Kevin's Watch

Anne McCaffrey, 1926 – 2011

Reports are coming in that Anne McCaffrey, author of the famous Dragonriders of Pern fantasy series among many other works, has passed away at the age of 85.

Sorry, Menolly.

Apparently confirmed with Random House

www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/anne-mcca ... ied_b42826

My mom will be crushed, she adores the Universe of Pern, and has many McCaffrey books, she was even finishing one up this weekend when I went grocery shopping for her this weekend

Interesting. That is the same second-source I used to confirm the story before contacting Menolly to tell her. With Beorn coming home from college for Thanksgiving (as well as the news she shared in the Galley over the weekend), I knew she might not get to the Watch for a while...and Syl is correct; she deserved to know.

Her voice will be missed. R.I.P.

Menolly's Song for Petiron
Lyrics from the book Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey
Music written and performed by Brenda Appleby

The tears I feel today
I'll wait to shed tomorrow
Though I'll not sleep this night
Nor find surcease from sorrow
My eyes must keep their sight
I dare not be tear-blinded
I must be free to talk
Not choked with grief, clear-minded
My mouth cannot betray
The anguish that I know
Yes, I'll keep my tears til later
But my grief will never go...

Menolly's Song for Petiron

May dragons and fire lizards guide you safely to your eternal Hall, Anne...
...and may Todd do you justice for once as he wraps up After the Fall.

Ah well, it was a good long run, and some great books in it.

--A

This is the recording of Song for Petiron Anne officially endorsed. Worthy of a Masterharper...

The other is good, but I hear the lamenting more in this one.

Avatar wrote:Ah well, it was a good long run, and some great books in it.

--A

Indeed. Godspeed, Ms. McCaffrey.

Oh, too bad. RIP, Anne.

dlbpharmd wrote:Indeed. Godspeed, Ms. McCaffrey.

DLB! Where the hell have you been? I was just saying in the 'Tank I hadn't seen you for ages.

--A

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my favourites daydreams is leaving the ratrace behind and going hitchhiking round Ireland trying to find Dragonhome, and see if she'd invite me in for a cup if tea.

Who tries, does
Who wills, can
Who loves, lives

RIP Anne

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

I'm sorry to hear of her passing.

Just saw the display for her at one of my own local libraries.

I was immediately impressed by the fact that she co-wrote so many books... and not just with one friend, but with a number of people, sometimes collaborating with two other authors on one book.

I have to wonder... with fiction, with a story... how do you even DO that?!?!?

As an author who wrote about how people mold communities to encourage people to share their gifts... and integrating individuals into that community... it appears to me that this was a woman who practiced what she preached.

Avatar wrote:

dlbpharmd wrote:Indeed. Godspeed, Ms. McCaffrey.

DLB! Where the hell have you been? I was just saying in the 'Tank I hadn't seen you for ages.

--A

I'm around, but haven't had much time to post over the past few months. It's good to be missed, though!

I only found out last weekend and it made me sad.

I met her once only at a reputable Orchard Square bookstore in Sheffield, England in the mid 1990's.

It was a late evening question/answer 'LOCK-IN' followed by book signing and informal chat.

I was late, having driven all the way from South Wales to be there but she kindly allowed me to join in.

Unfortunately I daren't ask her any questions in case they'd already been addressed so I just enjoyed her awsome presence and made my apology when she signed 'Freedoms Landing' 2 Mick from Anne

^envy, envy, envy^

I always wanted to attend Dragoncon in Atlanta, when she was a regular panelist there, but never had the funds to go...

I just checked DragonCon Altanta on the internet; it looks zehr expensive and big!. Way too fussy for my liking I'm grateful there were no more than 100 people present at my 'Audience with Anne McCaffrey'. You never know how lucky you are sometimes :wicked:

DragonCon is supposedly huge, but there are different "tracks" so one can specialize in one's interests. I understand anything Pernese had its own track, and was not all that huge, compared to the rest of the con.