Hi Marg

Couple of brief reference notes about Errol and our China Project…
• First contributed to our China Project in December 2012 when we first brought Xiaojian and Sean to Melb for a series of workshops – helped us think through the optimal publishing structure and production workflow for the new LP and SMP publishing setup in China
• Been part of our China management team since January 2013 – providing advice and insights on publishing structure, commissioning, briefing, scheduling timeframes, author management
• Participated in the Author & CE workshop we held in Beijing in May 2013 – workshop for some 30 new Chinese authors and 20 freelance/fulltime CEs. Helped me devise the schedule which covered everything from our no-freebies policy and on-the-road research techniques, to what makes a good guidebook and what makes a good CE. Led some of these sessions as well as provided more indepth insights and examples to sessions led by our China team
• Helped us develop and work through a new “short trips” Chinese product proposal to cover short-haul destinations within Asia for Chinese travellers
• Was a great backup and support - answering queries from our fledging Chinese commissioning team by email and phone as we set up the new structure and team

Some particular memories…
• At the author workshop in Beijing, sitting patiently during long sessions where our Chinese authors were debating a particular issue in Chinese and then being asked suddenly in English “What do you think Errol?” and managing to come up with a completely relevant response!
• Errol rising to the challenge one night during the workshop (author workshops are as lively in China as in any other LP territory I suspect… just a lot more singing, usually heart-wrenching folk songs!). Errol sang a very strong and moving account of “Pokarekare Ana”, which surprised him more than anyone else I think (he apparently hasn’t sang since childhood!)
• Eating Uighur kebabs and drinking well into the night with our Chinese authors perched on a stool on the pavement outside a tiny bar in Beijing’s Muslim quarter
• Being his naturally intrepid and curious self and making the most of his very short time in Beijing – from getting to the Great Wall by himself to purchasing a sim card from a dodgy kiosk in an old neighbourhood where no English is spoken, to trying to hunt down some antique books for his partner back home, to googling the make of his air con remote in English so he could work out what the Chinese characters meant and how to operate it correctly

I’m not sure how we’ll manage without him either Marg but I’m just really glad that our small China team had the chance to meet and get to know Errol and all that he stands for. I know his words and character have already had a great influence and will continue to guide them in the background. I know our team will want to stay in touch with him. Megan