So very sad...

[dreamflower]

I just opened my emails to find out that one of my favorite fanfic authors has passed away.

Fiondil of Stories of Arda had been regularly posting updates of his latest stories on a regular basis. When his Monday update did not appear, I worried something was wrong, but it never occurred to me it was something like this.

I'm so sad. He's one of a handful of writers who could get me reading about Elves and the Valar, and he was always very faithful in answering comments, and very kind in his own comments. My last communication with him was a review on one of my own stories just last week. :(

Comments

[mrowe.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is sad :-[

I noticed the no update on Monday, but didn't think more of it.

[dreamflower]

I was a little concerned, since he is so regular in posting. But I thought, maybe a computer problem or something. Not this.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I'm so stunned and saddened by this news... when I saw the email with "Fiondil" in the subject line, I really didn't want to open it because I knew it would be terrible news.

He'll be greatly missed.

[dreamflower]

He will. He was such a gentleman.

[ysilme]

How sad! I did not know him, but can imagine how much he will be missed. *hugs*

[dreamflower]

He will be greatly missed.

[shirebound]

Oh no! What sad, sad news.

[dreamflower]

Yes. It really is.

[mariole.livejournal.com]

How terribly sad! The moreso because it was unexpected.

My thoughts are with you and Fiondil's many friends.

[dreamflower]

He did have many friends in the fandom, and he filled a unique niche with his fics.

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

As I said in the group - I didn't know him well, but I'm so sad to hear this.

[dreamflower]

Such a nice guy. There aren't very many men who write fanfic, but he was one of the best.

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

He was a true gentleman: kind and generous.

*hugs for you*

[dreamflower]

Yes he was. I remember once writing a little vignette based on his AU. I sent it to him and he liked it, encouraged me to post it, and incorporated my ideas into his story, giving me full credit. And his occasional reviews of my own stories were always insightful and appreciated.

[ramblin_rosie]

Ohhh, sad. :( Not sure I've ever read anything of his, but the loss of one definitely is a loss to all of us.

[dreamflower]

I think you might enjoy his work. He had a very unique take on the Valar and the Elves, giving them a sense of humor and personality without taking away from the majesty of being that Tolkien gave them.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear that. It's amazing how much someone can touch our lives without ever meeting in person.

[dreamflower]

I know. I have many online friends who are as close to me as my RL ones.

[addie71.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry about your loss. *hugs*

[dreamflower]

((hugs back)) Thank you.

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

I didn't know of him, but Im so sorry for your loss. *hugs*

[dreamflower]

Thank you. ((hugs back))

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I had noticed there was no update on Monnday but didn't think anything of it. Sometimes he would pre-schedule his chapters for posting, other times he would post on the date. He was a friend and a colleague and I will miss him VERY much. I've got to dash off a quick card to send to those of his family who will take care of things for him. What a shock and a tragedy.

- Erulisse (one L)

[dreamflower]

I thought there was a problem, maybe a power outage or something, not THIS.

I was pleased to see that his betas and Nilmandra have quickly arranged to have his stories continue--it will be a good tribute to him.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I haven't gone on to SOA, but I am relieved because I knew he usually wrote quite a way ahead of the posts and probably had more in with his betas and scheduled for posting.

Oh, I'm going to miss him so very much. ... I will never be able to think about Namo without that wonderful sense of humor he gave to him, or Glorfindel without the skills Manwe had him trained for. His characters have been a foundation for my own images of Valinor for longer than I've been writing within the Tolkien world.

- Erulisse (one L)

[periantari.livejournal.com]

:hugs: Many condolences to you and the rest of fandom who knew and loved his work and person. :(

[dreamflower]

Thank you. He will be a sad loss to the community, but his stories will be a great legacy for years to come.

[asia27.livejournal.com]

My condolences to all of his readers... that happened to 3 of the best writers in another fandom I was in.

[dreamflower]

Thank you!

Somehow you never think about it happening until it does. At least one good thing: his current WIP is complete and with his betas, who have made arrangements to continue posting it for him. It will be a great tribute!

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

So sad. I'm sorry for your loss! *hugs you*

[dreamflower]

(((Hugs back))) it's a loss to the whole fandom, not only his stories, but he was so generous with his knowledge, especially his knowledge of the Elven languages, and in encouraging.

[rakshathedemon.livejournal.com]

What a shame. Fiondil was a talented writer; and our fanfic community is reduced by his loss.

[dreamflower]

He was very talented. His stories will be a wonderful legacy to the fandom. But he will be missed greatly.

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry. I don't believe our paths ever crossed and I've never read any of his stories but I can tell from my flist that he was a beloved Tolkien community member. *hugs*

[dreamflower]

He truly was. His stories were usually out of my normal mileu, since he wrote mostly about Elves and the Valar and the First and Second Ages.

I was hooked into his work by his "Elf Academy" series, which rather began as almost a crack humor story, but quickly evolved into a serious exploration of what it might be for Elves who had lived into our age.

He was also very generous with his own comments and reviews, and with his knowledge of Elven languages--more than once he helped me out if I needed a word in Sindarin or Quenya for a fic.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I was shocked and saddened by the news. We were in different corners of SOA and I have little interest in Elves, but I liked those stories of his he wrote for Teitho and he left me some kind reviews. A true gentleman who will be much missed.

[dreamflower]

Fiondil was such a nice person. Some men who write fanfic tend to have a bit of an attitude, but he was unfailingly polite, and always helpful.

[arwen75]

I was shocked and saddened today when I found out from the comments on latest EA3 post. Like you I was a little concerned when Monday's post didn't appear but it never occurred to me it would be this. I was fighting back tears when I was reading those comments - I rarely commented on his posts but I so looked forward to his posts at start and end of working week. A great lost to the fanfic community of LOTR.

[dreamflower]

One can only hope that he can somehow know how much he'll be missed, and how well he was loved in the fandom.