The literary world is reeling today from news that Scottish author Ian Banks has been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the gall bladder and has just months to live.
The author of The Wasp Factory, The Crow Road and the Culture series released a statement on his personal website, where he plans to chart his progress over the coming months. A guestbook has also been opened on the site so that fans and well-wishers might leave their comments.
In his statement Banks announces that his latest novel – ‘The Quarry‘ – will be his last, and that he will be clearing his schedule of all public appearances in order to focus on spending his time with newly married wife, Adele.
A familiar name in both fiction and science fiction – where he writes under the name Ian M. Banks – the 59 year old has asked his publishers to bring forward the release date of The Quarry in order to increase his chances of seeing it appear on shelves.
Messages of support and sadness have begun to appear across twitter, facebook and the guestbook on Banks’ site.
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