I was most interested in this, which 'Nanny' has posted on the Yahoo Blyton Group, today. For those of you who don't subscribe, I will reproduce the relevant part of Nanny's post here:
But upon thinking, I discover that in fact I do something with Blyton: I
am still working on the translation (to Dutch) of Oscar Parra's Famous
Five book "Los Cinco en la Isla Monasterio". (Famous Five on the
Monastery Island). Featuring no one else than Tony Summerfield as the
friendly shopkeeper where the Five buy their drinks and a bone for
Timmy! I was very amused when I read it.
I am half way in the book now. In the book the Five go biking in the
area of Kirrin. They make camp in a little bay, in a cave. They discover
at the end of that cave a chimney which leads up to the top of the
cliff. An upon climbing in that chimney they discover another small cave
above theirs with a splendid view over the sea and the Monastery Island.
In the morning they discover a swimmer in their bay and they have a talk
with him. The swimmer invites them to his house, and offer them to use
his boat.
But when the children later that day go to the house, there is no one
there. Nevertheless the children know in which bay the boat is, and they
take the boat to their bay.
In the night they witness two men in their bay, a boat coming, and the
handing over of a package from the boat to the men. In the same night
there is a big fire in the nearby bay, and the children hear that all
boats which were lying there are destroyed.
The next day the children go buying food supplies. And it is there that
they hear from the friendly shopkeeper Tony Summerfield that the
swimming men is an unknown in this area, and that his house is not his,
but is owned by the coast guard.
The children then wonder who's boat they have taken. They decide to
bring the boat back the next day. But first, in the coming night, they
will use it to take a view on the Monastery Island.
And that's were I am now with translating. The children are preparing
for the night trip.
Incredible to see that Tony has made it into a Famous Five story. Let's just hope he doesn't end up being hand-in-glove with the villains!
A bit too close to the mark as I get frequent emails from people wanting to buy books from the Cave and asking why I have neglected to put a price on them - I mostly ignore them! I am a bit surprised that my name has been used in a fanfic without my being asked if it was okay, but neither Nanny or Oscar belong to the Society any more as they have both ceased subscribing to the Journal a while back.
hmmmm...I started writing a Barney mystery a while ago called The Rigglesby Wood Mystery...I needed the name of a villain...a guy who stores valuable books in a cave in Rigglesby Wood...hmmm...
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
Tony Summerfield wrote:neither Nanny or Oscar belong to the Society any more as they have both ceased subscribing to the Journal a while back.
It might just be me but I fail to see why anyone would get all excited about some fanfic while ignoring the work of the Society in promoting and preserving the real work of Enid Blyton.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
It does seem odd. I guess some people like to rave over fantasies rather than realities, but I would always rather have the real thing, and although I enjoy fanfic in moderation, it never comes even close to the original for me. I tend to be blown away that people don't renew their subscriptions to the EB Society. After all, it's a very small amount per year - less than £1 a month!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
Tony Summerfield wrote:neither Nanny nor Oscar belong to the Society any more
I was always surprised that Nanny never looked at the forums and have often discussed this anomaly with her. I didn't know that she had let her subscription slip. She did say in her post that "These days I don't do much with Blyton," then went on to describe her translation work in this fanfic.
I am a bit surprised that my name has been used in a fanfic without my being asked if it was okay
Not sure about that. If it was me included, I think I'd be happy if it was a pleasant character!
Even though I've written a continuation novel myself, I've never been really keen on reading something not written by the author themselves, for some reason. I haven't even read any of the official continuation novels of Famous Five, Secret Seven, Naughtiest Girl, St Clares, Malory Towers etc - they just don't really interest me very much.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
I only mentioned Rob's as he had mentioned it in a post. Had you done the same, I would also have praised yours, as I also consider them to be fine stories, worthy of a place up there with the best of these continuation novels.
Whilst on the subject of your writing, I was pleased to read your short review of Mary and her Toys which has been added to the Cave. A good plug for the book and the Society Shop - bringing us neatly back to Tony the Shopkeeper!
