Yes. Roger. A damned good friend, who was there for me when I needed him, at a very dark time.
By the way, Deb, just read this, and just wanted to let you know that anytime you want to talk about Roger, I'd love to hear it. I only met him the one time at Ad Astra up here when he was co-GoH with Steven Brust (someone else who will argue the merits of Roger's work until the world ends), and I found him to be a very generous and gentle man. I sorely wish I'd known him. The year I first went to the War of the Lilies, a big SCA war in KC that a good friend had convinced to attend, Roger was scheduled to return as Guest of Honour at Ad Astra, and I was terribly torn. I had commitments to the KC folks but I wanted to see Roger again very badly. I went to KC and while I was there, I got word that Roger hadn't made it to Ad Astra. It was June 1995.
Oh, hell, JS, now you've made me weepy again. We got an update when his wife graduated - law school, IIRC. Then there was a long period of nothing, and I was immersed in other things. When the news came that he was dying, I was just poleaxed. Fucking unacceptable; didn't believe it, and will never forgive the cosmos for it. Just - damn. Roger was a darling.
I need to dig his full Plainsong quote out, to show why I can barely read the letter. The timing couldn't have been more perfect had it been a call from the governor to the death chamber at 11:59.
edit: The full quote ran:
I've just finished Deborah Grabien's Plainsong, and it's now sitting right in the middle of the shelf I keep for "favorite books ever".
Deborah Grabien's vision is all her own, her characters unique, her voice distinctive. Write more, lady. It's been a long time between fresh breaths. - Roger Zelazny.
I fucking loved him.
Aw, that's special, Deb. But the loss part sucks...
I've not said anything because I've not read anything of his.And, Deena, BWAH!
Deena's made me realise that I have no idea what "Blues Clues" is.
It's a children's show with a guy and his dog...they figure stuff out, talk to the camera...and somebody else could explain it better. Once they do, you have to read Blue's Clue's/Homicide by Saundra Mitchell "Gee's Clues"...bwah. Funniest.Crossover. Evah.
ETA: Anyone free to beta a fantasy/ magical realism thing by me this week? Not my usual form, but some "spec fic" mag is paying...and if I can make money off my old junk, go me!
Ah - childrens' show would explain why I haven't seen it. Not being around small kids means that kid programming has effectively left me in the dust.
I did some Teletubbies stuff, and it freaked me out completely.
Blue's Clues is a show about a normal human (supposedly) male person (previously Steve, but he quit to start a rock band, now Joe) and his female (cartoon) dog, Blue. Each show, Blue wants something that the person can't figure out, so Blue gives clues (denoted as such by a paw print on the object), and the person draws the item that is marked with a paw print in his Handy Dandy Notebook. After three clues, he sits in his thinking chair and puts the three pictures together in a variety of toddler appropriate ways until he figures out what it is that Blue wants. Then he dances and sings a song about how smart everyone is for figuring it out.
Deb, that's an awesome quote, and a great memory of Roger. Thanks.
I like the sound of that show. Seems to be about using one's noodle, which is a damned good thing to emphasise to children.
JS, you bet. He was the best.
My half-brother used to watch it...
