Terri Pratchett

Sir Terence David John Pratchett, better known as Terry Pratchett, was a popular English writer. He was best known for his satirical fantasy series about Discworld. His books have sold a total of about 50 million copies. In February 2009, Pratchett was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, while remaining an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

In 1982, the publishing house New English Library, which had previously published Pratchett’s novels in paperback, ended its collaboration with the author because of poor sales. Colin Smythe managed to interest Diana Pearson of Corgi in publishing his work, and in 1983 The Colour of Magic was published, the first novel in Pratchett’s most popular series, Discworld. Pearson organized a six-part BBC Radio series on Woman’s Hour, which was a sensational success. In 1986, Pratchett’s new novel The Light Fantastic was published, and an agreement was reached to publish Terry’s subsequent books in hardback as well. Since Corgi, where Smythe worked, could not handle these editions, Smythe decided from then on to become Pratchett’s official literary agent. He left the paperback rights with Corgi and chose the larger publisher Gollancz for the hardback editions.

In 1987, after the third Discworld novel, Equal Rites, which was nominated for the 1988 Locus Award, was published, Colin Smythe received a call from New English Library asking whether the rights to publish Pratchett’s books were still available. “Of course, they were too late,” Smythe smiled.

That same year, 1987, after finishing the novel Mort, Terry Pratchett decided to leave his job at CEGB and devote all his time to writing. Pratchett’s books were rapidly becoming bestsellers, gaining ever greater popularity. In 1996, the novels Maskerade and Interesting Times entered the British top ten bestsellers list. The book Soul Music, published in 1995, spent four weeks at number one among the best-selling paperbacks. Reaper Man became the eighth fastest-selling publication in the United Kingdom over the previous five years. Hogfather and Maskerade each spent two weeks at the top of the bestseller lists in both paperback and hard