Fforde Perfect

Alan told me before we went to Hay that we had to be quite punctual on leaving because he had booked a special birthday surprise for me. He said that he had booked tickets for us to attend a talk given by an author about their latest book. He wouldn't tell me who it was, only that it was a he and that I had read and enjoyed his books (that turned out to be an understatement!) I knew it was to be held at a church in Abingdon and I promised him I wouldn't google it which I didn't though I hardly know how I managed it now.

I have to admit that my mind was boggling and I slightly dreaded it. I was pretty sure that Alan knew the authors I liked and disliked but what if he had got into a muddle or had mixed my views up with someone else's .. someone on the TV for instance (this happens more than you would think), would I have to smile and look thrilled when I was faced with .... well, I'll leave it blank .. it would be rude otherwise.

We did cut it a bit fine on leaving because we had to have once last look/browse around Hay which resulted in more book buying but we got home in plenty of time to change, head off to Abingdon and even have a drink before it was time to find the church. Alan told me who it was before we got there, I think he wanted to be the one to tell me rather than it dawn on me when I was faced with a trestle table full of Thursday Next's. Imagine my delight! I absolutely adore Jasper's writing and to be able to spend an evening listening to him was just brilliant. Despite the terrible venue (not the church .. that was lovely but almost on cue they began digging up the road outside .. at one point it sounded like we'd be bulldozed to oblivion) he was amazing, so welcoming and friendly and very very funny.

Although he did give us a bit of background history about Thursday and read us a short extract from 'One of Our Thursday's is Missing' as well as talking about 'Shades of Grey' (the sequel is not due until the year after next :-( )and 'The Last Dragonslayer', he prefers to answer questions from the audience feeling that it produces a more random and informative talk and provides everyone (not to mention Jasper himself) with a different experience should they attend more than one event. I wasn't brave enough to ask him anything (well, not until I was before him having my book signed) but there were plenty of people who were, in fact we overun slightly, and it was so interesting listening to him talk, not only about his books, but about writing in general.

Some of the snippets I picked up were ... that he is a Bronte reader rather than an Austen one (believing that families are always one or the other ... if only ... apart from Enid's books I can only remember a liberal amount of Catherine Cookson and Zane Grey in our house!) He thinks Jane's heroines are a little bit prissy.... having said that he hates 'Wuthering Heights' with a passion and was glad to get the opportunity to lampoon the characters in 'The Well of Lost Plots'. When asked if some characters were too sacred for him to use in his books, he said that he really reveres Jane Eyre and although of course she appears in his first book, his respect for her was such that he couldn't write extensive dialogue for her .. it sounded wrong and unnecessary. The book/characters he most admires are Scout and Jem in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

I had such a great time, and it was a wonderful birthday treat. I can't wait to read the book now but I still have 'First Among Sequels' on my TBR's.