Chris Bunch.

[lagilman]

semi-official news release: http://www.acole.com/news_archive/bulletin/chris_obit_7-4-05.html




Received word this morning that one of my former authors -- a great storyteller, and a great dinner partner -- has passed away.

*mourn*

I worked with Chris on two different series during my time at Roc, and he was a handful and a half, but always entertaining and funny, and totally professional when it came down details.

I can't imagine a world in which he's not at the other end of a phone line, calling me "Boss" and yelling "Hey, Gilman!" at the top of his lungs; a world in which he's not one-upping me by ordering his steak black and blue, and generally giving better than he got, gruff-wise.

It's a sadder, tamer world, today.




That's two people I care about, felled by COPD/diabetes. Things that could have been moderated, if not entirely prevented.

I need a dandelion break, now.

Comments

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry.

[kefiraahava.livejournal.com]

Condolences.

[agamisu.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am sorry.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry!

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

My condolences.

[vampry.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I never read any of his work. I must remedy that.

[lagilman]

Thanks, everyone. It's not been an easy day -- it sounds like Chris died from things he did to himself, and while I know he would have (and probably did) scoff at the idea of changing his lifestyle on the advice of doctors, I can't help but be angry at him for dying of something preventable.

And knowing he probably won't be the last to make me feel that way.

But I've been working all day on a billable-hours project, there's the feel of a storm in the air, and the felines have rallied around me. So you take comfort where you can.

Tonight I'll raise a toast in his memory, and eat my steak as bloody as I can, and remember the sound of his laugher when he told one of those godawful, never-ending, rude as hell stories of his...

[eeknight.livejournal.com]

Just got home from weekend away and I'm stunned. Chris just gave me a great blurb for D.C. and straight-shooting, funny-as-hell advice. Good God.

[deire.livejournal.com]

(((hugs))) I'm so sorry.

[havocthecat]

*hugs* I'm so sorry!

[dcpoff.livejournal.com]

Terribly Sorry.

I have read all of his work. He will be missed.

DCP

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

Oh my god and we were just talking about him! This is terrible, terrible sad news. :(

[deannahoak.livejournal.com]

Hi, Laura Anne. I'm a copy editor who's met you at a few conventions.

Has anyone mentioned whether Chris's death was related to Agent Orange from his time in Vietnam? My dad died at 56 from various respiratory cancers due to his time there, and he was never a smoker. Diabetes Type II is also related to Agent Orange. It's something his family should look into.

[lagilman]

It might have been influenced by that, but Chris was also a smoker and a drinker and an eater of too many things that were bad for him, and -- as happened to another friend of mine -- the damned backwoods doctors weren't able to diagnose until far too late.

[deannahoak.livejournal.com]

It's a pity people don't accept the truth of what they're doing to themselves, but yeah, it's still possible that Agent Orange contributed. The family might qualify for a stipend from the government if so: http://www.vva.org/benefits/vvgagent.htm.

What the government pays my mom for my dad's death is paltry, but at least it is acknowledgment of what they did.