News Archive
(Click here for 2009's News Archive)
2008 News Archive
Library Reading Group Events
If you're taking part in the nationwide library reading group events for The Truth and Night Watch, click here to access the reading group guides and complete the questionnaire.
Terry heads dementia campaign
Terry Pratchett has handed in a petition to 10 Downing Street calling for an urgent increase in funds for dementia research. Read the article on the BBC website.
The Colour of Magic DVD/BluRay
The UK DVD and BluRay versions of The Colour of Magic were released on Monday 3rd November 2008. To celebrate the release, Terry and Vadim Jean signed DVDs at the Forbidden Planet Megastore in Shaftesbury Avenue, London.
With Great Pleasure: Christmas Special
Terry will be presenting the Christmas Special broadcast of the BBC Radio 4 programme, where celebrity guests share with an audience some of the pieces of writing which have influenced, comforted and entertained them over the years.
The show will be recorded at the Forum in Bath and will be broadcast on Christmas Day. Tickets have now sold out.
Video Outtakes
Visit the videos page to view some hillarious outtakes from a recent filming session with Terry.
Second Life Q&A and Snapshots
If you missed Terry's recent appearance in Second Life, you can read the Q&A session here and view many snapshots from the event here.
Terry Pratchett asks Tories to combat Alzheimer's
Bestselling author wins standing ovation as he warns of 'tsunami' of dementia suffering. Read more here... and here.
Hundreds queue to meet Terry pratchett
Fans queue for hours in the rain to meet their idol at the Broadhurst's of Southport bookshop signing event. Read the full story.
Fans build Second Life Ankh-Morpork
Terry Pratchett fans will soon be able to walk around a virtual Ankh-Morpork, which is being built in the online virtual world, Second Life. Click here to visit.
Limited 'Black Cover' Edition of Nation in Hardback
5,000 individually numbered 'Black Cover' editions of NATION are now available exclusively from Waterstone's. In stores and via the Waterstone's website now. Further details.
Glorious day for Pratchett fans
It was a glorious day for Terry Pratchett fans - not because of the fine weather but for getting a chance to meet their literary hero.
Leader of men
Terry Pratchett's South Sea adventure is a comic triumph, says Frank Cottrell BoyceWatch Terry on Five News
Watch the interview
Terry on ITV’s London Tonight
Watch the interview
Terry Pratchett Signing Extravaganza
Terry marked the publication of NATION with a day of signings - first visiting the UK's smallest island bookshop, the Hayling Island Bookshop and then the nation's largest bookshop, Waterstone's Piccadilly, on Saturday 13th September. He started signing at 9am on the Hayling Island in a tiny shop which was festooned with bamboo plants. The owners Colin and Marie Telford had done a grand job with the window display with crabs, shells and sand; their piece de resistance was a shy grey parrot called Bubbles. Susan Blight was first in the queue, with Katie, Isabel and Edmund Hudson the last to have their books signed almost three hours later. Terry left just before midday and then boarded a helicopter for the 35 minute flight into Battersea heliport. Rob acted as steward, serving all on board a selection of delicious cakes which the shop had thoughtfully given as in-flight feast. The Discworld taxi whisked Terry on to Waterstone's Piccadilly for another 5 hours of signing. One fan Dr Pat Harkin made it to both shops, dashing from one queue to the other. In all, Terry signed for over 8 hours, with the limited edition of NATION selling out fast at both shops.
Photos:
Terry loading the in-flight food into the helicopter
Leaving Battersea in the Discworld taxi
The Hayling Island Bookshop's window display
Terry with Marie & Colin Telford at the Hayling Island
Susan Blight, first in the queue at Hayling Island
Boyle plots animated 'Truckers' movie
Danny Boyle is planning an animated ‘Truckers’ movie; Frank Cottrell Boyce to write script
Nation Special Edition
Very limited Special Edition copies of Nation will be available only at the largest and smallest bookshop events - priced at £50 each and limited to one per customer.
Terry Pratchett to do largest and smallest book signings to launch Nation
The smallest island book shop and the Nation’s largest bookshop will join forces to launch Terry Pratchett’s new novel, Nation, at special events to be held on Saturday 13th September.
Nation is set on a small desert island and challenges the way we think about cultural identity, nationhood and the history of civilisation. To reflect the book’s setting and story, Random House Children’s Books plans to hold the biggest and smallest bookshop signings with the Hayling Island Bookshop (smallest) and Waterstone’s Piccadilly (biggest).
At just over 3m2, the Hayling Island bookshop is the smallest island bookshop with enough space to hold only one copy of each book it stocks. In contrast, Waterstone’s Piccadilly is set over 7 floors with 5000m2 of shop space, making it the biggest bookshop in Europe. It is at these two very different venues that fans will gather for the chance to meet Terry Pratchett and get a copy of Nation signed. Also, exclusively available to these two shops is a limited edition copy of Nation available to buy on the day of the signings (more details to follow).
On Saturday 13th September, Terry Pratchett will be signing at the Hayling Island Bookshop at 9am, and at Waterstone’s Piccadilly at 2pm.
Marie and Colin Telford, owners of the Hayling Island Bookshop, are thrilled to have secured the signing: “Events are a huge part of what we do and we’re over the moon to have someone as popular as Terry Pratchett visiting us. We’re going to decorate the shop with palm trees and jungle foliage to make our British island shop look like the tropical setting from Nation – it’s going to be a huge small signing!”
Marie and Colin also ran a competition to reserve three places in the queue for under 18s, who will each win a free copy of Nation to have signed by Terry.
Waterstone’s are delighted to be holding the biggest signing event for the launch as Gary Deane, Waterstone's Children's Events Planner, comments: “As our flag-ship store, there is nowhere better suited than Waterstone’s Piccadilly to holding a large signing with Terry Pratchett and we’re thrilled to be involved. We’re trying to build a nation of book lovers so holding the Nation signing here is very appropriate.”
**STOP PRESS** Very limited Special Edition copies of Nation will be available from both stores - priced at £50 each and limited to one per customer. Be sure to arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Further information on the Waterstone's event | Further information on the Hayling Island Bookshop event
Terry Pratchett in Second Life
News Release 3rd September 2008
Terry Pratchett's publishers in the UK and US announce today his participation in a special event in the virtual world Second Life.
A Second Life sim version of a South Pacific tropical island, modelled on the island Nation which features in Terry’s new novel, NATION, will be created complete with scenes and locations from the book. This new virtual island will be called The Nation, and a treasure hunt will lead users through a series of clues to find virtual books and treasure as well as real, physical prizes.
In a unique opportunity for Discworld fans across the globe, Terry will appear on The Nation and take part in a live question and answer session with fans, on 9th October at 8pm (BST).
Each week during the month long Second Life promotion which runs from 11th September to 10th October, visitors will be able to take part in themed quiz nights, special events and fancy dress competitions.
An exhibition will be organised in Second Life to promote the new book, and free e-book samplers will be available in Random House UK’s own bookshop on the Elysian Isle, from where visitors will be able to travel to Terry’s websites at www.terrypratchett.co.uk and www.terrypratchettbooks.com.
Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series has global sales of 55 million, and is published in 35 countries.
NATION will be published in the UK on 11th September by Doubleday, price £16.99 and in the US on 30th September by HarperCollins.
Registered Second Life members can click here to be directed to the NATION island. To register an account, visit secondlife.com
Best Window Display
Congratulations to C.K. Broadhurst & Co. Ltd in Southport, who won the 'Best Terry Pratchett Window Display' competition. Their efforts will be rewarded by a special instore signing of Nation by Mr. Pratchett, which will take place on Thursday 2nd October at 4pm.
Click here to see the winning display.
Terry takes a ride in his Discworld-branded London cab
During a recent visit to London, Terry was picked up from a hotel by his very own Discworld taxi. The traditional black cab had been made-over without Terry's knowledge and it came as quite a surprise. "I feel a bit like God", Terry said as he did a double-take.
Click here to see Terry in the cab
Pratchett crowned ‘evergreen’ king
Only 12 books have never been out of the top 5,000 chart and three of them are by Terry Pratchett
New Releases
Watch out for Nation and The Folklore of Discworld, both published in September 2008
Making Money paperback
Making Money, the bestselling hardback adult novel of 2007, is out now in paperback
Terry Pratchett signing
Terry Pratchett will be signing books at Foyles Southbank Centre at noon on Sat 14 June
Competition
Congratulations to Lucy J who has won the competition prize of an ipod pre-loaded with all the Discworld audio books
2008 is the 25th anniversary of the Discworld
There are special events happening all year so keep checking this site for news
It's not just the new books which sell...
Terry Pratchett is the no. 1 bestselling paperback backlist author in the UK!
The Colour of Magic
The Colour of Magic aired on Sky One on Easter Sunday; click here to see the trailer