Page 7 - ELG2309 Sep Issue 486

NEWS
Remembering Susan Holden

Melanie Butler recalls her time with Susan Holden, who sadly passed away

this September.

rom the first time I met still leaving the office promptly to restless” she dissolved in peals of
Susan Holden, in the mid head home to her husband Don laughter and asked if she could
1980’s, I was in awe of Byrne – himself something of a have one.
Fher. It was my first editing rockstar EFL author. And then, around the
job; a job share with the ELT I bumped into her again shortly beginning of the Millenium, she
author Steve Elsworth, working after I took over the Gazette, likely was transformed into a doyenne
to Susan. Unfailingly prompt, at an Iatefl conference, for she of publishing, taking over first at
impeccably dressed and endlessly was an assiduous supporter. She Prentice Hall, and then, when
patient, she taught us everything had launched her own publishing it was acquired by Macmillan,
there is to know about magazine house, Swan Publications, and heading up their ELT division.
editing, while bringing out MET she sent us titles to review, and She had become one of the
seemingly single-handedly and articles to publish. We would forgotten legion of women who
talk, sometimes by phone, more forged the UK EFL publishing
She had often at conferences, about a new industry: Paula Kahn and Gill off about a new trend in teaching
become one of methodological insight she had, Negis at Longman (now Pearson), or a new cause she has espoused.
Yvonne de Henseler, and Susana
or a cause she had espoused. The
She never stopped. One of the last
the forgotten one I remember best is when she Hasanyi at OUP, Susan Holden at times I saw her, at a pre-COVID
Iatefl, she thrust a copy of Peter
called to talk about Peter Medgyes
Macmillan. But she was the only
legion of women and the beginning of the fight for one, among this list of women, Medgyes classic book in my hands.
who forged the non-native speaker teachers. We who was also an author herself. “You must write about this” she
interviewed him and the next
commanded with a smile.
She was there with the best in
UK EFL publishing year, when Gazette staff appeared the business, but was still happy We wrote a web article about
industry at Iatefl wearing t-shirts bearing to swap publishing gossip at the relaunch. I was in awe of her.
the slogan “the non-natives are
conferences or call me to tip me
I still am.
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