Meet the Author: In Conversation With Jasper Fforde

International bestselling British author Jasper Fforde will be in conversation with Colin Steele on Jasper's latest book 'Early Riser', which the New York Times has called "a brilliantly funny novel". It is set in a Great Britain in which humans hibernate in winter due to climatic change. Charlie Worthing, an orphan, joins the Winter Consuls—a sort of police force that protects the populace during the winter, but, when Charlie stumbles over a deadly secret, surviving until spring is not going to be easy.

Jasper Fforde, who has won a Wodehouse prize for comic fiction, has written books in four series: The Thursday Next series of which there are seven books, the Nursery Crime series (two), the Last Dragonslayer, series (three) and the Shades of Grey series (one). His novels, which cross over genres, are noted for their literary allusions, wordplay and tight plots.

"Fans of Jasper Fforde's unique blend of comic dystopia and quirky British cosiness will not be disappointed with Early Riser, his first novel in six years." - Guardian

Colin Steele is Emeritus Fellow at the ANU and Convenor of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author events. He has reviewed science fiction and fantasy for the Canberra Times and SF Commentary since 1979.

Multi-Award winning author Kaaron Warren will give the vote of thanks. Kaaron has published five novels, the latest of which is Tide of Stone, and seven short story collections. She was Guest of Honour at the World Fantasy Convention in November 2018 in Baltimore.

Pre-event book signings will be available from 5:30pm and again after the event. This event is in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop and books will be available to purchase.