This Star Won't Go Out

“In my experience, in times of need, every bit helps. Although I don’t have much, I still would like to donate $5 to the Friends of Esther Fund. Esther was an inspiration to many. And no matter what adversity she was faced with, she always maintained a happy outlook on life. She never forgot to be awesome. She will be remembered forever.”


This was the start of the foundation our family began in Esther’s memory, named This Star Won’t Go Out, after our own Star. TSWGO is committed to helping relieve the financial hardship associated with expenses related to caring for a child with cancer. It also has the mandate to give monies toward “other projects Esther would have approved of.” A large portion of the donations have come through the purchase of the bracelets originally designed for Esther’s Make-A-Wish event, and distributed by DFTBA Records. In addition, dozens of individuals and groups of young people have held amazingly creative fundraisers for TSWGO—shaving their heads, selling art projects, walking around walls and running races, writing and performing songs sold online, rocking in chairs all night long, and so many more! One twenty-year-old in Germany even set up five thousand dominoes, that, when released, illuminated a beautiful picture of Esther. Two and a half years after it began, TSWGO had given away over $130,000 to help more than sixty different families, which, her friends and family agree, would have made Esther very happy.



Lori Earl, TSWGO event,

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2013





Following is a sampling of ORIGINAL FICTION Esther wrote between 2007 and 2010. These pieces are all unfinished, the seeds of new ideas. They are rough—first drafts—and in them it is possible to see how Esther was exploring, experimenting, and starting to find her voice as a young writer. Edited for length and basic grammar, these are otherwise unchanged, as Esther left them—in progress.





Anderaddon [fantasy]

April 10th-May 1st, 2007


OVER IN THE FAR WEST of Ander Forest is a huge rock shaped like a mountain. It is called Anderaddon, a kingdom known for many, many miles for its great strength, wisdom, kindness and mixed creatures. Anderaddon is the only known ville to the country of Topalville that has hedgehogs, porcupines, mice, the spare (vegetarian) cats, and its original inhabitants, ebitillies and ebitties. Ebitillies are young, fur covered things: cousins of hedgehogs and porcupines, they’re said to be, since they resemble them much, though are better mannered.

Ebitties are as well citizens of the same name though are much more similar to beavers. They have striped bodies, big teeth, a mighty, spotted tail, and are the strongest creatures next to badgers. Ebitties have ruled the kingdom of Anderaddon for more than 500 years.

Wiping dust off his glasses, Docknel the king slowly raised himself from his chair, onto his two, frail old legs. Two young ebitilly servants, Pobby and Fandiliny, rushed to help him up, but the old ebitty pushed them aside. The finishing of his scrolls was definitely making him feel quite strong-as though he was young again. He smiled to himself, letting out an audible chuckle. Pobby heard it and wondered clearly what the old man was thinking about.

“Sire,” asked he, hoping to sound more sure of himself than he was, “’tis only a truly drole thing that thee laughs at. Might’nt thee share what ’tis?”

“Why certainly, young fellow,” said Docknel, inwardly smiling at the young one’s nervousness. “I was thinking of the thought of being young again, trying to remember what I looked like, running around in the old days. . . Though all I saw was a young lad running around with spectacles and a wooden cane, scoffing people!”

Pobby chuckled appreciatively to this-but Fandiliny hadn’t heard any which part. She was wondering with might what was written in the five scrolls Docknel held.

“King sire,” Fandiliny said, with the not even the faintest sign of hesitation, “’tis impolite if one was t’be a’askin’ thee what ’tis in thy scrolls?”

Pobby nudged her, nodding up and down. “Aye m’gel, ’tis the most impolite askin’ one did ever hear! The king’s business is his own!”

The three slowly descend the stairs, taking care not to go too fast for Docknel, for, if they did, Docknel was sure to get lost because of his bad eyes. The king didn’t feel the need to tell them he knew the way around his kingdom by his other senses as well as sight. He figured it would be rude, and, if people knew this, not many of the younger ones would go with him down the stairs, and he liked the company of them. “But!” Fandiliny was not going to give up that quickly! Besides, her curiosity wouldn’t let her. “S-sire, one loves the scrolls thou hast written of stories thou hast learned over the seasons and histories thou hast heard . . . Mightn’t thy scrolls be something similar to this?”

Hiding a smile, Docknel shook his head, sighing, “Thou hast read all of them? Ma’am, you’ll learn of my scrolls maybe a little later. Right now we must talk of something else. Are you two looking forward to the festival this evening?”

Their eyes shone with happiness, both speaking of what they loved that was happening in a few short minutes.