Blurb

The shoes didn't fit. It was an omen.













Thursday, April 12, 2012

A To Z Challenge, Day 9: K is for Kaye Coppersmith, A Tribute to my Departed Editor

It was last Thursday, My dear friend and editor passed away. Before going to bed Wednesday evening, she told me and others she wasn’t feeling well. Nausea and fatigue. Well, she never woke up.

This past Monday, for ‘H’ I posted about her sudden death and asked how was I going to replace her as a friend and editor. I know I can really never ever replace either….well, only with a new one who’ll have a different way of looking at things. That’s okay.

And on Monday’s blog comments, my friend from, Texas Playwright Chick , suggested I do a tribute to her for ‘K’ day.

Funny, too, that night Kaye came and visited me in a dream. We met at a park somewhere. We sat at a picnic table across from each other. She wore a bright orange t-shirt. Her usual two pair of glasses hung on a chain around her neck. The same black fanny-pack she always wore hugged her waist, and she pulled out the same chap stick she used on earth and smeared it around her lips.

After, she capped it and shoved it back into her fanny-pack, fluffed up her already disheveled hair, and then handed me my MS she’d been working on. “I’m really sorry I couldn’t finish it, kid.” She smiled.

I shuffled through my MS. Coffee stains tipped its edges. Tiny morsels of her favorite crumb bun speckled a  few pages. I even found a page from a magazine article stuck inside it.

“Sorry about that, too,” she said. “And its probably out of order as well.” She frowned.

I thumbed through it some more. Yep. Out of sequential order. But her penciled notes were there. A few ‘Acks’ and ‘Yaks’ stood out at me. Those were her favorite expressions when I did the abominable writing sin.

I met Kaye in 2008 at a Critique meeting she over saw. I can remember thinking to myself, there’s no way this gal is a professional editor. How could she be with a green hue to her hair? It was a lime-jello-green.

But she proved never to judge a book by its cover. I felt pretty lucky to have a professional editor over seeing my work because I had no clue about  A LOT. She taught me everything I know even though there are times I’m not so sure I grasped it all. Her passion for books and writing beamed from her. She really got excited over some great reads or great lines. Even the ones  the group had written in their work. It showed all rosy in her cheeks. She would just glow over it. And she kept a journal of all her favorite lines from every book she ever read.

She was also a very giving person, volunteering the majority of her time to Florida Writer’s Association. Always at every event giving her time. She also collected coupons for the military families and was an advocate for animals. And best of all, she was my friend.

I’m going to miss you Kayster (that’s what I called her). I already do. I’m so glad I was able to tell you ‘I loved you’ and was able to get one of your bear-hugs before we parted.

22 comments:

  1. What a lovely tribute to your friend.

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    1. Thank you, Gossip. I hope she's read herself.

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  2. That's a lovely post. I'm sorry for your loss. Kaye sounds like a wonderful person.

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    1. Ellen,
      She was and still is where ever she is. She's probably editing, reading, and writing.

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  3. A good tribute to her, Shelly. I'm sorry that she's gone.

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    1. Thank you, Sir Wills. Boy, I miss being able to call her about something or just to say 'hi'.

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  4. Hello, Shelly. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's untimely passing. Kaye sounds like an extraordinary woman.

    Wishing you many blessings!

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  5. I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear friend Kaye. This was a lovely tribute to her. Julie

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    1. Dear Julie:

      Thank you and thanks for coming by.

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  6. So sorry for your loss. What a wonderful and endearing tribute to your friend and mentor.

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    1. Debra:

      She was wonderful. Thanks for coming by. I've been reading your posts on womens' health. They're great.

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  7. I'm so sorry for your loss. Wonderful tribute to her!

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    1. Thank you, Golden.

      I've been enjoying your scientific posts.

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  8. I'm sorry about your loss. Maybe she really did visit you in your dream.

    Catch My Words
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/

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    1. Joyce:

      I really believe she did and am anxious to get the MS back. I'll try calling her hubby next week about it. Didn't want to bg him this week over it. So I'm wondering what article is stuck in between the pages.

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  9. Lovely tribute.

    --Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2012

    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge

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  10. so sorry for your loss. this is a beautiful tribute.
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com
    Happy A-Zing!

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    1. Nut:

      Everyday it gets a little better. Thank you.

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  11. This was very nice, Shelly. You did a great job of painting the picture of a woman you knew and loved dearly.

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