The Worlds of Anne McCaffrey

I know everyone has been waiting and asking for a long while to see what’s going to happen with Pern and film.

Today, Copperheart made a major announcement and I couldn’t be more pleased.

David Hayter, of X-Men fame (among many other films) has signed on to write the screenplay and Don Murphy, who has worked on many films including Splice and Transformers, has signed on as an executive producer.

For full details, click here.

Dear All,

I think we can all say that 2009 was a tough year all around. Many notable and much-loved people have left us forever, including Charles N. Brown, the marvelous founder of Locus Magazine, David Eddings, Barbara Bova, and many more. In October my ex-husband, Horace Wright Johnson, succumbed to cancer. Although we’ve been divorced for nearly forty years, the news still came as a sad shock. Fortunately, both my boys, Alec and Todd, were able to be with him shortly before he passed away, as was my granddaughter, Ceara, who met him for the first and last time.

It was also tough year economically for all. Writers are not immune but, through good fortune (and the loyalty of my fans!), we’ve pulled through.

It’s been a tough year for me, too. I particularly disliked having to cancel my plan to travel to the Writers of the Future Awards in August but my hips and knees were causing me too much discomfort. Things, as they often do, got worse and in November I went into hospital because my hip had locked up twice in the space of a week.

The doctors had me, at first, in a huge brace to keep the hip from dislocating but it was unbearable and they decided, with some concern about my age, to operate and rebuild the hip. That operation went well but there were complications (at my tender age of eighty-three, there often are) which they dealt with quickly and then, with my blessing, they replaced my old bum knee, too! And so now I’m not only bionic Annie but re-bionic Annie! I’m still in physiotherapy and it will be a while before I get all the parts moving in the right direction again but there’s a chance, when the dust all settles, that I’ll be fully ambulatory — although I might need a walker for a bit. So.. knock on wood, I’m still a going concern!

As for writing this year, sadly, that takes energy and I just don’t have as much of it as I’d like. However, I’d been reading Todd’s latest — Dragongirl — and I really liked what he was doing with it. So I suggested that perhaps we collaborate on the sequel, Dragonrider. I didn’t have to push too hard nor did he find me a great imposition as my role was mainly one of making suggestions or being a sounding board but even that much was a lot of fun and, I might humbly say, I think the result was well worth the effort. So much so that we moved on to the sequel to *that* — Dragon’s Time — as well and Todd tells me he’ll have the second draft of that to me shortly. And, of course, Annie Scarborough and I have been continuing work together — “Catalyst: A Tale of Barque Cats” will come out from Del Rey in hardcover just at the beginning of the new year. So, while I would dearly love to have the energy to tell a tale all on my own, I really cannot say that I am not ably represented with my collaborations. I grew up in the Great Depression, and I know that for some the hardships of these times seem far worse but I assure you that it will all pass. Hang on, there’s lots worth waiting for!

Ciao, Annie

I have some marvelous news that I’m just busting to tell folks! My son Todd’s daughter, Ceara (ERGO one of my granddaughters), won a Scholastic Golden Key for the story she submitted to a Christmas competition. She used my computer to do the final draft. I did read it, but as I have no idea of the criteria by which it was judged I couldn’t say more than that it was well done!

That’s three generations of my family that have made it as writers. I’m sure Ceara Rose will go on with writing. Certainly she reads almost as much as I do. But I couldn’t be prouder of her at 14. I think I tried to win one of those Scholastic contests but she has had a firmer foundation, and has a splendid verbal base. It has certainly been marvelous that Todd does so well in S-f but for his daughter to start challenging us is even more marvelous!

Ciao, Annie

Anne McCaffrey, Tania Opland and Mike Freeman are delighted to announce the CD release of their second collaboration! The long awaited “Sunset’s Gold” features music from the writings of Menolly and is a fitting partner to the hugely popular “The Masterharper of Pern” CD and songbook.

The CD will be available for delivery around January 9 2009 and advance orders are already stacking up. For more information or to pre order your copy, please visit Tania and Mike’s online ordering page.