Mourning the Loss of Kate Duffy
It is with great sadness that I bring you the news that a dear friend and colleague, Kensington editor Kate Duffy, 57, passed away suddenly on September 27 after a serious illness.
Kate worked in publishing for more than 30 years. Few know that she began her career in the trenches as a lowly assistant at Warner’s Popular Library imprint. She then advanced her editorial career as founding editor of Silhouette Books (which originated at Simon & Schuster and later became part of Harlequin). After a stint at Pinnacle Books, she moved to Pocket Books, where she discovered Judith McNaught’s classic Whitney, My Love, and worked with many of today’s bestselling authors, including Heather Graham, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux and Mary Jo Putney. After Pocket she went to London, England, and joined Paddington Press as a senior editor.
Returning to New York, she signed on as editor-in-chief of two startups: Meteor Publishing and Tudor Publishing, founded by Ron Busch (formerly of Simon & Schuster). She was instrumental in getting both companies off the ground and edited many diamonds in the rough, including Marilyn Campbell, Sharon Sala, Lacey Dancer (aka Sara Chance, Sherry Carr and Sydney Ann Clary), Suzanne Brockmann and Patricia Hagan, to name a few.
For the past 10 years, she was an editorial director at Kensington Publishing, where she established the Brava imprint. She was much loved by company founder Walter Zacharius and the entire Kensington family. She had an illustrious professional career to be sure, but what Kate will always be remembered for is her sharp wit, dry sense of humor, her huge heart and her genuine love for the books and authors.
Bertrice Small sent in this note that sums up the Kate we all knew and loved: “Kate Duffy was a legend in the world of romance novels. Those of us who were fortunate to work with her knew what a wonderful editor she was. She had a large Irish heart, and a dry Irish sense of humor. ‘Why on earth,’ I once asked in her presence, ‘would RWA hold their conference in Florida in August?’ ‘Purgatory was booked,’ Kate riposted back sharply. Romance has lost a great lady, and a wonderful friend.”
We will have a special tribute to Kate from friends and colleagues in the next issue of RT. Those of you who would like to share your thoughts can send them to Carol Stacy at CStacy@RTBookReviews.com. Tributes will appear in the magazine or on the website.
The wake will be in New York today at Frank Campbell Funeral Home
Wednesday, September 30
Vistation
3:00-6:00 pm
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Frank E. Campbell
1076 Madison Ave (at 81st Street)
NY, NY 212-288-3500
Kate worked in publishing for more than 30 years. Few know that she began her career in the trenches as a lowly assistant at Warner’s Popular Library imprint. She then advanced her editorial career as founding editor of Silhouette Books (which originated at Simon & Schuster and later became part of Harlequin). After a stint at Pinnacle Books, she moved to Pocket Books, where she discovered Judith McNaught’s classic Whitney, My Love, and worked with many of today’s bestselling authors, including Heather Graham, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux and Mary Jo Putney. After Pocket she went to London, England, and joined Paddington Press as a senior editor.
Returning to New York, she signed on as editor-in-chief of two startups: Meteor Publishing and Tudor Publishing, founded by Ron Busch (formerly of Simon & Schuster). She was instrumental in getting both companies off the ground and edited many diamonds in the rough, including Marilyn Campbell, Sharon Sala, Lacey Dancer (aka Sara Chance, Sherry Carr and Sydney Ann Clary), Suzanne Brockmann and Patricia Hagan, to name a few.
For the past 10 years, she was an editorial director at Kensington Publishing, where she established the Brava imprint. She was much loved by company founder Walter Zacharius and the entire Kensington family. She had an illustrious professional career to be sure, but what Kate will always be remembered for is her sharp wit, dry sense of humor, her huge heart and her genuine love for the books and authors.
Bertrice Small sent in this note that sums up the Kate we all knew and loved: “Kate Duffy was a legend in the world of romance novels. Those of us who were fortunate to work with her knew what a wonderful editor she was. She had a large Irish heart, and a dry Irish sense of humor. ‘Why on earth,’ I once asked in her presence, ‘would RWA hold their conference in Florida in August?’ ‘Purgatory was booked,’ Kate riposted back sharply. Romance has lost a great lady, and a wonderful friend.”
We will have a special tribute to Kate from friends and colleagues in the next issue of RT. Those of you who would like to share your thoughts can send them to Carol Stacy at CStacy@RTBookReviews.com. Tributes will appear in the magazine or on the website.
The wake will be in New York today at Frank Campbell Funeral Home
Wednesday, September 30
Vistation
3:00-6:00 pm
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Frank E. Campbell
1076 Madison Ave (at 81st Street)
NY, NY 212-288-3500
posted at 9:30 AM
3 Comments:
Kate was a straight shooter, who shot from the hip, and didn't let the gunsmoke drift up your skirt. She was always open to talk to writers at conferences, answer questions and was quick to give it to you in plain talk. I'll miss her.
C. J. Parker
Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of working with Kate but our paths crossed from time to time at different conferences. I always thought of her as a larger than life individual, always friendly, always funny. Romance lost a true treasure.
Oh, how this news saddens me. I loved Kate's personality! That sharp wit of hers never failed to make me laugh. I had the pleasure of working with her and had hoped to again one day. At the RT convention in Pittsburgh, she regaled me and others with some hilarious stories of publishing in the 80s--some of the crazy stuff that would happen at BEA. Kate was truly a legend in romance publishing and I already miss her. I'm sure the whole romance community does!
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