I don’t write about contemporary authors often, but today I have to. Terry Pratchett has died. I never knew him personally. I never even had the chance to meet him at a signing, and I’ll regret that. To those who did know and love him, I want to say how sorry I am for your loss.

Terry Pratchett’s work meant the world to me. His novels were a professional inspiration and a personal solace. If I was sick, or feeling down, or something terrible had happened to me, I could always open a Terry Pra...