For those like me who find stuff out late or not at all: Jack Vance, "one of the two or three most deeply influential authors in the sf and fantasy genres after World War Two", has died: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2013/05/jack-vance-1916-2013/ SKZB has finished the first draft of _Hawk_: http://dreamcafe.com/2013/05/21/writing-update/