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Posted by Ian on February 16, 2008 at 9:41 pm
According to the Oxford Mail, Philip Pullman is to appear at the Oxford Literary Festival, to discuss amongst other things his new book Once Upon A Time In The North which is due for release on April 4th. “Mr Pullman’s appearance at Oxford Town Hall on March 31 will ensure a memorable launch for both his book and the festival.” Hosted by Christ Church, the festival will see many speakers and authors-in-residence - including a strong representation of local writers - including playwright Tom Stoppard (originally hired to draft The Golden Compass’ screenplay), geneticist Richard Dawkins ( The God Delusion), PD James ( The Children of Men), fiction critic Peter Kemp, and many more. Read more.
Posted by jessia on December 17, 2007 at 9:54 pm
The Oxford Mail spoke to Philip Pullman at the London premiere of The Golden Compass and has more details of upcoming His Dark Materials releases. The Book of Dust is forecast to be finished by 2009 but in the meantime, fans can look forward to Once Upon a Time in the North, the trilogy’s second companion book, due out 3rd April 2008. Like Lyra’s Oxford, it will be illustrated by John Lawrence and include extra fold outs. The April release will coincide with the film’s DVD release as well as the Oxford Literary Festival. Fans can also look forward to a little green book in the future about Will. Read more.
French fansite and community member Cittagazze first revealed this release in September with a press release from David Fickling Books following quickly. Said Pullman of writing the book, “Writing this story was a matter of pure enjoyment. The two characters at the heart of it, Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, were old comrades-in-arms when Lyra met them first in Northern Lights. It was obvious that they had a history, and it was my son Jamie who first suggested that I should write about it.”
Posted by Ian on November 23, 2007 at 9:52 pm
There’s a brief review of the Butterfly Soup fundraiser held by Oxford youth theatre Pegasus (of which Philip Pullman is a patron) last weekend on the BBC website. Amongst other things, it selects as a highlight Philip Pullman’s use of a Texan accent. You can read more here. More is to follow soon from our bridgetothestars report on the evening.
Posted by Ian on November 2, 2007 at 5:46 pm
The new companion to His Dark Materials, entitled Once Upon A Time In The North, is to be published on April 3rd next year. The story recounts the very first meeting of these two heroes, an encounter eagerly awaited by all Pullman fans. The book, which is “presented as an exquisitely designed cloth-bound book and includes many other teasingly authentic memorabilia and clues from the His Dark Materials universe gathered together” tells the tale of Lee Scoresby and Iorek Brynison’s first meeting.
“Lee Scoresby and his hare daemon, Hester, crash land their trading balloon on to Novy Odense, a port in the far Arctic North, and so find themselves right in the middle of a political powder keg that threatens to explode into a street-fight. Honour is at stake and Lee is not a man to duck a matter of honour. And this is the very first time that Lee gets to use his trusty and celebrated Winchester rifle . . .”
You can read the full press release from David Fickling Books (Pullman’s publishers), which includes further details, here.
Posted by Ian on October 29, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Ticket prices for the Pegasus Theatre fundraiser in Oxford have been reduced from £100 per person to the original £35 per person. Those who had previously purchased tickets at the higher price are advised to contact the box office in person or by phone to claim a refund on their tickets. The event will still go ahead, as previously announced, on November 17th at St. John’s College in Oxford, starting at 7PM. At the event, Philip Pullman “will talk about his interests in storytelling and performance, his passion for the arts and education and his supporting role to Pegasus Theatre”. The evening will also feature “a reading by Phillip Pullman from a, yet to be published new work, and an interview between the author and his publisher David Fickling”. We would assume that this is quite possibly the first ever reading of Pullman’s new book scheduled for release next April, Once Upon A Time In The North. Tickets are still available and can be booked in person or by phone. The number for Pegasus Theatre box office is 01865 722851.
Posted by on September 2, 2007 at 11:19 pm
French community member Cittagazze have a lengthy interview with Philip Pullman which covers a wide range of subjects. On the movie, Pullman reaffirms his admiration for the cast and design; talks a little about his favourite books as a child and an adult; music, and love.
Questions about Pullman’s plans for new His Dark Materials’ books reveal that the author has just finished a short book, due to be out this spring in the UK. Named Once Upon a Time in the North, the book will focus on Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, in the pair’s younger days - says Pullman, “When we see them for the first time with Lyra, Lee is not that old: he’s fifty, sixty, something like that, so they’ve [he and Iorek] known each other for a long time. But I wanted to write a story when they first met as they were young, and I’ve just written it.”
Like Lyra’s Oxford, the book will again features some “extra-bits” - Pullman says he has been working on a “game-board” to come with it. The Book of Dust appears to still be on the cards for a later release, with Pullman pondering including more stories about Will.
Read the interview.
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French fansite and community member Cittagazze first revealed this release in September with a press release from David Fickling Books following quickly. Said Pullman of writing the book, “Writing this story was a matter of pure enjoyment. The two characters at the heart of it, Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, were old comrades-in-arms when Lyra met them first in Northern Lights. It was obvious that they had a history, and it was my son Jamie who first suggested that I should write about it.”
