"Some modern travellers still pretend to find Acephalous people in America." Ephraim Chambers, Cyclopædia; or, an universal dictionary of arts and sciences, 1753
Not faux-shock, mind you, but shock-shock. She's my first favorite author to die on me. I've never thought about what that means before . . . but it's sinking in.
It's extraordinary and horrible: the former because it came so completely out of the blue, the latter because (quite apart from everything else) she was so obviously right in the middle of a golden period when she died ... her most recent books really are some of her best.
I keep having to pinch myself.
I met her once, when she was shortlisted for the 2001 Arthur C Clarke award and flew over to London for the ceremony. Such a lovely person; such a great writer. I don't use 'great' lightly, either.
Posted by: Adam Roberts | Monday, 27 February 2006 at 12:09 PM
It's a great shame. Maybe we should listen to Blöödhag's song about her as a strange memorial?
Posted by: Rob | Monday, 27 February 2006 at 01:40 PM
Same here. I'm completely shocked and saddened by this news.
Posted by: Chuck | Monday, 27 February 2006 at 01:47 PM