We have been enjoying following the adventures of Vera Koo for more than 5 years here at The WON. Before that, she routinely appeared with accolades in various releases from winning yet another prestigious shooting competition. Her book, The Most Unlikely Champion, published by Balboa Press in 2017, has recently been accepted and published in China.
Of course, this is a daunting task, with major hurdles and obstacles along the way. We checked in with Vera recently and asked her about how progress is going with the China book deal. Here’s what she had to say.
A1F: What’s the back story of your memoir and its journey into China?
Vera Koo: Last year was supposed to be the year that my book, “The Most Unlikely Champion,” came out in print at the 2019 Shanghai Book Fair. Last minute there was a hitch, and my book did not came out in time to be delivered to the book fair. My husband, Carlos, and I went to Shanghai, nonetheless, to visit the Shanghai Book Fair. I wanted to go see the place that I was supposed to give a half-hour talk at the publisher’s exhibition booth. (I believe I have benefited greatly by our visit to Shanghai Book Fair in 2019 because now I know what outfit I should wear when I go to make the speech in 2020.) The talk I was asked to do had to be accompanied by a 20-minute video that my publisher asked me to make. And finally, I was asked to speak in Chinese only. I came to United States when I was 12 years of age. I have to practice a great deal in order that I don’t use one word of English. … So my trip to Shanghai was a warmup, or we can call it a rehearsal. I am expected to be asked to do at this year’s China book fair, in August, the things that I was supposed to do last year anyway.
A1F: Is your book available in China now?
Vera Koo: Yes, it came out in print in China a month ago. I saw the books in an iPhone picture my friend took in China. They will try to get me my copies soon. As a matter of fact, tomorrow evening our friend is bringing me two copies brought over by a friend’s friend from China. There are 50 more copies that belong to me that will be stored at a friend’s house (in China) until the 2020 Shanghai Book Fair. So, I may have some extra copies to give away at my presentation at the fair.
Read the rest of this fascinating interview at America’s 1st Freedom, written by Barbara Baird and partially reprinted here with permission.
Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
