Thank You for the Book, Anneli Kanto!

One of the loveliest prizes in the Finnish literary scene has been awarded to one of the loveliest authors: Anneli Kanto’s sensational novel The Rat Saint has been honoured with the Thank You for the Book Prize.

The Rat Saint (2021)

The prize is given out yearly since 1966, for a book that is considered to have caused the biggest intellectual and/or emotional stimulus to the readers during the past year. The winner is decided upon jointly by The Booksellers’ Association in Finland, Association Libro ry and Finnish Library Association.

The jury has stated about the novel:

“The Rat Saint is a combination of a masterfully weaved plot and psychologically credible portrayal of individual’s development as well as artistry as both a concrete and spiritual process. Anneli Kanto has done an incredible job researching and weaving together the historical threads and bringing to life the Medieval Häme region, which was mainly unknown to an average reader. (…) What mostly brings joy to the reader – up to the point of bursting out laughing – is the vivid language, with all its medieval expressions and insults.

And indeed, the readers have loved the novel since its publication: The Rat Saint has sold close to 20,000 copies in Finland, and has recently been awarded the Blogistania Finlandia Prize.

Congratulations to the author!

World English rights sold for Mystery of Helmersbruk Manor; two more deals on the table

Some more post-spring-bookfair action! We are thrilled to announce that World English rights for The Mystery of Helmersbruk Manor, the new mystery story for the middle grade readers written by Eva Frantz and illustrated by Elin Sandström, is now sold to Pushkin Press.

Mystery of Helmersbruk Manor (2021)

Pushkin Press is a beautiful independent publisher of adult and children’s literature based in the UK. Its children’s list aims to introduce everything from “classic fantasy adventures to bold young adult novels and gorgeous picture books” and present stories that “enchant, inspire and open up new horizons”.

The publisher has earlier acquired Eva Frantz’s 2018 Runeberg Junior winner Raspberry Hill, which will be the cover title of Pushkin’s Summer–Autumn 2022 Catalogue.

Additionally, an offer from Slovenia is now on the table for Raspberry Hill and an offer from Poland forThe Mystery of Helmersbruk Manor – so more news to follow soon!

Don’t forget to tune in Literature from Finland podcast episode Atmospheres, where, among other topics, Frantz also movingly discussed her children’s books.

Fishing for the Little Pike sold to Italy

How wonderful to see that some of our older titles never stop conquering the world. It’s a joy to announce that Juhani Karila’s 2019 sensation Fishing for the Little Pike has now been sold to Fazi Editore in Italy! This is the 13th foreign territory for the title.

Fishing for the Little Pike (2019)

Fazi Editore is a literary house founded in 1994, that publishes some of the most distinguished literary names from Italy and abroad, including Thomas De Quincey, John Fante, Hillary Mantel, Tove Ditlevsen, among others.

Fishing for the Little Pike has been recently published in French, in translation by Claire Saint-Germainand was met with raging reviews, comparing the novel to ShakespeareArto PaasilinnaRabelais and Cervantes. The novel was nominated for Prix Michelinea booksellers’ prize for the best literary debut.

The previous foreign rights deals include:

World Arabic, Al Arabi
World English, Pushkin Press (UK & The Commonwealth) and Restless Books (USA & Canada)
Denmark, Jensen & Dalgaard
Dutch, Koppernik

Estonia, Hea Lugu
World French, La Peuplade
Germany, Homunculus
Hebrew, Locus
Hungary, Metropolis Media
Poland, Marpress

Russia, Livebooks
Turkey, İthaki

Congratulations to the author! Don’t forget to tune in Literature from Finland podcast episode MYTH, where Karila discussed myths from and about Finland.

Black Hole Spring Event – From Book to Screen

Oulu Writers’ Union is organizing a spring event, with the focus on books becoming movies.

The event will be held in a hybrid form on 26th of April. The online guests can participate via Brella platform.

Among the speakers are screenwriters Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman, the dream team behind Compartment no 6, a 2021 film that received wide international acclaim and was based on Rosa Liksom’s novel of the same name.

Head of acquisitions at XYZ Films, Todd Brown, will talk about how the local material can reach the global market.

One of the main features of Black Hole events is one-to-one meetings that the audience can book with speakers and other participants. The meetings can be easily booked and scheduled via Brella platform, and the participants are encouraged to do so in advance.

The event is free of charge. Oulu Writers’ Association organizes the event together with BusinessOulu and North Finland Film Commission.

The event’s website:
https://www.blackhole.fi/events/black-hole-network-event-26-4-2022/

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1447006689073997

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BlackHoleOulu

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/blackholeoulu/

9th foreign rights’ territory for A Dog Called Cat series by Tomi Kontio and Elina Warsta

How incredible it is to see big successes of some of our most beautiful titles!

A Dog Called Cat and the Wonder of Christmas (2021)

The philosophical and loving Cat, who is actually a dog, and her adventures don’t cease to interest the foreign publishers: foreign rights of all four books have now been sold to Pandora | Trei Editorial Group in Romania, making it the 9th foreign territory for this beautiful series.

Written by Tomi Kontio and illustrated by Elina Warsta, the books tell a story about an unlikely friendship between lonely individuals. It deals with accepting difference, seeing people without prejudice and the importance of looking beyond the surface. The bittersweet, humorous style shows life in all its guises; even those of us with a rougher lot can experience joy and happiness.

The Dog Called Cat (2015)

The first book in the series, A Dog Called Cat, was published in 2015, and was shortlisted for a Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize and nominated for the IBBY Honour List for Elina Warsta’s illustrations. A Dog Called Cat Meets a Cat followed in 2019 and was nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Junior Prize. The series continued in 2020 with A Dog Called Cat Looking for Home and finished with A Dog Called Cat and the Wonder of Christmas in 2021.

A Dog Called Cat Meets a Cat (2019)

The books have been sold to:
Bulgaria
, Raketa; 
Estonia, Päike ja pilv; 
Hungary, Koinonia;
Lithuania, Nieko rimto;
Romania, Pandora | Trei Editorial Group;
Serbia, Pcelica;
Slovakia, Ikar; 
Spain, Lata de Sal;
Sweden, Epix

Congratulations to the authors!

A Dog Called Cat Looking for Home (2020)