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Post by spider on May 30, 2008 4:03:26 GMT -5
Firstly a confession - I am biased towards this book for obvious reasons. It is a lipogram; 60,000 words without an E.
It is an E short of a Ouija board.
But as someone waiting for Enigma 94 please note that it contains some great puzzles (all without Es) and a hint for those of you interested in the Kryptos sculpture at the CIA HQ
It is not available for general consumption in the USA and UK until mid August but is availalble from Bookstores in Asia already.
author is Adam Adams - publisher Monsoon Books - Singapore.
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Post by spider on Jun 21, 2008 23:10:24 GMT -5
This was in the 8Days magazine
>Why made you decide to do this to yourself (write the book)? Like, how did you end up writing a lipogram novel in the first place?
Actually I’m not particularly masochistic. It was a dark and rainy night and I was sat in Harry’s Bar on Boat Quay with a drinking buddy from NUS who was discussing lipograms as an art form.
Idly playing linguistic ping-pong with him I said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
As if an obnoxious bully boy was stomping on our only ping-pong ball a spiky, prickly hush took control. I had won hands-down. Blown away, my pal put forward that I couldn’t draft a book with this tortuous constraint and I simply forgot to say no.
>What’s with the title? Why this title? And it sounds rather risqué, too.
It is totally innocuous as it is a curious fact that a “DD cup bra” is also known as an “E” cup bra. As “Unhooking a DD Cup Bra Without Fumbling” is a lipogram which avoids all Es it was inviting to grab “a DD bra” with both hands. Additionally, it is an intriguing whodunit and curious conundrum that insists on you having a cat burglar’s “cool for cats” disposition.
>Are dyslexic people gonna have a hard time or easier time reading this book?
With that affliction you should only worry about going to a toga party as a goat.
>Why pick the letter e to be omitted? Is there a reason why you chose E over the other alphabets? Was the process tedious, painful, wonderful, etc.? What’s it like? Did you enjoy the brain wreckage?
Omitting all Es is traumatic as it both occurs most and it occurs in lots of common words. I thoroughly thought through which building blocks and combinations of words to work with as I built up my story.
>Do the girls who go out with you have Es in their names?
Sadly I was always too “Quasimodo” ugly to lay down such limitations.
>How long did it take for you to write the entire novel?
About four months and a jug or two of margarita.
>Tell us more about “Adam Adams”?
I’m an author who is proud that my book sits in the bookshops with Douglas Adams’ trilogy to its right and Dan Ackroyd’s autobiography as its wingman.
>What is the next letter are you intending to omit for the next novel?
“Unhooking a DD Cup Bra Without Fumbling” is an “E” short of a Ouija board. Ouija has A, I, O, U in it and a forlorn J. So I am now writing “Don’t Get Your Knickers in a Twist” - without a “J”
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Post by energythief on Jun 25, 2008 21:17:04 GMT -5
Too funny! Too bad plot will probably not follow much from that titular pun, or I'd buy it!
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Post by spider on Jun 26, 2008 9:06:21 GMT -5
If you launch #95 "soon" I'll post a conundrum from "Unhooking a DD Cup Bra without Fumbling" on this link for your titillation.
With no "E" in any conundrum or solution.
Notwithstanding that, thanks for your input (without an "E"). Its hard isn't it - lol
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Post by spider on Sept 3, 2008 5:21:06 GMT -5
Unhooking is in the shops now - it will give you all something to puzzle over whilst waiting for ET > all profits from book sales go to ME - so buy two and donate one to your local library - lol
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Robin
Anagram Amateur
Multopian
Posts: 6
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Post by Robin on Sept 10, 2008 9:11:50 GMT -5
... I know I'm hooked...
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Post by zee on Sept 13, 2008 6:05:34 GMT -5
me too
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Post by zee on Apr 15, 2009 10:12:20 GMT -5
can i have an autographed copy?
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Post by spider on May 10, 2009 2:52:44 GMT -5
put it aside whilst we do enigma 94
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Post by zee on May 10, 2009 14:15:08 GMT -5
am there
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Post by zee on May 15, 2009 3:26:54 GMT -5
am still there.. sigh
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Post by spider on May 15, 2009 5:32:05 GMT -5
i like your loyalty
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Post by zee on May 18, 2009 22:50:27 GMT -5
am very loyal
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Post by spider on May 19, 2009 3:14:25 GMT -5
good
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Post by zee on May 19, 2009 8:16:30 GMT -5
no its GREAT
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Post by spider on May 19, 2009 8:45:14 GMT -5
and the book's pretty good too - LOL
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Post by zee on May 19, 2009 23:16:29 GMT -5
yup it sure does
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Post by spider on May 20, 2009 2:38:25 GMT -5
did you solve them all zee?
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Post by zee on May 20, 2009 4:59:24 GMT -5
just one *kicks dirt* yours are as diffcult at ETs!
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Post by spider on May 20, 2009 8:03:00 GMT -5
actually - i think they are not as thoroughly thought through as his
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