I just got word that yesterday, Anne McCaffrey, author of numerous books including the Dragonriders of Pern series, has died.  Quite honestly, this is freaking... devastating for me.  I have read and enjoyed many, many of her books, and... to see that she's no longer going to be writing, that she's passed on, well... it's really, really sad. 

Life goes on, though, but... that's a pretty tough loss for me.  Brian Jacques I think also died this year, too.  Damn.