Wales Literature Exchange will be heading to the London Book Fair, the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels, held on 10 - 12 April 2018. The Baltic Countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithunia, have been chosen as Market Focus for 2018.

For the first time, seven organisations from Wales, who work internationally in the literature sector are collaborating to facilitate a stand (Stand 5C129) and we are proud to be working with our flourishing independent publishers to showcase the best books and writers from Wales at London Book Fair 2018.

The seven organisations collaborating on the Wales at London Book Fair stand are:

• Arts Council of Wales/Wales Arts International;
• British Council Wales;
• Literature Across Frontiers;
• Literature Wales;
• Wales Literature Exchange;
• Wales PEN Cymru;
• Welsh Books Council.

Representatives from Wales Literature Exhange will be meeting publishers, agents and translators, and presenting our 2017–18 Bookcase - our selection of books which we recommend for translation.

Wales Literature Exchange will also be marking it's twentieth anniversary with a drinks recption at the Wales stand (Stand 5C129), Wednesday, 11 April, at 5pm. We celebrate together with Parthian Books who turn twenty-five with a list of original and translated titles, and Head & Heart Book design who turn four.

To make an appointment with Wales Literature Exchange at London Book Fair, please contact Mari Siôn: mas31@aber.ac.uk

Wales at London Book Fair

A flavour of some of the events showcasing the best from Wales at London Book Fair.

Wales and Scotland – Indigenous Languages of the UK in Contemporary Literature
Wednesday, 11 April, 11.30am – 12.30pm, Literary Translation Centre

Explore the challenges and opportunities in writing and translating (some of) the many voices of the British Isles, including Gaelic, Welsh and Scots. They will explore bilingualism, the importance of language and translation in a UK context and the wide variety of voices in contemporary UK literature.

Members of the discussion panel will be:

• Ifor ap Glyn, National Poet of Wales (chairperson);
• Alys Conran;
• Siân Northey;
• Angus Peter Campbell
• James Robertson

Interpreting Cultures: Russia, Europe and the West
Wednesday, 11 April, 2.30 – 3.30pm, The Cross-Cultural Hub

On the panel, discussing the opportunities and limitations of writing in-and-out of different languages, will be:

• Menna Elfyn;
• Andrei Ivanov;
• Rein Raud;
• Sergejs Timofejevs;
• Sasha Dugdale.

Wales and the New Magic Realism in Children’s Publishing
Wednesday, 11 April, 4pm – 5pm, Children’s Hub

Discover children’s literature in Wales in a new light, and learn more about the importance of growing indigenous voices in children’s publishing.

Members of the discussion panel will be:

• Penny Thomas, Firefly (chairperson);
• Eloise Williams;
• Bethan Gwanas;
• Catherine Fisher;
• Dr Siwan Rosser, Cardiff University

Translating Wales, Reading the World
Wednesday, 11 April, 5pm, Stand 5C129

Wales Literature Exchange celabrates its 20th anniversary.

Raise a glass of wine to WLE and to our literature, authors, translators and publishers,

We celebrate together with Parthian Books who turn twenty-five with a list of original and translated titles, and Head & Heart Book Design who turn four.

Wales @ London Book Fair Celebration
Thursday, 12 April, 11:30am - 12:30pm, Stand 5C129

Come and joy us in the company of Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, Minister for Culture, Toursim and Sport and Ifor ap Glyn, National Poet of Wales, as we celebrate the first collective presence at the London Book Fair.