Holly Ringland Instagram – Last month, Catherine Milne, the woman behind many of the books we’ve all loved in the last decade, won Commissioning Editor/Publisher of the Year, at the 2024 Australian Book Industry Awards. Judges comments: “The judges were undoubtedly impressed by Catherine Mine’s success in 2023. Her track record consistently showcases her respectful collaboration with authors, and her adeptness in shaping their careers and bodies of work for the better.”
Since 2016, everything I’ve learned about how important a publisher is for an author, and how profound the relationship between publisher and author can be, is because of the honour and privilege I’ve had writing, editing, and publishing books – sharing stories and life – with @catherineishome as my publisher.
A year ago, we were taking a dusk walk in a park (pictured). I noticed a sculpture of a woman ahead of us and remarked on her raised arm. Catherine said something like, “She held something once. But it went missing. See how her hand is empty?” We kept walking and chatting, but the sculpture’s empty hand lodged in my heart. Gave me a feeling that I recognised in my body in a deeply familiar, old way. Her empty-handedness. That sense of loss and absence. Of theft. Thinking now of how the sculpture made me feel that day makes me realise, this is who Catherine is as a publisher to me, made of stories as she is: she points me towards what I thought was gone from me in my stories, and she says, look again. And with the power of her conviction, I realise, I see for myself, I was never empty-handed all along. The author I am, and the writer and storyteller I am ever-becoming, is because of how transformative it is having Catherine’s belief, support, spirit, enthusiasm, love, respect and care at my back and in my stories. Putting our heads together and working on Alice Hart, Esther Wilding, Joy, and my future books that are coming, is one of the greatest joys I have ever experienced.
Congratulations, Catherine. This recognition is utterly correct. Thank you for the heart you pour into your work. All of us – your authors and readers alike – are bettered because of you. | Posted on 16/Jun/2024 13:06:06
