The international publishing world has lost one of the last great literary agents.

Kezban Akcali, founder of Akcali Copyright Agency in Istanbul died on Saturday after a long illness at the age of 70.

She practiced her profession with infinite dedication, tireless work, incorruptible ethics and pleasure. She was also such a warm and lovable personality, that this loss will continue to have an effect on all who knew her.

Kezban Akcali founded the Akcali Copyright Agency in 1985, representing an impressive international list of authors, publishers and agencies. It would have been her great satisfaction to know that the agency team, led by Atilla Izgi Turgut, will continue the task that she had begun.

All of us who knew and loved Kezban will miss her greatly.

Kezban Akcali with Atilla Izgui Turgut in Frankfurt.