Asian Publishers Week
Participant
HUOT Socheata
Country : Cambodia
Company : Avatar Publishing
Job Title : Founder & Director
E-mail : socheata.huot.dupre@gmail.com
Work Experience in Publishing
Having graduated in French Literature from the Royal University of Phnom Penh in 2002, I then continued my studies and obtained a Master’s degree in Translation (Khmer-French-English). A lifelong lover of reading and writing, I have always been passionate about it.
Between 2009 and 2019, during my professional experience as Publishing Program Manager at Sipar, a leading children’s publisher in Cambodia, I had the opportunity to work on various aspects of the publishing process, such as writing (fiction and non-fiction), editing, art direction, graphic design, copyright negotiation, print control, promotion, and distribution.
Furthermore, in 2011, I helped found the Cambodian chapter of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People), whose goal is to open the doors to the world through books. Thanks to this initiative, I had the opportunity to participate in international conferences, workshops, and book fairs, and to meet publishing professionals.
In 2015, I co-founded the Kampu-Mera publishing house, specializing in books for adults, and helped organize the Khmer Literature Festival (KLF), an annual event offering diverse, carefully curated programs inspired by literature.
Now as director of Avatar Publishing, I manage the publishing house and continue to devote myself to writing and translating foreign novels.
My career path is described in this article published by Cambodianess on May 25, 2025.
Current Projects
Currently, Avatar is working on different book projects:
– Bald Soldier, by Chuth Khay (Khmer author): Five short stories narrating the life in Cambodia during the civil war (1970-75), as well as the life of Cambodian refugees in France.
– Elephant Walk, by Michael Hodgson (translation from English): An ecological story narrating the adventure of Kosal, a young elephant, and his herd living in the Northern part of Cambodia.
– Cambodian Proverbs (Khmer-English/Khmer-French): a comic book that opens a window into Khmer culture, character and mentality.
– Tech Family, by Piseth Keo: a comic book featuring a modern family victim of the new technology.
– A Battambang Childhood, by Socheata Huot, Khatriya Leng and Uddam Pen: a graphic novel based on Socheta’s childhood under the Vietnamese occupation in Cambodia between 1979-1989.
Main Interest
In Cambodia, we know very little about Korean culture, aside from K-pop music and TV series. Clearly, Korean cultural heritage—including music, art, literature, dance, architecture, cuisine, and more—offers a much richer and deeper blend of tradition and modernity. Yet, based on my personal observations, no Korean book has been translated into Khmer, not even by the recent Nobel Prize winner Han Kang. I am particularly interested in learning about Korean society through its rich and varied literature.
Experience Related to This Year’s Topic
Working for Sipar and in collaboration with IBBY Cambodia, I initiated the translation of international literary works for Cambodian readers, particularly by Asian authors, such as “Mother’s Little Yellow Elephant” by Akiko Sueyoshi and “In Search of the King Fish” by Zhang Wei. At the same time, I was one of the main people responsible for the negotiation of Chuth Khay’s copyright for a Japanese translation and publication by Tokyo University Press. Regarding relations with Asian books and publishers, I have participated in several literary events in Asia, such as the Asian Children’s Content Festival (Singapore), the Beijing Book Fair (China), the IBBY Regional Conference in Bangkok and the Chiang Mai Book Fair (Thailand), the IBBY Regional Conference in Bali (Indonesia), the IBBY Regional Conference in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and the Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival (India).
What would you like to discuss related to this year’s topic?
With a population of 4.8 billion, Asian literature is extremely rich thanks to the cultural diversity of each country. Unfortunately, Cambodia is still far from competitive in terms of productivity and quality. Nevertheless, the publishing sector is experiencing rapid growth, which represents an excellent opportunity to develop more books for the Cambodian market. Translation could be a solution.
Please name any Korean writers, books and publishing companies that you are familiar with.
To be honest, I haven’t had much opportunity to read Korean authors. The only Korean book I’ve read is the French version of Bamui yeoheangjadeul, written by Yun Ko-eun and originally published by Minumsa (2013). But I’m of course familiar with the Nobel Prize-winning Korean author Han Kang.
Your reasons for applying to the Asian Publishers Week 2025.
I’m particularly interested in connecting with Korean authors and publishers and would like to learn more about Asian books and trends. Distribution and marketing strategies are also topics that interest me. I could, of course, contact other publishers via email, but face-to-face contacts and discussions are certainly much more effective. The Korean book industry is relatively new to me, and I’d like to learn more about it in order to find a possible collaboration.
Your Company Profile Avatar Publishing
Company Address: 21 BZ, street 337, Sangkat Boeung Salang, Tuol Kok, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Number of Employees: 2
Specialty: literary works, both translations and original works by Khmer authors, as well as graphic novels
Avatar publishes Khmer and international literature in khmer language; well-known classics or popular novels as well as graphic novels and comics, books that will always bring emotions, laughter, a thrill or suspense… Avatar strives to make the most beautiful and professional books possible. We consider that legibility, typography and design are also very important.
Over time, we observed that, unlike books on personal development, most of the famous literature from around the world was not available in Khmer language. This led to the creation of the publishing house Avatar in 2022, which aims to fill the gap by providing Khmer translations of popular classics and novels.
It is crucial to have access to a diverse range of books translated into one’s own language, especially for aspiring authors. Avatar’s project is to improve the availability of literature in Khmer language with the goal of encouraging and inspiring Cambodian authors as well as reading habit in country.
For more information about Avatar’s books: www.avatarcambodia.com