The NBC Salutes the Memory of UK Agent and Literary Ambassador to Malta Simon Trewin

The National Book Council (NBC) joins the international literary community in saluting the memory of UK literary agent Simon Trewin, who sadly passed away on 25 June after being diagnosed with a brain tumour three months prior. He was 60 years old. 

A veteran agent whose clients included the likes of internationally acclaimed John Boyne, the Booker Prize-winning Irish author Paul Lynch and bestselling crime novelist Sam Blake – all of whom were special guests at previous editions of the Malta Book Festival – Trewin assisted the NBC in an advisory capacity for a number of years. 

Serving as the Literary Ambassador to Malta, Trewin played an important role in aiding the Council in its efforts to help expand the reach of Maltese literature beyond our shores. 

Advocating for local authors in various international fora, Trewin was a regular presence at events organised by the NBC at the London Book Fair – at that leading industry event in 2024, he moderated a discussion entitled ‘Beyond Island Horizons: Expanding Pathways for Literatures from the Margins’, during which publishers, editors and translators joined representatives of the NBC and Literature Ireland to discuss ways in which smaller literary ecologies can take concrete steps to turn their ostensible weaknesses into strengths. 

In line with such efforts to provide workable and tangible ways for Maltese literature to reach the right people, Trewin also played a crucial role in helping the NBC devise the Literature from Malta; the Foreign Rights Catalogue which allows local publishers to showcase the works they deem ready for export. Trewin’s guidance helped the NBC devise a catalogue whose structure and design is both attractive and repeatable: with a fresh edition released each year since 2024, the catalogue has now become the NBC’s main ‘calling card’ for presenting Maltese books to interested publishers and agents abroad.  

Trewin was also a regular presence at the Malta Book Festival, generously sharing his expertise with aspiring authors, publishers, translators, editors and all other literary stakeholders through a number of events, workshops and literary speed-dating sessions. More recently, Trewin expanded such knowledge-sharing through online workshops offered through the NBC, open to the public via Zoom and always entirely free of charge. 

“The National Book Council is immensely saddened to hear of Simon Trewin’s passing,” NBC Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri said. 

“Anyone who ever met him would have been immediately struck by his infectious love for literature, and his unwavering commitment to the authors he represented – some of which we were thrilled to host at the Malta Book Festival over the years. And thanks to his advice and efforts on our internationalisation strategy, we feel confident in describing Simon as somebody who actively contributed in shaping the Maltese literary sector for the better,” Camilleri added. 

The National Book Council extends its heartfelt condolences to Simon Trewin’s loved ones during this challenging time.