Bookman and I had a marvelous laugh-fest last night at the Jasper Ffforde reading. He is as goofy and funny in person as his books lead you to believe. He “nattered on” at us for about an hour and took questions too. He was high energy the whole time and took a few off the wall questions all in stride.
I took paper and pen with me to take notes but Fforde is not someone one can take notes on. He is an experience and if you aren’t there with him then it just doesn’t translate. Plus he talks so fast!
He read a bit from One of Our Thursdays is Missing and was very proud of the map of the book world he has in the book, saying you know you’ve made it as a fantasy author when your book gets a map. But at the same time he joked about that, he also talked about how he tries to write across genres. It makes him happy when someone tells him that they used to read only scifi (or some other genre) but because of the Thursday books they read the Brontes and loved them and are now in the midst of reading Jane Austen.
A question prompted him to talk about his childhood. He comes from an academic sort of family and his parents and his brothers all have Ph.Ds (but none of them are doctors, he said, that would be too useful). He is the youngest and didn’t like school and was asked to leave the rigorously academic school that would have got him a spot at Oxford because, as the schoolmaster told his father, he needed a school that was more creative. Fforde never went to college and never took writing classes. He’d written seven (I believe that is what he said) books before he was able to get one of them published.
He was kind enough to tell us his publishing schedule for the next four years:
- 2012: a stand alone novel about which he would disclose nothing
- 2013: a Shades of Gray novel
- 2014: a new Nursery Crimes novel about the tortoise and the hare
- 2015: a Thursday Next book
We did not stay for the signing. The line was very long and we would have been at the end of it because we were chatting with some friends who turned up at the event and we were the last ones to leave the auditorium.
If ever you have the opportunity to go to a Jasper Fforde reading, I highly recommend it.
So jealous! I have only read Shades of Grey, but I really need to start reading his other books. Every one of them sounds so unique.
I’m jealous, too!! I love Shades of Grey and The Eyre Affair and have plans to love more (once I read more
).
Sounds fantastic. I have only read the Erye Affair. But I loved it!
Eyre – opps!
How fun! I love seeing authors. It turns out that while you were seeing Fforde, I was seeing Ian Rankin — fun!
I loved the first four Thursday Next books ( but was a little disappointed by “First Among Sequels”). I am not a sci-fi reader but I have to admit that reading “The Eyre Affair” also lead me to reading “Jane Eyre”. It is strange that there is going to be such a long wait for the next Thursday Next book.
It’s so gratifying that his energy & humor translates into real life. Not always the case, but fun when it happens. I just downloaded the latest Thursday Next book on audio but David & I haven’t started it yet. And tantalizing to get those hints of his future plans!
How fun. I enjoyed the first Thursday Next book but somehow have never gotten the others read since. I was impressed by his creativity–it made me wonder just how his mind works, so it would be cool to see him in person.
As you know, I love Jasper Fforde in the main because he is so literary; he really knows the world of fiction. I’m interested in what he said about being asked to leave school. So was I, but for a rather different reason. The Headmistress told my parents that a girl from my background couldn’t possibly make use of a good education. She didn’t like having someone who was brought up in one of the city’s red light districts in her school. Mom and Dad refused to withdraw me and if she were still alive I would take my PhD certificate and put it somewhere very painful:)
I’ve just come from reading Dorothy’s blog about her evening with Ian Rankin. The authors are out on the loose!! This sounds like a very fun event, although his publishing schedule does not. Fancy committing to books for years ahead like that! I really must read Fforde (hangs head in shame). You know how it is – other books keep jumping the queue.
OK, slap my hands but I haven’t yet read any Fforde. Not so much because I have decided NOT to, but more because I haven’t really had the reason to decide TO. In other words, I’d happily read him but other things that I have on my pile or that groups I’m in schedule get ahead. BUT I would certainly jump at the chance to hear him.
He is a great speaker, isn’t he. I’ve been lucky enough to see him speak twice now and I’d love to hear him again. The last time I heard him speak I was lucky enough to be able to get both Shades of Grey and One of Our Thursdays is Missing (after waiting in a very long queue). He gave out postcards, as well as stamping the books with a book-appropriate stamp.
Hungrybookworm, I have not managed to read Shades of Grey yet. I was too busy when it first came out and then I decided to wait until paperback and now there’s a new TN out and that has to come first!
Inkslinger, it was a fun night and you are in for a treat when you get the rest of Fforde’s books.
Fiona, it was a great time and I am sure if you decide to read beyond Eyre Affair you will enjoy yourself immensely.
Dorothy, how funny! It was an author-licious evening
Ed, ah, so genre and non-genre readers get inspired. Fforde has so many different irons in the fire that the gaps between the different series are sadly expanding.
Emily, it is fun when the author turns out to be in person like he is in his books. We are going to get the new TN book this weekend. I can hardly wait! Oh, and Fforde mentioned he likes to insert jokes that only really get picked up on audio so you’ll have to let me know if you discover what the joke is.
Danielle, even after seeing him in person I don’t know how his mind works but it was fun listening to him bounce all over the place. When you get to the rest of the TN books you will definitely have fun.
Annie, some teacher’s miss the boat, don’t they? Fforde mentioned that he saw the headmaster years later and the headmaaster asked him what he was doing and Ffored said chipperly that he is an author. The headmaster’s response was “Good God!” And even though your former headmistress doesn’t know about your accomplishments, it still must be rather satisfying for you.
Litlove, things get a little crazy when the authors are let out
Fforde’s publishing schedule is rather manic but then so is he so I guess it works. When you do get to reading TN, you are in for a real treat.
whisperinggums, does it make you more likely to read Fforde to know that Jane Austen characters show up in Eyre Affair?
Abigail, he is a marvelous speaker and how fun that you’ve gotten to see him more than once and get books signed!
Now that’s below the belt Stefanie! But, maybe you have twisted me arm just a little!
*insert evil laugh here*
Ahh — such a fascinating account. I have never read him, but would GO to a reading now, and buy his latest. You deserve residual royalties!
Cipriano, I bet you would love Fforde. He’s as close to slapstick in book form as one can get.
Very jealous! I’d jump at the chance to hear him live. Seems like such a lively character. Thanks for the scoop on the next Grey novel — was wondering how long I’d have to wait!
Isabella, oh yes, if you ever get the chance to see Fforde live, he makes for a fun evening.
I’ve had one of his books on my shelf for a while now. I haven’t started reading it because it wasn’t the first Thursday Next book and I’ll be darned if I start reading them out of order.
Colin, the books don’t really have to be read in order but I’m like you, I’d have to read them in order anyway otherwise I’d always feel like I was missing something.