Titan Comics loses longtime publicity director at 68

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Katharine T. Carroll, the longtime US publicity director for Titan Publishing Group, died suddenly on June 28 at age 68. Her passing removes a distinctive voice from the book and comics publicity scene and will be felt across Titan’s growing American operation, where she led author tours and anchored the publisher’s presence at major events such as New York Comic Con.

Carroll—born Katharine Trowbridge and professionally known by her married name—spent almost twenty years handling publicity for Titan’s various imprints, including Titan Books, Titan Comics, and Hard Case Crime. Colleagues recall her as the principal architect of many of the publisher’s US campaigns and a trusted liaison to journalists, booksellers and readers.

From Time Inc. to an independent PR practice

Her career began at Time Inc. in 1980, where she spent a decade on magazine publicity across titles such as Time, Life and People. In 1990 she founded KTCommunications, a boutique publicity consultancy that represented magazines, authors and publishing houses.

Carroll joined Titan in 2008 as US Publicity Director. Over the next 18 years she became the company’s public face in New York—especially at conventions—while developing author tours and media strategies that helped expand Titan’s footprint in the United States.

What she achieved

Expanded Titan’s US reach: Built media relationships that increased visibility for Titan’s books and comics nationwide.

Author development: Organized author tours and press outreach that elevated emerging and established writers.

Hard Case Crime partnership: Played a key role in publicity after the imprint joined Titan in 2011.

Notable campaign: Helped promote Caitlin Rozakis’s Dreadful, Titan’s first US-original fiction title to reach the New York Times bestseller list.

Those who worked with her describe a publicity professional who combined deep industry knowledge with an ability to mentor authors and colleagues. She focused on sustaining long-term relationships rather than chasing short-term hits.

Responses from Titan colleagues

Company leadership and editorial staff expressed shock and sorrow. Titan co-owners Nick Landau and Vivian Cheung said Carroll’s energy and expertise were central to the publisher’s accelerated growth in the US, and that she brought warmth to every part of her work.

Laura Price, Editorial Director at Titan Books, called her both a consummate professional and a delight to work with—someone whose sense of humour and grace made a lasting impression.

Those reactions underline a practical consequence beyond sadness: Titan will need to reassign key publicity responsibilities at a moment when in-person events and targeted media outreach remain crucial for midlist authors and specialty imprints.

Personal details and legacy

Katharine Trowbridge is survived by her three children—Sarah, Emily and James Carroll—two grandchildren, Madelyn and Rowan Moore, her mother Marty Trowbridge and siblings Stephen and Mary Trowbridge. Friends and industry peers remember her for steady professionalism, an affection for readers at conventions and a commitment to advancing authors’ careers.

Her death is a reminder of the behind-the-scenes talent that shapes how books and comics reach readers. For many smaller publishers and authors, skilled publicists like Carroll are the connective tissue that turn a title into a cultural moment.