Last year, one of the greatest fantasy fiction authors (and of course, one of my favourite authors) passed away. After her passing, I rather in bad taste but also in a quiet sort of mourning, did a small books highlight of most of her books. Some of my colleagues abhor this sort of promotion but I usually do it in a bid of quiet desperation and resignation. Well, the awful truth is, is that inspite of an author's passing, good books and good writing never go out of fashion - unlike films - where there may be a sudden surge of interest and a quick dying off. An author's ideas and words should only go against the great adversary of Time and its erosion and evolution of popular thought, and not like their mortality bid an end to existence.

I think that many would agree with me that Diana Wynne Jones was such a wonderful author - her books were, are fun, engaging and thought provoking (although not in the most conservative sense), I personally like them for their humour, and interesting way of telling a tale. So her passing really saddened me.

In fact, these passings always make me very sad, doubly as a reader and a bookseller. Books never stay in print after that.

As I write, I've reread Year of the Griffin, the follow up to Darklord of Derkholm. I was book bereft in Singapore and could not find a book I wanted at Kino, (I forget which one) so I settled for one which I have not read by the master, the Derkholm. I loved it!
So when I got home, I naturally needed the sequel. And was subsequently surprised to find it now as a print-on-demand! (note the slight difference in the make of the books)

Oh no! Will her books be all going OP soon? It's unthinkable, unforgivable but really happening.

The race begins if you haven't been buying those books. Be warned or start an AbeBooks account.