A Blog by an Author, for Authors about the Writing and Publishing fields. |
Well, NaNoWriMo is behind me, and though I didn't make my goal of 50k words, I still had lots of fun, and gathered lots of new inspiration. Hence, why I have not been posting lately. Work on the sequal to 'The Lost Gate' is moving along very nicely indeed. Also been trying to prepare for the upcoming holidays...only 8 shopping days left till Christmas! Well, thought I would post this news article for those of you who have perhaps not heard the news about Terry Prachett. Sad thing, but he seems to be keeping a positive spirit about it. *** LONDON, England (CNN) -- Fantasy author Terry Pratchett has admitted that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease -- but says he plans to continue writing his multi-million selling Discworld books. Pratchett, 59 -- whose books have, according to his Web site, sold more than 45 million copies worldwide in 33 languages -- suffered what he called a "phantom stroke" earlier this year. In a statement titled "an embuggerance" on the Web site of Discworld illustrator Paul Kidby, Pratchett says that he has been diagnozed with what he terms "a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer's. " "I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it seems to me unfair to withhold the news," says Pratchett, who has a strong following among fans of fantasy fiction. "All other things being equal, I expect to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments but will discuss things with the various organisers," he continues. "Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet." Pratchett adds that work is continuing on his next book "Nation" and that the "basic notes are already being laid down for Unseen Academicals. " In a PS he adds that "I would just like to draw attention to everyone reading the above that this should be interpreted as 'I am not dead'. I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else. "I know it's a very human thing to say 'Is there anything I can do', but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry." Pratchett's Discworld novels, of which 36 have been published to date, are set in a fantasy universe through which the author satirizes modern-day life. He says in a statement on his own Web site that the series "started out as a parody of all the fantasy that was around in the big boom of the early '80s, then turned into a satire on just about everything, and even I don't know what it is now." Pratchett, who began writing while a provincial newspaper journalist in the 1960s, received the Order of the British Empire 'for services to literature' from the Prince of Wales in 1998. *** Until later, Happy Writing!! RD Williams http://www.authorsden.com/robertdwilliams1 |