January 2009

Terry Pratchett’s latest book, Nation, is on the Children’s Book Council list of nominations for their 2009 Teen Choice Book Award.

Anybody can participate in this nomination round by filling out a form at TeenReads.com. Titles published in 2008 are eligible, and the five most nominated books will move on finalist status.

The winner will be announced May 2009.

The nominating period ends today, January 31, 2009, so make sure to help out Nation soon!

Terry Pratchett interview in Times

An interview with Terry Pratchett published January 25 on TimesOnline.co.uk discusses his experience with Alzheimer’s in the past year and his recently awarded knighthood. To quote the article:

Sir Terry Pratchett cannot help wondering why it was this year - after 30 years as a bestselling writer - that he was honoured with a knighthood: ‘All I know is that on the citation it says ‘for services to literature’, and it would be nice to think that that got me the knighthood - though it may have been for what I stood up for and what I’ve done for Alzheimer’s.’ All in all, Pratchett is treating his recent knighthood with modesty: ‘I am 60. I know exactly who I am,’ he says. ‘I am just me - which is why it’s slightly amusing to be addressed by the postman as ‘Sir Terry”….

When he describes living with Alzheimer’s as ‘a minor flaw in a good, though complicated, year - without it, it would have been a fairly anodyne one’, you can’t help feeling he is underselling his recent literary achievements. Nation, his new book, was an instant bestseller; his Discworld series celebrated its 25th anniversary; and he was at work on two new titles: Unseen Academicals and I Shall Wear Midnight….

“As a science-fiction writer, [knighthood] is an achievement. Despite its popularity, sci-fi is still a ghetto genre. So when a hand of welcome comes from the Establishment, you can do nothing but shake it.”

Nation is an ALA Notable Children’s Book, on Best Books For Young Adults Top Ten

In addition to the Printz Honor Award, Nation has been made an American Library Association (ALA) Notable Children’s Book and put on the Best Books For Young Adults Top Ten list.

Nation is the only book this year to be on the Top Ten list and honored by the Printz Committee.

This is the first time a novel by Terry Pratchett made the top ten of the Best Books For Young Adults.

(Thanks to Colin Smythe for the info.)

Pratchett helps launch Science: So What? campaign

U.K. science minister Lord Drayson invited Terry Pratchett and other celebrities to meet ministers in Downing Street today to launch the new Science: So What? So Everything campaign.

The campaign wants to promote science as relevant to citizens’ everyday lives and dispel the notion that science is too difficult or only for elitists.

“Continued success in science and technology is vital to our future,” said Lord Drayson, and yet there is still a perception among many of our people that science is too clever for them or elitist in some way.”

Other celebrities invited along with Pratchett are writer Bill Bryson and celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal.

Nation awarded Printz Honor

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) awarded yesterday one of the four prestigious Michael L. Printz Honor Awards for 2009 to Nation for “excellence in young adult literature.” The honor awards are runners-up to the Printz Award, which this year is Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

Nation shares the honor award with The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M. T. Anderson, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan.

The American Library Association (ALA) also announced the Caldecott and Newbery awards yesterday. Neil Gaiman, who has collaborated with Terry Pratchett on Good Omens, had his Graveyard Book receive the Newbery “for the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature.”

Wyrd Sisters play in Southport March 11-14

The Sefton Theatre Company presents the stage adaptation of Wyrd Sisters this March 11-14 at the Southport Art Centre Studio.

Evening performances start at 7:45 p.m. GMT. For tickets, which cost £5.50 and £7.00, call 01704 540011.

(Thanks to WOSSNAME for the info.)

Nominate Nation for Children’s Choice Book Awards

Terry Pratchett’s latest book, Nation, is on the Children’s Book Council list of nominations for their 2009 Teen Choice Book Award.

Anybody can participate in this nomination round by filling out a form at TeenReads.com. Titles published in 2008 are eligible, and the five most nominated books will move on finalist status.

The winner will be announced May 2009.

The nominating period ends January 31, 2009, so make sure to help out Nation soon!

Carpe Jugulum play in Colsterworth March 6-7

Newton’s Players presents a stage adaptation of Carpe Jugulum March 6-7, 2009 at the Colsterworth Village Hall.

The group has previously put on Wyrd Sisters, to great success, in Grantham and Colsterworth.

Tickets are available by emailing mark.wesson@southwitham.net or calling 01476 862039.

(Thanks to WOSSNAME for the info.)

Nation number 10 according to MacLeans

Maclean’s magazine posted an updated list of the top ten hardcover fiction books list for Canada on January 22. Terry Pratchett’s latest novel, Nation, received number ten billing.

Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden topped the list, followed by A Mercy by Toni Morrison, and 2666 by Roberto Bolano.

From Rim To Hub Podcast 03: Moist Noodles

The third episode of this site’s companion podcast is now live!

Listen as Shoshana tells you all about the latest news relevant to fans everywhere, reads a funny quote from Going Postal, and talks about a former classmate of Rincewind’s.

Wyrd Sisters play in Liverpool January 24-27

The Wavertree Garden Suburb Institute (Liverpool) presents Stephen Briggs’ stage adaptation of Wyrd Sisters beginning this Saturday, January 24.

The doors of The Little Theatre of the Wavertree Garden Suburb Institute (149 Thingwall Road, Liverpool, L15 7XJ) open at 7:15 and the performance begins half an hour later. Tickets cost £5, and are available to callers to 0151 220 5909 and 0151 427 5842.

The run will end Tuesday, January 27.

(Thanks to WOSSNAME for the info.)

Living With Alzheimer’s airs early February

The official airing dates for the TV documentary Living With Alzheimer’s have been finalized. Part 1 will air on BBC2 on Wednesday, February 4 at 21:00 GMT, and Part 2 will air exactly a week later on Wednesday, February 11 at 21:00 GMT.

Both parts of the documentary, which follows Terry Pratchett for the better part of 2008 as he deals with his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, are an hour long.

The documentary is produced by IWC Media and BBC2, and will air as part of a documentary series about mental health and mental health related issues.

Making Money on Nebula Awards preliminary ballot

Terry Pratchett’s most recently published Discworld novel, Making Money, made it onto the just-released preliminary ballot for the prestigious 2008 Nebula Awards.

Making Money will be competing with nine other novels for the Nebula Award in the “Novels” category, for which works of science fiction and fantasy that are 40,000 words or more are eligible. Other novels competing for the award are Territory, by Emma Bull; Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow; In War Times, by Kathleen Ann Goonan; and Powers, by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Active members of the Science Fiction And Fantasy Writers Of America (SFWA) will vote on the preliminary ballot for works to advance to the final ballot, released in March, which usually consists of five to six works in each category. The final ballot is then voted on once more by active members for the winner, which is announced at the annual Nebula Awards banquet during the Nebula Awards Weekend. The Nebula Awards Weekend is occurring this year April 24-26 in Los Angeles, California. The cost of attending is $125 to $150. Non-members may attend.

Also announced are the receivers of the honors of Damon Knight Grand Master (Harry Harrison) and Author Emerita (M. J. Engh).

Featured Character: Great A’Tuin

A’Tuin, the giant space turtle, carries the monumental weight of four giant elephants on its comet-scarred and meteor-pitted shell, in addition to the Discworld on the four elephants’ backs. Great A’Tuin, for all that he is the star and world turtle for Discworld, will one day die.

From FromRimToHub.com’s character list.

Jackie Morris exhibition in March includes Discworld artwork

Artist Jackie Morris, whose artwork has been featured in the Discworld calendars since 2003, will be exhibiting in the Tenby Museum in March.

“I … am going to put three of the [Discworld calendar] paintings in, maybe 4,” Morris told FromRimToHub.com. “[I’m] working on the new calendar now.”

Jackie Morris’s website features some of the artwork she has contributed to the calendars in the past, including a painting of the Wyrmberg and the place where There Be Dragons.

Morris described it as “the place where all the dragons go to sleep and lie waiting like so many sardines, squashed into a small place, waiting and sleeping and dreaming…..”

More about Nation adaptation

theBookseller.com has more information about the November stage adaptation of Nation which we reported previously.

A spokeswoman for the National Theatre, which will be staging Nation, said “There has been a huge appreciation of the slightly older family shows. We were looking for a successor – we were looking for one in that sort of tradition. Nation was one of the many books we have read – our directors thought it filled the bill.”

In the January 14 press release, the National Theatre called Nation a “new family epic” in the traditions of Coram Boy, War Horse, and the high-profile His Dark Materials.

BBC Radio 7 re-airs Wyrd Sisters radio adaptation

BBC Radio 7 is airing the four-part radio adaptation of Wyrd Sisters this week at 6 p.m. and midnight from January 16 to January 22. The adaptation stars Sheila Hancock and Lynda Baron.

Here is a clearer listing of airing dates and times.

All episodes are available via BBC’s Listen Again feature for up to seven days after the broadcast date.

Reminder: Second Life Gala Ball January 17, 2008

As we reported earlier, the Second Life group responsible for creating the virtual Ankh-Morpork is hosting a Gala Ball in honor of Terry Pratchett’s knighthood on January 17, 2009 at noon Second Life Time.

A group notice sent out last week specified “Victorian costume,” but said that “roundworld medieval metalwear is not appropriate. It’s not easy to dance in for one thing.”

Two musicians and a DJ are planned for entertainment.