1: Rumor has it that the translation of your Thursday Next books into German isn 't the best to be. A student of English literature told, me, that your translator has missed same of the less known reminiscences you included. Have you heard anything about that, do you have any influence whatsoever about the foreign books re to appearances and / or translations?

2: The English books contained special advertisements you made up to amuse your reader - and yourself? The first two German editions missed these ads, the third book has at least some of these included. Have you any idea, why the publisher decided to cut the ads?

3: Your Thursday Next books show us a British Empire that once ago was overrun by German forces. Now it has regained strength and is in the middle of an ongoing war with the armys of the Russian Czar. What happened to Germany, will you in times to come tell us about the occupation if Britain by German forces, have you any connection to Germany?

4: How do react when you go on a signing or reading sessions abroad and at home, and hundreds of readers come to your reading? Are you satisfied, is it at least a bit scary, are you proud that you achieved such a large following?






1:Rumor has it that the translation of your Thursday Next books into German isn 't the best to be. A student of English literature told, me, that your translator has missed same of the less known reminiscences you included. Have you heard anything about that, do you have any influence whatsoever about the foreign books re to appearances and / or translations?

I hadn't heard this at all - in fact, I'd heard the opposite. German readers who have read both editions told me they thought it pretty good, given the problems of translating a somewhat unusual and perhaps very British book in tone and humour. No book can ever be translated faithfully as nations are so different from a cultural and linguistic point of view. Still, in answer to the second part of your question, I have no say on who translates my book and rightly so - my German publishers have a far better idea of the right person to ask to translate a book, so it is entirely right and proper to leave it up to them.

2: The English books contained special advertisements you made up to amuse your reader - and yourself? The first two German editions missed these ads, the third book has at least some of these included. Have you any idea, why the publisher decided to cut the ads?

No idea, I'm afraid. The US Penguin edition also left them out on the first two books, and some other foreign language editions use them all, others not at all. It's down to individual editor's taste, as well as space. Sometimes to get a few extra pages in a book you have to add ten blank pages due to the way books are printed and bound. I like the adverts a lot, but the books can manage without them!

3: Your Thursday Next books show us a British Empire that once ago was overrun by German forces. Now it has regained strength and is in the middle of an ongoing war with the armys of the Russian Czar. What happened to Germany, will you in times to come tell us about the occupation if Britain by German forces, have you any connection to Germany?

I have no connection at with Germany, I'm afraid. The whole 'Germany occupies Britain' subplot was originally there as part of the 'Churchill dying when he shouldn't have and been unable to lead England' subplot which keen-eyed readers will notice running through the books. This whole plot device was going to be resolved later on in the series, but after speaking to many Germans since first publication, I've decided to drop the whole thing as it seems a bit patronizing going on about Germany's past when we should be looking forward. The idea, I think, will remain fossilised, like a fly in amber. It's not the only aspect of my work that I would have done differently had I a chance to rewrite the books - Thursday having a gun, for one thing. A clumsy plot contrivance, I think. Well, we live and learn.

4:How do react when you go on a signing or reading sessions abroad and at home, and hundreds of readers come to your reading? Are you satisfied, is it at least a bit scary, are you proud that you achieved such a large following?

The support that readers show my books is always welcome, and so far no-one has been scary at all - so I'll try and stay as accessible as possible. There was a Fforde Ffestival in September this year, and several people commented on how much I was around during the event. It seemed strange not to, I thought. As I said, as long as no-one scares me, I will continue to do so.





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