The author, who is full of weird and wonderful ideas that takes his readers into unknown worlds and on fantastical adventures, visited Sheffield Libraries this week.
Jasper Fforde said, “I hope people are entertained with my books and that they give some food for thought.”
He has already visited East Riding where he took part in two events. Two weeks ago, he was in Berry Port, Wales where he took part in a lighthouse bookswap where many people attended to swap their books.
Fforde aims to complete two visits a month to libraries, as he feels strongly, that they are ‘under attack’.
He said, “Libraries do not have authors going into them; they are under attack.
“They are a hub for listening to people come and talk about writing.”
Thinking of weird and wacky ideas has always come easy to Fforde however, he believed, because of his dyslexia, that he could not write.
He said, “I am dyslexic and so was branded stupid from the age of nine.”
However, his ability to come up with unique story ideas never left him but it wasn’t until the age of 27, when he was writing a short story into a film script, that he realised that he wanted to be an author.
Fforde said, “I have many ideas, I will never be able to write everything I want.”
It is expected that around 50 to 60 people will turn up to listen to his talk in the Sheffield libraries.
Fforde, also known as the grandfather of mashup, first published,The Eyre Affair, the first book in his most famous series, The Thursday Next, back in 2001.
The inspiration for the book came from the famous novel written by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre.
Fforde took on what he called a ‘narrative dare’ to write the book. He explained it as an idea and an expansion on a concept.
As well as being inspired by Lewis Carroll, Fforde also takes inspiration from the likes of Jane Austin and Nicholas Fisk.
However, not all his inspiration comes from other authors.
He said, “if you’re a writer and you only go for books, you will not sell yourself well. That is why I also look at sitcoms of the 70s, children’s playwrights and things people say on the train.”
Main photo credit: Self portrait