BILL MANHIRE PAYS TRIBUTE TO HEATHER MCKENZIE

Heather McKenzie

Everyone we know was shocked and distressed to hear of the sudden death, just a few days ago, of Heather McKenzie.
Heather was Publicity Director at Victoria University Press. She was only 44. We knew her well because many of us at the IIML, staff and students, enjoyed her personal and professional support. She became our very good friend.
She was warm and generous and positive. She took our books to the world, talked them up, and at the same time poured us a drink. She had the gift of making us feel proud of what we had written – even those of us whose dearest hope was to publish a book that might, on some far distant day, just about break even.
Heather had a rich background in books: over the years she worked in retail, in distribution, and in publishing. Whichever angle you look at our book world from, you will see Heather McKenzie somewhere near the heart of it.
Our deep sympathy especially to her partner Neil; to her family; and to Craig and Fergus and Kyleigh, her friends and colleagues at VUP.

First published in the Newsletter from the Victoria University centre of the International Institute of Modern Letters