News

Selja Ahava’s novel Things that Fall from the Sky has been sold to Citic in China. Citic is the 19th publisher of the novel, which was most recently published in English by Oneworld.

There are also offers from France and Sweden on the table, meaning that the book will soon have traveled to 21 countries after its publication in 2015.  

Citic is one of the biggest Chinese publisher’s with an ambitious list of authors, including Michael Chabon, Guillermo Arriaga, Antonio Lobo Antunes, Anthony Doerr,  Esi Edugyan, Elizabeth Kostova, Wally Lamb, Madeline Miller, Arto Paasilinna, Richard Russo and Jill Santopolo. 

Chinese rights were sold by our partners Grayhawk Agency.

Read more about Things that Fall from the Sky here.

(Author photo by Liisa Valonen)

We are continuing our creative literary interviews series with HLA’s writers! This time, it’s Mirjam Lohi, the author of the warm and cheerful Mrs Suominen Arranges series. Find out here how Mrs Suominen was born and what profession Mirjam would not like to do.

Photo: Heli Sorjonen

We are continuing our creative literary interviews series with HLA’s writers! This time it’s Johanna Laitila, the author of the enchanting Lilium regale. Find out here what’s exceptional to Northern Finnish writers and what Lilium regale tells about its reader. And of course, the entertaining questionnaire!

Photo: Marek Sabogal

Finnish publishing house Siltala is partnering with publishers Gummerus, Teos and Schildts & Söderströms in ownership of Helsinki Literary Agency, which sells the foreign rights of books by Finnish authors.

Helsinki Literary Agency is acquiring a new stakeholder, as Siltala transfers management of its authors’ foreign rights there. The authors include figures such as Kari Hotakainen, Aki Ollikainen, Leena Lander, Pirkko Saisio, Hannu Raittila and Teemu Keskisarja.

“This addition to the agency’s list will strengthen it with numerous award-winning and rising authors,” says Helsinki Literary Agency chair Anna Baijars.

“Interest in Finnish literature is constantly growing around the world. It’s important to offer foreign publishers as wide a range of quality writing as possible.”

Siltala Publishing was founded in 2008 with a focus on high-quality literary fiction and narrative non-fiction by Finnish authors and also by international names including Lena Andersson, Jonathan Franzen, Herman Koch, George Saunders, Patti Smith, Timothy Snyder, Lyudmila Ulitskaya and David Foster Wallace.

“Recent years have shown that Finnish literature also has all the earmarks for significant international success. HLA has quickly established itself as an interesting and important agency for new Finnish writing. This concentration of forces will make sure that our work gains stronger resources,” says publisher Touko Siltala.

“Siltala’s involvement will strengthen the agency’s position in a field where there aren’t many Finnish players,” adds Helsinki Literary Agency CEO Urpu Strellman.

Helsinki Literary Agency opened in 2017 with the aim of representing Finnish writing internationally. At present it has some 60 authors on its list, including Selja Ahava, Eva Franz, Juha Hurme, Ulla-Lena Lundberg, Riikka Pelo, Mikko Rimminen and Minna Rytisalo.

For more information, please contact Urpu Strellman

+358 40 7375535 | urpu@helsinkiagency.fi

We are continuing our creative literary interviews series with HLA’s writers! This time it’s the author of bestseller Maybe This Summer Everything Will Change, Sisko Savonlahti!

Find out here how to write a successful generation novel and what gives hope to Sisko in our uncertain world. And of course, the entertaining questionnaire!

Photo: Marek Sabogal