Toby Eady, my first literary agent, a mentor and a dear friend, passed away three weeks ago, after losing his battle with cancer. Today, his funeral was held in London, the UK. Unfortunately I couldn’t be there and say the final goodbye.  

Toby launched my career as a writer. I remember very well his hearty laugh, his encouragement, his amazing cooking, our many long walks at Hyde Park, and the glittering in his eyes when he talked about publishing and translation. Few Western agents and publishers know as much as he did about China and translation, and even fewer are as passionate as he was for Chinese writers and literature.

Here are a few lines I wrote in Chinese for him: 月落乌啼，思念随风，化作繁星，永存天际。

To read Bookseller’s Tribute to him 

Here is the message from Mothers’ Bridge of Love, a charity where Toby served as board chairman and where I lead a team as a volunteer.

Goodbye, 再见，Toby, 一路平安。