There is so much to tell already.... the happy coincidences that saw three of the independent authors share the same flights from New Zealand and hooking up with incomparable Carole Beu of the Women's bookshop on the same flights... hearing her story of being able to go as a result of an introduction from a friend in publishing ... That story is worth hearing - Carole's friend said she'd "watched Carole's growing success over more than 20 years, thoroughly enjoyed how Carole had just chaired an author interview at the NZ Writers and Readers Festival, and thought she might like an introduction..." to a young woman who is an arts reporter for one of the major daily Frankfurt papers. Sylvia, this young woman, said she had a spare room in her apartment especially for a New Zealander to stay with her over the time of the Frankfurt Fair. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving person - Carole does so much for books in New Zealand. And at the airport in Frankfurt, Sylvia was duly waiting to pick Carole up and despite our vast quantities of luggage, gave a lift to two more passengers, me and Tui Allen (author of "Ripple"), taking us to the door of our hotel. The delightful and clearly gifted Sylvia is interviewing some of New Zealand's most famous authors in some of the many events at and associated with the Fair.
It was lovely to drive through forests just turning into their autumn colours and past some exquisite old apartment buildings and houses - it made me realise how much I've missed Europe since my last trip many years ago. After a good nights sleep, what fun to explore the local centre and discover a genuine marketplace full of marvellous fruit and vegetables and more.
Later that day (Tuesday) we went to the two opening ceremonies; that of the Fair itself and of the New Zealand Pavilion - as this year's country Guest of Honour at the Fair. We hooked up with Jenny Mortimer ("Knock the bastard off") and went off in a convoy of four - we got our tickets through the extreme smarts and generosity of redoubtable Switzerland-based kiwi author, Greg Scowen ("The Spanish Helmet"). On the way in we met Louise Ryder, wife of the New Zealand Ambassador to Berlin, a charming woman, who was accompanying Mary English to the grand opening ceremony. Both women were kind enough to be genuinely interested in our work, with Mary taking photos of us with our cameras!
Bill English gave a very well-received speech which I thought was an excellent one, and Bill Manhire and Joy Cowley also gave two great speeches among those from some of Germany's and Frankfurt's leading literary and government figures.
We were late for the opening of the New Zealand Pavilion, and arrived to find it in pitch darkness with a large and very convincing moon at the entrance - our 2012 theme is "While you were sleeping" - subtext presumably "we have been writing", far away in the antipodes - to a vigorous haka performance followed by some highly imaginative excerpts of New Zealand writing in films and animations. Excellent use was made of the shallow pools of water in the Pavilion to stage some live readings including one taking place under a deluge of water!
Mingling outside, we got chatting to a mother and daughter from Frankfurt; the mother coming to sell her short ebooks to publishers and the daughter in charge of the Book Fair activities at the Frankfurt public library. She said the library has done this for the last 12 years or more, and it is absolutely huge now. Events as part of the Fair are taking place all over the city, and the city of Frankfurt itself has generously come to the party by giving all ticket-holders free transport on the wonderful public transport system.
The Fair proper got under way the following morning and a rather nervous bunch of newbie authors gathered at the New Zealand Society of Authors Stand where we were made most welcome, and taken under the protective wings of NZSA CEO Maggie Tarver, well-known journalist and author Adrian Blackburn and New Zealand writing's best-kept secret, Richard Webster. These three undertook to have someone on the Stand at all times and offered to accompany us to any meetings with publishers. I've attended a couple of workshops with Richard before, so he kindly came with me to my first meeting, with Eric Dobby of Global Professional Publishing. I was quite keyed up but Richard made some gentle opening remark that eased us into conversation, and ended up having a highly animated and enjoyable conversation with Eric and had no qualms about handing over my business card and two flyers and will email him more information after the Fair.
On the way back to the NZSA Stand, I spotted another of my target publishers, HRD (Human Resource Development) Press, and asked Richard if it was okay to bowl up without an appointment. With his blessing and deeply grateful for his support, in I went and had another great conversation with Global Marketing Manager Sam McLeod.
Publishers are very nice people! More on the other New Zealand authors and the vast Halls of the Fair in my next post....
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