Bridgerton author Julia Quinn shares heartbreaking news.

In a message to Facebook on July 7th, the author announced that her father, Autor father Stephen Lewis Cotler, and her sister, a cartoonist Ariana Elise Cotler (aka Violet Charles) were killed in a car accident. They were 77 and 37 years old, respectively.

“I lost my father and sister,” wrote Quinn. “Because a catering company has not secured its cargo and canvas sacks have been spilled on the motorway. Because a pickup driver disliked driving while his blood alcohol level was almost three times the legal limit. I’ve lost my father and I don’t have my sister to mourn with. ”

Quinn revealed that she and her siblings had recently written a graphic novel dedicated to their father. “It will continue to be dedicated to our father,” she continued. “It won’t be a surprise anymore, but I’d like to think that he suspected we would. He knew us so well.