It’s been a rough week for publishing.
Although sometimes it feels like everyone and their brother is in publishing, the truth is that it’s a small community. Most everyone knows most everyone else. Every loss is felt keenly.
Lou Harper of Cover Affairs was a cover designer whose work appeared on thousands of novels. She was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; after a short time in hospice, she passed away.
An associate of Lou’s made a statement on Facebook.
She worked with a lot of my friends, who praised her professionalism, kindness, and consistency. What a huge loss.
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We also lost MJ Rose, one of the founders of 1001 Dark Nights.
From her Publisher’s Weekly obituary:
Melisse Shapiro, also known as M.J. Rose, an early self-publishing advocate as well as bestselling author, died unexpectedly on December 10 while in Florida visiting her father. She was 71.
[…] Liz Berry remembered Rose best for being “innovative, and brave, and fierce, and an icon. She will be sorely missed.” Jillian Stein also said her partner will be missed. “M.J. was a force of nature both in the industry and out,” Stein said. “She was both bold and tender hearted and she was always happy to share her experiences and use what she’s learned in her long career to help anyone who asked. The amount of people she’s touched over the years is incredible.”
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Author Jana DeLeon also tragically, unexpectedly lost her husband this week.
As posted publicly to her Facebook profile:
There’s no real comfort to offer when such tragedy strikes, but I know that so many of us are thinking of her family.
Again, publishing is such a small community. Losses like these hit so hard.
Please keep everyone in your thoughts through these difficult times.
