I lost a friend on Sunday September 5, 2010. Actually, I don't want to say it like only I’ve lost a friend, because Zellie meant a lot to so many people. I first met her two years ago in the beta forum on Absolute Write. We liked each other instantly. She was quirky and had a bubbly personality, not to mention a wonderful way of giving critical feedback.When I gave Zellie LIGHT BRINGERS to beta, her comments, advice and support helped me shave it down from 102k to 78k. I truly believe it was her input that helped me grab the attention of several agents, three of which wanted to read the full.
When she told me she was sick with cancer, I was terrified. It’s a horrible disease and I haven’t meant a single person who deserved such an evil thing to live inside their body. Zellie, however was always so upbeat, so bubbly and even in emails you could see the sun shining through her. It was because of this zest that I thought we’d have her for so much longer.
It happened so quickly that I never got to tell her how proud I was to be her friend or how happy I was that she’d published her novel. LIGHTNING SPLICED is now available here.
I read a rough draft of this last year when the title was The Resistance so I can’t wait to read it now and see what’s changed. I just wish I could gush over it with my friend.
ALL proceeds from the book will go to The Cancer Society.More information is available on her website. So please, pick up a copy 0f LIGHTNING SPLICED. Zellie will live on through her words, and we can help find a cure for this terrible disease.
Thanks everybody.
Rest in peace Zellie Bean.
9 comments:
Uggh, how tragic and horrible. I'm so sorry, Karen. Rest in peace, Zellie.
Amy
I'm sorry about your friend, Zellie. I bought the book.
Take care,
Theresa
Thank you A.L. The one comfort we have is that she isn't in pain any longer.
Theresa, I hope you enjoy the book. Thank you. I know Zellie is smiling.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost a friend last weekend also. Peace.
Oh Karen. I am so sorry. I knew Zellie ever so briefly after she critiqued a part of my MS. She was a positive light that I did not think would ever go out. Thank you for posting this or I might not have known of her passing. My heart goes to her family and friends left behind.
This was so beautiful. I was so fortunate to be a critique partner with her in the flesh and she was every bit the ray of sunshine you describe her as. She shaped me into a much better writer cause she was THAT good.
I am so glad the word on how to purchase her legacy and totally rockin' book is being spread. I know she is smiling, because Zellie doesn't now how to do anything but smile an bring joy everywhere she went. She was truley a treasure to so many and will be missed horribly. I should be getting my copy in a few days and I'm so excited to have the piece of her she left behind for all of us to share.
I'm very sorry to hear about this loss. My condolences.
Jai
Thank you all for the condolences. Zellie would be so happy to see how many people cared about her.
*cries* I just went to my e-mail to search for the real name of the amazing author whose novel I helped edit via e-mail years ago (thanks to a Holiday Wishes post on LJ, I think? 2006), and discovered what happened. At the time she called it Judgment, but as soon as I saw the title "Lightning Spliced" I knew it had to be her story. I was entranced by it and kept wondering off and on what had come of it over the last couple years. I'm glad to hear that it finally got published, and am going to put it on my Amazon wishlist this coming year. It hurts to know that such a wonderful woman is gone. I barely knew her--we were strangers brought together by the Internet and a desire for someone to fix spelling and grammar--but I want you to know I'm sorry to hear about it. :(
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