Obits

Pulitzer Prize winning writer and cartoonist Jules Feiffer, 95, died on January 17 of congestive heart failure. His comic strip “Feiffer” originally appeared in the Village Voice starting in 1956, and eventually ran in 100 papers. Feiffer won a Pulitzer in 1986. He went on to illustrate the classic edition of The Phantom Tollbooth, among many other works. Karen Solem, former editor, literary agent, and founder of Spencerhill Associates, died on January 19. Solem was “a trailblazer who paved the way for female editors” and published Nora Roberts’  first 100 books, while also playing “a key role in launching the […]

Co-founder of literary agency Kneerim and Williams (which now operates as Calligraph) John Taylor Williams, known as Ike, died on December 26, 2024 at home in Cambridge, MA at age 86, surrounded by family. A lawyer by training, Williams represented publishing clients and literary rights at the Boston firm Palmer and Dodge before founding Kneerim and Williams with Jill Kneerim in 1990. The Provincetown Independent writes, “Ike possessed what used to be called charisma. When he walked into a restaurant, heads turned as if there were an invisible spotlight on him, even if most in the room had no idea […]

Southern cookbook author Nathalie Dupree, 85, died on Monday in Raleigh, NC. Dupree was the author of 15 cookbooks and hosted, including New Southern Cooking, and hosted more than 300 television episodes.

Hungarian literary agent Peter Bolza, 63, died on January 11 of “a very rapid and serious illness,” according to his wife, Ágnes Füle. Founded in 1995, Kátai & Bolza is the largest literary agency in Hungary.

Andrew Pyper, 56, thriller writer and author of Lost Girls, died on January 4 of complications from cancer. He was also the author of The Demonologist, The Damned, The Only Child, and more.

Our community lost another generous and innovative stalwart, as bestselling author, independent publisher, book marketer and tireless author advocate and friend M. J. Rose (Melisse Shapiro) died suddenly and unexpectedly on Wednesday. Rose wrote 21 books, including The Reincarnationist, which was adapted into a TV show. She was also a co-founder of International Thriller Writers; founded and ran book marketing service AuthorBuzz.com; and was a co-founder with Liz Berry (later joined by business partner Jillian Stein) of 1001 Dark Nights and its imprint Blue Box Press. Shapiro helped countless authors promote their books, develop their careers, and navigate the mysteries […]