Another January death--STOP IT!!!

One of my editors died today (from Making Light and BoingBoing, respectively).

Astronomicon 12

Except I never edited with David Hartwell, at least not directly.  He was unfailing kind to me.  David knew I was part of NYRSF staff and was very enthusiastic about my work there -- so yes, in a way he was "my" editor.




Today Wednesday my boyfriend pinged me in chat to tell me David had died.  He knew I'd care.

I'd been in email with David over World Fantasy 2016 (aka WFC).

David was a gentleman.  He sat down with me for a little while at Readercon 2015, despite being clearly tired, because that's the kind of person he was.  (I remember David telling someone complimentary things about me.  Someone I didn't know; but again, that is how David was.)  I saw David in passing at a couple of cons:  Readercon 26, Detcon 1, Chicon 7, World Fantasy 2010.

He was always willing to say hello and ask how I was.  Whether we talked about books or something else.

But David let me bend his ear about WFC 2016 because he was on the WFS Board.  He's a person who feels responsible as well as pays it forward.  For us all.  We in SF are so much less without him.  8(



Back in 2008, when I first wrote to the New York Review of Science Fiction, it was from not doing my research.  I ended up falling in with a nifty crowd of people.

Teresa Nielsen Hayden had told me to volunteer in sf publishing.  So I did.  I met and worked with many neat people that way... such as the crew of NYRSF.

Last summer, part of why I hadn't sent a Bookmoocher a book was that David edited it.  I hadn't wanted to give it up yet.  I should, it's a book, David would rather someone read it.

I would rather they read it too.

The Philip K. Dick Film Festival

But I keep getting sniffly.  I know a lot of people to whom David mattered to a lot.  I'm acquaintances with some, friends with a few others.

I want to be there at the NYRSF Work Weekend... which this weekend.  I can't, it's in NY.  But I want to be there with the others he worked with.  I want to hug Kevin, hug Kathryn.

I want to console and be consoled, pretty much.


I need to go eat.  I will be sniffling all day.  As Allen pointed out, for David it was probably very quick.  It is for the rest of us that this is not quick -- not the grieving, not the loss.  Just sudden.

Goodbye, David.  I will miss seeing you, and your ties, and being able to sit down with you this year.  (And every year.)  I hope someone is there for Kathryn and the children.

God, I'm hating this month.  Just as most of the planet is...  Who the blazes pulled all these people up like cards?  I need 'em to STOP.  Stop this right now, buster.


ETA 20-Jan-16, after writing this post Wednesday afternoon:

Tor just gathered to talk about David. "David Hartwell: Fashion Theorist" came up. It's amazing; you should read it: https://t.co/tgQOCnOZy9

— Liz Gorinsky (@2muchexposition) January 20, 2016

Because if you didn't know about David's ties, this is entirely worth it.  Also a few less tears today this week would be positive.

ETA 21-Jan-16... and here is Kathryn's post.  She is David's widow.  Here is also File 770's obituary, so you can see more of David smiling, which was David's wont.

Added 6-August-2019, the obit and grieving at Making Light for his death. :(