Happy Birthday Terry Pratchett

Happy Birthday Terry Pratchett  

Fans who wish to honor Terry on his birthday might wish to donate to The Alzheimer's Research Trust or the Orangutan Foundation International (Terry is a trustee and spokesperson for the UK branch of OFI).  Click Here for a lovely photo of Terry at Hobbiton.

Steampunk & Discworld

I'm currently working on a panel that will speak to the convergence of Discworld and Steampunk fans I saw at the last NADWCon.  As Steam Ingenious notes, there are a great many Steampunk elements in the Discworld and these tend to be subtle and mixed with magic. This intriguing mix of history, sf, tech, folklore, modern culture, and fantasy is one of the reasons why Terry Pratchett's books are so popular with such a wide-ranging audience.

The panel will be called When Worlds Collide.

Do you know anyone who is informed, well spoken and interesting who could add to a panel discussion at NADWCon 2011? If, so please let me know.

Sarah (a Seamstress and volunteer extraordinaire) just sent me a great Pterry (1) story from the last NADWCon. Enjoy

Eric P.  is a Geordie, and more to the point, a steam-rail hobbyist: he's a bigwig at the Railway Museum...We're in the bar towards the end of the Tempe con, drinking with Terry, and he suddenly turns to Eric and asks "Did you ever have to piss in a headlight", and they were off for about 20 minutes about carbide lamps and their odder elder relatives.

Oh, to be a fly on that glass....

Dj
Ideas? Suggestions? Offers of help? You know where to reach me: programming@nadwcon.org 

Links: 

Geek Fun: Steampunk for your iPhone 
Steampunk cases & apps that will turn your videos & photos into old style movie reels and Victorian photos.  Hat tip to Karen Anderson @writerway in Seattle for the link.

Video: Exhibition: Steampunk in Oxford 

Costuming: Elements of Steampunk Style 

Endnotes: 

(1) To get that joke you need to read Pyramids

Discworld Maskerade at NADWCon 2011

The on-stage costume competition or "Maskerade" has been a Saturday evening tradition at Discworld conventions from the very beginning. Here at NADWCon, we seek to live up to that tradition with a lively Maskerade. Please, come and show off your finest costume work in front of our select panel of judges. The arrangement is not unlike a fashion show, with a stage and runway. Use this space to show your costume and to present a brief sketch or other performance to lend zing to your costume if you like. A receptive audience will provide itself. 

Go to the Maskerade page of the Convention website to learn all the Maskerade details. 

All entrants must attend the Maskerade Technical Rehearsal.   

Director: Henry Osier
Announcer: Pat Harkin
Judges:  Terry Pratchett and others to be announced. 

Need Some Costume Ideas? 

Visit our collection of photos and videos from the last NADWCon.

Discussion Boards for NADWCon
Want to discuss your costume(s) or other con related topics? Here are three discussion boards of note: 


Official NADWCon Attendee Discussion Board 

Terry Pratchett Books Message Board 
Run by Anna MC, the co-founder of NADWCon 

Facebook 
Sign in to FB first to use this link

A Very Ogg-ish Easter Witch

Isn't she lovely? This very Ogg-ish Easter Witch is from a Swedish postcard dated 1911. The cat is a bit more refined than our Greebo and I doubt that Nanny Ogg would be carrying tea (?) but she does look like someone who enjoys a good party. We'd better go before she sings The Hedgehog Song.  For more on the folklore of the Swedish Easter Witch, go here.  Also, The Sexy Witch blog shows vintage Easter Witch postcards from the 40's on. (The Sexy Witch blog has R rated, adult content - Do not read that one at work!)

Nanny Sutra: Sex and Food on the Discworld

I'm working on staffing this panel: 

Nanny Sutra
Sex, Food & Discworld

Who doesn’t love a double entendre? ("Bartender, make mine a triple!") Our panel* will include some of the most scandalous minds on the Discworld.**

* Hands-on workshop available through the Seamstress Guild by appointment only.

**consisting of those who are 18 at heart, with at least 32 years of experience, n’cest passe?***

*** That’s foreign for “been there, done that” 

 We'll range all over the Discworld and try not to shock the horses. 

Can you talk about this in a witty, observant and pun-filled way? If so, write to me at programming@nadwcon.org 

Dj  

Hat tip to author Kristine Smith for the title

Special Events: A Discworld Record Public Reading of Where's My Cow?

This is how the legend goes....

At NADWCon 2011 we will attempt the largest ever public reading of Where’s My Cow.  An Honored Guest will be our narrator and our assembled attendees will make all the noises. Those who participate will receive a blue ribbon. What will it say? We’re not telling. 


Having set such a record, we will then challenge other Discworld cons to beat it



Be there or be a square-shaped thingy. 


See you there, 


Dj

Neil Gaiman lives in two worlds

There are only two worlds – your world, which is the real world, and other worlds, the fantasy. Worlds like this are worlds of the human imagination: their reality, or lack of reality, is not important. What is important is that they are there. these worlds provide an alternative. Provide an escape. Provide a threat. Provide a dream, and power; provide refuge, and pain. They give your world meaning. They do not exist; and thus they are all that matters.

 - The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman, 1990.

As most of you know, Neil Gaiman is the co-author with Terry Pratchett of a wonderful, dark and funny book called. Good Omens.  He is also a world famous, award-winning writer in his own right.  You can find his witty and interesting blog here.

His most recent book, a YA novel,  is called The Graveyard Book, and I think it is one of his best.   My husband, who first introduced me to The Sandman series,  will tell you that some of his favorites by Mr. Gaiman are Neverwhere and Stardust, while I've given copies of Blueberry Girl to many women friends (1) and to every young daughter of every woman friend. 

Like a lot of other people, we are eagerly looking forward to the premier this year of the Doctor Who episode written by Mr. Gaiman.  Speaking of television, if you are currently watching the televised version of Game of Thrones, you will appreciate that I have a soft spot in my heart for Mr. Gaiman for writing a very forthright and honest blog essay called Entitlement Issues (also known in fandom as George Martin Is Not Your B*#%^).

As we speak, Good Omens is being adapted for television under the Direction of Terry Jones. Yes, *that* Terry Jones.

Doing the Happy Dance ...

Dj 

Hat tip to The Great Geek Manual for the quote.  Check out her post (with gorgeous photos) on the most beautiful libraries in the world.

Another hat tip to Emily (@foresthouse) for putting me on to GGM.

Endnotes: 

(1) Neil Gaiman recently married singer and song writer Amanda Palmer.  Quite a few of those same friends "went into black" at the news he was no longer single. Being Gaiman fans they were wearing black already so no one noticed.  

Congrats to Mr. Gaiman and best wishes to the happy couple. 

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New Panel confirmed: The Victorian Internet & the Technology of the Discworld

“Imagine an almost instantaneous communication system that would allow people and governments all over the world to send and receive messages about politics, war, illness, and family events. The government has tried and failed to control it, and its revolutionary nature is trumpeted loudly by its backers. The Internet? Nope, the humble telegraph fit this bill way back in the 1800s. “ 

- from The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage.

Our panelists will discuss clacks and other technology of the Discworld. 

+++Out Of Cheese Error ???????+++ Redo from Start 

See you there, 

Dj

P.S. Love Legos? Click on the Hex link. 

Enjoy.