Savvy Frankfurter Book Fair 2015? (Satis Shroff)

IT was a cold, cloudy day at the 67th Frankfurter Book Fair scheduled from October 14-18, 2015. Here's where you discover what will change, what's planned and what you can do for yourself in the mecca of publishing. In Frankfurt you come across a book fair meant for children and grown-ups, a cook fair and a fair of the e-publishing market.

Frankfurt is the ultimate event for international publishing and seeks to concentrate more global networking into one room. Change the world and put purpose before profit, would be a good thought.

Indonesia was this year's Guest of Honour with books on the archipelego, spices, politics and dances from Indonesia, the Land of 17,000 islands and more than 60 events centered on food at the Gourmet Salon and Gourmet Gallery. I tried the Ayam Rica-Rica and Kue Lampur and they were delicious, and you could Spice it Up!

Indonesia has hanged within 70 years from a Dutch East India Colony, from Sukarno and Suharto, to a democracy. This change in the society and political environment is reflected in its literature. Indonesia has become a new competitor in the international publishing network with words, pics, fables, legends, traditional oral history, spices and tastes.

The Indonesron authors in Frankfurt are: Linda Christanty,Leila Salikha Chudori, Dorothea Rosa Herliany,Andrea Hirata, Rahit Kumala, Eka Kurniawan, Okky Madasari, Afrizal Malna, Goenawan Mohamad, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Oka Rusmini, Ahmed Tohari and Ayu Utami. These writers' workshave been translated into German from Bhasa Indonesia.

Thhings have changed in Frankfurt. Small publishers (like Nepal) were no longer there, but its neighbours India and China were representedwith programmes such as: How can you establish a foothold in publishing super power China? China's print and digital value is $ 24 billion. What can we learn from Europe's most resilient market Germany? The German turnoveri last year alone was 3,5 billion euros. Or hy Indonesia is a promising partner with 250 million people who livein an archipelago of circa 17,000 islands, and a publishing turnover of 48,1 million euros. Why is Mexico the hottest Spanish market? It has a turnover of 607 million euros. Or the digital strategy is now business strategy. Even Turkey is in the bandwagon and straddles Europe and Asia with its cultural cross-roads through its Islamic heritage and ties to Middle East culture. Around 45-55% of the books in Turkey are translations. Korea has become an educational publishing powerhouse with its app-books which are fully interactive, multimedia digital books. E-books are much advanced in Korea and have turned into the Asian educational modus.

So who are the real stars of publishing? Are they the Ukranians and Greeks, who showcase their countries' cultural contemporary and historical creations, despite war and economic decline? Or is it Irina Balakhonova, of Russia's Samokat, defying President Putin with her gay-fiction? Perhaps the person behind the first Armenian literary agency that brought her country to the world lit stage: Arevic Ashkharoyan?

The influential German mag Der Spiegel came up with authors: Richard David Precht, Jenny Erpenbeck, Charlotte Roche, Rüdiger Safranski, Mario Adorf and Zerunya Shalev. Jojo Moyes with her 'Ein Bild von Dir' won the number one place in paperbacks. The non-fiction award went to Giula Enders' 'Darm mit Charme,' a delightful book about your intestine.

'What about the French?' you might ask. The French are known to reject books other people love. But,on the other hand, they buy books that others won't, and make bestsellers out of 'em. The French book market is the second biggest in Europe, after Germany, and the fifth largest worldwide. Last year France translated from more than 38 source languages from Afrikaans and Azeri to Thai and Zulu. France will be Frankfurt's Guest of Honour in 2017.

Ah, the Blue Sofa between Halls 5 and 6 is the place for authors. This time it was the Hungarian author Peter Gardos with 'Fever at Dawn,' which sold the rights in 26 countries. 'Warrior Cats' by Victoria Holmes was also featured and 42 self-published writers from Germany read from their books. The authors sofa was in Hall 3,0. Fifty Shades of Grey has sold millions of copies around the world. Swedish psychologist Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrhin's 'The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep' uses hypnotic techniques to help kids fall asleep, had been picked up by Penguin Random House. You can do it too,eh?

The Iranian stall was empty as a protest against Salman Rushdie but Navid Kermani, Iran-born German author, spoke with authors Fariba Vafi and Amir Hassan Cheltan about literary life in Iran.

Last year's Guest of Honour Finnland has received international interest in its books, especially from China. Finnish literature Exchange (FILI) is teaming up with other Nordic countries to solve the translator shortage. Rights are being sold to China.

'Over 1 million titles are produced annually in India' says B.K.Sharma of the National Book Trust. India's theme was 'Yoga, a sync with PM Narendra Modi's bid to take yoga to the international stage. Perhaps Nepal can sync with Buddha and meditation the next time at the Frankfurter Book Fair.