RIP Michael Crichton

Sometimes life comes at you fast. Sounds like a commercial. It also sounds like my life lately - busy with the Muse Conference, which was fantabulous by the way, (except in the midst of it my computer crashed and burned...grrrrr...thank goodness for flash drives.), lots of things going on in my personal world and writing projects, this year's Nano project...and then tonight I heard some very sad news.

Michael Crichton lost his brave personal battle with cancer. He will be definitely be missed. His work and contributions to the general field of entertainment (writing, film and television) has touched so many lives. He has been a favorite author of mine for years. His work has definitely inspired me - what an impressive list of credits:

Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Congo, Sphere, Prey, Andromeda Strain, and my personal favorite Timeline.

"Michael's talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of ..Jurassic Park,'" said "Jurassic Park" director Steven Spielberg, a friend of Crichton's for 40 years. "He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the Earth. ... Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place."

John Wells, executive producer of "ER" called the author "an extraordinary man. Brilliant, funny, erudite, gracious, exceptionally inquisitive and always thoughtful.

Wow - what an amazing legacy. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fans. This is indeed a great loss.

I'm going to go curl up with Timeline, a cup of cocoa, and wonderful memories of a great author....just a thought