would be very 'eavy, so I chopped up t'wooden circle for firewood and went back to t'forge.'

"Mrs Simnel looked at the little mechanism running round and round on the barn floor and said, in the voice of someone really trying to understand, 'Eee, lad, but what does it do?'

"'Well, I remembered what Dad said about t'time he were watching t'kettle boiling and noticed t'lid going up and down with the pressure, and he told me that one day someone would build a bigger kettle that would lift more than a kettle lid. And I believe I have the knowing of the way to build a proper kettle, Mother.'"

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

"For an additional sneak preview of what's to come, see the paperback edition of the Station Master's Dodger, which is available now from all good booksellers (and possibly the odd bad one too)."


3.3 A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

In this video, Sir Pterry muses briefly on the technology of steam and the coming of the railway.

http://youtu.be/XBFYXqelmr4

Accompanied by, once again, the teaser blurb:

"Change is afoot in Ankh-Morpork – Discworld's first steam engine has arrived, and once again Moist von Lipwig finds himself with a new and challenging job.

"To the consternation of the patrician, Lord Vetinari, a new invention has arrived in Ankh-Morpork – a great clanging monster of a machine that harnesses the power of all of the elements: earth, air, fire and water. This being Ankh-Morpork, it's soon drawing astonished crowds, some of whom caught the zeitgeist early and arrive armed with notepads and very sensible rainwear.

"Moist von Lipwig is not a man who enjoys hard work – as master of the Post Office, the Mint and the Royal Bank his input is, of course, vital . . . but largely dependent on words, which are fortunately not very heavy and don't always need greasing. However, he does enjoy being alive, which makes a new job offer from Vetinari hard to refuse . . .

"Steam is rising over Discworld, driven by Mister Simnel, the man wi' t'flat cap and sliding rule who has an interesting arrangement with the sine and cosine. Moist will have to grapple with gallons of grease, goblins, a fat controller with a history of throwing employees down the stairs and some very angry dwarfs if he's going to stop it all going off the rails . . .

"The new Discworld novel, the 40th in the series, sees the Disc's first train come steaming into town."

http://www.raisingsteam.co.uk/

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04) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

4.1 CORY INTERVIEWS PTERRY!

In which a leading light of science fiction interviews a leading light of fantasy and science fiction:

"Cory Doctorow: The Carpet People was your first novel, and now the fortieth book in your Discworld series is about to be published. Do you think you could have kept us in the Carpet for anything like forty books?

"Terry Pratchett: I was about to say, 'No,' but right now I wonder. . . . If the idea had taken, I don't know. I really don't. But how would it be? People in the Carpet are more or less tribal. What would happen if I . . . You've got me thinking!

"CD: You took a bunch of runs at building a world where a million stories could unfold — The Carpet People, Truckers, and, finally, Discworld. Is Discworld's near-total untethering from our world the secret of its staying power?

"TP: It isn't our world, but on the other hand it is very much like our world. Discworld takes something from this world all the time, shows you bits of the familiar world in new light by putting them into Discworld...

"CD: One thing I've always enjoyed about your books with feudal settings is that it seems you get something like the correct ratio of vassals to lords. So much of fantasy seems very top-heavy. Do you consciously think about political and economic considerations when you're devising a world?

"TP: I've never been at home with lords and ladies, kings, and rubbish like that, because it's not so much fun. Take a protagonist from the bottom of the heap and they've got it all to play for. Whereas people in high places, all they can do is, well . . . I don't know, actually: I've never been that high. If you have the underdog in front of you, that means you're going to have fun, because what the underdog is going to want to do is be the upper dog or be no dog at all..."

To read the full interview, go to http://tinyurl.com/khs6ytv and don't be put off by the fact that it's an Amazon page. Just scroll down until you reach the interview! – Ed.


4.2 REMINDER: PTERRY AND ROB AT WORLD FANTASY IN NOVEMBER!

"We are delighted to announce that Sir Terry Pratchett will be dropping by World Fantasy Convention 2013 on the Friday, 1 November 2013. The 2010 World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be in conversation with Rob Wilkins, talking about his life and career, as well as hopefully reading from his 40th 'Discworld' novel, Raising Steam, published by Transworld the following week."

http://www.wfc2013.org/


4.3 "THE CARPET PEOPLE": ONLINE EXTRACT AND TRAILER!

Here be an extract from The Carpet People. Go read!

http://www.tor.com/stories/2013/09/the-carpet-people-excerpt

...and here be a fine little trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6XSAhx6yG4


4.4 DISCWORLD COLLECTOR'S LIBRARY!

Hogswatch is a-comin', the bookshelves are too bare... here's a great gift idea – Gollancz are to release extremely reasonably priced hardcover versions of the first 21 Discworld novels, including the earliest ones that were formerly only available as paperbacks:

"Gollancz is delighted to announce the launch of a long-anticipated, and beautiful, new project: The Discworld Collector's Library. This project, developed in consultation with Sir Terry Pratchett, will see the release of a beautiful, affordable new set of hardback editions of the Discworld novels, from The Colour of Magic to Jingo, for readers who love the Discworld and would like high quality editions to treasure.

"Sir Terry Pratchett said: 'The truth is that even big collections of ordinary books can distort space, as can readily be proved by anyone who has been around a really old-fashioned second-hand bookshop, so just think what a lovely big collection of Discworld novels like this might do.'

"Gollancz began publishing the Discworld novels, which have sold more than 85 million copies around the world, in hardback in 1987 and have worked with Sir Terry Pratchett ever since. He has become the most shop-lifted author in the UK, selling more than 2.5 million copies every year, and these will be the most desirable editions of his novels yet published.

"The Discworld Collector's Library will be published thematically, beginning in November 2013, as stunning B-format hardbacks at an affordable £9.99 – and that's cutting our own throats!"

The covers are charmingly illustrated by Joe McLaren. Gollancz are releasing the titles under a theme of, well, themes. Here be the info including release dates:

The Death Collection
November 2013: Reaper Man; Mort
December 2013: Hogfather; Soul Music

The Cultures of Discworld Collection
January 2014: Small Gods; Pyramids

The Unseen University Collection
February 2014: Eric; Sourcery
May 2014: Interesting Times; Moving Pictures
August 2014: The Colour of Magic; The Light Fantastic

The City Watch Collection
March 2014: Guards! Guards!; Men at Arms
June 2014: Feet of Clay; Jingo

The Witches Collection
April 2014: Equal Rites; Wyrd Sisters
July 2014: Witches Abroad; Lords and Ladies; Maskerade

The publishers add, "N.B. Apologies to our North American readers but we're afraid these editions will not be available in the US or Canada. This is not because we don't like you – its because our contract only allows us UK & Commonwealth (excluding Canada) rights. Sorry."

http://tinyurl.com/n7zvr6k


ISBNs, for your information:

MORT is 9781473200104 and REAPER MAN is 9781473200111.


4.5 JUNIOR SHORTLISTED FOR A GAME AWARD!

"The UK Writers' Guild has announced the shortlist for its 2013 awards, with game writers Rhianna Pratchett, Mike Bithell and Graham Goring up for the Video Games award. The award aims to highlight the best storytelling in video games during the last year. Pratchett's work on Tomb Raider is up for nomination, while Mike Bithell's Thomas Was Alone and Graham Goring's Lego City Undercover story are also highlighted. The award will be presented to the winner next month in London."

http://tinyurl.com/mk9psdf


4.6 REMINDER: STEELEYE SPAN LIVE WINTERSMITH TOUR ITINERARY!

"This time the band has looked even further afield and has found inspiration in the work of famous British author, Terry Pratchett. Famous for his series of Discworld novels Terry is a long-standing fan of the band, even booking them to play at his sixtieth birthday party... Fans will be able to get a taste of these new songs along with the familiar classics and gems on the band's forthcoming UK tour."

The tour kicks off on 15th November at the Babbacombe Theatre in Torquay, Devon, and carries on through the West Country before moving on to the Northeast and on around Britain. For a comprehensive listing of tour dates through December, refer to last month's issue of WOSSNAME or visit the Park Records site:

http://parkrecords.com/tourdates.php


4.7 "THE DUEL" COMES TO LIFE!

You may remember several features we've done here on "The Duel", the short animated film about duelling wizards produced by a collective of animation students with the approving collaboration of Professor Sir Pterry. The film is now finished!

First off, a video of the debut, featuring Sir Pterry in a marvellous new hat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxv7UBN8UM

Then, the Press...

In Animation World Network, which features a number of iconographs from the film:

"Set in the 'Unseen University' of Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld, The Duel is a new animated short film produced by the Animation Hub, a collaboration between the Irish School of Animation (ISA) at Ballyfermot College of Further Education (BCFE), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the Irish animation studio, Giant Animation Studios... World-renowned fantasy and science fiction novelist, and Adjunct Professor of English at Trinity College Dublin, Sir Terry Pratchett was hands-on engaged with the production, working with both institutions and the team from Giant Animation Studios. The short film has blended fantasy and reality, with notable Irish landmarks set amongst the unreal environments of this animated adventure. Commenting on his involvement in the project, Sir Terry Pratchett said: 'The Duel is something new from something old – Discworld was borrowed by the students in the Animation Hub to produce a wholly new adventure. It's wonderful to see this type of project supported and made real – and we had a lot of fun while we were at it.' ... Professor David Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Australia, formerly of Trinity and an executive producer of the film said: 'Having The Duel premiere in Dublin is a fitting conclusion to a great collaboration that has blended both teaching and practice, combining originality and creativity, while providing students with a unique opportunity to work alongside one of the world's most prolific and popular authors.'..."

http://www.awn.com/news/short-films/ireland-s-duel-debuts-trinity

In Irish Film and Television News:

"The aim of the project was to see students from both institutions afforded the opportunity to gain experience in a professional-grade studio while learning from industry professionals Giant Animation, who spearheaded the production... The film is three minutes long and straddles the line between fantasy and reality, featuring real locations from around Dublin fused with the surreal landscape of Pratchett's Discworld. Speaking to IFTN, Giant Animation's Daniel Spencer said: 'The screening went very well - Terry really enjoyed it, the crowd really enjoyed it... Our next screening of note is at the Discworld convention down in Limerick, and what we're going to be doing after that is putting it on the festival circuit'..."

http://tinyurl.com/mx3k2vm


In Animation Magazine, with additional images:

"The aim of the project was the develop the skills of students from TCD and BCFE in animation, music composition, motion capture and acting (The Lir Academy) by integrating them into production under the guidance of Giant. The Duel was supported through funding from the Irish Film Board, Trinity, Giant and Ballyfermot..."

http://tinyurl.com/lkx7vps


In the Irish Independent:

"Speaking at the screening of 'The Duel' in TCD last night, Pratchett said he was "very impressed" with the finished product. "I'm amazed. "All I did was write the book," he said. Praising the work carried out on the project, he revealed he was not apprehensive about the group taking on the world he created: "They only needed a little push in the right direction. "I thought, 'let them do their stuff, it's not really up to me'. All the words I use were made up by a lot of people before I was born, so they allowed me to use them. So if you find them doing something where they are having fun, and it's looking good – that's what I think is the best thing." ... Gareth Lee, one of the producers, said it was "fantastic" to work with the 65-year-old, who acted as an executive producer on the project. "The 'Discworld' is a fantastic world to be able to play around with," Mr Lee said. He added that the author took his role very seriously: "He gave us a lot of creative freedom.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/px7ckhj


4.8 DOCTOR WHITEFACE WOULD NOT BE AMUSED!

You may have read recently of a murder in Mexico supposedly carried out by clowns... well, now the clowns are up in arms – and noses – in protest:

"Clowns gathered at a convention in Mexico City have denied any of their colleagues were behind the killing of a former drug cartel leader last Friday. Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix, 63, was killed in a beach resort in Baja California in north-western Mexico. Gunmen dressed as clowns opened fire on the former leading member of the once-powerful and violent Tijuana cartel, authorities say. Around 500 clowns at the convention held a 'laugh-a-ton' rally for peace.

"A clown leader said if a real member of the profession had been involved in the shooting, they would have been easily identifiable by their costumes, masks and painting. 'The people who do that, they're not clowns. I can swear on my mother's grave it wasn't a clown,' Tomas Morales, whose stage name is Clown Llantom, told Associated Press news agency. They say clowns are frequently victims of robberies and their costumes and masks are then used to commit other crimes..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-24648526


In The Independent, more about the clown convention:

"Colourful wigs, large shoes, red noses and doubtless a fine collection of squirty plastic flowers were on show at the first day of the convention at a theatre in Mexico City. On arrival, and in order to register for the conference, clowns were asked to raise their 'official clown rulebook', without which they wouldn't be able to register. According to Associated Press some clowns could only raise an imaginary rulebook 'while making a sad face.' During the four-day event, the clowns competed in best makeup, improvisation, best group show, juggling and, of course, best balloon shaping..."

http://tinyurl.com/keuvszn

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05) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

5.1 A POSSIBLE BREAKTHROUGH

From BBC News:

"The discovery of the first chemical to prevent the death of brain tissue in a neurodegenerative disease has been hailed as an exciting and historic moment in medical research. More work is needed to develop a drug that could be taken by patients. But scientists say a resulting medicine could treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and other diseases... It is rare to get cautious scientists keen to describe a study in mice as a turning point in treating Alzheimer's. It is early science, a lot can go wrong between a drug for mice and a drug for humans and the only published data is for prion disease, not even Alzheimer's. So why the excitement? It is the first time that any form of neurodegeneration has been completely halted, so it is a significant landmark. It shows that the process being targeted has serious potential... In Parkinson's the alpha-synuclein protein goes wrong, in Alzheimer's it's amyloid and tau, in Huntingdon's it's the Huntingtin protein. But the errant protein is irrelevant here as the researchers are targeting the way a cell deals with any misfolded protein. It means one drug could cure many diseases and that really would be something to get excited about... The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed mice with prion disease developed severe memory and movement problems. They died within 12 weeks. However, those given the compound showed no sign of brain tissue wasting away..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24462699

In The Guardian:

"The Medical Research Council (MRC) team focused on the root cause of many degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's – abnormally shaped proteins that stick together in clumps and fibres. When enough misshapen protein builds up in the brain, it can trigger a reaction that results in the death of nerve cells. Other approaches have sought to stop or limit the accumulation of the abnormal protein, whose structure is folded the wrong way. Instead, the MRC team targeted the harmful way brain cells react to misfolded proteins. Using a drug injected into the stomachs of mice, they flipped a cellular switch from off to on to prevent neurons dying. Five weeks after treatment, one group of mice remained free of symptoms such as memory loss, impaired reflexes or limb dragging. They also lived longer than untreated animals with the same disease... The research, reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine, duplicated previous results achieved by the same team by means of genetic engineering. As in the earlier study, a neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal prion proteins was induced in the mice. Prion diseases, which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), are rare in humans but share the same underlying cause – misfolded proteins – as more common conditions such as Alzheimer's...

"Commenting on the research, Prof Roger Morris, from the department of chemistry at King's College London, said: 'This is the first convincing report that a small drug, of the type most conveniently turned into medicines, stops the progressive death of neurons in the brain as found, for instance, in Alzheimer's disease. True, this study has been done in mice, not man; and it is prion disease, not Alzheimer's, that has been cured. However, there is considerable evidence that the way neurons die in both diseases is similar; and lessons learned in mice from prion disease have proved accurate guides to attenuate the progress of Alzheimer's disease in patients. This finding, I suspect, will be judged by history as a turning point in the search for medicines to control and prevent Alzheimer's disease.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/mqurgcv


Also in The Guardian, a Q&A, "Everything you need to know about new research that could lead to future treatments for neurodegenerative diseases":

"Researchers led by Giovanna Mallucci at the Medical Research Council Toxicology Unit, based at the University of Leicester have found that a chemical compound (called GSK2606414) could block some of the UPR's functions in a mouse's brain and stop the death of brain cells. Mice that had been infected with a prion disease developed symptoms (such as memory and movement problems) within 12 weeks, whereas those treated with the drug twice a day showed no signs of disease over the same period. Their results were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Specifically, the drug was found to inhibit a part of the UPR defence mechanism called the PERK pathway. The researchers said that this pathway could form a target for future drugs to treat neurodegenerative problems...

"To get into human trials after a succesful mouse study, scientists would have to first trial the drug in larger mammals and then, because this is a brain-related compound, in primates. After many years (perhaps decades) of work like this, the drug might make it to limited numbers of patients in early-stage clinical trials. There are a lot of big ifs along that path and only a tiny proportion of promising-looking drugs make it that far...

"In an accompanying article in the journal, scientists not involved in the work pointed out that a deficiency in PERK causes Wollcott- Rallison syndrome in humans, which can lead to problems in the pancreas and neonatal diabetes. In addition, there could be weight loss and problems in organs such as the kidney and liver..."

http://tinyurl.com/l2uv7ho

Here is the source page for the original study:

http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/5/206/206ra138

Also, do remember to drop by the Alzheimer's Research blog, http://www.dementiablog.org – and read the post about this new discovery and its implications:

http://www.dementiablog.org/neurodegeneration-common-cure/


5.2 A CHEAP DIAGNOSTIC TOOL?

"A dollop of peanut butter and a ruler can be used to confirm a diagnosis of early stage Alzheimer's disease, University of Florida Health researchers have found. Jennifer Stamps, a graduate student in the UF McKnight Brain Institute Center for Smell and Taste, and her colleagues reported the findings of a small pilot study in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences... She noticed while shadowing in Heilman's clinic that patients were not tested for their sense of smell. The ability to smell is associated with the first cranial nerve and is often one of the first things to be affected in cognitive decline. Stamps also had been working in the laboratory of Linda Bartoshuk, the William P. Bushnell presidentially endowed professor in the College of Dentistry's department of community dentistry and behavioral sciences and director of human research in the Center for Smell and Taste. 'Dr. Heilman said, "If you can come up with something quick and inexpensive, we can do it,"' Stamps said. She thought of peanut butter because, she said, it is a 'pure odorant' that is only detected by the olfactory nerve and is easy to access.

"In the study, patients who were coming to the clinic for testing also sat down with a clinician, 14 grams of peanut butter — which equals about one tablespoon — and a metric ruler. The patient closed his or her eyes and mouth and blocked one nostril. The clinician opened the peanut butter container and held the ruler next to the open nostril while the patient breathed normally. The clinician then moved the peanut butter up the ruler one centimeter at a time during the patient's exhale until the person could detect an odor. The distance was recorded and the procedure repeated on the other nostril after a 90-second delay. The clinicians running the test did not know the patients' diagnoses, which were not usually confirmed until weeks after the initial clinical testing. The scientists found that patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease had a dramatic difference in detecting odor between the left and right nostril — the left nostril was impaired and did not detect the smell until it was an average of 10 centimeters closer to the nose than the right nostril had made the detection in patients with Alzheimer's disease..."

http://news.ufl.edu/2013/10/08/alzheimers-test/

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

06) WINTERSMITH ALBUM UPDATES

6.1 MADDY PRIOR INTERVIEW

In the Bucks Free Press, Pterry's old haunt:

"What's [Pratchett] like to work with?

"He's still as astute as he ever was. He misses nothing. He notices everything and remembers things. We had a day with him recently doing stuff around the album.

"So you've looked through his books and basically put music to it?

"Yes – he suggested we do it, and it took us a couple of years to get round to it, because we are like that, and we have finally done it. I have to say they are great songs. It's going to be a really nice album. It should be really powerful. It is out in the middle of our tour, hopefully. Given the normal run of things, it will be the tour plus three days, by the time it gets out. It never happens bang on time!

"He's happy with it?

"Yes, he is delighted. I don't think he's heard all of it yet, but we haven't heard all of it yet..."

http://tinyurl.com/m75xoqg


6.2 PETER KNIGHT INTERVIEW

Steeleye Span's fiddle man speaks:

"Fantasy author Terry Pratchett paid violinist Peter Knight the most elegant compliment when he called him 'the man who can spin the world on his bow'. Peter, who is coming to Sheffield with his band Gigspanner next week and has been performing with Steeleye Span for 40 years, was suitably impressed. 'It's a beautiful thing for him to say,' he said. 'We were playing at his 60th birthday party. He loves Steeleye Span and that's how our Wintersmith project came about.'

Peter was prompted to mention a potential collaboration with the Discworld author and to his joy found he jumped at the chance. Terry Pratchett sent the members of Steeleye Span away to read Wintersmith and his other novels featuring his character Tiffany Aching, who is a trainee witch. Band members were inspired to write songs and that has resulted in the Wintersmith CD, which is out this winter. Peter said: 'I've just heard the mixes of a couple of my songs. They sound fantastic and it's going to be a very good album. You're never really sure when you're doing it.' Perhaps that sounds surprising but he has been around for long enough never to take anything for granted..."

http://tinyurl.com/k7lott2


6.3 A LIVE TRAILER!

Terry Pratchett and Maddy Prior discuss the creative process of the Wintersmith collaboration, with contributions for other members of Steeleye Span, over the music of new album track The Dark Morris as played live in concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ6QgOA1pj4


To order the Wintersmith CD from Amazon UK:

http://tinyurl.com/mtpwr89


To buy from label, Park Records:

https://parkre.secureconnection.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl

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

O7) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

7.1 HOGSWATCH 2013 IN WINCANTON!

Not a convention as such, but certainly an Event! Ankh-Morpork's beloved twin town is pushing the boat out for Hogswatch this year! And you certainly have to push a boat to get it across the Ankh...

"Join us on the 29th November – 1st December for our famous Hogswatch festivities in Wincanton, Somerset, and revel in entertainments diverse and unusual in Ankh-Morpork's own twin town. This year we're celebrating the 30th anniversary of our beloved Discworld, so dress as one of the hundreds of characters or concepts that have graced the pages of Terry Pratchett's fantasical work over the years, or just don your best party outfit, at least a tinsel garnish, and come join in the fun!

"The weekend's merriments will include a series of Unseen University Hogswatch lectures, theatrical entertainments, activities for little folk, Grand Charity Auction, traditional Sausage Supper and, if you've been good little boys and girls, a visitation from a certain Hogfather – all held in venues throughout the town in the company of fellow fans Discworld dignitaries. For more details of programme items click the 'What's On' button below.

"Hogswatch is a delightfully informal gathering that is (mostly) free to attend, but be mindful that you will have to source your own accommodation – click the 'Where to Stay' button below for ideas on where to rest your head. How to find us – we're on Google Maps, where you'll find directions, public transport infomation and more to aid you in your journey."

http://www.discworldemporium.com/Hogswatch%202013


WHAT'S ON:

The Night Before Hogswatch soiree – Sup on a comforting nightcap and hear tales before bedtime from 9pm on Friday night at the Bear Inn (pyjamas optional).

Music Hall Variety Show – Be entertained, amused and confused at this showcase of Discworld fan talent with performances by our troupe of talented Discworld afficionados in Wincanton Memorial Hall on Saturday afternoon. Doors open 1:30pm.

Unseen University Hogswatch Lectures – Treat your ears to the musings of Discworld experts in a series of educational and exceedingly fun talks throughout the weekend.

Secret Hogfather – Spread a little Hogswatch cheer, and sit upon the Hogfather's knee, by taking part in our ever popular anonymous gift swapping scheme, being organised by our forum elves...

Grand Charity Auction – Empty your wallets for a good cause on Sunday morning and you'll get a 'lot' of fun and some new clutter in return. If you've an item to donate then please contact us for approval and bring it along to the Emporium counter at the start of the weekend.

The Traditional Hogswatch Sausage Supper – Fill your boots at this communal festive feast, held in hostelries throughout the town on Saturday evening at 7pm.

Crafting – PlayArt will here to get creative with the little ones (and grown-ups!) in making some adorable Discworld knick-knacks for your mantlepiece.

Gaming – Pit your wits in a game of Thud, Ankh-Morpork, Guards! Guards! or The Witches at the Bear Inn. Becky from Eclectic Games will be on hand to provide expert advice and tuition, and will have a vast array of other gaming goodies to bring out your inner tyrant, warlord or warlock treasures on sale.

Hogswatch Maker's Market – Open throughout the weekend and hosting a wealth of clever crafters along with refreshments and demonstations at the Balsam Centre.

Happy Birthday Discworld Party – Bring your cake and chocolate creations to the Bear on Sunday afternoon from 2:30pm for a celebration of Terry Pratchett's wondrous works. Enter the Guild of Confectioners chocolatiers contest, and partake silly games aplenty!

The Pink Pussycat Club Cabaret – a light-hearted evening of naughty song & dance and bawdy poetry aplenty in this after hours Saturday show. Not suitable for the eyes or ears of little folk.

http://tinyurl.com/kspt2bh


THE TRADITIONAL SAUSAGE SUPPER

Price: £10.50

Meal tickets now on sale!

Supper options: Meat, Vegetarian, Children's (the Children's supper is £5)

http://www.discworldemporium.com/Hogswatch%20Sausage%20Supper


7.2 DEATH OF A LEADING DISCWORLD FAN

The NADWCon Steering Committee has sent out this announcement:

"We announce with great sadness the passing of Eric Peak: Wizzard, world traveler, train enthusiast, and raconteur. The Discworld community has lost a cherished member and friend. Our condolences go out tonight to his wife Diana Young, to Eric's family and to their many friends. We shall not see his like again.

IN MEMORIAM: If you wish to honor Eric's memory, his wife asks that you donate to an animal rescue group of your choosing in his name. Thank you."

There are some wiz(z)ardly photos of Eric on the NADWcon Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/NADWCon

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

08) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

8.1 REMINDER: THE RINCE CYCLE

"Studio Theatre Club continues its world-famous Discworld stage series with a new offering: 'The Rince Cycle', dramatised by Stephen Briggs. An adventure based on Terry Pratchett's Rincewind novels The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic and snippets of Sourcery."

When: 26th to 30th November 2013
Venue: Unicorn Theatre, Old Abbey Buildings, Checker Walk, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3HZ
Time: 7:30
Tickets: £8.50.

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

http://www.abingdonabbey-unicorntheatre.org.uk/findus.html


8.2 REMINDER: MASKERADE IN CHESHAM

A handsome-looking cast will be bringing the Ankh-Morpork Opera House to life in November! From an interview in Get Bucks:

"Director and chairman of the theatre company, Trevor Pilling, said: 'Rehearsals are going very well but it's a very complicated play to do. I have a very good cast who are all working extremely hard learning their lines. I also have a big back stage team because of all the scene changes.' This is the first time the play, adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs, has been performed at The Elgiva and it is believe it is also the first time it has been done in Bucks, which is exciting news for lovers of Pratchett's Discworld series.

Mr Pilling has directed so many plays he has lost count and been with the company for about 40 years. However, he said this is one of the most difficult ones he has done. He said: 'I think for me this is one of my most challenging ones certainly because there's a lot to it, but it's a good story.' ... Mr Pilling has also added a character to the show of his own, Pratchett's Death. 'I'll have Death walking through the audience. He's not in the book, but I've brought him in because his such an iconic character for Terry Pratchett... He has such a huge support and following all over the place. I read a few of his books and decided this was the most theatrical one. It's never been performed in this area before.'

"The company has sent an invitation to Terry Pratchett, who lives in Beaconsfield, to come along. Mr Pilling said: 'He does say whenever he can, he and Stephen Briggs come to see it. It obviously depends on how he is. I'd love to know what their reception of it is because I've added a few twists of my own and I'd love to know what he thinks of those. I've tried to include the fun of Pratchett, everything he writes is relatively tongue in cheek and I've tried to keep that in...'"

When: Wednesday 6th November – Saturday 9th November
Venue: The Elgiva Theatre, St Mary's Way, Chesham, Bucks
Time: evening performances at 8 pm, matinee (Saturday) 2.30pm.
Tickets: £14 (full), £10 (conc), from The Elgiva Box Office (tel: 01494 582900) or online at www.elgiva.com

http://www.cheshamtheatrecompany.org.uk/

http://tinyurl.com/krev98n


8.3 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN LINCOLNSHIRE

The St Peter's Hill Players will present their production of Wyrd Sisters in time for Halloween! "This is a fun theatrical comedy for all the family and as a treat for Halloween the Players have reduced ticket prices for all performances."

When: Wednesday 30th October to Saturday 2nd November 2013
Venue: Guildhall Arts Centre, St Peter's Hill, Grantham, NG31 6PZ, "parallel to the High Street in the centre of town. It is instantly recognisable, located beneath the clock tower which dominates the green."
Time: 7:30 pm
Tickets: £7.50. Call the box office (01476 406158), or to purchase tickets online, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/kuootf2

http://www.guildhallartscentre.com/shows/wyrd-sisters


8.4 REMINDER: MORT IN NORCROSS, GEORGIA

Lionheart Theatre will present their production of Mort, directed by Jason Caldwell, in November. A Discworld first for the state!

When: 1st-17th November 2013
Venue: Lionheart Theatre, 10 College Street (at the corner with Britt Avenue), Norcross, GA 30071
Time: Friday and Saturday nights 7:30pm, Sundays 2pm
Tickets: $15 for Adults $12 for seniors and students. Groups of 10 or more $10 each. Please call to arrange. All ticket prices include dessert and beverage

For more information, ring (770) 885-0425

http://www.lionhearttheatre.org/


8.5 GUARDS! GUARDS! IN KNEBWORTH

The Knebworth Amateur Dramatic Society (KATS) will present their production of Guards! Guards! in November.

When: Thursday 21 – Saturday 23 November
Venue: Knebworth Village Hall, Park Lane, Knebworth, Herts
Time: 7.45pm (doors open 7.15pm)
Tickets: £7, concessions £6

Box office: Jo Simson 01438 814166 or 07952 199183
or Village News, Station Road, Knebworth

For further information on this production/KATS contact Jo Simson, jo.simson@ntlworld.com, tel 01438 814166

http://www.katsdrama.info/


8.6 MAKING MONEY IN SALISBURY

Studio Theatre of Salisbury will present their production of Making Money, adapted by Chris Hawley, next February.

When: 20th February to 1st March 2014
Venue: Studio Theatre, Ashley Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7TN
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: TBA. Box office number is 01722 342860

http://www.studiotheatre.org.uk/

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

09) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS

The Pratchett Partisans are a new fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett". For more info about their next meetup, go to

http://www.meetup.com/Pratchett-Partisans/

or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au

Some upcoming Pratchett Partisans events of note:

Celebrate the release of Raising Steam

"Lets go to the markets and enjoy a Steam train ride! The market is free and pretty close to Bundamba Train Station. Steam train rides are $10 (half hour ride) and leave at 11am and 12 noon."

When: Saturday, November 16, 2013
Venue: Ipswich Turf Club
Brisbane Road, Bundamba
Time: 10.00am

*

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia.

"We have regular monthly dinner and games nights, longer games days, plus play outings, craft-y workshops, and fun social activities throughout the year. For more info and to join our mailing list, visit:

http://cityofsmallgods.org.au"

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet on the first Thursday of every month from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. The next meeting will probably be on Thursday 7th November 2013, but do email (see below) to check. All new members and curious passersby are very welcome! For more info and any queries, contact:

broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first Friday of every month at the famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome! The next WOTS meeting will (probably) be on Friday 1st November 2013.

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, London's original Discworld meeting group, will be from 7pm on Monday 4th November 2013 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ. Note the new web address:

http://brokendrummers.org/

Here be the Broken Drummers' October 2013 meet report:

"So, Drummers met Monday. I was at another meeting so Andrew was left in charge early on. He did a quiz on first and last lines, which was won by Jax. Andrew then went home because he was not feeling well.

"Meanwhile, I was about to leave the pub I was in when Andrew called to say he was leaving. I decided to come to Drummers anyway, where I found those left playing Cards Against Humanity. Eunice has acquired the British version of this depraved game. It was nice to see James O there, who has not been along for a while.

"Since Jax can't make November, I told Eunice and Alex that we could play Cards Against Humanity instead of a quiz. I would suggest that persons of a sensitive disposition towards crudeness, lewdness and anything gross do not participate.

"That's all I can remember. Unfortunately both of us have been ill all week and my mind's a bit hazy."

For more information email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, have been meeting on a regular basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood (presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, N Yorks, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles.

Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/

*

Drummers Downunder meet on the first Monday of every month in Sydney at Maloneys, corner of Pitt & Goulburn Streets, at 6.30pm. The next meeting will (probably) be on Monday 4th November 2013. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the month. The next meeting should be on Monday 4th November 2013. "Please note we have moved to San Churro this month from 5.30pm (San Churro, 132 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, WA)."

For details follow us on Twitter @Perth_Drummers and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/

Otherwise message Krystel directly at khewett@live.com


*

There's a new Pratchett meeting group in Fourecks, known as Western Drummers. That's two for the Sydney Pratchett fans now! The Western Drummers intend to meet on the third Monday of every month at The Rowers, Bruce Neal Drive, Penrith at 6.30-7.30pm for food, 7.30pm for games, quizzes and chat. For more information, contact Nanny Ogg – lewis_oz@bigpond.com – or visit their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/westerndrummers

Apparently one of the Drummers identifies with Llamedos:

"Wellllllllll we had a GREAT first meeting. There were nine of us and we ate, played games and chatted for a couple of hours. A few more elephants were made and there were a few Dr Who discussions along the way. Fun was had by allllll."

The next meeting of Western Drummers is on November 18th.

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

10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

10.1 "THE WITCHES" IS HERE!!!

The Witches "follows on from the success of Ankh-Morpork. With over 50,000 copies sold worldwide Ankh-Morpork continues to delight gamers and fantasy fans alike and continues to sell strongly in its third year of release.

"The Witches is set in the magically charged land of Lancre. Players take on the role of trainee witches, such as Tiffany Aching and Petulia Gristle, learning their craft and dealing with all the problems that life on Discworld can throw at them. A subtle blend of headology, magic and, of course, the all-important cup of tea will see our heroines tackle everything from a sick pig to a full-blown invasion of elves.

"Life can be tough for a young witch in Lancre, fear not however, a cast of some of Terry Pratchett's most famous characters will be on hand to aid your quest. Along the way you'll meet Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick, along with a rich supporting cast of familiar faces from some Pratchett's bestselling Discworld series. When things get really tough and you feel you are turning 'Black Aliss' you can always have a cup of tea with one of your fellow witches. The game can be played with up to four players, and can even be played solitaire.

"The Witches is more of a gentle family friendly game, well, as friendly as you can get with Nac Mac Feegles hanging around, rather than the back-stabbing experience that is Ankh-Morpork, and can be played co operatively if players so wish. Once again Sir Terry Pratchett and the folks at the Discworld Emporium have made sure that each character is faithfully represented, with all of the artwork being produced by Peter Dennis.

"Treefrog Games are proud to announce the release of The Witches Collector's Edition. Take on the role of Tiffany Aching or one of her friends and dive into the land of Lancre. You must deal with the various 'problems' that crop up, which may be a broken limb or an invasion of elves.

"The Collector's Edition comes with four hand crafted pewter pieces, representing Tiffany, Petulia Gristle, Annagramma, and Dimity Hubbub. The game also contains a poster showing Peter Dennis's artwork. This edition is limited to two thousand copies.

"The main differences between this version and the standard version are:

– Four custom sculpted pewter figurines, representing the four witch characters.
– An A1 size poster presenting artwork from the game.
– A larger map.
– Different cover artwork and box size.

"The Witches Collector's Edition is now available to buy via PayPal.

The prices are:
UK – £40 plus £4.50 P&P
Europe – 45€ plus 13.50€ P&P
US / Canada – US $60 plus $23.50 P&P
Rest of the World – US $60 plus $36 P&P (Tracked)

"As you can see, PayPal allows us to accept US Dollars, British Pounds and Euros."

www.treefroggames.com


10.2 NEW DISCWORLD GAME MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, SAY THE PRATCHETTS

A Digital Spy interview from earlier this year is back on the web
again:

"'Every now and again, dad gets approached about a game,' she told
Digital Spy. 'Dad is a gamer himself so he has an idea what he'd
like to see, and we've just not got the right developer with the
right pitch come knocking yet. I think dad is waiting to be
impressed by developers. I think there's a lot of potential there,
and I know people have a lot of fond memories of all three Discworld
games.' She added: 'Now you've got the reinvigoration of adventure
games with things like Kickstarter, I think players are becoming
more interested in that genre again. You never know what's out
there; if the right developer, the right pitch came knocking, then I
think it'd be something dad and myself would be interested in...'"

http://tinyurl.com/kzf7ntk


Gamer site vg24/7 adds:

"There's some uncertainty about who now holds the license. The most
recent Discworld games were two developed by long-defunct Perfect
Entertainment and published by Psygnosis, which was later acquired
by Sony and eventually shuttered. Discworld Noir was published by GT
Interactive, which no longer exists, Whoever owns the rights now
might be missing a trick."

http://tinyurl.com/ks4n5c8

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

11) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger PCJ reviews tCoM:

"Mr. Pratchett's characters are familiar, but, not familiar at the same time. Wizards who are generally inept and could easily be analogous to modern day US Congress in their bungling, back stabbing and overall unwillingness to do anything that doesn't continue to keep themselves in power and enriched...sorry, wasn't intending a political rant, but, I think it fits... Mr. Pratchett at once honors and spoofs the fantasy genre... the entire series is a must read whether you enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, humor or just plain fiction..."

http://tinyurl.com/lrvczsr

Blogger unrulyginger very much enjoyed Going Postal:

"I read it, and I really, really liked it. It was a tad on the dark side sometimes, but that wasn't a problem. At least not for me. I think Moist von Lipwig is a lively, incredibly likable character, and it didn't hurt that he had to interact with the Patrician a lot. Plus, we got a few familiar faces, such as some members of the watch and some wizards. The only problem I had was my English. It's pretty good, and usually I understand everything, but what with Sir Terry's word plays and twisted proverbs and whatnot, I'm sure I didn't get the 'finer' points he has almost certainly written. Still better than reading it in German, because if I had, I wouldn't have gotten the 'he gave you the bird' joke, since this is one of the numerous word plays you just CAN'T translate..."

http://tinyurl.com/p2y38bz


Blogger and Morris dancing enthusiast Shortfinals offers a paean to Morris – and to Pratchett:

"All this might be just nothing more than an arcane, minor footnote in social history, a topic for anthropology professors to use as a way of motivating some of their students (rural pubs, dancing, beer – what's not to love?). Except, that is, for another British author, one so popular that he has sold more than 85 million books, worldwide, translated into 37 languages, and has received a knighthood. Yes, we're talking about Sir Terry Pratchett, that giant of the fantasy novel. I must freely confess that I enjoy Terry's works immensely (and no, its not just because I used to live less than 15 miles away from him, and worked in the same building for a while). There is just not another modern author who could more genuinely be identified as being 'seriously involved with the Morris'... Pratchett even invented the 'Dark Morris' which is featured in his novel 'Wintersmith' (2006); a dance performed in total darkness, in complete silence, with the 'side' dressed in black, to bring the winter on. Yes, Terry Pratchett is to Morris dancing what Dashiell Hammett is to the snap- brim fedora..."

http://tinyurl.com/kuz73mx


Blogger Tokyo Blazer loves the wit, humour and characters of Good Omens:

"The relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley is a genuine pleasure to read. They are much more alike than either is willing to admit, and much of the comedy is derived from watching these supremely powerful, ancient, supposedly ecclesiastical figures act so human. Whether it's getting drunk together, bragging about their achievements (Crowley: His vintage Bentley. Torturing his potted plants in order to encourage some form of eugenics. Aziraphale: His collection of rare books.), or casually having dinner at the Ritz, they're always entertaining to read. The rest of the cast are equally entertaining... Good Omens is a great read. It flows smoothly from one character to another, and the plot progresses at a steady rate to culminate with a satisfying finale. It's also a very funny book; humourous in its own exclusive way, with a large yet delightful cast that consistently delivers quality material. If you've enjoyed any of Gaiman's or Pratchett's previous work, you'll find yourself at home reading this novel. If not, I suspect you'll find a highly enjoyable introduction to their work..."

http://tokyoblazer.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/good-omens-1990/


Blogger Andrew Knighton is back with his review of The Long War:

"It's fair to say that, while there's a lot to enjoy in this book, I wound up as ambivalent about it as I was about its predecessor. This time though I think there was a clearer, more definite problem, and it's one that interests me as a writer – it's the problem of expectations... As with The Long Earth, this is well written. It flows easily, the characters are likeable and interesting, and the world that's being built is fascinating. I had the same problem with the narrative's ambling nature as I had with the previous book, but that's a matter of personal taste – I prefer my stories with a bit more focus, a bit more intensity to them. But this book had a problem its predecessor didn't, and that's in the expectations it set... it wasn't what I'd been led to expect. There's wasn't a big build-up of tension. There wasn't a feeling that things could go violent at any minute. And there really wasn't a war. In fact, if not for a single reference near the end, the book's title would have seemed to be completely cheating..."

http://tinyurl.com/n3n3kws


Australian blogger Faith Mudge, who enjoyed The Long Earth, is disappointed by The Long War:

"I know very little about Stephen Baxter's work but I admire Terry Pratchett's enormously and enjoyed their previous collaboration, The Long Earth, so it makes me sad to admit how much I didn't like this. The concepts established in the first book continue to be rich with possibility, but the plot lacked any sense of direction, the characters had no substance, and the title is deceptive at best. This book is more philosophy than fiction, with extensive exposition slowing down most of the action. It's clear they intend to continue the series with a third novel, but I doubt I'll be reading it... I had particular problems with the character of Sally Linsay. She is presumably supposed to be an admirable character, but keeps doing highly offensive things... I expect better than this from Terry Pratchett, much better..."

http://tinyurl.com/mfu5ow4


Blogger Leanne Egan's very funny post about scary old crones is well worth savouring:

"I have ambitions to scare the crap out of any, if not all, descendants I have. My inspiration is a character written by the magnificent Terry Pratchett, the wonderful Ms. Treason; who even after her death was remembered and became part of the local mythology. That is what it boils down to for me, being remembered. Too many are forgotten and dismissed. That, and imagination. I want my descendants to love the idea of stories and mythology and magic..."

http://lyrasmith.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/ambitions-for-old-age/


Blogger and gamer Tolenmar's very well-written and comprehensive post about the Ankh-Morpork board game:

"You have heard of Discworld, right? No? Go to your library. Now. Well, not now, at least finish this paragraph, then go. Look up Terry Pratchett. He is a master of comic fantasy... Trust me, if you like to laugh and you like fantasy, you will love these books. Now go to the library. I'll wait.

"Back? Good. I was beginning to wonder about you... As far as the graphic design goes, ['Ankh-Morpork'] definitely fits with the pseudo old world feel of the books. Control of each of the different districts grants you a special ability that helps you accomplish your goals... Here's the kicker: Only you know what your goal is. Everyone else has to use intrigue and trickery to figure out your goal, while working to accomplish theirs. Ankh-Morpork is a hidden identity game, like The Resistance or Battlestar Galactica. If they figure out what you are doing, they can do their best to stop you from doing it. Of course, you can also attempt to stop them... Of course, I can hear you all now: Do I have to be a fan of the books to enjoy this game? No, you don't. It does help when you see a card and can recall where (as in which book) each character came from, but most of our group has not read the books, and they do fine and enjoy it well enough. At the same time, if you have read the books, and enjoyed them, then you ill get a kick out of seeing all of your favorite characters..."

http://tinyurl.com/kwhoyy5


Blogger Julian Saheed's review of The Truth:

"Characters dance from the pages and within moments of being introduced to them you feel as though you know exactly where they have come from, what they had for breakfast, and what they like to do on their weekends. Ankh-Morpork continues to evolve into a squalid, yet loveable cesspool of civilisation that reminds us of everything that the real world and the Fantasy genre have to offer.... 'The Truth' deals with the arrival of newspapers and journalism to Ankh-Morpork and for the most part the characters are not too different from ones that have appeared in previous books. In many ways I was reminded of 'Going Postal', but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The main character, William is likeable enough and the rest of the cast (dwarves, vampires and talking dogs), all add a certain charm. The villains in the book are also well presented and a great take off of the 'brawns and brains' crime outfit.

"The book's strength is in its evolution of the newspaper. As things come together and William begins to get papers into the streets, you find yourself wanting to read more and see what happens next. The sub plot of the attempted replacement of the Patrician, I found to be less interesting, though vital to the story. That being said, as ever Lord Vetinari stands out as a brilliant character, and when he is involved in the dialogue I cannot get enough..."

http://tinyurl.com/ktwvd6y


Blogger Jeannette Porter is on a (quite articulate and entertaining) crusade to spread the Pratchett love around the USA. Includes a self- made photo of The Librarian with a collection of Pratchett books:

"Discworld is the greatest English-language phenomenon that nobody in the United States has ever heard of. To quote Terry Pratchett, the creator of Discworld, 'That sentence is wrong in every particular, but it's quite a useful lie.' ... It would be more accurate to say that very many people in the United States, (some of whom are intelligent and might really enjoy the reads,) have never heard of the 40 novels or seen the abundance of Internet and other content that make up Discworld's multiverse. This series of blog postings is meant to gently shepherd the uninitiated to this threshold of delights, or at least to clue in those unfortunates as to what they're missing..."

http://tinyurl.com/jw3ledu


Blogger Cleo aka The Literary Flaneur found unexpected depths in The Carpet People:

"One thing I find lacking in many fantasy novels is the characters' lack of inclination to question what exists beyond their known world, far away and up above. In The Carpet People, they do do that, to a certain extent, wondering what's above the Carpet, and whether it ever ends. I loved that that so often left out element was included, acknowledging how humans (and other creatures) are always curious about unknown places. It's just unrealistic that in a fantasy realm where not a lot is known that a person wouldn't care at all about uncharted territories.

"Character development was a bit thin, but I ended up enjoying the book more than I thought initially. It starts out pretty slowly and confusingly, but gradually things become clearer and one is able to enjoy this rather silly story... I would recommend The Carpet People to fans of odd but good fantasy; I'm glad that a new edition was issued..."

http://tinyurl.com/mtaeac3


Inspired by the forthcoming release of the 40th Discworld novel, blogger Mikha Chan presents an excellently crafted essay on the wonder of Pratchett:

"Where can one begin when it comes to the long career of one of the wittiest writers in the fantasy genre? And I use the term 'fantasy' loosely; to simply label him as a fantasy writer would be to do him a disservice. His books are no simple sword-and-stone affairs. Terry Pratchett is probably the first writer to singlehandedly overturn the entire genre with his long-spanning Discworld series of books, liberally mixing in his unique brand of humour and sharp insights of humanity's idiosyncrasies. His stories are peppered with endless cliches and parodies of pop culture. I know this will sound ageist, but for a 65-year-old man, the man is amazingly, er, hip... His constant sense of humour makes the darkness seem all the darker, and brings it into sharp contrast for scrutiny, such as the various evils and threats one has to deal with not just on a personal scale, but on an overall, more depressing scale: humankind. The nature of evil is a frequent theme within his books; one thing one of his characters Granny Weatherwax said has always stuck with me for its sheer profundity: 'Evil begins when you treat people like things.' In another book (Guards! Guards!), the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork talks about how evil exists when people do nothing, a sort of evil that isn't the 'really high, creative loathsomeness of the great sinners, but a sort of mass-produced darkness of the soul...they accept evil not because they say yes, but because they don't say no.' And it is this sort of deep thought that gives weight and heft to the blade of his wit..."

http://tinyurl.com/krkhlqy


Blogger Nadine is back with a rave review of Lords and Ladies:

"This was a particularly fun Discworld novel. I never liked Magrat as much as I did in Lords and Ladies and even though I know that she will be replaced by Agnes Nitt (she of the angelic voice, large body, and personality disorder), I believe that I will end up missing Magrat Garlick. That quiet, too-nice-for-her-own-good girl kicked some serious fairy butt! I was also pleased to discover a different side to Granny Weatherwax. She always seems so aloof, so unconcerned about her private life and especially all things romantic (and I like her that way) but the peculiar kind of havoc wrought by the fairies shows us that, at the very least, Granny could have led a very different life. But whatever may or may not have been, we still get to enjoy Granny's wonderful wit and incredible practicality... I've always had a soft spot for fairies, but for some reason, the Disney version never did it for me. I like the mysterious, dark ones that aren't all bad but most certainly aren't all good either (the real Tinkerbell is still one of my favorites). Terry Pratchett ditched the wish-fulfilling, glittering good fairies and instead opted for a seductive, dangerous, alluring, and most importantly, stylish kind of fairie folk. The way they are set up makes them more creepy than funny but as soon as people decide to fight back, there are a few absolutely hilarious scenes involving fairies, Magrat, and Greebo. I don't think I need to say any more... it also came as a bit of a surprise to find out that some characters knew each other from 'way back when'. In one clever stroke, Terry Pratchett breathes life into his world, its mythology, and its characters. All of this is achieved without long expositions or boring info-dumps. After all, the characters know who they are and how their world works. We have to figure it out from the context – something I immensely enjoy and that far too few authors trust their readers to manage. Thanks again, Sir Terry, for believing that your readers have the ability to think for themselves..."

http://tinyurl.com/mjb9od2


Games blogger Nick Lyons was blown away by "Ankh-Morpork":

"At first, 'Discworld: Ankh-Morpork' feels like a variation of 'Monopoly,' but it soon becomes clear that this is a much faster paced and more eventful game than 'Monopoly' ever could be. Right off the bat, I was drawn to the fact that there are a variety of winning conditions. Since you initially don't know what the opponent(s) are doing, you have to strategize how to win while also observing the opponent's every move. This makes for a very competitive and fun race to the finish game in which players can even play mind games with each other if they think they have figured out each other's moves.

"Another deeply impressive component to the game are the pieces themselves. With wooden token pieces, a meticulously drawn Ankh- Morpork board, and a large amount of illustrated cards featuring characters and towns, it's clear that a lot of work went into this thematic game. This isn't a cheaply produced licensed product which we so often see these days. It's abundantly clear that Martin Wallace and company are passionate about Terry Pratchett's world and they went all out to create a fitting board game tribute to his beloved work.

"Summary: Fans of the Discworld series will fall head over heels in love with this game, but you don't just have to be a fan to appreciate this game. The easy to learn game has wide appeal and massive amounts of replayability thanks to the work of acclaimed designer Martin Wallace..."

http://tinyurl.com/n3vjm9d


...and finally, Scots author Mac Logan, not a very young man, posts about a young woman whose taste in reading took him by surprise on a Glasgow to Ayr bus:

"Her energy and excitement amazed me – all for a book? She fixed her eyes on her gran with a loving, childlike authenticity, and said, 'Yesssss...' She held the book, by it's spine, in her left hand shook the cover towards her companion and poked the cover hard enough for the impact to be heard. She struck it a few times with her right finger, smiling, triumphant. I couldn't see the cover. Her gran smiled and laughed with a knowledgable nod... Surprised by the event, and curiosity aroused, I had to ask. 'You seem pretty pleased, I hope you don't mind me asking...what's the book?' A thoughtful, intelligent gaze assessed me from clear gold flecked brown eyes. She wrinkled her straight nose with the sleeper through the flesh above the bridge. Next she smiled a sweet smile, her face morphing to mischief. The stud in her lower lip rose with her grin. Once more her hand fumbled inside the big bag and she pulled out the book. With a theatrical gesture, she held the rear of it towards me in both hands and placed her beaming countenance beside it.

"Okay reader, pause for a second, what would you expect to see? Me? I thought Young Adult, Vampires, Werewolves. But no, none of those. She did a dramatic show, eyes wide and smiling locking her eyes to mine. 'Ta-daa' giggled out of her. She twirled the book cover towards me. Terry Pratchett. We talked about her reading, her love of books. She found the fun of the Disc World tales a delight. Gran approved. She and I talked about Philip Pullman as a possible other author of interest. The lassie wrote down the name. It turned out the youngster had been travelling from the SouthWest of England since 5:30 that morning, reading TP all the way..."

http://tinyurl.com/mhprfqx

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12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

A memorable illustrated quote from Raising Steam:

http://tinyurl.com/l6sumru

...and another:

http://tinyurl.com/pwf93rl

Stew Taylor's delightful poster for an upcoming production of Making Money in Salisbury (see Discworld Plays section):

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BW8JemiCMAA4aN7.jpg


The stunning Wee Free Men birthday cake Gillykat made for her daughter:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BXinD_gIgAARda-.jpg

...and Lempop's impressive Discworld cake:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BXhD_wbIcAEQFK_.jpg


Paper Panda's fantastic Rincewind tribute cutout:

http://tinyurl.com/jwnestj


Sir Pterry receiving his Open University degree:

http://tinyurl.com/khj8orh


...and did he actually wear this to "at least one convention"?:

http://tinyurl.com/q6qkeee


And finally, technically not Discworld, but so very Non Timetis Messor – legendary graffiti artist Banksy's current street art and art installations "tour" of New York included a wonderful installation called "Reaper". Death may not ride a white horse on Roundworld, but he definitely looks like he's enjoying using his scythe to power a dodgem car:

http://instagram.com/p/f6E4XnDfxD/

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13) CLOSE

Here be a review of The Long Earth in Fife Today. They may be one book behind but hey, they do recommend it:

"This is much more sci-fi than fun fantasy but what remains is Sir Terry's natural storytelling ability in this intriguing tale of multiple Earths and mankind's need for exploration and knowledge. With Baxter providing the hard science and theories, the two mesh well and while the ending is perhaps not completely satisfying, it is a compelling and original concept..."

http://tinyurl.com/lvsovm7


Don't forget – you can pre-order Jack Dodger's Guide to London now! Release date is 21st November. I for one can hardly wait! For more info, and to order, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/lzvqlap

Last but not least, have a photo of the Chairman of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork masquerading as astronaut Chris Hadfield's pet pug. Come now, you know that's really Mr Fusspot:

http://tinyurl.com/kzuv8n2

And that's it for the month of October. Have a happy Hogswatch/Halloween and we'll see you in November!

– Annie Mac

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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: interact (at) pearwood (dot) info
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Copyright (c) 2013 by Klatchian Foreign Legion