The Enid Blyton Society

Gary Russell wrote:Thanks Nigel but it's worth reiterating this. If/when the book does exist, it certainly wont be through Hirst Books. Tim Hirst assured me everyone who had prepaid had now been refunded. I don't know if that's true, so Fred's reminder was quite timely. Any new publisher will not be associated with HB thus because you paid Hirst doesn't mean you will have paid the new publisher. You wont.

Sometimes the Life is complicated. It's clear that it was especially a bad adventure for you and not your intention of it. --- So I hope anybody will say one time it's an adventure and we will look forward, without stress. If you will find one day the time to write about the adventurous time of the famous five and so on, to give us joy and happiness, I suppose we will be thankfull for it. And if I have it right in my mind you have writtem also something to the Lord of the Rings so I suppose your desk will be full of papers and manuscrpts. -- And all will have his time. -- If you will have finished the work and there would interest to translate it into German ... (I like to translate good books ) ---- Sorry, in the moment my arm is broken, maybe for 3 or 6 weeks I should drink a lot of milk. So I am not the perfect typewritter. --- so I will not write a lot. (And by the way, thank you that you have played Dick Kirrin in the series.) --- friendly greetings, Soenke Rahn (Flensburg, Germany)

Sorry, in the moment my arm is broken, maybe for 3 or 6 weeks I should drink a lot of milk.

Get well soon, Soenke. Hope it doesn't bother you too muuch in all your everyday activities.

Cheers

Dick Kirrin

If anyone still hasn't had their money back from Hirst Books, Tim just today gave me this email address to contact him on and he'll sort it (he thought he'd caught everybody, but obviously not, for which he apologises)

hbqueries@gmail.com

G

Thanks, Gary, you have been very helpful.

Dick Kirrin wrote:

Sorry, in the moment my arm is broken, maybe for 3 or 6 weeks I should drink a lot of milk.

Get well soon, Soenke. Hope it doesn't bother you too muuch in all your everyday activities.

Cheers

Dick Kirrin

Thank you very much, next week is the last week with the bandage and after it rehab and I will be activated.

Hi Gary / all

I still have not received a refund from Hirst books. I sent a reminder email two weeks ago... and surprise surprise I have received no reply. I forwarded him my paypal receipt in fact from 8th March 2010 but he's determined to keep my £13.99.

Did anyone else receive a refund?

Helen

Gary Russell wrote:If anyone still hasn't had their money back from Hirst Books, Tim just today gave me this email address to contact him on and he'll sort it (he thought he'd caught everybody, but obviously not, for which he apologises)

hbqueries@gmail.com

G

I think refunds were given out several years ago now hlweathers. That email address may no longer be active. How come you have waited so long or did you apply several years ago but just heard nothing?

I hope you manage to get your money back, Helen. I think Gary himself will be distraught if you don't after all this time.

hlweathers wrote:Hi Gary / all

I still have not received a refund from Hirst books. I sent a reminder email two weeks ago... and surprise surprise I have received no reply. I forwarded him my paypal receipt in fact from 8th March 2010 but he's determined to keep my £13.99.

Did anyone else receive a refund?

Helen

Gary Russell wrote:If anyone still hasn't had their money back from Hirst Books, Tim just today gave me this email address to contact him on and he'll sort it (he thought he'd caught everybody, but obviously not, for which he apologises)

hbqueries@gmail.com

G

Tim Hirst has a very selective email system. It doesn't receive emails from people he doesn't want to pay. (Or maybe he can't pay rahter than won't pay, perhaps he's spent it all and hasn't the face to say so.) Either way, I doubt you'll see any money back - I never did.

I emailed Hirst books regularly at various addresses over the past three years and my emails were always ignored. I am seriously thinking of contacting BBC Watchdog or the police.

Helen

I have sent a private message to Gary using this board. Let's see if it gets us anywhere.

Helen

I would think Gary is fed-up to the back teeth with this. After all, Gary was only writing the book! Helen, I think you will have to write this off and put it down to experience.

I would actually imagine that all of this has put him firmly OFF the idea of ever writing the book now. I am surprised that this is still going on. I know lots of people did get refunds so I doubt that there has been any serious attempt to keep people's money. In any case I think it is high time that people just let it go. You can't spend your whole life chasing after about fifteen pounds.

I spoke to Gary earlier this year(via twitter) & he said that the book was now firmly on the back-burner for the time being. This was due to other work related projects that had arisen & needed his full attention. I'am sure Gary is utterly fed up with the ordeal relating to the ill-fated book. All anyone can try to do to get a refund is chase it through the small claims court, but this may be pretty fruitless just for the sake of £15. However, anyone can still make a complaint against the publisher & try to get him investigated.
Gary will be leaving these shores for the land of OZ in two weeks time, to take up the challenge of producing a TV series. How long he'll be out there, I wouldn't know. As for the long awaited book, I think we'll have to wait for a very, very long time to see it in print...if ever we do!

I think it was morally wrong for a publisher to take money from so many people on the pretext that it would help get the book published when the author hadn't even started writing the book. I am sure we all assumed that the book had almost been finished when we paid our money to Hirst and I must admit that when I asked Gary if he had any fliers for the book at the Enid Blyton Day that year, I was a bit surprised to learn that he hadn't actually started the book.