Rights round-up with Clive Newman

Foreign Rights Manager Clive Newman is about to jet off to Taiwan’s Taipei International Book Exhibition to meet with Asian publishers, distributors and agents. We caught him on the hop for a foreign rights round-up.

‘I was stoked to see the new simplified Chinese language covers for Ambelin Kwaymullina’s four picture books. And just in time too! Ambelin will appear at the Australian Writers’ Week in Beijing this March so her Chinese publisher, 21st Century Publishing, was keen to get them on the shelves.

The Koreans continue to show their support for Australian children’s books and Fremantle Press books in particular. They snapped up the rights to Sean E Avery’s All Monkeys Love Bananas and AJ Betts’ Wavelength following Frankfurt 2012.

I’m really looking forward to seeing whether or not the Germans get Simon Haynes and his humour! We sold the German language rights to the first two books in Simon’s sci-fi series Hal Spacejock and Hal Spacejock: Second Course, after years of negotiations. Persistence pays, people!

Fremantle was one of six publishers chosen to go to Taiwan and I want to express my gratitude to the Australian Publishers Association who are funding the trip with support from the Australia Council for the Arts.

I look forward to sending you an update after I return.’