Publisher pays tribute to 'powerful and beautiful' author Dr Laura Fish who has died age 60

The death of author Dr Laura Fish at the age of 60 has been announced “with immense sadness” by her publisher at Fly on the Wall Press.  

Her death comes just two weeks before her third novel, Lying Perfectly Still, is due to be published. 

Dr Fish’s third novel was awarded the SI Leeds Readers’ Choice prize in 2022 and came third in the SI Leeds Literary Prize 2022. Her previous books include Strange Music (Jonathan Cape, 2008; Vintage, 2009), which was longlisted for the Women’s Prize, and Flight of Black Swans (Duckworth, 1995). 

Fly on the Wall Press director Isabelle Kenyon said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Laura’s partner, Michael Wild, and her family at this terrible time. It has come as an awful shock, having worked so closely with Laura over the past year since we agreed to publish her third novel.” 

She described Lying Perfectly Still, a novel giving voice to the women of Eswatini, a landlocked country in southern Africa, during the AIDS epidemic of the late 20th century, as “a powerful and beautiful story”, describing her work as “of great literary quality, integrity and generosity”. 

Kenyon added: “[Laura] had hugely important things to say and I intend to make sure her voice remains present. Fly on the Wall authors are like a family to me and to lose Laura is devastating. I know her death will come as a shock to all of them, to the book community in the north and beyond, and to all her friends among the staff at Northumbria University where she worked.” 

Dr Fish’s work is taught in universities worldwide and she worked as assistant professor in English and creative writing at Northumbria University. She also held posts as a creative writing tutor at the University of St Andrews, University of Western Cape, UEA, and Newcastle University. 

Tony Williams, professor of creative writing at Northumbria University, added: “Laura has been a valued colleague at Northumbria for many years, and her death comes as a terrible shock to colleagues and students. She was an original and ambitious writer whose new novel took forward her exploration of race and identity. We’re thinking of her family and friends at this awful time.” 

Clare Malcolm, founder and Chief Executive of New Writing North, said: “Laura cared deeply about injustice and believed strongly in the ways writing, storytelling, dance and art can give a voice to the unheard. The world has lost an important writer, we have lost a warm and wise colleague, and international literature has lost a great ambassador.” 

Lying Perfectly Still will be published on 24th October 2024.