Kate Duffy, the beloved Kensington Books editorial director, passed away today.

Last year, Publishers Weekly recorded that video interview with the editor, a touching tribute to a life lived with books. Barnes & Noble Book Clubs credits the editor to rescuing Judith McNaught‘s novel, “Whitney, My Love” from the slush pile.

Here’s a memorial post from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books: “When I tried to explain to my husband why I was so blown away by meeting Kate and talking with her at RWA, I couldn’t figure out how to explain who she was in romance. She wasn’t just an editor or a fan of the genre. ‘She’s the Julia Child of romance,’ I said.”