Mastodawn

Deborah Pickett

I have an autographed copy of Terry Pratchett’s _Eric_. The large-format yellow one with the Josh Kirby artwork. If you haven’t seen it, the front matter has FAUST in a script typeface which has a line through it and ERIC handscrawled underneath.

Of course, when Terry dedicated this book he would cross out ERIC and write the name of the owner of the book underneath.

I took my copy to him twice over the years, so it has my deadname crossed out and DEBBIE under that.

Everyone who knew Terry will be unsurprised to hear that he considered this absolutely mundane; he wished me well with my transition.

I just had a pang of realization why it was so mundane: double-dedicated copies of ERIC are probably not actually that rare. Who else here has one?

Schrödinger's Prat Jul 9, 2023

@futzle There was another great story about where he garbled his handwriting to make it read like either name, so it was ready for when they wanted to start using their new one more widely and openly.

I'm not sure this planet ever deserved that man.

Ailbhe Jul 9, 2023

@Rhodium103 @futzle oh yes, the person bravely said "[deadname]... for now" and Pterry said "Well what's it going to be?" and just made it plausibly legible.

utility himbo Jul 9, 2023

I really like the idea that if I'd gotten Terry Pratchett to sign "Eric" for me and then went back and explained, he'd only have to cross out and replace one letter the second time :)

★ Amy Star ★Jul 9, 2023

@futzle Pratchett was the GOAT 🐐

@futzle I love this story and I wish I had a signed copy of one of his books. It does not surprise me at all that the guy who wrote Monstrous Regiment would just take it in his stride.

Screen. Mind. Both are blank.Jul 9, 2023

@futzle I absolutely love this story. Warms my heart.

Thorne Lawler Jul 9, 2023

@futzle when our generation contributes that discovery, that invention, that principle or institution which permanently, profoundly changes the world for the better, it should bear his name.

Yza Jul 9, 2023

@futzle I don't have a corrected signed copy of any of his books, but I did meet him once. I got a copy of his new book in hardback and he signed it. I didn't know I was trans at the time, so I didn't appreciate the significance for a long while yet. The book was Monstrous Regiment.

Deborah Pickett Jul 9, 2023

@Yza That ink must have been pure narrativium. Amazing.

tatzelbrumm Jul 9, 2023

@Yza @futzle
You are an Abomination unto Nuggan.

lertsenem Jul 9, 2023

@futzle Thanks for the anecdote, I didn't think I could love that author more and am very glad to be proven wrong <3

DJDarren Jul 9, 2023

@futzle This is a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it. x

Lora Jul 9, 2023

@futzle What a great story. Running off to tell my son.

Gen X-Wing Jul 10, 2023

@futzle I have a lot of Terry’s books, they are lovely, but none are signed.

I’ve yet to hear a bad thing about the man, which is unusual because most of us have a bad day at least now and then. But not one single thing.

cuan_knaggs Aug 20, 2025

@futzle #gnu_terrypratchett

Malcolm Herbert Aug 20, 2025

@futzle I don't have a copy of Eric but one of Good Omens[1] - Terry put "333 - we made the devil do it" in it ... he said there were so many autographed copies of his works by now that an unsigned one was probably worth more for being harder to find ...

[1] this was way before his co-author was publically on the nose ...

webhat Aug 20, 2025

@futzle that's a beautiful story, thank you for sharing 💜

Mind Shambles Aug 20, 2025

@futzle a beautiful story of an amazing experience with an amazing author who was just an ordinary decent person like all people should be! #gnu_terrypratchett @rhipratchett, your dad was awesome

Wayne Werner Aug 20, 2025

@futzle probably also has nothing to do with apparently Pratchett being one of, if not the only Quite Famous author who didn't turn out to be Very Problematic.

So many others have failed us.