I know this is a rather morbid topic, but I don't think any booksellers can deny that there seems to be an association between the death of an author and the subsequent demand for their books.
I think it might be helpful if we, as booksellers, inform each other of the deaths of any authors that may have flown under the radar.
You would think, given the rampant and ubiquitous social media transmitting all sorts of information, that any author's death, no matter how obscure, would not be overlooked, but I was recently shocked to discover that Theodore Hesburgh, longtime president of Notre Dame University and author of several books, passed away on February 26 at the the age of 97.
Knowing his advanced age, I had been holding onto a book signed by him. Yet, although I consider myself a fairly avid news consumer, I didn't learn of his passing until less than a week ago and that was only when I happened to flip through a month-old Catholic newspaper and saw a story about it.
I promptly listed the book, albeit about a month later than the ideal time, and fortunately got a bid on it.
However, I think it might be helpful to use this thread to inform each other of the passing of any authors. Not everyone garners the level of attention of Tom Clancy.
