May her Memory be for a Blessing

I just sat down to the news that Anne McCaffrey has died.

You may wonder what a Rock Fiction author like me is doing being upset about a Science Fiction/Fantasy author like McCaffrey.

Let’s just say she was one of the first authors whose world — that of Pern — set my imagination awing (yeah, I’m groaning at that one, myself). She taught me more about world-building and the way in which a book — or, in this case, a series of books — can be your best friend. Even today, when I need a comfort read, I turn to the original two trilogies. One of these days, I’ll even get my kids to read them.

I even wrote about my relationship to this series, back in 2009, as part of the Rosie’s Riveters series at BookLust.

We’ve known this day was coming, when we’d lose Anne. After all, life’s a cycle and there’s only one way out of it.

I hadn’t thought it would be yesterday, but I’m glad it wasn’t much sooner.

Rest easily, Anne. You did something I only aspire to: you changed lives. For the better.