My favorite author was Octavia Butler. Waiting years between books. Her "Parable" series that began in 1992 is about a disaster in my area, Southern California when there is no help and people become refugees.
Much like what happened in Louisiana last year and continues.
http://www.powells.com/s?kw=Octavia+Butler&x=38&y=10
It was years before her latest "Fledgling", a vampire fantasy, came out this year.
Here is one of her essays -
http://www.npr.org/programs/specials...tleressay.html
She died last month from a head injury after slipping in front of her home in the rain. What I miss most is the books she would have written if she had lived.
I really like Vonda Ms Intyre too:
http://www.sff.net/people/Vonda/
Isaac Asimov is my all time favorite. He was so prolific I doubt anyone has read all he published.