It was an exhausting, but exhilirating day at the London Book
Fair yesterday.
This is the big shin dig for the publishing industry. Sadly many
of exhibitors weren't able to dig many shins as unfortunately they
were unable to leave their home airports.
The theme this year is celebrating South African writers - big
big stand but few SA writers or publishers. However the wonderful
South African satirist Pieter Dirk-Uys was there - sadly his alter
ego Evita Bezuidenhout was unavailable. If you don't know her who
her rather outrageous political views go to her
Home
Page s/he is a SA national treasure and counts Nelson Mandela
and Bishop Desmond Tutu amongst her fans.
I mangaged a short interview with Pieter but unfortunately he
wasn't feeling too terrific so didn't do it in character. One woman
even came up to him this afternoon and credited him with bringing
down apartheid. Well that's what he though was outrageous.
Walking around the stands so many were empty because of all the
cancelled flights. Many many publishers were very interesting
what we're doing but no-one was in a position to sponsor anything.
Well you wouldn't expect it really would you. But excellent
contacts were made and we shall be following them all up.
Meanwhile commiserations to Amanda Craig and Sadie
Jones who so very nearly made it to the Orange Prize for
Fiction 2010 Short list.
Archived as
Sadie Jones | Amanda Craig | Orange Prize for Fiction 2010 | Pieter Dirk-Uys