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Authors Last A Long Time, But....

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J.W. Rinzler, prolific author of "Making of" books on Star Wars, Alien/s, or The Shining dead of pancreatic cancer at 58:

https://deadline.com/2021/08/j-w-rinzler-dead-author-of-star-wars-indiana-jones-books-was-58-1234809101/

 

Apparently, it had been announced, but we didn't pick it up.

Here it is: https://www.jedinews.com/film-music-tv/articles/j-w-rinzler-health-update/

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American author of religious novels and children's books Walter Wangerin Jr. died at 77 years:

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/august-web-only/walter-wangerin-jr-philip-yancey-tribute-storyteller.html

He was known for "The Book of the Dun Cow" that won a U.S. National Book Award. His other works include Mary's First Christmas and The Manger is Empty.

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On 16/04/2013 at 13:51, Bibliogryphon said:

A couple more kids authors who may be worth keeping an eye on David McKee (b.1935) who is responsible for Mr Benn, King Rollo and Elmer the Patchwork elephant and Jill Murphy (b.1949) who created The Worst Witch series of books which are about the antics of a girl who goes to a special boarding school for the magically inclined an gets involved in all sorts of adventures.

 

These were written well before the adventures of a certain boy wizard and are a lot more fun a responsible for the destruction of less trees - I presume she doesn't have very good lawyers or belives in live and let live. She also won awards for her Large family picture books and The Last Noo-Noo.

Jill Murphy reported dead. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15921551/jill-murphy-dead-author-worst-witch/

 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1121448/

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2 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Really sad about this. The Worst Witch books were big favourites growing up, and I loved books like 5 Minutes Peace when I was little. RIP.

 

Was going to say she was one of the greats for kids of the 80s/90s but apparently Worst Witch came out in 1974! I didn't realise it was as old as that. But yeah, one of the giants of modern age kids writers.

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31 minutes ago, msc said:

 

Was going to say she was one of the greats for kids of the 80s/90s but apparently Worst Witch came out in 1974! I didn't realise it was as old as that. But yeah, one of the giants of modern age kids writers.

 

According to the Beeb article, she wrote the Worst Witch when she was 18! Incredible talent.

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American author, book reviewer, reporter and short story writer Donald Newlove dies at 93:
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/Obituary/article/87183-obituary-donald-newlove.html

His first novel, "The Painter Gabriel", was hailed by Time Magazine as "one of the best fictional studies of madness, descent and purification that any American has written since Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".

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American Author and journalist Tom Flynn, notable for heading the Council for Secular Humanism and for editing the organization's Free Inquiry publication, died at 66 years:

https://centerforinquiry.org/news/tom-flynn-giant-of-american-freethought-has-died-at-age-66/

Flynn is also known for his contributions to the Free Thinking blog and to The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief. His full-length works include The Trouble with Christmas and the satirical science fiction novel Galactic Rapture.

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According to twitter and Wikipedia  Swedish childrens author Ulf Nilsson has died aged 73.

 

He was behind stories such as Goodbye  Mr  Muffin.

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Robert Munsch: who previously battled alcoholism and a cocaine addiction (and suffered a stroke in 2008)... just gave an interview with CBC in which he indicates that he’s also suffering from dementia. “the stories will be the last thing to go”

 

not sure how famous he is outside of canada, but could be a future DL contender

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Gary Paulsen, author of over 400 wilderness-themed short stories, books, plays, and magazine articles intended for teens and young adults, died at 82 years:

https://comicbook.com/irl/news/gary-paulsen-writer-of-ya-hatchet-novels-dies-at-82/

His best known works include Hatchet, Dogsong, Woodsong, The Voyage of the Frog, and Masters of Disaster.

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Alan Garner has written another "final" novel:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/25/alan-garner-brilliant-idea-novel-treacle-walker

 

He also reveals how he came close to death three times - as a child. He even has a "tickling" for another great idea for a book. Doesn't sound that final yet.

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38 minutes ago, gcreptile said:

Alan Garner has written another "final" novel:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/25/alan-garner-brilliant-idea-novel-treacle-walker

 

He also reveals how he came close to death three times - as a child. He even has a "tickling" for another great idea for a book. Doesn't sound that final yet.

 

I read some of his books as a child.  They should have been the sort of thing I liked, but I didn't really understand them and probably read them too young.  I do remember being freaked out by "The Owl Service".  Years later I inherited a set of Royal Doulton plates with a design that reminded me of it.  I couldn't get rid of them fast enough.  :D

 

800px-Dinnerset,_part_of_(AM_1991.115-6)_(cropped).jpg

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Currently ploughing through Camelot and the Vision of Albion by Geoffrey Ashe (1971). Which set me off Googling a few items. One thing I didn't expect to find is that the veteran and highly obitable author himself is still around, 98 years old. 

 

Geoffrey_Ashe_2.jpg

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The Booker Prize was awarded yesterday and so I realised my list has not been updated since 2018 but the past winners are showing remarkable staying power

 

Surviving Booker Prize Winners

 

Salman Rushdie (1947)

Thomas Keneally (1935)

J M Coetzee (1940)

Keri Hume (1947)

Penelope Lively (1933)

Peter Carey (1943)

Kazuo Ishiguro (1954)

A S Byatt (1936)

Ben Okri (1959)

Michael Ondaatje (1943)

Roddy Doyle (1958)

James Kelman (1946)

Pat Barker (1943)

Graham Swift (1949)

Arundhati Roy (1961)

Ian McEwan (1948)

Margaret Atwood (1939)

Yann Martel (1963)

DBC Pierre (1961)

Alan Hollinghurst (1954)

John Banville (1945)

Kiran Desai (1971)

Anne Enright (1962)

Aravind Adiga (1974)

Hilary Mantel (1952)

Howard Jacobson (1942)

Julian Barnes (1946)

Eleanor Catton (1985)

Richard Flanagan (1961)

Marlon James (1970)

Paul Beatty (1962)

George Saunders (1958)

Anna Burns (1962)

Bernadine Evaristo (1959)

Douglas Stuart (1976)

Damon Galgut (1963)

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I once "broke the news" on this forum that Thomas Keneally had been diagnosed with kidney cancer.

However, this article now says that it was oesophageal cancer, and Keneally survived after a couple of surgeries, now seemingly in the clear:

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7482966/keneally-at-his-fluent-ranting-best/

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On 25/09/2020 at 23:54, gcreptile said:

UK author Rose Tremain, 77, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-road-home-author-rose-tremain-on-cancer-family-and-her-new-novel-islands-of-mercy-h6252vflf

 

More details are hidden behind a paywall, but she continues writing.

 

Rose Tremain interview in the Telegraph last week, about her cancer issues. Confirms she still wont have chemo as it would stop her work. The interview ends on a cliffhanger for deadpoolers:

 

Quote

The oncologist gave her between 2 and 5 years to live.  "I've done two. Watch this space!"

 

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30 minutes ago, msc said:

 

Rose Tremain interview in the Telegraph last week, about her cancer issues. Confirms she still wont have chemo as it would stop her work. The interview ends on a cliffhanger for deadpoolers:

 

 

LOL, some people are actually campaigning for our attention.

 

However, pan can without chemo, still 2-5 years. Maybe it's the neuroendocrine version?

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