Interesting cautionary tale about the loss of control of your creations. Now I know why JK Rawlings so jealously guards the rights to Harry Potter.
And this actually comes as a surprise to anyone? Either the part about HiT selling Thomas’ soul to line their pockets, or the good Reverend being just a bit upset by it? It has to be something like watching your daughter grow up to be a hooker… Everything HiT touches turns to overcommercialized rubbish.
And they aren’t alone, look what happened to Disney after Walt and the original animators were out of the picture.
Even religion isn’t sacred if somebody can figure out how make a fast buck out of it…
And yes, I’m proud to say that I have all the original Awdry stories on my bookshelf (in one volume)
Awdry was writing books that were to inspire a nation’s children (and adults) coming out of wartime. Rawlings was writing movie screenplays (novels???), so had creative control over her work.
Tim Brien said:I dont know about that writing screenplays idea, the movies had some pretty significant changes from the novels, and the novels are not exactly light reading, the last one was as thick as a cinder block at 500+ pages? She recently stated that she would not allow the books to be Kindled, that she want the reader (children) to have the physical experience of reading a real book. As a reader I can respect that idea, dont need to worry about the battery crapping out halfway thru my book.
Awdry was writing books that were to inspire a nation's children (and adults) coming out of wartime. Rawlings was writing movie screenplays (novels????), so had creative control over her work.
Hey Mike, time to bring out your theory again. You guys aren’t going to believe this.
Ric , I can’t think which of my eminent theories (available as a bound volume , published by Snotte , Growel and Rhubob , London , England , 1943 ) that you have in mind . So instead , I shall tell you of the story that appeared only today in the Daily Mail (heck of a coincidence )
ABSOLUTELY CHUFFED
“After a bellringers’ meeting in the parish church in Enneth , Norfolk , Rev Awdry invited the ringers to tea in the old rectory. The party was intrigued to see a small gauge model railway line running from one end of the table to the other.
Rev Awdry entered the room and whisked off a cloth to reveal a model tank engine , the original Thomas . He then put on a driver’s cap , blew a whistle and waved a green flag , then pressed a button . Thomas , with three trucks in tow , began his journey to each seated diner and stopped at each setting for everyone to help themselves to sugar .
What a delightful man .”
Signed Trevor Bevis , March , Cambs.
Not you, the other Mike…with the Irish last name…
So why’s he not sign himself Paddy Mike ?
Then we’ll all know .
Mike M
Mr. Mike Morgon,
I was thinking of the other Mike and “Paddy Mike” does sound like a good seperation, but your story was far more delightful.