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Tributes pour in for Kate Jones

04.02.08 Alison Flood

Tributes for literary agent Kate Jones have been pouring in to thebookseller.com since she died on Friday. Jones joined ICM (International Creative Management) in 2003 to open its London office and handle UK publishing rights. News of her death was announced on Friday afternoon by ICM's foreign rights director Margaret Halton.

Writing at thebookseller.com, a range of authors and former colleagues paid tribute to Jones. "I knew Kate when I was a manuscript reader and unsuccessful prospective author at Macmillan," wrote Ian Florance. "Her way of pointing out the shortcomings of tyro works was wonderfully warm but sharp. Her laughter at a good book report was infectious. And her instinct for kitsch religious postcards sent from faraway places was magnifiucent. What sad news."

Chris Humphreys wrote: "Kate was my agent for the last five years. Half of what I've written is down to her. She was a personal manager in the truest sense of the word-a guide with the lightest touch, most brilliant eye and a laugh you'd crave to hear. I will miss her sorely as both friend and mentor."

Peter Benson added: "Kate picked my first novel out of a slush pile in 1986 when she was working as Tessa Sayle's assistant. She then went on to work as my editor at Macmillan and although we both moved onto other publishers, she remained a close friend and confidant. Funny, wise and always ready for a juicy gossip, Kate will be missed so much. This is the saddest news."

An obituary in The Bookseller will follow later this week.

Tributes for Kate Jones

Kate Jones

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