Tuesday 19 January 2021

Thanks, Mum.

 I lost my mother a couple of days ago. There is probably never a good time to have a loved one pass away from lung cancer (I lost my dad to cancer as well, eleven years ago) but having it happen during a pandemic added an extra layer of distress to the whole thing. Due to Covid restrictions, my sister and I couldn't be with our mum during the last weeks of her life, and when Mum tested positive for the virus, even her partner was only permitted a single final visit. Our experience, harrowing as it's been, is only one of many that will have played out very similarly over the last year, in hospitals, hospices and care homes up and down the country.

I need hardly say that my mother will be missed, but I wanted to add that she had been enormously supportive of my writing efforts, right from the start. My mum divorced in 1982. She had very little money to scrape together - just keeping a Volkswagen Beetle on the road was enough of a struggle - but still she found enough to pay for someone to type up a copy (with a carbon duplicate) of my first handwritten manuscript. That was before I learned to type for myself. Seeing my words in cold hard print was confirmation of two things: one that the book itself was probably no good, but secondly that there were bits of it that were encouraging enough to make me think that perhaps I could be a writer after all. And so I kept going, writing short stories, learning about the magazine market, and eventually starting another novel, which was a little better than the first.

I can't say that I wouldn't have become a writer without that jolt of encouragement, but who knows. It certainly played a part. So if at some point you have enjoyed something of mine, please lift a glass to my mother, who was there right at the start.

35 comments:

  1. I'm sorry for your loss, I'll lift a glass to her this weekend

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  2. So sorry to hear of your loss. Your mother sounds like one of the best and I'll lift a glass in thanks to her.

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  3. I'm very sorry for you loss, Al. Here's to mum!

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  4. Sorry to hear of her passing. All the best.

    Guy

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  5. Thanks for sharing this. Sorry for your families loss and the conditions of her last few weeks. I'm certain you made her proud and that is a big achievement unlock for any parent.

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  6. I'm sorry for your loss, it sounds like she was a wonderful person.

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  7. Sorry to hear this mr Reynolds, keep strong. Hugs from Scotland.

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  8. I'm very sorry for your loss Alastair

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  9. I'm sorry for you loss... :/ Here's to mum!

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  10. Very sorry to hear about your Mum. I fully understand what it mean's to lose such an important part of one's life. Take care and star Face, Phil (of SRFC)

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  11. I'm very sorry for your loss and of course this weekend I will lift a glass. Regards from Spain.

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  12. My heartfelt condolences, Alastair. ❤️

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  13. Başınız Sağolsun. Sincerest condolences.

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  14. Terribly sorry to hear this, Alastair. I'll lift a glass for her tonight.

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  15. I'm so sorry to hear.

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  16. Vale to your mum. Deepest condolences.

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  17. I lift a glass to her. I had a great mom too.

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  18. She was a true gift to all of us, if she encouraged you to write your wonderful novels. So sorry for your loss.

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  19. My sympathies for your loss Alastair.

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  20. Very sorry for your loss Alastair, your mom was certainly a great person. I lost my mom two years ago and would certainly not have had a carrer in scientific research without her support. May she rest in piece and I certainly will raise a glass for your mom. Take care.

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  21. Dear all

    Your kind comments have been greatly appreciated by my family and me. Thank you very much.

    Al

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  22. Antonio Gutierrez24 January 2021 at 08:04

    Very sorry for your loss Mr Reynolds.
    I'll lift a glass for your mom tonight, as some of your novels have been a great inspiration to me

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  23. Your mom sounds like an amazing and very supportive woman, and I'm happy to raise a glass to her for encouraging you and giving the rest of us one of the greatest SF writers of modern times.

    I'm sorry you had to deal with her illness and grieve with the COVID restrictions. I lost my cousin to COVID during the first wave back in March and, likewise, his one and only goodbye to his wife and kids was via iPad before he was brought into the ICU and put on a ventilator.

    This virus is a bastard.

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  24. To your mother I lift a glass and say "job well done!"

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  25. My condolences to you.. (heartfelt "medeleven" in Dutch)

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  26. I’m so sorry to hear this. Sending my sincerest condolences. Losing a parent in “normal” circumstances is awful, but my heart really goes out to anyone going through it in these current circumstances. Raising a glass to your wonderful Mum.

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  27. A belated toast to your Mum Al, been a while since I visited here, so missed this sad news. Never easy losing a parent whatever the circumstances, and particularly in this dystopia.

    Chris

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  28. My conddolences, Alastair. We all should be glad that she was so supportive of you at the start of your career. That's what the good mums do, and some dads as well, as both of mine did.

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  29. My late condolences to You and to Your whole family!

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  30. I'm really sorry to hear this, especially with the extra stress of COVID19. You've written some of the best sci-fi I've ever read, so now I'll think of her whenever I read your works. Take care,

    Skylar

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  31. Dear Alastair. I am very sorry to hear about your loss, you will be in my thoughts and in my prayers. Perhaps you will decide to immortalise your mum in some of your future writings. Take care. Dan

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