DISCWORLD NEWS

Terry has just finished Jingo, the 21st Discworld novel, which is due for release in November 1997. The story centres around a war between Klatch and Ankh-Morpork and will be the last Discworld book to be published by Gollancz.

It is rumoured that work on the 22nd Discworld novel has already begun. With a working title of The Last Continent, it will be set in XXXX, the Discworld equivalent of Australia, and may see the return of Rincewind. It will be the first Discworld hardback published by Transworld, rather than Gollancz, and is due for release on 7th May 1998. Commenting on his departure from Gollancz in the fanzine Ansible, Terry said "It was a sad if inevitable parting, not a bust up. I'd been with them since Gollancz were owned by Gollancz, after all. Corgi are much more recognisably an international company with more muscle and that's what I need right now. Lest it be forgotten, they were also my first big publisher - they brought out the paperbacks of The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic before I moved to Gollancz for the hardcovers."

Information from the Steve Jackson Games web site suggests that they are having a few problems with their GURPS Discworld system, and are not going to release it until it is correct. The next issue of the Discworld Chronicle will feature a piece about this GURPS system.

Terry will be back in Australia in July 1997 to sign copies of his latest paperback, Feet Of Clay. He will be appearing at Alex's Bookshop in Adelaide at 2pm on Tuesday July 15th and at Dymocks Bookstore in Perth (according to the West Australian newspaper) sometime in July.

Cosgrove Hall's animated series of Soul Music is available on Astrion video in two parts. They feature an interview with Terry, split over the 2 videos, and a set of 6 postcards - 3 in each. Soul Music has met with a favourable response from fans. Wyrd Sisters, which Channel 4 showed at 5.30pm on Sunday afternoons, has been a little slower to receive praise.

The Wyrd Sisters video will be available in November, at which time Channel 4 will show Soul Music. Later this year Gollancz will be publishing illustrated "TV tie-in" versions of both novels.

Stephen Briggs' playscripts of Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms have now been published, with cover art once again by Stephen Player.

Two of the plays will probably be granted professional rights this year and Terry announced that tighter controls, including a fee for the use of the scripts, will be introduced. On alt.fan.pratchett (the Internet newsgroup) Terry said "It certainly won't be as much as professional licensing companies charge and the greater part of it will go to the Orangutan Foundation..... and we're not going to be quite so relaxed about unauthorised productions." Anyone wishing to stage a Discworld play using the published scripts should contact Stephen Briggs.

The revised edition of the Discworld Companion is now in the shops. The definitive Discworld reference book, compiled by Stephen Briggs and Terry, has been updated to include references from Interesting Times, Maskerade and Feet of Clay. The book also contains a new interview with Terry conducted by Mr Briggs himself.

A Discworld short story with Granny Weatherwax called "Sea and Little Fishes" will appear in a UK anthology published by Hartley Collins.

Plans for the second Clarecraft Event on August 9/10th are well under way. Tickets for this event are 2.00ukp per person and are available from Clarecraft. Enclose a stamped self addressed envelope for a booking form.

Paul Kidby is working on artwork for a Discworld diary to be published in November. It'll contain excerpts from the books and additional text by Stephen Briggs and Terry. The diary will be published by Gollancz in late 1997. The next issue of the Discworld Chronicle will feature a special piece about the diary.

Gollancz will be producing a Jingo T-shirt to celebrate the coming of age of the Discworld.

The Wotjacallem Players will be staging Witches Abroad at 'Marcos' during the Fringe at the Edinburgh Festival from the 17th-23rd August at 2pm.

The Wotjacallem Players have staged Lords and Ladies in the past and were at the Clarecraft Event in 1995. Terry went twice to this production of Lords and Ladies.

In a shock appearance, Terry was interviewed on Light Lunch, the Channel 4 humorous magazine programme. If anyone has a video tape of the show, please contact Bob Potter at the Convention's address.

Isobel and Bernard Pearson, formerly of Clarecraft, have reincarnated themselves as Waxworks, and are now selling a line of authentic Discworld Candles, or as Terry puts it: "the pre-dribbled candle for the young wizard in a hurry". For information, a free brochure, a list of stockists etc., just send them your postal address (Waxworks address can be found on the contacts page.).

It is rumoured that The Carpet People is now on the National Curriculum. Twelve-year-old school kids are getting their first taste of Pratchett!

Having been previously banned by the BBC, we have learnt that Discworld will feature as a specialist subject in the final season of Mastermind.

Discworld News was compiled with the assistance of Phil Penney (The Guild of Fans and Disciples) and Jason Anthony (Discworld Monthly). Details of these organisations can be found on the contacts page.

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August 1997