Martin Palmer, a publishing sales director who spent 18 years at HarperCollins before setting up his own company, has died. He was 68. The Bookseller reported that Palmer had senior sales roles with HarperCollins before moving to the History Press, where he was group sales and marketing director. He also worked as sales and marketing director at Constable & Robinson. In 2014, he formed Martin Palmer Publishing Services Ltd., representing a wide range of independent publishers.
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"Martin was a kindhearted, dedicated and supremely valued part of the publishing landscape for many years," said Katherine Rhodes, head of sales and operations at MPPS. "His mischievous humor and warmly infectious personality meant that he was loved across all facets of the trade, and news of his passing leaves us all deeply saddened. Those of us who knew Martin well will struggle to fill the void left in our lives by his death, and I will lament the loss of my dear friend, colleague and one of the true gentlemen of publishing. My thoughts go to his family and friends at this difficult time."
Bridget Shine, CEO of the Independent Publishers Guild, commented: "We were desperately sorry to hear of Martin's death. He was a warm and generous man who helped so many IPG members over the years. Martin was right at the heart of the growth of The History Press and Constable & Robinson and put his sales skills to great use for a remarkable variety of independent publishers since starting his own agency. His retail knowledge and contacts were second-to-none. Martin was a consummate publishing pro and a friendly face at IPG events. We will miss him very much and our thoughts are with his family, colleagues and friends."
Jack Jewers, managing director of Moonflower Books, added: "In the world of indie publishing, Martin was like everyone's favorite uncle. He was as patient and kind as he was knowledgeable--and he knew everything there was to know about selling books. To say he will be missed is an understatement."