Kim Ricketts
1957-2011
A light went out this week in the publishing world. My dear friend, colleague, book seller extraordinaire Kim Ricketts has passed away. We met in this business when introduced by the wonderful London King of Random House.
The year was probably 2003 and she was getting started with her corporate clients and I was under way with my work with the USGOV.. We clicked instantly; we had a lot in common – a life long love of books and new ideas, children about the same age and we both lived in Washington – albeit Seattle and DC. It seemed a friendship that was meant to be.
Kim was immensely generous with her time and ideas; she was open and warm and funny and smart. Her energy level was extraordinary; she made me feel asleep at the wheel whenever we were together.
We had just started talking about the possibilities of working more closely – perhaps merging some sales and attacking the digital tsunami together; we fantasized about marching into Amazon and figuring out a way to work with them; then she got sick.
She faced her cancer with the same gusto that she approached everything in her life, her work and her family. She was smart and realistic about what was coming and she was prepared. Kim sold her beloved business (www.kimricketts.com) but did not skip a beat. But in the end it was her big heart that finally just gave out. Kim was loved by many (just check her Facebook page) and even though she is already sorely missed, she will not be forgotten for her spunk and charm and an amazing ability to sell books.
