Mist-Bound: How to Glue Back Grandpa (“Mist-Bound”), a book written by Singapore-based Malaysian author Daryl Kho and released in July 2021 by Penguin Random House South-East Asia (“SEA”) is one of the rare works of fiction for Middle Years readers featuring the topic of dementia to be published in this region.

Since its publication, the book has swept all major literary awards for kids and youth-related writing in Singapore. It was also often the only Asian title on children’s top bestseller lists for leading bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia that have otherwise been dominated by Western megabrands.

Mist-Bound is now set to reach even more readers in the Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese markets.

Mist-Bound is set to penetrate the Chinese market. 

In China, New Star Press has acquired the rights to publish Mist-Bound for the world’s second-largest publishing market (according to The Economist), through Daryl’s Chinese representative, Zespa Media.

Founded in 1989, New Star Press is an imprint of the China International Publishing Group (“CIPG”), which is China’s largest foreign-language publisher. New Star Press considers “introducing China to the world” its duty and has published a great number of books on China in numerous languages including English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and German. It has become an important channel for foreign readers to learn about China, and conversely for Chinese readers to read the best of the world’s literature.

Ninety percent of the world’s masters of mystery have worked with New Star Press to introduce their works to Chinese readers including Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Raymond Chandler, Jeffrey Deaver, Soji Shimada, Kotaro Isaka, and many others. New Star Press has also published works by other famous authors like William Gibson, Orson Scott Card, Ray Bradbury, Frederic Evans Wakeman, Israel Epstein, Ye Xin, Ma Yong, Lao Shu, Liu Sha He, and Tang Haoming.

Mist-Bound is going places in Korea.

In Korea, International Booker Prize 2022 Finalist Bora Chung will translate the book for Sam & Parkers, a leading Korean publisher that acquired the Korean publishing rights through Daryl’s agent in Korea, 221B.

Well known as a market leader in non-fiction, Sam & Parkers expanded into fiction in a major way with their breakaway hit Dalergut Dream Department Store, Korean’s bestselling book in 2021 that has been sold to 13 different countries. Sam & Parkers will now be broadening its boundary to children’s literature through its subsidiary Ally which will be undertaking the publication of Mist-Bound in Korea.

The book will be translated into Korean for Sam & Parkers by Bora Chung, a prolific author represented by Greenbook Agency. Bora’s own book, Cursed Bunny (translated to English by Anton Hur) was a Finalist for the International Booker Prize 2022. Bora is also the current President of the Science Fiction Writers Union of South Korea. In 2014, her short story, The Seed (씨앗), won the Gwacheon Science Centre Science Fiction Award.

Bora was instrumental in the signing of Mist-Bound’s Korean deal. The book first attracted Bora’s personal interest when she and Daryl were on the same speakers’ panel at the 2022 Georgetown Literary Festival. She bought a copy of the book to read on her flight home and texted Daryl about her interest to translate it into her mother tongue as soon as she landed.

Mist-Bound is reaching more readers in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, the translation rights have been purchased by Kim Dong Publishing House, the oldest and most well-known publisher of children’s books in Vietnam. Daryl is represented in Vietnam by RWA Media.  Further markets and languages are in active discussion.

Kim Dong Publishing House (”Kim Dong”) in Vietnam has a long history dating back to 1957, including the publication of the generational classic, Cricket’s Diary by To Hoai. They are the Vietnamese publisher of Roald Dahl’s classic works, C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, the popular French comic series Astérix, Peter Rabbit, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, and The Book of Dust, Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles and Circe, and many more well-loved titles.

Kim Dong is also one of the largest manga publishers in the country, localising long-running Japanese titles such as Detective Conan, Doraemon, Dragon Ball, and Slam Dunk. The publisher also operates 13 bookstores throughout Vietnam.

What does Mist-Bound author Daryl Kho think of these translation deals?

Author Daryl Kho shared, “For someone who had never expected to be published at all, full-stop, it is mind-blowing for me to think that Alexis, the main character in the book based on my daughter, is getting to save Grandpa in so many different languages and mediums. Aside from these exciting Asian language publishing deals, it was amazing to see the story being adapted into escape-room style game experiences in Singapore – “Puzzles in the Mist” (as part of the Arts House’s Textures 2023 Campaign) and “Beyond the Mist” (for an event held at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content 2023). These cool games designed by the Curious Chimeras enabled Mist-Bound readers to experience the book in a fresh new way.”

Initiated and supported by the Singapore Book Council, the games aimed to create greater awareness about local children’s books amongst Singaporean audiences. In these games, the fantasy world of Mist from Mist-Bound was woven together with elements from two other Singaporean children’s books that had won or been nominated for prizes under the Hedwig Anuar Book Award, namely Lemonade Sky by J.H. Low and My BFF is an Alien by Vivian Teo.

“As a broadcast media professional who has made a living selling other people’s stories, it will truly be a dream come true if I can eventually see my own story brought to life on screen by B&C Content, an LA-Seoul-based talent management and production company that I have signed a screen development deal with,” Daryl added.

B&C Content specialises in developing creative crossover opportunities between Hollywood and Korea. The company has a diverse roster of best-in-class global talent, like powerhouse actor and producer filmmaker Don Lee (Train to Busan, The Roundup franchise), Oscar-nominated actor Steven Yeun (Minari), and many others.

Kho concluded, “It is a significant challenge for many authors to reach readers beyond home shores. I feel immensely fortunate and grateful to have found good publishing partners and agents to help me bring Mist-Bound into new markets.”

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Cover image supplied by Li-Hsian CHOO.