Jasper Fforde Ffan

[Maud Fitch]

And speaking of dates, I thought I'd post a few of Jasper Fforde's forthcoming calendar events.
Is there anyone in these areas because I'd love to attend but can't so maybe you could report back to me:

March 7th and 8th, 2012:
Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen, near Nuremburg, Germany.
Two lectures - talks, actually (okay, ramblings)

March 28th to April 1st, 2012:
Part of an event run by the British Council in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Early days. Initial talks suggest events more of a workshop/teaching nature.

Sunday 22nd April 2012:
Chipping Norton Festival.
Undertaken by those frightfully pleasant Chipping Norton Festival of Literature johnnies.
2:00 PM at the Chequers Inn. Seats 50.

Wednesday 23rd May 2012:
Dudley Library, Dudley, West Midlands.
Dudley Libraries, in partnership with Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Walsall, host a range of reader events for Black Country Libraries Big Book Fortnight during May and this will be the 8th year we have put on this event.

Saturday and Sunday 2nd and 3rd of June 2012:
The Ffifth Fforde Ffiesta.
The Fforde Ffiesta is a weekend of silliness inspired by the works of Jasper Fforde. A MUST!
It is held annually in Swindon, UK (the home of Thursday Next from Jasper's books).
Jasper is a big part of the events. He gives a reading from one of his books - one yet to be published - does a question and answer session, narrates at least one of the bus tours, sits on the judging panels and conducts the auction as well as taking part in some of the other events. In addition he is around for virtually the whole weekend and mingles with the attendees. He’s also doing events at Stoke-on-Trent and Dinefwr Castle in Carmarthenshire.
Heaven for ffans.

[Gannon]

@Fran

My gosh he is a busy man. I would love to be able to go to one of his events. Who knows maybe down the track one day I will get to one of them. I will consult you with dates and appearances( you should be his personal secretary, I bet you know more about his schedule than his staff does ) I am so looking forward to my latest Jasper, but I think it might be a way off yet. It will give me time to finish this Rome trilogy.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Just love the new mugshot

Jasper certainly does get around, pity he hasn't hopped across the Irish Sea yet ... , ah maybe in time

[Maud Fitch]

Jasper certainly does get around, pity he hasn't hopped across the Irish Sea yet ... , ah maybe in time

Yeah, maybe he'll do a world tour entitled "See You Next Thursday" or something more witty than that.

When I was at the library I grabbed a leaflet which reads: "The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain" - I kid you not.
This group of ukulele musicians is touring Australia for the first time in February and March 2012. Some of the reviews read "Plucking brilliant" by Sunday Times, "Absolutely the best of British" by Monty Python's Michael Palin
and "Wonderfully clever" by David Bowie. Wow, they play Tchaikovsky to Nirvana and everything in between.
All I could think of was how Jasper Ffordean is that!!

[Gannon]

Jasper certainly does get around, pity he hasn't hopped across the Irish Sea yet ... , ah maybe in time

Yeah, maybe he'll do a world tour entitled "See You Next Thursday" or something more witty than that.

When I was at the library I grabbed a leaflet which reads: "The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain" - I kid you not.
This group of ukulele musicians is touring Australia for the first time in February and March 2012. Some of the reviews read "Plucking brilliant" by Sunday Times, "Absolutely the best of British" by Monty Python's Michael Palin
and "Wonderfully clever" by David Bowie. Wow, they play Tchaikovsky to Nirvana and everything in between.
All I could think of was how Jasper Ffordean is that!!

That sounds wonderful. I would love to see something like that, especially them playing some Nirvana numbers. The play on words "Plucking brilliant" by the Suday Times had me laughing out loud. Also some big names being thrown around there, Michael Palin, David Bowie no less.

-- Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:03 pm --

Hey Hey Maud, guess what just turned up with the postie. My signed first edition of "The Big Over Easy". Also with it is the fourth signed postcard I have. This one is "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco". I can't wait to read it now, but I will have to finish "Captain of Rome" first. Then when I have finshed we can again discuss its merrits and fine points. Hope you are having a wonderful day.

[Maud Fitch]

Hey Hey Maud, guess what just turned up with the postie. My signed first edition of "The Big Over Easy". Also with it is the fourth signed postcard I have. This one is "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco". I can't wait to read it now, but I will have to finish "Captain of Rome" first. Then when I have finished we can again discuss its merits and fine points. Hope you are having a wonderful day.

That's FANTASTIC news! Just in time for some great weekend reading! As usual, I am happy and jealous at the same time. We all know there is sort of no such book as "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco" so how on earth is there a postcard? Please enlighten me.....or is it like those woolly mammoths sort of wandering through town?
Now I can't wait to compare notes on your latest JF acquisition but I do understand those Romans have priority.
<impatient sigh like child told to wait for dinner>

I've wrangled some time off work, so I'll be taking a break to a coastal resort over the next few days. Yippee!
I might log on at a public library and check out the Forums but then again the weather is beautiful so I might not.
Happy days to you, too.

[Gannon]

Hey Hey Maud, guess what just turned up with the postie. My signed first edition of "The Big Over Easy". Also with it is the fourth signed postcard I have. This one is "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco". I can't wait to read it now, but I will have to finish "Captain of Rome" first. Then when I have finished we can again discuss its merits and fine points. Hope you are having a wonderful day.

That's FANTASTIC news! Just in time for some great weekend reading! As usual, I am happy and jealous at the same time. We all know there is sort of no such book as "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco" so how on earth is there a postcard? Please enlighten me.....or is it like those woolly mammoths sort of wandering through town?
Now I can't wait to compare notes on your latest JF acquisition but I do understand those Romans have priority.
<impatient sigh like child told to wait for dinner>

I've wrangled some time off work, so I'll be taking a break to a coastal resort over the next few days. Yippee!
I might log on at a public library and check out the Forums but then again the weather is beautiful so I might not.
Happy days to you, too.

Howdy howdy Maud. What a wonderful Sunday, just got back from the beach, my god it is hot. Ok firstly, "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco" postcard has a picture of a VW painted hippie style and this big crowd around it. On the back of the postcard it reads

"The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco - In departure from the previous four books, the fifth in the series features Thursday at her most cuddly and least violent. The book was unacountably erased in 2002. Once again it is signed by Jasper. whoohooo

I can't wait to compare notes with you as well, however my reading has slowed right down because I am finally writing a book. I have churned out 5 chapters and today designed the cover and I am loving it. I have a great cover and five chapters of manuscript. Don't want to give too much away but I have done a 180 and it is set in the not too distant future, well 2044 and I am really enjoying it. If it flunks then who cares as long as I am enjoying it. My grammar is probably not up to par but it all counts to experience.

Your holiday sounds fantastic, please if you can drop us a line and make us all feel jealous. Have a great one Maud.

[Maud Fitch]

Howdy howdy Maud. What a wonderful Sunday, just got back from the beach, my god it is hot. Ok firstly, "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco" postcard has a picture of a VW painted hippie style and this big crowd around it. On the back of the postcard it reads: "The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco - In departure from the previous four books, the fifth in the series features Thursday at her most cuddly and least violent. The book was unacountably erased in 2002." Once again it is signed by Jasper. whoohooo

I can't wait to compare notes with you as well, however my reading has slowed right down because I am finally writing a book. I have churned out 5 chapters and today designed the cover and I am loving it. I have a great cover and five chapters of manuscript. Don't want to give too much away but I have done a 180 and it is set in the not too distant future, well 2044 and I am really enjoying it. If it flunks then who cares as long as I am enjoying it. My grammar is probably not up to par but it all counts to experience.

Your holiday sounds fantastic, please if you can drop us a line and make us all feel jealous. Have a great one Maud.

1. That postcard sounds great. LOL's. Love the quote about 'most cuddly and least violent'. I have seen that VW before someplace but might be getting confused with the sporty hippie flower power sports car which Thursday Next drives. Hey, you could get the postcards framed. Or do they become part of the collectable valuables?

Just a note, 'The Big Over Easy' is a departure from Thursday Next and based on NCD Nursery Crime Division formed in 1958 by DCI Jack Horner "after a particularly bizarre investigation that involved a tinder box, a soldier and a series of talking cats with varying degrees of ocular deformity" so brush up on your old nursery rhymes.

2. Congratulations on writing your book. Keep going! You're on a roll! Five chapters is great. And don't worry about the finer points too much because the best thing is to get it all down. Refinements come later when you are ready to send a synopsis to an editor or publisher to whet their appetites. You're an artist too, Gannon, you crafty devil you. Man, fancy designing your own cover. Maybe one day you can use it as an avatar so we can say we knew you first!

Thanks for the good wishes, I'll take books to read on my beachside break but may not open them!

[Gannon]

@Maud

I am definitely collecting the postcards because they are signed by Jasper and they have nice little illustrations.
The book I am writing is for a writing site. You must design a cover and you can not upload your book until it is at least 10000 words long. It is a great site where everybody reads and rates everyone elses books and each month the top five rated books are read by the sites editors. The sight is a run by a major publisher and they have published books from this site in the past. It is really fun and is a easy way for you to get your books out there. I am not sure if I am allowed to give the sites address. If I am I will, otherwise if you are interested I can send it to you in a pm. I don't mind if it gets panned by the others it is the first full book I have written and I am enjoying writing it at the moment.

Have a fantastic mini-holiday Maud.

[Maud Fitch]

I am halfway through The Eyre Affair and am having a good laugh. Nicely thought-out humour. I also cannot compare to Robert Rankin. There is more of a Douglas Adams feel to the prose, but still very unique.

Pawpoint, I hope you are enjoying "The Eyre Affair". Please tell us your favourite bits.

Are you writing hard, Gannon? And thank you for the well-wishes. Yes, I'm baaaaack! Had an ab-fab time even with a bit of sunburn. Ate too much, drank too much and didn't read very much!

Changing the subject, oooh I’m sooo excited because international bestselling Irish author Cathy Kelly is coming to our Irish Club on 8th March to talk about her new novel “The House On Willow Street” for AU$20 with book signing,
and
iconic charming Aussie cook Maggie Beer will be at the Hilton to discuss her new cookbook using an ingredient she pioneered, verjuice. For AU$38 canapés and refreshments will be served.

Decisions, decisions. Family drama or finger food?

[Fran]

@Maud
Haven't chatted in a while .... life, such a drag the way it gets in the way of enjoyable reading!
Glad you had a good holiday & choose Cathy Kelly, a very entertaining lady even if I'm not a great fan of her books.
Do please enlighten us ... what is verjuice? Some weird, Aussie concoction I bet!

Must tell you about a friend of my brother's ... he emigrated to Oz a few weeks ago & first on his to do list, of course, was Bondi Beach. He loves the sun but wasn't quite prepared for Aussie sun & ended up burning the soles of his feet & the top of his head (and he has a mad head of curly hair!) anyway he ends up spending 3 days indoors recovering. Talking to my brother on the phone he says 'Christ this Australia is a bloody weird country, sun burning the head off you and whatever they have under the ground is dam hot too ...'
Some of these boys really shouldn't be let out on their own

[Gannon]

I am halfway through The Eyre Affair and am having a good laugh. Nicely thought-out humour. I also cannot compare to Robert Rankin. There is more of a Douglas Adams feel to the prose, but still very unique.

Pawpoint, I hope you are enjoying "The Eyre Affair". Please tell us your favourite bits.

Are you writing hard, Gannon? And thank you for the well-wishes. Yes, I'm baaaaack! Had an ab-fab time even with a bit of sunburn. Ate too much, drank too much and didn't read very much!

Changing the subject, oooh I’m sooo excited because international bestselling Irish author Cathy Kelly is coming to our Irish Club on 8th March to talk about her new novel “The House On Willow Street” for AU$20 with book signing,
and
iconic charming Aussie cook Maggie Beer will be at the Hilton to discuss her new cookbook using an ingredient she pioneered, verjuice. For AU$38 canapés and refreshments will be served.

Decisions, decisions. Family drama or finger food?

@Maud

Oh Maud, you have to go with the Cathey Kelly and get her new novel and get it signed. I am so jealous. All of the signed first editions I have and I have never actually been to a signing before. Either way you go, hope you have a great time.

@Fran

Well Fran, now do you believe us when we go on about the heat. Poor guy I hope he is ok.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Oh he'll live ... we rear them tough!
How is the writing going? Can we anticipate a launch in the near future?

[Gannon]

@Gannon
Oh he'll live ... we rear them tough!
How is the writing going? Can we anticipate a launch in the near future?

The writing is going really well Fran, thanks for asking. I have written 8 chapters but with the book planned out in my head I think I am only about a tenth of the way to the finish line. Don't expect anything too soon. We went away for the weekend so I did not get any writing or reading done. Don't know if you or Maud will like it, it's very much SciFi. Very much in the mould of books such as Neuromancer. You can read the chapters that I have writen on "Authonomy.com", it is called "The Plug". If you or Maud read it, I would love your input and advice. it needs alot of work and I am constantly changing bits and pieces even from the first chapter. It is aimed at Young Adults. If you read it try and get past the first chapter. It is easily the worst chapter.

[Maud Fitch]

@ Fran.
Hope that poor bloke is adjusting okay. It is a ferocious heat this time of year but nothing a cool drink won't fix!
And I mean water, not the amber fluids Tooheys, Fosters or Fourex. On the subject of book launches, it looks like the concensus of opinion leans toward Cathy Kelly. However, in answer to your question, Maggie Beer was the first in the world to produce Verjuice commercially. It is made from the juice of unfermented grapes (she lives in the Barossa Valley wine region) and it's used as a gentle acidulant when lemon juice or vinegar is too tart - which means whenever a gentle dash of flavour is needed in roasts, veggies or sauces. Made you hungry?

@ Gannon.
Wow, you really are getting stuck into your writing. Way to go! As you said previously, nothing ventured, nothing gained; and as my old high school teacher used to say 'you've already failed if you don't try'. The first chapter is usually a pain, you're setting the scene really. My tastes extend to YA and I'm always ready for a bit of sci-fi. I would love to read your work. After posting this, I will log on to that website and put it in Favourites so I can follow your work.
I'm already looking forward to it!

Today is my first Forum anniversary so I've changed my avatar. It's a woman reading by moonlight.