Pay out where former author died (6)
I believe the answer is:
expend
'pay out' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'former author died' is the wordplay.
'former' becomes 'ex' (prefix meaning former or onetime).
'author' becomes 'pen' (to pen something is to author it).
'died' becomes 'd' (abbreviation next to the year of someone's death).
'ex'+'pen'+'d'='EXPEND'
'where' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for expend that I've seen before include "Use up or disburse" , "Pay out money" , "Lay out, disburse" , "Spend or use up" , "Use up (resources)" .)