Authors Last A Long Time, But....

[gcreptile 10,199]

John Freely, american physicist and author of travel books, especially on Turkey, dead at 90:

 

https://www.dailysabah.com/life/2017/04/20/memory-of-istanbul-author-and-professor-john-freely-passes-away-at-90

[YoungWillz 18,904]

Peter Walker, who wrote under the name Nicholas Rhea and created the fictional town of Aidensfield on which the TV series Heartbeat was based, has died. He was 80. https://www.minsterfm.com/news/local/2275172/the-man-who-created-the-heartbeat-stories-dies-aged-80/

[gcreptile 10,199]

Kuki Gallmann, of "I dreamed of Africa" fame in stable, but critical state after getting shot:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/24/author-kuki-gallmann-shot-raiders-ranch-in-kenya-i-dreamed-of-africa

[theoldlady 1,974]

3 minutes ago, gcreptile said:

Kuki Gallmann, of "I dreamed of Africa" fame in stable, but critical state after getting shot:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/24/author-kuki-gallmann-shot-raiders-ranch-in-kenya-i-dreamed-of-africa

Terrifying situation. Thanks for posting this.

[Zsa Zsa's leg 748]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jean-stein-dead-edie-west-eden-author-dies-by-suicide-at-83-999091

Author Jean Stein jumps to her death at age 83.

[msc 17,707]

Very sad news on a personal level, the great horror anthologist Richard Dalby has died aged 68. (Blog post but confirmed by those in the know)

 

My bookshelves are stacked with his fiction anthologies.

 

 

RIP to one of the legends, imo.

 

 

[gcreptile 10,199]

On 12.10.2016 at 11:47, msc said:

Time for a Batman Gambit if you will.

 

 

I mentioned him last week, but Nabeel Qureshi, who seems a bit religious, to say the least, and wrote a bunch of Christian books, has been diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer and the prognosis is "grim".

 

 

Just a wee heads up for any passing Daily Mail* obituary writer thinking about their 2017 DDP team. Just think of the headline potential, in a Christian convert from Islam who puts foot in mouth every ten seconds. It's like Joey Feek with evangelism.

 

 

*This applies to any other qualifying source obit team too, of course.

Nabeel Qureshi now says that the primary tumor has shrunk but the cancer itself has spread:

 

http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/70368/20170508/nabeel-qureshi-asks-prayers-cancer-spreads-hope-still-lord.htm

[The Mad Hatter 1,091]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bookmark/william-hjortsberg-dead-screenwriter-legend-angel-heart-was-76-1003567

Maybe this is why we have tons of guests.

[gcreptile 10,199]

Anita Shreve, once Oprah'ed to world-fame for "The Pilot's Wife", receives chemotherapy but doesn't go into details why:

 

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/04/21/author-anita-shreve-cancels-book-tour-for-the-maine-set-the-stars-are-fire-due-to-illness/

[Sir Creep 7,011]

27 minutes ago, gcreptile said:

Anita Shreve, once Oprah'ed to world-fame for "The Pilot's Wife", receives chemotherapy but doesn't go into details why:

 

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/04/21/author-anita-shreve-cancels-book-tour-for-the-maine-set-the-stars-are-fire-due-to-illness/

Just for the fun of it. 

[Spade_Cooley 9,001]

Those of us who picked Rayya Elias this year may have been well aware that she and her scissor sister Liz Gilbert were hosting a "women's creativity" workshop the other week. I decided to do a bit of searching to see how it went and found this interesting titbit:

 

Quote

 

Rayya Elias, her person, partner and co-presenter, had been diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer more than a year ago and after a round of chemo had decided to forego treatment. She said she preferred the clean transaction cancer offered– "It promises you death and then it kills you" to the false hope she felt the chemo offered. 

 

Last week Rayya had taken a turn for the worse. It was clear on stage that Liz felt the end was imminent. That she was preparing to lose the love of her life. But they came anyway. They came– Liz and Rayya. See, they knew it was important– for Liz, for Rayya and for us.

 

 

[Spade_Cooley 9,001]

Also, this, posted to Gilbert's Facebook page last night, seems to suggest doings afoot:

 

 

[gcreptile 10,199]

Maybe Nabeel Qureshi wasn't a fake after all?

 

http://www.christianpost.com/news/ravi-zacharias-ministry-team-say-goodbye-cancer-stricken-nabeel-qureshi-183726/

 

Edit: Sir Creep was the only one to keep the faith.

[msc 17,707]

Only reason I didn't keep the faith in the end, punt wise, was I couldn't convince myself of a QO. Given I clearly could for Sasha Lakovic, Sir Creep should get ready to count his points.

[Grim Up North 3,565]

24 minutes ago, Spade_Cooley said:

Those of us who picked Rayya Elias this year may have been well aware that she and her scissor sister Liz Gilbert were hosting a "women's creativity" workshop the other week. I decided to do a bit of searching to see how it went and found this interesting titbit:

 

 

Very interesting and just shows you how half a story can really lead you to the wrong decision.

She was in my April team for The Cup but I dropped her for my (unneeded) team for May because I saw they were hosting this creativity workshop together so presumed the end was a way off. For the Cup I may have been right (a month really isn't very long) but certainly sounds like the end is near. 

[Sean 5,997]

Elias clearly is near the end clearly.The fact though that she was able to attend a conference makes me think it is probably weeks not days.

[RadGuy 1,605]

I thought she had a chance of surviving the year but it seems like she's on the clock now.

There go my chances of winning the DDP.

[Joey Russ 7,118]

Ah, that'll be DQSBP in the lead when she dies, assuming she goes before Van Zandvliet. 

[Sir Creep 7,011]

On 5/17/2017 at 11:12, gcreptile said:

Maybe Nabeel Qureshi wasn't a fake after all?

 

http://www.christianpost.com/news/ravi-zacharias-ministry-team-say-goodbye-cancer-stricken-nabeel-qureshi-183726/

 

Edit: Sir Creep was the only one to keep the faith.

One way to look at it.  The other is that SC was the only dummy who didn't correctly interpret that Qureshi was indeed recovering, and just caught a lucky break.  Granted, Nabeel is still breathing so leaving him off the list remains the right call until further notice.  I also kept the faith on Mo Haque and that appears to be a miscue, as well as a good handful of others who I see now are likely to be 2018 participants.  That said, I appear to have 3-4 entries (Qureshi, Elias, Christie) who I'm hoping will help me yet in 2017.

SC

[Sir Creep 7,011]

Denis Johnson, the author behind the seminal collection Jesus' Son, has died at the age of 67. Jeff Seroy, a spokesperson for Johnson's publisher, Farrar Straus and Giroux, confirmed that the National Book Award-winning novelist died Thursday but offered no further details.

[drol 10,021]

Spanish writer Juan Goytisolo has died aged 86 in Marrakesh.

[ObakeFilter 778]

Helen Dunmore, who revealed having cancer not so long ago, died at 64.

http://www.bloodaxebooks.com/news?articleid=712

[gcreptile 10,199]

Elizabeth Gilbert and Rayya Elias have a nice evening together and the Guardian writes about it:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jun/07/eat-pray-love-author-elizabeth-gilbert-and-rayya-elias-celebrate-love-in-private-ceremony

[RadGuy 1,605]

4 hours ago, gcreptile said:

Elizabeth Gilbert and Rayya Elias have a nice evening together and the Guardian writes about it:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jun/07/eat-pray-love-author-elizabeth-gilbert-and-rayya-elias-celebrate-love-in-private-ceremony

Hmm... Rayya doesn't look too good but if she's out and about I reckon she can make it a month or two more.

[ObakeFilter 778]

A.R. Gurney, Author of ‘Love Letters’ and ‘The Dining Room,’ Dies at 86.

http://variety.com/2017/legit/news/a-r-gurney-dead-playwright-1202466255/