RIP, EL Doctorow

Novelist EL Doctorow passed away today. He was 84. He had lung cancer.

RIP, Sir Terry

Shame on Amazon!

The Colbert Report
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David Sedaris on CBS News Sunday Morning

RIP Mr. Majestyk

And now, Mr. Elmore Leonard, you are in Paradise.

Rest in Peace, Ray

“And when he died, I suddenly realized I wasn’t crying for him at all, but for the things he did. I cried because he would never do them again, he would never carve another piece of wood or help us raise doves and pigeons in the backyard or play the violin the way he did, or tell us jokes the way he did. He was part of us and when he died, all the actions stopped dead and there was no one to do them the way he did. He was individual. He was an important man. I’ve never gotten over his death. Often I think what wonderful carvings never came to birth because he died. How many jokes are missing from the world, and how many homing pigeons untouched by his hands? He shaped the world. He did things to the world. The world was bankrupted of ten million fine actions the night he passed on.”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

(photo from BBC News)

Happy Evacuation Day!

One of my favorite authors is now The Daily Show's new Senior Historical Context Correspondent. Here's Sarah Vowell outwitting and "outfunny-ing" Jon Stewart. (Yes, I know that is not a word. Ms. Vowell would be ashamed of me.)

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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American Gods

Author Neil Gaiman chatting it up with Craig Ferguson last night. Very funny interview as they are obviously big fans of each other. I can't believe Craig had Paris Hilton on first.

"When I leave a place, I like to know I'm leaving it"

Famous reclusive author J. D. Salinger passed away yesterday in his New Hampshire home.

Holden Caulfield said it all for us: What really knocks me out is a book, when you're all done reading it, you wished the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.

Rest in eternal peace Mr. Salinger.

(photo from Wikipedia)

Dominick and Ted

Famed Vanity Fair writer and investigative journalist Dominick Dunne, age 83, lost his battle with bladder cancer today. He died in New York City.

This came a day after Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy passed away after a valiant fight with brain cancer.

Condolences to their families. What a loss for the country.

The Turtle Moves!

The first ever North American DiscWorld Convention will be held in Tempe, Arizona from 04 to 07 September this year. Mr. Terry Pratchett himself will be in attendance. Planned activities include a Guest of Honor talk, a Gala Banquet, a Seamstress Guild Party (this should be interesting *wink, wink*, considering what the Guild is REALLY composed of), a Maskerade, a Charity Auction, booksignings, panels, and more!

Over 750 members have registered and there are less than 150 spaces left. For more information and to register, visit nadwcon.org.

Mr. Pratchett's new novel, Unseen Academicals, will be released on 06 October 2009. Here's a video of him discussing the new book.

'Tis

The author of one of my favorite books, Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt, has passed away at age 78. He had melanoma.

May God hold Mr. McCourt in the palm of His hand.

A book closes

With all the excitement and euphoria surrounding the elections, this is a belated post about the unexpected passing of a great storyteller and one of my favorite writers, Michael Crichton. He lost his battle with cancer on November 4 in Los Angeles.

His untitled last novel will be published May 2009.

He is not dead yet

At his New York City "Making Money" book-signing, British author Terry Pratchett told us how he had a brain scan and doctors found out he had suffered a stroke. The doctor asked him if he suffered from any memory loss. His answer? "Not that I can recall."

It pains me to think that we may not be privy to his wit and wisdom in a couple of years. My sister told me today that Mr. Pratchett, the second most popular British writer (after JK Rowling), has Alzheimer's. He made the announcement on Discworld series' illustrator Paul Kidby's site, calling it an "embuggerance". He also said 'I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else'. but don't count him out yet. I hope he gives us many more Discworld books. It is devastating news because the man is a genius. For this man who uses words so skillfully, Alzheimer's is doubly tragic. Let's all wish him well.

Terry, Terry Baby

I took half a day off to go to the New York City leg of Terry Pratchett's "Making Money" book tour yesterday. Before it started, the Barnes and Noble staff kept announcing that he didn't have much time to spend with us so no photographs at the stage, no personalization of autographs and if possible, just purchase the pre-signed copies. Once he got there of course, he stayed for all of us who waited in line to have our books signed and he DID personalize them. *cheers* It was an unforgettable evening. Mr. Pratchett is as funny, self-deprecating and as gracious as I expected him to be. The store filmed the event so stay tuned to BarnesandNoble.com so you can see for yourself. It's supposed to be up by 04 October. Good news: Discworld movies coming soon! He wouldn't spill the beans on who's portraying Lord Vetinari though. *keeps my fingers crossed for Alan Rickman*

Mr. Terry Pratchett
Barnes and Noble Union Square, 01 October 2007
The queue for the book-signing
Photos were not allowed but I managed to take this one. A guy behind me followed suit but he got reprimanded by a security person. SIDENOTE: While we were waiting in line alongside some bookshelves, some white guy comes in and grabs a book. A Hispanic security guy told him that the area was cordoned off and he wasn't supposed to be there. Mr. White Guy rudely asked him "What?!" several times as if he couldn't understand then left in a huff. GEEZ!
To quote the evening's emcee, "If you haven't read Terry Pratchett, what's wrong with you?"

Author! Author!

I was with my sister Cecile at my very first meet-and-greet with a published author. This was almost two years ago when Lynne Truss was promoting "Eats Shoots and Leaves" and "Talk to the Hand". They served us lunch and Ms. Truss gave a speech before the actual book signing. She is a sweet, very proper yet very funny English lady. It was a lovely afternoon. The hilarious Terry Pratchett is coming to New York City next week for the release of his newest book "Making Money". It came out on 18 September. Cecile and I are going again. She had gone with my other sister Lynn when he was in Yale last time. They had a blast! Click here for Mr. Pratchett's U.S. schedule. Ms. Lynne Truss
For me!
Sticklers unite!

It was a dark and stormy night...

Before J. K. Rowling, there was Madeleine L'Engle. Ms. L'Engle died of natural causes at a Litchfield, Connecticut nursing facility this past week. She was 88. Rest in peace.

Best-selling authors rock out

What do Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Matt Groening,James McBride and Mitch Albom have in common? They are some of the members of the Rock Bottom Remainders,a group of authors who turn rock stars once a year to raise funds for children's literacy programs. I saw them on Good Morning America today and they were not bad at all. Apparently Stephen King has the weirdest groupies but he wouldn't elaborate. This year they are calling their weeklong tour "Still Younger than Keith". They're performing June 1st in Webster Hall, with even Frank McCourt making an appearance. One of the charities they support is Get Caught Reading. May was Get Caught Reading month; Avenue Q's Kate Monster and Trekkie Monster joined the fun. Here's what the Monsters had to say, from the Get Caught Reading website:

AVENUE Q's Kate Monster -- whose busy life as a kindergarten teaching assistant and single young woman in the city would appear to preempt time with a good book - says, in fact, that she finds solace in reading: "There are only so many papers I can grade before I long to disappear into a little Jane Austen," she says. And Trekkie Monster, an avid investor who spends most days scrutinizing stock quotes, credits his love of reading to a monster aunt who turned him on to the works of Maurice Sendak. "I could have sworn WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE was written for me!" he adds.