Memento Mori

I'm not a regular contributor here, I've made one post. But I would like to be a full contributor. I understand how the subject of this post is inappropriate, and for the most part everyone here has been for quite some time, and understand each others sensitivities. I'm very offended by this post, concerned with Wolfe's age and/or health. And starting off with "get autographs while you can" is absurd. Anyone that reads Wolfe knows it was a changing point in their life. Lets show more respect for Wolfe, who's changed each of our lives so much. Whether or not he reads this list doesn't matter. Certainly, we should be mature about the realities of mortality. Wolfe's life is his own, and that of his God. We profit off his work, not his personal life. I wish he has a long and healthy. But for his own enjoyment, not so I can get an autograph or send fan mail. If I interpreted the meaning or tone of the first post I'm sorry. Either way, should we really use this list to gossip about Wolfe? Charles Gillingham

Everybody on the list is interested in discussing the work, and many are fans as well. Perhaps this thread is a case of well-intended fannishness overstepping the mark - it will happen now and again anywhere there are fans. I guess a 'slow down' reminder does no harm, but I am also certain all the intentions involved were good. Sometimes elements of an author's life will be relevant to the work (here one must decide how personal and how relevant the individual matters are, and not everyone will come to the same decision every time), but you are quite right in that this is not such a case, - Gerry Quinn

I don't recognize any actual argument in your email. All I see is venting about how 'offended' you are. So what. Why is it off-limits to discuss Wolfe's impending death? That is of serious concern to a mailing list devoted to Wolfe's work: it means no more novels, no more short stories, no more interviews or clarifications of mistakes, no more conventions, it means anyone who wished to meet Wolfe or get his autograph - and why are you so contemptuous of autographs, anyway? some people really like autographs! - and so it is a useful service to a lot of people who don't realize the odds are really high and getting higher every year (counterintuitive & little appreciated by young people who have never looked at life tables or read up on aging) to alert them of these facts. These concerns are part of why Wolfe has been getting accolades the past few years, even though most of his recent work like An Evil Guest hasn't really amazed the mailing list - the higherups realize that if they want to honor Wolfe while it'll be most meaningful, they had better do so as soon as they can arrange it. Interaction with authors has always been a key part of SF fandom; for example, didn't you read Marc's emails in this very thread? Why do you think Wolfe goes to conventions in the first place? Why do conventions exist? Because a lot of people do not seem to share your views that authors are demigods best embalmed and up on a shelf.