Robert Jordan, 59

Just heard word that Robert Jordan (a.k.a. Jim Rigney), creator and writer of the Wheel of Time series, has just passed away.

Like Charles, I'm also feeling guilty about the unfinished ending of his long-running 12-book series (11 books within 17 years, plus a prequel somewhere in-between). But then again, that's how good a storyteller he was for me, no matter the criticism leveled against him.

Ironically, that's one sadness about a writer passing away: less stories in this world, alas. But what can we do? Storytellers die but stories live forever.