Anne McCaffrey passed away Monday night in her home from what is reported as a 'massive stroke'. She was 85 years of age.

The creative force behind the Dragonriders of Pern fantasy series and The Ship Who Sang, McCaffrey was the first woman to be awarded a Hugo Award, and to receive the Nebula.

McCaffrey was also the first author to reach the New York Times Bestseller's List with a Sci-Fi title (The White Dragon). She published nearly 100 books, mainly fiction, beginning in 1967.

A remarkable author, McCaffrey prided herself on interaction with her fans. Up until a few weeks ago, she was still answering readers' mail on her website. She was also a frequent face at many sci-fi and fantasy conventions, often invited as the guest of honor.

R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey, 1926 – 2011

If you're a fan of Anne McCaffrey's "Pern" series you'll be pleased to know that her latest Pern saga, Skies of Pern, has been released by Ballantine Books. If you have cable and get the Sci-Fi network you may have seen some of the commercials airing for it.

Ronald D. Moore--who recently received the go-ahead from The WB for a series based on the Dragonriders of Pern novel series--told SCI FI Wire that he hopes to remain faithful to Anne McCaffrey's books, with some concessions to TV. "The show will be an interpretation of Anne's books, my take on Anne's world," Moore said in an interview. "It's how I see it successfully moving into television."