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WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
December 2013 (Volume 16, Issue 12, 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, LC 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) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) RAISING STEAM: REVIEWED BY CORY DOCTOROW
04) RAISING STEAM: OTHER REVIEWS
05) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
08) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
09) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
10) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
11) ACTION REPLAY: WEIRD ALICE'S SEASONAL CAROLS
12) ROUNDWORLD TALES: HEROES OF STEAM
13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
14) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

'It is at the level of the sentence that Pratchett wins his fans.'

– Andrew McKie, reviewing Raising Steam in The Times


'It worries me that I might be a poster boy for dementia, because I make it look good.'

– Sir Pterry, interviewed by Charlie Stayt, BBC, December 2013


'Lord Vetinari is that wonderful thing: a sensible ruler — that's why he's so popular. Everyone grumbles about him, but no one wants to chance what it would be like if he wasn't there. I like Vetinari. I don't mind authority, but not authoritarian authority. After all, the bus driver is allowed to be the boss of the bus. But if he's bad at driving, he's not going to be a bus driver anymore.'

– and interviewed by Cory Doctorow, November 2013

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02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Happy 30th birthday, Discworld! On 24th November 1983, The Colour of Magic was first published, and the world of wordcraft and bedtime reading has been a better place ever since. I have no idea how many, if any, of us – including the author himself – imagined back in the mid-'80s that Discworld would become a series, an icon, and a multimillion-selling publishing phenomenon, but surely we are all thankful and grateful that it did. And that it looks set to continue for generations.

Terry Pratchett has created narratives and characters – most of all, characters! – that not only will live on and on in that hallowed pantheon of fiction's "immortals", from Darcy and Heathcliff to Sherlock Holmes to Prince Elric, Doctor Moreau, Cthulhu and, yes, a certain artful Dodger – but that have also influenced real lives in very real ways and served as inspirations, lifestyle pointers, even savers of lives (I know personally of a couple of cases, there). Also, who else could have made Death cuddly, eh?

So raise your glasses, especially if they are filled with a wee dram of scumble or Special Sheep Liniment, in praise of Discworld. Long may it reign! Long may it continue! Ooook ook oook and crivens!


*

It's official! 2014 will be known as The Year of the Reciprocating Llama on the Discworld. So sayeth the Master!

[...which gives me to think: since this is not the only known reciprocating Discworld animal, isn't it time to lobby Paul Kidby or Stephen Player (or both, or...) to give the world a Discworld bestiary? Perhaps with text by Sir Pterry and Jacqueline Simpson? I'd certainly buy one! – Ed.]


*

...and here be an iconograph of Sir Pterry, looking very dapper in his velvet jacket and coachman's hat, standing outside London's famous Groucho Club with some friend of his called, er, I think it's Neil something. Possibly some kind of writer? Apparently they weren't discussing the telly version of Good Omens, no, not at all...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbNt5KFIEAAYNgp.jpg

And now, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) RAISING STEAM: REVIEWED BY CORY DOCTOROW

Some extracts:

"Longstanding Pratchett fans know that the series started off with a light (even slight), silly tone – one that deepened, book by book, into something altogether more serious. Raising Steam has a lot more of the feel of that early Pratchett, with some very silly wordplay (the Marquis of Aix en Pains!) and a serious quantity of funny/silly footnotes. Even the dwarfish names tilt more towards Snow White jokes than references to Icelandic lore. But as the synopsis above implies, this is also one of the darkest of the Pratchett novels, a thoughtful and often graphically violent story about modernity, terrorism, and technology's discontents...

"Pratchett's dallied with the theme of technology as a force superior to mysticism and magic before (see, for example, Pyramids), but never with such a keen enthusiasm. Paradoxically, Pratchett gives technology a kind of mystical spirit – his railroad is a kind of living god (a kind of positive version of the "gonne" in Men at Arms or the films in Moving Pictures) that ensnares the imaginations of the people who behold it, driving them to spread it far and wide. And unlike the previous anthropomorphized technologies of Discworld, the railroad is a great liberator, a greater magic than that of the wizards...

"Most of the Discworld novels stand alone, but not this one. From the intertextual references (Dick Simnel is the son of Ned Simnel, a minor but crucial character in Reaper Man) to the complex relationship between Commander Vimes and the dwarfs (not to mention the military mystery of Koom Valley, presented in Thud), this is a book that practically requires you to have read all 39 of the previous volumes before you can get to grips with it. But it's worth it. This is a surprisingly layered and sneaky sort of book..."

To read the full review, go to:

http://boingboing.net/2013/11/27/pratchetts-raising-steam.html

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04) RAISING STEAM REVIEWS

Reviewed in The Guardian, by fellow bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch:

"The series started as a satirical journey through the conventions of the fantasy genre. It painted its world in broad outline and great splashes of colour, although, from the first, the novels demonstrated Pratchett's eye for telling detail and the absurdities of the human condition. As the series progressed, a strange thing occurred – the Discworld, created as a setting for humorous stories, began to take on a certain solidity, as if it were striving to become a real place... Thirty years on, the Discworld has grown so solid and so weighty that any new novel has to exert a great deal of narrative power just to get that world moving at a decent pace. So it's just as well that the latest book concerns the arrival of the Discworld's very own steam locomotive... The genius of Pratchett is that he never goes for the straight allegory... Pratchett's themes are the big ones: the threat and promise of change, the individual's search for meaning within their own society, and the fine moral judgments that have to be made between competing rights and freedoms..."

http://tinyurl.com/o825b9p

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Reviewed by Rene Nol in the Otago Times:

"It's all aboard (and mind the gap please) as the traditionally horse-powered Discworld is introduced to the age of steam in the form of Iron Girder, the Disc's first locomotive. And wealthy Harry King (aka the King of the Golden River – don't ask why!) looks set to become its first railway baron as he bankrolls the infant enterprise... Pratchett's latest offering rattles along, navigating the bends and gradients nicely under his sure touch, as the plot thickens and the pace quickens..."

http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/books/283510/pratchett-amuses

*

...and the rest of that Andrew McKie review in The Times:

"There are sly nods to the history of railways and a cheeky reference to The Railway Children. Most aficionados, however, will be on the look-out for in-jokes and references from previous novels — of which there is no shortage. There are supporting roles for Sam Vimes and other members of the Watch, and some surprising developments amongst the dwarfs, who initially have a Luddite objection. Raising Steam is certainly less pacy than the earliest books, and its diversions on social history, the threat of new technology to traditional industries, and even terrorism and sabotage, can be fairly dark. But Discworld's success, like that of Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster stories, has never been driven by the plots, no matter how laboriously worked out. It is at the level of the sentence that Pratchett wins his fans. There are fewer truly tremendous verbal pyrotechnics in Raising Steam than in others in the series. Some of the humour is rather laboured but Pratchett fans will find plenty to like as well. And the closing words of the book suggest more to come."

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05) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT

Happy Hogswatchdays at the Discworld Emporium:

"Two weeks on from our Hogswatch festivities and we've hardly drawn breath; with orders still pouring in from all o'er the world. Hogfather's little helpers are hard at work to get your Discworld goodies packed and posted, and UK customers still have until the 18th to order before the big day. However, while we are still accepting and shipping orders worldwide we now cannot guarantee delivery in time for the 25th for orders placed after the dates shown in the banner below. Please note that we'll be taking some time off to slurp sherry and gobble mince pies in front of the telly box and will therefore close and cease shipping from December 20th – orders placed after that date won't be dispatched until we reopen on January 6th. We welcomed an unprecedented number of visitors to Hogswatch 2013, with many having travelled from distant lands to celebrate 30 years of Discworld in the company of one Sir Terry Pratchett. Various events over the weekend, including our Grand Charity Auction, raised a whopping £3924.53 for our sponsored charity RICE (Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly) and a further £633 for King Arthurs School Library appeal. Our heartfelt thanks to those who donated items, emptied their wallets for good causes, and helped to make Hogswatch such a magical event."

From the Western Gazette:

"Bernard Pearson, partner of the Discworld Emporium, which has organised the annual Hogswatch event for the past 12 years, said that so many Discworld fans turned up for the celebration that 'there literally was no more room to be had in any inn, hotel or guest-house'. He said: 'The event was a resounding success and the largest by far in the 12 years the Emporium has been holding them.' Fans came to meet Sir Terry Pratchett from Australia, America, Germany, Iceland, Italy, France, Finland, Ireland, and Sweden as well as from all over the UK. Mr Pearson added: 'Not only was this event a celebration of Christmas – well Hogswatch to Discworld readers – but also it marked 30 years of Discworld books being published. With more than 85 million books being sold worldwide and millions of fans and readers enjoying them it was a celebration indeed.'...Mr Pearson added: "A spokesman for Sir Terry told us he had enjoyed himself hugely and once again was so impressed in the way that Wincanton offers such friendship and hospitality to his fans.'"

http://tinyurl.com/m5wsm25

*

Watch out! The Fools Guild's about! As reported in The Guardian, under the headline of "Norfolk police warn of alarming clown epidemic":

A police force has told members of the public to ignore people dressed as clowns if they meet them in the street. Norfolk police received a report from a member of the public alarmed by a clown sighting in Gaywood, near King's Lynn, on Tuesday evening. The suspect was described as wearing a 'full clown outfit' with a red suit and red hair. The following evening the force received a similar report after two clowns were spotted near a skate park in the town. These people wore 'Halloween-type' clown masks. In both cases, the callers reported being alarmed and being chased a short way up the road. It follows recent reports of the circus characters scaring people in Northampton. Superintendent Carl Edwards said no one had been injured or assaulted. He added that it seemed whoever was behind the makeup was probably trying to shock people and it was best not to give them the attention. Officers would patrol areas where the reports had been made and, if they found any clowns, they would 'offer them strong words of advice', he said..."

http://tinyurl.com/qy7s778

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Now that's what I call a book crossing! In Metro News:

"A Good Samaritan has returned a Terry Pratchett book to a Sutton library dock after discovering it languishing 6,000 miles away in Mauritius. The library in the town of Cheam now wants to thank the unknown altruist after the novel was returned to the book shelf in the train station with a note saying it had been found abroad. The book, The Fifth Elephant, had been classed as 'lost' for roughly five years before it suddenly reappeared and library staff are astonished. Hannah Bell, from Cheam Library, told the Sutton Guardian: 'They really are a good Samaritan. I don't think it showed up on our system but just showed up as "lost" as it was gone for such a long time. Nothing like this has happened before.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/kunb3ef

*

In The Guardian, a young reader's review of Dodger:

"I hadn't read any of Terry Pratchett's books before, but when my granddad bought this book for me for Christmas I got straight into it. From the front cover I was intrigued, about the look of murder in his eyes and the look of mystery of it, from the clothing that he was wearing to the razor or knife in his dirty left hand, and the brown scruffy matted dog showing its ribs leaning next to him... It's a 335 page book that is brilliantly written with awesome wordplay. However unfortunately for you younger ones I recommend this to 11+ as it has quite a bit of swearing and violence..."

http://tinyurl.com/kvwctdb

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A thoughtful review of Jingo and how it mirrors Roundworld, by Chan Akya in the Asia Times:

"Many years ago, when I first read Jingo, there was some incident in the Indian ocean where a small island had appeared from the depths and caused some debate as to which country was the real owner of the wretched place – (as I remember, it disappeared in the next seismic event). That debate had nothing to do with natural boundaries of countries and everything to do with the 200-mile exclusive economic zone covering the islands. That's one reason a lot of people have this fascination with what are often little more than rocky outcrops. The main plot device of Jingo is an island that suddenly appears exactly in the middle of the water body between the two main fictional countries of Discworld – Klatch and Ankh- Morpork. Whilst the Klatchians, described as "secretive and primitive" are a bit keen to start a war to claim the island, the rulers of the wealthier trading oriented city-state of Ankh-Morpork are less keen on outright hostilities as they believe it is easier to sell stuff to living people than to dead soldiers. With that description it become obvious that we have a similar, farcical situation in Asia with the events in the islands called Diaoyudao/ Diaoyutai/ Senkaku by the main claimants – China, Taiwan and Japan... Reading the commentaries – be it the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times, not to mention the more jingoistic publications from China, Japan and Taiwan – one is struck by the sheer sense of farce underpinning the whole situation... Even the inestimable Pratchett couldn't have concocted what passes for reality in Asia today, but if he did try he might have written Jingo with four main characters and a couple of others purely for (further) comic relief: a. An aging economic superpower that is somehow trying to cling on to its regional relevance even though, quite literally, it has no standing armed forces; b. A brash upstart who, going through a painful adolescent adjustment period, has decided to risk all by challenging the aforementioned aging economic superpower; c. Lastly, a spoilt brat which was previously owned by the aging economic superpower and is currently independent but sees its future as part of the new brash upstart, probably intending to bring these wretched islands as its dowry to the wedding; d. The world's only superpower has borrowed so much money from all three players above than it can never repay even one of them; it is currently distracted by the absence of a functioning government and unable to complete simple tasks like putting together a website; e. Asia's third- and fourth-largest economies, utterly confused by the proceedings without an inkling of whether they should even say anything let alone do something. This has the making of a grand comedy, an opera even..."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/CHIN-01-031213.html

*

A review of Steeleye Span's Wintersmith concert in Bradford. Uncredited, in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

"Led, as ever, by the soaring voice of Maddy Prior, the band appeared fresher than ever playing new material from their collaboration with Sir Terry Pratchett and his Wintersmith novel. And it was scintillating stuff, with supreme musicianship, terrific changes of pace within the folk rock genre and totally mesmerising. The first half ended with a rocking number, Dance The Dark Morris, which featured black-faced Morris dancers accompanying the band. And after the break, more Wintersmith material which has definitely given the band new impetus, and showcasing all the amazing dexterity of all five band members with decades of experience behind them..."

http://tinyurl.com/lh7z6kr

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From Michael Quinion's marvellous World Wide Words, some information about Catoptromancy that Lily Weatherwax probably knew:

'Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?' At some time or other, almost anything you can think of has been used to foretell the future, from straws on a red-hot iron to disembowelled chickens. But the mirror, that most strange thing that allows not only reflection but self-reflection, has always been special. Hence catoptromancy, the art of divination by means of mirrors. As a result there are many superstitions about mirrors — such that they must be covered or removed after a death to prevent the soul of the dead person from being stolen. In part it also explains why it is considered bad luck to break one (until modern times, they were also rare, so breaking one really was bad luck). There are records from many ancient civilisations of mirrors being used for magic..."

http://tinyurl.com/mnwnf4t

*

Igor technology comes to Roundworld:

"Xiao Wei lost his right hand in an accident at work but could not have it reattached to his arm right away. Instead, the hand was kept alive by stitching it to Mr Wei's left ankle and "borrowing" a blood supply from arteries in the leg. A month later, surgeons were able to remove the hand and replant it back on his arm..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25405543

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06) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

Sir Pterry's fight to raise Alzheimer's awareness and stimulate the research field continues. Here is a live BBC interview (embedded on the page):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25324655

From The Times Sunday edition (sadly, behind a paywall):

"Sir Terry Pratchett, the bestselling author who is suffering from dementia, has accused David Cameron of failing in his pledge to tackle the crisis caused by the disease. In an article for The Sunday Times the acclaimed author of the Discworld series, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2007, says he fears the prime minister's promise to improve life for dementia patients and fund research into drugs to treat the condition may prove to be no more than a 'podium promise for the press'. 'David Cameron made a solemn pledge one year ago,' he writes. 'In what I hoped wouldn't simply be a podium promise for the press, he announced intentions to double money spent on dementia research and to tackle the 'crisis' the condition is causing..."

www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/People/article1347247.ece


More about the "dementia summit", from BBC News:

"Dementia is heading towards being the biggest health and care problem of a generation so you'd think it would have the funding to match. Yet it really is the poor relation of other diseases. In the UK, about £590m is spent on cancer research with £267m coming from government. At the moment £52m of government money goes to dementia research. It's a pattern reflected around the world... David Cameron called on governments, industry and charities all to commit more funding. He said the G8 should make this the day 'the global fight- back really started'. He said the UK Government would boost annual research funding from £66m, the 2015 pledge, to £132m, which will be adjusted for inflation, by 2025. Mr Cameron told the summit: "This disease steals lives, wrecks families and breaks hearts. If we are to beat dementia, we must also work globally, with nations, business and scientists from all over the world working together as we did with cancer, and with HIV and Aids. This is going to be a bigger and bigger issue, the key is to keep pushing...'"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25318194


In the Bath Chronicle:

"A Bath charity, which specialises in helping people with dementia, is to be part of a new £4 million research project... The Research Institute for the Care of Older People (RICE), based at the Royal United Hospital, will work with experts at Bangor University, Cardiff University, Brunel University, the London School of Economics, King's College London, Sussex University, the Alzheimer's Society and Innovations in Dementia CIC. The Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active life: Living well with dementia project, known as IDEAL, will investigate how social and psychological factors affect people living with dementia. Director of RICE, Professor Roy Jones, said: 'We have been committed to improving life for people with dementia and their families for more than 25 years. We are delighted to be part of the IDEAL project team that will try and understand how people cope with dementia and its effects and how best everyone can help people affected by dementia to live as well as possible.' At the moment, around an eighth of the sum spent on cancer research in the UK goes on investigating treatment for dementia... Author Sir Terry Pratchett, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008 and has been treated at the RICE research charity in Bath, told the BBC's Newsnight programme 'a lot more' money should be spent on dementia research and care. Sir Terry, who worked as a journalist in Bath, told Jeremy Paxman dementia research was a Cinderella issue. 'I have been saying for a long time, it doesn't get noticed. It does need a lot more money put in. It needs more people trying to see what they can do.' Alzheimer's Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: 'Given that this is the first time a prime minister has used the presidency of the G8 to take action on a single disease, we are expecting a rallying cry from the UK government. 'Yet the details we have seen so far are not enough...'"

http://tinyurl.com/okqo55c

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07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

The Cunning Artificer has something special to mark the occasion of Discworld's 30th birthday:

"To celebrate 30 years of Discworld, the Emporium's Bernard Pearson has dusted off his sculpting tools, and flexed his creative muscle to create a special objet d'art to mark the occasion. The Piece pays tribute to The Colour of Magic and is available in an ivory finish, and as a brass finish in a limited edition of 300. The '30 year sculpt' will be made to order in the new year on a first-come first- served basis, so to register your interest, and reserve any edition number of the limited brass version please email isobel@discworldemporium.com"

To preview this very lovely 189mm square x 84mm deep piece, with multiple iconographs:

http://tinyurl.com/l36ydzm

"Two editions of this special piece will be available to own: an antique brass finish of which a limited edition of only 300 will be produced, and an unlimited version in an attractive Ivory effect. Each limited edition brass version will be numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, while the reverse of both editons will be adorned with a short missive about the piece from Bernard himself... If [you] wish to own the limited edition brass finish please remember to include any edition number that you would like us to reserve and we will do our very best to oblige. Each piece is produced in high quality cold cast resin and features an integrated hook for wall hanging, but can also be displayed freestanding. The cost of these will be in the region of £75 for the Ivory Edition and £90 for the Antique Brass finish."

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O8) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

Siobhan Greaney's report on the recent Irish Discworld Convention:

"Yep, I fully admit to being a nerd. But not all of the people I meet at Discworld Conventions are. Despite the connotation the 'convention' label can give, it's a very casual environment for fans and non-fans alike. Attendees come from all age ranges, all walks of life, and all levels of nerdiness. Friends and family who are 'dragged' along by enthusiastic fans always comment on how much fun they have, how welcoming everyone is, and how they don't feel left out by not necessarily having read the books. Yes, some people have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the books, but most read the books years previously and would quake at the idea of joining a quiz. This year I encouraged my housemate, who has read a total of one Discworld book, to tag along. He had a blast, made new friends, and is keen to come again. Most people at the end of a Convention weekend have a new set of contacts to meet up with at the next one. As Discworld is so full of sarcasm, parody and puns, if you're a fan you generally share a sense of humour with the rest of the fans. And sharing a laugh is a great way to cement a friendship. So to those who have read the books but don't think they're 'nerdy' enough for a convention, I share this nugget of wisdom that was given to me before my first one, and which I have found true over the years: Going to a Discworld event isn't like spending time with a bunch of strangers; it's meeting friends you just hadn't met yet..."

http://tinyurl.com/laprbnv

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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

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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

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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 2nd January 2014, 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

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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 3rd December 2014.

*

The next meeting of the Broken Drummers, " London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group", will be from 7pm on Monday 6th January 2014 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ. Note the new web address:

http://brokendrummers.org/

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

The Broken Drummers December 2013 meet report:

"We had a delayed Christmas dinner on the second Monday (to avoid a clash with the Hogswatch event). It was great to see so many people there. We had a visit from Mandy (aka Periwinkle) from Wincanton. There was much discussion of the recent Hogswatch event in Wincanton and next year's Wadfest which Tim W. will be fronting (alongside the eponymous Waddy) and in which I will be running the murder mystery for the first time. Otherwise, there was much eating, drinking and merriment. Jax did a quiz, however I have no idea what it was on or who won as we went home before it took place."

*

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/

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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 6th January 2014. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax):

kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

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Perth Drummers meet on the traditional date of first Monday of the month. The next meeting should be on Monday 6th January 2014. "Please note we have moved to San Churro this month from 5.30pm (San Churro, 132 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, WA)."

For details follow Twitter @Perth_Drummers and Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/

or 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

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10) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger Random Alex offers an interesting sociopolitical analysis of Snuff. He also loves it:

"I've had to think carefully about the way Pratchett portrays the goblins. One of the crescendo moments is a goblin, Tears of the Mushroom, playing the harp for a huge crowd in Ankh-Morpork. That is, a member of a subjected race, wearing 'civilised' clothes, goes to the heart of civilisation and plays an instrument that is coded as approaching the zenith of musical accomplishment, and there impresses the (civilised) bigwigs. This could all be seen as uncomfortably close to recreating the classic idea of the western civilising mission... Except that the goblins have already been shown, very clearly, to have their own culture and don't need 'civilising'. They have a rich language, evidenced clearly by their names (Tears of the Mushroom!); they make art (some of which is so precious that humans who regard the goblins as little better than animals will steal it); they care for one another and about justice. They are wretches in that they are wretched – through no fault of their own. And Tears of the Mushroom plays her own composition, and is in no way dismayed by the audience before her. By the time Tears of the Mushroom plays, the reader should be so convinced about the sentience and sapience of the goblins that any of the characters doubting it should cause serious eye-rolling. Many of the human characters are also convinced early on, which is also intended to convince the audience, just in case you missed all of the other very obvious signs. Thus what Pratchett is doing is showing, to some extent, an example of the old westernising/civilising mission – there's no doubt that's what Miss Beadle is doing, whatever her intentions – and then not entirely sending it up, but certainly undermining it, and definitely showing that is is quite unnecessary for the sake of the goblins themselves. Although maybe it's necessary for the acknowledged-as- civilised, to make them realise what they are doing to this race..."

http://randomalex.net/2013/12/03/snuff/


Blogger Nadine was thoroughly delighted with Men at Arms:

"I'm always most interested in characters. Worldbuilding is great, and plot is of course necessary to keep me interested, but the characters make or break a book for me. I already loved Vimes but Carrot seemed like too much of a goody-goody. He gets a lot of depth in this book, while still being the purest human being I could dream up. Reading about comic relief characters like Cuddy and the inimitable Detritus (who learns to count in the funniest way you can imagine), and especially Angua, was exactly the breath of fresh air the Watch books needed. Angua's story in particular appealed to me, not only because she's a woman (although that's great), but because she is torn between her two states of being. She is a practical woman who gets annoyed about always being naked when changing back into human form. But she also has a lot to offer as a Watchman. Having a keen sense of smell is the obvious contribution but, much to my amusement, she can also talk to dogs such as Gaspode. That little guy kept showing up and remarking on the affairs of humans and sniggered his way straight into my heart. Plot-wise, this is a police procedural, complete with interrogating suspects, writing up police reports and figuring out whodunnit. The reports in question made me laugh so hard, I may have snorted a bit. Just warning you… don't read this in public..."

http://tinyurl.com/kv8dnba

...and also with Feet of Clay:

"As has been the case with the other City Watch novels, I was less intrigued with the murders and the crime-solving, and more with all the other stuff that goes on in Discworld's capital city. This novel did some interesting things and, in the process, granted the characters an additional layer of credibility. As much as we love Carrot, for example, he is quite surprised and makes some truly idiotic remarks when he finds out one of the new Watch members (a dwarf) is female... it was just lovely to see other sides of these characters. Especially Carrot, who was too good to be true anyway. It's nice to see him blunder and just blurt out whatever comes to mind. But once his mistakes are pointed out, he goes back to being a Protector Of The People – including undead, unalive, and females. Having fallen in love with the Discworld through the Tiffany Aching novels, I couldn't help but grin when Wee Mad Arthur showed up in Feet of Clay. As a professional rat-catcher, no less. Although he is called a gnome, we all know he is a sort of Nac Mac Feegle. And, if you ask me, any book is automatically better if it has Feegles in it..."

http://tinyurl.com/kpk3ahl


...as was blogger Gabriella Gricius:

"I think I shall always love reading a good Terry Pratchett novel, and Feet of Clay was no exception. Classic quick-witted prose that had be struggling desperately to keep up with all of the event passing by – I will always love his novels. There's something just so perfect about an Assassin's Guild who operates quite legally in the city Ankh Morpork. Now that I've finished the novel, I can absolutely agree that the cover is entirely appropriate – and I encourage other readers of humorous fantasy novels to try it out. Character-wise, there is no one better to run the crime division in Ankh Morpork (who does not like Clues, no sir), than Vimes. He is a continuing character throughout many of Pratchett's other novels, but he plays his role here spectacularly – being every inch the grumpy but excitable Commander that we all know he is. When it comes to plot, Feet of Clay was one of those unique novels that had me guessing until the end..."

http://tinyurl.com/n5rhhfc

Blogger DWJ Jones gives the Raising Steam audiobook 9 out of 10 points:

"As with most of Pratchetts work its hard to go into too much detail without giving away the plot, but suffice to say it is a fast paced well oiled machine powering through the Satirical landscape. As with most it can be read as a standalone novel but I would implore you to read the first 39 novels first, or if you don't have time at least Going Postal and Making Money which introduce us to Moist. As mentioned this version reviewed is an audiobook read by Stephen Briggs. Once again he brings the characters of the Discworld to life. Recently I have found my ability to sit a read a book severely curtailed in the form of a bouncing baby boy. I have however found myself listening to Audiobooks with increasing frequency. The Discworld novels are some of the best and that is in no small part to Briggs' talent..."

dwjjones.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/raising-steam-terry-pratchett


...and blogger Nordie lauds the print version:

"With so many previously established characters making an appearance, it's certain that some favourites will not get the exposure that some people want. It could be seen as perhaps too- crowded with characters, and could one or more of them have been dropped without anyone noticing? I dont know. Anyway, story covers change, factionism, new technology, religious doctrine, feminism, being true to ones self, bigotry, racisim, in such a way to still make it enjoyable to read. Plus plenty of footnotes. Whilst we still have him, Pratchett's at least working at his best..."

http://tinyurl.com/l7fjuyn


Blogger easyondeyes is back with a rave review of Night Watch:

"I loved this Terry Pratchett for so many reasons! Not least, because I'm a huge fan of Sam Vimes and Vetinari and in this book we get to see a different side of both. While Vimes shows up as this canny cop with some serious hero skills, we get to see Vetinari in his pre-patrician days when he was still a young Assassin at the guild. Though, that's not to say he was not creepily omniscient and brilliant. If you like your Night Watch books you can't miss this one..."

http://easyondeyes.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/night-watch/


Blogger And the Geek Shall Inherit's review of Raising Steam:

"So, is Raising Steam a fitting conclusion of an always wonderful series or does it leave you wanting - nay hoping - for yet another final hurrah? Well, yes & yes really. As a contained story within a 30 year legacy, it satisfies that things can end most happy but it still leaves chances for progress -either by Sir Terry or by (Om & other gods forbid!) another suitable author (though Sir Terry himself said that will most likely be his own daughter Rhianna, who is a writer in her own right). Whilst the novel certainly ends, leaving the plot nicely bundled, the narrative world, much like the Great A'Tuin itself, can continue ever onward. Either on page or in our own unfettered imaginations. Yet, what of the story itself? I have to say, as a long term reader, it is an interesting beast to say the least... Raising Steam deals with some very heavy issues concern views of modern fundamentalism -especially in light of such events of the British soldier- but it casts all such extremists, no matter what they are extreme about, as being forces that should be removed from society but also understood so such acts never happen again. Ideas of how such people can strives & recruit others to their causes underlie all the dwarf vignettes but the book also shows the positives of people of all racists, former enemies & untrusted minorities, can work together once you get passed ingrained prejudices. Raising Steam is carrying on many themes & plots points that were started in the previous Discworld novel Snuff, with the goblins now coming into society & showing people their true value. This theme does overshadow many of the other plot points but its still handled deftly..."

http://tinyurl.com/mxbkcg3


...and another review of it, by blogger Lit Chic:

"It's no surprise I loved this book. As usual, Pratchett's wit makes this an enjoyable read. I'm impressed with how he takes such an ordinary and seemingly uninteresting subject matter and spins an interesting story around it. The subtle humor in the writing as well as the laugh-out-loud moments kept me going even when the plot slowed down. Pratchett takes full advantage of his subject matter and characters, even to the point of over-kill. Not that I'm complaining..."

http://tinyurl.com/mabseyu


Blogger Miss Bibliophile's first Discworld experience was Small Gods, and she loved it:

"All in all, it completely engrossed me. It amazed me how cleverly Discworld was linked to our world, and I liked that in Discworld, people believe the world is a sphere, when it is in fact flat, whereas in our world we used to believe the opposite. Small Gods has some very dryly funny bits, but it remains much more meaningful than I had expected, raising to my mind the issue of corruptcy in religions and governments alike. This book has made me eager to read more of the Discworld novels, to find out if they are all so original, funny and meaningful. I think that Terry Pratchett has done what many writers are afraid to do, and written something so weird that it stands out amongst other books. It's quite inspiring, really, since it shows that it's alright to be a bit different every once in a while. I recommend this to anyone looking for something refreshingly different to read, or anyone interested in theories about gods, religion or politics..."

http://tinyurl.com/m8zrprl


Blogger therankspoon is back with a rave review of Wintersmith:

"While I have only been introduced to Ms. Aching through this book (her previous books being A Hat Full of Sky and I Shall Wear Midnight) I still enjoyed the hell out of this book. Terry Pratchett has that rare gift that most fantasy writers lack: He's able to write a book series that you can drop down right in the middle of and still be able to figure out what's what and who's who without having to consult Wikipedia. Suffice it to say, I didn't know who half these 'regular' characters were and I was still able to catch as catch can. An added bonus of this book (at least for people who are new to Sir Pratchett and who either don't like the mythology behind Discworld or else they just don't get it) is that there is very little Discworld geography included in this book at all. In the previous books of his that I have read, I have found it a bit hard to understand all of the places and turn's of phrases that he has created because they were originally brought up in other books of his that I haven't read yet. This isn't the case with The Wintersmith. Pratchett doesn't disappoint. If you are new or if you are a regular reader, do yourself a favor and go out and pick this up..."

http://tinyurl.com/mflzs2a


Blogger E G Cosh lauds Pratchett as a master of humour – and truth:

"The joy of reading Pratchett, is that he knows the world is a slick smiling conman built from the lies we tell ourselves and each other, that pile up into a lie so heavy that no-one can move it alone. He knows we all struggle to see, let alone change our own realities. Pratchett twitches back the curtain and shows us how ridiculous it is—shows us the greasy machinery of prejudice and ignorance behind the scenes and inside our own minds. We don't feel stupid for believing the lies. We're all in it together, he says. But we are left thinking that we'll spot it next time. Next time someone tries to trick you with your own fear, with ignorance or vanity or shame, you'll see it for the silliness it really is. You won't feel angry or afraid or any other emotion that provides fertile soil for lies to grow. You'll remember his stories and you'll laugh. The lies will shrivel. Leaving space for a breath, for a lifetime. That is his gift to us: a brief respite. A moment's freedom for us to figure out what we want our own truths to be."

gcosh.com/2013/11/22/the-joy-and-pain-of-pratchett/


Blogger Bibliophilic Boy revels in Equal Rites:

"So I decided to start off my summer of books with an author that has yet to let me down. He's witty, He's fun, He's fantastical: The amazing Terry Pratchett! Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but after a long year of academic reading Pratchett really was like a window cracked open in a dusty old library (Run by a Orang-outang that was once human, but has decided that feet that can grip really are quite an asset to a librarian). And Equal Rites really turned out to be one of his best gems... The novel is fully of witty one-liners, that had strangers looking at me like I was mad every time I would suddenly just guffaw at a particularly funny sentence. It's really just a bit of fun and you don't need to have read any of Pratchett's other books to enjoy it. The plot seemed strangely un-linked in some places, and some of the scenes just seem so random. But Pratchett succeeds in creating a fantasy world that is easy to get into, and rich characters that are difficult not to like..."

http://tinyurl.com/ks9jspj


Blogger Jeannette Porter is back with a shortish reflection on the *things* of Discworld (not to be confused with the ones from the Dungeon Dimensions):

"Part of creator Terry Pratchett's genius is that the Discworld is so richly textured that some of the signature objects are practically living characters. That the objects have readily recognizable Roundworld counterparts just lets the reader in on the joke..."

http://tinyurl.com/l5nat8k

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11) ACTION REPLAY: WEIRD ALICE'S SEASONAL CAROLS

Some oldies but goodies from a few seasons ago...

11.1 WE THREE HAGS: ANE HOGSWATCHE CAROL

NANNY, GRANNY AND MAGRAT:
We three Hags Lancrastian are
Straddling brooms, we travel afar
Hearth and privy, pub and smithy
Casting our spells bizarre

Ohh...
Stars of Lancre, stern in black
Dames in regal pointy hats
Hubwards breezing, nethers freezing
Witches three who've got the knack

VERENCE:
Born a Fool, yet destined to reign
Never cruel though sometimes a pain
King well-meaning – New Age-leaning
Sensible, in the main

Ohh...
Star of Lancre, staunch and meek
Castle sanitation geek
Bells a-clinking, forward-thinking
Modernise your farm techniques

MAGRAT:
Frank but senseless, soppy am I
Wrinkled gowns and head in the sky
Sweet tomfool'ry, occult jewellery
"Wet as a hen," they sigh

Ohh...
Star of Lancre, star-crossed Queen
Star of herbal research scene
Keen defender, nappy-mender
Keeping Ynci's armour clean

NANNY:
Scumble mine, 'tis boozy perfume
Breath like fire can clear a big room
Girlish in spirit, bawling lyrics
Bawdy and rude – boom-boom!

Ohh...
Star of Lancre, super-Nan
Head of matriarchal clan
Crude and chummy, Greebo's Mummy
Who can fix things? Nanny can!

GRANNY:
Hogswatch parties? Sausages fat?
Ha! I can't be having with that!
Bees I'll borrow near and far, so
I can patrol my patch

ALL:
Ohh...
Stars of Lancre, wyrd and wise
We've no need to advertise
Maiden, mother, and the... other
Guarding all 'neath Lancre's skies


11.2 A FAIRYTALE OF OLD ANKH

(with apologies to the Pogues)

A PRISONER IN THE PALACE DUNGEONS:
It was Hogswatch Eve, mate
Down in old Ankh
A chained mime said to me
"Won't learn another word!"
And then he sang a song:
The hedgehog's point of view
I turned twice Widdershins
And dream'd of hot stoo

Got Raven's lucky beak –
See, Death of Rats says SQUEAK
A slate is running
In Biers for me and you
So Happy Hogswatch
From Dots and Sadie
Making Morpork free of crime
And nightmares all come true...

TWOFLOWER:
They've got gnolls big as trolls
They've got wizards in robes
But the smell goes right through you
There's no rest for your nose
When we walked round the Shades
On that cold Hogswatch night
You promised me Ankh-Morpork vampires don't bite

VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE BEGGARS' AND THIEVES' GUILDS:
"You were Bursar – "
"You were jolly..."
"You stank like Queen Molly!"
When the minstrels stopped playing
We set them alight
Piss Harry's "collecting"
Mossy Lawn, he's dissecting
We ate Dibbler's meat pies
And retched through the night

EVERYONE:
The boys from the YMPA Choir
Were singing sourly
And Dark Morris bells rang out
For Hogswatch Eve.

NOBBY AND COLON:
"You're a Fool, a nut-case."
"You're a civic disgrace,
"Swigging Bearhugger's booze
"Till you hoick on your shoes!"
"You Lancre sheep-shagger..."
"You unlicensed Beggar"
"Happy Hogswatch, you Nobbs - "
"Hope the Gods shut yer gob!"

EVERYONE:
The cops of the Day and Night Watch Choir
Committed harmony
And Dark Morris bells rang out
For Hogswatch Eve.

DUKE FELMET: "I could've ruled the Disc..."
DUCHESS FELMET: "Well, so could any twit!
"You took my crown from me
"When ghosts unmanned you..."
DUKE: "I killed for Lancre, dear
"I grabbed it for our own..."
DUCHESS: "I'd rather stand alone!"
ALL LANCRE TOGETHER: "But we could never stand you!"

EVERYONE:
The ghouls from the Bel-Shamharoth Choir
Were howling tunelessly
And Dark Morris bells rang out
For Hogswatch Eve!


The original lyrics can be found at:
www.pogues.com/Releases/Lyrics/LPs/IfIShould/Fairytale.html

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12) ROUNDWORLD TALES: HEROES OF STEAM, AND A MODERN HARRY KING

12.1 RAILWAY HISTORY AND THE HEROES OF STEAM

The Ned Simnels of Roundworld:

John Blenkinsop (1783–1831) was an early steam inventor who designed the first practical and financially successful railway locomotive. In 1811 he patented a rack and pinion system for a locomotive. Blenkinsop locomotives had the first double-acting cylinders and no flywheel; the engines saw more than twenty years of service, until superseded by iron rail, which could carry the weight of the heavier adhesion locomotives, in 1820.

Richard Trevithick (1771–1833) was a Cornish engineer who developed the first high-pressure steam engine and built the first full-scale working railway steam locomotive, in 1802. As a child he often watched steam engines pump water from the mines and dreamt of using steam power for locomotion. Trevithick's (sadly, unnamed) steam locomotive hauled a train along the tramway of the Penydarren Ironworks, in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, on 21st February 1804 – the world's first locomotive-hauled railway journey (although he was not the first experimenter using "strong steam": William Murdoch developed and demonstrated a model steam carriage in 1784, and had demonstrated it to Trevithick ten years later).

George Stephenson (1781–1848), renowned as the "Father of Railways" and best known for his engine "Rocket", built the first public inter-city railway line in the world to use steam locomotives: the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which opened in 1830. His rail gauge of 4 feet 8 1/2 inches is to this day the world's standard gauge. Iron rails were prone to excessive brittleness and could not support the weight of steam locomotives; Stephenson solved the problem by using multiple wheels. He also built an 8-mile colliery railway at Hetton in 1820, which was the first railway to use no animal power. The Stockton and Darlington Railway, for which Stephenson used wrought iron rails, opened on 27th September 1825. The Stephenson engine "Locomotion", driven by its inventor, hauled an 80-ton load of coal and flour nine miles in two hours, reaching a then-amazing speed of 24 miles per hour. The first purpose-built passenger car, Experiment, was attached and carried dignitaries on the opening journey. Five years later, the opening ceremony of the London and Manchester Railway (15th September 1830) was attended by the great and good up to and including the Prime Minister and the Duke of Wellington. The parade was led by "Northumbrian" driven by Stephenson, and included "Phoenix" driven by his son Robert, "North Star" driven by his brother Robert and "Rocket" driven by assistant engineer Joseph Locke.

The fabulous engines:

"Catch Me Who Can", by Richard Trevithick, was built in 1808 and was demonstrated to the public at a "steam circus" organised by Trevithick on a circular track in Bloomsbury. Catch Me Who Can's top speed was 12 mph, but it was too heavy for the brittle cast-iron rails then in use; Trevithick ended the exhibition after a broken rail caused a derailment.

"Salamanca" by Matthew Murray, the first commercially successful steam locomotive, first rack and pinion locomotive and the first to have two cylinders, was built in 1812 for the Middleton Railway. Four locomotives of this class were built for the railway. Salamanca was destroyed six years later, when its boiler exploded; George Stephenson testified before a Parliamentary committee that its driver had tampered with the boiler safety valve.

"Blucher", by Stephenson, could pull a train of 30 tons at a speed of 4 mph up a gradient of 1 in 450. After measuring its performance parameters, Stephenson decided to break it down and recycle its parts for more advanced models. And of course everyone knows "Stephenson's Rocket", built in 1829 in Newcastle Upon Tyne. The Rocket won the Rainhill Trials held by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway in 1829 to choose the best design to power the railway. Though Rocket was not the first steam locomotive, it was the first "improved" steam locomotive, and it served as the template for most steam engines for 150 years.

"Northumbrian", another early Stephenson family locomotive used at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, was the first locomotive to have the Stephenson type firebox incorporated in the boiler; it also featured a proper tender. "Planet", built in 1830, was the first locomotive to employ inside cylinders. On 23rd November 1830 No.9 Planet ran the 50 km from Liverpool to Manchester in one hour.

The Swansea and Mumbles Railway in Wales was the world's first passenger railway service. Originally a horse-powered railway for moving limestone from the Mumbles quarries, it carried the world's first fare-paying railway passengers on 25th March 1807 and was converted to steam in 1877, and then to electricity before finally closing in January 1960, at which point it had been the world's longest serving railway.

The Kilmarnock and Troon Railway in Ayrshire, the first railway in Scotland to use a steam locomotive and the first to carry passengers, opened in 1812. The passenger service operated at first with just trucks filled with straw for passengers, but later two dedicated carriages ("Caledonia" and "The Boat") were added. A regular passenger service, costing one shilling for the two-hour journey, started on 1st May 1813.


12.2 IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HARRY KING

An article by Rebecca Burn-Callander in The Telegraph:

"Where there's muck, there's brass, or so the old saying goes. And given that we generate about 177 million tonnes of waste every year in England alone, that's a lot of brass. Last year, sales of coffee outpaced tea sales for the first time in the UK. Research by Allegra shows that the category grew 7.5pc to reach £5.8bn sales in 2012. Coffee-making is highly wasteful, however, as the entire bean is thrown away once the flavour is extracted. London alone produces 200,000 tonnes of coffee waste every year. UCL architecture student Arthur Kay landed on an idea to turn these waste coffee grounds into fuel last year. 'I wanted to design a coffee shop where all the coffee grounds were turned into biodiesel to provide light and heat for the shop,' he explained. All vegetables have oil content but no technology existed for extracting the energy from coffee. Mr Kay enlisted the services of a team of bio-chemical engineers and developed a brand new technology for processing the new waste stock... Bio-bean collects from coffee shops, roasters and instant coffee manufacturers across London and transports the waste grounds to a processing unit in Edmonton, where the material is turned into biodiesel and pellets. Previously, these companies were paying £64 a tonne for the waste to be dumped in landfill, with transport costs taking the total per tonne to £154. Bio-Bean pays a nominal fee for the waste, as covers the cost of collection. Unsurprisingly, the growth of the business has been exponential. Still in its first year, Bio-Bean is forecast to turn over £7.5m by 2016. London Mayor Boris Johnson has declared his support for Bio-Bean, awarding it his Low Carbon Prize this year. 'This level of green innovation is brilliant to see,' he said. 'We are 100pc behind Bio-Bean, which is absolutely full of beans.'..."

http://tinyurl.com/k9vnfd5

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13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

It's the pTARDIS!

http://tinyurl.com/n4o9see


The cover of Night Watch, admirably re-created at the 2013 Irish Discworld Convention:

http://pop-verse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/IMG_0754_med.jpg


The Rince Cycle on stage at the Studio Theatre:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BaI_wc3IEAAaAEj.jpg


A Temple of Om on Roundworld?:

http://tinyurl.com/o2c9yr9


...and finally, some appealing fanart – Constable Dorfl:

http://tinyurl.com/msm2ahf

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14) CLOSE

We may be back before the end of the month, if time allows. Also coming next, reviews of the hardcover Carpet People, the hardcover Mort, and the delicious Dodger's Guide to London. All I can assure you at the moment is that all three are fantastic.

And that's it for the moment, as the holiday season looms and your Editor is under starter's orders. WOSSNAME wishes all our readers and all on Team Pratchett a fun and safe Hogswatch Season, and all the best for the coming Year of the Reciprocating Llama!

– Annie Mac

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

WOSSNAME

Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion

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

********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address. Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion, you'd only forget them...
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, 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

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

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/

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

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

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

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
———————————————————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2013 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME

Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion

October 2013 (Volume 16, Issue 9, Post 2)

********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address. Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion, you'd only forget them...

********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, 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

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
02) RAISING STEAM NEWS UPDATE: THE SYNOPSIS!
03) PRATCHETT AND GAIMAN "MYSTERY PROJECT"
04) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
05) SUPERFAN! AN INTERVIEW WITH PAT HARKIN
06) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
07) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE RETURN OF LESHP?!
08) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
09) MORE IMAGES OF THE MONTH
10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
11) THE WOSSNAME REVIEW: THE CARPET PEOPLE
12) LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

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01) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Back again with some more news, bits, bobs, odds and sods for September... A quote to start:

"Big respect for the organist at the @OpenUniversity degree ceremony today; a fine rendition of the Imperial March!"

– Sir Pterry ptweets, and WOSSNAME congratulates him for winning yet another honorary degree (this one from the Open University)

*

Next up: the Carpet People trailer! An epic saga of miniature proportions, as they say:

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

Also, for Facebook users only, a selection of stills from the DVD:

http://tinyurl.com/le42edk

*

There's a new Pratchett meeting group in Fourecks, known as Western Drummers

"Come and join the newly formed Western Drummers for their first meeting Monday 21st October 2013, Nepean Rowers Club 7.00pm."

*

Apparently Going Postal is being released in Hebrew. For the Golem readers among us, perhaps?

http://www.fantastic-library.com/?p=7821


And on we go...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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02) RAISING STEAM NEWS UPDATE: THE SYNOPSIS!

"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 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 arrived armed with note pads 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..."

To view this announcement on the web, in all its graphic-image-y loveliness, the procedure is the same as for the previous Raising Steam Machine announcement:

1. Go to https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/raisingsteam

2. Find the Raising Steam Machine image and click on it; this will take you to
https://www.facebook.com/pratchett?sk=app_190322544333196&app_data

3. When the Raising Steam Machine page loads, click on the "Press" button above the words "Ticket available"

4. A "ticket" will appear – click on it. This will take you to a new page which is your "Ticket". Copy the number to the right of the words "Use this ticket number as your password" (this time the number is 6819), then click on "click here". This will take you to http://terrypratchett.co.uk/?p=2724

5. Click on the "The list can be viewed here" hyperlink. This will take you to the announcement!

Remember, to pre-order Raising Steam from Amazon UK in hardcover at a special-offer price, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/qxmh87w

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( THE REST OF THIS ISSUE IS UNDER THE CUT. CLICK HERE TO READ! )

WOSSNAME

Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion

July 2013 (Volume 16, Issue 7, Post 1)

********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address. Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion, you'd only forget them...

********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, 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

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) NEW RELEASES!!! WITH TRAINS!!!
04) ODDS AND SODS DEPARTMENT
05) IAN STEWART ON THE SCIENCE OF DISCWORLD
06) THE LONG WAR REVIEWS
07) THE THINGS PRATCHETT FANS SAY...
08) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
09) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE REAL MOIST VON LIPWIG?
10) DISCWORLD GROUPS MEETING NEWS
11) HOGSWATCH IN JULY
12) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
13) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
14) CLOSE

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01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"So when I was taking high school Biology back in the 90's, we had to make these flash cards of varying animal species. My teacher wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, and my project partners had a mile-wide streak of mischief in them. We made a card for a giant star turtle. Made up a genus/species for it, and put down for 'information' that it had four elephants and a discworld on its back. She never caught it. This may partially explain my love/hate relationship with biology."

– FlowerGirlPhysicist, on i09

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( THE REST OF THIS ISSUE IS UNDER THE CUT. CLICK HERE TO READ! )