Stop All the Clocks
I've been back and forth on whether or not I should make this post since yesterday. I didn't know her well, but she left such a mark on the Harry Potter fandom and much of the LiveJournal community that it only seems right to say a few much-less-than-good-enough words about simons_flower.
I saw simons_flower around often over the last few years, mostly at the harry_and_ron community. The first time we talked, though, was in 2007 when I was lucky enough to get her as my Secret Santa at bestmates_xmas. She wrote a lovely fic for me called "Stop All the Clocks" which can be found here, if you're interested. (You can also find an archive of her writing at her fic journal, fics_by_flower if you're interested. And you should be, if I may say so. She was a wonderful writer) Of course I was thrilled to have such a great author as my Secret Santa and happy to thank her gratuitously for the wonderful gift fic she wrote. After that, I read some more of her work and we chatted in comments here and there. But I fell out of most of Harry Potter fandom shortly after (too consumed by a new fandom, sadly) and a friendship never developed.
Still, I feel a sense of loss. I know she meant a great deal to a great many people, some of whom mean a great deal to me. And I know the Harry Potter community will never be the same. My condolences go out to her friends and family and they will be in my prayers for a very long time. There is no rhyme or reason for something like this and it's a horrible thing to have to live with. People always seem to go out of our lives more suddenly and with much more force than they came in. I can only hope that when the dust settles, despite what a blow this has been, her friends and family are able to smile and revel in the joy of having known her.
It is an eerie thing now to look back on the story she wrote for me. Strange as I am, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for character death (when it's not a major character) in fic. She is one of the first people ever to write for me who embraced that. In the story, Harry and Ron lose someone close to them and they grieve together. Hermione recites a bit of a poem by W.H. Auden called "Funeral Blues." I thought, perhaps, it might be somewhat fitting to post that bit here now, for simons_flower.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods
For nothing now can ever come to any good
Thank you, simons_flower, for sharing your beautiful work with me and all of fandom, for being so special to so many people, and for leaving us all better than we were before we knew you.
To her close friends here on LJ, you have my sympathies, my condolences, and my support. We may not all have traveled in the same circles, but we are all connected because we were touched by her. If any of you need anything, if there is anything I can do, please let me know. If you just want a shoulder or a compassionate ear, you have mine.
Rest in peace, simons_flower. You will surely be missed.
(If you have memories or thoughts you'd like to share with her friends and family, there is a memorial community created, flowers4trisha, which can be found here.)
I saw simons_flower around often over the last few years, mostly at the harry_and_ron community. The first time we talked, though, was in 2007 when I was lucky enough to get her as my Secret Santa at bestmates_xmas. She wrote a lovely fic for me called "Stop All the Clocks" which can be found here, if you're interested. (You can also find an archive of her writing at her fic journal, fics_by_flower if you're interested. And you should be, if I may say so. She was a wonderful writer) Of course I was thrilled to have such a great author as my Secret Santa and happy to thank her gratuitously for the wonderful gift fic she wrote. After that, I read some more of her work and we chatted in comments here and there. But I fell out of most of Harry Potter fandom shortly after (too consumed by a new fandom, sadly) and a friendship never developed.
Still, I feel a sense of loss. I know she meant a great deal to a great many people, some of whom mean a great deal to me. And I know the Harry Potter community will never be the same. My condolences go out to her friends and family and they will be in my prayers for a very long time. There is no rhyme or reason for something like this and it's a horrible thing to have to live with. People always seem to go out of our lives more suddenly and with much more force than they came in. I can only hope that when the dust settles, despite what a blow this has been, her friends and family are able to smile and revel in the joy of having known her.
It is an eerie thing now to look back on the story she wrote for me. Strange as I am, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for character death (when it's not a major character) in fic. She is one of the first people ever to write for me who embraced that. In the story, Harry and Ron lose someone close to them and they grieve together. Hermione recites a bit of a poem by W.H. Auden called "Funeral Blues." I thought, perhaps, it might be somewhat fitting to post that bit here now, for simons_flower.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods
For nothing now can ever come to any good
Thank you, simons_flower, for sharing your beautiful work with me and all of fandom, for being so special to so many people, and for leaving us all better than we were before we knew you.
To her close friends here on LJ, you have my sympathies, my condolences, and my support. We may not all have traveled in the same circles, but we are all connected because we were touched by her. If any of you need anything, if there is anything I can do, please let me know. If you just want a shoulder or a compassionate ear, you have mine.
Rest in peace, simons_flower. You will surely be missed.
(If you have memories or thoughts you'd like to share with her friends and family, there is a memorial community created, flowers4trisha, which can be found here.)