In Memory of Kate Duffy
by sue on Sep.28, 2009, under Book Chat
It is hard to say goodbye to good friends and that is what Kate was to many of us. The first time I met Kate I wasn’t sure if she liked me or not — in fact, this bothered me so much that I asked a friend if she thought Kate disliked me.
Kathy answered in that Texas kind of way, ‘why no girl, that’s how Kate talks to everyone . . she really likes you!’
From that day on I knew Kate & I came from similar spirits — that direct, no nonsense kind of approach — man could we dish it!
Kate was a great editor. She was savvy in her business & loved to figure out how to do things better. I enjoyed her visits to Ann Arbor where we would sit & review covers & concepts, & chat with a ‘B’ (ya know, B-chat) back & forth about who’s right — it was sooooooooooo much fun!
I know we all have great stories about Kate — what we enjoyed about her, what we’ve learned from her & what we’ll miss about her. Join us this Sunday, while Jane, Sarah & I reminisce about the Kate Duffy we know & love.
Please forward comments you would like us to post &, or short funny stories you would like to mention. Above all, please stop by to say hello & to help us remember Kate & all the good times we had.
God’s Peace Kate — Sue, Jane & Sarah
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September 29th, 2009 on 11:24 am[...] Sue from Borders: Kate & I came from similar spirits — that direct, no nonsense kind of approach — man could we dish it! [...]
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Nice Mommy~Evil Editor » Blog Archive » In memory of Kate.
September 29th, 2009 on 10:47 am[...] mark on the romance industry and the people in it. Reading the tributes and memories of her left in various places, it’s clear that she did something amazing. She touched peoples’ lives in a number of [...]
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September 28th, 2009 on 6:42 pm[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Eve Silver. Eve Silver said: RT .@SueGrimshaw In Memory of Kate Duffy: It is hard 2 say goodbye 2 good friends & that is what Kate was 2 many of us http://bit.ly/3Ak2a3 [...]
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About Sue & Borders True Romance Blog
Sue G - Borders True Romance Host - Borders Romance Buyer, reads romance. For her JOB. No, really. You can email Sue at sgrimshaw at bordersgroupinc dot com.
Borders True Romance Blog is a community, developed for you, the romance reader, to find out more about the books you love; the authors who write them & where to buy them :) Borders.com
Previously published as Wishes No Matter How Fast You Run. . .The newborn baby boy is beautiful, perfect, and hers for the asking. All Kate Summers has to do is agree to one condition--she must disappear from Boston and never breathe a word about the adoption to anyone. Or How Far You Go. . .Fifteen years later, Kate has built a good life for herself and her son, Jon, in Hopewell, Oregon. Still, she is haunted by the fear that he will somehow be taken away. Then Daegan O'Rourke arrives in town and strikes up a friendship with her and Jon. But Daegan has his own past to hide--one with shocking ties to hers. A Killer Will Always Find You. . .Someone is watching Kate, watching her son, and is willing to go to any lengths to claim him. And the one man Kate is tempted to trust has dangerous secrets that could change her world forever. Soon the past Kate thought she could outrun will explode, unearthing a legacy of lies and treachery, and a fury powerful enough to kill. . .
Friend Feed
September 30th, 2009 on 10:03 am
I was fortunate enough to work with Kate at Kensington for a few years. I relished our mornings discussing books. She was one of a kind and will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace, Kate. I hope there’s Diet Coke and Lord Byron wherever you are. My tribute to the Great Kate: http://libba-bray.livejournal.com/
September 30th, 2009 on 8:52 am
I met Kate at breakfast with some friends at RT in St. Louis. Later
that day, I saw her sitting alone in the lobby, reading the sports
page. The Angels baseball team had just beaten the Yankees. I walked
up to her and asked if she was reading about the game, and mentioned
that I was glad the Angels won. She replied, “I’m glad, too. I’m
originally from Boston, and I’m a Red Soxs fan.” So, from then on,
whenever I saw her at a conference, we talked about baseball.
By all accounts, she was a great editor, who loved romance, and I
know she will be missed.
September 29th, 2009 on 7:27 pm
Kate, simply, defined what great editor means. Those of us who came to this industry for love of the books admired her, learned from her, and strove to emulate her. However, rather than ever hoping to follow in her footsteps, we just meandered alongside her trail, admiring the path she left for us to follow, grateful to just be headed in the same direction.
RIP Kate. Clare, my deepest sympathies to you and yours for your loss - my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Georgia
September 29th, 2009 on 1:27 pm
Kate was the first romance editor I ever met, and she was always the wittiest. Though I never worked with her directly, I always admired her taste and her straightforward approach to this business. She once told me her approach to editing was to first do no harm. I try to follow that advice.
I last saw Kate two years ago at BEA when she was handing out Brava books. “People like dirty books,” she said. “Who knew?”
She will be missed.
September 29th, 2009 on 12:51 pm
I was saddened to hear this news. I never had the opportunity to meet Kate, but she lives vividly in my mind through the wonderful stories I’ve heard from my colleagues in the publishing industry. You’ll be missed, Kate.
Tiffany James
September 29th, 2009 on 11:52 am
Kate bought my first two books. How lucky I was to meet her early on - 1991, I think. Even after I no longer worked with her, we remained friends, and tried to connect at conferences. It’s astonishing to me to think of how many writers she inspired. Is it even calculable? Not because her words were sunshine and lollipops, but because she spoke the truth about publishing and never, ever left out the passion.
September 29th, 2009 on 12:55 pm
Well said Jo — Kate never minced words & I appreciate that in a person.
September 29th, 2009 on 11:25 am
I met Kate in 2003 and new I’d found a treasure. Kate was very honest and would tell-it-like-it-is, but you knew she had a good heart and a true love of the romance genre.
She had a wonderful sense of humor and such enthusiasm for all things books and reading.
She will be missed and she will be remembered.
September 29th, 2009 on 10:56 am
I invited Kate to speak at RWA’s Librarian Day Event where she delighted the crowd with her wit and knowledge of the genre. She was truly one of a kind and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her. As others have said, she touched so many lives.
September 29th, 2009 on 10:20 am
Kate was my editor. She turned my little young adult novel into a series and changed my life.
I posted a blog about her yesterday sharing all of my memories, and I invite you to read it.
http://www.dianarodriguezwallach.com/blog/blog.html
She will be greatly missed.
-Diana
September 29th, 2009 on 10:14 am
I just missed the chance to work with her, having sent her an e-mail a few weeks ago. Everything I heard about her made her one of the people I wanted to work with in this industry. She seemed like such a wonderful fan of our genre and I’m so sorry that she’s gone.
September 29th, 2009 on 10:02 am
Kate bought my first two books. I remember being so incredibly discouraged after entering contests and submitting to publishers. She called late one afternoon and it felt like an out of body experience. I loved Kate’s wicked sense of humor, but I also loved her heart. She had a wonderful tenderness underneath it all. She was our champion and her impact will go on for a long time…
September 29th, 2009 on 9:54 am
I first met Kate at a RT conference, it was my first time doing editor appointments and I was really nervous. I was shown a table in the back room and thought I’d get to sit there by myself for the two hours since it was 1. the back room, and 2. I was from an ePublisher. To my surprise (and a little horror) Kate rolled in on a whirlwind and sat at the table next to mine. Seriously? My first time at this and I have to compete with THE Kate Duffy? Well, my fears were pointless, she was gracious, and welcoming, very interested in ebooks and just a pleasure to talk to. Each RT after she made a point to say hello. She will be missed.
September 29th, 2009 on 9:53 am
I loved Kate! She was funny, fabulous, and scarily smart. I cannot believe she is gone from us so soon. She bought my first book, years ago, for the Kismet line.
For Kate, it was “all about the book.” For me as an author, it was “all about Kate.” God, I will miss her!
RIP Kate
September 29th, 2009 on 9:23 am
I love how excited Kate could be over cover art. She would email me a file, then would call to tell me it was there, then wait on the line while I opened it to see what I thought. We didn’t always agree on the look, or on the writing, but there was no question that she loved every aspect of publishing a book.
She’s included in the dedication of my December 1st Brava release. It will be bittersweet to read.
September 29th, 2009 on 9:15 am
I met Kate a couple of times at a few RWA confernces but I never got the chance to work with her-came close once though. From the moment I joined RWA five years ago, Kate’s name was mentioned often as the one editor you wanted to work with. She knew the business and she knew her job. It was truly an honor to have met her and she will be missed by everyone in the romance industry.
Rest in peace, Kate.
September 29th, 2009 on 9:11 am
Kate Duffy bought my 2nd, 3rd and 4th books I ever sold. She gave “Karen Drogin” a voice and I’ll be forever grateful. RIP, Kate. You will be missed.
September 29th, 2009 on 8:31 am
Thank you so much for this, I’m Kate’s sister and for my family, reading all the comments from those who knew her in a professional capacity has helped us so much already…
Clare Duffy
September 29th, 2009 on 9:02 am
Hi Clare — I wish I resided in the NY vicinity for visitation — Kate will be remembered and thought of often in our community.
The posts are coming in fast & furiuos — many of us need to look back & remember all the fun we had.
Please send our condolences to your family,
Sue
February 5th, 2010 on 9:37 pm
Clare - with your Mom and the press she is getting - I went looking into GOGGLE.
I am heartsick for you all. My memories are of your entire family in Hingham and Notre Dame Academy. I spent many fun and happy days with Kate and Ben - and at your house on Main Street.
Kate would be so proud of your Mom !
My deepest sympathy to you all - with love Barbara Mansfield Wensberg
September 28th, 2009 on 7:47 pm
I wasn’t one of Kate’s authors, but I met her several times at conference, and loved her. Her straight forward business smarts, and wicked sense of humor one of a kind. She’ll be missed.
September 28th, 2009 on 6:53 pm
I first met Kate when she was the editorial director for Meteor Kismet, my first publisher. She was a true fan of romance novels and an advocate for our genre. She will be missed.
RIP, Kate.
Faye Hughes
September 28th, 2009 on 6:44 pm
I did not know Kate but what a wonderful legacy she must have left in the literary world. And how great to have such nice things said about you - we should all be so lucky when we leavt this earth.
RIP, Kate.
Pat L.