Obituary: Jeremy Smith

Born: 12 September, 1974, in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Died: 8 February, 2010, in Stonegate, West Sussex, aged 35.

JEREMY Peter Smith, who died unexpectedly and peacefully in his sleep at his home in West Sussex, was proprietor of Silver Sea Press and editor of its magazine, Scottish Islands Explorer. The publication had been started on Fair Isle in January 2000 and he purchased the title in December 2006.

He was born in 1974 near Bognor Regis, and attended Felpham Community College before gaining a first class honours degree in history at University College London. Musical talents, which he shared with his twin sister, Rachael, were evident from early childhood. He played the violin in the National Children's Orchestra and gained top distinctions for piano and saxophone.

Another childhood passion involved rocks and minerals and this developed into a love of the countryside. However, after graduation he was drawn to publishing and eventually joined the Tunbridge Wells-based Tick Tock Books Ltd. Here, his skills as a writer and editor became evident with responsibility for numerous publications connected with the children's highly illustrated, non-fiction market.

He was promoted to the position of managing editor at Tick Tock, but missed the demands and creativity of writing. In June 2006 he joined Franklin Watts, the imprint of Hachette Children's Books, as an editor working at the firm's offices in Euston Road, London. This led to his resourcing and commissioning more than 100 titles spread over several series.

Jeremy and his wife, Jo, enjoyed the Scottish islands and chose to marry on Rousay in Orkney. They always intended to move to Jura in the Inner Hebrides, where they acquired a plot of land and where, eventually, Scottish Islands Explorer could have been based. The publication, a 52-page full-colour bi-monthly, grew in circulation, for he had, on the magazine as with his numerous books, an eye for what appealed.

Although a team-player at work, he was not a person to promote himself or his achievements. His senses of humour and perspective often involved keeping others guessing. The profound sense of shock and sorrow about his early death was accompanied by a feeling of astonishment at what he had achieved during a short lifetime. He leaves his wife, both parents and three sisters.