Blossom Thom left us on Tuesday, April 16. She died of a very aggressive form of cancer. Her sudden departure has left many people reeling. Until the end of January, Blossom was working very hard as Fiction Editor of Baraka Books, and now she is gone.

I first met Blossom at a poetry reading she was doing in November 2017 as part of the annual Pop up Bookfair organized by AELAQ at the Monument-National, boul. Saint-Laurent. We had a very good conversation about her name, not the beautiful name Blossom, but her family name, Thom. Baraka Books had just brought out an important old book entitled The Prophetic Anti-Gallic Letters by Adam Thom, first published in the form of editorials in 1835-36 in the scurrilous British colonial newspaper The Montreal Herald.

The Thoms had apparently left their name in the British colony of Guyana, where Blossom was born in 1967 and lived for the first two years of her life. Her family then moved to New York for two years before moving to Waterloo, Ontario, where she grew up. She also lived and studied in Hamilton, Ontario, before moving to Montreal in the early ‘90s.

Shortly after we met in 2017, Blossom began to put her skills to work on our many book projects, and the resulting books were so much the better thanks to her. As of 2021, she began to take on more responsibility in both editing, proofreading, and promotion. She loved the books we were publishing and devoted time, energy, and brilliant insights to make them better.

She was then appointed Fiction Editor and was intent on learning everything about becoming a publisher, which, she admitted, had been one of her secret long-term projects. That was her project before it came abruptly to an end on April 16.

She has left an indelible mark on Baraka Books, on our team, on people in the book industry, and above all on the authors with whom she worked and the books we have published. Since she passed away, here are just a few of the comments received.

“Please let Blossom know that her work on both Foxhunt and Blacklion was exceptional, and that I think of her as a core member of the team behind the creation of those books, as I said on my interview with CBC. She should be proud of her accomplishments and her contributions to so many important books. She was a truly remarkable woman and an incredible editor. I have fond memories of the Foxhunt launch, which she was very involved in hosting.” Luke Beirne, author of Foxhunt and Blacklion.

“This is such a shock. She was far too young. I will always treasure the time we spent together working on my book. Deepest condolences to her family.” Carolyn Marie Souaid, author of Looking for Her (forthcoming, Oct. 2024)

“I am extremely grateful for her editorial input.  Blossom edited my novel, The Thickness of Ice, which was only very recently published by Baraka Books. She was an absolute pleasure to work with, and I am very grateful for the advice she offered.” Gerard Beirne, author of The Thickness of Ice

“It makes me so sad to think of her life ending, only 56 and so very bright but also, so kind. I am a lapsed catholic but I still pray—mostly to my ancestors and those who’ve gone before me.  I will pray for dear Blossom.  She was such a guide to me) throughout this [publishing] process. I will be thinking of her this evening and over the next week, and every time I pick up my book.” Verna Feehan, author of In the Shadow of Crows

“This is such terrible news. I’m beyond shocked. (. . .) I had a short visit with Blossom this morning. We had a nice chat—a bit about her, a bit about me—she asked how my niece was (the one who set up the family “book launch” last spring at my parents’ place). We had a laugh. Her nurse was there when I arrived, offering anything she wanted and Blossom joked, ‘vodka.’ The nurse insisted that vodka is allowed, so I might bring in a small bottle next time, just in case Blossom decides she’s serious.” David C.C. Bourgeois author of Full Fadom Five

“I am flabbergasted by this news. I was not aware Blossom was ill, so this news comes as a total surprise. She was so friendly and helpful. I knew she had been working on a major poetry project for some time, and I was looking forward to seeing the end result. My deepest condolences to you and everyone who knew and worked with her.” Jim Upton, author of Maker

“Blossom Thom had the unique ability of making everyone feel important; lighting up a room with her presence, (Blossom was the right name for her, that’s for sure!). I recall the time she was selling her chapbook at the Pop Up Holiday Book Fair in 2017. She sold out the first day, and came back the next with a dozen more copies, only to sell those as well. She also recommended titles by other authors and did such an outstanding job I asked if she wanted to work at the store. The world would be a better place with more people like her, but now sadly there is one less.” Andreas Kessaris of Paragraphe Bookstore

“So sad to hear this news, Robin. The other day, I was just thinking about what a wonderful job she did for Baraka, as many great titles were published under editorship. My condolences.” James Fisher, Founding Editor of The Miramichi Reader and of The Seaboard Review

On behalf of Baraka Books and our imprint QC Fiction, I would like to extend our most sincere condolences to her family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues. May she rest in peace!

Robin Philpot, Publisher

24 April 2024