Random House Publishing Group president and publisher Gina Centrello announced to staff Monday morning that Random House publisher Susan Kamil, 69, died on Sunday “from a sudden illness…after complications from lung cancer.” Centrello wrote: “Her loss is shattering in so many ways. Susan was a brilliant editor, who guided her beloved authors through the creative process with the greatest insight, energy, and care. As a gifted publisher for the Random House lists, her leadership and generosity of spirit has had a profound and far-reaching impact. Above all, she was a deeply committed, endlessly supportive colleague to all of us—our unwavering, passionate champion. Please forgive me if further words fail me at this time, other than to speak for us all in saying I will miss her dearly.” Memorial details will be announced soon.
Kamil began her book-publishing career in the children’s division at Macmillan under Janet Schulman. She moved from rights to editorial in 1991, serving as executive editor for Joni Evans’ Turtle Bay imprint at Random House in 1991. She went on to revive and lead Dial Press imprint, and joined Random House as editor-in-chief in 2008. Among the Random House and Dial Press authors she edited personally are Salman Rushdie, Sting, Elizabeth Strout, Annie Barrows, Sophie Kinsella, and Ruth Reichl.