This memoir by a designer and cartoonist is topping the charts on Amazon in Italy, and has sold to publishers in five countries. Most recently a deal closed with Penguin Random House's Tarcher Perigee imprint in the U.S. The book's agent, Laura Ceccacci, says the author initially got traction for the book via Facebook.
Book title: Notti in bianco, baci a colazione / Sleepless Nights, Kisses for Breakfast
First published by: Einaudi on May 24
Format: Paperback
Author: Matteo Bussola is lives in Verona, with his wife Paola, and their three daughters. He regularly share his family's adventures on social media, especially Facebook, and his posts have gained a following for highlighting the sublime in everyday realities.
Acquiring editor: Rosella Postorino
How It’s Done: The book has sold in Germany (Penguin Verlag), France (Editions Kero/Hachette), Spain (Aguilar/Penguin Random House), and the U.S. (Tarcher Perigee/Penguin Random House). It reached #1 on Amazon in Italy and, according to Ceccacci, who has an eponymous agency, it has sold approximately 30,000 copies since it was published two months ago.
Why They Think It’s Working: Ceccacci said Bussola's Facebook posts helped him establish a fan base. “His posts capture the overlooked beauty in everyday moments that people can relate to—he reminds readers how they can cultivate happiness,” she said. The book also got people talking at the most London Book Fair. Ceccacci said she closed three deals at the fair, all at auction, with international publishers latching onto the book as "an invitation to hope and lightheartedness."
