[deadpl] NPR books editor Petra Mayer has died

[danny burstein]

[NPR press release]

NPR books editor Petra Mayer has died

Petra Mayer, a beloved books editor on NPR's Culture desk, died on
Saturday.

She died suddenly at Holy Cross Hospital in Maryland of what's believed to
be a pulmonary embolism, said Nancy Barnes, NPR's senior vice president
for news, in an email to staff.

"Petra was NPR through and through," Barnes wrote. "To say that Petra will
be missed simply seems inadequate."

Mayer was a proud nerd with a penchant for science fiction, comics and
cats, said fellow books editor Meghan Sullivan

She shared those passions with readers and listeners through her reviews
of sci-fi, fantasy, romance, thrillers and comics, her trusty on-the-scene
reporting at Comic-Con, and her contributions to the Book Concierge, NPR's
annual literary-recommendation tool. She brought her zeal to the guest
chair on occasional Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast episodes.
======
rest:
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/13/1055585327/npr-books-editor-petra-mayer-has-died

And from Ms. Mayer's Twitter mini bio:

@petramatic
Editor, NPR Books. Sneaking Oxford commas past the copy desk since 2012.
Buster Keaton's secret girlfriend. TOS is the One True Trek, don't @ me.
She/her.
========
eyup, Oxford comma!

_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dan...@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

[Patrick Murray]

Thanks you for posting this,  Petra was fabulous person.  Technically she started before I did in Engineering even though she was younger than I was then.  She left to be come a journalist at Columbia among other places then came back. in 2000 before I left for the west coast.   Since I'm in LA I didn't see her very much. However, my favorite story she did which I've been sharing was about learning to ride a bike in her thirties because in Key West she she liked to go, it was the best way to get around.   She inspired others to learn as adults. 

https://www.npr.org/2013/12/29/251997138/winging-it-biking-around-again-in-margaritaville

Take care,

Patrick