Literary agent Kelly Falconer, who this week formally celebrates the launch of her Asia Literacy [sic] Agency (ALA) in Hong Kong, has some strong words to say in defence of a group of people she feels are overlooked by the industry.

“I am very concerned by the general disregard and lack of due respect given to translators,” she says. “I despair of the paltry fees offered to them, many of whom barely subsist on what they earn. I think fairer agreements need to be made more standard, and not only afforded to the big names in the translation industry.”