Cynthia M. Black, president and editor-in-chief of Beyond Words Publishing, has died. She was 61.
Best known as editor of The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, which sold tens of millions of copies worldwide, Black worked on another 300 books during her life. Richard Cohn, publisher and a co-founder with Black of Beyond Words, remembered that she was "always there for any author who needed help in developing ideas and concepts" and was "grateful to collaborate over the years to produce cutting edge content that will help change the mindset of the world. She was a great mentor to many, and her presence will be greatly missed.
"Over the past few years, Cynthia embarked on a healing journey. We are all blessed to have been part of that journey, and she wanted us to hold a memory of her spirit soaring. As we mourn the loss of this dynamic woman, we aim to take what we learned from Cynthia and move forward with the Beyond Words brand that she helped co-create--just as she would wish. Our shared vision will continue to drive our decisions, customer interactions, and our passion for the possible in both life and work."
A Celebration of Spirit gathering is being planned.
For an overview of Black's career, see the main article from our dedicated issue in March celebrating Beyond Words' 30th anniversary.