We invite you to a special discussion today (Monday, September 28) from the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and us here at Publishing Perspectives.

Award-winning translator Sawad Hussain, winner of the 2019 ArabLit Short Story Prize and two English PEN Translates awards. Hussain’s recent translations include the resistance novella by Sahar Khalifeh Passage to the Plaza (Seagull Books), which has been shortlisted for the 2020 Palestine Book Awards Palestine Book Awards.

Canada-based Bookland Press publisher Robert Morgan, who has established a comprehensive translation program at BookLand Press, which includes the translation of six Governor General’s Award-winning books and five Trillium Book Award-winning titles.

Moderated by Porter Anderson, editor-in-chief of Publishing Perspectives

One hopeful message Morgan has in a pre-event exchange: “We see a growing demand for Arabic literature from the North American market. More and more Canadians and Americans are interested in reading Arabic literature and learning more about Arabic language and culture.

And from Hussain, we’re already learning of an interesting graphic project she’d like to find a home for: “I’m currently pitching a Lebanese graphic novel which I’m very excited about, but still looking to find a press.”