George Corrette, who worked for and later became co-owner of fulfillment and distribution company Pathway Book Service in Keene, N.H., died recently. In a tribute published by the Keene Sentinel, Julie Anne Eason of Thanet House Publishing wrote: "My heart is breaking tonight. Your community lost an incredible gentleman this week and my little company, Thanet House Books, would not be where it is today without his generous help."
Eason noted that Corrette "knew so much more about the book industry and how the whole distribution chain functioned outside of the digital marketplace. Any time I needed to know something about bookstores or distribution or transporting books from shipping containers in China, he was always the cheery voice on the other side of the phone. Sometimes he had the answer, sometimes he would spend some time researching and get back to me. But he always made the time.
"George was a paragon of patience with this baby publisher who was totally confused by the ins and outs of an industry that likes to keep its secrets. When I learned he passed away suddenly this week, I wished I had made the trip to Keene one more time to see him."
Peter Sarno of PFP Publishing/AJAR Contemporaries observed: "He was a very gracious and helpful man who assisted me and others immensely from the beginnings of my venture into the publishing world to just a couple of days ago when he was helping me with the distribution of Joe Torra's new memoir that we just released. George--and Pathway--were, and continue to be, a significant cog in the wheel of indie publishers like myself and much larger ones. I've always felt like Pathway treated me like family and this was due in no small part to the tremendous efforts of George. I am very sad to hear of Pathway's--as well as our--loss."