Members of the Chilean publishing community at the July 9 to 11 Contec Chile conference in Santiago, a first program in preparation for the 2027 Guest of Honor Chile presentation at Frankfurt. Image: FBM
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
See also: Giunti’s Frankfurt-Bound ‘Come l’arancio amaro’
A First Frankfurt Guest of Honor Chile Event: Contec
Many of us are focused on preparations for the 2024 Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 16 to 20), but as you likely know, the publishing industry of Chile is to be Frankfurt’s guest of honor in 2027.
And while programming is being developed and plans are accelerating now for this year’s Guest of Honor Italy program, one of Frankfurt’s Contec conferences was held this week in Santiago, under the direction of Buchmesse’s Marifé Boix García, the trade show’s vice-president for southern Europe and Latin America.
Not surprisingly, of course, rights negotiations were part of the programming in the Chilean capital, as members of the publishing community gathered for the first activity of that guest-of-honor program.
The conference was mounted with the assistance and support of the Chilean ministry of culture, art, and heritage, and was set at the Centro Cultural La Moneda.
Key focal areas included the business possibilities offered at Frankfurt; the negotiations of rights; the internationalization of literature; the commercial importance of metadata; business models based on audio formats; and the use of artificial intelligence in the creative industries.
A session in the Contec Chile conference at Santiago, July 9 to 11. Image: FBM
As in each roundup, we use some of the sales copy supplied to us by agents and rights directors, editing that copy to give you an idea about a book’s nature and tone, but limiting the promotional elements. If you’d like to submit a deal to Publishing Perspectives, see the instructions at the end of this article.
The Brave In-Between: Notes from the Last Room
By Amy Low
- Publisher: Hachette Books, New York City
- Rights contact: Marleen Seegers, 2 Seas Agency
- Book info: Read more here
Reported rights sales:
- Turkey: Yediveren
Amy Low
“Lessons and advice for navigating uncertainty in the worst of times. Amy Low resides in a room that is her last—her medical team is clear-eyed with her: there is no cure for Stage IV metastatic colon cancer, and the odds of long-term survival are scant. Miraculously, she’s lived four years with her diagnosis, and that life between life has changed her.
“Through the swirl of prolonged trauma and unbearable grief, a vantage point emerged—a window that showed her the way to relish life and be kinder to herself and others while living through the inevitable loss and heartbreak that crosses everyone’s paths.
“Instead of viewing joy and sorrow as opposites, she saw how both exist in harmony, full of mystery and surprise. Instead of seeing days as succeeding or failing, and physical selves as healthy or unwell, she’s learned to carry both achievements and afflictions in stride. And instead of bitterness and betrayal, forgiveness—toward her body, toward others, toward herself—became her wisest light.”
An Orchard in Damascus
By Camille Neveux
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- Publisher: Hachette Livre / JC Lattès, Paris
- Rights contact: Anna Soler-Pont, Pontas Literary & Film Agency
- Book info: Read more here
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Reported rights sales:
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- Newest – Italian: Tre60 Libri
- French: Livre de Poche
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“A multi-generational family drama set against the Arab Spring and Syrian Revolution.
“In 1995 Syria, 7-year-old Aïssa learns about freedom and human rights from a reformist sheikh. Sixteen years later, he leads the Daraya uprising but is forced into exile in France with a dark secret.
“Today in Lebanon, 12-year-old Nermine discovers a secret message on her mother’s phone. Determined, she seeks to uncover the family secret that has haunted them for years.”
Like the Bitter Orange
We have a side bar on this listing today:
Giunti’s Frankfurt-Bound ‘Come l’arancio amaro,’ with Leeann Bortolussi and Giulia Ichino
By Milena Palmenteri
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- Publisher: Giunti Editore / Bompiani, Florence
- Rights contact: LeeAnn Bortolussi, Giunti Editore
- Book info: Read more here
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No rights sales to report:
This book was published on June 26, and Giunti reports “various offers and pre-empts” received.
Milena Palminteri’s debut is based on a true story
“Agrigento, 1960: One day Carlotta’s past appears in an accusation, that her mother did not give birth to her.
Milena Palmenteri
“Sarraca, 1924: As fascism advances, Nardina marries Carlo to furnish the Cangialosi dynasty with descendants. Sabedda, unable to resist the baron Stefano, is pregnant with a child she cannot raise. Their destinies are forever linked, and just as the bitter orange is the strongest plant on which to graft the sweet orange, so Carlotta demonstrates a courage found in no other.
“Between the 1920s and the 1960s, Sabedda, Nardina and Carlotta fight and love against the backdrop of a changing world, which goes through Fascism and war, which arrives at the new hope of reconstruction. For each of them, life has in store very hard trials but also the strength of a love greater than the judgment of men.”
Tibbles the Cat
By Michal Šanda
Illustrated by David Dolensky
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- Publisher: Albatros Media, Prague
- Rights contact: Tomáš Jodas, Albatros Media
- Book info: Read more here
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Reported rights sales:
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- Newest – Complex Chinese: Taosheng Publishing House
- English: Albatros
- French: Albatros
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Author Michal Šanda, left, and illustrator David Dolensky
“This unusual comic book recounts a true story that happened on a small island just off the coast of New Zealand in 1894.
“The tragicomic hero of the tale is a cat named Tibbles, who belonged to the keeper of the island’s lighthouse.
“Tibbles discovers a rare species of previously undescribed flightless bird—the Stephens Island wren, and simultaneously becomes the cause of its demise, thereby inadvertently contributing to global awareness of the danger of domesticating non-native animal species on other continents.”
Interior pages from ‘Tibbles the Cat’ by Michal Šanda illustrator and illustrator David Dolensky. Image: Albatros Media
The Creator (‘True Fiction’ series No. 1)
By Jonas Moström and Arne Dahl
Illustrated by Ida Skjelbakken
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- Publisher: Bookmark Förlag, Stockholm
- Rights contact: Elin Rydne, Rights & Brands
- Book info: Read more here
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Reported rights sales:
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- World German: Bastei Lubbë
- Finnish: Kustannus
- Danish: Lindhardt og Ringhof
- Greek: Metaixmio
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Jonas Moström and Arne Dahl. Image: Kajsa Göransson
“The Creator is the first book in the thriller series “True Fiction” by two crime writers.
“In this first of the series, a metafictional thriller, Tom Borg, a crime novelist, is suddenly a suspect in the murder he’s writing about.
“The Creator is a thriller in the spirit of the Coen brothers with tension, dark humor, and [compelling] characters.
“It has held a steady position on the fiction bestseller list in Sweden” since being published earlier this year.
Prankenstein, Books No. 1 and 2
By Kaisa Paasto
Illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu
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- Publisher: Bonnier / Tammi, Helsinki
- Rights contact: Elina Ahlbäck. Elina Ahlback Literary Agency Oy Ltd.
- Book info: Read more here
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Reported rights sales:
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- World Spanish (excludes Spain): VR Editoras, Mexico
- Poland: Greg
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The content used as a comp for this book is Jeff Kinney’s series Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Kaisa Paasto, left, and illustrator Mari Ahokoivu
“A funny and prank-filled story with a subtle message about kindness and accepting yourself.
“If you could become a prank legend at school, is it worth going for it at any costs?
“This illustrated, bold story encourages even the most reluctant reader to keep on turning the pages.
“Fifth-grader Elmeri has never seriously considered a career as a prankster. But he manages to do a superbly great prank, completely accidentally. Elmeri’s cousin Robin thinks his chance has come and becomes Elmeri’s personal prankster trainer. With his coaching, Elmeri will be the amazing Prankenstein and his best prank will be remembered by future generations.
“Elmeri also realizes that pranks may be a good opportunity to impress Mima, who lives on the same street and is quite okay. The pranks also help when Leo, the bully at school, needs to be dealt with. But when a planned prank involves a famous magician and the president of Finland, Elmeri has to ask himself, ‘Can you take it too far?'”
This first book in the series was published in March. The second book, Bride of Prankenstein, is expected in spring 2025.
Submitting Rights Deals to Publishing Perspectives
Do you have rights deals to report? Agents and publishing-house rights directors can use our rights deal submission form to send us the information we need. If you have questions, please send them to Porter@PublishingPerspectives.com
We look forward to hearing from you.
More of Publishing Perspectives‘ rights roundups are here, and more from us on international rights trading is here.