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Author Pratchett has Alzheimer's Author Pratchett has Alzheimer's
(about 1 hour later)
Author Terry Pratchett is suffering from a rare form of early Alzheimer's disease, it has been revealed.Author Terry Pratchett is suffering from a rare form of early Alzheimer's disease, it has been revealed.
He said in a statement that with forthcoming conventions and the need to inform his publishers it would have been "unfair to withhold the news". In a letter published on the website of artist Paul Kidby, the writer said the condition was behind a "phantom stroke" he had earlier this year.
Discworld author Pratchett has sold more than 55 million books worldwide. Pratchett said his statement should be interpreted as "I am not dead" and that he had taken the news "philosophically" and "possibly with a mild optimism".
The writer, 59, who gave the news on the website of Discworld artist Paul Kidby, said the condition was behind a "phantom stroke" earlier this year. The Discworld author, 59, has sold more than 55 million books worldwide.
'Mild optimism' "I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while," he wrote in a letter headed 'An Embuggerance'.
He said: "I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it seems to me unfair to withhold the news. Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful - I think there's time for at least a few more books yet Terry Pratchett
"I have been diagnosed with a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer's, which lay behind this year's 'phantom stroke'." "But because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it seems to me unfair to withhold the news."
He added: "We are taking it fairly philosophically down here and possibly with a mild optimism. The author said work was continuing on his latest works, Nation and Unseen Academicals, and that there was "time for at least a few more books yet".
The author said work was continuing on his latest book, Unseen Academicals. "All other things being equal, I expect to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments."
'More books' "Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful," he continued, saying it was "too soon to tell" if the condition was immediately life-threatening.
"All other things being equal, I expect to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments but will discuss things with the various organisers," he said. Parallel universe
"Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet." "I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else. For me, this maybe further off than you think.
He told fans the statement should be interpreted as "I am not dead". "I know it's a very human thing to say 'Is there anything I can do?' but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry."
"I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else," he said. Pratchett, whose work has been translated into 27 languages, was made an OBE in 1998 for services to British literature.
"For me, this may be further off than you think. It's too soon to tell. The Discworld series is set in a parallel universe supported on the back of four elephants that stand on the shell of a turtle.
"I know it's a very human thing to say 'is there anything I can do', but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry." Making Money, the 36th novel in the sequence, was published earlier this year.
Pratchett was made an OBE in 1998 for services to British literature.