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| This is the OLD What's New? Page All my up-to-date (!) news can be found on my current What's New? page | ||
 18th April 2016 Film Production Greenlit Yes, it's all systems go! Sky1 have greenlit the production of Dragonslayer to begin filming pretty soon, and to be broadcast at Christmas 2016, Sky1. More news when I get it, but hooray. | ||
| 14th February
2016 Melbourne event listed on appearance page. | ||
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Supermarine S6B, 2016
Extreme wide angle shot taken from underneath the record-breaking Supermarine S6B currently on display in the Science Museum, London. Beautiful
unrestored condition, the raceplane was retired once it had the record and has pretty much been on display ever since. The verticals left and right
are the floats. Home-made super wide angle 5X4 Large Format camera, using a 47mm lens, which gives one the equivalent coverage of about a 14mm lens. 20 second exposure, f16, Kodak 400 tmax film. |
| 28th January 2015 Film Production go-ahead announced by Broadcast Website It's looking good, but the website might have jumped the gun in order to bag a scoop. We've been talking to a production company about doing a TV one-off of The Last Dragonslayer for a while, and it looks as if it might go ahead. But we're not green lit yet, so watch this space for more info. Broadcast.co.uk Link |
| 15th January 2015 Independent Bookshops in Melbourne and Canberra Want to host an event? Hello. I'm in Australia for the Perth Festival in Feb 2016 and then in New Zealand for the Wellington Writer's Week in March. I'm staying with my sis in NSW between the 25th Feb and the 6th March and the opportunity exists to do an informal event in Canberra or Melbourne, or even both. If you want to host a talk or something in your bookshop, very happy to talk about it. Last time I was jabbering in Australia was 2006. Contact me on my usual email, jasper(at)jasperfforde.com with an outline of what you want to do, and I'll see what we can do - single event in both cities, I'm guessing. Over to you. |
| 15th January 2015 Early Riser to be 2017 Lazy author forces generous and loving, kind and fair publishers to publish in 2017. Okay, it's official, this one has taken a lot longer than I thought. Not sure why - world building seems to just require a lot more thought. Shades of Grey took me almost two years, and this one has been eighteen months so far. Apologies all round. Tours in the US and the UK, followed by the fourth in the Dragonslayer Saga, and after that, a novella about Rabbits, then, well, gosh, who knows. Dark Reading Matter/ Hmm. |
| 15th January
2016 Updated appearance page, all 2016 events listed. |
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Derelict coach, 2016
Friends of ours have a coach-turned-holiday-let that you can rent in the Welsh Marches near Hay on Wye. This isn't that coach - this is the next one
in line, waiting to be restored. It's a beauty. Okay, it's a faded beauty. She will rise again. Laylar and Rob (who are both totally brilliant, by the
way) can be reached for bookings at majesticbus.co.uk Uncropped Bronica SQ-A, 80mm Tmax 400 |
| 5th January
2016 Altered twelve pages so there can be no confusion that the Thursday Next car in the books is a Porsche 356 Speedster, but that the
one depicted scattered variously about the website is of my replica Speedster, which (a Porsche owner) recently pointed out is emphatically NOT a
Porsche. The nearest closest driving relative to my Speedster is probably a Trabant. I argue that having Speedster replicas is vital as it gives
visibility to a marque that is quite possibly the most lovely car ever designed. |
| 3rd January
2016 This is me testing the Forklift uploading device as I've been neglecting the website of late, so have now allocated one day a month
to update and renew and perhaps add a few new pages. That's the thing about Social Media - I have a limited amount of time available to work on web
stuff, and that seems to be vacuumned up by Social Media - hence stagnated website. Watch this space. I may even add some more Toad News Items |
| 16th July
2014 One of the best talks I've been involved in this year: The 'How the Light Gets in' Festival discussion on 'Imagining the Truth' with
Mike Figgis, Adam Brown and Fforde. The festival recorded it, and have posted it online. I make a few good points, then lose it with a digression
about 'Blazing Saddles' (go figure) The wonderfully erudite and super talented Lyse Doucet hosts. Imagining the Truth |
| 24th April
2014 MORE Winners in the 'Dragon Selfie' Competition - fourth batch now in. More Canadian entries, please...Zoltar Competition Page
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| 21st April
2014 MORE Winners in the 'Dragon Selfie' Competition - third batch now in. Upped giveaway to 15 UK copies, and 5 Canadian.. Zoltar Competition Page
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| 18th April
2014 Winners in the 'Dragon Selfie' Competition are flooding in - second batch now in. Upped giveaway to 15 UK copies, and 5 Canadian..
Zoltar Competition Page
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| 17th April
2014 Winners in the 'Dragon Selfie' Competition are flooding in - see here for the first batch.. Zoltar Competition Page
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| 16th April
2014 Win a signed copy of The Eye of Zoltar (UK only). Details on my Zoltar Competition Page
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Leeds Library and Town Hall, 2009
This was taken with my Mamiya 7, a medium format camera, and although upon first glance the picture didn't work - too much top and bottom - as a
cropped panoramic picture it works very well indeed. It was the lunch hour, and couples were meeting before going back to their respective offices.
Cropped from 6X7 negative, Mamiya 7, 400 Tmax, 65mm |
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Kington Show, Herefordshire.
This is the Kington show, in the vintage motorcycle section. I'm not sure whay I include it here, but I liked the composition. The square format of
6X6 sometimes doesn't fit the subject, and it's only later, once I have cropped them out, does the picture start to work. 2010. Cropped from 6X6 negative, Mamiya 6 |
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Ceiling of Grand Central Station, New York.
The designers painted the stars in reverse, as that was the map they worked from - a reflection of the stars, not how they are laid out. Popular
legend tells us this is 'as God would see it' but since stars are not equidistant, this is not a view you could see from anywhere in the cosmos -
except here, and glorious it is. Whenever I go to NY, I always take time to wander thourhg this magnificent hall. And to think it was once slated for
demolition. Olympus EP-5, 14mm, twelve exposures, stitched. |
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North Devon Coast, Summer, 2013. We holiday here most years. Traditionally, Ozzy and I walk the five miles along the cliff path to Morwenstow, where I meet the rest for a cream tea in the Rectory Tea Rooms (Much recommended). For more images, go HERE Panasonic Lumix GF1, 45mm, stitched. |
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Spectacular Welsh Skyfest, August 2013 For more skies taken at the same time, go HERE Lumix GF1, Stitched |
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Surf school, Bude, 2012 Zeiss ZM cropped, 50mm, 100 Tmax |
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Oxford Street, and a building is given support during reconstruction work Zeiss ZM cropped, 50mm, 100 Tmax |
| 23rd Jan
2013 2010 Nextian Extreme Winner finally tracked
down! |
| 10th December
2012 Competition results for the TN7 and DS1 Sleuthing competitions:
USA Dragonslayer Sleuthing Competition. US and Canada Woman Who Died a Lot Sleuthing Competition. |
| 18th Oct
2012 Interview with Jasper Fforde for Nameless Zine, conducted while
in Phoenix |
| 2nd Oct
2012 Youtube video of Jasper talking about The Last
Dragonslayer and going on a location recce of Hereford, where the book is set. |
| 1st October 2012 Win a Book! 1: Win the MILLIONTH copy of my USA sales with my The Woman Who Died a Lot quiz. 2: Win the FIRST EVER signed US copy of The Last Dragonslayer |
 This beautiful and especially bound edition could be yours! (Grass not included)  The first signed first edition of The Last Dragonslayer. A true collector's edition.. Wow! Prize includes shadow, but only under optimum (sunny) conditions. |
I have two books out in the US this October: The Woman Who Died a Lot and The Last Dragonslayer, both of which warrant their own competition. The books can be ordered from: The Woman Who Died a Lot Amazon (USA) Barnes and Noble (USA) Indiebound (USA) Amazon (Canada) Amazon Kindle (USA) The Last Dragonslayer Amazon (USA) Barnes and Noble (USA) Books a Million (USA) HMH Store Guide (USA) Amazon Kindle (USA) To see the competitions, please click: Dragonslayer Sleuthing Competition USA only Woman Who Died a Lot Sleuthing CompetitionUSA and Canada |
| 30th September
2012 Cheese smuggling - now it happens for real!
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| 19th September 2012  The NEW UK paperback edition with a cover that matches the rest of the series. This supercedes the old 'Supermarket' cover that it has lived with these past three years. This is from the 11th edition, and copies this should start filtering down to bookshops almost immedietely, although stocks of the old cover will linger on. |
| 14th September
2012 New Youtube film: On how you might get me to appear at a bookshop near you (17th Sept
2012) |
| 17th September
2012 New-look Goliath shop now up! |
| 14th September 2012  The USA edition of The Last Dragonslayer, again, as photographed on my front lawn. It will be available on the 2nd October 2012 in the States, and I'll be touring for the whole of October promoting it and the US Woman Who Died a Lot. For details of the tour, go to my Events Page . The Book can be pre-ordered at your local outlet or at the following sites: Amazon USA
Barnes and Noble USA Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh NC) Books a Million Indiebound Powells of Portland HMH Store Guide Seattle Mystery Bookstore |
| 14th September 2012  The USA edition of The Woman Who Died a Lot , as photographed on my front lawn. It will be available on the 2nd October 2012 in the States, and I'll be touring for the whole of October promoting it and the US Last Dragonslayer. For details of the tour, go to my Events Page . The Book can be pre-ordered in your local outlet or by mousing your way to: Amazon
USA
Amazon USA
Kindle
Barnes and Noble (e or
Paper)
Amazon
Canada
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| 23rd August 2012  The Song of the Quarkbeast is now available in the UK in paperback. It can be ordered at the following outlets: Amazon (UK) Waterstone's (UK) Foyles (UK) Book Depository (UK) ...but to see how you can win a copy, go to my Win a Book page page. |
| 24th July
2012 Youtube video of Jasper answering a question about the
next Shades of Grey book. |
| 23rd July
2012 Ellen and Hatty of the Young Journalists Academy
interview me at Lincoln on the 19th July 2012 |
| 23rd July
2012 Youtube film of my hangout (it's a videoconference Q&A) at Google
on the 20th July 2012 |
| 23rd July 2012  The Special Features page is now open, and will list a short wordamneyray, a few deleted scenes (and why, which is actually a bit more interesting) and a 'Well of Lost Sentences' More details, go to my TN7 Special Features page. |
| It's here, it's here! 4th July 2012  Well, here it is, hot off the presses - the hardback UK edition of The Woman Who Died a Lot, or TWWDAL, as we call it. Now I know this will really annoy some of you collectors out there, but apparently TN7 will NOT be available in a 'Royal Hardback' edition, and only in the slightly smaller hardback. I had a word with my publishers who may do a rethink as a super-limited run, but, well, we'll see. I'll be making a special features page live soon, but you can find out a little more about this book by going to my 'Next Book' page. Oh, and if you are in a charitable mood, I'd be grateful if you could preorder a copy (if not buying it in the first week), so I might be able to get the book into the bestseller list, like we did last year. Not to make ME happy, of course, as I tower above such things, but for my publisher - and mother. Preorder Amazon (USA) Preorder Barnes and Noble (USA) Preorder Amazon (UK) Preorder Waterstone's (UK) Preorder Foyles (UK) Preorder Amazon (Canada) |
| 4th July
2012 Youtube video of Jasper talking about the new book,
'The Woman Who Died a Lot'. This is a first for me, and if successful, may follow it up with more! |
| 3rd July 2012 Hodder and Stoughton press release Hodder & Stoughton acquires three new Jasper Fforde novels FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Hodder & Stoughton is delighted to announce the acquisition of new novels by number one bestselling author Jasper Fforde. Publishing Director Carolyn Mays bought three adult titles from Will Francis at Janklow Nesbit. Jasper Fforde's first novel was highly-acclaimed, genre-expanding The Eyre Affair; his last, ten years later, was the Sunday Times Number One fiction bestseller One of Our Thursdays is Missing. In between he has輍ad輊xtraordinary critical acclaim ('Pure inspired lunacy' Daily Express, 'Freshness and invention bursting from every page' The Sunday Times, 'No summaries can do justice to the sheer inventiveness, wit, complexity, erudition, unexpectedness and originality of the works, nor to their vast repertoire of intricate wordplay and puns' The Times) and numerous bestsellers for his astonishingly imaginative novels. His new novel, The Woman Who Died A Lot, is the latest Thursday Next adventure and, published on 12th July, is eagerly awaited by thousands of readers. Carolyn Mays said, 'I am continually amazed by Jasper's extraordinary imagination and輎t has been the most enormous privilege to work with him over the years. I'm thrilled to have a new contract to take us through 2017, and look forward to even greater, much-deserved success.' Hodder have bought British Commonwealth rights including Europe, excluding Canada. Jasper, in response, said: 'I am delighted at the news. Everyone at Hodder has done a fantastic job in promoting and supporting me during the past eleven years, and I am extremly happy that we will, as a team, continue to bring my somewhat odd books to the marketplace.' |
| 4th April
2012 USA Dragonslayer now published on the 2nd October, and will tour for a week ahead of Penguin, so I may potentially have a 15-city
tour. Hoorah! Appearances Page |
| 3rd April 2012 What we got up to in Abu Dhabi. Not 'Aberdovey' as a friend of mine thought. I was chatting for a while about how hot it was, and how the leadership had embraced a culture of diversity to other religions, and he was getting more and more confused. Then I said there was a three hour time difference and the penny dropped. Mind you, I haven't been to Aberdovey recently, so it might be quite a lot like the Emirates. Oh well. In any event, my thanks to the British Council for sending us out there, and here are a few links to videos of us chatting on panels: youtube of Fforde and others in the ADIBF My co-conspirators on the trip: Laughs: Phillip Ardagh Selected gems from Large Forest in South America Food: Sally Butcher Veggiestan: A Vegetable Lover's Tour of the Middle East Travel: Tim Mackintosh-Smith Landfalls: On the Edge of Islam with Ibn Battutah Poetry: Tishani Doshi Everything Begins Elsewhere |
| 9th Mar 2012 ++ New Questions and Answers section on the Brighton Plot Bunnies Website: Fforde Q&A featuring Gregory Peck joke ++ |
| What were most of Jasper's Books written on? 5th Mar 2012  If you thought the answer was 'paper' or 'a computer' you would only be half right. From 2002 until 2011 I wrote all my books on this desk. So that would include: Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten, First Among Sequels, Shades of Grey and Song of the Quarkbeast. Rewritten on this desk were The Big Over Easy, The Fourth Bear, and The Last Dragonslayer. It has endured three house moves, too. Only The Eyre Affair and The Woman Who Died a Lot were written elsewhere. The reason I am explaining this is because the desk is now retired and will be auctioned off at the 2012 Fforde Ffiesta in order to assist the Fforganisers in meeting the (constantly increasing) costs of putting on the Ffiesta.
There will be no reserve to the auction, and the desk will be signed on the underneath by me, outlining what it was, and its utter lack of global
significance. Don't contact me about it. Direct any queries towards: The Ffiesta Website. |
| 5th March
2012 Finally! Thursday Nextreme Competition Winner announced. Yes, two years
late, but we lost the trophy. |
| 23rd Feb 2012 +++ Title change for the upcoming Thursday Next book. No longer Dark Reading Matter but the more descriptive (and fun) The Woman Who Died a Lot. Dark Reading Matter will now be the title of TN8. I am currently fighting to get this into 1st draft by Monday, so all those waiting for the answers to the Quarkbeast Competition, I thank you for your patience! +++  A hasty mock up so we can have something to look at. The actual covers will be a lot better. |
| 30th Jan
2012 USA One of Thursdays is Missing published today -
COMPETITION!  The paperback edition of One of our Thursdays is Missing. One of Our Thursdays is Missing is published in the USA on January 30th 2012, and is available through the following links: Amazon Barnes and Noble (Nook edition also) Kindle edition Alternatively, they are also available in your local independent. There is a competition to win some books.. |
| German DTV TN6 preview 23rd Jan 2012  A preview of the DTV edition of TN6 'Wo Ist Thursday Next' slated for publication in August, 2012.
For more details, go to the DTV Catalogue. |
| 5th Jan
2012 Used Furniture Review interviews Jasper
Fforde. |
| 5th Jan
2012 Jasper now loading pictures on to INSTAGRAM, if you are so equipped - under the username 'jasperfforde'. App download link |
| TN-6 now in paperback (UK) 5th Dec 2011  NEW NEW NEW 5th Jane 2012 One of our Thursdays is Missing is now available as a UK paperback. In addition to your local friendly bookshops, it can be found at : Amazon or Waterstone's or Foyles< /a> or if you have a Kindle, try: Amazon Kindle or an eReader: Foyles eReader |
| New Picture of the Week 19th Dec 2011  The Llywyn-On Reservoir, taken from the road to Neath, S Wales, early morning. Panasonic GF1, 150mm |
| New Picture of the Week 6th Dec 2011  On the Wye Valley Walk, just above Monnington, Herefordshire, UK. Nikon F100, 18mm, T-Max 400 |
| 28th Nov
2011 ATTN GERMAN READERS: From Daniela at Lovely Books: "Shades of Grey" (Grau) wins Bronze in the German Reader's Choice Award!! 35 titles made it to the shortlist of each category and Grau reached the Top 3! You can find who else won prizes at the List of Winners. |
| New Picture of the Week 1st Dec 2011  This was on a commercial for Paul Arden that we shot in 1999, so although I took the snap, I cannot claim to be the author. The picture seems particular apt now that Etonians are back in power. The boys were actually using squeezy bottles for the wee effect, and at one point a policewoman marched up about to arrest us all, but then she saw it wasn't wee and we could, in fact, film quite legally here, she moved off, with a polite apology. Wouldn't happen now. This would be considered a 'demonstration' within a mile of parliament square and we'd all be down the nick. It wouldn't have stopped Paul Arden though. He'd still have filmed it. Marvellous character, sadly no longer with us. For the life of me, I can't remember what the commercial was for. Not for Eton, obviously. Nikon F90X, 35mm, Kodak BCN400 For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| New Picture of the Week 24th November 2011  Milly was a terrific dog - sadly no longer with us - and went everywhere with me, including flying. She used to look out of the window for a bit, yawn, then curl up for a nap. She was a fair co-pilot (I've had worse) but could never get the hang of banking in an aircraft. As any aviator will tell you, a banked turn in an aircraft is a balanced turn - the line of gravity remains vertically below the aircraft, irrespective of where the planet might be. If you've ever had a drink in your hand in a Jetliner which is banking, the liquid in the glass stays, yes, level to the aircraft. You can do a balanced turn and roll completely over and back to upright, still with the line of gravity pointing through the floor of the aircraft. A famed stunt pilot named Bob Hoover used to do precisely that, and could pour out a glass of iced tea as the aircraft rolled. It's a trick worth watching: Utube Bob Hoover Clip. In any event, Milly didn't really get the whole 'messing around with gravity thing', and when I banked left, she'd take a visual cue from the horizon, lean right to compensate, and fall over. This was probably why she simply yawned and went to sleep. This was taken about 2000' above Bronydd - that's a bend in the river Wye beyond, and Cabalva Farm. Contax G2, Summer 2006 For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| 20th Nov
2011 ATTN GERMAN READERS: From Karla at Lovely Books: "Der Leserpreis - die besten Buecher 2011" is a big success in this year again. It is one of the biggest audience bookawards in the German-speaking area. Until yesterday readers could nominate their favourite books for the Leserpreis 2011. Hereby we heartly want to congratulate you: Your book "Shades of Grey" was chosen most often by the readers and therefore made it to the shortlist in the category "Fantasy". In each category there are now 35 books for choice. Since today you can see the shortlist at this website: Leserpreis Website Now the important phase starts. Here readers can vote for their favourite books until 27 November 2011. On Monday 28th November 2011 the Leserpreis in Gold, Silver and Bronze will be awarded. If you like to call your reader's attention to your nomination and the voting, please link to this website. |
| 15th Nov
2011 Song of the Quarkbeast Sleuthing Competition Extended until
January due to many people getting their copies for Christmas, and not being able to enter. The competition now closes on the 30th January
2012 |
| New Picture of the Week 15th November 2011  Winter beach amblers, Ventimiglia, Italy, February 2011 Olympus OM2, Kodak T-Max 400, 50mm For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| New Picture of the Week 15th November 2011  Lost cat sign and neatly discarded paper cup, London, 2006 Contax G2, 35mm lens For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| 10th Nov 2011  The Song of the Quarkbeast - now for sale Published today, November 10th 2011, The Song of the Quarkbeast. For more details, have a look HERE. If you want to order, try your local bookshop or Amazon or Waterstones. |
| New Picture of the Week 2nd November 2011  Playing Scrabble with Maddy. I'm having a bit of trouble, and on this occasion, got thrashed. Olympus OM2SP, 400TMax, Christmas 2010 For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| New Picture of the Week 28th Oct 2011  My entry to the 'Grand Fromage de Photographie' competition at Cannes, 2007. Nikon F3, 105mm, Fuji Transparency For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| 12th Oct 2011 ++ News on the latest book. Despite assurances that I was working on a 'Super-Secret-Standalone' book to be published in Spring 2012, it now looks set to be TN7: Dark Reading Matter. This is due to the lack of time available to work on a new book, and properly develop the new characters, settings and tone. TN7 will be in draft form by December 2011, probably for publication in May 2012. DS-3, The Return of Shandar is still slated to be written in the first six months of 2012, with publication in November 2012. My standalone will thus be pushed back to being written in the latter part of 2012, with publication in 2013. This two book a year thing can be quite frustrating, especially with a new baby and the house being rebuilt, but we should be back on track soon. ++ |
| New Picture of the Week 11th Oct 2011  At the RAF reserve collection in Stafford, they have a whole host of bizarre items that are currently not on display at either Cosford or Hendon. We were shown around the hangar by the highly committed and encyclopedic curators, and saw not only T E Lawrence's rosary, Douglas Bader's 2nd best leg, but the singed pennant from the back of the R101. There was furniture, too - Goering's dining room chairs, and this is Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris' desk, from which he conducted the aerial bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in the latter part of the war. And there it is, looking worn and chipped, untidly sitting on a pallette. Kind of surreal. Oh, and in case you're interested, Goering's taste in dining room furniture tended towards the grand. For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| New Picture of the Week 5th Oct 2011  On the Begwyns, Dec 2005. Low sun on an evening trot around the lake on the Begwyns, not far from us. Those dead trees have almost all disappered now, but the sky remains as glowery as ever. Fuji GS645W, with .6ND graduated filter held in place with fingers. For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| New Picture of the Week 3rd Oct 2011  Penguin pool, London Zoo, August 2011. The gorgeously realised concrete double-helixed cantilever penguin enclosure designed in the late thirties and wholly unsuited for Penguins. The rather lovely Casson Elephant House is the same - fantastic piece of design that won prizes, plaudits, and fame for Sir Hugh Casson. Absolutely no bloody good for elephants. Both protected buildings. The penguin pool is a fountain feature, the elephant house for smaller animals more suited to it - like wild pig, and humans fond of architectural design. For more POTW, go to Picture of the Week Index. |
| New Picture of the Week 30th Sept 2011  |
| 28th Sept 2011  Czech TN2 - Thursday kicks butt Published in the Czech Republic and available NOW - Ztracena V dobre Knize, or, if you prefer, Lost in a Good Book. You can order it HERE. I have two copies to give away, so please go to my Czech TN2 Giveaway Competition Page |
| 8th Sept 2011  Paperback edition of Last Dragonslayer - out soon! Published on the 15th September 2011, the paperback edition of The Last Dragonslayer. More about this book can be found at My DS-1 mini site and if you want to pre-order, you could try Amazon or Waterstone's. There is a COMPETITION, too, where you can win FREE copies! Go to my competition page or directly to the DS1 'Find a rhyme' competition. |
| 8th Sept 2011  German Language edition of 'Shades of Grey' - Grau Published September 2011, the German Language edition of Shades of Grey, known as 'Grau. This is published by Eichborn rather than DTV who do my Thursday Books. You can buy this from all good booksellers in Germany, or order it online at Amazon.de.< br> There is a COMPETITION, too, where you can win FREE copies! Go to my competition page or directly to the German Shades of Grey Grau competition. |
| 8th Sept 2011 You saw it here first: Cover design of The Song of the Quarkbeast Published in November 2011, The Song of the Quarkbeast. For more details, have a look HERE. If you want to pre-order, try your local bookshop or Amazon or Waterstones. |
| 24th Aug
2011 Link Phillip Ardagh's
Edinburgh |
| 4th July 2011  The Italian edition of The Last Dragon This is the first published foreign language edition of The Last Dragonslayer anywhere, and I have been given two copies by my Italian publishers Mondadori, one of which I am giving away. For more details, please go to my Pasta Picture Competition If you want to know more this edition, please go to the Mondadori Website. |
| 4th July 2011  One of the entries to my Flipback Competition The results to my 'Win a Flipback' competition are in! Please mouse your way to Flipback competition page to see the results.. If you want to know more about Flipbacks which are launched on the 30th June, go to the Flipback Website where, amongst other things, you can download the Launch Brochure. |
| 18th June 2011  The 'Flipback' edition of Shades of Grey Flipback books are a new publishing idea - compact books (5" by 3") you can really fit into a pocket to take anywhere. They need no batteries, and no WiFi connection - staggering! For the first crop of Flipbacks published by Hodder, they have selected some of the best books from the finest writers ... and me. I've been sent two, so I am keeping one and offering the other as a glittering (yet diminutive) prize for the winner of the latest Fforde competition If you want to know more about Flipbacks which are launched on the 30th June, go to the Flipback Website where, amongst other things, you can download the Launch Brochure. |
| 7th June
2011 New Link: Fforde Ffiesta Website Now Up |
| 26th May 2011  Part Two of the Great US Rejacket Project This is the latest sneak preview of Thomas Allen's amazing work on the TN series rejecket. Art Director is Paul Buckley, comissioning editor, Josh Kendall. We're hoping to see these in the bookstores in the next couple of months.. |
| 23rd May 2011 This afternoon I despatched to my publishers the second novel in the Jennifer Strange series The Song of the Quarkbeast. I have two books to write this year, so was glad to get it done before half time. A bit longer than Dragonslayer, this one came in at 73,000 rather than the 60,000 of LDS. A few days off before I begin on my Super Secret Standalone novel. What's it about? If only I knew. I said it was secret... |
| 29th Mar 2011  Fame at last.. I am indebted to Michael Bucher of San Mateo (and others) who alerted to my inclusion in the LA Times crossword puzzle. He says: "...You know you're a household word when the Los Angeles Times Crossword has you as a clue. Granted it was only in the Saturday (stumper) puzzle where the clues are more obscure and devious, but I'll keep you posted regarding any crux-verbial retro-temporal placement as an index of rising notoriety/popularity changes..." |
| 2nd Mar 2011  Finally a matching set.. It's official. The paperback UK version of TN-5 First Among Sequels will have the hardback artwork and will then match the rest of the series. Not sure when, probably in the next couple of months. |
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| 2nd Mar 2011  The proposed new cover for TN1 This is a sneak preview of the new jacket design for TN1 in the US. Penguin are in the process of rejacketing the series to match the awesome design of One of Our Thursdays is Missing, and this is the proposed artwork for TN1. We like it a great deal - Bold, Clever, Funny. Designer is Tom Allen. |
| 1st Mar 2010  Happily not a misprint - I sing terribly For the first time ever, I am a number one Bestseller! My huge thanks to everyone at Hodder, Tif, Will, Claire and the team, my family, Booksellers and of course all you wonderful wonderful readers who have bought all my books down the years and recommended them to friends, relatives and complete strangers who looked at you in the funny way people do when you try to outline a TN plot... |
| 24th Feb 2011  Advert in Thursday's Guardian Hurry hurry! FREE copies of One of Our Thursdays is Missing can be won by doing one of those 'spot the differences' competitions. Today's Guardian, page 40, reviews section. Offer closes 9PM. |
| 20th Feb 2011  The new improved Bookworld likes to use standard Outland signage Now online - a few extras for the imminent launch of TN6, One of Our Thursdays is Missing. There is a TN6 Page that will point you towards the TN6 Sleuthing competition , the usual Special Features (possible spoilers), and for tour details for UK, USA and Canada. There is also an extract from the end of the first chapter to have a look at, and a map of Fiction Island so you can get your bearings. I think there are fw other bits and bobs as well. Have a look. |
| 3rd Feb 2011  Recognition at last! My Thanks to Alice at the Texaco Clyro who brough my attention to this - a starring role in the Sun's 'Name Game'. I have now been a answer on 'The Weakest Link' and a 'specialist subject' on 'Mastermind'. If you have heard any obscure Jasper mentions on the popular culture radar scope, drop me a line: jasper(at) jasperfforde.com |
| 29th Jan 2011  Becky Barker's postcard design Many thanks to all those who sent in postcard designs for my giveaway postcards this year. The slots are now filled so no more submissions can be considered for the postcards for this year. I thought I'd only do four, but ended up with seven. Becky's design above arrived a tad too late to be included, but I thought definitley worth sharing. Many thanks to all those who sent their ideas in. |
| 28th Jan 2011  A dog named Tuesday Next Another Nextian-themed pet name. Sandy Harrison tells us: "...I named my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Tuesday Next, and every time anyone asks me why, I tell them about your Thursday Next books. I have attached a picture of her..." If anyone has any other Ffordian-themed pets, let me know. jasper(at)jasperfforde.com |
| 26th Jan 2011  Thursday Next Character Name Inspired Bistro! Yes, it's true! Rumour has reached all the way across the globe and I can confirm that Pickwick's name is indeed Fforde inspired. They are due to open on the 29th January 2011, so if you are in the Enmore area of Sydney, why not drop on by and wish them luck? They do Casual bistro dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pickwick's can be found at 129 Enmore Rd across from the Duke of Edinburgh, near Enmore Theatre, Newtown, Sydney. They have a Facebook page |
| 19th Jan 2011  The The Last Dragonslayer app advert has got a new soundtrack with my RADA-trained voice skills (not). You can watch it HERE and help us get into treble figures on the viewing tally. You can also buy the App, if you so wish, by going to The App Store Note: UK and Commonwealth markets only. |
| 19th Jan 2011 It's that time of the decade where the 'we can clone back mammoths' idea comes back, which does sound suspiciously like fund-hungry scientists overegging the pudding for some grant cash. Still, here it is again: Mammoths. My thanks to Megs (and many others) for bringing this to our attention. |
| 18th Jan 2011  Matt's take on SoG Matt Roeser reads books and then redesigns the covers. This is his version of Shades of Grey which is extraordinarily close to my own thoughts as to how I thought the cover should look. This isn't the only one he's done. You can see more of Matt's work at his website. His version of A Short History of Time is absolutely brilliant. |
| 17th Jan 2011  Jasper the hamster Max is a reader of my books and also named his hamster after me as he (The hamster, not Max) has 'shades of grey'. This is him. If anyone has any other Ffordian-themed pets, let me know. jasper(at)jasperfforde.com |
| 17th Jan 2011 Emilie writes The Writeaholic's Blog and this one is about the first year's writing of an author, to which I have contributed. You can read it here. |
| 17th Jan 2011 Daniel Balladier has produced a 2012 Calendar, each month of which is an interview with an author. I think I am 'Mr April'. You can learn more by going to balladier.com. |
| 10th Jan 2011  A postcard given away with Well of Lost Plots Calling all artists! Have you drawn any Ffordian-related artwork? Every year I do a set of postcards for the publication of my books, and this year I thought I would ask fan artists and illustrators to submit something for the official giveaway postcard set. There's no compensation in it aside from a signed book, and I don't need to own the copyright or anything - just your permission to use the illustration on a thousand postcards that will be for free distribution - and on the reverse will be a full credit and a URL so people can be directed to your site. The brief is purposefully vague. Picture, photo, illustration - inspired or based upon anything in any of my books. Send any submissions to me at jasper(at)jasperfforde.com and I'll have a look. I have five slots available, and three are already filled, so make your submission sooner rather than later - printer's final date is the 30th Jan. |
| 8th Jan 2011  Visit to Canada Brief stopover at end of US tour will see me in Toronto, probably Monday 20th or 21st March, 2011 - maybe for longer. More details when I know them.. |
| 6th Jan 2011 
Paperback Shades of Grey published! Yes, folks, it's here and available in the UK right now. You can order from Waterstones or Amazon. Because I get sent these for free I have FIVE signed copies of the UK paperback to give away. All you have to do is to send a good reason why you think you should get one. It can be a short poem, a witty aside, a heart-rending plea or a simple threat of personal violence. The only rule is that it has to be a Twittery 140 characters in length, and that you allow me to post it up on my website. The most amusing/erudite/bizarre will get the book. Hodder territories only. Entries to jasper (at) jasperfforde.com with the subject line 'sleuth'. Entries close a week from today, 12th Jan. US paperback SOG is published on the 8th Feb 2011. You'll be offered freebie copies too. Perhaps. Maybe. We'll see. |
| 1st Jan 2011  COMPETITION results. The answer and winner to the Shades of Grey win-a-Large Print copy can be found on my Competition page, and the results of the competition to win the first signed copy of The Last Dragonslayer can be found right on the LDS Competition Page . There will be another competition for the launch of One of Our Thursdays is missing in Feb/March 2011. Be there, or... don't be there. |
| 1st Jan 2011  Amazon announces plans to allow Kindle readers to share their books. This is of interest, because many of my readers have expressed concerns that the Kindle prices are too high, and they can't even lend them. |
| 2010 |
| 22nd Dec 2010 New Article: Vince Cable to
embrace 'Blandness' in bid to avoid lying or telling the truth |
| 21st Dec 2010 The Smart proves its metal once again as it is surprisingly agile in snow and ice, and can go places that you generally only see 4WDs. Here we can see that it has delivered the Christmas tree safely unto the Fforde Household, garnering a few stares along the way. (We live at the top of a 4:1 hill) A Merry Christmas to all our readers, or seasonal Greetings, if you prefer. Jasper and Mari |
| |
| 14th Dec 2010 The Last Dragonslayer is currently number two on the SF/Fantasy list at
Dymocks, Australia. |
| |
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| 8th Dec 2010  The advert for the Fforde Ffiesta that goes in the back of the books. The Ffiesta will be held on the 27-29th May 2011. More details can be found at the Fforde Ffiesta page |
| 8th Dec 2010  The US paperback cover of Shades of Grey, to be published 8th February 2011 in the USA |
| |
| 7th Dec 2010  Just completed the back-of-book adverts for One of Our Thursdays is Missing. These are a staple of the TN and NC series, and are actually rather fun. I like to include a puff for the Wales Tourist Industry, as Wales is an excellent place to live and visit. The Gower Peninsula is particulalry lovely, and if anyone is thinking about hols in the UK next year, you could do a lot worse than arrange a visit. Don't be put off by the 'Not Always Raining' byline - it's lovely, even in the rain. Welsh Tourist Board Website. |
| 7th Dec 2010 New Page: New Toad News
article: Finding Nemo given retrospective '18' rating after outcry |
| |
| 3rd Dec 2010 WOW! Win a large print edition of Shades of Grey. For full details, go to my Competition page |
| 30th Nov
2010 New interview from the interestingly titled 'Used Furniture Review' Used Furniture Review |
| 30th Nov
2010 I was delighted (and very surprised) to find myself on the 11-book longlist of The Warwick Prize of Writing. Held every two years for
any sort of writing from any country. The judges and other books can be found at: The Warwick Prize for Writing |
| 22nd Nov 2010  We got a great broadsheet review in the Independent today, Monday. Hoorah for Christina
Hardyment! |
| 16th Nov 2010 NEW PAGE: More people seem to want to download eBooks these days, and I have been getting a lot of emails from
people wanting to know where to find them all. We have written a new page which attempts to condense all these links in one place. We're still working on it, and as you might imagine, different territories require different links. Anyway, you can find the new eBook page HERE or follow the link above. |
| 15th Nov 2010  A week after being released, The Last Dragonslayer App has clawed its way into the
top twenty book app list. YOU can make it climb higher! Go to the App Store and download it. Five star review from six reviews - and none of them from family members! |
| 11th Nov 2010  First look at UK cover design for One of our Thursdays is Missing. This is the 'final approval' before
artwork is finalised, and features a similar style to the rest of the series. Illustrator is once again Mark Thomas. |
| 9th Nov 2010 Stop those emails right now! The Last Dragonslayer will be available in North America. As of last week, I've agreed a deal with publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to distribute TLDS in the States. Naturally all of us here at Fforde Towers are delighted with the arrangement. This was their press release: "...Harcourt Children's Books, an imprint of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group, has acquired U.S. rights to The Last Dragonslayer and two other titles in a new middle-grade fantasy series by Jasper Fforde. Fforde is best known for The Eyre Affair and other books in his ongoing series of clever mystery novels starring crime-fighter Thursday Next. In The Last Dragonslayer, Fforde's first foray into children's books, fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs Kazam!, an employment agency that finds work for soothsayers and sorcerers. But magical work is drying up and even magic carpets are reduced to delivering pizza. So when signs start to predict the death of the world's last dragon by an unknown dragonslayer, it falls to Jennifer to take up the sword. Full of surprises, The Last Dragonslayer is classic storytelling blended with Fforde's crackling contemporary wit..." But I said North America, didn't I? And geographically speaking this also includes Canada, so we are delighted to also announce that HarperCollins will have exclusive publication rights in Canada. More publication dates and details as I know them. |
| 8th Nov 2010  Fun time. Fforde J poses with Ford T about two-thirds of the way up 'Drumhouse', one of the major hills to be negotiated at the 2010 Lakeland trial in Cumbria. It's playing silly buggers in vintage cars, to be honest. Points are awarded to how far you can negotiate around places that 4X4s might not dare. 'Drumhouse' climbs up �1500' and goes past five hairpin turns on loose slate in the space of half a mile - almost vertically up. There were ten hills to negotiate and we came 55 out of 61 - a personal best. I said it was fun - I didn't say I was any good at it.. |
| 3rd Nov 2010 The The Last Dragonslayer app is now available. This app contains the entire eBook and lots of other goodies. If you want to order, click HERE to get to the app store, OR if you want to watch a Utube video of what the app can do, click HERE. Note: UK and Commonwealth markets only. |
| 26th Oct 2010 To be published on November 4th. But the FIRST EVER signed edition will be given away FREE to some lucky winner. for more details, go to: LDS Competition Page . |
| 12th Oct 2010 To lesser mortals published on November 6th. But for an early preview of The Last Dragonslayer, Hodder are giving away a limited number of free iPhone/iPad apps which include the entire eBook. Go to my iDragon App page for more details |
| 11th Oct 2010  USA Cover "One of Our Thursdays is Missing' |
| 4th Oct 2010  Mist and sky in the early morning |
| 15th Sept 2010  To be published November 6th 2011: 'The Last Dragonslayer'. Available from November 2011 (UK). There will also be an 'DragonApp' for iPad/iPhone available at the same time. For more details, go to my Dragonslayer page. |
| 15th Sept 2010  New DTV German-language covers. Available soon in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We think they are fab - possibly best yet! |
| 6th Aug 2010  To be published January 6th 2011: The UK paperback edition of 'Shades of Grey'. Available in at all good booksellers and several bad ones. ISBN 978-0-340-96305-0 |
| 2nd Aug 2010  Born at home on the 27th July, 2010, a bouncing 7lbs 8oz girl, Stella Morel Fforde. Mum and baby all well. The incredible thatch of black hair has astounded and amazed vistors, and I have already lost three combs. (They will probably turn up glacier fashion, sometime around her ninth birthday). Our grateful thanks to Powys midwifery and the staff at Hereford County Hospital whose close attention and support was exemplary, and to Beveridge, Bevan and Atlee for creating the National Health Service. It's a national treasure. |
14th June 10  The 2010 Fforde Ffiesta went off exceptionally well. To see some text and pictures, go to my 2010 Fforde Ffiesta page. |
4th June 10 Fforde's first children's book to be published in the UK, November 2011. For more details, go to my Dragonslayer page. |
4th June 10 Potential cover of Paperback Shades of Grey - coming to UK Bookshops in February 2011. All the same words, only cheaper. |
26th May 10  Portuguese version of The Eyre Affair which has just been published. I think the cover very natty, although I'm not sure whether Thursday is a hat sort of person. |
10th Feb 10 The
winner of Thursday Nextreme for 2009 has now been announced. Go to the 2009 Nextreme Page
for more details.. |
3rd Feb 10 Some of
you have expressed fear and surprise that the UK Thursday Next paperbacks are not available with the Mark Thomas 'Austen Rover' type cover that was on
the hardback. This can be remedied in the comfort of your own home. Go to my How to fix your
TN5 Paperback page for more details.. |
24th Jan 10 In a move
that may be unique, Fforde now offers a signed eBook service for the US readers of Shades of Grey. All you need to is download a PDF of
asigned frontispiece and upload it to your eReader. So simple. Go to my Shades of Grey
mini-site for more details.. |
| 2009 |
| 30th Nov 09 Arrived today. The UK Hardback copy of Shades of Grey. This and its companion US edition will carry a
'First Signed' stamp and be available as a glittering free gift for some gimcrack competitions we're dreaming up. Stay tuned. Shades of Grey preview website.  Available in January all over the Commonwealth |
| 26th Nov 09 Arrived today. The USA Hardback copy of Shades of Grey. This and its companion UK edition will carry a 'First
Signed' stamp and be available as a glittering free gift for some gimcrack competitions we're dreaming up. Stay tuned. Shades of Grey preview website.  Available just after Christmas in the USA |
| 25th Nov 09 Michael Porritt sent this in from Canada as he thought it Nextian. It's actually an advert for the Canadian Literacy Foundation and it was so good we thought we'd share. Poor Cinders - but you
will make it to the ball!  (Note shoe lying on the ground behind) |
| 24th Nov 09 UK Markets ONLY: Hodder are giving away free two-chapter Samplers of Shades of Grey. To learn how, either
go to my Shades of Grey Preview site or jump to the Hodder website direct. Please note: This offer is only open to UK and Commonwealth
readers. |
23rd Nov 09  A foggy day on tour.. |
| 19th Nov 09 German language TN5 now published! To win the first signed copy, go to my unimaginatively titled 'Win the first signed copy' page.  Fresh from the printers.. |
17th Nov 09 
A National Colour Operative admires his work.. |
| 17th Nov 09 UK tour for 'Shades of Grey' now finalised. Got to my appearances page for details... |
| 13th Nov 09 There is a new Fforde writer! My cousin Desmond, who is married to Katie Fforde. Des has put together a
collection of Maritime Tales in aid of Prostate cancer. Buy a copy and help raise funds - or win a signed copy from me - see HERE for details... |
| 11th Nov 09 Tickets are now on sale for the FFORDE FFIESTA. Go to the Fforde Ffiesta website to buy yours now! |
| 11th Nov 09 Apologies all round as I have had to cancel the Australian tour that was going to happen next Feb/March. I have
a mid-May deadline next year, and losing another four weeks soon after January which is touring for Shades of Grey, I am concerned there won't
be enough time, and I'd rather cancell now than later. Apologies again. |
| 11th Nov 09 Sarm Falaki has been appointed the GSD Arch-Representative of Swindon and Northern Wiltshire. They hold the
title 'Your multiness' and have the power to form meetings and hold services. More details to follow. Maybe. |
| 11th Nov 09 Jasper has contributed a pep talk to the 'National Novel Writing Month' (NaNoWriMo) which is an excellent way
to get started. It doesn't matter what you write - just write! More details can be found at the NaNoWriMo
website. |
| 7th Oct 09 USA tour dates and venues January 2010 announced. Rough schedule on the Appearances page. From New York to Atlanta via Rochester Hills, Seattle, LA, Albuquerque, Florida and Pasadena to name but a few. To be confirmed and updated |
| 21st July 09 Jasper has just contributed to the Thousand
Words For Love book project, a multi-author idea to have as many of us scribblers as possible contribute to a book. This is in aid of the Helen and Douglas House Hospice, and although without a publisher at present, one will be sought when
the book nears completion. My section is the fourth in, and is all about negotiating for a car and driver. |
| 10th July 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Well, it's all finished and off at the Copyeditors. After a nail-biting run down to the tape, Shades of Grey 1: The Road to High Saffron is finally finished, just six months behind schedule - sorry for that. I hadn't realised that creating a whole new world would take so much work, but looking at back at the Thursday and NCD worlds, they were both the product of two to three years of continuous exploration and improvement before the books felt 'right'. In that respect, Grey was perhaps a bit quicker. Suffice to say, while First Among Sequels took 114 days over five months to write, Grey took 433 days over eighteen months. I hope it was worth the wait. But you do get a bit more for your money - it's 139,000 words long, as opposed to the usual 100,000. +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 27th April 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Original Fforde artwork is now for sale on eBay! As reported below, The Book Depository is selling original artwork, and it can now be found by following the links: Book Depository eBay Seller's page Bookmark Number 1 Bookmark Number 2 Bookmark Number 3 Bookmark Number 4 The auction ends on the 3rd May 2009. +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
23rd April 09  +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ BUY Original Fforde artwork! The Book Depository has been running a promotion to ask authors and illustrators to design bookmarks to be auctioned for Downsed International, a Down's Syndrome charity. I did four in a 'joiner' kind of way. The details of the bookmarks and the forthcoming auction can be seen at the Book Depository page, and the site for the auctions (when up) is at the Book Depository's eBay site +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 24th Feb 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Shades of Grey publication delayed until December 2009. Yes, sorry about this folks, but my 150,000 word tome is not quite there yet. Almost, but not quite. The US aim to publish on the 28th December 2009, and for the UK to follow suit in January 2010. Tours in both territories. By that time One of our Thursdays is Missing will be an advanced state, but we don't have a publication date for that yet, but will hope for August 2010. +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 14th Feb 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++
UK Fourth Bear 'B' Format 7th Reprint +++ |
| 13th Feb 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ The children's communication charity 'I CAN' is asking people to adopt words from the Collins Dictionary (The OED requiered an act of parliament, apparently, so wasn't suitable.) You adopt a word for a year and get a certificate and stuff. I bought 'Linoleum' for �20, which is a bargain, as I hope to be able to hold the world's Linoleum factories to trademark ransome in a fanatical attempt to dominate the flooring industry. Or something. Anyhow, here's the website: Adopt a Word and Help a Kid Who Doesn't Read Good +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 13th Feb 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ The indexing method has changed on my books again, and as you will see above, has many sub-indexes leading to lists of pages available. We may see some more changes in the next few weeks as I give the site a bit of a makeover. +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
30th Jan 09  Just recently the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature staff have announced a project called The Lost World Read which is all about encouraging people to read Conan
Doyle's seminal dino-discovering tome, The Lost World. As part of this campaign, there are many tie-ins, free book distribution, online fun,
events and what-have-you. Part of this celebration is a project called the The Lost Book , which
is an animated story, and as part of this, the public are invited to collaboratively write a sequel to The Lost World, chapter by chapter.
Fforde has penned the set-up to this 'lost' book, so
why not have a look to see if you would like to contribute? |
| 28th Jan 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ The 'What's New? page of jasper's website recently fell into a closed loop 'What's New' updating procedure whereby it constantly updated itself about the fact that it had been updated, then reported that updating. Thankfully, after bringing most of Europe's servers to a standstill with eight trillion updates, it has finally been rectified. Three updates have been left for historical reasons. +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 28th Jan 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Reprint Update: Something Rotten: 14th Reprint First Among Sequels: 6th Reprint The Big Over Easy: 12th Reprint +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 27th Jan 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ If 'Jasper Fforde' is the answer, what is the question? Yes, once more Jasper is the answer in a primetime quiz show. First it was The Weakest Link, then Mastermind, and now University Challenge. Oh, the fame, the fame. If I can make it on to Desert Island Discs or be a celebrity guest on The Archers, I can die easy knowing that my life has been fulfilled. (Oh, and by the way, being an answer on Mastermind wa the best; I was a specialist subject and my man got to talk about it afterwards with The Humphreys.) +++ Fforde News Fflash Ends +++ |
| 19th Jan 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ UK Eyre Affair Reprint Jasper's first book currently enters its 45th reprint - Hoorah! +++ |
| 11th Jan 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Fforde pops his facebook cherry. For anyone who uses the social networking site of 'Facebook', you might be interested that Jasper has finally figured out how it works, and may be using it to spread more nonsense, apperances, that sort of thing. So if you want to be sent updates and don't want to use the (mildly inefficient) guestbook on this site, please ask to be a friend, and Lo! it shall be so. +++ |
| 12th Jan 09 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Many thanks for all the kind birthday greetings, and various offers of an elephant (none of them real, I hasten to add). Much appreciated. +++ |
| 2008 |
| 12th May 08 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Fforde promises 'not to bang on and on about his new baby'. To the great relief of all concerned, Fforde has pledged not to bore all and sundry about he and Mari's new baby, as though it was the only baby born in the world so far, and the erronous assumption that everyone is remotely interested. He further went on to promise that he will not be so insufferably twee as to post cute pictures on his own website, or suggest in any way that Tabitha is just that little bit smarter, more advanced and more pretty than all the other babies on the planet combined. (which she is, by the way) +++ | |
| 12th May 08 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Fforde promises 'not to bang on and on about his new baby'. To the great relief of all concerned, Fforde has pledged not to bore all and sundry about he and Mari's new baby, as though it was the only baby born in the world so far, and the erronous assumption that everyone is remotely interested. He further went on to promise that he will not be so insufferably twee as to post cute pictures on his own website, or suggest in any way that Tabitha is just that little bit smarter, more advanced and more pretty than all the other babies on the planet combined. (which she is, by the way) +++ | |
| 25th Jan. 08 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++
No new Fforde book for 2008. Following discussions with UK and US publishers it has been decided to delay publication of "Shades of Grey" until July 2009. The reasons are twofold: First to allow me more time to finish the book and have a baby. Secondly, to enable us to get back on to a more conventional schedule - that of delivering a year before publication to allow lead time for marketing and publicity. My apologies to everyone for the delay - but releasing me from the "just in time" writing schedule wll have long term benefits for book quality (I hope) and production schedules. +++ |
| 2007 |
| 17th Dec. 07 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ New three-book deal signed, sealed and delivered. Yes, like it not, you've got Fforde for at least three more years. Following joyous and painless negotiations, Penguin and Hodder and Stoughton have both agreed a new three-book deal with Fforde, their fourth deal in seven years. Books eight, nine and ten are contractually: "Shades of Grey", "unnamed Thursday Next Novel" and "untitled", each to be published in July 2008, 2009, and 2010. +++ | |
| 17th Dec. 07 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ New series on the cards from Fforde in 2008. Following on from his 'Thursday Next' and 'Nursery Crime' series, Fforde has bravely branched out into new territory: Books that are not metafiction. In a shocking statement to the world's media, British author and former teenager Jasper Fforde announced that he would be 'making up all his own characters' for a three-part saga, the first of which is due to be published in July 2008. "I'll be using all my own characters in this next book," he said, "and not appropriating them from popular fiction." This radical departure for the famed non-winner of the Whitbread prize decided on the unprecedented step to 'stretch himself' and 'try something new'. The new series which goes by the name of 'Shades of Grey' is still heavily under wraps but will feature a bizarre dystopian view of the future that mixes Stalinism, British Public School, Linoleum factories and limited Colour vision. "But don't worry," said Fforde at his rambling seventeen-bedroom Welsh Mansionette yesterday, "it will still be pretty silly." +++ | |
| 17th Dec. 07 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ New Thursday Book planned for 2009. The Sixth in the Thursday Next series will be out in July 2009 and is tentatively titled: "One of Our Thursdays is missing". Continuing the story soon from where "First Among Sequels" left off, Jurisfiction has serious problems: With a Serial Killer on the loose, Speedy Muffler declaring all-out Genre war and aggressive book-pulpers threatening to turn entire libraries into MDF self-assembly furniture, only ace book-jumper Thursday Next can save the day. But where the hell is she? Last seen investigating the theoretical Dark Reading Matter, the place - where it is conjectured - erased and forgotten books end up, Thursday is nowhere to be found. With time running out, Jurisfiction decides that you need a Thursday to find a Thursday, so they persuade Thursday5, comfortably getting to grips with the hastily rewritten TN series, to look for the real Thursday in the one region she fears more than anything else - A place of chaos, unpredictability and unresolved plot lines: The Real World. +++ | |
| 17th Dec. 07 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++
Author to be father - yet again. Yes, that's the happy news from Fforde Towers as Non-Booker Prize Winning Author Jasper Fforde announced to the world that he and his partner of Seven years, Mari Roberts, are expecting their first child together in March. The child, which is strongly expected to be human, joins a line-up of four existing children of Jasper's but is Mari's first (that she knows about). Both expectant parents are naturally as proud as punch.+++ | |
| 17th Dec. 07 +++ Fforde News Fflash +++ Author announces 'Year Off'. As part of his long-term writing strategy, Jasper Fforde has announced that 2011 with be 'The year of living lazily'. "When I kicked off in 2001," said Fforde yesterday, "I promised myself ten books in ten years, publishers and public willing. Since that target looks to be fulfilled, I have decided to have a year off where I do not publish a book or do any tours or appearances. Just me, and my family, going travelling - probably all around Europe, or South America, or India, or something. Don't know. Just a break." Bringing out a book a year and the promotion of same has been "Hugely enjoyable" said Mr Fforde, but felt that he needed to unwind and relax before his head exploded in a ball of fire (Figuratively). Fforde also added that he would return to the writing scene in 2012 with 'another book or something' as long as people can still bare to read his stuff. +++ | |
| 3rd July 07 +++ Fforde News Fflash: It has come to our attention that the entire first print run
of the UK Hodder edition of First Among Sequels is missing the footnoterphone speech. These should be on pages 194, 195, 332, 333, 339, 392 and 393.
This is especially annoying as it is the second side of dialogue, some of which moves the story on. Since the books are already in the shops and thus
too late for error slips, we are doing everything we can to try and alert readers as to the problem. We at Fforde towers would like to apologise for
this oversight, and even though I'd like to claim it's something to do with an attempt to reduce the Stupidity Surplus, it isn't. It's a balls-up of
the highest magnitude for which I apologise profusely. Go to the Upgrade Section to
read the missing text in conjunction with your newly purchased novel.+++ |
| 2006 |
| 11th Aug 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Changes to registering process on the forum: I was getting at
least six spam posts a day urging the fforumites to go see a Russian porn site or buy cheap phamaceuticals and fake Gucci handbags. Now, it's possible
some of the forumites might indeed like to indulge in these activities but they can do it in their own time, and on someone else's site. So, what I've
done is stopped all online registering. If you want to register send me an email with your full name, a username, an email address and password and
I'll register you. Email address, as usual, is jasper (at) jasperfforde.com.++ | |
| 6th July 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Menu bars on every page removed - just use single 'Index' button to reach pretty
much everything else. ++ | |
| 15th June 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Now in stock at Goliath Merchandising: Two fabulous new T-shirts for you to
treasure and treasure forever. For more details, mouse on the centre/center banner above or just click HERE | |
| 12th June 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Now in stock at Goliath Merchandising: The 'B' format edition
of The Big Over Easy. As usual, all the books ordered through Goliath are the same price as the high street but have the dubious distinction of
carrying not only a dedication to your order, but a freebie giveaway postcard and a special internet-sales-only Goliath inky stamp. For more
details, click HERE | |
| 12th June 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Latest reprint bulletin: The Big Over Easy (B Format paperback, first printing) 39,500 copies in circulation. | |
| 11th April 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Latest reprint bulletin: The Eyre Affair (UK paperback, 31st edition) 3000 copies, 167,550 in circulation. Lost in a Good Book (UK paperback, 17th edition) 3000 copies, 103,150 in circulation. The Well of Lost Plots (UK paperback, 8th edition) 2000 copies, 80,100 in circulation The Big Over Easy (Export paperback) 2000 copies, 14,000 in circulation. Lost in a Good Book (Export paperback) 3000 copies, 17,000 in circulation. | |
| 11th Mar 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash Latest Reprint Bulletin: The Eyre Affair (Export
Edition) is now on its 5th edition, with an extra 2000 copies meaning 13,500 of this edition in circulation. | |
| 22nd Feb 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Big Over Easy appears in paperback. Not for general
consumption in the UK where it is released in June, but for the export market. Cover is the same image as the hardback but slightly rejigged for the
smaller cover. There were 11,000 copies of the diddy 'A' Format printed and the ISBN is: 0-340-8356-9. | |
| 22nd Jan 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The 2007 VCE (Victoria, Australia) Literature panels have chosen this title once
again to be on the VCE Literature Text list for 2007.It is also on for 2006. 2007 will see this title being on the list for the third year in a row.
Which basically means that it is available as an 'approved' title for teaching in Victoria - hoorah! | |
| 3rd Jan 06 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Latest reprint bulletin:Lost in a Good Book enters its
16th reprint in the UK. An extra 3000 copies which means we have 100,150 in print. The Well of Lost Plots enters its 7th print run with an
extra 2500 copies so 78,100 copies in print. The Eyre Affair is now on its 30th edition, with an extra 4000 copies meaning 164,550 copies in
print. Hoorah! |
| 2005 |
| 1st Dec 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Come the new year there will be another Fforde charity auction of bits and bobs related to me
and my books. Lists of lots will be published ahead of time, although this year we will have several identical lots, so more people have a chance of
winning stuff. There will be at least twenty copies of the TN1 1st edtion with upper case signature - part of a consignment I signed in 2001 and have
remained at Hodder. There are also quite a few proofs of TN4 and TN2 up for grabs - plus other stuff. Stay tuned! |
| 1st Dec 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Now for sale at Goliath Merchandising: All my books, in paperback. They are marginally
cheaper than the high street, and have the dubious distinction of carrying not only a dedication to your own order, but a freebie giveaway postcard, a
'Welcome to Swindon' bookmark (while stocks last; got to get rid of these somehow) and a special internet-sales-only Goliath inky stamp. For
more details, click HERE |
| 28th Nov 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: COMING SOON: Paperback copies of my books (US and UK) are to be available from my website,
with an option to have it dedicated how you want. A freebie postcard will be included with each book as well as a moniker. Price will be RRP, plus
postage. Hardbacks of any description or unusual collector's items will not be available. |
| 28th Nov 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The jolly bunch from the 'Storyman' thing turned up to record me for one of their wednesday
evening slots in a new series to be broadcast on Radio4 next year. Andrew Clover was the interviwer and a rollicking time was had by all. More details
to follow. |
| 28th Nov 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Hodder 'A Format' export edition of Something Rotten has just entered its third
printing of 2000 copies, which mean there are 14,000 copies of this particular edition in print. 'Export Edition' means Canada, New Zealand,
Australia, SA, export markets and international airport bookshops. |
| 10th Nov 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The boxed set of the first four Thursday Next books has just been printed - 5000 initial
sets. I have one and it seems to be on sale at Amazon, without picture. This is something I have often thought about in jest - I imagine Thursday will
be quite chuffed, although knowing her, she won't show it. |
| 10th Nov 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Goliath Corporation, in its magnanimous benovelence, have generously allowed the public
to buy even more quality products from their clothing outlets. Two more designs from the trough of merchandising: A much overdue Specops-17 and a
Toast T-shirt. For more details, please click HERE. |
| 3rd Nov 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Fforde enters popular culture! Adherents to notorious Welsh-hater Anne Robinson and her
inexplicably popular 'Weakest Link' TV show on the Wednesday 2nd November 2005 will have noticed Fforde's books turning up as one of the questions:
"In Jasper Fforde's 2005 novel, The Big Over Easy, what is the name of the central character?" The contestant sadly did not know, so Ms
Robinson told them it was Humpty Dumpty. My thanks to Dave Collins who furnished the details. ++++ |
| 29th Oct 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The Goliath Corporation, as part of a long term commitment to ensure that everyone wears their
clothes, have had to reluctantly reduce prices. You can take advantage of this enforced level of generosity by taking a look at the new pricing
structure. (It's pretty simple: all T-shirts down from �15 to �10; mugs and hats stay the same.) For more details, please click HERE. |
| 19th Oct 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Latest reprint bulletin:Lost in a Good Book enters its 15th reprint in the UK, with
97,150 copies in print, Something Rotten enters its 5th print run with 48,500 copies in print. The Eyre Affair is now on its 28th
edition, with 155,550 copies in print. Hoorah! |
| 30th Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Lost in a Good Book enters its 14th reprint in the UK, with 92,150 copies in print.
Hoorah! |
| 27th Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:We have opened an image bank, part of an ongoing library idea entitled Ffotographica.com. I
will add to the pictures as and when. You can find it by clicking Here |
| 27th Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Due to the extraordinary success of the 2005 Fforde Ffestival there are plans afoot to hold
another one in 2007. The oh-so-capable Phil and Sarah are co-ordinating once more, and have set up a website where you can leave feedback about the
'05 Ffiesta.Fforde Ffiesta 2007 Website |
| 22nd Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:DTV, the German publishers, have concluded negotiations with Fforde and the German language
edition of Something Rotten will be published by them next year. Notice to collector's of the German books: The trade Paperback is now released
for TNs 1&2. The only difference aside from the copyright page is the the word 'Galleria' instead of 'DTV' on the
spine. |
| 22nd Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Italians to read The Eyre Affair and Lost in a Good Book in their native tongue.
Marcos Y Marcos, the noted quality publisher has bought the rights for the first two books in the Thursday Next series. MYM is a hardback publisher,
so hardback it is, with the paperbacks appearing the year after, but from a different imprint. |
| 17th Sept 05 +++ Last minute Fforde News Fflash:Fforde Ffestival events to be streamed live from Swindon this afternoon! Subject
to technicalities. Click HERE +++ |
| 17th Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Goliath lowers prices, shock horror. Yes folks, in a devastating move, Goliath will be
reducing costs for merchandise sold at the Fforde Ffiesta on the weekend of 17th to 18th September 2005. All T-shirts at �10 each, caps at �8
+++ |
| 17th Sept 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Merchandising news: NCD T-shirts and caps now in stock. See Goliath Merchandising for details.+++ |
| 20th August 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The UK edition of The Big Over Easy entered its fourth printing today.
+++ |
| 17th August 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The Welsh edition of The Big Issue will be publishing my short story entitled
"We Are All Alike" in its September 19th issue. I waived my fee as is right and proper, so if anyone out there also buys a copy we can ensure that
this not-for-profit organisation has a few more beans in its coffers. If anyone has trouble getting a copy they can be ordered via post (for a small
extra fee) by emailing: cathryn@bigissuecymru.fsnet.co.uk +++ |
| 14th August 05 +++
Fforde News Fflash:UK editions of The Big Over Easy have just entered their 3rd reprint in the B Format hardback.
+++ |
| 13th August 05 +++
Fforde News Fflash:German Publishers DTV have bought Something Rotten. The Big Over Easy and Something Rotten will also
be published in Russian. +++ |
| 18 July 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The Welsh edition of Big Issue has asked Fforde to submit a short story for one of its
August editions. This will likely be something called 'The Man with No Face' (not to be confused with the Mel Gibson movie of the same name) and will
be the second short story of Fforde's to appear in print. Fuller details will follow. +++ |
| 18 July 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:UK editions of The Eyre Affair have just entered their 27th reprint.
+++ |
| 14 July 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:As if by magic, the UK hardback edition of The Big Over Easy entered its second
printing - a week after release. There were another 3000 printed, bringing the number in circulation to 20,500. At the same time the 'B' format
paperback edition of The Eyre Affair entered its 27th printing of another 7,500, making 149,550 copies in circulation.
+++ |
| 27 April 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Street naming in Swindon has been confirmed, although the roads themselves will not be ready
to be officially opened until the contractors have moved out - about a year away. The roads (signs are not up yet) are called: Thursday Street,
BradshawAvenue, and Havisham Drive. More names are yet to be confirmed.+++ |
| 15 April 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: New item in the menu bar: Charity Auction. After the astonishing success of the Tsunami
Appeal with �7980 earned by flogging off a few of my bits and bobs, we thought we'd open a page to bring them all together. Here it is . Not sure what we're going to auction off next year; probably a complete set of hardbacks with my full
signature.+++ |
| 15 April 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash: First ever foreign sales to start paying royalties! Yes, folks, or volks, it's the German and
Austrian readership who have pushed the German-language edition of TN1 and TN2 to the second most read language of the Thursday Next series. The
Eyre Affair (out for over a year) has sold nearly 16,000 copies and Lost in a Good Book, (published Sept 2004) nearly 8000. Hoorah! (To any
German readers out there: I still don't have a proof copy of TN2. Offers gratefully received)+++ |
| 15 April 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Slight reworking of the website this week; two 'special' banners at the head of the page
wasn't enough so I added another one. It's all centered now, and various other small changes and smoothing over. If you come across any glitches or
dead links, empty images, I'd like to hear from you. [jasper (at) jasperfforde.com]+++ |
| 15 April 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Paperback edition of Something Rotten is now available in UK shops. Anyone on the
London Tube might have seen an impressive poster campaign going on. I wanted my publicist to fire flaming Guinea-pigs dipped in gasoline across
Trafalgar Square to a rousing full orchesteral rendering of The Ride of the Valkyries while distributing leaflets, but they said it was outside
their budget. I responded that outraged citizens would be buying my books simply to burn at the sight of all those immollated Guinea-pigs, but they
didn't buy it. But you might. Available in the bookshops now!+++ |
| 3 April 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:Paperback editions of all four books now re-wrappered in matching Mark Thomas artwork - boxed
set avalable it is planned, at christmas. +++ |
| 28 Jan 05 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The Tsunami relief appeal auction raised an astonishing �7980, exceeding our wildest
expectations. So many many thanks for your generosity! We will absorb shipping and currency transfer charges ourselves in order to be able to write a
cheque for �8000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee. Thank you everyone for bidding - we should do this again next year. You can view how the
auction went by clicking HERE+++ |
| 2004 |
| 18 Jan 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash:At a recent tally of all books sold, the grand total sales of all editions sold everywhere in
all territories is 501,562. So we made the half million mark! Hoorah. My thanks to everyone who has either bought my books or recommended my books to
someone else! +++ |
| 7 Sept 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Latest Hodder news: The Eyre Affair has been reprinted again and is now in its
23rd edition incarnation - a grand total (in this format) of 126,550. Many thanks to those who bought it and the ink manufacturers, without
whom my novels would be indistinguishable from drawing pads.+++ |
| 19 July 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Something Rotten reprinted a week before it is due to go on sale!
Yes, it's true - due to an increased expectation of demand from bookstores, the fourth in the Thursday Next series has been reprinted,
bringing the initial UK and Commonwealth circulation figures up to 40,000. +++ |
| 6 June 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Eyre Affair reaches 22nd printing! Yes, it's true. More copies of my first book
are being sold (which is just as well, really) and there are currently 165,000 copies of TN1 in circulation in the UK and almost the same again in the
US. Hoorah!+++ |
| 6 June 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Radnorshire author wins pig. Yes, it was an oink-tastic day for wacky Powys author Jasper
Fforde, whose often confusing novel 'The Well of Lost Plots' won the prestigious and 'pighooooee' fizz-related Wodehouse/Bollinger/Everyman award
for 'Best Comic Novel 2004'. Accompanied by a Jereboam of Bollinger, Fforde posed for photographs in a pig-pen with champion porker Muriel, a
Gloucester Old spot who lives in a field near Winforton with her large family of eight. "I named two characters after pigs in my novels," quipped
Fforde, the youthful and very occasionally hilarious Wye Valley penster, "Clarence Oldspot is a journalist and Tamworth is an SO-5
operative, both from TN1." Muriel the pig, asked to comment on Fforde's books, claimed that although she hadn't read the book herself her
mother-in-law found them 'interestingly experimental' and that she might "dip" into Fforde's work when she had finished the Updike she was
reading. Fforde also wins the complete Everyman editions of PG Wodehouse's novels and a case of vintage Bollinger, but doesn't get to keep Muriel
- instead he gets a large fibreglass pig on wheels to keep for a year. "It is an honour and a surpise and a priviledge" he said, "my thanks to the
judges, and Everyman, and Bollinger, and Muriel." See picture below.+++ |
| 27 May 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Eyre Affair becomes set text Down Under. In a bold move that will have
teenager's pliant minds corrupted with Ffordian nonsense, the Victorian board of education in Australia is to place The Eyre Affair on the
2005 VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) English text list. Fforde was reported to be 'delighted' by the board's decision.
+++ |
| 14 April 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: One year ago today young Thursday Crowden was born to happy parents Steve and Sam. Everyone
at Fforde Grand Central would like to offer young Thursday the very best on her 1st birthday. For more details about the Nextian baby, click HERE. +++ |
| 14 April 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Tour details sorted out. After a protracted series of delicate negotiations involving
top-level executives from Penguin and Hodder, the simultaneous publication of Something Rotten has been resolved: Rather than cloning Fforde at great
expense, Hodder have kindly agreed to publish on the 26th July, allowing a full two weeks of Nextian tomfoolery before I am shipped off to the States
for the US launch on the 9th. For more details, keep an eye on my appearances page. As soon as I know anything
at all, it will be posted. +++ |
| 10 April 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Thanks to the technologies employed by WorldPay, Goliath
merchandising now take credit and debit cards. For all manner of fine T-shirts, caps and mugs, please go to the Goliath online shopping centre (in the US: center). Remember that it is not mandatory
to buy Goliath Corporation Merchandising but a recent Goliath-funded study has revealed the dire health risks involved with inconsiderate
non-compliance of Goliath sales objectives. +++ |
| 9 April 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: French publication a huge success; large quantities of food eaten. Fforde
recently spent two days with Univers Poche, the French publishers of l'affaire Jane Eyre. Contrary to Fforde's initial expectations,
this was a major launch with the book going into a second printing before the publication date due to demand from bookshops and an
enthusiastic response from the company's reps. Everyone at Fleuve Noir (the imprint my book is under) was delightful, and my thanks to
Beatrice Duval for championing my novel, and Roxane Azimi for her expert translation. +++ |
| 4 April 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Well, it's finally finished. After 104 working days spread between here and the 4th August
last year, Something Rotten has finally been laid to rest, or 'torn from my inky fingers', whichever you find most poetic. More details of the
book can be found by clicking HERE. Fforde has taken a rest for the past week and is now gearing himself up for the launch
of the next Next and the annual updatement of the website. +++ |
| 25th Mar 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Lost in a Good Book goes into 9th printing. Yep, it's true -
the UK version of LIAGB has now sold 70,000 copies - hoorah! +++ |
| 23rd Mar 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: ENGLISH AUTHOR POSSIBLY GOING TO AUSTRALIA AFTER ALL. Despite previous
news flash, it is entirely possible that Fforde might be going to Australia this year after all - Canada, too. Watch this space for future
developments. +++ |
| 22nd Mar 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: BRITISH AUTHOR 'DELIGHTED AND FLATTERED' WHEN MET BY GROUP OF FORUM STALWARTS. 'It might have
been frosty outside but it was sure warm in here!' quipped one-time focus-puller Jasper Fforde yesterday after having spent a very jolly evening being
entertained by members of the website's stalwart fforumites. Youthful-looking Jasper Fforde, 31, was in Scranton giving a talk about his latest novel,
'The Well of Lost plots' when he was invited by the dodo-bedecked cake-wielding travellers to spend a few hours at TGI Fridays. Conversation was
far-reaching and covered such diverse topics as shoes, ships, ceiling wax, and cabbages and kings. There was also speculation on why the sea was
boiling hot, (it isn't) and whether pigs have wings. (They don't) Jasper Fforde, 27, described the evening as 'delightful' and was especially pleased
with the entroposcope cake, which, predictably, he hadn't predicted. 'It just came stright out of the blue,' he declared, 'or to be more accurate,
Magda's multi-talented hands.' The group, led by the Fforde's official 2004 stalker, Twila Davis-Reed, spent three weeks crossing the most
inhospitable terrain to be there, describing the conditions as 'snowy, but fortuantely for us, only outside the vehicle except when Sarah
opened the window.' Mr Fforde will be twenty-one next January and didn't find anyone even remotely scary - except himself, which doesn't count.
+++ |
| 18th Mar 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: FFORDE DENIES RUMOUR. Comments on the forum and at talks regarding 'Something Rotten' being
the last Thursday Next book has been denied by Mr Fforde. The author told newsmen from the front door of his modest three-room medieval castle
yesterday: "I strenously deny that TN4 will be the last Thursday book. Now be off with you before I cast you into the moat, which, as you might have
observed, has been stocked with alligators." He then raised the drawbridge and was seen later pacing the battlements, cackling gleefully and
muttering something about it not being his fault that he can't spell 'Dalmatian'. Pyschiatrists have been informed.
+++ |
| 11th Feb 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: ENGLISH AUTHOR NOT GOING TO AUSTRALIA THIS YEAR. A shocked hush descended over the packed
newsroom as Fforde, speaking through a live satelite link, broke the news to Australia's massed newsmen and TV stations this morning. "I'm sorry,"
said the author, "but I'm not going to be able to come to Australia this year. Perhaps next year." +++ |
| 11th Feb 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: ENGLISH AUTHOR TO LAUNCH BOOK IN PARIS. It was announced on the 6th that Univers Poche, the
French publishers of L'affair Eyre, have invited the English author to Paris for the 8th April to sign copies and talk to press. Fforde happily
agreed, stipulating that he must be allowed to bring his own live-in French Translator (Mari) and then be allowed to visit the Maison de
Chocolate on the Champes Elysee. +++ |
| 11th Feb 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Slight reorganisation of updates and Fforde Fflashes. All the old updates will be in the Old Updates page and the Fforde Fflashes now have a Press Releasepage of their own
+++ |
| 11th Feb 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Noted actress Juliet Stevenson to voice the talking books for Hodder. That's right, folks.
Star of stage and screen Juliet Stevenson is to give voice to Thursday for the Hodder talking books. All three novels are to be shortened for the
two-cassette book, available at the end of the year. Oddly enough, I have worked with Ms Stevenson on a film called 'The Trial' that we shot in Prague
in 1992. I was the focus puller. +++ |
| 29th Jan 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: FFORDE MADE MAYOR OF SWINDON FOR AN HOUR. At the Swindon Civic centre on the 26th January,
presiding Swindon Mayor Mr Derek Benfield welcomed Fforde to Swindon, thanked him for writing about the town and bestowed upon him the honour of
wearing the mayoral robes for a photocall. Fforde was delighted and accepted the offer gratefully, posing for pictures and generally wondering if he
hadn't fallen into one of his own books. The meeting closed with Fforde proclaiming a 'Lola Vavoom' national holiday, the establishment of Swindon as
an independent City-State within Swindon and for the language of the town to be Welsh. All proclamations were wisely rejected, and the afternoon
finished with some excellent carrot cake. "The finest," announced Fforde, "that I have ever tasted." Pictures will be posted at a later
date.+++ |
| 17th Jan 04 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Publicity at Hodder have arranged an exclusive Jasper Fforde Day in SWINDON to coincide with
the paperback publication of Well of Lost Plots on Monday, January 26th. Lots of other Thursday Next activity planned for the town. More
details to be posted as and when on my Appearances Page+++ |
| 2003 |
| 23rd Dec 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: GERMAN LANGUAGE VERSION OF TN-1 PUBLISHED. Yes, it's here. German Publishing Giant DTV have
published the German language edition of The Eyre Affair which is titled: Der Fall Jane Eyre. (Translated: The Jane Eyre Case.
Pronounciation: 'Der falle Jane Eyre') It has a natty orange cover and will be featured on my updated bookshelf when it comes to the Fforde website
annual makeover in March. For a link to the German publisher site, click HERE
+++ |
| 23rd Dec 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: FFORDE STREAMLINES SIGNATURE FOR 04 AND BEYOND. In a packed newsroom yesterday Fforde
announced that he would not be signing any more books in uppercase from January 1st. This was from the advice of his writing remedial teacher who
thinks he is far too old to write in capitals. The reporters, who were slightly annoyed as they were led to believe that this press conference would
be about Fforde's reported association with a gorilla, began to ask questions about the sightings of Fforde with the reported primate. 'I'm sorry,'
said Fforde, getting up to leave, 'but I am not going to answer questions about me and Mel - I mean, Mrs Bradshaw.'
+++ |
| 23rd Dec 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: FFORDE LOSES HAMMER, FINDS IT AGAIN. The Fforde household was rocked by a new hammer
controversy Tuesday when Fforde mislaid the rubber-handled Stanley model D-5. Fforde, who was up a stepladder at the time, was reported to use a sharp
oath and accuse an unnamed person of removing it. This drama was soon dispelled by Miss Roberts who suggested Fforde 'look where he last left it'. The
hammer was soon recovered but the unnamed person who moved it from the piano to the windowsill has not owned up. +++ |
| 18th Dec 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: SIMULTANEOUS PUBLICATION FOR BOOK 4. At last! Penguin and Hodder have agreed to the
simultaneous publication of Thursday Next IV Something Rotten for August 1st 2004. This will give US readers two publications in one year
(three if you count TN-2 paperback) and put everyone on track for future global publications. This is excellent news and very welcome to all
concerned, especially me as I get another month to finish it. +++ |
| 17th Dec 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: EXTRA DOG STAYS AT FFORDE/ROBERTS HOUSE DURING CHRISTMAS. Following the news that Mr and Mrs
Roberts are spending Christmas in Spain, they decided to leave Jumbul, their five-year-old crossbreed, with their daughter and her boyfriend on
Wednesday. "Of course, we were delighted," said Mari Roberts in an interview yesterday, "We've had jumbul stay with us before and he usually behaves
himself, as long as he's not outside when the postman arrives." The Fforde/Roberts resident dog Milly was also overjoyed and explained through an
interpreter that Jumbul was more than welcome to stay as long as he had a seperate supper-dish, left all her sticks well alone and didn't expect to
sleep under the owner's bed, which she said, was "kinda special". Other household pets were less than exuberant about the visitor. Rollo the cat let
it be known through his lawyers that he hadn't ruled out litigation and certainly wasn't happy to share the spot in front of the fire that is now
legally his due to the landmark "Milly V Rollo Hearth Rights" case heard in the Brecon appellant court in January. +++ |
| 11th Oct 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: GOLIATH MERCHANDISING DIVISION OPENS TO FANFARE AND GLITTERING CELEBRITY-ONLY PARTY. It's
here at last! The Goliath Merchandising site! At present we have five tee-shirts, a cap and some
Goliath mugs - we will increase the range of products depending on the amount of interest shown. All t-shirts are screen-printed, the mugs dishwasher
safe and the caps actually cover your head. Well, the top bit anyway. Alas, credit card transactions cost an arm and a leg to set up, so we will
introduce this at a later date. To offset any negative publicity about Fforde wallowing at the trough of merchandising, be aware that this website
costs to maintain, and all those freebie postcards (9000 this year alone) and other stuff come out of the coffers here at Fforde towers. Right,
excuses over. Remember: Goliath. For all you'll ever spend. +++ |
| 20th Aug 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash:The Well of Lost Plots has been longlisted for the WHSmith Book Awards in the Fiction
category. Hurrah! Each longlist comprises 10 titles and these will be sent to a judging panel 'consisting of a celebrity and members of the public'
who will reduce the list to a shortlist of five titles by mid-December. The public will then vote for their favourite titles in January and February,
when the shortlists are launched and promoted in-store. +++ |
| 19th Aug 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Concerned that many US readers are purchasing UK copies over the internet, Fforde has added a
bonus chapter to the USA edition of The Well of Lost Plots. The TN3 hardback will be available in the USA in March 2004, a few weeks after the
paperback launch of Lost in a Good Book. The TN3 'Bonus chapter' is primarily about WordStorms in the bookworld and takes us, for the first
time, on to one of the many Storycode engine floors of Text Grand Central. The rest of the book has been modified slightly to include more about
mispeling vyruses, a man with a misrelated construction problem called Wyatt and other bits and bobs. +++ |
| 19th Aug 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Under the increased pressure of emails, Fforde has reluctantly decided that he cannot answer
every single one personally. Apologising to his supporters, Fforde commented that: 'Just recently the burden has dramatically increased. It was answer
emails or write books. I trust readers would go for the latter, given the choice'. Sitting down to finish TN4 tentatively titled "Untitled Thursday
Next Book number four" he added that he did not want people to stop writing with all their comments and observations, all of which are much
appreciated - just that he could not hope to answer them all. He then disappeared into his office, put on his favourite 'Hits from the 80s' 8-Track
cartridge and muttering something about how Lorna Doone was 'crumpet'. Reporter: Lydia Startright, Toad News. +++ |
| 21st July 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Talk of Nextian T shirts has reached such fever pitch that a Forrumian subcommitee has been
formed to find out exactly what, if anything, he is going to do about it. In a grilling series of emailed questions, Fforde confessed that: "...Well, they are in the pipeline at present and will be purchasable from my website as soon as we get all the designs sorted out. Initially this will be as four one-colour designs (SpecOps-27, Goliath Corporation and two others as yet undecided). Price is as yet unknown but will, I hope, allow us to recoup some the costs of the giveaway postcards and the hosting of the websites. We are also proposing a certain amount of each sale to go towards the Usk House Day Hospice. So they're not going to be super-bargains, but won't be me plunging my snout deep into the avaricious trough of merchandising, either..." He then flew up to Aberdeen where he is going to give a talk at Ottakar's tonight. +++ |
| 15th July 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Ben Tymens, (AKA PoetScientistDrinker on the forum) has produced an excellent forum guide to
help newbies (and oldbies) get to grips with all the dazzling new features that the forum now boasts. You can read the guide which is here and I'm very grateful to him for doing it. +++ |
| 14th July 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: WOLP hits the bestseller lists at number ten for the week ending 12th July 2003, was ranked
number 8 on Amazon last Friday and is also 'Book of The Week' in The Scotsman and Time Out. The book pulping industry is remaining
tight-lipped on this recent development, but as their representative Alan Mush commented last week: 'It's early days
yet..'+++ |
| 14th July 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Fforde has been innundated with suggestions for further matters to upgrade in his books, (AKA
mistakes) which is probably his own stupid fault for asking people to read them. From Harrier Jump-jets to Stalingrad problems to the 'Hear, hear'
controversy and the DeepDrop connections, I have tried to include them all in my latest upgrades. You can get to the 'Upgrade Grand Central' page by
clicking .HERE +++ |
| 6th June 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Fforde is invited to attend the Sheffield Festival of Writing and Reading at the end of
October 2003. Sadly, this is when he is away on a mini-tour of Canada, so had to offer apologies and decline the very welcome invitation.
+++ |
| 5th June 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The 'Text only' section of Fforde's site has been finally deleted after years of neglect.
Sharp-eyed Nextian funsters will have noticed the background colour of yellow creeping in. Hard of sight browsers only need to switch off images to be
able to read the text with little let or hindrance - and can make the text size bigger, too - something not possible with the older 'segmented' book
background. There is method to the madness. Not often. But sometimes. +++ |
| 29th May 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Thursday Next has been nominated for the 2002 Sherlock Award (run by the
Sherlock Magazine - subscriptions available) as Best Comic Detective. Awards to be presented at CRIME SCENE 2003 at the National Film Theatre, London,
UK - in NFT2 at 2 p.m. on Saturday 12th July 2003 +++ |
| 24th May 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Loud shade of background yellow removed from various pages in the website and replaced with
something more mellow. I have an LCD screen so it is not always apparent... +++ |
| 22nd May 03 +++ Fforde Fflash: Not so much 'What's New?' but what is here already but has not had any links to it. This is a
Flash Movie, written by me and actualized by Mari on Flash MX - a staggering accomplishment - I still don't know how she did it, nor ever will; Flash
to me is like having an egg whisker in your brain. It was designed for a Penguin promotion that didn't happen. Takes a while to download, though -
it's quite complex! You will need flash to view it. Enjoy! Intro to the Nextian Universe Movie also: Pickwick's Shocking Christmas Adventure+++ |
| 22nd May 03 +++ Fforde Fflash: Hodder and Stoughton have decided, as part of their marketing plan, to 'embargo' all sales of
Well of Lost Plots. What this means is that no-one can buy it until the 1st July and all the UK booksellers (we hope) will be
promoting/plonking it on their shelves on that particular day. A sort of 'Grand Opening'. It also means we may make a list or two if enough people
buy it... +++ |
| 21st May 03 +++ Fforde Fflash: Hodder and Stoughton will set up one of their two franking machines as publicity for The Well
of Lost Plots. The stamp, to be on half of all mail sent out from Hodder will read: 'Race into The Well of Lost Plots/Jasper Fforde/ 7 July 2003'
and include a small icon of the cover image. The stamp will be in operation from the second week in June until the end of July.
+++ |
| 12th May 03 +++ Fforde Fflash: The Penguin 'SpecOps Literary Challenge' ended on April 31st, apparently. The site has been
updated accordingly. Apologies for all you guys battling to make it all work only to be disappointed - I didn't know myself or wasn't reminded, or
forgot, or something. Sorry. +++ |
| 10th May 03 +++ Fforde Nnews Fflash: From 'no-no' to go-go', illustrations are in for book four which I have imaginatively (and
tentatively) named untitled thursday Next book # 4. The fourth outing for Thursday will feature between six to eight line illustrations by
Maggie Roberts, something I have wanted and planned for since The Eyre Affair. Hurrah! +++ |
| 9th May 03 +++ Fforde Nnews Fflash: The Well of Lost Plots will be published on the 7th July 2003 by Hodder &
Stoughton as a 'Trade Paperback' which means the size of a hardback but with soft covers. The 1st edition print run will be 15,000 copies, list price
�10.99. At the same time a hardback collectors/library edition will also be published, print run 5000 copies, list �17.99. In conjunction with this
I will be doing a three week tour which should encompass Southern England, Wales, Scotland and the Midlands. Details to follow.
+++ |
| 4th May 03 +++ Fforde Nnews Fflash: The Eyre Affair has been updated to TN-1 V1.4 at source by Hodder & Stoughton.
No more daffodils blooming in the Summer! Also changed: Pelota to Croquet, Red Queen misquote, Nakijima Spelling problem and many
others outlined on my update page. Updated editions are 13th printing and beyond. TN2 update to follow +++ |
| 21st April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: On the 14th April, 2003, a baby daughter was born in Nottingham, UK, to delighted parents
Steve and Sam Crowden. The little lady was named after a certain literary detective: Thursday. This is a Nextian first and both myself and Mari,
Landen, Thursday, Pickwick and all the regulars wish little Thursday and parents all health and happiness. When the midwife was told that the baby was
to be named Thursday after a character in a book, she said: 'It's not 'The Eyre Affair' is it'? When told yes, she said the book had been
discussed at her local book group. However, she didn't know a second book was around, so Steve and Sam pointed her in the right direction. We at
Fforde Website Grand Central hope to elaborate on Thursday's progress at a later date. +++ |
| 21st April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Fforde appears, with Q&Amp;As, in the April edition of Border's USA magazine: 'Inside
Borders'. For the full Q&Amp;A (The mag only had space to fit four) click HERE (Includes short extract from Daphne
Farquitt's 1986 bestseller 'Canon of Love') (Reporter: Archie Fatquack, The Gad-Fly) +++ |
| 18th April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: "More than one shirt" claim by Fforde subdues forum speculation. Fforde, anxious to quell
rumours that he is a bit of a stinker, claimed to own two identical red shirts at a hastily convened press conference yesterday. Mr Fforde,
whose laundry habits became a matter of rampant speculation when he was spotted in the same shirt two nights running, hurried to explain away his
apparent hygenic ambivilence. 'I have two shirts,' he announced, 'and two identical soup stains down the front of it. Them. I mean, them.'
More details and pictures, page 7. (Reporter: Josh Hatchett, Toad News.) +++ |
| 15th April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: Fforde, after giving a talk in Dayton, Ohio, was presented with a soft toy V1.2 Dodo by
Magda, a Fforde Fforum Stalwart. Fforde was reputedly described as delighted by the gift, and has named the new addition to his office 'Alan'.
(Reporter: 'Scoop' Slattersthwaite, Salford Daily Eyestrain) +++ |
| 14th April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: A student at Lincoln University, UK, has been given the go-ahead to study 'Fforde and his
writing' as her PhD subject. Fforde has yet to speak to the student but is 'delighted and astonished' by the news. (Reporter: M. DeFloss)
+++ |
| 4th April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Swindon Evening Advertiser runs two page spread on Fforde and 'The Nextian
Universe', featuring quotes from the book, photo of Fforde in front of the 'Finis Hotel' and with colour pictures of Swindon culled from the website.
'Oxford has Morse' Fforde is quoted as saying, 'so why shouldn't Swindon have Next?' Another piece in the Advert will run closer to Fforde's
7th May appearance at the Swindon Literary Festival. (Reporter: Josh Hatchett, Mole News) +++ |
| 1st April 03 +++ Fforde News Fflash: The Swindon Official Website, 'Swindon Web' asks Fforde to borrow the futzed image of the
Skyrail running through the Brunel Centre, Swindon, UK, as part of an April Fool's Day hoax. Fforde was apparently agreeable to this and the story ran
on the 1st April under the headline: "Council Announces New Monorail for Swindon Town Centre" . URL: http://www.swindonweb.com/life/monorail.htm(Reporter: Lydia Startright)
+++ |