Karen L. Solem, Influential Romance Editor and Agent, Dies at 74

Karen L. Solem, the editor, literary agent, and founder of Spencerhill Associates and an early advocate for the romance and women's fiction categories, died on January 19 following a long illness. She was 74.

In 1980, Solem joined Simon & Schuster to start their romance imprint Silhouette, where she served as editor-in-chief and discovered author Nora Roberts, publishing Roberts's first 100 books starting with her debut, Irish Thoroughbred, in 1981. Solem also played a key role in launching the careers of such authors as Sandra Brown, Barbara Delinsky, and Janet Evanovich. By the time Silhouette was purchased by Harlequin in 1984, the imprint was publishing more than two dozen titles a month, up from four upon launch.

“That first impression is ingrained in my memory,” Roberts said of her first time meeting Solem at the Simon & Schuster offices in New York. “I saw a gorgeous, fascinating, in-charge executive who moved like a bullet and still took the time to speak to a very, very green newbie. I was so intimidated.”

In 1990, Solem moved to Harper Paperbacks, then an imprint of HarperCollins, as editorial director and associate publisher. After five years, she left corporate publishing for the world of agenting, spending nearly six years at Writers House. While there, she signed authors including Colleen Coble, who called Solem "a tiny powerhouse in the industry [who] blazed a trail that was unmatched."

Solem founded her own agency, Spencerhill Associates, in 2001. There, she shepherded the careers of such authors as Mary Burton and Denise Hunter. Solem was succeeded as president at Spencerhill by Nalini Akolekar, her friend of 50 years, who first worked alongside Solem as her assistant at Silhouette in the early '80s.

"Karen Solem was a talented, shrewd and dynamic force in the publishing world, but she was also a tremendously kind and loving person who believed in giving back to her community," said Akolekar. "I am so grateful for the many years that she was my inspiration, mentor, and dearest friend. I will miss her every day."