WOSSNAME

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2020 (Volume 23, Issue 7, Post 1)

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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)

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INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) THE TIME TRAVELLING CAVEMAN: EXTRACTS AND NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
08) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"There is so much in these stories that shows you the germ of an idea, which would go on to become a fully fledged Terry Pratchett novel, and so much hilarity that we know kids will love. That is what makes the stories so special – they are for kids and adults, and kids who want to be adults, and adults who are still really kids. Which is exactly who a Terry Pratchett book should be for."
– Ruth Knowles and Tom Rawlinson, editors of Pratchett's children's books

"When it comes to Terry, there is always going to be an embarrassment of riches. His incredible talent and imagination knew no bounds. With more tales of everything that would go on to make Terry Pratchett books the phenomenon they became – humour, satire, adventure and fantastical excellence – we just couldn’t deny readers these gems, and the chance to read a Terry story for the first time, one last time. It will mean so much to fans."
– Rob Wilkins is absolutely right!

"If more people read Pratchett, the world would be a better place."
– an American Army Engineers officer who blogs as Angry Staff Officer

"Paul sees things my way about seventy-five percent of the time, which suggests either mind-reading is happening or that my vision of the characters is really rather vague until I see his drawings."
– The Author's take on Mr Kidby's uncanny abilities (Ankh-Morpork Archives Vol.1, p.232)

"What people really want is that tomorrow should be no worse than today."
– Lord Vetinari (had he been in charge of pandemic response on Roundworld, we'd all probably be safely enjoying our holidays together by now)

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Greetings, O Readers! Yes, Wossname is still coming to you from the confines of Lockdown City, otherwise known as Melbourne in Fourecks.

A big Wossname thank-you to all our readers who wrote in last month to confirm they received the issue. Admin Steven has fought a long, hard and *very* frustrating battle to get Wossname through the minefield of overzealous webmail companies' false "spam positives", and the battle continues, but it's good to know that our work is not in vain!

The Time Travelling Caveman, last volume of Sir Pterry's children's stories first published in his days as a young journalist, won't be available for purchase until 3rd September 2020 although of course you can now pre-order. But meanwhile, there's some excellent pre-publication publicity (try saying that ten times fast!) that includes extracts from the stories The Tropnecian Invasion of Great Britain and The Hole in Time (see item 3 below). Great fun to be had, from the look of it!

A note for readers in Fourecks: QBD Books offers a very broad selection of Pratchett titles, including many of the auxiliaries, YA novels and children's story collections. Keep an eye out for The Time Travelling Caveman soon – and it's also a good place to stock up on any volumes you might be missing, or might want to buy as gifts: https://www.qbd.com.au/terry-pratchett/

We've all seen those amazing iconographs of a turtle with what looks like a small flat planet on its back. If you want to know more about the various life-forms that live on turtles' shells, with a lot of Discworld examples thrown in, see item 4.7!

And now, on with the show...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) THE TIME TRAVELLING CAVEMAN

3.1 NEWS

The Penguin Books announcement:

"Imagination is an amazing thing. It can take you to the top of the highest mountain, or down to the bottom of the deepest depths of the sea. This where it took Doggins on his Awfully Big Adventure: a quest full of magic and flying machines. (And the world’s best joke – trust me, it’s hilarious.) It took three young inventors to the moon (where they may or may not have left a bottle of lemonade) and a caveman on a trip to the dentist. You can join them on these adventures, and many more, in this incredible collection of stories . . . From the greatest imagination there ever was. Written for local newspapers when Terry Pratchett was a young lad, these never previously published stories are packed full of anarchic humour and wonderful wit. A must-have for Terry fans . . . and young readers looking for a fix of magic."

https://bit.ly/39zG1l2

In The Bookseller, by Mark Chandler:

"Puffin is releasing a collection of early stories by Terry Pratchett which he penned during his career as a reporter. The Time-travelling Caveman brings together tales he wrote in the 1960s and 1970s for local papers the Bucks Free Press and the Western Daily Press. With illustrations from Mark Beech, it will be out on 3rd September. The following month, on 8th October, a £25 collector's edition will be released...."

https://bit.ly/39yPsBt

More details in the Guardian, by Alison Flood:

"The tales in The Time-travelling Caveman, many of them never released in book form before, range from a steam-powered rocket’s flight to Mars to a Welsh shepherd’s discovery of the resting place of King Arthur. “Bedwyr was the handsomest of all the shepherds, and his dog, Bedwetter, the finest sheepdog in all Wales,” writes the young Pratchett, with typical flourish. The stories appeared in the Bucks Free Press and Western Daily Press in the 60s and early 70s... Ruth Knowles and Tom Rawlinson, the editors of Pratchett’s children’s books, said when they learned from the author’s longtime agent, Colin Smythe, that there were more early stories, they jumped on them. 'After reading them, we knew we had to create one final book. It is very fitting that some of the first stories he wrote will be in the last collection by him to be published,” said Knowles and Rawlinson in a statement..."

https://bit.ly/330UPYV

3.2 EXTRACTS

The Guardian page above also features an exclusive peek inside The Time Travelling Caveman, in the form of one of the short stories, "The Tropnecian Invasion of Britain":

"Tropnecia is a very small country somewhere in the Tosheroon Islands, but once upon a time it very nearly conquered Great Britain. In AD 411, when the last of the Romans had just left, a small Tropnecian sailing ship that happened to be passing spotted the coast of England, and thought it would be a good place to conquer. That was how things were done in history. As soon as you saw a place, you had to conquer it, and usually the English Channel was full of ships queuing up to come and have a good conquer. ‘If you’ve got nothing to do,’ chieftains would tell their sons, ‘go and conquer England.’ Anyway, the Tropnecians arrived on a Sunday, when there was no one about, so the first thing they did was build a road. That’s another thing you have to do. Either you burn down houses or you build roads and walls, otherwise you don’t stand much chance of being put in the history books.

"Tropnecian roads can always be recognised because they never go in straight lines. The roads were all designed by the famous Tropnecian architect General Bulbus Hangdoge, and he wasn’t very good at drawing straight lines. Very good on the corners, but very bad on the straight lines. So all the roads were a little wobbly. At that time England was full of Picts, Scots, Druids, Angles, Saxons, Vikings, Stonehenges, wet weather and various kinds of kings, the most famous of which was King Rupert the Never Ready, of Wessex. He was never ready for anything, which was why England kept getting conquered. People would say, ‘Are you ready to fight the Vikings if they try to conquer us?’ and he would say, ‘I don’t think so.’ The next thing you knew, Vikings were all over the place, burning down houses...."

To read the whole extract, go to:

https://bit.ly/330UPYV

And Penguin Books offer a different, and longer, story exclusive: "The Hole in Time"! "We are thrilled to share The Hole in Time, one of the fantastically funny short stories from The Time-Travelling Caveman – the final collection of the first stories Sir Terry Pratchett ever wrote. With illustrations by the amazing Mark Beech, coming in September.":

"One morning, at about half past eight, there was a giant bang from the Blackbury University Science Institute and all the clocks in the town suddenly stopped. A dozen fire engines rushed up there, then wondered why they’d bothered. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong. A lot of people in white coats were rushing all over the place, but apart from that there was nothing out of the ordinary. ‘What’s going on here?’ asked the head of the institute, Mr Plinth, who had just arrived for work. He still had his mug of tea in his hand. A woman in a white coat, wearing thick spectacles, rushed up. ‘Something terrible has happened!’ she gasped. ‘We’ve lost Doctor Hughes! And her laboratory! They’ve gone!’ ‘Blown up, you mean?’ asked Mr Plinth, visibly shocked. ‘No, they’ve disappeared! Look.’ Dr Spectacles (for this was her name) pointed at what was actually just a patch of grass, next to the institute. ‘Looks like just a patch of grass to me,’ said Mr Plinth. ‘Well, there was a brick building standing there just a moment ago. Now it’s vanished.’ Mr Plinth scratched his head. Then he gingerly edged one of his boots onto the patch of grass where the brick building had been, while the laboratory workers stood around wondering whether he might vanish too. A few began to back away from Mr Plinth . . . and the patch of grass.

"Then it started to snow. At least, it snowed on that little patch of ground. Mr Plinth stared up and saw grey clouds. He stepped off the grass and suddenly the sun was shining again. He stepped back onto the grass, and into a snowdrift. ‘This here ground has got its own weather,’ he said. ‘It’s in the middle of January there, by the looks of it, while everywhere else is in August.’ ‘Ah, but which January – ’ began a portly whitecoated man, who then stopped rather suddenly as Dr Spectacles gave him a chilly look that would have made it snow outside the patch of grass, as well as inside it...."

To read the whole extract, and view the reproduced illustrations, go to:

https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/exclusive-extract-from-the-time-travelling-caveman/

3.3 PRE-ORDERING INFO

The Time-travelling Caveman can be pre-ordered from:

Penguin: https://bit.ly/3g3PhAt and Penguin Australia: https://bit.ly/3hXdjOj
Discworld.com: https://bit.ly/3fa7sD8
Discworld Emporium: https://bit.ly/39MT8zL
Foyles: https://www.foyles.co.uk/all?term=9780857536020
Waterstones: https://bit.ly/3gFsLxB
Blackwells: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780857536020
Hive: https://bit.ly/2CNrtTe

...and in Fourecks...

Booktopia: https://bit.ly/2ChTemc
QBD Books: https://bit.ly/3f5IYLn
Readings: https://bit.ly/2Cn9jqs
Dymocks: https://bit.ly/3fd4AX9
Angus and Robertson: https://bit.ly/31ZRicE

...and other places, including that evil one your Editor refuses to promote, ever. If at all possible, please support your local independent bookshop!

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04) ODDS AND SODS

4.0 THE ANKH-MORPORK ARCHIVES, VOLUME I

A review by Annie Mac

The blurb says The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume One contains "an anthology of text & illustrations from previous Discworld diaries – revamped & redesigned for the new visitor to Discworld's premier city! Written by Terry Pratchett and produced by Stephen Briggs, with artwork by Paul Kidby!" And while that's an accurate description, it doesn't tell the half of what's in this beautiful volume of Discly delights. Put simply, The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume One is the most must-have Pratchettverse book I've seen since the Illustrated Good Omens. And that's saying a lot.

This is a coffee table book and more, and it gives you more bang for your A-M buck. From the stunning cover design and art (with gold-ish bits!) to the beautiful endpapers to the heavy, glossy but not over-glossy pages and exquisite Paul Kidby illustrations (four in glorious full colour, no less), the book's 240 pages are crammed with Ankh-Morpork trivia. The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume One is effectively, for the many who never collected the yearbooks and diaries and other ancillary whatnots that were mined for this mini-omnibus, like reading fresh words from our The Author himself. While this is very obviously a collaborative effort, Sir Terry's voice comes through loud and clear.

So what's in those 240 pages? Well, there are four main sections – Unseen University, the Assassins' Guild, the Thieves' Guild, and the Post Office – plus a Notable Dates section and an Artist's Archive that features some extra Paul Kidby gems. Each section is prefaced by a short commentary on it by each of the three co-authors and features one of those aforementioned glorious colour illustrations at the start.

The Unseen University section covers, among other items, the Archchancellor's welcoming letter, Terms, the Library, attending lectures, and staff and faculty
– not to mention a highly in-character "address to freshers" from the infamous Adrian Turnipseed (before he became a professor at That Other Institute of Higher Learning That One Does Not Mention). There's also a guide to the city for students looking for trouble, that is, wanting to bask in the varied culture and cuisines of the Disc's greatest conurbation, with special emphasis on forbidden drinking dens.

The Assassins' Guild section covers Lord Downey's address, a guide to the Guild campus, a history of the Guild, school prizes and awards, Traditions, School Rules, student houses, Staff and Tutors (including fabulous portraits), "Famous Instruments of Despatch", famous commissions (including Open ones), and famous alumni (including, inter alia, 71-hour Ahmed and multiple generations of the Wiggs family). The Thieves' Guild ("Discriminate violence is our watchword") section offers an address from Guild President Boggis, Treasurer's Report, Guild professions, new crimes, an extensive piece on the Guild building and its history, advice on thieves' cant (and sample exam questions!), Guild officers and tutors, famous Thieves and other criminals, and famous dates in the annals of organised and less organised crime. Last but very definitely not least, the Ankh-Morpork Post Office section educates the reader about the history of post in Ankh-Morpork (including the less golden times before the coming of a certain semi-reformed con artist), postboxes and regulations for posting, other AMPO services on offer (including the Clacks, of course!), "Great dates in Posting", Stamps of Note, Heroes of the Post Office, and employees, associates and infamous enemies.

For my own part, I found the Thieves' Guild section to be the weakest and the one that feels least "real" and more like unrefined cartoonish caricature. I would have loved to see what Sir Terry would have made of a Thieves' Guild-centric novel, because when I consider his closer explorations of some of the other Guilds, I think he would have looked past the surface pantomime-character qualities and imbued the Thieves and their history in a more fleshed-out manner. But that said, there is still plenty of amusement to be had there. I also found it interesting to see some of the original Guild and Post Office "facts", that were amended or extended in later novels.

All sections are very liberally beautified by some of Paul Kidby's finest work; personal favourites include a full-page portrait of Hex, and a truly impressive group iconograph of the Assassins' Guild Staff and Tutors. My only quibble is that the binding seems a bit weak, and I can see that if the book is opened and read multiple times it may soon need the attentions of the Keepsake family book press.

The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume One is a jewel of a book. It truly is. If I sound like I'm overcome with admiration for it, it's because I am. Perfect Hogswatch present. Perfect addition to the Discworld ancillaries. Perfect stonker of a book. Buy it!

The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume One
Collected from the 1998 Unseen University Discworld Diary, 2000 Assassins' Guild Discworld Diary, 2002 Thieves' Guild Discworld Diary and 2007 Ankh-Morpork Post Office Discworld Diary
Published by Orion
ISBN 978 1 473205352

4.1 MORE GOOD OMENS ON THE TELLYBOX?

From Stubby the Rocket (yes, you read that correctly) on Tor.com:

"Speaking to Digital Spy over the weekend, Neil Gaiman said the odds of there being more of Good Omens the TV show are 'pretty good.' 'It’s not like anybody doesn’t want to make more Good Omens,' the writer and co-executive producer told the publication. 'We just need to figure out how and when and all of the various ifs, and sort everything out.' He added that the main deterrents are all the obstacles imposed on the entertainment industry by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 'But we’d all love to do it,” he continued, “so it’s really just a matter of seeing if we can actually make that happen in the world, if we can make the time happen, if we can work it with everybody’s schedule. I know I’m not the only person who wants to see more Crowley and Aziraphale.'..."

https://bit.ly/2DdI6Hx

4.2 UPDATE: THE TERRY PRATCHETT BOOK CLUB

On the website of publishers Tor, Emmet Asher-Perrin continues a Discworld discussion page. This time around it's The Light Fantastic:

"I appreciate the fact that Pratchett chose to move to a pastiche of a well-known female author, even if the Pern books have never quite been my thing personally. His description of Liessa – which seems like he’s just taking the protagonist name, Lessa, and putting a “lie” into it – feels a bit like he’s poking fun at the “special girl” trope (her hair is red flecked with gold and she’s super hot!), but she is still written as a person with agency, who has clear goals and desires. Plus royal drama that’s centered around needing to off your family members is always good for a laugh... Outside of the parody, this is a great little section to watch Rincewind get roped into yet more things that he wants nothing to do with. His particular brand of cowardice is great because it’s completely understandable cowardice – he’s not without bravery, he just hits a limit and then decides that if people aren’t going to listen to him, he might as well save himself... But more importantly, I’m a great big sucker for the trope of Believing In Magic Is Itself A Form of Magic. Which is exactly what we have here – Twoflower believes in dragons, and that’s the reason he can manifest one. That belief gives him power, and that’s beautiful because it is one of the only truly layman types of magic, when you get right down to it. It’s an equalizer than has nothing to do with station or skill or even learning."

https://www.tor.com/2020/07/03/terry-pratchett-book-club-the-colour-of-magic-part-iii/

...and more:

"So much of building a fantasy world is about what you choose to explain versus what you don’t, but Pratchett is particularly good at making the most out of details. Tethis is proof of that every time he shows up – particularly in the Luggage carting him all the way to Krull as a great big puddle of water. Also, it’s kind of “dad joke” territory, but I adore Pratchett milking how often people say 'here on the edge' when they’re trying to indicate how rough things are living on the literal edge of the world. It’s a very 80s action film kinda line, which would have been particularly timely when the book came out, but it’s still hilarious. This is the first part of the book that really brings up how common slavery is on the Disc, and while I think it can come off a bit cavalier in places, there is an importance to how Pratchett treats it as commonplace – as it is a common part of Earth’s history, it must be common on the Discworld in order to be effective as satire. He’s not at a point in his overall narrative where he’s going to devote a great deal of time to dissecting that issue, but he also doesn’t shy away from it...

https://www.tor.com/2020/07/10/terry-pratchett-book-club-the-colour-of-magic-part-iv/

...and yet more:

"It’s fascinating to see how much the tone has solidified into something with a specific pace and rhythm, and how much more he packs into this book than the previous one. I’d forgotten what a clear shift it was, and how much shrewder the prose comes off as a result. I was startling myself by laughing aloud, which is my favorite kind of reading... Because being contrary is sometimes a very worthy exercise, I always find myself particularly excited over moments where Pratchett just casually tears apart a cliche. Obviously, not all cliches are bad (and they can sometimes be amazing when employed well), but I have a lot of abiding love for the way that he begins a section toward the start of this book by saying that 'Ankh-Morpork, largest city in the lands around the Circle Sea, slept' and then immediately proceeds to tear that thought to shreds by letting you know the myriad of ways in which it is not sleeping, all to eventually point out that 'descriptive writing is very rarely entirely accurate.' And then launches into an aside about a Patrician of Ankh who wasn’t very into metaphors and similes and so forth... Death’s character has cemented more fully by this point, his delivery and matter-of-fact wisdom on full display. I wonder about how others readers find Death sometimes because my take has always been very specific – to my mind, Death speaking in “all caps” imbues him with a deadpan overarching tone that I cannot unhear. While Pratchett gives him the ability to use proper nouns (capitals within the all-caps format) and emphasis, the use of all-caps makes all of his dialogue read with equal emphasis to me. Which means that I end up rather puzzled with they inevitably pick Shakespearean-style actors full of rumbling gravitas (see: Christopher Lee, Ian Richardson, Stephen Thorne) to voice Death in audio dramas and television miniseries because, to me, Death should always be played by a comedian capable of scathing monotone..."

https://www.tor.com/2020/07/17/terry-pratchett-book-club-the-light-fantastic-part-i/

...and even more...

"Cohen is obviously a play on the concept of Conan the Barbarian… but if he lived to be a very old man. Which I appreciate, not only because it’s a fact of life that doesn’t occur to many people, but also because he’s really digging into the concept of aging when one’s purpose is tied to associations with youth, even from a comedic vantage point. For instance, Beowulf does actually get older in the course of his story, but he’s still permitted a “hero’s end”, as it were – we suspect big buff heroic figures to die in battle, generally because we assume that’s what they’d want, to die in glory and honor and what-have-you. But if one survives because they are the best, age is rarely so glamorous to anyone. So Cohen has no teeth (and it’s true, dental problems are one of the biggest issues of age, tweaks about dentures aside), and everything causes him pain, and he’s still just getting on with life despite all of that. And while everything that Pratchett writes comes with a sense of humor, I do think the reader is meant to truly engage with that idea. Is this what Conan would really become, eventually? What does it mean, to reckon with that?... There are times when Pratchett’s narrative has direct conversation with its audience, and it works particularly well in Herrena’s presentation, with its side-eye toward fantasy cover artists, and its insistence that for Herrena’s band of swarthy dudes, okay, “Look, they can wear leather if you like.” Pratchett gets to say in no uncertain terms, I know what you’re doing, and I’m not gonna stop you, but please know that I’m giving you A Look the whole time because you don’t have to engage tropes this way..."

https://bit.ly/3faGhIz

[As previously mentioned, these are well worth a read, and feel free to join in the comments! – Ed.]

4.3 THE PRATCHETT PROJECT UPDATES

The Pratchett Project has been moved online. It sounds wonderful!

By Alex Johnson for Fine Books Magazine:

"The Pratchett Project is a collaborative team of researchers from Trinity College Dublin, Senate House Library (University of London), and Liverpool University which since 2018 has been studying the life and work of writer Sir Terry Pratchett (1948-2015), author most famously of the Discworld series of humorous fantasy novels and also adjunct professor in the School of English at Trinity College Dublin. Registration is now open for the inaugural Pratchett Project Conference 2020, originally intended to be a ‘normal’ conference but which has nimbly leapt online. Attendance at the two-day event on September 17 and 18 is free, though donations are welcome and will go towards research into Alzheimer’s Disease from which Pratchett suffered. The scope of the research is wide – taking in neuroscience, translation studies, and cartography – and the organizers of the conference hope it will lead to the beginning of a new interdisciplinary and collaborative field of Pratchett Studies.

"Split into four sections over the two days, the conference will focus on The Space of Ideas, Translation and Humour, Ethics and Identity, and Research and Teaching. Scheduled sessions include The Big Wahoonie: Ankh-Morpork as Cross-Media Urban Imaginary; Translating Pratchett into Ukrainian: Strategies and Challenges; The Move from Fantasy Parody to Moral Complexity and Literary Fiction in the Ankh Morpork-novels; and 'Lies to children': From folk to formal science in Terry Pratchett's Discworld."

For more details, go to: https://bit.ly/2P50Uv5
To sign up, go to: https://bit.ly/39EQ34k

https://bit.ly/2ExDwED

4.4 THE LEADERSHIP OF VIMES

On the American military blog Angry Staff Officer, KCL War Studies student Matthew Ader discusses a certain Commander at length. Very interesting reading:

"Vimes is a good leader. He is hands on, taking a fair share of night patrols and investigations, despite an increasingly lofty rank. He knows his area of responsibility in minute detail. A recurring example is that he can tell from the feel of the ground underfoot where he is in the city with unerring precision. He has deep – if rather well hidden – empathy for the downtrodden and is immensely stubborn in defending his men. His most important attribute, however, is a flexible approach to regulations; he enforces some very harshly, and others in a highly selective fashion. For example, one of his corporals is a man called Nobby Nobbs. Nobbs is a prolific and unapologetic petty thief – if anything is lost, the plan is usually to hold him upside down and shake him until the item in question falls out of his pockets. Despite this predilection, Vimes keeps him on the force because he has an unmatched knowledge of criminal motivations. But on the other side of things, he insists on strict adherence to the law when dealing with fellow citizens, and on minimal violence. For example, in one of the books the dwarves and trolls are about to have a race riot. He conspires to make them both so overwhelmingly drunk that neither want to fight, as opposed to wading in with batons. Now, obviously, these leadership lessons do not map one-to-one with real-life organisations and challenges. However, the essential concepts that leaders are hands on, deeply knowledgeable about their responsibilities, and understand where to apply regulations in different intensities remain useful...."

https://angrystaffofficer.com/2020/07/20/put-down-clausewitz-pick-up-pratchett/

4.5 DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

4.5a Nullus Anxietas updates

Nullus Anxietas 7a – The Australian Discworld Convention – will be held in Sydney on July 2-4, 2021

"The Australian Discworld conventions are run every 2 years for fans of author Sir Terry Pratchett, famous for his humorous fantasy books - especially the Discworld series. Nullus Anxietas 7a will be the eighth major Australian Discworld Convention! The conventions run for 3 days from Friday to Sunday, and include panels, special guests, workshops, creative events, costumes and a Gala Dinner, all focussed on Terry Pratchett's works."

Buy tickets: https://2021.ausdwcon.org/shop/
Newsletter: https://2021.ausdwcon.org/newsletter/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/Ausdwcon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ausdwcon
Photos from previous conventions: https://bit.ly/33jq01R

https://2021.ausdwcon.org/

4.5b Ineffable Con updates

[All right, it's not Discworld, but it's certainly Pratchett! – Ed.]

REMINDER: Ineffable Con 2 is coming in an online version this October, with special guests Neil Gaiman, Rob Wilkins, and Douglas McKinnon:

"The Ineffable Con recently announced the second edition of his Good Omens UK convention. The first event was organized in October 2019 and raised £1,258.93 ($1,604.76 US) for Alzheimer’s Research UK in memory of Sir Terry Pratchett, who was a writer for the series. The organizers revealed that the second edition of the event would take place on October 16-18, 2020, as an online event. All benefits will be donated to charity... A lot of activities and panels are planned for the convention. There will be talks and panels about all the different aspects of Good Omens, quizzes, vid show, e-zine, live readings, cosplay contests, art show, and a dealer’s room. A chat room will also be available to enable fans to talk to each other."

When: Friday 16th–Sunday 18th October 2020
Venue: the Clacks!
Time: see website for details
Tickets: £25, available at https://theineffablecon.org.uk/reg.php

You can find more information about the event on their website: http://theineffablecon.org.uk

4.5c DWCon updates

The UK Discworld Convention is long since sold out, of course, but has had to reschedule due to the pandemic:

"The Convention itself has been postponed, not cancelled, which means everyone's memberships will remain valid. Because there are several other Discworld Conventions scheduled for 2021, we have postponed to August 2022, again at the Birmingham Hilton. The exact date is yet to be confirmed, but we will of course get that information to you as soon as reasonably possible... The Hilton will be refunding all DWCon room reservation bookings automatically, and you should not need to take any action. Please note that although the Hilton have said they are doing everything they can to process refunds as quickly as possible, they are currently operating with a skeleton staff. Due to the influx of cancellations from both the Convention and other guests/events, they estimate it will take up to 30 days for this automatic refund process to be complete.

"If because of Covid-19 you have sold your membership for 2020, or already refused a membership offer for the upcoming Convention, you will be at the top of the waiting list for memberships to the rescheduled Convention in 2022. Please direct questions regarding this to membership@dwcon.org. This is an incredibly disappointing turn of events for us. After working hard for almost two years to put on a memorable Convention, it has been a very difficult choice to have to make. We understand, too, that you will be every bit as disappointed as we currently feel. However, the current global situation is one beyond anyone’s control, and our chief concern now is to make the postponed Convention every bit as enjoyable as it would have been had we travelled down the other trouser. If you have any other questions, please email us at info@dwcon.org. See you all in 2022."

https://2020.dwcon.org/news/discworld-convention-postponed/

4.5d Scheibenwelt updates

Scheibenwelt, the German Discworld Convention, will next take place on 6th–9th May 2021 at the usual venue, Castle Ludwigstein. The theme this time will be Genua; previous convention themes have included Uberwald, Unseen University, the Assassins' Guild, Klatch, and witches of the Disc.

"The German Discworld Convention takes place in a castle in the German-speaking countries in the 2-year rhythm. During this time, we offer our more than 200 guests workshops, talks, games, guests of honour and booths selling Discworld merchandising that is usually not available in Germany. You can stop by as a day visitor or stay right at the castle or in a nearby hotel. The program spans several days."

Keep an eye on their website:

https://www.scheibenwelt-convention.de/#/en/

4.6 THE MERCH CORNER

This month's feature is a BIG one from the Discworld Emporium. Although not everyone is exactly in possession of money to burn in these pandemic times, this would make an amazing gift for a Pratchett fan's graduation or wedding!

* The Discworld Collector's Library

"Upgrade your Discworld collection and beautify your bookshelves with the Discworld Collector's Library! These beautiful hardback editions of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books feature canvas effect covers with metallic foil detailing and artwork by Joe McLaren. The Collector's Library is being released in instalments each year, and this collection includes the 34 titles released so far. More titles will be added to as more books in the Discworld series are published in this glorious edition!"

The Discworld Collector's Library includes The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Mort, Sourcery, Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids, Guards! Guards!, Eric, Moving Pictures, Reaper Man, Witches Abroad, Small Gods, Lords and Ladies, Men at Arms, Soul Music, Interesting Times, Maskerade, Feet of Clay, Hogfather, Jingo, The Last Continent, Carpe Jugulum, The Fifth Elephant, The Truth, Thief of Time, Night Watch, Monstrous Regiment, Going Postal, Thud! (currently reprinting, will ship separately), Making Money, Unseen Academicals, Snuff, and Raising Steam.

"Please note: Books are precious and heavy, so due to shipping weight restrictions and to prevent damage, this collection will be delivered in multiple packages."

"+ PLEASE NOTE – THUD! IS CURRENTLY REPRINTING, AND WILL SHIP SEPARATELY! +"

Each complete-to-date Discworld Collector's Library is priced at £419.50. For more info, and to order, go to:

https://bit.ly/39zBDm4

* The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two

"Containing material unavailable for twenty years – this is a comprehensive guide to the capital city of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, getting to the heart of Ankh-Morpork’s secrets, societies and guilds. Ankh-Morpork is a bottomless pit of secrets. It’s time to unearth a few more . . . In the second volume of this confidential guide, brave travellers are made privy to the inner workings of more illustrious Ankh-Morpork societies. Disabuse yourself of notions of professionalism under which you may hold the City Watch; discover what serious business is undertaken by the Fools’ Guild (joking is no laughing matter); and, should you be lucky, achieve true enlightenment through the teachings of Lu-Tze. One thing’s for sure: after you’ve read this book, Ankh-Morpork’s Guilds are going to need to come up with new ways of doing things. Completely revamped and redesigned, this full-colour book contains material from Discworld Diaries across the decades."

Each copy of The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two is priced at £25 and will be published on 29th October 2020. For more info, and to pre-order, go to:

https://discworld.com/products/books/ankh-morpork-archives-volume-two/

* Reminder: Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal

"In a city like Ankh-Morpork, where Assassins assassinate, thieves thieve and seamstresses, um . . . don’t, Law and Order can be a complicated business. Thankfully His Grace, His Excellency, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes (Blackboard Monitor) and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch are here to keep the peace. The finest body of men, women, dwarfs, trolls, werewolves, golems, Igors, gnomes, Feegles, vampires (and whatever Nobby Nobbs is) on the face of the Discworld! The Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal provides jotting space for your notes, reports, observations and investigations, so kick back, relax and take down your particulars. To help you keep on the straight and narrow, you’ll be aided and abetted by some choice quotes from Terry Pratchett’s seminal City Watch novels."

Each Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal ("Exclusively embossed with Terry's signature and sealed with his coat of arms") is priced at £17 and will be available to ship on 6th August 2020. For more info, and to pre-order, go to:

https://bit.ly/31jaHVy

* Reminder: The Magic of Terry Pratchett (biography)

"Journalist, comedian and Pratchett fan Marc Burrows delves into the back story of one of UK's most enduring and beloved authors, from his childhood in the Chiltern Hills to his time as a journalist, and the journey that would take him – via more than sixty best-selling books – to an OBE, a knighthood and national treasure status. The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the result of painstaking archival research alongside interviews with friends and contemporaries who knew the real man under the famous black hat, helping to piece together the full story of one of British literature's most remarkable and beloved figures for the very first time."

There are several versions that will be available, starting with the standard edition (currently priced at £16), the fancier Snapcase edition (£21), and the Patrician Box (£35.00, featuring various extras). For more information, and to pre-order, go to:

https://www.askmeaboutterrypratchett.com/s/shop

https://twitter.com/20thcenturymarc

4.7 ASK ME ABOUT TURTLES...

When turtle researchers intersect with Discworld fans, a lot of quotes and references happen! Read on to learn what researchers at Florida State University are learning about the myriad life-forms that live on their backs, by Sarah Lawton for Lab News:

"Reading the recent news article, ‘Researchers uncover a world of life on the back of a turtle’, published on our website on 4 June, it was impossible to resist contacting the researchers to ask what it was like investigating life on the back of giant turtles on behalf of all Terry Pratchett fans out there. As it turns out, however, the most exciting results from this research focus on a much smaller ecological phylum. This international team... opted to sample meiofauna, which are organisms roughly between 1 and about 0.032mm in size. Specifically, they focused on a type of aquatic meiofauna called nematodes, also known as roundworms... "What I am interested in are the microscopic creatures living on the turtle’s back,” explains [researcher Jeroen] Ingels. “I don't really care that much whether it is a turtle or not… but a turtle shell is a very intriguing substrate for the organisms I am interested in. You can compare the complexity of a turtle shell with other hard substrates, such as rocks, sea defences or sea plants. To find nematodes on loggerhead turtle carapaces is no surprise, but when we compared their numbers and diversity to those from other hard surfaces or even on marine plant life, we realised their carapaces abound with this microscopic life," Ingels said. Ingels also noted that turtles are mobile; they swim large distances. So, whatever they are carrying on their backs has to come from somewhere and, indeed, is going somewhere...

"Tens of thousands of microscopic organisms can colonise loggerhead turtles, which visit remote coasts and beaches during their migration. It makes sense that there would be a connection between the locations frequented by the turtles and the places where the same meiofauna are found. A better understanding of that link could help inform conservation practices for these reptiles..."

http://www.labnews.co.uk/article/2030727/the-truth-about-turtles

4.8 GREAT A'TUIN IN LEGO?

Remember the drive, a while ago, to get 1,000 elephants, I mean 10,000 supporters, to make the first cut for convincing Lego to manufacture a Discworld set? Well, things are looking up... or at least potentially brick-ish. By Legoist Allen Tran on The Brick Fan:

"Terry Pratchett’s Discworld by BrickHammer is the latest project to achieve 10,000 supporters on LEGO Ideas. The set is based on comic fantasy series that is set on a flat planet balanced on backs of four elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle. The build itself contains about 2,650 pieces. It now joins The Mountain Windmill, Community – Greendale Community College, LEGO HeroQuest, Brickwest Studios, House from Up, Animal Crossing New Horizons: Nook’s Cranny, Trabant 601, Night at the Museum, Fast Food Corner, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Portal 2 – GLaDOS vs Chell and Wheatley, BMW M1 (E26), Caribbean Clipper, Sheriff’s Safe with Combination Lock, 31 Minutos T.V. Studio, and Southwest 737-800 as the projects to reach the Second 2020 Review Stage..."

https://bit.ly/2DiH4d0

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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

No plays are being performed in public on Roundworld at the moment, of course. But keep an eye out for possible forthcoming Discworld plays later in the year. We must keep the knowledge of Discworld circulating!

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

06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS

Remember, one day, possibly in the not too distant future, Discworld fans will be able to meet in the real Roundworld again. So keep this information handy! Also note there are a few updates below.

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group"
BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/

NOTE: the Drummers are still meeting occasionally via Zoom. Check out the above links for updates!

*

Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook (_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups (_https:groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or join us at our next event."

*

The Victorian Discworld Klatch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch

*

"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/

*

The Pratchett Partisans
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au

*

The City of Small Gods
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

UPDATE: "What are we doing while we're stuck at home due to COVID-19? Given that our normal social gatherings can't happen while everyone's under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instead trying to host regular activities and discussions online. Most of these will be done via our Discord Server – https://discord.gg/3RVzsyJ – which has several text chat channels and a few voice chat channels as well. We will still use our Facebook group – https://facebook.com/groups/cityofsmallgods – to coordinate scheduled events. When things get back to normal... (semi-) regular social meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm."


*

The Broken Vectis Drummers
broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn when social gatherings are possible.

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum: http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>

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

07) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

"Sir Terry Scratchett", who stands guard over the science fiction and fantasy at San Antonio, Texas' nascent Nowhere Bookshop:
https://bit.ly/3ebQap0

More about Nowhere Books:
https://www.sanantoniomag.com/jenny-lawsons-nowhere-bookshop-in-san-antonio/

Cover art for the forthcoming second volume of The Ankh-Morpork Archives:
https://bit.ly/3g8iPwZ

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

08) CLOSE

For those of you who enjoy Dungeons & Dragons as well as being Good Omens miniseries fans, Ajay Aravind on ScreenRant has calculated "how the main personalities on the show can be classified into the D & D alignment system, based on their individual moral compass." I have to admit, I'm amused by Gabriel being classed as Lawful Evil, as indeed he should be:

https://bit.ly/2VVeDsj

And that's it for now. Mind how you go, and we hope to see you next month!

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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

Copyright (c) 2020 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2018 (Volume 21, Issue 7, Post 1)

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

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

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
06) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
07) ROUNDWORLD TALES
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Terry was more worried than I was about getting bricks through our windows, and was more surprised than I was when Gollancz let us know we'd been shortlisted for a religious fiction prize. (Didn't get it.)"
– Neil Gaiman, tweeting on the religion aspects of Good Omens

“I am a writer. I became a show runner out of self preservation.”
– Neil again, at San Diego Comic Con

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

02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

It's a short(ish) issue this month, but there's some exciting news – see Odds and Sods below.

Technically fan fiction, this is a delightful piece written by someone at Adelaide's Unseen Theatre some sixteen years ago. It's an elegy for Kerbie, the "official" theatre rat, on the occasion of his death... with a surprise guest star. Do read it!

http://unseen.com.au/news/demise-of-kerbie/

And now, on with the show..

– Annie Mac, Editor

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

03) ODDS AND SODS

3.1 GOOD OMENS NEWS

First of all... TEASER TRAILER! Hurrah!! With multiple exclamation marks!!! https://twitter.com/GoodOmensAmazon/status/1020458334405529600

...and an interview with the Gaiman from Entertainment Weekly:

"Gaiman has put all his book-writing on hold for the last several months to focus on showrunning, and now, he's about to walk into a meeting with a bunch of Amazon executives to discuss the show. It's a meeting he's been anticipating for a while. 'I got all gloomy the other day, and my wife was like, "What's the worst thing that could happen?"' he says. 'And I was like, well, obviously, they will watch it and decide that this has been a waste of many tens of millions of dollars, close the entire project down, and nobody will ever talk to me again and occasionally it will be referred to as one of those strange, dark, awful things like Heaven's Gate or whatever.' He pauses. 'But that probably won't happen because most people seem to like it so far.' And how could they not? The show won't debut on Amazon until 2019, but it's already one of the most buzzed-about series of the new year, thanks to its starry cast and tongue-in-cheek tone... Director Douglas Mackinnon has been jotting down Gaiman's thoughts and musings on the series ever since production started, and EW got an exclusive look at his notes. Here, Gaiman breaks down those notes and explains how he's shepherding Good Omens from page to screen. 'I think we were talking about casting Adam and Eve,' Gaiman explains. 'Because in the very, very opening scene, we have Adam and Eve, and they're black because we're in Africa and we're in the Garden of Eden, and of course Adam and Eve would be black. And that was one of those places where it's like, if people are going to find this offensive, great. Let's know that, and let's own it. Doug grumbles about that, even now,' Gaiman says... Good Omens' funniest moments all come from the idea of powerful entities in mundane situations and normal people 'having to deal with a delirious reality of heightened, absolute madness. It was frustrating as a writer because when I got stuck, I didn't have Terry to call and say, "Hey, I'm stuck,"' Gaiman says. 'And when I did something really clever and got unstuck, I didn't have Terry to phone up and say, "Hey, I did this clever thing!" But I was determined to make a Good Omens that Terry would've liked. And the only way that I knew how to make that was to make a Good Omens that I would like.' And, he adds, he's become much more protective over Good Omens than he ever was when someone wanted to adapt his own solo work..."

http://ew.com/tv/2018/07/13/good-omens-neil-gaiman-comic-con/

...and another EW newsbit – it seems your Editor's favourite angry Missourian will be taking on a rather famous role:

"Good Omens has its God. Oscar winner Frances McDormand will provide the voice of God, it was announced Friday in San Diego at Comic-Con, in the upcoming Amazon series from Neil Gaiman, based on his and Terry Pratchett's 1990 cult novel. McDormand's voice interrupted Gaiman as he spoke about the series and the Amazon showrunners panel, where he introduced footage, which included concept art, photos, and video from the set, as well as interviews with Tennant and Sheen. Getting McDormand for the role, Gaiman says, was the 'strangest way I think we've ever cast anyone.' Noting that the role had to be played by a woman, he explains how the actress emailed him one day asking if she and her family could borrow his house in Scotland. He was happy to let her do so, adding in his email reply to her, 'By the way…' She, of course, said yes..."

http://ew.com/tv/2018/07/20/amazon-comic-con-frances-mcdormand-god-good-omens/

...and here be a very promising word from the Mighty Joss Whedon, who's been treated to a preview:

"Avengers director Joss Whedon has seen a sneak seven-minute peek of the upcoming Amazon/BBC series Good Omens and his reaction was pretty funny. [from @joss, Whedon's Twitter account] " Coffee with @neilhimself is a delight and a balm. Getting to see 7 minutes of GOOD OMENS on his laptop, that's like... well I've never tried crack but I'm gonna say crack. JUST WAIT till you see it... #GoodOmens #GreatArt #crack"

https://www.hotpress.com/Neil-Gaiman/Joss-Whedon-Compares-New-Neil-Gaiman-Series-to-Crack/22646090.html

3.2 UPDATE: DISCWORLD AND BEYOND EXHIBIT

Paul Kidby's Discworld and Beyond has now opened at the Maidstone Museum!

When: now through 2nd September 2018
Venue: the Maidstone Museum, St. Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH
Time: Tuesday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 12pm–4pm
Tickets: £4 for adults, £2 for children and £10 per family ticket, available online at https://museum.maidstone.gov.uk/whats-on/events/paul-kidby-discworld-beyond/

https://museum.maidstone.gov.uk/

3.3 DISCWORLD MERCH CORNER

From Discworld.com...

* The 2019 Discworld Quiz Diary!

It's a diary! It's a quiz! Coming to a Discworld shop near you – this one, for instance – on the 2nd of August: "The 2019 Discworld Quiz Diary contains everything you needed to know – and a few things you didn't – about modern literature's favourite flat earth. One part diary, one part quiz on the arcane practices of the funniest creation in modern fantasy, 100% Discworld goodness. With their trademark mix of cultural ephemera, background detail and hilarious one-liners, the Discworld diaries are back. This year: trivia... Put your knowledge to the test, and all will be revealed. Well, except the last one; nobody knows that, not even Dibbler. These and other gems of knowledge await you within. Make every day a Discworld day, with the 2019 Discworld Quiz Diary."

The 2019 Discworld Quiz Diary is priced at £18. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/embossed/terry-pratchetts-discworld-diary-2019/

And if you don't feel the need for a quiz in your diary, how about these?

City Watch 2019 Diary (£15):
"The City Watch design comes in a chestnut brown, embossed with the eponymous badge and the immortal line; 'So much universe, so little time'."
https://discworld.com/products/diary-calendar/city-watch-2019-diary/

Witches 2019 Diary (£15):
"The Witches bee design comes in spring green, embossed with the immortal line; 'So much universe, so little time'."
https://discworld.com/products/diary-calendar/witches-2019-diary/

...or the Discworld Imaginarium Collectors' Edition 2019 Calendar (£15), released on 23rd August but available for pre-order now:
"The calendar dates are extensive, and exhaustively researched, and include all major real-time calendrical data for Great Britain, Eire, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, as well as notable Discworld dates. This year's calendar draws upon the whimsical, remarkable art of long-time Discworld collaborator, Paul Kidby – the man whose depictions Terry Pratchett himself described as being 'the closest anyone's got to how I see the characters'."
https://discworld.com/products/embossed/terry-pratchetts-discworld-collectors-edition-calendar-2019/

From the Discworld Emporium...

* The "moderately fiendish" UU Library jigsaw puzzle!

"The Great Library at Unseen University, as you've never 'Unseen' it before! See the most magical library in the multiverse unfold before your eyes with our exclusive 1000 piece Discworld jigsaw puzzle, featuring an astonishing illustration to make any booklover go wobbly at the knees - Ook! We teamed up with Discworld artist David Wyatt to capture a view of this puzzling place with an incredible illustration packed full of details from Terry Pratchett's Discworld books – you may even spot a familiar face or two! Guaranteed to keep you entertained for days and possibly weeks, each puzzle is presented in a splendid spellbook box that you'll want to keep chained to your bookshelf! Health warning; this puzzle may have you reaching for the Dried Frog Pills, but we promise it won't make you go completely 'Bursar'!"

Each UU Library Jigsaw Puzzle measures measures 70 x 50cm when completed (the puzzle box measures 20.5 x 25.6 x 6.3cm) and is priced at £19.50. For more information, and to order, go to: https://www.discworldemporium.com/games-toys/407-unseen-university-library-jigsaw-puzzle

* The Band With Rocks In t-shirt!

"A shirt with soul...music! The official Band With Rocks In tour T-Shirt is the only shirt to be seen in this festival season - 'Bee There Orr Bee A Rectangular Thyng'! ~ Exclusively illustrated for the Discworld Emporium by Joe McLaren! ~ WORRY NOT! Our shirts rock harder than those of Mr Dibbler, and they won't fall to bits in the mosh pit! Our shirts are made with heavyweight 100% cotton and screen-printed with the finest quality inks for long-lasting definition."

Each Band With Rocks In t-shirt is priced at £15. For more information (including size chart), and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/469-band-with-rocks-in-t-shirt

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

04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

Editor's note: as Wossname normally only comes out once every month, do check the Wossname blog for information on plays that might fall between issue dates! Go to https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/ for interim updates.

4.1 PLAYS IN JULY AND AUGUST

* WYRD SISTERS IN SWANSEA (JULY)

The Pontlliw Players will present their production of Wyrd Sisters in July

When: 26th–28th July 2018
Venue: Pontlliw Village Hall, Carmel Rd, Pontlliw, Swansea SA4 9EX
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £7, available from the Box Office by phoning 01792 897833 or 07986 135341, or by emailing tickets@pvh_online.org.uk

http://www.pvh-online.org.uk/

* LORDS AND LADIES IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (JULY)

Beaconsfield Theatre Group and The Young Theatre will co-present Irana Brown's adaptation of Lords and Ladies in July: "With a cast of larger-than-life wizards, witches, yokels, rude mechanicals, elves, trolls, a dwarf, orangutan (not a monkey!) and Oberonesque King of the Fairies; With a Royal Wedding, live band and quirky folk songs and an exciting talent-filled collaboration between Beaconsfield Theatre Group and The Young Theatre – this show promises to be a visual summer feast of funny and fun Discworldian entertainment not to be missed!"

When: 26th–29th July 2018
Venue: Davenies School, Station Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 1AA (open-air production!)
Time: 7.30pm (26th– 27th); two matinee performances at noon and 4pm on the 28th; one matinee, 2pm on the 29th
Tickets: Covered Seating: £15, (concession £13, child £9). Uncovered Seating ("Does not include a chair! Bring a picnic blanket or your own seat") £14 adult (concession £12, child £8), available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/beaconsfield/davenies-school/lords-and-ladies
or phone 07572 657535 for more information.

All profits from the production will go to The Alzheimer's Society and Young Minds.

https://btg-theatre.org/lords–ladies.html (Note: the website is currently down)

* TAMAHER IN MICHIGAN (JULY)

The Young Artisan Workshop Children's Theatre will be staging their production of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, directed by Sadonna Croff, at the Riverwalk Theatre in late July!

When: 26th–29th July 2018
Venue: Riverwalk Theatre, 228 Museum Dr, Lansing, Michigan 48933 (phone 517-482-5700)
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA on http://www.riverwalktheatre.com/box-office.html

"Tickets purchased on-line can be picked up at the Riverwalk Theatre office during regular office hours, (Tues - Fri, 10 am - 5:30 pm) or 1/2 hour before the show at the box office window. We do not mail tickets unless requested. 'SENIORS' are age 55+. Students are High School and younger or College with ID. Children are 12 and under. When we receive your sale via PayPal/e-mail, we will assign the best available seats and send you an e-mail confirmation with the seat assignments. We charge a SERVICE FEE of $2.00 per ticket on all Credit Card Sales in-house. ($2.00 per ticket online as well)"

http://www.riverwalktheatre.com/

* THE RINCE CYCLE IN SWANSEA (AUGUST)

Swansea Little Theatre will be running with Rincewind in Stephen Briggs' adaptation of the first two Discworld novels!

"As a punishment, failed wizard Rincewind is given the task of guiding and safeguarding the Disc's first tourist, Twoflower (with his magical luggage on legs). As they travel the city and beyond, they meet the world's oldest hero, Cohen the Barbarian. With him, and with Bethan (a qualified sacrificial victim), they encounter druids, trolls, adventurers, a hairdresser and a power-crazed wizard. Oh, and Death. But not fatally. Did we mention that Rincewind also has to save the world from destruction by a huge red star that will collide with the Discworld at Hogswatch? From the wonderful imagination of Terry Pratchett, we are transported to Discworld with its myriad of weird characters! A must to see if you are a Pratchett fan."

When: 15th–18th August 2018
Venue: Dylan Thomas Theatre, Gloucester Place, Swansea SA1 1TY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £12 (£10 concessions), available from the box office by phoning 01792 473238 (online purchase temporarily unavailable)

https://www.dylanthomastheatre.org.uk/whats-on.php?id=1979

* THE TRUTH IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)

Peculiar Productions' first Discworld play will be The Truth, directed by Ellen Warren! "Peculiar Productions is a Cardiff-based multimedia production company. We aim to produce two large shows or projects a year, and we try to make one of those an adaptation of a work by beloved British fantasy-comedy author Sir Terry Pratchett. All our members are volunteers, and the proceeds of these large projects are donated to a chosen charity, which we announce alongside each production or project."

When: 22nd–25th August 2018,
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3JW
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £9 (£7 concessions; £1.25 processing fee applies if paying online or via Paypal), already available online at https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/tickets/ or by cheque or bank transfer via email: info@peculiarproductions.co.uk. If using Paypal (_https://www.paypal.com/uk/signin_), payment should be made to info@peculiarproductions.co.uk – and "please ensure that you tell us which performance you are booking for by adding a note." Credit card and Paypal payments can also be made to http://peculiar_productions.fikket.com/

Proceeds from this production go to Cardiff Mind. If you're interested in helping out on stage or behind the arras, or would just like to know more about the Peculiar Productions team, go to https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/about/

4.2 PLAYS LATER IN 2018

* ERIC IN ADELAIDE (OCTOBER)

Unseen Theatre's ever-ongoing Discworld season (now in its 19th year, and rightly so!) returns in October with Eric! "An hilarious romp through space, time, history and the torture chambers of Hell. Eric has been described as 'the Discworld's only demonology hacker', but all he really wants is three wishes. That sounds simple enough, right? No, this is not your favourite fairytale from your childhood. Far from it. Well, maybe not that far……..just as far as the Discworld where demons, wizards, hell-hounds, hostile travel accessories, and more demons, thinly disguised as public servants with a penchant for excessive amounts of stationery and memos, are real..."

When: 5th–6th, 10th–13th and 18th–20th October 2018. Preview night is 5th October; opening night is 6th October.
Venue: the Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide, South Australia
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA

http://unseen.com.au/

* MEN AT ARMS IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (OCTOBER/NOVEMBER)

It will be a bit of a wait, but the Brisbane Arts Centre's next Discworld production – Men at Arms – is already looking good! All props to Fourecks for keeping the Disc alive on stage: "Men at Arms is the 15th novel in Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, a comic fantasy universe with over 80 million books sold worldwide. Aficionados and newcomers to the Disc will love this adaptation, brought to life by the expertise of our Pratchett team."

When: 6th October through 3rd November 2018
Venue: Brisbane Arts Centre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace (yes, the suburb and the road share a name), Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: 7.30pm Thursdays, 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 6.30pm Sundays. "Doors close 5 minutes prior to performance. Late entry is not permitted."
Tickets: AU$34 ($28 concession or groups of 10 or more), available now online at http://bit.ly/2zHKO5a – and there will be Student Rush tickets priced at $15, available from the box office 15 minutes prior to curtain on the dates.

https://www.artstheatre.com.au/menatarms

* HOGFATHER IN ABINGDON (NOVEMBER)

The Studio Theatre Club's next Discworld production will be Hogfather! – or as they say it, "another of our world Premiere Terry Pratchett shows, dramatised by Terry's friend, Stephen Briggs". This is a change from the previously announced staging of The Science of Discworld: Judgement Day.

When: 14th–17th November 2018
Venue: the Unicorn Theatre, Medieval Abbey Buildings, Checker Walk, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3JB
Time: 7.30pm all evening shows; 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 17th November
Tickets: £12, available online from 1st August by post (see _http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/ordering-tickets_) or online via http://www.wegottickets.com/StudioTheatre (note that there is a 10% booking charge). "If you're booking for one of the weekend performances (Friday or Saturday evening, Saturday matinee), please give a second and third choice, as these performances are expected to sell out really quickly. Orders by mail received before the box office opens will be left unopened until 1 August."

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/whats-next

* GOING POSTAL IN BRISTOL (DECEMBER)

The Kelvin Players will be staging Going Postal in December 2018. Keep an eye on their website: "Moist von Lipwig was a con artist, a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. With the help of a golem who has been at the bottom of hole in the ground for over two hundred years, a pin fanatic and Junior Postman Groat, he's got to see that the mail gets through. In taking on the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer, he's also got to stay alive. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. In the mad world of the mail, can a criminal succeed where honest men have failed and died? Perhaps there's a shot at redemption for man who's prepared to push the envelope..."

When: 5th–8th and 12th–15th December 2018
Venue: Kelvin Studios, 253B Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA

http://www.kelvinplayers.co.uk/coming-soon

4.3 REVIEWS

GUARDS! GUARDS! IN SUNBURY (UK)

A long, detailed review by by Gill Lambourn:

"I enjoyed this production more than I expected simply from my literary preferences which don't lie in either fantasy or anarchic political humour. I liked the choice of music; it fitted the moment and amusingly added to the show... The various members of the brotherhood were well cast. Special mention of Richard Fordyce gave a nicely cross and hard done by performance; Robert Hardy was as ever totally solid on his lines and wonderfully clear. Subtlety is not his strong point but he is always a reliable and very competent member of any cast. He understood the story and his character and looked to be enjoying himself... Peter Smith created a nice Patrician who knew how to play the hand his was dealt to the best advantage. Despite being a kind and generally gentle person Peter has a good handle on playing slightly evil characters. Nice one Peter!! In contrast to Peter who must be one of the longest standing Riverside members Sarah Boyle was making her debut and did it very convincingly. She was a perfect Lady Sybil and I look forward to seeing more of her in future... Guards! Guards! was an enjoyable evening of theatre and the FOH, bar staff and facilities at Riverside compare really favourably with any other amateur theatre experience. .."

https://sheppertonplayers.org.uk/reviews/guards-guards-june-2018/

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05) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS

The Sir Terry Pratchett Book Club at Waterstones Leeds meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the Cafe W coffee shop (in Waterstones), to discuss a Pratchett book. "Everyone is welcome, even if you have not read the book. There is no need to register – just come along."

The next meeting of the Sir Terry Pratchett Book Club will be on Tuesday 7th August from 6pm to 6.50pm at Waterstones, 93-97 Albion Street, Leeds LS1 5JS. (phone 0113 244 4588). "This summer we are focusing on Terry's most popular series, Discworld. The book we are discussing this month is Small Gods where belief is all important and a tortoise needs help. This book club is free and open to anyone."

https://www.waterstones.com/events/sir-terry-pratchett-book-club/leeds-50096

*

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will be meeting a week earlier than usual, on Monday, 30th July (instead of the usual "first Monday of the month") from 7pm at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London, W2 1JQ. "We welcome anyone and everyone who enjoys Sir Terry's works, or quite likes them or wants to find out more. We have had many visitors from overseas who have enjoyed themselves and made new friends. The discussions do not only concern the works of Sir Terry Pratchett but wander and meander through other genres and authors and also leaping to TV and Film production. We also find time for a quiz."

For more information, email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/

*

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

*

For Facebook users in Fourecks: The Victorian Discworld Klatch is "a social group for fans of Discworld and Terry Pratchett... run by a dedicated team who meet monthly and organise events monthly." "If you'd like to join our events please ask to join the Klatch."

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

*

"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)" is a public Facebook meeting group: "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will continue to be used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan Gatherings in Wincanton. Look here for information."

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

*

The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, Discworld photo scavenger hunts. We also attend opening night at Brisbane Arts Theatre's Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have about 200 members who meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.

For more info about their next meetup, join up at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au

*

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia: "We have an established Terry Pratchett & Discworld fan group in Adelaide called The City of Small Gods, which is open to anyone who would like to come – you don't have to live in Adelaide or even South Australia, or even be a Discworld fan, but that's mostly where our events will be held, and we do like discussing Pratchett's works. Our (semi-) regular meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at the Caledonian, 219 O'Connell St North Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm. The games are usually shorter games like Pairs, Sushi Go, or Tiny Epic Defenders, with the occasional Werewolf session, as these are the best sort of games that work in a pub setting. Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am. In addition, we will occasionally have other events to go and see plays by Unseen Theatre Company, book discussions, craft, chain maille or costuming workshops or other fun social activities."

The next CoSG events will be the Monthly Dinner on Thursday 26th July (location TBA), and a discussion of TAMAHER on Saturday 28th July at Kappy's Coffee and Tea, 1/22 Compton Street, Adelaide (_http://kappys.com.au/_).

The CoSG also have another identity. Here's the skinny:

Round World Events SA Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association whose aim is to run fun social Pratchett-themed events for people in South Australia. Our first major event was the Unseen University Convivium held in July 2012. We have also run three successful and booked out Science Fiction and Fantasy themed quiz nights named Quiz Long And Prosper, in 2013, 2014 and 2015! The association will run some events under the City of Small Gods banner, but you do not have to be a Round World Events SA member to be part of City of Small Gods. However, we are always on the look out for new members for Round World Events SA to help us organise future events! Membership is $20 a year (for Adelaide locals) or $5 a year (for those not quite so close) and has the following benefits:

A shiny membership certificate all of your very own
Discounted entry price to some of the events we run
A warm, fuzzy feeling deep down in your chest (no, not quite that deep)
For more information, or to join as a member, please email RoundWorldEventsSA@gmail.com

www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 2nd August 2018 (probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 3rd August 2018 (possibly) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis since 2005. The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

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

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 6th August 2018 (possibly) at 6.30pm in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney 2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meet next on Monday 6th August 2018 (possibly) from 5.30pm at Carpe Cafe, 526 Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia. For details follow Perth Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers or join their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>

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06) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger hobbleit falls for Guards! Guards!:

"Way back in the depths of time (1998, I think), my form teacher told my parents about a production of Guards! Guards! being performed at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle because he knew they liked Terry Pratchett. So we all went along. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much but it turned out to be absolutely hilarious so I went home, picked up the book and twelve year old me absolutely loved it. And I still do. Discworld is a fabulously rich world and Ankh Morpork is a wonderfully eclectic and strange city that just draws you in so you never want to leave. The characters are brilliant. Captain Vimes, Nobby, Carrot and all the others in the City Watch are hilarious. I love the Librarian, he is a genius creation. Even Death makes an appearance, which is always welcome since he one of the best and funniest representations of the Grim Reaper that has ever been put to paper..."

https://hobbleit.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/july-re-read-4-guards-guards-by-terry-pratchett/

Blogger Tagfitty, a steam aficionado, reviews Raising Steam:

"First and foremost, Pratchett has a unique way with words. He can tell a story by switching which character he is following at any paragraph. Provided you get through his frequent wordplay, he writes well enough to limit confusion, even through the narrator switching who he is following. His writing uses lots of humorous elements. These include puns, rhyming, alliteration, funny sounding words, unique character names, and pretty much any sort of wordplay that tickles his fancy. There are some real gems of the sort in his books. Even so, some of the wordplay does fall a little flat from time to time, but it is rarely disruptive as he uses it throughout the books I have read... Even though the book can be funny, there is a fair amount of insight concerning the creation of locomotion, social changes, and yes even racial relations. Since this book takes place in a medieval fantasy world, race is handled metaphorically by humans, dwarfs, goblins, trolls, and the occasional gnome. I am also surprised at how well Pratchett describes how trains work and impact the world around it. In a lot of ways, it feels like I traveled back in time to see how people reacted to seeing a train for the first time. I could even see the thought process of how Moist figured out what kind of help needed to be hired so a train system could work in a realistic fashion. It is clear that Terry Pratchett did his homework..."

https://talkingaboutgames.blog/2018/07/17/book-review-raising-steam-by-terry-pratchett/

Also on the subject of Raising Steam, blogger butiliketurtles aka The Shelf Wanderer:

"I just can't make myself love another Moist Von Lipwig novel as much as I love Going Postal but I have made peace with that. I am a little sad to have completed this trio as it hadn't been that long since I read Making Money and for a while I wished for more of the trickery and charisma of Moist. But the Discworld still has many unread books in it and I must admit recently I have been pining as it has been a good six months since I read this one. So! There is always the satirical silliness and cleverness of Pratchett and in some way every book he has written is a little delicious... I love steam. I was raised around traction engines and steam engines and coal and locomotives of one sort or another because my Dad is a Putt-Putt man. If you don't know what that is, he is a steam enthusiast and also now proudly owns a Stationary Engine (which makes the noise Putt-Putt as it runs)...

"As with the other novels in the Lord Vetinari's world, sometimes there is an annoyance. An annoyance that can only be fixed by an opportunity and the right charismatic trickster at the reins. The narrative is about building a railway but it is also about Vetinari setting Moist off on a little job because he loathes travelling the long, long, long way by carriage to Bonk. This novel can feel feel quite long winded at times, it can feel a bit like a long train journey with interludes of entertainment and long periods of description but mostly it is enjoyable... Steam is a thing that Pratchett writes about with great love and he puts the great love of steam into the Disc with ease..."

https://theshelfwanderer.wordpress.com/2018/06/25/93-raising-steam/

[Editor's note: the above blog review includes the best Discworld-appropriate misspelling I've seen in a long time: "The laying of the steel tracks of the Ankh-Morpork and Sto Plains Hygienic Railway also coincides with a coo to dethrone the King of the dwarves." Very talented, those Discly coo beasties...]

Blogger Victoriamuses on Thud!:

"Pratchett refused to admit that he wrote 'magical realism', and yet Thud! (first published in 2005) seems to be a fine example of the genre. The 34th novel in the Discworld series and the 7th in the 'Watch Books', Thud! also acts as an exceptional demonstration of character development. Samuel 'Sam' Vimes was first introduced to the public as a disillusioned alcoholic policeman, but through the course of six novels and sixteen years, Vimes becomes much more than just that. By Thud! our beloved 'Captain of the Watch' is still an alcoholic, who still suffers from depression and he is still a policeman; but he's also a father, a husband, and a man who finds much more to appreciate in the world than ever before... Through fantasy, Pratchett approaches racism, religious extremism, and the radicalisation of young people... Pratchett's 'real-world' influences are numerous. His writing echoes the fear of radicalisation in Britain following the 2005 London bombings, the ongoing Israeli and Palestinian conflict, the history of violence between Catholics and Protestants and even the gang and drug problems of major cities and the influence community leaders can have on followers. The contempt held by the new generation of dwarves and trolls sends a clear message: hatred breeds hatred. Even whilst exploring the complex emotions of collectives and individuals, and conspiracy theories involving mystical forces that perpetuate violence, Pratchett manages to explore prejudice on a much lower and nuanced level. The treatment of women in the watch, the simmering tension between vampires and werewolves and the mockery of the relationship between Tawnee a 'show girl' and Corporal Nobbs... Pratchett balances dark and complex with light and fanciful, which allows Thud! to realise a significant depth and complexity. We can find humour amidst angst in the relatable situations depicted: we've all had to incorporate technology into our lives at some point, most of us have been both guilty of some form of prejudice, and a victim of another..."

https://dnwhvictoria.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/reflections-on-thud/

Blogger Muse With Me returns with a review of Moving Pictures:

"While there is a lot about this book I found fairly standard as far as Discworld novels are concerned, there were some ideas that I really enjoyed. Ideas about the medium of film itself are played with, but it is the Hollywood film industry of our reality that is focus of parody. There are plenty of jokes throughout about the cut corners and compromises that make up 'movie magic', commercialization versus integrity, unfortunate stereotyping, and cheeky references to films the reader is likely familiar with. I especially liked that something eldritch was at play, instead of the advent of filmmaking simply coming about on its own. It allows the story to play with the very real notion of how the film medium can manipulate reality for the audience, immersing them in an illusion. Though all of its glamour, spectacle, and art are enjoyable, there is something at the heart of the Hollywood film industry that's a little uncanny too... The plotline at the heart of the story was the weakest part of the book for me, treading especially familiar territory: something goes awry with some sort of magic, leading to a nigh-cataclysmic turn of events that the core group of characters must reverse. Pratchett's writing was as skillful as ever, which kept me going... Moving Pictures is a fairly standard Discworld novel, not particularly remarkable compared to some of his stronger works. However, so far meeting the standard for this series means it's still a humorous, clever read full of great characters and colourful ideas. It is elevated a little more by its diverse cast of supporting characters as well, who in many ways steal the show from the protagonists..."

https://musewithmeblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/book-review-moving-pictures-by-terry-pratchett/

Blogger Jeroen is back with thoughts on Monstrous Regiment:

"The last years I've become rather tired of politics entering entertainment – not because I am against the underlying sentiments, but because films and books are being praised for being great for having political messages that have very little to do with the actual themes or qualities of plot and characterization in these works... For Terry Pratchett, I also make an exception, because his mocking satire is intelligent and piercing, and the issues of sexism and patriotism he takes up also happen to be the central theme of the novel. It makes sense for them to be there. Sometimes he goes down the road of 'women are better and men are stupid', which I find tiresome and unconstructive, but then turns it around in later pages. Besides, Pratchett wrote interesting female characters long before today's focus on it... Many of the jokes write themselves by this time, especially with the fantasy characters, but Pratchett never went so grim with the characters' backgrounds. The female soldiers found themselves in the army running from restrictions and abuse. Looking back at earlier novels of Pratchett, like Equal Rites (1987), where women's rights featured as well but the story was much lighter, and then looking at later novels like Night Watch (2002) which also went dark with the grittiness of revolutions, then a picture forms of Pratchett becoming angrier and having more to get off his chest..."

https://jeroenthoughts.wordpress.com/2018/07/16/terry-pratchett-monstrous-regiment-2003-review/

Blogger The Reading Bug appreciates the evolution of the Discworld novels from The Light Fantastic:

"When the early Discworld novels were published I read them with a degree of guilt. They were my guilty pleasures that I would put away in the presence of other adults. Not only did they have no pretensions to being anything other than a bit of fun, there were cheap jokes, stock characters, cliched situations, and simple plot resolutions . There was just a lot of messing about. Cohen the Barbarian? Please! It wasn't until some time well into the series that they began to develop a depth (not god forbid seriousness) and a more lyrical quality to go with the silly jokes and the one liners. The light social commentary became more thoughtful, having a purpose of its own rather than just being an excuse for some humour. Most of all his characters became real, flawed, complex and fully-rounded. We wouldn't have 'Going Postal' or 'The Night Watch' without 'The Colour of Magic' and 'The Light Fantastic', but I am really glad we have..."

https://readingbug2016.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/the-light-fantastic-by-terry-pratchett-1986/

Blogger My Lady Scribbler embraces foot-the-ball in her review of Unseen Academicals:

Ostensibly, the book is about Unseen University trying to cobble together a football team, as the university is in danger of losing the main funding source for the wizards' daily meals (all nine of them). But as is typical with the works of Sir Pterry, it is impossible to sum up the entire plot of a Discworld book in one sentence. I can tell you that there is football. And pies. And lots of drinking. And an all-dwarves fashion show. And I believe Death (he who talks in small capitals) puts in an appearance. As is also typical with the Discworld books, there are moments where you will find yourself trying very hard not to laugh out loud, and probably puncturing a lung or two in the process. I seem to recall reading a comment from another fan who said they can't read Pratchett's books while taking public transit anymore, due to people giving them strange looks as they're laughing over a particularly juicy bit of text. Re-reading Unseen Academicals raises the question: How would the Disc have done the World Cup? Would it be Dolly Sisters vs. the Dimwell Old Pals? Uberwald vs. Quirm? Trolls vs. dwarves? (No, wait, that happens every year on Koom Valley Day.) Would Ankh-Morpork's national team have the Three Hippos in place of the Three Lions? What would be the ethics of jinxing a player instead of giving him the red card? The possibilities are (mostly) endless..."

https://myladyscribbler.wordpress.com/2018/07/12/shelf-life-terry-pratchett-and-unseen-academicals/

Blogger Lunar Luci is back with thoughts about The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents:

"This book is definitely a standalone in the Discworld series. None of the characters have been in other books (at least not for what I've read yet), but that doesn't make it less good. It's specifically written for Young Adult readers, which is noticeable in the way Sir Pratchett[sic] has written the story. I liked mostly everything in the story (duh, it's Discworld), although Keith wasn't really doing it for me. It might just be because the book was mostly about the talking cat and the talking rats, but except for the parts with Malicia, Keith doesn't really have a point in being there. Agreeing with most others, a thing I didn't specifically like was the rat-king. I didn't see how it was relevant to the rest of the story, and felt like he was just a bit cramped in so the ending would be better. Other than that, it was amazing..."

https://lunarluci.wordpress.com/2018/07/01/book-review-the-amazing-maurice-and-his-educated-rodents/

Blogger Old Book Smells enjoyed Hogfather:

"I fancied some light relief and The Hogfather was available. It is primarily a Christmas tale, basically a parody of Father Christmas, so perfect for 30 degree summer heat. The same flatmate who lent me the book actually treated me to a viewing of the Sky adaption earlier in the year – I'd never actually seen it before! Marc Warren was particularly excellent as Mr Teatime. Anyway, I digress. On with the actual book. This is yet another Pratchett book set in the Discworld – instead of explaining its probably best if you look at a previous review here. Essentially some super shady guys called the Auditors want to remove everything irrational in the human world. They enlist the Assassin's Guild, who in turn assign their most unhinged member for the ultimate challenge…the murder of the Hogfather. Cue Death as the jolliest of stand-ins. This book is exactly what you would expect from Mr P. I loved it as per usual. It's quite hard to be subjective about his work – it's just something that I find cosy..."

https://oldbooksmells.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/21-the-hogfather-terry-pratchett/

And finally, blogger aperturereads' thoughts on reading Shaking Hands with Death:

"An absolute must read (or watch) for everyone – fan or Pratchett or not (not sure how you couldn't be, though!). The messages herein are vital to those who will come face to face with dementia and other degenerative diseases (that's everyone)... In this short book, we see Pratchett tackle head on the problems he faced after his diagnosis – both in terms of accepting his illness (he laments the fact that sufferers of other diseases can openly get support and medication whilst some sufferers of dementia are more or less told to get on with it), as well as assisted dying... This essay is poignant, Pratchett looking back to the relatively peaceful death of his grandfather, as well as the passing of his own father in comparison to how deaths were handled in the past. The author draws on his own experiences as well as those of people to whom he has spoken with to present a set of clear and concise reasons for his wish to legalise assisted dying. The base argument is essentially that everyone should have the right to a peaceful death, the Victorians understood that – as do some areas around the globe nowadays. I emphatically support the case as raised here and I hope that now, some years after the knighted author's death, society has already softened to the end of life he wanted those in need to have access to; the choice to die surrounded by friends and family as painlessly as possible, on your own terms..."

https://aperturereads.wordpress.com/2018/06/24/review-shaking-hands-with-death-terry-pratchett/

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07) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE DANCE OF THE BEES

Did you know that one in ten pollinating insects is on the verge of extinction, and a third of bee and butterfly species are in decline? Now the European Commission has proposed a programme called the EU Pollinators Initiative to investigate and – hopefully – ameliorate this situation. And that includes exploration of something Granny Weatherwax knew so well...

"Unravelling one of the most elaborate forms of non-human communication – the honeybee's waggle dance – could help researchers better understand insect brains and make farming more environmentally friendly. It's part of a field of work looking at insect neurology which is helping to unravel the complexity of their brains. Bees have evolved a unique, and ingenious, way to communicate with each other – the waggle dance. By shaking their abdomens in a particular way, a bee can tell others in its hive the specific direction and distance of a food source or a new site for a nest. 'If nectar or pollen is in the direction of the sun, a bee will run a figure of eight that is orientated towards the top of the hive. If pollen is found 90 degrees from the sun they will point that way instead,' explained Dr Elli Leadbeater, a bee expert from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of London, in the UK. The longer the bees spend dancing corresponds to the better quality of a food source, while the more time spent on each figure eight represents the distance from the pollen or nectar. Researchers now believe that decoding this information-packed dance further could reveal a link between bees' brains and how the surrounding environment affects them. In a project called BeeDanceGap, Dr Leadbeater is working to identify the exact genes in the bee brain that play a role in helping the insects understand this waggle dance. To do this, researchers must first identify the best dancing bees in a test hive and watch them as they reveal a food source to other worker bees. The newly educated bees are then captured as they leave the hive so their brain tissue can be genetically analysed to determine which genes associated with learning and memory were activated from following the waggle dance. Only a few individuals are used in this way and the genetic data provides a deep insight into the neurology of a bee's brain – at a time crucial to their future..."

https://morethanadodo.com/2018/06/18/decoding-the-honeybee-dance/

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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Some Good Omens gems – Michael McKean looking appropriately grumpy as Shadwell:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DiKKxG_U8AI2Xf9.jpg

...and some highly amusing "small ads":
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DiKKxHBVAAAcSqK.jpg

...and a very excited, extravagantly bearded Neil Gaiman with the first Good Omens poster, at San Diego Comic Con as tweeted by @GoodOmensAmazon:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Diln0JXWsAISldP.jpg

The wonderful Librarian art from Discworld Beers:
https://www.discworldbeers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/librarian-1.png

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09) CLOSE

Last orders: Paul Kruzycki, the Discworld beers and ales brewer and Ales By Mail proprietor, has announced that production has ceased "for the foreseeable future". Those of you who can should hurry over to https://twitter.com/Craft_Beer_Shop to buy some of the last great tastes of the Disc. And as tweeted three years ago: https://twitter.com/DiscworldAles/status/636849757856641024 Many happy Roundworld beer and ale enthusiasts can thank Discworld Ales for the memories, too.

And that's it for July. Take care, and we'll see you next month!

– Annie Mac

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

Copyright (c) 2018 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2016 (Volume 19, Issue 7, Post 1)

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

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

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INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) MOVING PICTURES: WEE FREE MEN FILM CONFIRMED!
04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
08) A FEW ODDS AND SODS
09) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
10) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"The Discworld series is a richly developed world with devoted fans, myself included, and there is no one better than Rhianna to bring Terry’s beloved project to life on the big screen." – Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company

"You can keep your George Martin; Terry Pratchett was writing fantasy with feminist characters years before A Game of Thrones was published."

– blogger Nat Wassell, on Cultured Vultures


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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

The big news this month is, of course, the announcement from Narrativia that they have partnered with the Jim Henson Company to make a big-screen version of The Wee Free Men. Given that Pratchett the Younger will be writing the script, this is exciting – for who among the living knows the essence of Tiffany Aching and the Chalk better than Rhianna Pratchett, who watched her father create that world? But Narrativia and Henson have a daunting task ahead of them nonetheless, for reasons well described in item 8.2 ("Why Discworld novels resist adaptation"). Here's hoping that a great book, a great screenwriter and great creature-makers can deliver a film worthy of its potential!

Speaking of worth and potential, there is a new Pratchett publication that I won't be reviewing, or promoting (though of course I'll report on others' reviews). I feel so strongly about it that I won't even mention its name here. But if you're curious and have the stomach for passionate rants, have a shufti at the Wossname blogpost at http://wossname.dreamwidth.org/38875.html

Right, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) MOVING PICTURES: THE WEE FREE MEN FILM IS HAPPENING!

With Muppets, perhaps...?

"The Jim Henson Company announced today the development of a feature film based on the great literary legacy of the late Sir Terry Pratchett's 'THE WEE FREE MEN,' part of the wildly popular Discworld series. The long-awaited film adaption[sic] will be written by his daughter Rhianna Pratchett, an award-winning scriptwriter for videogames, comics, film and TV. Her work includes the 2013 smash hit reboot of Tomb Raider, the BAFTA nominated Heavenly Sword and the Writers' Guild winning Overload and Rise of the Tomb Raider. Pratchett, co-director of independent production company Narrativia, has regularly been named one of the top 100 most influential women in the games industry and won the Women in Games Hall of Fame award in 2013... Brian Henson of The Jim Henson Company will serve as producer. Rhianna Pratchett, Rob Wilkins and Rod Brown of Narrativia and Vince Raisa of The Jim Henson Company, will serve as executive producers. WEE FREE MEN is a co-production with Narrativia..."

To read the full announcement, go to http://narrativia.com/wee-free-men-announcement.html

...and how it was reported. In The Guardian, by Henry Barnes:

"It’s the second time the story has been earmarked for the big screen. In 2006, Sony Pictures acquired the rights for the book and hired Sam Raimi to direct it. Pratchett, who died last year from Alzheimer’s, hated the script, telling SFX magazine that it “had all the hallmarks of something that had been good, and then the studio had got involved”. He retrieved the rights in 2009..."

http://bit.ly/2aB7XJN

In The Bookseller, by Charlotte Eyre:

"The Jim Henson Company will co-produce the film with Narrativia, the independent production company founded by Terry Pratchett in 2012. Rhianna is a co-director of Narrativia, along with her father’s business manager Rob Wilkins. The m.d. is producer Rod Brown... Brian Henson of The Jim Henson Company will serve as producer of the film. Rhianna Pratchett, Rob Wilkins and Rod Brown of Narrativia and Vince Raisa of The Jim Henson Company, will serve as executive producers..."

http://bit.ly/2apFEdO

On BBC News Scotland, by Steven McKenzie:

"The book tells of a young witch's adventures with the Nac Mac Feegles, a fierce clan of kilted sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men. The characters are known as "pictsies", a name based on the Picts, tribes that were dominant in Dark Age Scotland. Sir Terry's daughter Rhianna Pratchett is adapting the novel for the feature film..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-36846239

On Wired, by Matt Kamen:

"The book had previously been optioned by Sony Pictures, with Spider-Man and The Evil Dead director Sam Raimi attached. However, Terry Pratchett called the proposed script for that version 'awful'... Things look more promising for Narrativia and Henson's take on the material, with the plot description in the announcement directly echoing the book's... Fans of Pratchett's darkly satirical work may be waiting a while to see tiny blue men running around their cineplex though – at present, no release date, casting, or creative appointments for Wee Free Men have been announced."

http://bit.ly/2aTfWit

On i09's Gizmodo, by Katharine Trendacosta:

"This could be a great pairing of property and studio. The Wee Free Men tells the story of nine-year-old Aching searching for her missing brother after a spate of Fairyland monsters have appeared. Aching, her frying pan, and a group of small, angry blue men called the Nac Mac Feegles go looking to save her brother from the Queen of the Fairies. Yeah, that sounds like something the Jim Henson Company could do a great job with. .."

http://bit.ly/29Lp0VE

On Blastr, by Trent Moore:

"This might not be the most obvious work for a film adaptation, but it certainly has the bones and potential for a great story. Throw in the extensive expertise of the Jim Henson Company (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth), and it should have a unique look to match Pratchett’s vision. No word on when production might ramp up, or when we’ll hear anything on casting. But the project appears to be on the right track..."

http://bit.ly/2aDWSqZ

And a good analysis on The Daily Dot, by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw:

"Several Discworld books have been adapted in the past, from animated series in the '90s to the more recent live-action movies on British TV. However, none have really reached the success of the novels, which have been consistent bestsellers for decades. The Wee Free Men is an interesting place to start, if Rhianna Pratchett and the Jim Henson Company intend to turn the Tiffany Aching series into a franchise. The Discworld series offers a wide range of genres and characters, and the Ankh Morpork City Watch books (a series of law enforcement adventure stories) are probably the most obvious choice for a Hollywood adaptation. Unfortunately, the humor and absurdity of the Discworld series just doesn't fit with the expectation that adult fantasy stories should be dark and gritty, like Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and Warcraft.
Despite the popularity of Pratchett's books, the idea of a funny historical fantasy satire may be too much for Hollywood to handle. In that context, Tiffany Aching is ideal. The books are recent, and therefore fresh in the minds of many fans—and it's easier to combine comedy and fantasy when the film is aimed at a family audience..."

http://bit.ly/2ad0z2X

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04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

4.1 SCHEIBENWELT 2017 NEWS (GERMAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION)

Tickets for the 2017 German Discworld Convention are now available!

"The German Discworld Convention takes place in a castle in the German-speaking countries in the 2-year rhythm. During this time, we offer our more than 200 guests workshops, talks, games, guests of honour and booths selling Discworld merchandising that is usually not available in Germany. You can stop by as a day visitor or stay right at the castle or in a nearby hotel. The program spans several days.

"The German Discworld Convention will take place from the 18th to the 21st of May 2017 at Castle Ludwigstein. The theme we have chosen this time is the Witches and the Chalk. A motto is still being sought... we launched a new website where you can plan your convention visit more easily. On our YouTube channel (_https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC__TcB9nl4ttINnZXtVmmnA_) you can find some videos of our previews [sic – presumably 'previous' – Ed.] conventions."

Here's what you'll get for your tickets:

"The basic package for a Convention visit includes a stay from Thursday to Sunday. Thursday is the day of arrival, on Friday and Saturday the program takes place and on Sunday is the day of departure. Convention tickets include the right to participate in workshops, lectures and other activities. However for particularly costly workshops additional charges may apply. These are specified on the booking page. Our prices are made up of the price of accommodation and meals by the castle (circa 40 € per day for castle guests) and a small fee for carrying out the program. Members of the Ankh-Morpork e.V. and young visits receive a discount. Children under 3 years can be brought along for free, provided they not require their own bed."

Tickets for the full convention (Thursday through Sunday) are €149, with a member's discount of €10; for Friday through Sunday, tickets are €110 with a member's discount of €5.

For guests camping at the castle ("for camping guests include entry to the Convention including a place to put your own tent next to the castle, warm dinner and breakfast buffet"), tickets for Thursday through Sunday are €99 with a member's discount of €5, and for Friday through Sunday €79 with a member's discount of €4.

Day tickets are also available: €20 for the Friday or Saturday (€2 discount each for members) or €35 for Friday and Saturday together (€5 discount for members).

To order tickets, go to http://www.discworld-convention.de/#/en/Tickets/Order

http://www.discworld-convention.de/#/en/

4.2 CABBAGECON 4 NEWS (DUTCH DISCWORLD CONVENTION)

"On 1 and 2 July 2017 the fourth Dutch Discworld Convention Cabbagecon 4 will happen at the hotel Carlton President in Utrecht. It will be an occasion for fans of Sir Terry Pratchett from the Netherlands and abroad to meet up again and have some fun. We hope to see you too!"

Tickets for the whole weekend are priced at €60, available from http://www.dutchdwcon.nl/node/21

Tickets are €35 for Saturday (_http://www.dutchdwcon.nl/node/20_) and €35 for Sunday (_http://www.dutchdwcon.nl/node/19_).

Price for concessions, students and children born after 2 July 1999: €40 for the full weekend, or €25 for Saturday or Sunday. "Children born after 2 July 2012 free only when accompanied by a paying adult. Prices are including free coffee and tea for the weekend."

http://www.dutchdwcon.nl/


4.3 NULLUS ANXIETAS VI NEWS (AUSTRALIAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION)

"At this time next year, we'll be setting sail on The Discworld Grand Tour! Tickets for Nullus Anxietas VI – The Australian Discworld Convention are available in the shop (_https://ausdwcon.org/shop/tickets/_) so make sure to book your spot! Over the next twelve months, we'll be sending out regular updates about what you lovely tourists can expect – starting right now! On your tour, there will be a wide range of lovely events and activities for you to enjoy! Of the many available, we would like to give you a taste of just a few to appetite...

"Witness (and participate in) the vast array of talent in Vaudeville Le Maskerade. One event, under the one roof, all in the one afternoon. So dust off your finery, limber up those vocal chords and join us in this amazing experience. Eat, drink, explore your senses, and be merry at the Gala Dinner "Around the Disc in 7a Courses" – a whirlwind, steampunk culinary trip around the Disc. Re-stage the Battle of Koom Valley, machinate your way to rule Ankh-Morpork, or send a message to Genua faster than the Ankh-Morpork Post Office! That's right, all the Discworld board games – and many more – will be available to play in Mr Shine's Thud Parlour.

"What is a tourist without a Passport? Get your passport stamped at the convention by participating in activities, taking iconographs, playing games and many other mystery tasks! Collect the full set and win a prize! Join us for one final chapter in the convention story on Monday, 7 August 2017 by spending a day exploring the delectable delights and tantalising tastes of the Adelaide Hills on the Wine and Gourmet Tours. More details on all the above, plus some of the other events and activities available can be found on this page:

https://ausdwcon.org/convention/events/

"Tickets for the Gala Dinner and Wine and Gourmet Tours will be available in early 2017. We will keep you informed over the coming months about all activities.

"Help us to help you! Volunteers needed! We are working hard behind the scenes to put on a fantabulous convention for all of you next year. We've been kicking around lots of ideas for possible activities and events so that we can bring you a programme chock-full of things to do. But at the moment these are just ideas – in order to turn them into reality we need people to run them! So, if you've been wondering how you can get involved with the convention, now's your chance. Volunteer to run an activity or event! There are lots of things you could do. You could run a workshop teaching a skill or craft, or something fun for kids of all ages; deliver a presentation, demonstration or information session; be part of a group panel discussing a topic; perform something for everybody's entertainment (a bit longer than a Maskerade act); ... or maybe you have an idea for something totally different that we haven't thought of yet! Head to the volunteers page (_https://ausdwcon.org/volunteer/_) and fill in the form saying that you are interested in running an event and give a brief explanation of the activity that you think you could run. The Events and Activities coordinator will then get in touch with you to get more details about your idea and possible requirements. You won't have to do it all by yourself – if you need help in the organisation or running, we'll be able to find you volunteers, and of course, if it's something that needs participation, you're bound to get lots of support. If you have any further questions, please contact events@ausdwcon.org

"But wait, there's more! Can you draw, paint, or make fancy art? We would love to have a few more artists on board who are willing to create some lovely Discworld fan art for games, passports, the programme book and more! Want to help out in a more general capacity during the convention? Do things like taking official photos/video, helping with lights and sound, teaching board games, or just running around being useful? For any of the above please also complete the form on the volunteer page. If you've already volunteered – don't worry, our Head Gopher will be in touch with you soon!

"Remember, all Discworld conventions run entirely on volunteers, and anything you can do to help will be greatly appreciated! Running a convention is not a cheap exercise, so we are currently seeking businesses willing to become sponsors of the Australian Discworld Convention. If you run a business, or know someone who does, who may be willing to throw a few dollars our way, please contact us (_https://ausdwcon.org/about/contact-us/_)with information about the business and we'll get in touch..."

https://ausdwcon.org/

4.4 IDWCON 2017 NEWS (IRISH DISCWORLD CONVENTION)

The 2017 Irish Discworld Convention is already gearing up! It will be at the Cork International Hotel on 6th–9th October 2017, and the new website looks as sharp as a sharp thing:

"Welcome to the IDWCon 2017 website! Please see our About the Convention, F.A.Q., and Venue pages to find out more. You can sign up here and you'll find Pre-Con T-shirts here. Our theme this year is the Unseen University Open Doors Weekend – we’ll be visiting the U.U. to marvel at introductory lectures, research the groundbreaking Roundworld project, and find out more about the staff and Faculty. Whether you're a visiting scholar, a curious local or even a Tourist, the U.U.’s doors will be open to all for this extra-special event. Hold on to your pointy hats – it's going to be Hexcellent!"

Full Membership for the convention is priced at €50 (concessions €40; children 12 and under, accompanied by a paying adult, €1). To purchase tickets, go to:

http://bit.ly/2azYwsj

FAQ:
http://2017.idwcon.org/index.php/convention/f-a-q.html

Latest news:
http://2017.idwcon.org/index.php/news.html/

http://2017.idwcon.org/

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

05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

5.0 NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN LANCRE, ERM, LANCASHIRE! (AUGUST–SEPTEMBER)

The Greenbrook Methodist Church Theatre Group will stage their production of Wyrd Sisters over the August Bank Holiday weekend!

When: 31st August to 2nd September 2016
Venue: Greenbrook Methodist Church Theatre Group & Community Centre, Greenbrook Road, Burnley, Lancs BB12 6NZ
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £8 adult, £5 child, available by phoning Wendy on 01282 426 889

5.1 NEW: TAMAHER AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL! (AUGUST)

At this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, there will be two – count ’em, two! – Pratchett plays. Geoff Epperson at Carl Sandburg High School in Chicago, Illinois writes: "As part of the American High School Theatre Festival, Carl Sandburg High School will present their production of The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. “Maurice is an amazing cat. He can think, he can talk, and he has an amazing scam going. And all he needs to pull it off is his army of intelligent rats and one stupid-looking kid. Carl Sandburg High School is proudly returning to the Fringe with this frenetic, fantastic, hysterical tale from the great Sir Terry Pratchett."

When: 5th, 6th, 8th and 10th August 2016
Venue: Surgeons Hall Grand Theatre (Venue 53), Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Time: 9.45am (5th, 6th and 10th); 11.45am (8th)
Tickets: £5, available from https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/amazing-maurice-and-his-educated-rodents and boxoffice.surgeons@thespaceuk.com – also in person at the Fringe box office

“Meanwhile, back in the States...”

Geoff writes: “For Sir Terry’s stateside fans we’ll be performing it at our home stage in Orland Park, Illinois (Just outside of Chicago) August 26th and 27th at 7pm and Sunday August 28th at 3pm. Tickets are $7.”

Venue: Carl Sandburg High School Performing Arts Center, 13300 S. LaGrange Road, Orland Park, Illinois, 60462

5.2 REMINDER: MORT AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE (AUGUST)

Duck in a Hat are coming back to Edinburgh with another Discworld production!

"Mort doesn't know what to expect when he starts his new job: apprentice to the Grim Reaper (scythe, hooded cloak, and all). But things slip out of his control when he saves a princess destined to die, tearing apart the fabric of reality. With the help of Death's adopted daughter and a mysterious manservant, can Mort thwart destiny, save the princess, find true love and have his own happily ever after? Presented by the team behind the 2015 sell-out Terry Pratchett's Eric, this is a hilarious new adaptation of Pratchett's beloved tale of life, death and destiny."

When: 15th–28th August 2016 (excepting 21st)
Venue: Paradise in Augustine's, 41–43 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL
Time: 7.35pm all shows
Tickets: £9.50 (£8 concessions), available from https://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/event/590050-terry-pratchetts-mort/ or by phone 0131 510 0022

http://duckinahat.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/duck_in_a_hat (for updates)

5.3 NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN EAST GRINSTEAD (OCTOBER)

The Ace Theatre Company will present their production of Wyrd Sisters in October.

When: 20th – 22nd October 2016
Venue: Chequer Mead Theatre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3BS
Time: all evening shows 7.30pm; matinee on Saturday 22nd, 2.30pm
Tickets: evening shows £13 (£11 concessions); Saturday matinee £11 (£9 concessions), available from the Box Office by phoning 01342 302000, by email to tickets@chequermead.org.uk, or online at http://www.chequermead.org.uk/whats-on/theatre/event/?e=364967&cat= (click on the desired date button to purchase)

http://www.chequermead.org.uk/

5.4 REMINDER: LANCRE WITCHES ON THE ROAD! CARPE JUGULUM IN ESSEX (AUGUST)

"Come and join Chameleon's Web Theatre Company for a fun-filled show suitable for all ages from 4-104. Although we can guarantee the quality of the performance we cannot guarantee the British weather so please bring appropriate clothing for an outdoor performance! Please bring rugs, low backed chairs and picnics but be warned – the residents of Lancre are very partial to a sausage roll or two!"

When: 5th, 6th, 7th, 13th and 14th August 2016
Venue: various; see below
Time: various; see below
Tickets: £11 (£9 concessions; family ticket £34), available from http://www.chameleonsweb.co.uk/www.ticketsource.co.uk/chameleonsweb or bookable by phone on 0333 666 3366 (local rate, £1.50 booking charge which includes postage of tickets)

Venues are:

5th August: The Amphitheatre, Park Drive, Promenade Park, Maldon, Essex CM9 5HX at 6pm
For more info: http://www.visitmaldon.co.uk/promenade-park/

6th August: Tollesbury Community Centre, East Street, Tollesbury, Essex CM9 8QD at 7pm (indoors)
For more info: http://bit.ly/299hVmL

7th August: Beth Chatto Gardens, Elmstead Market, Colchester, Essex CO7 7DB at 6pm
For more info: http://www.bethchatto.co.uk/events/theatre-performance-in-the-gardens.htm

13th August: The Whalebone, Chapel Rd, Colchester, Essex CO5 7BG at 5pm
For more info: http://www.thewhaleboneinn.co.uk/

14th August: Dedham Vale Vineyard, Green Lane, Boxted, Colchester, Essex CO4 5TS at 6pm
For more info: http://www.dedhamvalevineyard.com/

Tour Information Line - 07936067657 (please note tickets cannot be purchased from this number)

http://www.chameleonsweb.co.uk/next.html

5.3 NEW: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN THE WIRRAL (JULY)

Greasby Players, who produced a run last year of Wyrd Sisters, will be staging Guards! Guards! this month!

When: 13th -16th July 2016
Venue: Westbourne Hall, Westbourne Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 4DQ
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £8.00 (£6.00 concessions). To book, ring 677 9187 or visit Greasby Players' Facebook page (URL below)

https://www.facebook.com/GreasbyPlayersWirral/
http://www.wirralradio.co.uk/news/whats-on/

5.5 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN RICHMOND, YORKSHIRE (AUGUST)

The Richmond Amateur Dramatic Society aka RADS will be staging their production of Wyrd Sisters in July. RADS chairman Mike Walker writes, “For anyone who hasn’t visited the Georgian Theatre Royal, it is an experience in itself, being Britain’s oldest working theatre in its original form; a Grade 1 listed building and an accredited museum. It is an 18th century ‘courtyard’ theatre which seats just over 200 people, the furthest seat being only 10.7m from the stage! I do hope Terry Pratchett fans will be interested in seeing Wyrd Sisters in this fascinating setting.”

When: 4th–6th August 2016
Venue: Georgian Theatre Royal, Victoria Road, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4DW
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £6.50 to £12.50, available online at https://tickets.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk/ or ring the box office 01748 825252

http://www.richmond-ads.org.uk/
http://www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk/

5.6 REMINDER: GOING POSTAL IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)

The Monstrous Productions Theatre Company, who specialise in staging Pratchett plays and have so far raised – and donated – over £18,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK, are taking on the Ankh-Morpork Post Office for their next project!

"Moist Von Lipwig is a conman, forger and all-round confidence trickster, always on the look out for the next big game. Until one of his many personas has a run-in with the law and is hanged to within a inch of his life. And so begins the biggest game of all. He must restore Ankh-Morpork's defunct post office to it’s former glory or else have a second shot at dancing the hemp fandango. On his side he has the Disc's oldest junior postman, Stanley ('ask me about pins!') and his pottery probation officer, Mr Pump. It's a mighty task, made mightier by competition from Ankh-Morpork's newest technology, the Clacks, and its piratical owner, Reacher Gilt."

When: 17th–20th August 2016
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3JW
Time: 7.30pm evening shows (doors open at 7pm); 2.30pm matinee on the 20th (doors open 2pm)
Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions), available from http://7889269b08cd.fikket.com/ – also by email (monstrousproductions2012@gmail.com, pay by cheque or bank transfer)

Also, if you are local to the Cardiff area (or fond of travelling), the Monstrous company works to a great model: "We announce auditions for upcoming productions about a month before casting. We have a laid back audition process and people travel from all over the South Wales area. No experience is necessary, our only stipulation is that members must be over 18 and younger than 70. Membership is £10 per year. We rehearse twice a week over the course of a few months, with some social activities thrown in."

http://www.monstrousptc.com/

5.7 REMINDER: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN BRISBANE (OCTOBER)

The Brisbane Arts Theatre takes on yet another Discworld play later this year, in October and November: "From the legendary author Sir Terry Pratchett comes the eighth novel in the Discworld series and first featuring the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. Long believed extinct, a superb specimen, The Noble Dragon has appeared in Discworld's greatest city. Not only does this unwelcome visitor have a nasty habit of charbroiling everything in its path, in rather short order it is crowned King (it is a noble dragon, after all). With some help from an orangutan librarian, it is the task of the Night Watch to overpower the secret brotherhood and restore order to the kingdom in this fantastical Discworld adventure."

When: 8th October through 12th November 2016
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Time: 8pm Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays (except 10th November); 6.30pm Sundays (16th & 30th October)
Tickets: Adults $31, Concession $25, Group 10+ $25, Group 75+ $20, Student Rush $10(10 mins before curtain), available online at http://bit.ly/1QGbXBF

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/show/guardsguards

5.8 NEW: MORT IN THE LAND OF FOG (NOVEMBER)

Paeroa Little Theatre's major production for 2016 will be Mort!

When: 9th–18th November 2016
Venue: Paeroa Little Theatre, 1 Francis Street, Paeroa 3600, th North Island, Land of Fog, er, New Zealand
Time: TBA
Tickets: TBA

http://www.facebook.com/PaeroaLittleTheatre/

5.9 STILL QUITE NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN BOLTON, LANCS (MARCH 2017)

Bolton Little Theatre, "a vibrant amateur theatre company run by members" since 1931, will be presenting their production of Wyrd Sisters next March.

When: 6th–11th March 2017
Venue: Bolton Little Theatre, Hanover Street, Bolton BL1 4TG
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £10 (Monday night 3 for 2 special), available at boltonlittletheatre.ticketsource.co.uk – group bookings of 10+ (£9) should be booked through the Box Office. “You can book at Bolton Little Theatre box office in person or by telephone on Monday night from 7.30 to 9pm and Friday mornings from 10.30 to 12 noon – no extra charge if paying by cash or cheque and you can book during the run of the plays or you can book online at boltonlittletheatre.ticketsource.co.uk ...credit card charges will apply. Tickets can be e-tickets (no charge) mobile phone ticket (50p) standard post (£1.50).”

http://www.boltonlittletheatre.co.uk/terry-pratchetts-wyrd-sisters/

5.10 REVIEWS: WYRD SISTERS IN DARLINGTON, FOURECKS

By Douglas Sutherland-Bruce for Weekend Notes:

"Young director Harrison MacLennan has assembled a very young cast to present this classic of the genre. First let me say that the sets designed and built by Owen Davis and his team is nothing short of miraculous. Beautifully detailed and painted on about six reversible truck flats the scenes changes (a LOT of them) were smooth, swift and silent... innovative use of the stage added to the imaginative use of lights and sound was simply magical. As might be expected with such a young and largely inexperienced cast (for many this was their first time on stage) the stagecraft was somewhat problematic but the energy and enthusiasm made up for it. The cast was filled out by some highly experienced actors which re-dressed the balance. Taneal Thompson makes a welcome return to Marloo as the villainous duchess. Fi Livings, as the doyenne of witches, Granny Weatherwax, was outstanding, as was relative newcomer Chantelle Pitt's Nanny Ogg. Her accent roamed all over the British Isles from Ireland, through Cornwall to the Outer Hebrides but that just added to the charm of her performance. In fact 'charming' is probably the most significant description of the production... The cast worked well together and the audience thoroughly enjoyed themselves, as I would expect any audience to do – it would be hard to not like this delightful show..."

http://www.weekendnotes.com/wyrd-sisters-marloo-theatre/

...and by Gordon the Optom for the Independent Theatre Association:

"I think this may be the first major production directed by Harrison MacLennan, who was ably assisted here by Guy Jackson. With a massive cast to handle and some actors as young as 12 yrs. (Molly O’Hehir – a star in the making?), I was expecting the show to stagger through. However, EVERY member of the cast was superbly rehearsed and totally focused. There were no vacant faces when other actors were talking, and everyone acted with their bodies and faces. Good, solid and natural performances from this young team. The magnificent witches had some hilarious lines, delivered with perfect comedic timing. The entrances and exits worked smoothly, even when a dozen actors were involved..."

http://www.ita.org.au/2016/06/wyrd-sisters-reviewed-by-gordon-the-optom/

5.11 REVIEW: LORDS AND LADIES IN NEWCASTLE

By Denise Sparrowhawk for SpikeMike:

"The People's Theatre have once again taken on the challenge of a big cast production with over 25 characters. And that's before you even consider the legacy of Terry Pratchett hovering over the whole proceeding! But as usual the People's team have taken on the challenge and presented a blinding production. Magnificent costumes, spectacular sound and lighting, a few clever special effects and some almost perfect comic timing make this an incredible show. We have morris dancers, wizards, witches - old and new. You have to love the teenage emo witches with their carefully ragged outfits and their self-consciously co-ordinated black lace handkerchiefs). An unexpected king and his queen to be, chosen from his subjects ( like all good fairy tales). Wicked elves, a glamorous bad queen and of course, an Orang-utan... If you were thinking it's all sounding a bit panto-ish, you'd not be far wrong, and of course, there is nothing the People's theatre do better than panto and Shakespeare. The characters are colourful, larger than life, the humour is witty and bawdy, and at times cuttingly sharp... Standout performances from Sarah Scott as Magrat Garlick, Kath Frazer as Granny Witherwack[sic], and Val Russell as nanny Og[sic], who between them save the day.. a marvellous feel good production with a serious message about society if you'd care to look for it, or you could just enjoy the spectacle..."

http://bit.ly/2aT8mEH

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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), meets next on Monday 1st August 2016 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London, W2 1JQ. For more information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk

*

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

*

For Facebook users in Fourecks: The Victorian Discworld Klatch is "a social group for fans of Discworld and Terry Pratchett... run by a dedicated team who meet monthly and organise events monthly." "If you’d like to join our events please ask to join the Klatch."

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


*

"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)" is a public Facebook meeting group: "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will continue to be used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan Gatherings in Wincanton. Look here for information." [Editor's note: this is an active group. If you use Facebook, it may be worth joining!]

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

*

The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, Discworld photo scavenger hunts. We also attend opening night at Brisbane Arts Theatre's Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have about 200 members who meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.

For more info about their next meetup, join up at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au

*

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

"We have an established Terry Pratchett & Discworld fan group in Adelaide called The City of Small Gods, which is open to anyone who would like to come - you don't have to live in Adelaide or even South Australia, or even be a Discworld fan, but that's mostly where our events will be held, and we do like discussing Pratchett's works. Our (semi-) regular meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm. The games are usually shorter games like Pairs, Sushi Go, or Tiny Epic Defenders, with the occasional Werewolf session, as these are the best sort of games that work in a pub setting. Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am. In addition, we will occasionally have other events to go and see plays by Unseen Theatre Company, book discussions on Terry's latest, craft, chain maille or costuming workshops or other fun social activities."

The next Monthly Dinner and Games at the Caledonian Hotel will be held on 25th August 2016. For more info, go to www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 4th August 2016 (probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 5th August 2016 (probably) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood (presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

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

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 1st August 2016 at 6.30pm (probably) in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney,2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meets next on Monday 1st August 2016 (probably) from 5.30pm at Carpe Cafe, 526 Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia. For details follow Perth Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers or join their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>

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

07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

7.1 FROM DISCWORLD.COM

* The Terry Pratchett 2017 Diary!

"Sir Terry Pratchett left us, far too early, in March 2015. To celebrate his life and works, we’ve given over the 2017 Discworld Diary – which will be a perennial diary – to remembrances and tributes from some of those who knew and loved him and his extraordinary body of work. Contributors include Neil Gaiman, A S Byatt, Terry Pratchett’s literary agent Colin Smythe, co-author of the Long Earth books Stephen Baxter, famed bookseller Rog Peyton, and many more. With an introduction from his daughter Rhianna Pratchett and an afterword from longtime friend and colleague Rob Wilkins. Exclusively embossed with Sir Terry’s signature and sealed with his personal coat of arms – the design of which he oversaw himself."

The Terry Pratchetty Diary is priced at £20.00 and will be published on 13th October 2016. For more information, and to pre-order, go to
http://discworld.com/products/books/terry-pratchett-diary/

7.2 FROM THE DISCWORLD EMPORIUM

* The Discworld 2017 Collector's Edition calendar!

"Featuring the iconic fantasy artwork of Josh Kirby, the 2017 Discworld calendar is a nostalgic celebration of his spectacular and unmistakable cover illustrations for Terry Pratchett's earliest Discworld books. The 2017 calendar features twelve pieces of artwork, along with all those important Discworld and roundworld dates that you'll still forget about despite them hanging on your wall in such a decorative fashion. Each calendar includes a full page of colourful artwork for each month along with plenty of space for your notes, reminders and appointments. Includes all major realtime calendrical data for Great Britain, Eire, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, as well as notable Discworld dates."

The 2017 Discworld Calendar is priced at £14.99, plus shipping (variable). For more information, and to order, go to

http://discworld.com/products/books/terry-pratchett-diary/

* New Discworld Collector's Library releases! With combined shipping!

"We're now offering combined shipping when you pre-order all four new Collector's Library Edition books! The Last Continent, Carpe Jugulum, The Fifth Elephant and The Truth will be published October 20th, all with stunning new cover artwork by Joe McLaren! Every copy of these beautiful hardbacks include a FREE Unseen University Library Bookplate, printed on real gummed stamp paper – exclusive to copies from the Discworld Emporium! If you have already placed an order that you would like to amend please contact us with your order number via shop@discworldemporium.com and we will be happy to help!"

Each of the four books is priced at £12.99, with a special combination price of £51.96 for all four (shipping included). For more information, and to pre-order, go to

http://www.discworldemporium.com/new-terry-pratchett-books

* Fantastic beasts (and where to find them)!

No, nowt to do with Harry Potter. This is a gorgeous tea towel featuring many of the odd fauna and flora of the Disc: "100% cotton tea towel featuring some of our favourite Discworld plants and critters, including the Curious Squid, Quantum Weather Butterfly, Counting Pine, Hermit Elephant and Swamp Dragon! Illustrated exclusively for us in glorious thaumicolour by Vladimir Stankovic in his wonderfully dark story-book style, this fantastical tea towel is a tribute to some of the 'wilder' creations from the mind of Terry Pratchett – the flora and fauna that made the Discworld world just a little bit more, well, Discworld."

The Flora and Fauna tea towel measures 78 x 48cm and is priced at £9.95. For more information, and to order, go to

http://bit.ly/2acTPlI

The Flora and Fauna of Discworld print is also available as a poster, priced at £15.00 and measuring 80.5 x 50cm. For more information, and to order, go to

http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-flora-and-fauna-poster

7.3 FROM THE PAUL KIDBY SHOP

The Discworld Colouring Book is almost ready! It will be published by Gollancz on the 18th of August, and Paul Kidby's shop is offering an exclusive signed ‘Pencil Eater’ bookplate with each copy.

Priced at £13.50 (price includes postage & packaging for UK deliveries only). For more information, and to pre-order, go to

http://bit.ly/2alSV63

7.4 ... AND FROM SOME PASSIONATE PRATCHETT FANS IN FOURECKS

The City of Small Gods fan club in Adelaide, South Australia, has commissioned their own line of logo-bedecked clothing! There are several items available: a Bell Polo, a Contrast Polo (both priced at AU$35-AU$40), a Shepherd Hoodie (AU$50-AU$55) and a Contrast Fleecy Hoodie (AU$60-AU$65), all looking very classy too. For more information, and to order, go to

https://t.co/PFW6OuvHTR

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08) A FEW ODDS AND SODS

8.1 JOSH KIRBY ART FOR GAMES

From the MerketersMedia press release:

"The Josh Kirby Estate has announced an exclusive partnership with Seattle-area based games developer MetaArcade, providing Kirby's art for use within its upcoming game, a digital remastering of the iconic tabletop RPG, Tunnels & Trolls. Featuring Kirby's original creations, MetaArcade will debut its prototype of Tunnels & Trolls at Gen Con, held Aug. 4-7 in Indianapolis, celebrating the game's 40th consecutive attendance. Rob Liano, Chief Marketing Officer of the Josh Kirby Estate, said 'Josh was creative and innovative and we couldn't be more excited about bringing his distinctive work to life for new audiences on digital platforms by partnering with fellow innovators like MetaArcade.'... Kirby was highly sought after by the time the 1980s rolled around, yet he lent his talents to creating the interior art and full-color covers for a limited series of Tunnels & Trolls books, at the time, distributed only in the United Kingdom. Kirby's unmistakable art for Tunnels & Trolls has largely been out of print for decades, and will now play an integral role in MetaArcade's remastering of Tunnels & Trolls for digital platforms, including iOS, Android, PC, and Mac. David Reid, Founder & CEO of MetaArcade, said 'Josh Kirby stands as one of the world's premier fantasy artists, and we are thrilled to honour his legacy by showcasing his work in both our Tunnels & Trolls game and the beginning of the MetaArcade Adventures Platform content library.'..."

http://bit.ly/2aq3lCK

Ben Barrett of PC Games adds info in his article:

"Kirby also created work for the original Tunnels & Trolls books, the tabletop adventure IP on which MetaArcade is building one of its games and the first ever followup to D&D. They wanted to use that same art for the digital version once they found it, as CEO David Reid explains. 'Early in our development of the Tunnels & Trolls prototype, we did a quick inventory of all the books in circulation,' he says. 'One of our partners picked up the Corgi book which included solo adventures Naked Doom and Deathtrap Equalizer, which included artwork [we'd] never seen. We were instantly blown away by the quality of the art Josh had created, and after conferring with Flying Buffalo to determine the artwork's origins, we contacted the Josh Kirby Estate through Rob Liano.'

"Reid also says that some of the very best adventures in the original books were illustrated by Kirby, and they’re going to debut his art as part of the digital version at GenCon this year, August 4-7. While it's going to be used to illustrate the same adventures it originally did, it will also be part of the MetaArcade Adventures Platform, meaning budding designers can use Kirby's art as part of their own games if they wish. 'Personally, as I look over the archive of art from the past 40 years, at times entire ideas for adventures spring forth to me just by looking at one illustration,' says Reid, 'and it's my hope and expectation that other writers will take the same inspiration from Josh's art and the rest of the library...'"

http://www.pcgamesn.com/tunnels-trolls/metaarcade-josh-kirby-art

8.2 WHY DISCWORLD NOVELS "RESIST ADAPTATION"

A thought-provoking op-ed by Prospero for The Economist. Longish by current internet-idiot standards, but worth reading al the way through. Some extracts:

"A newcomer to Pratchett would be forgiven for feeling a little baffled: how could such a commercially successful series, matched only by 'Harry Potter' and 'Twilight', have avoided the siren call of Hollywood for so long? The will-they-won’t-they saga of bringing Pratchett to the big screen is almost as long as the 41-strong novel series itself. In 1992, Pratchett was approached by an American production company about his novel 'Mort', a dark comedy about the skeletal, scythe-wielding figure of Death taking on an intern... 'We've been doing market research and the skeleton bit doesn't work for us, it’s a bit of a downer,' Pratchett recalled the producers saying, 'We love it, it's high concept – just lose the Death angle.' The film went no further... One explanation for the Sisyphean back-and-forth might be just the fiercely anti-Disney, sceptical bent to Pratchett's writing. Any book which has as its guiding credo the line: 'If you trust in yourself…and believe in your dreams...and follow your star…you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy' is going to find it tough to maintain its integrity once the studio has made it commercially palatable.

"Or so we might have thought. But Hollywood is rapidly turning subversion of its own tropes into its chief box office asset. 'Frozen', a Disney princess story about the bond between two sisters that made more than $1 billion worldwide, cheerfully rewrote all the accepted kid-friendly rules about dreams and true love. It has ushered in an irreverent revisionist wave from 'Into the Woods' to 'The Lego Movie' that would comfortably incorporate a strong heroine uninterested in romance, much like 'The Wee Free Men''s Tiffany Aching. The irony and subversion powering Pratchett's writing has never had a better time to flourish in Hollywood. Yet even with this change, Pratchett's works resist easy adaptation. Much as Douglas Adams's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' long resisted a film version (and even then produced a mediocre result), Pratchett's authorial voice is hard to convey on the screen. Pratchett in particular relies on paratext – a novel commenting on being a novel. Reading him is to be endlessly second-guessed. The brilliance of a quip like 'Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life' lies in its subversion of expectation, but in a particularly literary way. Its force depends on the eye crossing the page, not a viewer watching images on a screen..."

http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2016/07/books-film

8.3 ANKH-MORPORK: YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE THERE, BUT...

On Bustle.com, Charlotte Ahlin lists "10 fictional places we wish we could travel to in real life", and number four – one rank higher than the Shire! – is Ankh-Morpork:

"Yes, the city-state of Ankh-Morpork is a mess, but if you're visiting Terry Pratchett's Discworld, you won't want to miss it. It's rife with violence and corruption, but in a fun way. You can take a class at Unseen University, or grab a drink at Biers ("where everybody knows your shape"). As the biggest city in all of Discworld, Ankh-Morpork is filled with all manner of humans, dwarves, wizards, and other fantasy characters, both living and undead. Just bring some hand-sanitizer, if you decide to make the trip."

http://bit.ly/29KunUe

8.4 VIDEOS: ALZHEIMER'S AND MEMORY

On Scroll.in, a series of Alzheimer's-related videos ("These are the memories that people with Alzheimer's never want to forget") includes Sir Pterry. All are worth watching.

http://bit.ly/2aiQRhi


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09) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Paul Kidby's wonderful portrait of the Chalk Clan's "usual suspects", including Hamish the Aviator and Morag, from The Wee Free Men:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnzKjXDWcAAKLUF.jpg

...and the magnificent Lady Esmerelda Weatherwax, Patron of the Opera, as drawn by Paul Kidby for the Talpress edition of Maskerade:
http://bit.ly/2aqouMT

[Editor's note: if you look at the photo on this page (_http://picturesup.typepad.com/pictures-up/2010/10/poison-is-queen.html_) – which is of the equally magnificent Sian Phillips in ageing makeup as the elderly Livia in I, Claudius – you can see a very strong resemblance. I've always felt that Ms Phillips (now Dame Sian) was the physical inspiration for Granny, whether Pterry and Paul Kidby realised it or not. Never forget that Granny was a very handsome woman, even if her sternness made her less so; after all, Pterry told us that both Weatherwax sisters looked very alike, but Lily was considered beautiful!]

Hags of Fourecks: Nanny (Chantelle Pitt), Granny (Fi Livings) and Magrat (Alisha Napier) as presented in the Marloo Theatre's recent production of Wyrd Sisters:
http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/003/03/wyrd-sisters-stephen-briggs-terry-pratchett-discwo1.jpg

Daniel Robinson's excellent Discworld cake for his father (originally tweeted at https://twitter.com/DPR1990/status/756841307612545024):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CoDXJqYW8AAb4o_.jpg

...and for your Librarian-inspired pleasure, here be one of Melbourne Zoo's marvellous orangutans, displaying his fashion sense with a knowing look:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CoBd86GXEAEB_uu.jpg

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

10) CLOSE

And that's the lot for July. Take care, and we'll see you next month!

– Annie Mac


ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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

Copyright (c) 2016 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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

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

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

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

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

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

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

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

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

– Paul Kidby, interviewed for Luton on Sunday

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

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

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

02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

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

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

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

http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/

*

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

http://bit.ly/1ed6s1x

*

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

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

*

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

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

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

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

http://bit.ly/1KcW2xh

*

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

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

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

And now, on with the show.

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) WITHOUT WHOM: COLIN SMYTHE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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04) ODDS AND SODS

4.1 SHAKING HANDS WITH DEATH: BOOK FORMAT RELEASE

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

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

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

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

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

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

4.2 THE COMPLEAT DISCWORLD ATLAS: COMING SOON!

From The Random House Group (UK):

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

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

The page includes a direct Buy Now button:

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

From Penguin Random House Canada:

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

By Terry Pratchett, aided and abetted by the Discworld Emporium

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

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

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

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

4.3 REMINDER: "DISCWORLD AND BEYOND" IN LUTON

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

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

http://bit.ly/1LnVfWN

http://bit.ly/1SfgfUV

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

4.4 SUPPORTING SECRET WORLD'S RESCUE WORK

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

Here be that lovely photo:

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

4.5 STEPHEN BAXTER INTERVIEWS

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

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

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

"How did you make it work?

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

"What is it like collaborating rather than writing alone?

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

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

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

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

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

http://bit.ly/1JEwKCD

4.6 ANKH-MORPORK THROUGH THE EYES OF A CIVIC DRAUGHTSMAN

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

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

The pages are:

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

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

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

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

4.7 SWEARING AND "THE LAST HERO"

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

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

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

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

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

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

4.9 RAISING STEAM FOR REAL IN SCOTLAND

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

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

4.10 PTERRY AND THE DISCWORLD SCULPTURE, A TALE

A delightful true story shared by English sculptor snuurg:

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

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

http://www.snuurg.com/

4.11 SMALL GODS AND THE TULPA CONCEPT

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

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

The entire article is well worth a read:

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

4.12 THE COLIN SMYTHE TERRY PRATCHETT ARCHIVE

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

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

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

http://bit.ly/1OSzErZ

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

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

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

About Senate House Library:

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

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

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

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

4.13 THE DISCWORLD ART OF JACKIE MORRIS

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

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

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

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

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05) REVIEWS: THE LONG UTOPIA

By Adam Roberts, in The Guardian:

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

http://bit.ly/1TYCNcs

By David Barnett, in The Independent:

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

http://tinyurl.com/q2dbwev

By Paul di Filippo for Locus Online:

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

http://bit.ly/1SIrfaY

By Doug Anderson for the Otago Times:

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

http://bit.ly/1MQJcT5

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

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

http://yhoo.it/1H8ohWy

...and by Sue Sheard for Culturefly:

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

http://bit.ly/1LLkpB7

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06) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS AND UPDATES

6.1 NEW: NIGHT WATCH IN CARDIFF (SEPTEMBER)

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

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

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

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

6.2 REMINDER: ERIC AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE (AUGUST)

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

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

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

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

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

6.3 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN EXETER (AUGUST)

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

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

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

6.4 REMINDER: MORT IN BRISBANE (AUGUST-OCTOBER)

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

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

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

6.5 NEW: UNSEEN ACADEMICALS IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (NOVEMBER)

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

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

http://bit.ly/1HRjEnr

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

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

6.6 NEW: MASKERADE IN GLASGOW (SEPTEMBER)

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

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

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

http://www.forttheatre.org/

6.7 REVIEW: MASKERADE IN PERTH, FOURECKS

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

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

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

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

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07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

7.1 UPDATES FROM THE DISCWORLD EMPORIUM

"Something witchy this way comes..."

DISCWORLD DIARY 2016: A PRACTICAL MANUAL FOR THE MODERN WITCH

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.discworldemporium.com/DiscworldDiary2016

THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN SPECIAL OFFER

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

To view both sides of this lovely bookmark:

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

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

http://www.discworldemporium.com/TheShepherdsCrown

TIFFANY'S HARE PENDANT – IN SILVER!

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

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

For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/HareNecklace

LATEST STAMPS

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

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

http://www.discworldemporium.com/BirthdayPatricianMinisheet

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

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

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

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

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

To view all available new stamps, go to:

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

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

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

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

http://www.discworldemporium.com/LeagueofTemperance6p

SHAKING HANDS WITH DEATH, LECTURE IN BOOK FORM

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

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER, PUBLISHED 30.07.15

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

http://www.discworldemporium.com/ShakingHandsWithDeath


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


7.2 UPDATES FROM PJSM PRINTS: HORSE AND HARE

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

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

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08) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

8.1 BIG PHARMA LOOKING FOR A CURE

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

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

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

8.2 PROMISING DRUG?

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

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

8.3 BLOOD CHEMICAL TO PREDICT BRAIN DECLINE

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

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

8.4 YOUNG SCIENTIST DEVELOPS PROMISING EARLY ALZHEIMER'S TEST

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

http://huff.to/1MqHjft

8.5 FUNDRAISING FOR ALZHEIMER'S

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

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

http://bit.ly/1IoW56T

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

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

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09) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 NADWCON AT SASQUAN NEWS

9.1a Denise Connell's Pratchett documentary appeal:

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

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

Update from Denise:

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

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

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

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

All good things,
Denise

9.1b SASQUAN WorldCon 2015

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

www.sasquan.org

9.2 SCHEIBENWELT (GERMAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION) NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9.3 AUSDWCON NEWS

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

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

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10) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11) SOME NOTABLE "FANAC"

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

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

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

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

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

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

To read the rest of this, go to:

http://bit.ly/1ILASEL


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

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

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

12) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS

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

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

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

*

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

*

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

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

*

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

*

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

*

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

*

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

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood (presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

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

*

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

*

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

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

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

13) ROUNDWORLD TALES: HO! THE MEGAPODE!

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

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

http://bit.ly/1JEfnBT

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

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

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

Here be an account of the proceedings in 1901:

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

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

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

http://bit.ly/1MqwxrR

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

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

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

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

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

14) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

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

The Last Continent:

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

http://bit.ly/1HL7FI8

The Truth:

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

http://bit.ly/1LwhI82

Making Money:

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

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

Guards! Guards!:

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

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

The Light Fantastic:

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

http://bit.ly/1JRv09a

...and Snuff:

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

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

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

15) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://bit.ly/1LMItU8

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

16) CLOSE

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

– Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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

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

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

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

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

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
July 2014 (Volume 17, Issue 7, post 2)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

01) MORE QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) MORE IMAGES OF THE MONTH
07) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

01) QUOTE OF THE REST OF THE MONTH

Or quite possibly the quote of the year!

"I'd like to do a Tomb Raider/Wee Free Men mash-up where Lara is armed only with a frying pan and a bottle of 'Special Sheep Liniment'."

– Rhianna Pratchett, 20th July 2014 via Twitter

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Wotcha, all! This is a very quick round of updates, coming at the very end of the month. As I am in a rush, and haven't been near a Hex much in the past fortnight, I'll just say a quick apology to the various readers whose emails I haven't had a chance to reply to yet. Soon, soon. And now, on with the show...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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

03) ODDS AND SODS

3.1 NEW DISCWORLD ALES: WE'LL DRINK TO THAT

New Discworld-inspired and officially licenced ales for Roundworld! Apparently the first of these will be available in Wetherspoon's pubs for the next few weeks. Cheers!

First up is Modo's Midden, a golden ale by the Boathouse Brewery, priced at £3.14 a bottle:

"Dwarves are regarded as some of the best brewers on Discworld. Invited to try his hand at the Boathouse Brewery (as compensation for damage caused to the lawns), Unseen University's head gardener, Modo, spent long hours in the brewhouse preparing and crafting his beer. A steady stream of under gardeners arrived with ingredient-laden barrows, causing more than one student to wonder what exactly would emerge and whether the brewhouse would survive. The resulting beer serves as one of the finest examples of dwarven brewing excellence and Modo has been seen feeding his legendary compost heap with a bottle or three when it's feeling a little flat.

"Tasting Notes: An honest, earthy and refreshing golden ale with a classic aroma of cedar and herbs. On the palate a light lemon/grapefruit flavour develops under the cedar for a truly distinctive character. The beer leaves a rounded taste in the mouth wanting you to take more."

http://tinyurl.com/mb457g9

...and then there's Invalid's Restorative, priced at £2.10 per bottle:

"A deep golden ale, brewed by golems who can resist the temptations of its strength. Matured in oaken casks used for aging Jimkin Bearhugger’s finest dram. The purest mountain spring water is shipped in from Llamedos and blended with floor malted barley, just a dash of black malt and a blend of Progress and Pilgrim (hops rather than travellers). The long oak aging imparts vanilla notes to the aroma, and the residual spirit lends a hefty kick to this splendid ale... Whiskey barrels are used for transporting the beer (they have plenty!) and this imparts a distinctive taste which, in true Bearhugger fashion, is aged for 8 minutes to keep up with the massive demand..."

http://tinyurl.com/ntm7cmn

3.2 WORLD WIDE DISCWORDS

The marvellous Michael Quinion of World Wide Words has featured Discworld in not one but two posts recently! Here are the entries for thaumaturgy (in which the UU Thaumometers get a look-in):

http://tinyurl.com/nplh974

...and for geis/geas, which of course quotes the Feegles:

http://tinyurl.com/lzg895t

3.3 REVIEW: GOING POSTAL

By Will Duquette on patheos.com:

"So last night I finished reading Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal to my wife and kids. Going Postal is in an odd category: it’s a full-fledge novel that I have only ever read aloud. I read it to Jane when it was first released, and now to Jane and my kids. Jane and I loved it on the first reading, and I’m glad to say that it held up on the second reading. In fact, I might go so far as to say that Going Postal is one of Pratchett’s best, and it’s certainly one of my favorites, in part because it is so unlike the various other Discworld sub-series... One of the things I especially like about this one is the variety of scenes with Lord Vetinari. We usually see him through the eyes of Sam Vimes, Commander of the City Watch; and so we usually see the Vetinari’s manner when managing Sam Vimes. But Vetinari is a skilled manipulator, and his manner with Moist is somewhat – different..."

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/crywoof/2014/07/review-going-postal/

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WOSSNAME

Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion

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

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

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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti, Alison Not Weatherwax, Steven D'Aprano, L.C. Wynn-Jones
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico, Kevin
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)

Copyright 2013 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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INDEX:

01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
03) 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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