Dear friends of EDF,
We have been grieving for and will forever miss editor Rosalie Kempthorne, who sadly passed away due to cancer in July. Rosalie was a critical part of EDF for many years, first as an author from 2015 to 2019, then she joined our team as a slush reader and went on to become an editorial assistant and then editor.
From editor J.C. Towler:
From the jump, I knew Rosalie was someone special. Speaking of her as a fellow editor, it is easy to spot the good stories that come to EDF, but Rosalie had a keen eye for potential: finding those stories that just needed a little tweak or polish in order to be publishable. She worked with authors new and old to improve any aspect of their story that was lacking, be it some plot hole or simply a sentence that didn’t ring true.
As a person, Rosalie was one of those rare individuals who was always a pleasure to interact with. While I never had the chance to meeting her in person, we shared plenty of correspondence and other communication to the point I felt I had a good understanding of her. Rosalie was perpetually decent and kind and in any given cloud she could always find some silver lining. To her friends, family and those who she touched in ways large and small, I hope the good memories of Rosalie will soon eclipse the sadness we are all feeling now. Peace.
From editor Joseph Kaufman:
After hearing this terrible news, I went to the EDF site and looked Rosalie up. Somehow I had forgotten that we’d been doubly blessed by her passion and talent: first as an author, then as an Editor. Her story “Stan” caught my eye, and I felt I still knew the gist of it. As I read it, I realized I did indeed remember it, and before I was halfway done I recalled what the final line was going to be. I don’t really have the words to describe how astonishing that sort of writing is, to be so memorable all these years later. She is now, and always will be, missed.
I can only add that Rosalie was a powerhouse when others flagged, she was constantly encouraging, she did more than her share of work and was unfailingly considerate and thoughtful in her editorial comments. I’ve been a bit lost without her, to be honest. I know she would want us to go on with the magazine, so here we are. It’s Every Day Fiction’s birthday, so let’s get up off the ground and go on.
The best way to remember an author is through the stories left behind. May I encourage you to read Rosalie Kempthorne’s stories and remember her that way?
Our deepest condolences go out to her loved ones. Our loss is nothing to theirs.
Camille Gooderham Campbell
Managing Editor
