The Enid Blyton Society

We received the following message on Facebook:

Hi! We organize the Pune International Literary Festival, now in its fourth year. Every year we hold an exhibition of a famous international author. Last year it was Agatha Christie. This year it would be Enid Blyton. We would love to collaborate with you for this exhibition. Do let me know if you would be interested and if I can send you details.

Thanks!

Manjiri Prabhu

Any offers? Maybe Tony and Anita might fancy a trip away for the good of the Society.

http://pilf.in/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had that message as an email about two weeks ago, like many others that I regularly get I'm afraid it went unanswered.

Any idea where or when it is? Was there anything in the email? I would love to go, and it might be close by.

I checked online, its 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sept. I might as well go.

Tony Summerfield wrote:I had that message as an email about two weeks ago, like many others that I regularly get I'm afraid it went unanswered.

I can fully understand that! Which begs the question, should we consider having more help? Any such emails could be forwarded to a publicity manager, who could then at least reply to these people. It seems a shame that the official Society should just bin this many emails, because it is too much work for one person.

Incidentally, I am not volunteering!

I would willingly forward the emails I get to anybody, but I think most people who actually have the time to deal with them would take the same attitude as you - 'I am not volunteering'!

This is typical of the sort of emails that I get on a daily basis:-

Hi! I've got a problem I need a Blyton expert to answer.

My mum's told us a few times over the years about an old Noddy record she used to have as a kid. Now that we're in the ebay age I was thinking I might track down a copy for her, and sure enough, there seem to be plenty about.

Only trouble is, I don't know which record to get, and I've only got one clue:

In this record, there's a scene she particularly liked, where some little animals, rabbits I think, are singing to themselves about Noddy. At the end of the song, Noddy drives off suddenly in his car, and the animals sing "Oh bother --- he's gone!"

Does this ring a bell? Do you know which record this was? I'd post in the forum about this, but of course I'm trying to keep it secret, so I'd rather avoid going on record, as it were, as being on the lookout for this!

I'm afraid that it is on the forums now!

Tony Summerfield wrote: This is typical of the sort of emails that I get on a daily basis:- "I'd post in the forum about this, but of course I'm trying to keep it secret, so I'd rather avoid going on record, as it were, as being on the lookout for this!"

I'm afraid that it is on the forums now!

Hmm. Remind me not to ask you to keep anything quiet.

Just having a look at eBay out of interest, I see this one is narrated by Enid herself.

I sympathise Nigel,but I rather think you dropped yourself in it with that one!

Does anyone know the answer to the question?

I wonder if Tony could create an automatic email response that said something like:

"Unfortunately your question/enquiry is too unique for even the most powerful brains here at the Enid Blyton Society to answer.Why not pose your question to: http://enidblyton.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Moonraker wrote:
Just having a look at eBay out of interest, I see this one is narrated by Enid herself.

I have a couple narrated by Enid herself. It's great to hear how she reads her own stories!

I got them from Sue Bell at an EB Day.

pete9012S wrote: Does anyone know the answer to the question?

Simple. Forward them all on to Anita - she has incredible knowledge of such matters and is the best candidate for the job.

Anita: You're Hired!

Anita is a Noddy obsessive, so I think she'd be perfect for the job!

I saw another question about Noddy on the 'home page' on here (which I don't often look at) about a story in which Big Ears makes Noddy pin a handkerchief to him. It rang a bell with me but I can't think where I saw it or heard it. I'm sure Anita will know though!!

Adhering to the original topic though, I guess Tony could generate an automatic response, so that it wouldn't be such that the mails are completely unanswered.

Where is this festival going to be?

Machupicchu14 wrote:Where is this festival going to be?

The subject heading has it down as Pune - once Poona where I spent a year at a "branch" of my convent school, St Mary's in Staveley Road , when a relative of mine spent some time in nearby Ahmednagar! From friends who live in Mumbai, which isn't too far away, I hear the town has grown out of all recognition, there certainly wouldn't have been a literary festival in our day, nice to know Enid Blyton is so popular.

We are really a victim of our own success. Anyone looking at this website - and I don't mean just the forums - would think the Society was staffed with several people responsible for certain functions. For example, a publicity person, a secretary, subscriptions manager and so on - much as the Malcolm Saville Society is. People could be so impressed they would be most surprised that it is, essentially, a one-man band. I never cease to be amazed how Tony manages to do everything at all efficiently. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day. That he does it to be commended. Having said that, seeing that he receives so many emails, I still think someone could take over responsibility in dealing with them. I would be a bit miffed if I wrote to an official society, only to find my email/letter went into the bin and I didn't receive acknowledgement.

The MSS had a problem in appopinting an editor. Over the past few editions of Acksherly!, a separate temporary editor has taken charge for each edition. It took quite a while to find a permanent editor, but eventually one has been found.