*sigh* I was saddened to hear of Ric Locke’s illness, and sadder still to learn just now of his passing. I had just read Temporary Duty and was spurred to search out more web info on him… and was struck by the poignancy of his circumstances: first published novel doing well; lung cancer. He seemed to be the kind of guy I would have enjoyed meeting. Someone needs to do a Sci-Fi adaptation of W.H. Auden’s lil ditty for cases like this:
“As poets have mournfully sung
Death takes the innocent young,
The rolling-in-money,
The screamingly funny,
And those who are very well hung.”
R.I.P, Ric. I never knew you, but after having read your novel, I feel as though I could have known you, at least a bit.