Hey there guys, gals and penpals. (You can never have enough penpals. Or poppadams. But I digress.)

I was incredibly saddened to discover that the legendary Terry Pratchett has passed away today.

Terry has been instrumental in my life as someone who has constantly inspired my writing and helped me to develop a keen sense of appreciation for comedic fantasy (and comedy writing in general). I also credit him as someone who gave me a passion for reading and writing in general and this is the greatest gift that you can bestow on anyone.

When they made elements of the Discworld series into videogames, I couldn’t have been happier to have the characters brought to life that I vividly imagined from the books by the likes of Eric Idle (I can’t picture anyone else as Rincewind now, although David Jason did a superb job in the TV series adaption), Tony Robinson (who I always thoroughly enjoyed reading out the audiobook versions of Pratchett Discworld classics), Rob Brydon (wonderful impressionist), Jon Pertwee, Kate Robbins and many others who had so much fun playing these wonderful quirky people that Pratchett had penned that you could feel the sheer admiration shining through in their powerful, engaging performances.

I have therefore felt compelled to write an ode to celebrate this great man and I would be grateful if you will all indulge with me as I write this poem in honour of him.

If you are a fan of Pratchett, please share your condolence wishes and stories in the comments section, as I would love to hear them, especially if he has also had a profound effect on your life.

Thanks for reading and stay frosty friends!

“An Ode to the Late, Great, Magnificent, Terry Pratchett” by David Ellis

You were the first author that I read
Where I had to have a dictionary to hand
At first it drove me completely mad
Then my English skills drastically improved
And I quickly understood you were a talented man

I couldn’t get enough of the Discworld canon, I devoured so many
Immersing myself deeply into this richly imagined fantasy
Such a bizarre concept for a series, so surreal and Pythonesque
Elephants? On the back of a turtle? Travelling through space? Genius!

Everything put through your unique filter became comedy gold
Wizards, witches, goblins, walking luggage, imps and trolls
With every new set up, the laughter just kept on pouring out
The pop culture references were such a monumental joy to behold
Time and time again, I treasured every single one that I found

Your collaborations also helped me to discover Neil Gaiman
The two of you together are such a potent, phenomenal combination
I cannot help but wonder if it is because of this terrific union
Why I enjoy collaborating myself so much when I write
You are both without a doubt a constant source of inspiration
Delivering stories that can terrify, enthrall, thrill and excite

With your clever mix of fantasy, humour, situational comedy and deft wit
Terry Pratchett, you are adored, revered and will be sorely missed
I can’t think of anyone who has had more of an impact
Thank you for being a writer who you can respect forever
Your work will inspire many more generations for years
Yes there are tears but you have made them tears of laughter
Rest in peace, dear friend, author and mentor

9/05/2016 (update) – I’ve found some more odes by a fellow bloggers and will add any more that I come across. You are still loved and admired Terry and it is great to see pieces like this that honour your memory.

SYD7T5 – In Memory of Sir Terry Pratchett
Shauna Quinn – An Ode to Terry Pratchett
MYSPILLWORDS – Ode to Terry Pratchett
Pratchett Job – Rereading Discworld, one book at a time
MessyMuppet – “No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.”
Called By Name/TJ Withers-Ryan – An ode to Terry Pratchett and the only gift a writer ever needs
A Pilgrim in Narnia – Farewell Terry Pratchett
Something Wicked – An Ode to Terry Pratchett
Missing Brains – A culinary ode to Sir Terry Pratchett: Meat Pie Floaters!
Surviving The Madness – An Ode to Sir Terry Pratchett
Flowers For Socrates – Farewell, Ankh-Morpork: Author Terry Pratchett, Dead at 66
VimfromZim – Remembering Sir Terry Pratchett
Running In My Head – The Quotable Pratchett
Irresistibly Fish – DEATH becomes him: Ode to Terry Pratchett
Mieke Roth – AN ODE TO TERRY PRATCHETT
curiousHALT – Ode To Pratchett
PAYNEful – Ode to a Beautiful Wordsmith: RIP Sir Terry Pratchett
Jessica’s Blog – Ode to Terry Pratchett
PopWrapped – AN ODE TO AN ICON: AUTHOR SIR TERRY PRATCHETT DIES AT 66
Lit Reactor – Terry Pratchett Dies at age 66
NewStatesman – Goodbye to Terry Pratchett, the only writer who ever truly conquered my inner cynic
The Conversation – Farewell Terry Pratchett: a psychological analysis of Discworld
patheos – Farewell Sir Terry Pratchett
The Daily Good – Bidding Farewell to Terry Pratchett
Oxford Student – A farewell to Terry Pratchett
Brandon Sanderson – Goodbye, Sir Terry
Budding Smiles – A FAREWELL LETTER TO SIR TERRY PRATCHETT
Archive of Our Own – Terry Pratchett Meets Death
ELENA CRESCI – FAREWELL TO TERRY PRATCHETT (OR: OOK OOK OOK!)
The Climate Friendly Gardener – FAREWELL TO TERRY PRATCHETT, DEFENDER OF PEOPLE, THE LIVING WORLD, BOOKS, AND LIBRARIES, 1948 – 2015
Ellie Di Julio – All the little angels rise up high: Farewell, Sir Terry Pratchett
New York Public Library – Farewell Sir Pratchett, Welcome to Discworld
Rant LIFESTYLE – Beloved Author Terry Pratchett Dies at 66, Says the Best and Saddest Goodbye
booktopia – GUEST BLOG: A farewell to Sir Terry Pratchett – by Karen Miller
Dewi Morgan – Farewell, Sir Terry Pratchett.
Pop Culture HQ – The World Bids Farewell to a Sir Terry Pratchett
DAD info – A FAREWELL TO SIR TERRY PRATCHETT
925 Rebellion – Terry Pratchett: A Farewell
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY – Terry Pratchett and Discworld: An appreciation
The Pink Noam – Farewell, Sir Terry Pratchett.

Originally I found it difficult to find similar blog posts to include here on such a sad occasion but “In Loving Memory” seems to be fitting where our friends at WordPress have knocked up a prompt asking for you to write your own obituary, which I’m sure Sir Terry would have found amusing. My fellow bloggers have posts below that deal with the subject of their own passing with warmth, humour and humility, so click on the links below and don’t forget to leave me a comment!

1. Random Acts of Snark – In Loving Memory
2. s.j.olano, thinking out loud – Here Lies
3. Away with Words – May She Rest in Pieces
4. field of thorns – Before the Fall
5. Basically Beyond Basic – In Loving Memory
6. MillyMollyMandy – Everyone Calm Down, its just Goodbye (Daily Post)
7. anekaragamilmu – Memori Terindah Dalam Cinta
8. arya [at] WordPress – In Loving Memory
9. Snailzpace Daily (Homeward Bound) – Wednesday’s Winding Way
10. My happiness is an allegory – In her loving memory
11. Phoenix Fights – DAILY PROMPT: In Loving Memory – EAT ME
12. ParkInkSpot – Write your obituary
13. Thoughts of A Complicated Girl – Ashes to Ashes
14. Conscious and Breathing – I Would Rather Have a Tear Than a Write Up
15. The Blogging Path – 20150303-Prompt Me
16. UndulyUnruly – In My Loving Memory….
17. Mags Loves Jimi – # Untitled 19 (Known)
18. Blog-sterpiece Theater – Obituary Omissions
19. Stew’s Soapbox – Obituary
20. uniquenproud – In Memoriam
21. Everyday Here On Earth – In loving memory
22. The World Through My Eyes – Death of the Prompt
23. susieshy45 – My obituary
24. Tim Baldwin – Echoing a Legacy
25. Phil Harrison’s Blog – If you really cared…
26. Barbara Pyett – What a question!
27. New Peace, Old Mind – My Obit?
28. Willow’s Corner – Do they have obituaries at wakes?
29. tnkerr-Writing Prompts and Practice – In Loving Memory; Much More Fun This Way!
30. BT.X – In loving memory of the Inquisitor
31. A Momma’s View – Obituary – What?
32. Julie Powell – Graphic Artist – Dear Daily Post – Where is the inspiration?
33. helen meikle’s scribblefest – Daily prompt: Disgusted from Downunder
34. Because I need it. – In Loving Memory
35. slipstitchstory – The Good Wife, Alfred Nobel & National Pig Day help me write my obituary
36. Anything 2 Autopsy – A life worth fighting for, A life worth dying for
37. A Simple Life – Not Today
38. 4 am – No more
39. in the moment – at the end of it all – my obituary
40. mikeytbull – Escape Free My Friend!
41. Geek Ergo Sum – Unobituary, or In Loving Memory
42. Lead us from the Unreal to the Real – Deathless Death
43. When My Brain Farts – If today is my last…
44. Just Writing! – Take Two
45. by LRose – In closing, let me say…
46. sheilaklewis – In Loving Memory
47. Passion through Poetry – Obituary
48. The Reluctant Baptist – I Still Break Her Heart
49. sandmanjazz – Don’t Fear the Reaper
50. What does nelkumi think? – gone
51. coffee, tea, and mimi – In Loving Memory
52. Life In My Tin Can – Memory Of The Loving
53. Amie Writes – Live
54. Making it write – In Loving Memory
55. Looking Write Back at You – Daily Post Prompt: My Obituary: 1975-1864
56. The Gad About Town – A Death, Revisited
57. field of thorns – Silent Poison
58. unbolt – not Today
59. unbolt – my Cemetery
60. Relax – Sixteen Tons -ish
61. Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss – The Blacklight Candelabra: Dewey Decimal System
62. All Things Cute and Beautiful – Being Dead!
63. They, You and Me – Live a Dream.
64. blending fact and fiction – Taken Too Soon
65. I’m a Writer, Yes I Am – Dewey Decimal System
66. lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown – Rain
67. Theodora Zheng – Going Home
68. Raspberry’s Daydreams – Live life and let life
69. Destino – RIP Bitch
70. My Atheist Blog – In Loving Memory: Write your obituary. Daily Prompt Rehash Part Deux-Duex.
71. The happy Quitter! – Dear daily prompt…lets cheer up!
72. odonnellgrunting – Anniversary of the Miners’ Strike 1984/5 today (all those years ago) they went back to work.
73. Morrighan’s Muse – Once Upon A Time
74. Life is great – Depressing
75. Stuff and Nonsense – Memories
76. Charron’s Chatter – Gallows Humor – director’s cut
77. Flowers and Breezes – A Time to Go
78. The Cat Chronicles – Daily Feline Prompt: Rest in Feline Peace
79. A lazy Squirrel’s reading guide – In Loving Memory
80. THE ICONOPHILE – Cover Story with a Twist
81. Weird And Wonderful – No Regrets : My Obituary
82. All About Being Human – An Announcement By LivingonChi’s Brother
83. Out of an Abandoned Hospital – In Memorium of myself
84. Warrior Freya – Prompt Page 0031: In Loving Memory
85. The Everyday Writer – Later.
86. The Life Of Lexe – How to wrap up life in one small paper?
87. Izzy-grabs-life – How Could I Ever Write My Own Eulogy?
88. Awake and Unafraid – Obituary
89. Kim’s Blog – In Loving Memory
90. Jenny Ahlers – Jenny the Great (fake obituary)
91. Bringing worlds together in my kitchen – That’s all there is to say…
92. Larry Teaches School – Another Life Changing Classroom Activity!
93. SERENDIPITY – HOW MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS SCREWED THE POOCH
94. Romance Bookaholic Traveler – Daily Prompt- In Loving Memory
95. A lot from Lydia – And She Did Die
96. I’m a Writer, Yes I Am – She Did the Best She Could
97. thelonerose – The Dash
98. ALIEN AURA’S BLOG: IT’LL BLOW YOUR MIND! – In Loving Memory
99. Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss – In Loving Memory – RIP Daily Prompt
100. Anton’s Ideas – NO CAN DO
101. Mama Librarian – In Loving Memory
102. Jill M Roberts – In Loving Memory/Writing Prompt
103. Magnanimous Word – Life Diary
104. Zombie Flamingos – And now for something completely different…
105. KindlingWord – Becoming: Living a Better Eulogy
106. # Writing Prompts from Twitter
107. life confusions – No More.
108. No Talent For Certainty – Finally…
109. The Wandering Poet – New light..
110. From Balderdash To Epiphany. – My Obituary (as requested by a prompt)
111. Vexing Point – In Loving Memory
112. Lifelover – Your leaving the world taught me the lesson of life.