Author: Anastasia

Niina Mero’s romantic entertainment for those who dread romantic entertainment is picking up: another deal was made this month for The Death of Romance, as the book was sold to Rahva Raamat in Estonia. This is the fourth foreign territory for the novel.

Rahva Raamat is one of the most established publishing houses in the country, with a mission to expand readers’ worldview with their rich and diverse list. Notable names vary from such bestselling crime authors as Stieg Larsson, Cara Hunter and Lucy Foley to contemporary literary classics as Margaret Atwood, Delia Owens, Neil Gaiman and others. The house recently also acquired the rights to publish Eva Frantz’s crime novels in Estonia.

Keep following us, as Niina Mero is scheduled to appear on our Literature from Finland podcast in June, discussing – what else? – very Finnish romance.

We are thrilled to announce that legendary Finnish author Leena Krohn has now joined the beautiful bunch of authors represented by Helsinki Literary Agency.

Leena Krohn’s (b. 1947) writing forms an impressive body of work. She has developed her ideas from the visible and the invisible, from consciousness and self, death and life, reality and illusion, good and evil. Her sly humour and lucid language speak of our existence in very strange realms with courage and intelligence. One of the greatest visionaries in Finnish literature, Krohn’s works have been translated to over 20 languages.

After her debut Green Revolution (1970) Krohn has created a number of literary works, including novels, children’s books, short stories and essays. She has been awarded the Finlandia Prize in 1993 for Mathematical Creatures or Shared Dreams, and nominated for it for Hotel Sapiens (2013). Tainaron (1985) was a nominee for the World Fantasy Award and International Horror Guild Award, and The Bee Pavillion (2006) a nominee for the Nordic Council Literature Prize. Among other awards, Krohn has received also the State Award for Literature.

It’s also a pleasure to share two fresh nice deals for Krohn’s work: her novel Dream Death (2004) was sold to Dokoran in Czech Republic, and Swedish house Bakhåll, who is also a publisher of Selja Ahava, has recently acquired the rights for Krohn’s novel Lost (2018). Another of the newer novels, Mistake (2015), can already be found on our website, and other materials will be added soon. Krohn’s publisher in Finland is Teos Publishers, a home for many awarded and highly esteemed authors such as Juha Hurme, Monika Fagerholm, Laura Lindstedt, Hilary Mantel and others.

Working with new titles is exciting, but we are always thrilled to see that so many great older books keep selling and doing great in foreign markets.

Aki Ollikainen‘s astonishing debut White Hunger (2012), which received numerous awards in Finland and was also longlisted for The International Booker Prize, Prix Femina and Europese Literatuurprijs, is getting some new interest in the Central Europe; recently sold to Hungary, the book has now also been acquired by a Romanian publisher Prestige. With the recent sale, the title has now traveled 14 foreign territories. Ollikainen’s masterful ability to create tense, haunting atmospheres has been praised by readers all over the world, putting him among the best known and appreciated contemporary Finnish writers.

Meanwhile, Merete Mazzarella’s touching and warm reflections on happiness of becoming a retiree, Travel with Discount (2010), was sold to Varrak in Estonia. The book suits wonderfully to young and old, as we all, eventually, are sharing the same boat.

Finally, legendary Finnish poet Paavo Haavikko continues to live in translations: his 1986 play Audun And the Polar Bear, based on the motives of an Icelandic saga, as well as excerpts from his 1977 nonfiction The Road of the Nation will be translated into German.

It is such a thrill to announce that the Finlandia Prize winner, children’s novel Radio Popov by Anja Portin has now been sold to Widnokrąg in Poland, making it the 11th foreign rights deal for the book.

Widnokrąg is among the most established publishers of children’s literature in Poland, with an aim to publish “wise stories and delightful illustrations”, as well as treat their young readers with respect. It is the house for Timo Parvela’s books, among others.

Portin’s novel has so far been sold to Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Russia.

Radio Popov is an exciting and humorous, warmhearted story about a nine-year-old Alfred and the Sharp Ears – an organisation whose members are extremely sensitive to the sighs of lonely children. The book brings to mind the most beloved classics of children’s literature, like the novels of Roald Dahl and Astrid Lindgren. The novel was awarded Finlandia Junior, the most prestigious literary award of the year given to children’s and YA titles, in 2020.

We thank our partner in Poland, Book Lab Agency, for the deal and congratulate the author!

There couldn’t be better news before the festive weekend: the Italian rights for Selja Ahava’s fourth novel The Woman Who Loved Insects has now been sold to Elliot Edizioni.

Elliot Edizioni is a beautiful house based in Rome, that publishes fiction, nonfiction and poetry. On its exquisite list, the publisher is proud to have such authors as Sherwood Anderson, Ellen Glasgow, Christopher Moore and others. It is also the Italian publisher of Laura Lindstedt. Hard to imagine a better company for Ahava!

This is the 5th foreign rights deal for the novel and it has also been optioned in France. The gentle, enchanting story revolves around a woman fascinated by an unusual hobby: insects. Limited by narrow roles imposed on her by the time and society she lives in, the main protagonist starts looking for ways of finding her voice and authorship – eventually travelling through time and facing the big questions of existence and the origin of life.

As the major Finnish newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat put it: “The Woman Who Loved Insects is like a Japanese woodcut – gentle, exotic and slowly unfolding. It is enigmatic, and as such very, very fascinating.”

Congratulations to the author!