We are recently back from the big annual book fair in Frankfurt. It is an enormous event with thousands of exhibitors spread over half a dozen cavernous multi-storey buildings, organized by type and by country of origin. Almost designed to make almost anyone feel insignificant. If you do a good amount of international business, as we do here at NIAS Press, the fair also gives you a good workout. We spent the days rushing and pushing through crowds in a mad dash from a group meeting in building six to an appointment in building 8 followed by a presentation in building 4, etc.

It may be utterly exhausing, but it's also a good buzz. We always come back with interesting new contacts, ideas and plans, and of course the fair is a great opportunity to meet face to face with our international distributors and co-publishers. This time, the fair brought useful discussions about international collaboration on marketing, digitization and electronic publishing, a new and easier way to e-communicate with trade partners, a number of proposals for co-publications, and some good forward movement with our distributor in Japan. All in all a week well spent.

But of course one returns to inboxes piled high with missives from those who do not attend the fair, most notably from our authors. We hope we have not kept you waiting unduly!