I subscribe to the Discworld Monthly email newsletter, because I am exactly that kind of geek. I confess that I have stopped buying each of Terry Pratchett’s books as they are published in paperback here, but only because of a sense that I needed a break from them and could return once a bountiful backlog tempted me. Same with Iain Banks. Now I read in the DM that arrived today:
AN EMBUGGERANCE
Folks,
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. I have been diagnosed with a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer’s, which lay behind this year’s phantom “stroke”.
We are taking it fairly philosophically down here and possibly with a mild optimism. For now work is continuing on the completion of Nation and the basic notes are already being laid down for Unseen Academicals. 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. Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there’s time for at least a few more books yet :o)
PS 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. For me, this maybe further off than you think – it’s too soon to tell. 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.
I went and confirmed the sorry news. Best wishes to Pterry, and here’s hoping for a cure that will ensure that he will continue writing for a great many years yet and I’ll never get caught up with the series.
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