With more than 700 publishers in Singapore—including multinational publishers whose Asian headquarters call the island-state home—the current publishing scene is positively bubbling with more universal content. But it hasn't always been this way. Most Singapore publishers have long offered localcentric titles that don't translate well over the regional borders. It's difficult for a foreign reader to relate to The True Singapore Ghost Storiesor Singapore: The Air-Conditioned Nation. That, however, should be viewed objectively as part of the growing up and maturing process of a local publishing industry in any given nation.

The present crop of titles from Singapore publishers is definitely more broad based and universal in scope. Following global publishing trends has resulted in co-editions and new markets in North America and Europe. As for what is hot, cookbooks are currently, well, cooking up a storm now that such publications are designed to compete with the best out there. Manga/comic-based educational titles and those pertaining to culture and philosophy are getting more shelf space and air time. Anything to do with the mind, body and spirit is huge, and Asia, with its own supply of men of wisdom—think Sun Tzu, Confucius and Mencius—has a lot to offer in these angst-ridden times. On the other hand, educational titles, especially in mathematics and science, are subjected (pun intended) to much American interest looking to shore up their curricula in these areas.

It's fair to say that the following publishers are aiming for the export market and international partnerships, regardless of their publishing forte or niche.

Publishing for a Wider Audience

Located on the sculptured campus grounds of the National University of Singapore and housed inside a Balinese-inspired building with fountains and koi ponds is the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), an independent research center. Established 35 years ago, ISEAS is the largest publisher of scholarly books on Southeast Asia. "We publish only in English, and our titles focus on the economic, political and social issues of the region," says head of publishing Triena Noeline Ong, who is also the current president of the Publishers Association of Singapore. "Publications travel much better in English, enabling us to reach a larger audience, not just within this region but worldwide. It's also much easier to sell the rights because translating from English to other languages is commonplace." Every year, ISEAS adds an average of 50 new titles—more of books than journals—to its catalogue, which boasts a backlist of over 1,000. "Since we publish mostly on contemporary issues, our backlist sells rather slowly, but it still contributes about 40% to our total sales," Ong adds.

Of its current titles, A Time Bomb for Global Trade: A Maritime-related Terrorism in an Age of WMD and Islamic Perspectives on the New Millennium are enjoying bestseller status. "For these two titles and many others, we offer both print and digital versions. This allows our readers to either purchase the whole book or obtain individual chapter PDFs through our Web site," says Ong, who is busy keeping pace with new technologies and digital-based publishing methods. "As for our journals, electronic versions have been available—at no charge—with the print version for many years, and accessible through libraries and major databases." Last year, ISEAS took electronic delivery a step further with the Southeast Asian Affairs 1973—2003CD-ROM. This series of journals stretching back 30 years was digitized and made available online, and readers can now extract the articles by country, year or topic.

One country in particular is very well published at ISEAS: Indonesia. Ong explains, "This is partly due to the fact that many eminent scholars from all over the world who specialize in Indonesia choose to publish with ISEAS. These publications include the prestigious ANU/ISEAS series IndonesiaUpdate. Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia and an important neighbor in the ASEAN region. It's not an exaggeration to say that we have published more titles on Indonesia over the last 20 years than any other scholarly publishers in the region." And this was duly acknowledged by KITLV Press—a division of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies—when it appointed ISEAS as its exclusive distributor for the region (outside of Indonesia) in 2003.

In retrospect, the turning point for ISEAS was directly linked to Ong's first Frankfurt Book Fair visit in 1987. "The experience of seeing how other scholarly presses conduct their publishing programs and promote their titles was a real eye-opener. It was then that I decided to benchmark our publishing program against those of renowned North American and European scholarly presses. My five-year plan was to ensure we deliver the same quality—in terms of content and even the printing and binding—as these presses, or even surpass them. I also realized that publishing alone was not enough, that co-publishing and rights sales were necessary to elevate the status of ISEAS in the industry. So we made networking with other publishers a top priority."

Today, ISEAS sells rights to ZED Books, Rowman & Littlefield, Washington University Press, Palgrave/Macmillan and many others, and it has a steadily growing co-publishing program with some of these presses, too. Just recently, East-West Center Washington approached ISEAS to promote and sell its policy studies series in the region. Clearly, Ong has achieved whatever goals she set for herself and ISEAS back in 1987 and more.

China Knowledge Press, established in 2001, as its name suggests, specializes in information pertaining to China, and it is the #1 provider of such information in English. The company is widely quoted by Bloomberg, CNBC and BBC, and its publications are frequently reviewed by business periodicals and newspapers worldwide. Armed with a coterie of in-house researchers, analysts and editors, it publishes about 40 titles per annum and has a backlist of more than 100 titles. While its publishing base is in Singapore, it also has analysts and editors working from its Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou offices; the London office, on the other hand, handles mostly distribution and marketing functions.

Says managing director Charles Chaw, "We work more like an investment bank than a publisher. Our publications—market research reports, business guides and directories—are the result of exhaustive research coupled with stringent verification to ensure that the information and analyses are accurate and of the highest quality. I think in this world of ever-changing perspectives and conflicting opinions, we provide an independent viewpoint, one which is in-depth and based on real-world statistics." Leafing through the titles displayed on the tables and shelves, PW gets a surprise: all its publications—no matter how technical or dry the topic, building materials market and power sector, for instance—are printed in full-color on artpaper. "In our opinion, the topic may be dry, but the pages don't have to look that way, too. We think our readers would prefer to see pie charts, tables, figures and photos in full-color instead of looking at more black-and-white pages. Our decision was to make the books beautiful and well designed."

But China Knowledge Press is not just into books; it is in fact only a part of a group with media, consulting and online divisions. And as is usual with such companies, crossovers happen. "Last year, we leveraged on our group expertise and adapted one of our bestselling titles, Building a Successful Plant in China, into a five-episode documentary series on VCD entitled Inside the World's Largest Factory. We're now planning a second series targeting newly emerging industrial parks and developments in the second-tier regions of China."

Another surprise move running counter to industry practice is Chaw's decision to try out a new distribution channel. "Our titles have been available online at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com and through distributors like Reuters Multex and Thomson Dialog. Last year, I decided to try out airport bookshops, despite the fact that our titles—selling for about US$2,250 each—are well outside the usual retail price range. But our research showed that it would work. Naturally, we picked Hong Kong International Airport, mostly because of its proximity to mainland China and its financial hub status, as our launch pad for this new plan. It's the most logical choice, since the businesspeople and government officials passing through the airport would most likely have an interest in China or want to build up their knowledge of the country. Now our titles are available in all 10 WH Smith outlets throughout the airport and are enjoying very good sales."

Lately, Chaw is seeing more interest from public institutions and academic libraries looking for specific information. "With our publications covering a diverse range of sectors—tourism, outdoor advertising, retail, accounting services and foreign tertiary education to name a few—there is sure to be a China Knowledge Press title to suit anyone looking for business opportunities or some understanding of the fast-developing industries in China."

Should anyone ask publisher and founder Fong Hoe Fang, he would say that Ethos Books is his labor of love. "Poetry per se does not sell well, and this is a universal fact faced by poetry publishers anywhere in the world. On our part, we try to instill a love for poetry and literature, especially among the young, by publishing local poets and authors—young ones—writing about contemporary topics. We believe there are a lot of voices in Singapore, but most are closet writers not heard probably due to the lack of publishing opportunities. By creating Ethos Books, we hope to give them a platform to be creative and to be heard." Since its conception in 1997, Ethos Books—an imprint of Pagesetters, a full-service advertising and design agency—has published more than 35 titles and is regarded as a serious publisher in the market.

But being a serious publisher comes with plenty of challenges. "For one, the readership for poetry and literary fiction is limited. Then there is an equally limited pool of talent that we can draw from to produce works that would make an impact on society. While we want to publish more, we also want quality writers and quality works." Titles addressing social issues are in no shortage in Ethos's catalogue. No Other City, for example, focuses on urbanization; on the other hand, A History of Amnesia, which was shortlisted for the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Prize in 2001, talks about the transience of memories. Then there is Heartland, which explores the paradox of rootedness and rootlessness facing Singaporeans born after the Japanese occupation.

On the average, it takes Fong and publishing executive May Ng three to six months to develop a title and to work alongside the author to conceptualize the ideas and writings into an engaging package. The extra care taken to produce each title, resulting in special packaging and design, is evident in all Ethos books. City of Rain, for instance, is a collection of poems encased in waterproof nylon, like a raincoat, complete with snap buttons and a label announcing its title. Another title, Love Gathers All—an anthology of love poetry and the first-ever collaborative literary effort between 93 poets from both Singapore and the Philippines—is romantically tied with ribbons and its title is embossed in elaborate script. "A publication to us is not just about words. It's also about the packaging, the visual impact. For poems especially, we believe that the aesthetic impact is crucial to setting the appropriate mood for enjoying the words inside," says Ng. Even the titles of its publications are a mixture of wit laced with intrigue. Consider, for example, Catwalkingand the Games We Play, Isaac Revisited, Shakespeare Can Wait or Off Centre.

Ethos also publishes a diverse selection of dialogues pertaining to local theater and sociopolitical issues, as well as original works. One of the best, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature—a five-volume literary criticism series edited by Kirpal Singh—focuses on English-language works by Singapore writers. Says Fong, "We publish titles that are reflective of our name: those that present the ethos of our changing time."

Flame of the Forest Publishinghas grown so much since its early days 16 years ago. Founded and wholly owned by Alex Chacko, a journalist with extensive experience in television, print and radio, and Sarah Chia, a chartered accountant, the publishing house made its debut with Russell Lee's TrueSingapore Ghost Stories. To date, the 12-volume series has sold over 700,000 copies and spawned many me-toos in the market. Says Chacko, "This series marked the start of Singaporeans reading Singapore originals. Prior to that, the tendency was to reach for foreign titles on the bookshelves, while local publishers—entrenched in the British literary mold, a legacy of our colonial past—did not have the know-how to publish lighthearted and mass market titles."

GhostStories was soon followed by titles such as Excuse Me, Are You a Model? (a successful model's exposé of the modeling and fashion world) and the Sarong Party Girl series (a caricature of the Eastern girl who idolizes the West for all the wrong reasons), to name a few. And most of the titles stayed for weeks and even months on the bestseller lists. Then came HelloChokTong, Goodbye Kuan Yew—a book of political cartoons by George Nonis—a type of publication never before seen or heard of on this island-state of authoritarian-style democracy. Chacko recalls, "Bookshops refused to carry this title; the same with distributors. At one point, I was busy consulting with lawyers to make sure everything is legit and nothing in the pages is defamatory or cause for libel suits!" But when then—prime minister Goh Chok Tong said he thought Nonis had "a sense of humor" and that the book was "rather perceptive and rather good," the book found its way to the shelves and sold 30,000 copies in just two months.

Looking back, Chacko says, "We may have started off with mass market titles on entertaining or, as some would put it, sensational topics, but we have since moved on. Our present list includes illustrated titles, nonfiction, fiction, children's books and cookbooks." Its children's titles, especially, have done very well. Mr. Midnight, an adventure and mystery series for 7- to 12-year-olds, for example, has consistently outsold Harry Potterlocally and in Malaysia, and it is growing in popularity around the region. Sales from the 19-volume original version have exceeded 500,000 copies. And with Mr. Midnight, the Moviescheduled for worldwide release next year, sales are expected to skyrocket.

On the adult side, Chacko recently published Daughters of Asia, a coffee-table book featuring ASEAN women leaders such as then—president Megawati of Indonesia, president Arroyo of the Philippines and the first ladies of Singapore, Cambodia and Laos. "It's a collection of inspiring accounts of hope, courage and determination to survive against all odds. Spectacular photography aside, it also contains a segment with recipes from these women leaders." And speaking of recipes, Flame of the Forestcookbooks are currently stoking many a stove in Singapore and around the region, especially new publications Beyond Fusion, Cooking for Expats and Table, which feature vivid photographs laid out in eye-catching designs. Now that the popularity of Flame of the Forest titles has spread far beyond the island's borders, Chacko's aim is to build a more extensive distribution network. A tie-up with Amazon.com allows Flame to distribute its titles to all corners of the world.

And PW gets to ask the question on everybody's mind: What's with the name? "Flame of the forest is a tree found in the tropics, and it is a spectacular sight to behold when its red or yellow flowers are in full bloom. You can easily pick out a flame of the forest tree, even in a dense tropical forest. Well, that's us, you see. We stand out," quips Chacko.

The newest entrant to the Singapore publishing industry is also one that has garnered accolades from distinguished members of the local society even before the first book was published. Booksoul Publishing, founded by George Tan, focuses on inspirational and motivational publications. "The message underlying Booksoul titles is simple: You owe yourself a second chance. There is not much anybody can do for you if you don't give yourself another chance. Inside our publications are ample examples of people who did and how they went about it," Tan says. And nobody knows better about second chances than Tan, a survivor from what he calls "a bad neighborhood in old Singapore where the 3Vs—vandalism, violence and vulgarism—were rife." From the days of extreme poverty when he was a child and parental prejudice to excelling in his postgraduate studies at George Washington University, his life story is encapsulated in the first series, Soulprint. "This series is not an autobiography devised to boost my ego. It simply uses my life story to carry the message of the many lessons which are applicable to anybody anywhere."

And that is just the beginning: another series in the pipeline uses a personal life skills model Tan developed at the age of 26. He explains, "It's a universal model applicable to people of any cultural background, in any profession and in any life situation. It is also a model many successful people subconsciously use to achieve their goals. Another series, Praise Champion, will use this model to explain how men and women, past and present—such as Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi and Mother Teresa—achieved their greatness."

Developing a life skills model and unlocking the potential of others are part of Tan's career. A trained human resource professional who now owns a recruitment agency, his career path—starting with the operations planning office at the defense ministry and followed by human resource appointments at international corporations like Westin Hotels and conglomerate First Capital Corp.—has given him ample opportunities to observe and motivate people. "It's all about giving hope and telling people to 'never say die.' This is important in our society, where there are many, children and adults alike, who are struggling with life. Money is an issue. Self-esteem is another. Booksoul's mission is to inspire and help them regain their self-esteem, to provide them with hope and, in so doing, help them get their lives back on track. No preaching here. As a writer, I merely want to tell stories of ordinary people who have gone through rough times and emerged better off."

And why does Tan choose to publish the titles himself instead of just packing the manuscripts off to a publisher in town? "My first few meetings with publishers were not good. Their inclination was to sensationalize my story, which was not what I wanted. I also know that the publishing industry, just like any other, is about the bottom line. I don't want to be in a situation whereby my publisher abandons my books if they don't do well from the get-go. And this goes back to my life skills model, in which one element is taking control. In the long term, I believe my books will succeed and make a difference, and I want to take control to make it happen," says Tan. "And if Booksoul books do not sell well initially, I'll go back to my life skills model, study the reasons and implement the necessary changes to make them a success. Remember: Never say die!"

The largest educational publisher in town, SNP Panpac—with its two imprints, EPB and Pan Pacific—has over 2,000 titles in its catalogue, covering the whole spectrum from preschool to pre-university textbooks and supplementary materials, as well as general reference titles. "We trace our heritage to a bureau in the Ministry of Education that was set up to publish local textbooks in 1967. Then, our focus was solely on producing titles in Chinese, our mother tongue," says managing director Christabel Lee. "To this day, our Chinese-language publications, particularly language-learning titles, are acknowledged as the best in the region."

Currently, SNP Panpac's presence, which is boosted by its reputation for quality textbooks, is felt not just within the region but also in the U.S., U.K., West Indies, Middle East, East Asia and many others. At last count, its publications are used, as they are or adapted, in some 25 countries. Given the protectionist stance adopted by almost all academic communities in the world—fully backed by their governments—the reach of SNP Panpac publications is startling. "Reputation wins the day, and we have that in spades through years of experience in the field and through proven results from those using our publications. For the international market, we are usually commissioned to develop textbooks on subjects such as mathematics and science according to specified syllabuses but based on our methodology," adds Lee.

"The fact that Singapore has consistently outscored the rest of the world in mathematics and science knowledge for fourth and eighth graders in the international test conducted by TIMSS [Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study] has helped to spread the word," says international sales director Sim Wee Chee. "That our textbooks and materials are written in English, the language of instruction in most of our export destinations in the western hemisphere, is also crucial to the success of our overseas sales." American schools show the most interest in Singapore textbooks. This has led SNP Panpac to collaborate with a U.S. company to develop the Primary Mathematics Challenging Word Problems series for first to sixth grades, with materials for higher levels in the pipeline. "Adaptation is crucial, as the original word problems use the metric system. In addition, names that sound foreign to local students will have to be changed as well," Sim adds.

Lee notes, "Overall, math and science titles are usually devoid of cultural nuances and therefore can be translated readily across countries. But we don't take anything for granted. Any minute adaptation which will result in a more user-friendly text for both the student and the teacher will be made without hesitation. That is why we select our overseas partners very carefully: we have to rely on them to provide local know-how, while we offer our expertise in the subject matter. Co-publishing is the biggest vehicle for SNP Panpac—or, for that matter, for any local educational publishers—to reach overseas markets."

Building on the international spotlight on Singapore textbooks, SNP Panpac has delivered two new series that fully integrate real-world learning methodology. "For mathematics, we have the In Step Maths series, which adopts a learner-centered and lively approach by using real-world questions and interesting games. At the same time, we supplement this 36-title series with CD-ROMs and teacher's guides with chapters interleaved. For science, the i-Science series—currently our bestselling title—uses examples from daily life and commonly observed phenomena to explain science concepts. Such thematic approach coupled with the incorporation of real-life experiences is a far cry from the dry and text-intensive volumes of the olden days," says Sim.

Comic/manga-styled books on culture—covering history, philosophy, art and literature—are Asiapac Books' forte, and since its early days back in 1983, this focus has remained unchanged. Through its books, it strives to inspire and teach in a lighthearted and entertaining way. Says managing director Lim Li Kok, "The cultural focus is a natural choice: this region has a rich culture to offer to the world, and enhancing our understanding of others' cultures is key to harmony and tolerance." Hence Asiapac's slogan: "Many Faces, One World." With more than 500 ethnic groups in Asia—admittedly a hotbed of cultural beliefs that might be paradoxical and mystifying to most—Asiapac will certainly never run out of materials to publish.

"Forty new titles will be added to our list this year, with three major titles—Sunzi's Art of Business, Gateway to Chinese History and Gateway to Indian Literature—scheduled to be launched in the next few months," says publishing director Lydia Lum. Titles such as Origins of Chinese Festivals (which has sold 30,000 copies), Sunzi's Art of War and the three-volume Complete Analects of Confuciusare its top bestsellers. Meanwhile, the many new topics appearing in its catalogue in recent months prompted a reorganization of some sort in its publishing program. "We now promote our titles under four categories or brands. Under the newest brand, Essence, we have titles on traditional medicine, healthcare practices and lifestyle issues. Another brand, Inspiration, has The Tao Inspiration as its flagship title. The other two brands are Gateway and Origins. Gateway titles focus on cultures, like Gateway to Indian Literature and Gateway to Malay Culture. Origins, on the other hand, are quick introductions to cultural subsets like Chinese festivals, folk arts, Shaolin kung-fu, Tibetan culture and Chinese cuisine. One common thread binds these brands: each title is meticulously illustrated with the topic broken down into little bites that make an otherwise 'foreign' subject digestible."

To Western publishers, Asiapac is a huge repository of mind-body-spirit titles, especially those on Zen, philosophy and feng shui. Rights to titles like The Book of Zenhave been sold to Germany, Finland, France and the Netherlands. The same goes for books on sayings by the ancient philosophers Confucius and Mencius. "Those on philosophy, particularly strategy and leadership, are selling very well. Sunzi's Art of War, I Ching and Roots of Wisdom are just a few examples," says Lim. It's interesting that Sunzi (or Sun Tzu), who was doling out military stratagems and dispensing philosophical wisdom when the pharaohs were building the pyramids—still commands so much ink to this day.

In total, Asiapac has sold rights to 30 foreign publishers in some 20 countries. One reason for such prodigious rights sales lies in the language used in its publications: 70% of the 600 titles in Asiapac's catalogue are in English or bilingual English-Chinese. In addition, for rights buyers, illustration-based titles mean there is less text to translate.

Graphic novels are the fastest-growing segment at Asiapac, and one that has won it numerous awards. Its two major series are the 10-volume Romance of the Three Kingdoms—China's best-known historical epic—and the 18-volume Return of the Condor Heroes, which won the Prestigious Award at the Asian Comics Conference in 1997 and has sold over one million copies. Asiapac's collaboration with the region's top illustrators and manga artists has given it a great deal of publicity and credibility. Says Lim, "The growth of comics and manga in North America is good news to us. For now, we are definitely seeing greater interest in such titles, not just because of the manga craze but also because Asiapac is known for offering highly readable titles instead of heavy tomes."

At three-year-old YoungJin(Singapore), it is a given that its publishing focus would not stray too far from that of parent company YoungJin Media, Korea's largest info-tech publisher. "The one big difference between this branch and our Seoul publishing unit is that our content is in English. In other words, we create products that can be sold directly to the English-speaking world, via our North American distribution network," says managing director Hong Woon Young. That also means easier rights selling for Hong, who now counts Spain, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland and Italy among her buyers.

As for what sells in the supposedly doom-and-gloom tech book market, YoungJin's bestseller list tells the story: two titles from its Go Digital series (40 Digital Photography Techniques and 40DigitalPhoto Retouching Techniques) have sold over 40,000 copies each, while two from the Accelerated series (Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Photoshop CS) are reaching the 20,000-copy mark. "Anything related to the digital world and digital lifestyle—think iPod, iMovie and digital cameras—is growing because the market for such products is getting bigger and there is increasing consumer-driven demand for books that introduce these new technologies in a friendly and approachable style, and selling at an attractive price," says Hong. "And we strive to produce titles that serve the needs of the ever-growing number of tech-savvy, sophisticated consumers, yet in a style that suits beginners, too."

Publishing 14 titles last year and aiming for 20 this year, Hong and her colleagues decide on the titles and then find industry experts to write them. "Presently, we are hiring some writers from the U.S. and taking full advantage of their proximity to our target market—that being North America—to produce titles that would better reflect the needs of the marketplace and of the intended readership. But hiring overseas writers means we have to contend with higher production costs and various logistical problems. So, in the longer term, we intend to identify local and regional writers with IT experience to join our publishing team." In the meantime, six new titles are set to hit the market over the next six months: two Go Digital titles on iPod, DSLR and Tiger techniques, and four Accelerated titles on new versions of Flash, Photoshop Elements, Dreamweaver and Photoshop.

With shelf lives averaging nine to 12 months for most IT books and lower sales than before, diversification is the way to steady sales and a more profitable backlist. "We have started our very own and very unique manga-styled educational division. The first series, targeting nine- to 12-year-olds, was published in March and covers a range of subjects, from mathematics to Roman mythology. Four more titles are on their way. We have since sold the rights to this series to Thailand, Indonesia, China and Taiwan." More titles are in the pipeline: Great Figures in History, Literary Classicsand Every Kid's Guide to Economics.Manga is a $140-million market in North America and growing fast. While manga novels are everywhere, educational manga is new and Hong wants to capitalize on the trend. "Educational manga requires much higher investment and a longer development process. It took us 20 months to develop the first three volumes of Everyday Science. The biggest challenge is to find experienced illustrators and writers familiar with the topics to 'translate' the text material into illustrations accompanied by easy-to-understand and brief explanations. But we think educational manga is where the growth is, and you will definitely find YoungJin (Singapore) titles leading the way."

At Landmark Books, director Goh Eck Kheng is actively reaching out to a global readership by focusing less on Singapore-centric publications and more on Asian subjects with an international appeal says, "We publish what we know and what we believe in. This gives impetus to the business." Take for example Matching Wine and Asian Food, which he is publishing with Tide-mark Books. "This is the first book on a subject that is increasingly discussed in food and wine circles around the world. Besides providing clear principles in matching the spectrum of Asian food with old- and new-world wines, it includes 50 recipes of classic dishes chosen to give an understanding of how the matching system works. This title is an example of what we call 'food culture' publications: books that are much more than just recipes. Our authors provide the background to the food and the appreciation of it. They add value to the topic by drawing on personal knowledge and enhancing it with extensive research to provide new information."

The best-known Landmark publication on food culture is Secrets of Chinese Nutrition—a classic in its field that has sold more than 50,000 copies in Singapore alone. The text and 165 recipes elucidate ancient and traditional Chinese principles and show how ingredients can transform into nutritious and delicious food using the yin-yang concept and appropriate cooking methods.

But Landmark is not just into cookbooks. On the soon-to-be-released list is a major novel, Swordswomen, on the epic journey of Hakka women in China, Malaya and America, written in the spirit of Maxine Hong Kingston and Tash Aw. Goh is committed to the development of Singaporean and Malaysian fiction and is actively identifying and nurturing writers for this genre. "Another genre we publish is biography. But we are not just looking for famous people to write their life stories. We want to publish people who typify an era or a way of life." One such title is Shanghai Sisters, in which author Miranda Eu provides the only first-person account of life in the legendary Hardoon Garden of Old Shanghai. In its day, the goings-on in the walled residence were a favorite topic of teahouse gossips and the subject of pop lit. This title, which was described by the Melbourne Writers' Festival as "astonishing," has been sold to Spice Island Books (U.K.). Landmark also publishes mass market titles on Asian subjects ranging from Asian etiquette to Asian cities.

Says Goh, "We are a small publisher and we have personal working relationships with every author. We still have the enthusiasm and personal commitment that are often lost in commercialism. Landmark is known for these and for the uncompromising quality of the books we publish." Currently, Landmark has about 100 active backlist titles, of which 40 have international appeal. About a dozen titles have already been planned for 2006. Goh says, "We are just beginning to look at the international market and are in the process of appointing a distributor in the U.K. with the aim of promoting our titles there starting next year. At the same time, we are seeking distributors and like-minded publishers from North America for co-publishing ventures."

A glance at Editions Didier Millet's recent co-publishing partner list—which includes top names in high-end publishing like Thames & Hudson, Dorling Kindersley, St. Martin's Press, Tuttle and Harvard University Press—means one isn't surprised when editorial director Timothy Auger says that "a high standard of design presentation coupled with editorial depth defines EDM publications." It also produces books for such big names as Citigroup, HSBC and Raffles Hotel. Its bestselling titles provide further evidence of that publishing philosophy: Venice Sketchbook(with watercolors by Fabrice Moireau), Oxford Sketchbook (with architecturally perceptive watercolors by Graham Byfield), Tropical Garden Design(lavishly illustrated and written by expert designer Made Wijaya) and Malaysia: A Pictorial History (containing over 1,000 archival photos spread throughout nearly 400 large-format pages).

Owned by Frenchman Didier Millet and established in Singapore about 16 years ago, EDM's publishing focus has been on bringing Southeast Asia to the international audience. "We publish some 20—30 titles annually through our offices in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as through our sister company Les Editions du Pacifique in Paris. Some of them appear under the imprint Archipelago Press. The majority of the titles are of course produced in Singapore. Given the nature of our list, co-editions are done mainly with publishers interested in Asian topics or those specializing in art, design and cultural history titles," says Auger. Among the titles coming out soon are New York Sketchbook, Architecture of Thailand, Athens: Scenes from a Capital City, India Chic and ShanghaiChic.

Turning to challenges on the publishing scene in Singapore, Auger says, "The small market size with a small proportion of habitual book buyers is the main issue. It makes co-publishing all the more important, as are sponsorships and other corporate and institutional tie-ins. The talent pool is also fairly small, although with a high level of commitment and skill. There are relatively few impediments to recruiting foreign talent if there is a need. Singapore is also a convenient location in terms of printing, as there are many printers here specializing in high-end trade titles like ours, and we have generally been extremely happy with the level of quality, service and competitive pricing available here, in terms of both color separation and printing."

Next year, the highlight at EDM will be the publication of two major illustrated reference works: one of mainly local interest and the other global. "The latter is TheEncyclopedia of the Indian Diaspora, which is being developed in partnership with the South Asian Studies Department of the National University of Singapore. This publication follows an excellent precedent, that of our Encyclopedia of the Chinese Overseas, which was co-published by Harvard University Press and by British publisher Curzon." Presently, EDM distributes its titles outside Southeast Asia mostly via co-editions and ad hoc agency agreements for certain publications.

In summing up, Auger says, "Our main strength is our willingness to invest time and effort in content and design development. This pays dividends in terms of establishing co-edition relationships and making corporate publishing deals, for which we have a good track record."

Children's book publisher SilkRoad Networkshas a great outing with its first title, A Musical Journey: From the Great Wall of China to the Water Towns of Jiangnan. Selling close to 2,000 copies since its release in Canada early this year, the 32-page book was selected by ABA as its autumn 2004 Book Sense Children's Pick and was cited in the November 2004 issue of the New Yorkermagazine.

With fun facts on China's multicultural people and way of life presented in a way that is designed to be educational and at the same time enjoyable—through vibrant illustrations and an accompanying CD offering 12 musical selections representing each of the regions highlighted in the book—this title is a resounding success for co-owner and publisher Liow Kah Joon. "I started working on A Musical Journey two years ago with a team made up of a music composer, an artist, a designer, a researcher and an editor. Our goal has been to publish unique and high-quality children's books with an Asian theme for the global market. And I think we have achieved that with A Musical Journey, which is now sold in North America, Australia and Ireland," says Liow. His previous appointments with American and European television companies producing for the Chinese market, as well as his experience in running his own company in Canada, have given him the know-how to sell across cultures and to target these markets.

Now back in Singapore, Liow aims to publish titles that are beautiful to behold and engaging to read, while also creatively designed to breach the boundaries of children's book publishing. His latest, Shaolin: Legends of Zen and Kung Fu, will be launched on the second day of the Frankfurt Book Fair.