all the words are gone

[harborshore]

I want to write about Diana Wynne Jones. I want to write about castles in the air and castles that move and raising the land and dragons and girls who are awkward and boys who need eight cups of coffee before they're awake enough to be able to function and adults who aren't completely useless and more dragons and dwarfs and griffins and wizards and woods that aren't quite right and--

But all the words are gone. There won't be any more books. I'm going to quote Neil Gaiman, from here: There was only one Diana Wynne Jones, and the world was a finer one for having her in it. We miss you, Diana, we miss you so much. I know you and Astrid are having the best tea party ever right about now, but oh, I miss the stories we never got from you.

Comments

[iamsupernova.livejournal.com]

Her passing (along with Neil's blog) has inspired me, like she inspired me as a child reading her books, to revive my love of reading. I've become lazy and let the internet take up all my leisure time. I plan on rereading my favorite Diana Wynne Jones books in order to jumpstart that revival.

[speshope.livejournal.com]

I was so, so sad to read about her passing. Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite, favorite book and has been for so long that when I first read it, I didn't understand that Wales was a real place in Great Britain. I've read countless times since then and it's never gotten old.

[arsenicjade.livejournal.com]

Amen. She was an epitome of female creativity at a time when it wasn't terribly visual. Everything about her was wonderful.

[harborshore.livejournal.com]

I just, I miss her. Already.

[harborshore.livejournal.com]

It is SUCH a good book. I have an old library copy of it, and I'm going to need to tape it to get the covers to stay on, but I also almost wouldn't want a new copy.

[harborshore.livejournal.com]

Much like Astrid Lindgren, I love the way she told stories FOR children without talking at them or anything.

[harborshore.livejournal.com]

&you;

[sunsetmog.livejournal.com]

She was amazing. I came to her books late, but I appreciated her so very much indeed.

[dimestore-romeo.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I had no idea. I'm so dreadfully sad that she's gone. Her books were marvellous and had a tremendous part in making me who I am today.

[meroure.livejournal.com]

You have articulated the sense of loss beautifully. It just aches. I want nothing more than curl up with The Time of the Ghost and recapture the feeling of intrigue and awe that I experienced the first time I read her books. Her words, at least, are immortal.

[x_dark_siren_x]

My friend told me about this on Saturday night, and I was just so completely stunned, it didn't even register. But now that I'm seeing things like this, it not only registers, but it hurts. I'm just glad she isn't hurting anymore.

[arsenicjade.livejournal.com]

And without necessarily resolving everything, so that children would learn that endings weren't always neat.