Nimbus Publishing is a company headquartered in Halifax, founded in 1978. It produces more than 50 new book titles a year on a range of subjects relevant to the Atlantic provinces. These include children’s picture books and fiction, literary non-fiction, books of social and cultural history, nature photography, current events, biography, sports and cultural issues. This women-owned company is Canada’s largest English-language publisher east of Toronto, and it is the distributor for numerous other Atlantic publishers.
Finding new opportunities through a trade event
With the help of the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), in partnership with Canada Books and Canadian Heritage, the company participated in the Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) in 2023. The annual fair is Korea’s leading event in the publishing industry. The TCS organized a Canada Pavilion to represent Canadian publishing companies at the SIBF held from June 14 to 18, 2023, at the COEX exhibition hall in Seoul. The Canadian Pavilion introduced and promoted Canadian literary works to Korean sellers, distributors and publishers.
Rather than participate in person, small publishers from Canada that wanted to be part of the SIBF, including Nimbus, sent samples of their books to be displayed at the Canadian Pavilion. Visitors to the fair were able to review the works on display and those who were interested in learning more were provided with lists and catalogues of the Canadian publishers showcased at the SIBF.
Here’s how the company benefitted from the TCS
During the SIBF event, our trade commissioners in Seoul met with several Korean publishers and agencies on behalf of Canadian publishers. One of these local publishers, Hawoo Publishing, expressed an interest in Serge the Snail Without a Shell, published by Nimbus. Hawoo followed up with the Halifax company, requesting more information. After further exchanges, Nimbus and Hawoo signed a copyright agreement on August 1, 2023, giving Hawoo the rights to translate and publish the children’s book in Korea, as well as the worldwide Korean-language rights to the book. The deal between Nimbus Publishing and Hawoo Publishing included an advance payment as well as author and illustrator royalties on each copy of the book sold in Korean.
The role of the TCS and our partners in the SIBF Nimbus Publishing’s success
Canada Books helped the TCS office in Seoul recruit Canadian publishers that wanted to have their works displayed at the Canada Pavilion, and it shipped their books to Korea. Canadian Heritage was also a partner at the event and provided funding for the Canada Pavilion at the fair. Canada participated in the SIBF as the “spotlight country” in 2023, as part of celebrations of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Korea. Our trade commissioners in Seoul provided introductions and consultations with local Korean publishers and agencies on behalf of Canadian firms showcased at the SIBF. Companies that expressed interest in any of the exhibited books were later connected with the relevant Canadian publishers.
The success of Nimbus Publishing in securing the contract with Hawoo Publishing underscores the vital role that the TCS and its targeted business programs at trade events play in helping women-owned businesses thrive internationally.
The company, which is co-owned by Terrilee Bulger and Heather Bryan, has also benefitted from participation in the Toronto Board of Trade’s Trade Acceleration Program (TAP). Nimbus was the first Canadian independent publisher with a TAP-certified export strategy. Its involvement in that program led the company to contact the TCS Regional Office for Atlantic Canada, which has offered Nimbus introductions to Trade Commissioners in foreign markets. It also provided guidance and assistance to the company in its preparation for remote involvement in several other overseas book fairs, similar to the event in Korea.
Following the sale of the Korean rights of Serge the Snail Without a Shell, Nimbus has heard from a publisher in China that is considering publishing the book in Chinese. A publisher from Quebec also reached out and is considering obtaining the worldwide French-language rights to the book.