Just one week after landing the Nobel prize for literature, dissident Chinese writer Gao Xingjian found himself bombarded with faxes from around the world offering to publish his works. Talking up authors Literary agents adore the fair. It is the chance to talk up their authors and get publishers to wave their checkbooks in a carefully choreographed public relations exercise. A master of the art is British agent Christopher Little, who within four days of receiving a manuscript from first-time author J.K. Rowling had signed up the Harry Potter sagas that became a publishing legend. It is such a giant rights market.
People keep their best for Frankfurt.
There can be a buying frenzy. People put big money behind a book. Harry Potter has sold 57 million copies in 200 countries. That's the way it is. Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited .