Brink to feature as London Book Fair author

15.12.09 Catherine Neilan in The Bookseller

South African writer André Brink will appear as the author of the day at next year's London Book Fair, as part of the event's market focus on the country. Brink, whose work includes An Act of Terror and The Other Side of Silence, will appear on Tuesday 20th April. His most recent book, A Fork in the Road, was published in the UK this February by Harvill Secker.
The market focus programme, created in collaboration with the British Council, is designed to draw attention to trade links with South Africa, its publishing industry and the opportunities for conducting business with the rest of the world. LBF said it would "cast the spotlight on André Brink and the important work he has done in the modernisation of the Afrikaans language novel".

Brink said: "Authors are notoriously solitary creatures, so an occasion like this is a wonderful opportunity to meet one's actual readers. That is a privilege and a joy I'm looking forward to tremendously."

Other events will include seminars giving an overview of the South Africa book market, including an overview of trade publishing, a seminar in children's books, a focus on academic/STM publishing, a look at distribution channels into the region, and an

Amy Webster, international key accounts manager for LBF, said the programme was "key in helping international publishers better understand how the region's market operates and in identifying local industry issues".

She added: "With the assistance of the British Council, we very much look forward to celebrating South Africa's literary and publishing achievements and showcasing the opportunities South Africa offers to the rest of the world. Contemporary South African writers follow a distinguished literary tradition and it is an honour to be hosting authors selected from the region."