The Literary World Mourns Author Helen Dunmore

Last night the sad news reached us that author and poet Helen Dunmore has died of cancer, aged 64. Born in the Yorkshire town of Beverley in 1952, Dunmore wrote novels, poetry, books for children, short stories and translations and was much loved for her writing.

The author was the first winner of the Orange prize for women’s fiction back in 1996 for her novel A Spell of Winter (US – UK). Her latest novel Birdcage Walk (US – UK) was published in March, it was while writing that she was diagnosed with cancer and during her illness wrote movingly about illness earlier this year in the Guardian stating

“The ground beneath my feet has never been more uncertain, but what is sure is… there is no vagueness about my mortality. I may be ill but I’m also warm and sheltered, surrounded by family and friends.”

When the news broke last night many authors, publishers and other figures in the literary world took to Twitter to show their respects. Here are some of their thoughts.