BeWrite Books Publisher Caitlin Myers will be leaving the company at the end of July to start a new life in the UK.
Cait, 35, was one of a trio that brought in the first day of the millennium with a promise to somehow help new authors find their place. She kept the promise ... and then some.
Within weeks, she – along with writer/editor Neil Marr and his IT expert son, Alex – launched BeWrite.net, a non-commercial writers’ site that edited, showcased and promoted struggling authors. The site attracted a membership of over 3,000 and its lively forum became one of the busiest on the net under her guidance.
Just a couple of years later Cait, Neil and Alex launched BeWrite Books paperback and eBook publishing house. With Neil concentrating entirely on editorial matters and Alex on the technical side of things, Cait became Publisher. But she was much more than that. A list of the jobs she so expertly took upon her own shoulders would fill pages. They included: technical work, proof reading, cover design, accounts – including chasing retailers for payment and making sure author royalty cheques were accurate and arrived on time – maintaining the BeWrite.net website and blog, dealing with printers, handling author and reader mail, first-screening submissions, proof reading, overseeing distribution and promotion, supervising legal work ... and a score of other unsung but vital tasks.
And she always found time to network with the giants of publishing at international book fairs in London and Frankfurt ... and even to attend every year the smaller but thriving book fair she and BeWrite Books helped establish five years ago in the northern English towns of Wigan and Leigh.
She happily met BB authors whenever an opportunity arose. And her winning smile and unstinting generosity in time and effort earned her an international group of appreciative literary friends.
Working mainly, though, by personal email and phone (even when undergoing the suffering and heartache of radio- and chemotherapy for cancer recently), her time with BeWrite saw her based in England, France, Switzerland and Germany. Her motto has always been: Have laptop, will travel.
UK-born Cait took BeWrite from a vague idea over New Year midnight drinks nearly ten years ago to its position as a well respected, internationally known small independent press with, already, over 120 fine titles under its belt. Along the way, she signed new professional editors like Hugh McCracken in Canada, John Grant in the USA, poetry editors Heather Grace Stewart in Canada, Heather Bryant in the USA and Sam Smith in the UK.
When she leaves her desk for the last time, it could take an office full of new staff to cover everything she put into the company in terms of expertise, accuracy, reliability, fair-mindedness, enthusiasm, energy ... and that always-present personal touch so rare in modern publishing.
Cait’s reasons for leaving her Munich-based BeWrite Books desk and moving to the UK on July 24 are personal.
She said: “It’s sad to be leaving BeWrite Books after all this time, it has really felt like a family. I wish everyone the best of luck with their projects and look forward to reading lots more excellent books from BeWrite.”
BeWrite Books Editor Neil Marr said: “It’s difficult to imagine BB without Cait. Her hard work, enthusiasm, professional approach to every aspect of the job, her constant desire and ability to stay on top of a drastically changing publishing industry, and her natural flare, imagination and sheer good taste helped shape the whole thing. I’m very sorry to see her go, but I’m certainly glad she was here at all. Without her, there would not be a BeWrite Books.”
Cait, 35, was one of a trio that brought in the first day of the millennium with a promise to somehow help new authors find their place. She kept the promise ... and then some.
Within weeks, she – along with writer/editor Neil Marr and his IT expert son, Alex – launched BeWrite.net, a non-commercial writers’ site that edited, showcased and promoted struggling authors. The site attracted a membership of over 3,000 and its lively forum became one of the busiest on the net under her guidance.
Just a couple of years later Cait, Neil and Alex launched BeWrite Books paperback and eBook publishing house. With Neil concentrating entirely on editorial matters and Alex on the technical side of things, Cait became Publisher. But she was much more than that. A list of the jobs she so expertly took upon her own shoulders would fill pages. They included: technical work, proof reading, cover design, accounts – including chasing retailers for payment and making sure author royalty cheques were accurate and arrived on time – maintaining the BeWrite.net website and blog, dealing with printers, handling author and reader mail, first-screening submissions, proof reading, overseeing distribution and promotion, supervising legal work ... and a score of other unsung but vital tasks.
And she always found time to network with the giants of publishing at international book fairs in London and Frankfurt ... and even to attend every year the smaller but thriving book fair she and BeWrite Books helped establish five years ago in the northern English towns of Wigan and Leigh.
She happily met BB authors whenever an opportunity arose. And her winning smile and unstinting generosity in time and effort earned her an international group of appreciative literary friends.
Working mainly, though, by personal email and phone (even when undergoing the suffering and heartache of radio- and chemotherapy for cancer recently), her time with BeWrite saw her based in England, France, Switzerland and Germany. Her motto has always been: Have laptop, will travel.
UK-born Cait took BeWrite from a vague idea over New Year midnight drinks nearly ten years ago to its position as a well respected, internationally known small independent press with, already, over 120 fine titles under its belt. Along the way, she signed new professional editors like Hugh McCracken in Canada, John Grant in the USA, poetry editors Heather Grace Stewart in Canada, Heather Bryant in the USA and Sam Smith in the UK.
When she leaves her desk for the last time, it could take an office full of new staff to cover everything she put into the company in terms of expertise, accuracy, reliability, fair-mindedness, enthusiasm, energy ... and that always-present personal touch so rare in modern publishing.
Cait’s reasons for leaving her Munich-based BeWrite Books desk and moving to the UK on July 24 are personal.
She said: “It’s sad to be leaving BeWrite Books after all this time, it has really felt like a family. I wish everyone the best of luck with their projects and look forward to reading lots more excellent books from BeWrite.”
BeWrite Books Editor Neil Marr said: “It’s difficult to imagine BB without Cait. Her hard work, enthusiasm, professional approach to every aspect of the job, her constant desire and ability to stay on top of a drastically changing publishing industry, and her natural flare, imagination and sheer good taste helped shape the whole thing. I’m very sorry to see her go, but I’m certainly glad she was here at all. Without her, there would not be a BeWrite Books.”
Posts
Sad to see you go, Cait. I wish you every success in your life and career moves.
ReplyDeleteRosanne Dingli
All the best for the future, Cait.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Wow.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Cait!
Cait, you will be missed. Thank you for all the work you did on my behalf and the other writers at BeWrite. It has been an amazing experience for me and something for which I am truly grateful. Every good wish for the future.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Brian
Boy, I don't know how they'll get along without you, Cait. :-) Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteVery sorry to hear that your leaving, Cait. All the very best for the future, I hope it pans out as you wish, or better!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your kind words - much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI'll be keeping an eye on you all, best of luck with your books.
Cait