One of my favorite authors, Terry Pratchett has died.
I am sorry to announce that after a time of living with alzheimer's disease, Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld fantasy novels, is dead at 66.
Terry Pratchett, Discworld series author, dies aged 66
Author of more than 70 books, who had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, dies at his home, his publishers have announced
Sir Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld comic fantasy series of novels, has died aged 66.
His publishers, Transworld, announced the news “with immeasurable sadness”. Managing director Larry Finlay, said: “The world has lost one of its brightest, sharpest minds.”
The author of more than 70 books died at his home “with his cat sleeping on his bed, surrounded by his family” earlier on Thursday.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/12/terry-pratchett-author-of-the-discworld-series-dies-aged-66
Neil Gaiman, another of my favorite authors and co-author with Sir Terry of Good Omens wrote a tribute to his friend back in September:
Neil Gaiman: ‘Terry Pratchett isn’t jolly. He’s angry’
I want to tell you about my friend Terry Pratchett, and it’s not easy. I’m going to tell you something you may not know. Some people have encountered an affable man with a beard and a hat. They believe they have met Sir Terry Pratchett. They have not.
Science fiction conventions often give you someone to look after you, to make sure you get from place to place without getting lost. Some years ago I ran into someone who had once been Terry’s handler at a convention in Texas. His eyes misted over at the memory of getting Terry from his panel to the book-dealers’ room and back. “What a jolly old elf Sir Terry is,” he said. And I thought, No. No, he’s not.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/24/terry-pratchett-angry-not-jolly-neil-gaiman
I will be spending time re-reading my Terry Pratchett collection, starting with the book that started it all, The Color of Magic!
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Imagine a failed wizzard, the world's first tourist, and a sentient chest that grows many little legs and follows it owner (Two-flower, the tourist) wherever he goes. And I mean, even off the end of the Discworld, a disc supported by four elephants that are standing on the back of a giant turtle traveling through space. The big questions in the scientific community is 'Where is the turtle going?' and 'What sex is the turtle?' and 'Do we need to be concerned about turtles mating when the journey ends?'
Pratchett has a wry outlook about existence and a keen sense of the human condition; able to capture this in writing like I've seen so very few authors able to do. Death is an anthropomorphic blind force that TALKS IN THAT VOICE and lives (yes lives) in a Dark Mansion that is all black. There are many different shades of black.
When I first picked up a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel I was hooked for life. Amazingly fun reads.
Well, I don't want to give away too much. Enjoy. 
Some Native American nations refer to the world as Turtle Island. I wonder if he got the idea from Native American myths.
I look forward to reading the book and learning more about Terry Prachett.