News
Here’s the superb original video for And Another Thing by The Blizzards. The song was used as the theme tune for And Another Thing, the sixth installment in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy.
The Blizzards perform “And Another Thing” on RTE’s The Late Late Show.
For those of you who don’t know – Eoin Colfer, the author of the phenomenally popular Artemis Fowl series, just released his first book for adults, the much anticipated sixth installment of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy saga (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe and Everything; and So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish).
And guess what? Mr. Colfer will be HERE the week of November 9th! So if you have any questions or comments regarding his work in Douglas Adams’s literary universe or his Artemis Fowl saga, feel feel to start posting on this thread immediately!!!
A terrific interview from SFX in which Eoin deals with all of the tough questions on And Another Thing…
SFX: Are you hoping to bring back Hitchhiker’s for a new generation?
Colfer: I know Douglas said he was going to do a sixth book, so he had planned to bring it back. And that’s what Jane, Douglas’s widow, wants. It’s already working! Sales apparently have gone back up already, and they released the radio show out to iTunes now. So Hitchhiker’s has already been brought back a little bit by this, and I’m really hoping that when my book comes out people go back and check them all out. And they’re re-releasing the first one, I think, in a young adult edition. So we’re hoping that my book will bring Artemis Fowl readers into Hitchhiker’s, and that would be great.
Some people will think, “Oh, yeah, he’s doing this because he’s getting paid.” Well, obviously, I’m getting paid! But in all honesty, I get paid more for an Artemis Fowl book. So it’s not for money. I’m sure it’s going to sell. I hope it would sell loads! But there’s no movie rights or anything, which is usually a large part of my cheque. So it’s not a money thing. If it was a money thing, I would just change the characters and call it an Artemis Fowl book. I’m doing it because I couldn’t not do it.
I’m trying to think of a parallel – if you’re an unknown actor, it’s like, “Do you want to have a go at playing James Bond?” Or for a boxer like Rocky. “You wanna fight Apollo Creed?” That’s what it’s like for me: I just couldn’t say no, and I know there was a storm coming, but hopefully it won’t be too bad. But I still had to say, “Well, I gotta do this.”
SFX: Do you think the most devoted fans will accept you following in Douglas Adams’s footsteps?
Colfer: Just the idea, I think, of someone writing a Douglas Adams sequel is offensive to some people who feel very strongly, and I totally understand this. I get it, and I would probably feel the same myself but, hopefully, I would calm down and then I’d say, “Well, I’ll give it a go.” And I hope that’s what most people do – I think if they read the first page they’ll say, “Fair enough,” and go from there.
Three people could have taken this task on and got away with it, and that would be Stephen Fry and Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I think if any of those three had been asked, people would have just said, “Oh, okay.” But I’m in a position where I have to prove myself, and it’ll just come down to the book. If the story is good, most people will accept it.
I’m trying to avoid any sort of pre-judgment based on nothing, or based on me. You know, “Who’s he to write this book? He’s short! And.. he’s gray. So screw him!” You can’t defend yourself against that. You can’t really defend yourself against criticism. If someone says, “You’re bad,” you can’t say, “Well, no, I am not bad. How dare you?!” And they say, “Okay – right, you’re not.” It doesn’t work like that! People don’t change their minds.
Eoin’s talks to Matthew Peterson for The Author Hour. The programme also features Sir Terry Pratchett, Jody Lynn Nye and Piers Anthony.
Author Hour Promo Video
“Author Eoin Colfer has picked up were Douglas Adams left off and has written the sixth book in the Hitchhikers series and joins Ryan Tubridy along with The Blizzards frontman Niall Breslin who has released a song called And Another Thing for the launch of the book which is also called And Another Thing (Penguin/Michael Joseph)”
from the Ryan Tubridy Show. RTE Radio 1. October 16, 2009.
The wonderful Bookwitch has sent us this review of Eoin’s reading and signing event in Manchester yesterday. Some great photos too and an appearance from interview maestro Charlie.
Read all of “He’s Too Short and Too Prompt” courtesy of the Bookwitch
Eoin will be touring the US beginning on the 19th of October in Philadelphia. Full details are available in the Events section. Click here to read more.
The first televisual advertisement to hit your primitive earth screens.
Are you the greatest Hitchhiker fan ever?
Can you prove it? You’ve got 42 seconds…
Penguin are searching for the biggest Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fan in this or any nearby parallel universe to mark the publication of ‘And Another Thing’ by bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series Eoin Colfer . ‘And Another Thing’ is the 6th novel in the ever-more increasingly inaccurately named ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ trilogy . We’re not just talking about someone who can stick their thumb out and get a ride to Basingstoke. We’re talking about someone who can cadge a lift off a passing flying saucer …
Ever faced a death ray in your dressing gown?
Or done six impossible things before breakfast?
Or proved the non-existence of God with a fish in your ear?
Then here’s your chance to show that you are the hoopiest frood on this side of the galaxy.
All you have to do is to prove that you are the greatest Hitchhiker fan on video in no more than 42 seconds, post it on YouTube and tag the video with the words ‘sixofthree’ and ‘AAT comp’ and then drop us an email at partsix@uk.penguingroup.com. The video that is deemed by Penguin to demonstrate in the funniest or cleverest way how much of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fan the creator is will be chosen as the winner.
The winner will get two tickets to Hitchcon 09 on Sunday 11th October 2009 (for further details about Hitchcon ’09, see below), two nights’ bed and breakfast at the Marriott County Hall hotel for the weekend of the event, an evening meal at Skylon restaurant a personalised dressing gown and towel, as well as being crowned as the official no. 1 Hitchhiker fan at Hitchcon.
‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Part 6 of 3 And Another Thing . . .’ by internationally bestselling author Eoin Colfer. Published by Michael Joseph in hardback, 12th October 2009 £18.99
Remember you need to post your 42 second video, on YouTube and tag the it with the words ‘sixofthree’ and ‘AAT comp’ and then drop an email to partsix@uk.penguingroup.com
Closing date 30th September, 2009 http://www.6of3.com/competition/
HITCHCON ’09 – A DAY OF EVENTS CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY SUNDAY 11th OCTOBER – ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL – A DAY OF CELEBRATION, SPECTACLE AND DELIGHT VOYAGING DEEP INTO THE HITCHHIKER’S UNIVERSE.
Starting at 11.30am, join us for a PanGalactic Gargleblaster, come attired in dressing gown to take part in a record-breaking Arthur Dent photocall, be the first in the world to hear excerpts from and purchase Eoin Colfer’s ‘And Another Thing…’ see free screenings of the Hitchhikers TV Series in the Clore Ballroom, head to the Royal Festival Hall to listen to friends and experts discuss the life and work of Douglas Adams or thrill to watch Simon Jones as Arthur Dent alongside the original Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Marvin the Paranoid Android and Trillian re-create classic moments from the saga live on stage – radio-style (directed and produced by Dirk Maggs).
Whatever your choice on the day, for any self-respecting Hitchhiker’s/Adams fan, one thing is assured, Southbank Centre is THE only place to be on Sunday 11th October.
Get yourself a ticket for the biggest party the unfashionable end of the galaxy has ever seen and join best-selling author Eoin Colfer – creator of criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl – and actor Simon Jones, the original Arthur Dent, in a celebration of 30 years of the late, great Douglas Adams’ classic British comedy. This’ll be your first chance to see, hear and buy the sixth instalment, And Another Thing… by Eoin Colfer published by Penguin Books, 12th October ’09.
www.southbankcentre.co.uk / 0871 663 2500
An interview at Comic-Con with Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series, about And Another Thing… the forthcoming sixth book in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. Video by Hyperion Books.