So we did it. We officially gave One Hundred Shadows its London book launch on Thursday 20 October, and we couldn't be happier about it. The London Review bookshop provided the perfect setting (and free wine) for the event, creating an intimate and welcoming atmosphere for all.
Rounding off a whirlwind book tour that saw Deborah and Hwang in four cities in as many days, talking shadows in Sheffield, Manchester and Dundee, we're pleased to say that we ended on a high! Despite having a poorly publisher (all that book promoting takes its toll), Deborah hosted a fantastic evening that saw Hwang talk about her motivations for writing the book as a response to the horrific Yongsan tragedy that she witnessed in her hometown in 2009. Hwang said she felt compelled to restore some humanity for the victims without pretending to understand the depth of their pain, so incorporated 'warmth and an element of fantasy' in her telling. It was fascinating to hear her speak about the personal importance of One Hundred Shadows and talk so openly about her personal anxieties of not being listened to whilst holding the audience completely captive, irrespective of language!
We at TAP are very proud to have published One Hundred Shadows as our second title and are very grateful to each of you that attended the tour dates and launch. To echo the sentiments of the brilliant Fiametta Rocco on National Translation Day, we believe in publishing less, but publishing better; and we hope that those of you who read the book and heard Hwang talk, will agree that we're doing a pretty darn fine job of it so far.
If you haven't got your copy of One Hundred Shadows yet, click here!
Getting things started at the LRB
All the lovely people who came out to support us!