Enter the Octopus

Thomas M. Disch, dead, apparent suicide

According to Ellen Datlow, author Thomas M. Disch was found dead in his apartment on July 4, the result of an apparent suicide. His death makes me feel so many different things, and if this entry seems a little mixed up, then I’m sorry, but that’s where I’m at right now.

I won’t claim to have known him well, but I was working with Tom and Tachyon Publications to promote his book “The Word of God,” and got to correspond with him over the last few months. He had a wonderfully acerbic sense of humor and although he is known to have been somewhat of a curmudgeon, he was extremely genial with me. He suffered, physically and emotionally, but was both proud and intensely private. He was a brilliant writer and I am truly sorry to see him go. It is an incredible loss for anyone who appreciates speculative fiction.

Reflections, remembrance, more: (Thanks to Charles Tan and Ed Champion for helping with this collection)

Ellen Datlow

Jeff VanderMeer

Ed Champion

Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Scott Edelman

The Tomorrow Museum

Cat Rambo

James A. Owen


The Inferior 4 (Elizabeth Hand)

Nick Kauffmann

Nick Mamatas

Jonathan Strahan

Boing Boing

Alan Bostick

Sternzine

Stephen Gallagher

Jay Lake

SF Signal

Colleen Doran

Ed Park

William Gibson

Quenchzine

Bruce Lewis

Tom Moody

Wet Machine

Scott Woods

Stephen Frug

Mark Kelly

Suzanne Fischer

Mark Laidlaw

Galley Cat

New York Magazine

Locus

Lasting Tribute

Mike Allen

Newscoma

Wyrdsmiths

Reason Magazine

Entertainment Weekly

Bright Lights After Dark

Ron Drummond

John Crowley

London Daily Telegraph

The Onion AV Club

July 6, 2008 - Posted by Matt Staggs | Journal | , | 6 Comments

6 Comments »

  1. Matt, I just read the news. I´m real, real shocked. He answered the questions for that interview, remember? He was so considerate, so funny – I still can´t accept it.

    Comment by Fábio Fernandes | July 6, 2008 | Reply

  2. [...] haven’t encountered one that wasn’t richly imagined and beautifully written. More from Matt Staggs and Ellen [...]

    Pingback by Tomorrow Museum » Archive » Thomas M. Disch 1940-2008 | July 6, 2008 | Reply

  3. [...] [UPDATE 2: A number of remembrances can be found at Enter the Octopus.] [...]

    Pingback by Thomas M. Disch Found Dead : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits | July 7, 2008 | Reply

  4. I just got the news. Let me assure that the feeling of loss is not limited to the EE.UU You don´t know me but I interviewed Tom Disch a couple of years ago and we were in touch in a planned staged production of “The cardinal detoxes” in spanish. I found him witty, amusing and considerate.
    I am shocked and the world is certenly a poorer place for me today.

    Comment by Arturo Villarrubia | July 7, 2008 | Reply

  5. [...] Matt Staggs has a good collection of links pertaining the news. [...]

    Pingback by Thomas M. Disch is dead - Worlds of Paul Jessup | July 7, 2008 | Reply

  6. [...] (WordPress) 2008-07-06 [...]

    Pingback by No love for Thomas M. Disch from FARK.COM « Enter the Octopus | July 8, 2008 | Reply


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