Jasper Fforde Ffan

[Fran]

Once again, thanks for the kind words Fran. I actually feel I might have to read "The Slap" now. Negative publicity at its best.
We do have some strong ethnic communities here down under. It really depends on where you live.
Maud I could not agree with you more about skyscrapers and the urban jungle. Give me a nice quiet beach every time. The only thing I like about big cities is more book shops. Not big ones but the little ones that are hidden away. I can only stand about a week in a big city before I start to become claustrophobic and the walls start closing in and its back to the beach as quick as I can scamper.

No stick with Rome & Greece & of course Jasper ... more class.

I live about 2K from the beach & I love it especially in winter when it's wild and unpredictable and there's just the few hardy souls about. I think there's something very soothing about looking out at the ocean & knowing it was there long before me & will still be there long after I'm gone.

[Maud Fitch]

Maud I could not agree with you more about skyscrapers and the urban jungle. Give me a nice quiet beach every time.

I live about 2K from the beach & I love it especially in winter when it's wild and unpredictable and there's just the few hardy souls about.

How I agree! And I love poetry which describes the beach, sea, ocean in all its splendour. Perhaps since evolution started in the sea and clambered ashore (religious beliefs aside) there will always be that affinity.

To bring this thought back to Jasper Fforde's books, I must say he is more involved in the scenery and descriptions inside other books rather than his own depictions. Wordsworth's daffodils spring to mind but he sets a scene without detailing the countryside or weather. Actually, according to Thursday Next, there is no weather inside books! Also, his YA novel "The Last Dragonslayer" is set in Wales - sort of - and he distorts the landscape.

If you need a reason to read that one, grab a copy and read it to a youngster in your family. I think it's magical good fun with a serious message.

[Gannon]

I prefer the beach at winter as well. A friend owns a beach house( that they are going to sell ahhhhhrrr) which is literally a stones throw from the water. There is nothing like sitting on the little verandah with a hot cup of coffee watching the ocean as the sun comes up. Heaven. Even better throw in a bit of rain, thunder and lightning.

Back to Jasper, hey Maud did they make a movie "The Last Dragonslayer" or am I just imagining that. I might try and read it to my little nephew, he has just turned two. He loves books but his passion is cooking.
No weather in books. Damn, that is really going to stuff up my vineyard in Rome.
New avatar hey Maud, and I guessed right.

[Maud Fitch]

Back to Jasper, hey Maud did they make a movie "The Last Dragonslayer" or am I just imagining that. I might try and read it to my little nephew, he has just turned two. He loves books but his passion is cooking.
No weather in books. Damn, that is really going to stuff up my vineyard in Rome.
New avatar hey Maud, and I guessed right.

Yes, Gannon, you guessed 100% right. That ugly mug is none other than JF himself - sorry Jasper!

In "One Of Our Thursdays Is Missing" the weather situation is explained rather well including how one travels from books into reality with birth-like results. Re the vineyard, did you know there's no taste in books either?

Oh how cute, you could read "The Last Dragonslayer" to your nephew with lots of inflection and face-pulling. Two years old and already a chef! My goodness, that's talent. At two I was smearing food all over my face, the table, the.....

No, there may be a movie or animation with a similar name but to the best of my knowledge, there is no JF movie. Who knows what's in the pipeline since his early career was in movies as a camera operator. On the subject of dragons, I loved the one where Sean Connery did the voice of the dragon. <Swoooon>

[Gannon]

No taste in books either. My vineyard is getting worse and worse.
Oh man you should see how cute my little nephew is. He loves his cooking, for his birthday he got all these cooking things, stoves, ovens, etc but his favourite is the electric blender. It actually spins around and has all these plastic fruits which go with it. He goes around to everyone asking what type of smoothie they want, I always say strawberry because he can't say it properly, lol, you should hear him trying to say it. In his room he also has this fridge/stove thing with a fake ice thingamejig. When he gives you the smoothie you pretend to drink it and then say, it needs a little bit more ice. He then toddles off to his ice machine in his room and fills it up with more pretend ice. He makes me laugh so much.
I love him to bits.
I remember the movie where Sean Connery was the voice of the dragon. Yes he was very good. I think that was the movie where Sean the dragon and Dennis Quad(I think I spelt that wrong) the dragon hunter were working together conning the villages they went around to. He would pretend to kill the dragon and accept the village's money. Is that the one?

You have yourself a wonderful weekend as well.

[Fran]

Morning Maud & Gannon

This is for you both as you are ocean lovers (I’m a Piscean by the way!)

‘My grief on the sea, how the waves of it roar
For they lie between me and the love of my soul
Abandoned, forsaken to grief and to care
Will the seas ever waken relief from despair’

I have no idea who the poet is/was but I heard it read by John Hurt sometime ago & it imbedded itself in the back of my mind (just imagine his unique voice).

@ Gannon … your nephew reminded me of my niece when she was little she had this obsession with taking food orders with the notebook & pencil ... all very serious. ‘What you what’? (I think she must have worked in a Chinese takeaway in a previous life!) You then had to say sausage and chips & she say OK then you’d say and rashers, she’d say OK & you’d say and egg. At that stage she’d explode & say ‘YOU WANT SAUSIES & CHIPIES & RASHIE & EGGIE’? It was so funny.

She always reminded me of one of those motorway diner waitresses you see in American movies … you know the pink overall, pencil behind the ear, the chewing gum & the ‘make my day’ attitude.

Love the new avatars … enjoy the weekend folks

[Gannon]

Howdy there Fran. That is a beautiful piece of poetry. I wonder who wrote it. I am a Piscean as well maybe that is where we get our love of the sea from.
The story about your niece had me laughing out loud. I can really appreciate it because I am going through it now with my nephew. They just do so many funny things. He has this thing going now that he says the colour of everybody's shirt as he passes them. When you are walking downt the street with him he will be saying, blue shirt, black shirt, red shirt, and when he passes somebody with a multi-coloured shirt he gets this puzzled look on his face. I don't want him to grow up.

You have yourself a fantastic weekend Fran.

[Teesie]

I just got The Eyre Affair at the library. Here goes nothing.

[Maud Fitch]

Hullo Teesie. You will love, love, love it.

And to the two poetry loving Pisceans:

Something martial, some bestiality of Rome,
incongruous shellfish, bestirs your home.
Such a slow mucous brain filled that dome
that I cannot think other than that some
imperial artist shaped it - helmet, or tomb?
Surely a mind is buried that wears for Rome,
or Russia, or America, or any Caesar whom
the gods make mad, such head-gear.
And, now, on display in a city shop, 'mid fear
of the Bomb, helmet shell, you appear:
dead, dead, and polished like a skull. Wear
such apparel, Life, when Death is near.
This has the shape of a skull, and is a mere
skull in effect, that cannot keep out Fear.

"Helmet Shell" from My Beachcombing Days by John Blight (1913-1995).

(Obscure but appropriate!)

[Teesie]

So far im into chapter 4 and I'm finally beginning to figure out what the heck is going on. It was a bit confusing and strange at first. Lol....So far I've had a few big laughs. Just read the part about taking Pickwick to the vet to have him registered as a pet....Didn't want to stop but I was starving, so I stopped to eat and thought I'd hop on the forum for just a minute. Then I'm diving right back in

[Maud Fitch]

Go for it!!!!!

And there are five more Thursday Next books to follow.....

[Gannon]

Hullo Teesie. You will love, love, love it.

And to the two poetry loving Pisceans:

Something martial, some bestiality of Rome,
incongruous shellfish, bestirs your home.
Such a slow mucous brain filled that dome
that I cannot think other than that some
imperial artist shaped it - helmet, or tomb?
Surely a mind is buried that wears for Rome,
or Russia, or America, or any Caesar whom
the gods make mad, such head-gear.
And, now, on display in a city shop, 'mid fear
of the Bomb, helmet shell, you appear:
dead, dead, and polished like a skull. Wear
such apparel, Life, when Death is near.
This has the shape of a skull, and is a mere
skull in effect, that cannot keep out Fear.

"Helmet Shell" from My Beachcombing Days by John Blight (1913-1995).

(Obscure but appropriate!)

Another fantastic poem, I really loved it Maud, nice call. Have you converted another Jasper fan? Slowly does it Maud, today this forum, tomorrow the WORLD. Maybe if you emailed Jasper he might pay you some sort of commision for each convert. You never know. It sounds like Tessie is enjoying it.

[Teesie]

Go for it!!!!!

And there are five more Thursday Next books to follow.....

Yay! I love a good series.

[Maud Fitch]

Go for it!!!!!
And there are five more Thursday Next books to follow.....

Yay! I love a good series.

So glad you're getting into the spirit of things, Teesie!

If you've ever thought of being an author, spare a thought for the promotional side of it. Here’s a half-year calendar of events for Jasper Fforde.

May 2011: Hay Festival, Wales. Usually has an event or two here, probably TN6 and “The Last Dragonslayer” orientated.
28th to the 29th May 2011: Swindon Fforde Ffiesta. This will be the Ffourth Ffiesta.
11th to 13th June 2011: St. Malo, France. Appearance at Etonnants Voyageurs Festival in St.Malo, to coincide with the French publication of “The Last Dragonslayer”.
25th June 2011: Nottingham, UK. Appearance at Lowdham Book Festival.
5th July 2011: Swindon, UK. 'Alternate Realities Evening' with Malcolm Pryce at The Beehive Pub in Swindon Old Town. Fancy dress theme: characters from either JF or Malcolm's books. It's a unique pub, some come early and soak up the atmosphere.

Don't know what part of the world you come from but I wish I could attend that July event at The Beehive Pub in Swindon Old Town. Gannon could wear his Roman helmet. Gotta love a bit of fancy dress fun!

[Gannon]

It would be great to attend that festival in July. I have never met any of my favourite authors. Thats one of the downsides of living in a small town. That makes me think, with all the new e-readers and kindles etc, I wonder if the book signing festivals will dry up and go the way of the dodo.(got to love the dodos) I suppose they could sign the kindle but then when you went to read your next novel, the author's signature would block out the words, and they would have to use a special pen as well.
I have a very good feeling that Jasper and "Mulvaneys" will turn up early this week. Its funny I can call the books Jasper and Mulvaneys and you guys know the two books I am talking about. Its almost like code.

Well until next time, have a salubrious life.