Terry Pratchett plans to hand over the Discworld series to his daughter Rhianna, he reveals in this week's New Statesman.
In an interview with Laurie Penny - who has returned to the NS as a contributing editor - the author, campaigner and "professional morbid bastard" talks about his life and work. They discuss his diagnosis with posterior cortical atrophy, a rare form of Alzheimer's, in 2007. Since then, his health has declined markedly:
He has lost the ability to use a keyboard altogether and can do very little with a pen. His most recent four books have been written entirely by dictation, and with the help of his assistant of 12 years, Rob Wilkins.
"I can no longer type, so I use TalkingPoint and Dragon Dictate," Pratchett says, as Rob drives us to the café in a rather unexpected large gold Jaguar. "It's a speech-to-text program," he explains, "and there's an add-on for talking which some guys came up with."
So, how does that differ from using his hands to write?
"Actually, it's much, much better," he says.
I hesitate, and he senses scepticism.
"Think about it! We are monkeys," says Prat*chett. "We talk. We like talking. We are not born to go . . ." He turns and makes click-clack motions, like somebody's fusty grandfather disapproving of the internet.
Pratchett's assistant of 12 years, Rob Wilkins, also reveals that earlier this month, the author suffered an atrial fibrillation in the back seat of a New York taxi. Were it not for emergency CPR, he would have died.
What happened next is that Pratchett collapsed. “I had to kneel on the back seat of the taxi and give him CPR,” Rob says. “It was fingers down throat stuff. He nearly died.”
The author was rushed to hospital, but recovered swiftly. Doctors told him that he had suffered an atrial fibrillation, caused by the cumulative effect of drugs he had been prescribed for high blood pressure and made worse by his busy touring schedule. He now downplays the incident. “I once heard it mentioned that signing tours can kill you quicker than drugs, booze and fast women,” he tells the New Statesman. “Some of which I haven’t tried.” It’s made him wonder if he should slow down and devote more time to writing and his family, but he enjoys life on the road too much to give it up.
Nonetheless, it has focused attention on the future of his work, as well as on his only child, Rhianna Pratchett (herself an accomplished writer). Penny writes:
[Rhianna] will be a co-writer on the BBC Discworld series The Watch, news of which has had fans like me chewing their cheeks in excitement. Mine may never recover after hearing some particularly exciting casting details that I'm absolutely not allowed to tell you about.
Run by Pratchett's new production company, Narrativia, The Watch will continue the well-loved City Watch saga where the books left off, and Rhianna will be an important member of the writing team. The author tells me that he will be happy for her to continue writing the Discworld books when he is no longer able to do so. "The Discworld is safe in my daughter's hands," Pratchett assures me.
Rhianna has grown up immersed in her father's universe and knows it inside out. Listening to him talking about his daughter, I realise it is the first time I've heard him acknowledge the possibility of not being able to write any more.
Pratchett says that his reaction to this fact is mostly to be "incredibly angry".
“Anger is wonderful. It keeps you going. I’m angry about bankers. About the government. They’re fecking useless.” He really does say “fecking”. “I know what Granny Weatherwax [a no-nonsense witch who crops up in several Discworld novels] would say to David Cameron. . ."
And what is that? Buy this week's New Statesman to find out.
Now I'm curious, can someone from UK check and quote what he said?
"Well, the Great and Powerful Trixie can't actually transport you to Equestria... But!
The Great and Powerful Trixie can beat you over the head until you think that's what happened!"
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
I know the thread title is a jokey reference to how Disney seems to be BUYING EVERYTHING, but if they did buy the movie rights, I wouldn't mind. There'd at least be a chance for halfway decent Discworld flicks.
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalmarvho
I know the thread title is a jokey reference to how Disney seems to be BUYING EVERYTHING, but if they did buy the movie rights, I wouldn't mind. There'd at least be a chance for halfway decent Discworld flicks.
There are halfway decent Discworld flicks. The Colour of Magic was... odd, but good, and Hogfather was actually pretty entertaining.
I'm intrigued by The Watch, though. I remember hearing rumours a couple of years back, but it seems it's actually a thing that is happening, now? That's cool.
I was surprised to hear he's still doing tours. Hearing about the difficulties of his condition makes me really rather sad. :/
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Also, this is the internet. We're all borderline insane for simply being here.
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
What would Granny Weatherwax say to David Cameron?
Sorry was really curious, would also be interested in what Granny Ogg would do to him and George Osbourne and exactly how long before they started running...
Maybe I really don't want to know what Granny Ogg would do to them!
“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.
"Well, the Great and Powerful Trixie can't actually transport you to Equestria... But!
The Great and Powerful Trixie can beat you over the head until you think that's what happened!"
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trixie
So, it looks like no one here reads New Statesman, eh?
I'm not even really familiar with what that is.
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Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeless
What would Granny Weatherwax say to David Cameron?
Sorry was really curious, would also be interested in what Granny Ogg would do to him and George Osbourne and exactly how long before they started running...
Maybe I really don't want to know what Granny Ogg would do to them!
obviously she'd tell them they are doing a rotten job and they would start running before Granny Weatherwax and nanny ogg would come within a 10 mile radius. and it will be hilarious
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aotrs Commander
W-W-Watch....
...based...
...BBC series...?
Continuing Watch story after novels...?
I...
Whu...
HUZZAH!
I'm with you on this one. Can't wait...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eldan
You konw what else is their to be excited about? Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie rumoured to play Aziraphale and Crowley.
they would be so incredibly suited to that, they have gathered all teh experience they need when they played Jeeves and Wooster. (God I loved that series)
__________________ "Where do promiscious fillies go?" - Awesome Tyrion Ponytar by Elemental
“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.
“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.
"Well, the Great and Powerful Trixie can't actually transport you to Equestria... But!
The Great and Powerful Trixie can beat you over the head until you think that's what happened!"
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
I have to say I'm more... what's the word... wary of a possible Watch series... but maybe I'm just a pessimist.
(I would say I despised the Going Postal movie but one can not easily despise something connected to Sir Terry)
And... really, I gave up all hope of a Good Omens adaption within my lifetime. I would be happy if it happened and with Fry and Laurie it would be hilarious (Though I'm not sure who should have which role)
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
A Good Omens movie would probably either be one of my favorite, or one of the most hated moves I ever watch, if I ever do get to watch it. (Damn you development hell, damn you!)
I'd sort of be interested in seeing Benedict Cumberbacth as Crowley. Becuase that would work so well. And Peter Davison as Aziraphale. Although Stephen Fry would also work. I just don't see Hugh Laurie as either one though.
Anyway, did anyone see the Tweet by the journalist who asked him all that? Apparently, she tried to hug him, and warned all other journalists not to try. "He writes Granny Weatherwax that well for a reason,' or somesuch quote.
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Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoonCat
I'd sort of be interested in seeing Benedict Cumberbacth as Crowley. Becuase that would work so well. And Peter Davison as Aziraphale. Although Stephen Fry would also work. I just don't see Hugh Laurie as either one though.
Really? I can totally see Hugh Laurie as a sort of smarmy Crowley.
The problem is that they're both sorta kinda old now. The Good Omens characters are a bit younger, I think. Or maybe that's just in my head.
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Charitably...I think...sometimes, perhaps, one must change or die. ~Sandman
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zale
Also, this is the internet. We're all borderline insane for simply being here.
I would move to Britain to watch that. Well, no I wouldn't, but you get my point. If they don't put that on BBC America soon afterwords... Well, there'll be an awful lot of American Bootlegging of it, then, I guess.
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Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
I'm both a little scared about how it might/will turn out and happy that there will still be new discworld material after the inevitable happens.. and that it stays in the family.
as for Disney not owning Discworld..
praise Offler, is all I'm gonna say about that.
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Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by dehro
I'm both a little scared about how it might/will turn out and happy that there will still be new discworld material after the inevitable happens.. and that it stays in the family.
as for Disney not owning Discworld..
praise Offler, is all I'm gonna say about that.
nonononono, it's clearly due to intervention of The Lady...
__________________ "Where do promiscious fillies go?" - Awesome Tyrion Ponytar by Elemental
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by dehro
you're not supposed to mention her though... ever
indeed, though not directly. Indirectly is ok. since her name is not The Lady, but something other (which I, ofcourse, will not mention) referring to her as The Lady is accepted.
__________________ "Where do promiscious fillies go?" - Awesome Tyrion Ponytar by Elemental
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Socratov
indeed, though not directly. Indirectly is ok. since her name is not The Lady, but something other (which I, ofcourse, will not mention) referring to her as The Lady is accepted.
you're tempting Fate here, is what you're doing...
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a triple cheer for Wojiz, for making me my very own Avatar...
Re: So, Disney won't be buying Discworld after all...
Quote:
Originally Posted by dehro
you're tempting Fate here, is what you're doing...
no, if that were the case I'd allready snuffed it
the only one who can get away (mind you, due to divine intervention from The Lady ) with tempting fate is Rincewind, who seems to have partially polymorphed into some kind of weed since he just won't perish... ever...
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