In which I succumb to childish pleasure...

[steepholm]

... at seeing my name come before Philip Pullman's.

It was very strange hearing John Waite's voice coming at me down a phone line rather than out of a radio. I almost forgot to reply to what he was asking. Something about some writer geezer...

Comments

[brisingamen.livejournal.com]

I'm quite taken with the programme's title ...

Coincidentally, I'm delivering a desperate rehash new version of my Worldcon paper at UKC's MA student conference this coming week. Which is either going to burn my boats in the department, or else ... I shall blame my tutor for making me do it (not the fact I'd got nothing else I felt like doing). The coincidence of the 50 years had, at that point, escaped me. Now it seems only right and proper.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Yes, you could put that title on your cats' collars! It's right up there with "I am His Highness' dog at Kew; Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?"

Hope the paper goes well! Do a report, please...

[brisingamen.livejournal.com]

Shall report back, though you may see the reports of tutor bludgeoned to death after poor advice ... very few people on campus as yet know what else I do

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Ahem - you would of course have to omit the definite article (I misremembered the title).

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Is that an old paper, or are you actually going to Worldcon this year?

[brisingamen.livejournal.com]

Old paper ... I would like to go to Worldcon but can't afford it.

[brisingamen.livejournal.com]

Well, technically, revamped paper in the light of, ahem, two modules of Poco studies. Also, an effort to remind people that there are many, many authors.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Now if only your income came before Philip Pullman's....

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Perhaps he'll let me have a hand-me-down shed?

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

very cool!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I think you're a better writer than Pullman, by far.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

*blushes inarticulately*

[intertext.livejournal.com]

That is extremely cool. What are the chances of being able to listen to it from out here in the colonies?

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Not sure. You can certainly hear it live through the Radio 4 website, but that will no doubt be at some insomniacal hour. There's also a Listen Again facility which keeps programmes for up to a week, though I'm not sure whether that's available outside the UK. Try it on a random programme and see! I'd be interested to know, actually.

[lady-schrapnell.livejournal.com]

Listen Again should work no problem, as we can get it here (in the former colony!).

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Worryingly, I was just planning to post a link to the Ursula Le Guin interview in the same slot this week, and got "Sorry, this episode is not available to listen again", with a link to a page explaining possible reasons, eg rights restrictions. I suppose it might be something specific to Le Guin which doesn't apply to Garner? But it's very annoying, as I'd have run upstairs and posted a "switch on Radio Four NOW" notice if I'd known, instead of assuming I could post a Listen Again link afterwards.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

It seems to be available on iPlayer, but I think that is UK only. Hmm.

[lady-schrapnell.livejournal.com]

Yes, I just tried - via the link and through the Listen Again page directly - and got 'this programme is not available at this time', rather than the message you got. A couple of randomly selected programmes on Listen AGain played fine. It might be worth checking in a few hours, as sometimes things are available immediately, but other than that, I've no suggestions. And I'm annoyed at missing the programme too!

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I've looked again, and I am now getting the link to Listen Again - though it comes up in a box labelled iPlayer, which is what I always get with Listen Again, so I don't know if that excludes non-UK listeners as steepholm suggests? Anyway, it evidently did take them a long time to put it up on the site - I'm used to the idea it doesn't happen immediately, but I thought 50 minutes would be enough!

[lady-schrapnell.livejournal.com]

Nope, it's working fine for me now, so all good. (Doesn't she have a nice voice! Can't stay and listen to it myself now, 'natch.)

[sovay]

... at seeing my name come before Philip Pullman's.

I think that's quite fair! Also, I want to hear that interview.

[ewein2412]

I will be listening eagerly!

[(Anonymous)]

That link just gave me an error message. :(

Michele
Scholar's Blog

LOL LJ asks me to prove I'm human and gives me "Heard Miltonic" to type in!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That's odd - I've fixed it for now, but it'll probably disappear in due course anyway, being a radio listing, so for the sake of posterity and to save your clicking finger, here is what it says:

"Alan Garner: The Return to Brisingamen
Tuesday 24 March
11:30am - 12:00pm
BBC Radio 4

John Waite meets Alan Garner, author of the book that helped shape Waite's own childhood, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, to discuss his life and writing career. He discovers how Garner had his mouth scrubbed with carbolic soap at primary school to rid him of his thick Cheshire accent, what happened when he heard himself declared dead - twice - and how nothing has influenced him more strongly than his artisan ancestors who have lived in the area for centuries. John also hears from Garner fans including academic Charles Butler and novelist Philip Pullman."

Nice to hear from you, Michele!

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

But you're an academic and novelist! That must have given you extra points. Anyway, a week tomorrow... and if I forget, I should manage to catch it on Listen Again.

[(Anonymous)]

Eee! Thanks for copying that for me. I'll be at work when it airs, but will catch it on Listen Again.

Nice to hear from you, Michele!

Thanks! Still alive. Still writing the nonsense, still having a ball with it!

Michele