Jasper Fforde Ffan

[Gannon]

Bilby: Endangered Australian marsupial. Bilbies (Macrotis Lagotis) are known as rabbit-eared bandicoots. They are a popular alternative to traditional chocolate Easter bunnies. Profits from the sale of chocolate Easter Bilbies are used to revegetate and preserve Bilby habitat and protect this fragile, shy creature from domestic animals and possible extinction

The whole save the Bilby habitat thing sounds like a very good cause. This is not like the save the Bunyip thing is it, I lost alot of money on those damm Bunyips. If it was not for that fantastic tv series Alexander Bunyip I would even think the whole thing was on the sly.

Yes indeed the walls of our childhood icons are coming crashing down and the weight of the world is slowly crushing us into the ground. I used to love Christmas as a little kid. Our Grandmother and Aunty grew up in the same house as our family and they were really big on Christmus. They used to decorate the whole house with decorations not just the living room but every room in the house. It must have cost them a fortune. I wish I had some photo's it was really incredible what they did.
Ok here is some good news, I am pretty sure that the tooth fairy is real. There was always money left under my pillow after I lost a tooth. Now how could that have happened unless she had the power to keep you asleep while she exchanged the money. Also there were many toothfairys because some of my mates were getting alot more money than me. I think I got the cheapskate fairy crap on a stick.

Didn't they do a mock up reunion? Without Seinfeld himself? One of my favourite Seinfeld bloopers was from the episode where they are wandering around a carpark looking for their vehicle. Kramer actually hit his face on the boot of the car and split his lip. Impressively he carried on.

Hahaha, yes that was also the episode that when Kramer tried to start the car at the end it would not start. Apparently it was not supposed to happen and if you look at the characters inside the car they are laughing. The ending was priceless so they left it as it was. Thats also the episode when Jerry says to the two bodybuilders that he is "Packing heat" as he stands up to them. hahahaha

I hope you get the Leviathan series as well, so we can have a good indepth discussion on it.
Both Fran and SKM have had very good comments about "Sister" and it is also very short so I can't wait to get into it and give it a review. I am going to try and read it with a Barbados accent mon, even get a bit of drums happening mon.
I will definitely be getting every Jasper FFord book I can get my hands on. If I had not gone over budget this month I would have already ordered the second Thursday next novel. I will be ordering it soon in the next month. First edition signed. It may take me awhile but I want to have the whole TN series first editioned and signed.
I will check out the BOSS COMING panic button on the site its sound very interesting.
Are you serious about the Red Queen turning up in Fford's second book? Really does she? No don't tell me, but she does I know, I am starting to get to kwow you too well I can read you like a book. Does she turn up?
No, no, no don't tell me.

[Maud Fitch]

My mind is swimming; bilbies, bunyips, Christmas, Kramer, the Tooth Fairy. Yeah, she was quite a piece of work than one. I actually yanked a wobbly tooth out one year to get an extra dollar or two before Saturday so I could buy a treat – and she didn’t cough up. Got an IOU instead. I think fairies have pay days like humans, every Thursday or something, because I eventually got some money. Never saw that tooth again.

Yes indeed the walls of our childhood icons are coming crashing down and the weight of the world is slowly crushing us into the ground. I used to love Christmas as a little kid.....They used to decorate the whole house with decorations not just the living room but every room in the house.

Whoa, a weighty sentence, Gannon. I was getting depressed until you mentioned your Grandmother and Aunty. Sounds beautiful actually and no doubt they made a lot of their own decorations, too. We weren’t big on that sort of stuff, pressies yes, tree yes, decorations no.

Two words, er, names, Miss Havisham and Red Queen together in the one room.....

NEWSFLASH: Just found out that Jasper Fforde will be publishing a stand-alone thriller entitled “Dreamless” to be released March 2012.
ANOTHER NEWSFLASH: “The Last Dragonslayer” is a trilogy with the second book “Practical Magic” due out November 2011.
AND ANOTHER NEWSFLASH: Thursday Next Digital Collection omnibus of novels 1-5 is on the market so get that Kindle fired up, Gannon!
AND YET ANOTHER NEWSFLASH: There are Thursday Next themed street names in Swindon in UK. Thursday Street, Havisham Way, Mycroft Road, etc.
FINAL NEWSFLASH: There are Thursday Next RPG’s on the internet.
ABSOLUTE FINAL NEWSFLASH: There has been mention of a Thursday Next/Doctor Who crossover story and speculation on the type of crossover. Jasper has thought a great deal about it and I quote “Dr Who gets everywhere; it was a logical choice”.

Have posted the above for you to ponder upon because I may take an Easter break outbush Q’land-style "huntin’ me sum bilbies". Will miss the camaraderie but hope you (and of course Jasper) enjoy a leisurely Eastertime. And ANYONE is most welcome to post in my absence.

[Gannon]

The tooth fairy gave you an IOU . One year I had to write a letter to the tooth fairy because I fell off the slippery dip and knocked a tooth out. The bad thing is I swallowed it. So my parents said to write a letter explaining what had happened. The next morning I received my money with a little note from the tooth fairy. I kept it for about a year and was quite chuffed that the tooth fairy had written me a little note. (No, I was not a wossey kid(not that theres anything wrong with that))
Of course you never saw the tooth again Maud, don't you know that the tooth fairy takes the teeth of little children and puts them in Spray Cans. You know when you shake a Spray Can and you can hear something bouncing around inside, that is someones tooth. That is how the tooth fairy makes her living , the paint companies pay her for each tooth.
Yes my Granny and Aunty were great decorators. The thing I miss the most about Christmas as a kid is not the presents but the amazing decorations they would make. They would even decorate the toilet. It would usually have a big round decoration(like a Disco ball) hanging from the middle of the ceiling and these gold and silver streamer things coming off it into each corner of the toilet. On top of the cistern there would usually be a big angel. It really was spectacular for my brother and I.

Two words, er, names, Miss Havisham and Red Queen together in the one room.....

Who, where, what, do you mean Charles Dickens' Miss Havishham? What do you mean, I really want to know. No, no, don't tell me I will wait until I read the second book.
I am currently reading "Sister" by Rosamund Lupton. For a debut novel it is fantastic, I am loving it. I know that Lupton used to be a scriptwriter but she is seriously good,very descriptive and so far a great story. If you have not read it, I would recommend it even though I have not finished it yet.
Shame on you Maud for mentioning the "K" word. I, being a true bibliophile hate and detest all forms of electronic reading devices. No,only kidding, I can see the advantages of them, especially storage, but I love books. I love the feeling of them in your hand, the smell of the pages, the binding, the cover, the illustrations,the signed first edition,etc, etc, etc.
Wow, just read that last sentence back, and I sound just a little bit eccentric about books.
All of the newsflash's about Jasper sound great, especially the Doctor Who crossover, you're not trying to trick me with that one are you Maud?

Hope you have a wonderful Easter. If you are sleeping in a tent and not out under the stars watch out for Drop-bears. They do exist and they will drop onto your tent when you least expect it. Just remember if you catch a bilby you have to let him go, it is not Bilby season.

[Maud Fitch]

Survived the Drop-Bears! By chance, during my Easter reading, I came upon a bizarre plot crossover.

Have you read a Robert Rankin novel? His titles are play-on-words like “Retromancer” and “The Toyminator”. I have just read Rankin’s “The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse” about a serial killer who is murdering notable Nursery Rhyme characters. The story appealed to me because this humorous fantasy is “just around the corner from reality” akin to Jasper Fforde’s style. Both authors are unique yet both have written eerily similar storylines.

If someone wants to know where to start with Jasper Fforde's speculative fiction novels, I usually suggest “The Big Over Easy” or "The Fourth Bear" which is the second novel in his Nursery Crimes series and involves felony, corruption and the possible murder of a journalist nicknamed Goldilocks. It is a thriller written in crime genre but with a twist. All the characters are Nursery Rhyme people going about their daily business until fraud and dishonesty plague their lives and no one can be trusted least of all Bears. Plus there's Gingerbreadman, a maniacal killer on the loose. Nobody knows whether he's a biscuit or a cake and that's an important question to answer when Detectives Jack Spratt and Mary Mary are hunting him down.

Follow these two Fforde detectives through their careers, personal lives and an alternative reality as they unravel conspiracies, solve an intriguing plot and crack the case. OR follow the two Rankin detectives, a teenager named Jack, and Eddie an alcoholic Teddy Bear Private Investigator whose boss Bill Winkie is missing, as they solve gruesome murder mysteries in ToyCity. Plenty of puns, gratuitous violence and dry British wit. And horror of horrors, Rankin’s Jack Spratt is one of the victims.

Literary ‘chicken or the egg’ dilemma here. Apparently Jasper Fforde came first! You’ll have to read them; both are highly enjoyable but my money is on Fforde for fflair and ffinesse.

[Gannon]

Howdy there Maud, I am so glad that you survived the Drop-bears and hope you had a wonderful Easter.
I have not heard of Robert Rankin, but just by the description you have given he sounds remarkably like Jasper Fford. I wonder if it is a pseudonym. Isn't it funny in retrospect when you look back at some of the authors in history who have used pseudonyms and you think "I knew that was so and so." Growing up(this will probably interest SKM) a friend's Dad, who was an english lecturer, had this theory that Stephen King had multiple writers who were writing for him. He thought this because at that particular time he was releasing titles very quickly. However he had never read Stephen King and anyone who has will know he has a very particular style.
I have ordered "Lost in a Good Book". Its a british first editon and once again it has "Jasper" signed on the title page. I am counting this as my signed first edition for next month, so I am not breaking my rule.
I will finish the Thursday next books before I start on the books you have suggested, but if they are as good as they sound I will defintely be reading them.
Good to have you back on board Maud (Did you see any Bilbies?)

[Maud Fitch]

Thank you for the welcome back, Gannon, and yes thank you, it was a refreshing break. The only bilbies I saw were those covered in silver foil. Yummy! I hope you rested and recuperated and chased away the flu germs with plenty of chocolate. Back to your ‘old’ self again I hope!

Enjoyed your story about the English teacher and his theories. There have been conspiracy theories abounding about authors for years, possibly the biggest is William Shakespeare. Things like “he couldn’t have written that much alone” etc. I think to combat this unwarranted criticism, authors have adopted pseudonyms (or alter egos) so they can be published separately. You touched on this in another post, how they can write so differently. Particularly romance writers who switch to thrillers, or vice versa, and have changed their pen names so they don’t get categorised. After all, if we stopped working, blogging or watching TV I’m sure we could quickly write a few chapters of a book. Times that by SK factor and voile, you have two books a year.

I have ordered "Lost in a Good Book". Its a British first edition and once again it has "Jasper" signed on the title page. I am counting this as my signed first edition for next month, so I am not breaking my rule.

I am very excited to hear this news! Well done, you won’t regret it. You have embraced Thursday Next and kept within your budget! Another signed, first edition. Hear that? It’s me gnashing my teeth. Nah, just kidding, I am genuinely pleased. Now the postal countdown begins.....Also, I enjoy typing a few TN teasers, which are always true by the way, but rest assured I won’t tell you anything which could spoil the plots.

Have just put a library hold on a book by author Mark Gatiss who is recommended by Jasper Fforde; namely his first book in his Lucifer Box series “The Vesuvius Club”. The story is set in London in 1890’s and artist Lucifer lives at Number 9 Downing Street. I haven’t read it but I did discover that Gatiss has written a lot of Dr Who books so it should be an interesting read, especially since I’m now absorbed in Victorian London compilations.

Always good to have someone to compare notes with, Gannon.

[Gannon]

I did rest and recuperate and am feeling almost back to my normal self thanks.
With regards to "Lost in a Good Book", I can't wait to find out what you mean about the Red Queen and Miss Havisham in the same room.
With the postal countdown, I have a new system which enables me to stay upstairs out of the environment. I have tied a string around my big toe and then tied the same string to the letterbox lid. When the postman opens the lid, the string will pull on my toe and ta-da the book is here. There have been a few minor glitches, the string is tending to wind around bits of furniture and I nearly decapitated my little dog and there was a false alarm when it was just some dork with junk mail. But apart from these minor hiccups I think I am on a winner with this one.
All of these books that you keep mentioning sound so good. "The Vesuvius Club" sounds like a cracking good read. Lucifer is living right next to the prime minister at Downing Street that should be interesting.
If you are absorbed in Victorian London compilatioins, I must stress again please read "A Dangerous Fortune" by Ken Follett. Ask Fran it is a fantastic book with one of the best endings I have ever read. I would love to hear your opinion on it.
Have to ask you this Maud. Do you like "Lost in a good Book" better than "The Eyre Affair"? Even if it is nearly as good as the first book I will be happy.
Once again as soon as it arrives I am going to jump straight into it, so I can compare notes with you on it. I have got about four books coming in the mail. One of them is "The Lantern Bearers" the third book in a Rome trilogy by Rosemary Sutcliff. The trilogy books are all folio editions with illustrations by Roman (thats his real name ) Pisarev. Beautiful books.
I have also ordered "Those in Peril" - Wilbur Smith and am thinking hard about "And Thereby Hangs a Tale" by Jeffrey Archer. I do believe that you have this collection of short stories, would you recommend it? I do really like Jeffrey Archer and short strories.

[Maud Fitch]

Gannon, you just have to start writing! You are almost there with your "Toe Tale". Er, just be careful. We wouldn't want a scene reminiscent of the door knob and the string wrapped around the tooth incident, do we?! And how would you explain yourself if you tripped and flew out the window and ended upside down hanging by your toe. Ouch! Oh, the indignity of being rescued by a postman.....still the new book would make up for it. All in all I cannot think of a better alert system apart from arming the letterbox with a car alarm which shouts "Insert Mail - Now!"

My long To Do List has just had "A Dangerous Fortune" by Ken Follett added to it. I might cut corners and pop in to the library tomorrow and see if I can find it on the shelves. You both know your books so I trust your judgement.

Yes, and I mean this, the second JF book "Lost In A Good Book" is just as good as the first, if not better because one is into the swing of things. The whole series grows progressively. Surprisingly though, his fourth book "Something Rotten" was up for numerous awards and it was the one I felt slumped slightly. Don't know whether it was me or the book, but things picked up again.

Hope Rosemary Sutcliff and Roman(!) live up to expectations. You are fast becoming an expert, Gannon. Also "And Thereby Hangs a Tale" by Jeffrey Archer is brilliant. I love the way some of his stories are based on true events and some are ideas from things he's seen or read. I own quite a few of his short story books and I can genuinely recommend this one. Don't expect all bells and whistles, sometimes they are subtle and low-key but good enough to stick in your mind a long time after you've read them.

You may have noticed my new avatar is Australian actor Simon Baker, The Mentalist. Sooo cute! Well, I found out an interesting snippet of information about this CBS TV series. The actor Owain Yeoman is actually Welsh, like Jasper Fforde. Not that this is astounding, but in the show he has no trace of an accent whatsoever. Then again, neither has Simon Baker.....

Since I'm a closet royalist, I've got to get my flags and champagne ready for the Royal Wedding telecast - cheers!

[Gannon]

Gannon, you just have to start writing! You are almost there with your "Toe Tale". Er, just be careful. We wouldn't want a scene reminiscent of the door knob and the string wrapped around the tooth incident, do we?! And how would you explain yourself if you tripped and flew out the window and ended upside down hanging by your toe. Ouch! Oh, the indignity of being rescued by a postman.....still the new book would make up for it. All in all I cannot think of a better alert system apart from arming the letterbox with a car alarm which shouts "Insert Mail - Now!"

hahahah, you crack me up Maud. I have abandoned the string system, it was just to dangerous, plus everytime something arrived in the mail it would nearly rip my toe off. I really cannot wait for it to arrive, opening the box, smelling the paper,looking at the cover, the signed first page, the feel of the paper, phew its getting hot in here, hang on a sec just have to turn the air conditioner on.

My long To Do List has just had "A Dangerous Fortune" by Ken Follett added to it. I might cut corners and pop in to the library tomorrow and see if I can find it on the shelves. You both know your books so I trust your judgement.

If I was you, I would move it up on the list, it is a fantastic book and really not very long. I really think you would love it. I think it should be on the shelves, Ken Follett is pretty popular.

Yes, and I mean this, the second JF book "Lost In A Good Book" is just as good as the first, if not better because one is into the swing of things. The whole series grows progressively. Surprisingly though, his fourth book "Something Rotten" was up for numerous awards and it was the one I felt slumped slightly. Don't know whether it was me or the book, but things picked up again.

RE - Thursday Next series. Glad to hear that the books are as good if not better as they go along.
Rosmary Sutcliff's little Roman trilogy is really good and being folio editions they have wonderful illustrations. I think I will get Jeffrey Archer's collection of short stories have not read any of his yet.
Poor old Hugh has already been given the sack to make way for Simon Baker. Have you seen "The Ring 2", Simon Baker is in it and plays a good role.

Since I'm a closet royalist, I've got to get my flags and champagne ready for the Royal Wedding telecast - cheers!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, its on every channel, I am going to get permission to go to the pub and watch the footy with some mates. Hope you enjoy the wedding Maud.

[Maud Fitch]

Oh, Gannon, you didn't really go to the pub, did you? At least I hope you took a little Aussie flag to wave. We have two television sets, not through wealth, just through coincidence, and I watched the Royal Wedding on two different channels. I must admit it was gorgeous. The pomp, the ceremony, the hats, The Gown. The huge public support was overwhelming in my opinion and Princess Kate summed it up nicely when she walked out onto the balcony and said "Wow".

Scoff at Kindle all you like but I have in front of me now 'A woman named Thursday Next' and it will have my attention just as soon as I get my eyes off 'the dress' and the hats in London.

I'm really loving The Eyre Affair ... the bit when she took the dodo to the vet I just burst out laughing ... you know when you read something & you start poking your nearest & dearest saying 'you gotta listen to this' well that's how I was for the last few hours.

I am so glad that you are enjoying "The Eyre Affair". Love the dodo's. I love what Jasper does with his character's names. Maud gave me a wonderful tip. Read the names of the characters out aloud.

Very, very glad you are both enjoying Jasper Fforde and his Affair With Eyre!!!!! I think he's a bit of a hidden gem. (PS: There's a real Dodo surprise in store when you read the sixth TN book).

On the subject of Simon Baker, I don't really know much about his career but I do know he's a good family man and loves surfing. Think he may give way to another avatar soon - hint - a writer perhaps?

[Gannon]

On the subject of Simon Baker, I don't really know much about his career but I do know he's a good family man and loves surfing. Think he may give way to another avatar soon - hint - a writer perhaps?

Oo Oo Oo , I know who it will be, is it DR Seuss. It is isn't it?

[Maud Fitch]

Oh, Gannon, you're such a kidder - no, it's not Theodor Seuss Geisel. Two more guesses to go.....

I just had to post this! It's taken from a Jasper Fforde interview. The tongue twisting double-talk is similar to Dr Seuss.

Q: Do you think authors talk the most amount of rubbish when asked to describe their profession?

A: "We're certainly up there. Obviously, it's a question of degrees. Some authors are utterly truthful about our smoke and mirrors flim-flammery, but others seem to like to choke us with pseudo intellectual 'brighter than thou' claptrap. I try to remain grounded, but I do find myself sometimes straying into the misty überbollocks netherworld of 'inferred narratives' and 'exported worldviews'. Mind you, when it comes to talking utter, utter, crap, some popular musicians, poets and actors knock us authors into a cocked hat. This is both gratifying in that we're certainly not the worse, but also annoying in that since we're authors and by definition writing our own material, we should be the best".

That may offend a few people!

[Gannon]

Oh, Gannon, you're such a kidder - no, it's not Theodor Seuss Geisel. Two more guesses to go.....

I just had to post this! It's taken from a Jasper Fforde interview. The tongue twisting double-talk is similar to Dr Seuss.

Q: Do you think authors talk the most amount of rubbish when asked to describe their profession?

A: "We're certainly up there. Obviously, it's a question of degrees. Some authors are utterly truthful about our smoke and mirrors flim-flammery, but others seem to like to choke us with pseudo intellectual 'brighter than thou' claptrap. I try to remain grounded, but I do find myself sometimes straying into the misty überbollocks netherworld of 'inferred narratives' and 'exported worldviews'. Mind you, when it comes to talking utter, utter, crap, some popular musicians, poets and actors knock us authors into a cocked hat. This is both gratifying in that we're certainly not the worse, but also annoying in that since we're authors and by definition writing our own material, we should be the best".

That may offend a few people!

Holy(Maud have you noticed that I have been saying Holly instead of Holy ) Crap! That is the best answer(regardless of question) I have ever read. Nice one Jasper.

Two guess's left for your Avatar hey. I only need one. I bet you it is going to be "Mr Fford".

[Fran]

Gannon & Maude I love you guys ... how fantastic to be introduced to Jasper FForde & The Eyre Affair. I haven't laughed so much in a long time .. my God what an imagination that writer has ... OMG Jack Schitt! Especially enjoyable because by sheer co-incidence I had reread Jane Eyre about six weeks ago so it was all so fresh in my memory.

I will definitely be getting more of Jasper Fforde ... & might even place an order with the Dodo Emporium - I think maybe the V2.9.1


Much thanks guys

[Gannon]

Top of the morning to ya Fran, to be sure, to be sure. Maud will be over the moon that you enjoyed "Eyre" so much, as am I. "Jack Schitt" was my favourite of all the names, I laughed out loud every time his name came up, especially in conversation. I often wonder, if Maud had not posted, and I had not come into awareness of Jasper FForde, that maybe I may have never read these great books. Its like Chaos Theory, because of Maud's post I love Jasper FFord. If she had not posted would I have gone down a different path and still not know of FForde's existance, or would I have come across him in some other way. Destiny or complete random chaos. Wow, either way I am glad I have come across these fantastic books and met both of you fantastic characters.

It would have made it alot more enjoyable for you having read Jane Eyre just recently. I sadly have not read it, I know, I know, I can hear you now saying "WHAT". I intend to read it soon.

Dodos, got to love the dodos.