R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey (4/1/26 - 11/21/11)

It is with great sadness that Del Rey Books and Random House report the passing of beloved author Anne McCaffrey. Anne McCaffrey was best known for her award-winning and immensely popular Dragonriders of Pern® novels. McCaffrey died at her home in Ireland on November 21st shortly after suffering a stroke. She was 85 years old. She is survived by her two sons and daughter.

Del Rey and Spectra

The first woman to win a Hugo award and a Nebula award, McCaffrey was named a grand master of science fiction in 2005. Living in Wicklow County, Ireland, at the home she designed herself, Dragonhold-Underhill ("because she had to dig out a hill on her farm to build it"), the author was still answering letters from her fans on her website this month. In August, her son Todd, who has authored and co-authored Pern novels since 2003, relayed her disappointment at having to cancel her appearance at a Pern convention due to ill health. "Mum very specifically asked me to apologise to those who had hoped to see her there, saying: 'Sorry that old age came up and bit me on the a**'," he wrote.

guardian.co.uk