[neb52]

I believe Rigney is his real name, but he is most known for by his pen name Robert Jordan. He is also a Veteran of Vietnam. A good guy, a little odd.

I wonder if this is what might be causing him to be slow to release new books of his WOT series?

[The Game Hen]

Doug, I guess you wouldn't think my Father was "worthy" of a thread. Here it is: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1190929/posts
Over a year ago he died from this same disease. Quite a few veterans have been stricken too. I believe it's not so much rare as rarely diagnosed in time for treatment if ever.
I might be Mr. Rigney/Jordan's biggest fan who never read a single word of his. I'm so grateful for his efforts to raise awareness of this awful disease.

[The Game Hen]

Charleston novelist James Oliver Rigney Jr., 58, known to millions of readers by the pen name Robert Jordan, the best-selling author of “The Wheel of Time” fantasy series, died Sunday after a fight with the rare blood disease amyloidosis, a progressive disorder first diagnosed in December 2005 at the Medical University of South Carolina.

http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/sep/17/robert_jordan_dies_at_age16247/