Dav
id Ling was one of the earliest publishers to return from TIBE… 20 hours door to door. It was his third time at the Taipei International Book Exhibition, and the business created for the company in Asia has grown with each year he has taken part on the New Zealand stand.Maurice Shadbolt’s Season of the Jew is the second of the late author’s titles to be translated for the Taiwan and China markets. Just off the press, it was celebrated by a presentation about the New Zealand Wars, the book and Maurice from David, translated as he spoke for the local audience.
New Zealand at War was a TIBE session with Witi Ihimaera, David and local historian Kuang-Kai Peng focusing on World War 1. The large audience saw David outline the history, Witi give the reasons behind Māori participation and how some tribes were keen and others refused conscription, all enlivened by a reading from Witi’s forthcoming play about Māori at Gallipoli by men and women of the Ngā Kete Tuku Iho performing group and Adam Dudding.
Taiwan and China rights were also sold to another two of David’s books at TIBE, and good interest was garnered in a further five of his Duck Creek Press children’s picture books. Also, while in Taipei he received from his Beijing publisher a copy of a slipcase set of eight of the titles he has sold them. The set is being released in China asThe New Zealand Picture Book Selection.
“TIBE was a very positive fair, the whole mood was good, the New Zealand stand worked well and I think all of us who exhibited there are happy people,” David told PANZ News.
