#inspired by discworld L-space

[oakandgumtrees]

The Lady in the Library, Part 1

It was a dreary November Thursday that the call came in. I was the only one in the office at the time, since the others were out sick or doing inspections, so I was the one who answered the phone.

“Berkshire Library Effect Professionals, how can I help you?”

At first, I assumed it was another fucking bookshop owner trying to organise their annual certification - it seemed like that was all I’d been doing for a month and a half. (When the phone rang, I’d been writing up the assessment of a shop with twelve shelf metres per square metre. Twelve.) So maybe I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have been.

I was opening up a booking form for an estate assessment when the words “twenty thousand” lodged in my brain. 

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

The fancy lawyer on the other end did not seem impressed. “The late Mr Stockton’s collection contains an estimated twenty thousand volumes,” he repeated primly. “It has been built up by several generations of Stocktons, in the library at their family home.”

Oh. 

Oh no.

Oh fuck.

-----

John and I went out that same afternoon to do a preliminary assessment. It was already four when we left, but the solicitor hadn’t cared about paying for overtime, and had cared about getting things started quickly, so we loaded up our kits and set out for Alderford Manor.

John had been doing this job for nearly forty years, and had gone through cynicism and out the other side. It didn’t surprise him that we were going to a country house where the library was probably going to have spatial, temporal, and eccentric distortions. He’d seen it all before.

I, on the other hand, had been a library effect professional for about eight years, and was at the peak of my cynicism. “Twenty thousand, he said, and it’s never been assessed!”

“Mind the tractor.”

I slowed down so the aforesaid tractor could squeeze between us and the hedge. “Bloody self-important, over-confident bastards,” I muttered. “It’s probably all crammed in there, too. Private owners never give a shit about book density.” Not that density would make much of a difference with that many books. Mild library effects started kicking in around a thousand books per room, usually. Twenty thousand almost guaranteed trouble, especially with pre-Edwardian architecture.

“Does that mean you want to be site manager while I do the walkthrough?” John teased. “Next left now.”

If I hadn’t been driving, I’d have glared at him. (Which he definitely knew.) “Of course I want to do the walkthrough!” I snapped. Pacing out large libraries was the riskiest part of our job, but it was also the most exciting, and the chance didn’t come around every day. Who knew what we’d find? “...I just want to be able to bitch about stupid clients when we’re out of earshot.”

He smirked at me. 

I checked the mirrors and pretended I couldn’t see him.

-----

Alderford Manor was the sort of eighteenth century country house that was scattered all over England, and like many of them, it was starting to look a little shabby. Nothing drastic, but the curtains were a little worn, the upholstery faded, and I could tell whatever staff worked here, they were falling behind with the dusting and polishing. In short, exactly what you’d expect from a house that was going to be sold because it was too much trouble to whatever distant relative had inherited it. 

Its library was anything but ordinary.

Long aisles of shelving stretched from the entrance into shadow, dividing a seemingly cavernous room into narrow passages. There were no windows to relieve the gloom, and the inbuilt lights illuminated little but shadows and the occasional gilded label. Every vertical surface was packed with books, some as old as the house, some purchased in the last few decades. 

I exchanged looks with John, and began to pack my vest and kit bag.

Phone. Spare phone battery. Notebook. Pencils. Chalk. Voice recorder. Film camera. Mechanical stopwatch. Digital stopwatch. Compass. Plumbline. Light meter. Altimeter. Water. Emergency food rations. First aid kit. Emergency blanket. Radio. If I was lucky, I wouldn’t need most of it. If I was unlucky, it might not be enough.

Anchor rope hooked to my belt, radio around my neck, and surveyor’s wheel in hand, I ventured into the library. “From the door, ninety degrees left, following the wall,” I reported quietly. My footsteps were nearly silent on the rug, and the space had the deadened atmosphere of noise cancellation. Who knew, if there had been bells like a monastic library, if I would have even heard them?

Deeper and deeper I followed the wall, calling out measurements to John as I went. His voice was steady on the other end, if a little crackly, anchoring me as much as the rope did.

And then I turned a corner, and saw a silhouette that definitely shouldn’t have been there.

“John?” I asked carefully. “Didn’t Mrs Jones say everyone was accounted for?”

The figure in the shadows stood, and moved towards the light. “Good afternoon,” she said warily - definitely a woman’s voice, low and refined. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of making your acquaintance.”

She stepped into the light, revealing an outfit straight out of an Austen novel. 

“N-No,” I stammered, dipping into an utterly mangled half-curtesy out of some bizarre instinct that the gesture would help. “I don’t imagine you have.”

Part 2

#the lady in the library #original #inspired by discworld L-space

[petermorwood]

I always feel like I learn so much from your Discworld and Pterry posts. Do you happen to know of anything in the way of a blog or lectures that he may have done? I'm reading Guards! Guards! and I'd love any insight to how he did his writing. I know of A Slip of the Keyboard, is there anything else? Thanks!

You've already mentioned "A Slip of the Keyboard" - which for those who don't already know is a collection of Terry's non-fiction. It was compiled and published during his lifetime, so he'd definitely have had input on what was and wasn't included.

You might get additional information by asking at @terryandrob (the official account) on Twitter; meanwhile there are various interviews, talks and lectures on YouTube, but (AFAIK, anyway) there were never any special "Here's how I do it" videos.

I don't think he ever had a blog, however the L-Space website has a collection of information including quotes (NB that some are quite old), and writer Patrick Rothfuss cites an interview Terry had with The Onion back in 1995, which includes this gem:

Pratchett: I had a decent lunch, and I’m feeling quite amiable. That’s why you’re still alive. I think you’d have to explain to me why you’ve asked that question.

Terry always seemed to regard his private opinions and his public book-touring, interview-guesting persona as two things best kept separate (this changed post-Alzheimers, with good reason). But as @neil-gaiman pointed out on more than one occasion, he was never just a twinkly-eyed silver-bearded pixie who wrote funny stories, even though some sectors of press and public never grasped this and some haven’t yet.

Terry was a man whose writing was fuelled by anger at stupidities large and small; a reason why I’ve often suspected that had he lived to write Discworld novels inspired by the past and present few years, we would have an unlimited energy source to match solar.

But since that anger was balanced by his sense of humour, Discworld books can be handled without heatproof tongs, and Terry didn’t drown the interviewer in whatever drinks they were having.

Would someone actually “drown” in a banana daiquiri or is it so thick that the operative verb is “choke”? Enquiring minds etc. :-P

Instead he went on to explain why the question vexed him, and we, including the interviewer I hope, learned something as a result.

Hope this helps!

#GNU Terry Pratchett #writing #writer advice

[ao3feed-ineffablehusbandz]

It’s the Fantastic Drowse of the Afternoon Sundays

It’s the Fantastic Drowse of the Afternoon Sundays

by the_bug_geek

Follow on to my other story Oh, But It Is True. I recommend reading that ficlet first, but if you don’t, this story can stand alone. Crowley takes Aziraphale on a long-awaited picnic outing to Wendel’s Mound on midsummer day. The Bentley is proud of herself for being a good car. Aziraphale enjoys the scrumptious picnic and looks forward to napping. Puck makes an unanticipated appearance, and Sunglasses and Bow Tie engage in a bit of snarky banter. Our ineffable duo finally make it to the Library in the Dreaming via a nap and meet Lucienne.

Words: 5081, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of Ethereal Dreams

Fandoms: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, The Sandman (Comics), The Sandman (TV 2022), Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare, Discworld - Terry Pratchett

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens), The Librarian (Discworld), Lucienne (The Sandman TV), Puck | Robin Goodfellow, Original Characters, Sunglasses (Good Omens), Bow Tie (Good Omens)

Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: Bickering, Banter, Humor, Funny, Crack, Absurd, Teasing, Fluff, dialogue plus descriptive text, dialogue only in sections, sfw, POV Alternating, Crowley rescues Aziraphale, Protective Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Whump (Good Omens), Snake Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale Comforts Crowley (Good Omens), Based on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, Sandman #19, Inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream, william shakespeare - Freeform, Wendel's Mound, Puck - Freeform, Robin Goodfellow - Freeform, faerie - Freeform, Dreaming, Sandman's Library, Lucien - Freeform, Lucienne - Freeform, Long Man of Wilmington, Picnic, Aziraphale and Crowley Have Their Picnic (Good Omens), Aziraphale's Bow Tie (Good Omens), Bow Tie abuse, Crowley's Sunglasses (Good Omens), Ineffable Couture, wing preening off screen, Discworld References, L-space (Discworld), The Librarian (Discworld) - Freeform, Sentient Bentley (Good Omens), the Bentley may have powers too, A bit of angst and pining, some innuendo and light cursing but nothing more than that, consent expanded to dream visitation, it's not the tree's fault, venomous caterpillars too

From https://ift.tt/oceFg2n https://archiveofourown.org/works/41016396

#ao3feed ineffablehusbandz #ineffable husbands #good omens #aziraphale #crowley #anthonyjcrowl

[liminalgoddessworld]

I was thinking about this space and what I want it to be, and trying to cone up with ... I don't know, a new tag-line or something. I'm not sure, now, what I wanted to achieve.

Anyway.

Naturally, I went back to the inspiration for naming this space "L-Space."

The inimitable Sir Terry Pratchett. I am a HUGE Discworld fan.

I loved the intersection of Library Space with liminal space because of course, transformation (transitioning through liminality to "being") comes through knowledge. When you know better, you do better. Something like that.

So, when I was thinking about what to call this space, liminal space (L-Space in honour of STP -Sir Terry Pratchett) seemed perfect. I still think it's perfect.

Then, I needed an equation. Something that would express my vision of L-space while still paying homage to my writing godfather.

I live in the 21st Century so of course I asked AI to organize my thoughts. I put in all the variables and the 'template' (STP's equation) and what I got back is exactly what I wanted:

Isn't it perfect???

[bookclub4m]

In this episode we chat about what happens when books go from page to screen in Adaptations! In the process we argue about lots of stuff (as usual) and you learn more than you ever wanted to know about manga sound effects! Plus: psychic sidekicks, librarian in-jokes, our faith in Ellen DeGeneres, and what we want to see adapted for the screen.

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jessi

Books and Other Media We Read This Month

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki; Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie 1984)

The Princess Bride by William Goldman; The Princess Bride (movie 1987)

The Snowman by Jo Nesbø; The Snowman (movie 2017)

Stardust by Neil Gaiman, illustrated Charles Vess; Stardust (movie 2007)

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones; Howl’s Moving Castle (movie 2004)

Uprooted by Naomi Novik; adaptation in potentia

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness; A Discovery of Witches (TV series 2018)

Books and Other Media We Discuss

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk; Fight Club (movie 1999)

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, translated by Yuji Oniki; Battle Royale (movie 2000)

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien; Lord of the Rings (movie trilogy 2001-3)

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick; Blade Runner (movie 1982)

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick; A Scanner Darkly (movie 2006)

Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery; Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (tv mini-series 1985 & 1987) (I’ve never watched two more recent sequel/prequels, and I never will)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Pride and Prejudice (BBC mini-series 1995); Pride and Prejudice (movie 2005)

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien; The Hobbit (movie trilogy 2012-14)

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell; Wives and Daughters (mini series 1999)

Persuasion by Jane Austen; Persuasion (movie 2007)

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen; Northanger Abbey (movie 2007)

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess; A Clockwork Orange (movie 1971)

The Bloodettes/Les Saignantes (movie 2005)

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman; Good Omens (TV series 2018?)

Hellboy: An Assortment of Horrors (short stories collection) edited by Christopher Golden, art by Mike Mignola; Hellboy (movie 2004)

The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession by Susan Orlean; Adaptation (movie 2002)

Ponyo (movie 2008); The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

The Coldest City by Anthony Johnston; Atomic Blonde (movie 2017)

Her Space Opera by Katie Longua, music by Accumulator - a comic with a code to download related music

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley; Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (movie 2010)

Fullmetal Alchemist series by Hiromu Arakawa; there are a number of different adaptations in films and video games and more, but Jessi is referring to Fullmetal Alchemist (anime 2003-4) and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-10)

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin; Game of Thrones (TV series 2011-)

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling; Harry Potter (film series 2001-2011)

Sandman series by Neil Gaiman and various artists

Papillon by Henri Charrière; Papillon (movie 1973) AND Papillon (movie 2017) which is a remake of the 1973 film and Meghan didn’t even know it existed (layers of adaptation!!)

Criminal Minds (TV series 2005-)

Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker; Mindhunter (TV series 2017-)

Suicide Squad (comics); Suicide Squad (movie 2016)

The Alienist by Caleb Carr; The Alienist (TV series 2018)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman; American Gods (TV series 2017-)

Jodorowsky’s Dune (documentary 2013)

Adaptations We Want to See

Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, specifically more adaptations from this universe since three live action ones exist:

The Color of Magic (mini series 2008), based on The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic

Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather (movie 2006), based on Hogfather

Going Postal (mini series 2010), based on Going Postal

China Miéville - just everything

Links, Articles, and Things

The Metabarons: A Rape Comic - Here’s the piece about Alejandro Jodorowsky and how he is scum

Remembering the Time Alejandro Jodorowsky Raped a Woman in the Name of Art

Questions

Do you seek out movie adaptations of books or avoid them?

Do you read the books that movies you like are based on?

Did anyone get Meghan’s Library joke?

What makes a good adaptation (or a bad adaptation)?

Where’s the line between adaptation and something that is “inspired by” an existing text?

What’s a book or comic you’d love to see adapted?

Check out our Pinterest board and Tumblr posts, follow us on Twitter, join our Facebook Group, or send us an email!

Join us again on January 2nd, for our Best of 2017 episode!

Then come back on January 16th for our episode on Family Sagas!

#podcast #non-fiction #genres #movies #tv #page to screen