The sad news has just filtered out of the death (on Sunday, May 24th, 2015) of Tanith Lee, prolific author of fantasy and horror. She was the first woman to win the British Fantasy Award (1980) and was recognized just a couple of years ago at the World Fantasy Convention with a Lifetime Achievement Award (see my post about that day here).
She was also a lovely, warm and friendly lady, with whom I shared a literary agent in the days when I was pursuing a traditional publishing deal. She was always encouraging and supportive, which meant a great deal to a fledgling author.
Recently, even in ill health, she generously donated a story to the anthology, THE WORLD AND THE STARS, published in honour of the late Peter Garratt, a mutual friend.
Her website now shows merely her dates, and this quote from her work:
“Though we come and go, and pass into the shadows, where we leave behind us stories told – on paper, on the wings of butterflies, on the wind, on the hearts of others – there we are remembered, there we work magic and great change – passing on the fire like a torch – forever and forever. Till the sky falls, and all things are flawless and need no words at all.”
I will miss her.
deborahjay 
Thank you for letting us know, Deborah. The quote is very powerful, and says it better than anything I could ever hope to add. And the world’s a sadder place tonight.
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Indeed it is. And that quote is so powerful…
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Sad to hear this.
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She was only 67 – so young to go.
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Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
The lovely quote at the end of Deborah’s post says it all, so eloquently.
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Thank you for letting us know, Deb. I had no idea she was even ill. My thoughts go with her, and I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Hugs, Leiah
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Thanks Leiah, I didn’t see her often, but she was always so lovely. Sadly she’d been ill for a while, I believe it was cancer though I don’t know which sort. 😦
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That is a terrible thing. All the good people suffer…. I hope she didn’t know pain at the end. Hugs, Leiah
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I do know that she died peacefully in her sleep; probably the best way to go.
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Absolutely.
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OH NO!
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She wasn’t with us for long enough, she still had lots to give 😦
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Deb this gave me goosebumps, so sad. Her quote is ominous and haunting. 😦
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Isn’t it just? And so beautiful at the same time…
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