The Swedish novel, Forget About Me by Alex Schulman, has been a bestseller since its publication in October. The book is a novelization of the author's experiences in which he explores his relationship with his alcoholic mother.
Book title: Glöm mig / Forget About Me
First published by: Bookmark Förlag, Oct 3, 2016
Format: Hardcover, physical and digital audio, ebook
Author: Alex Schulman’s debut novel, Hurry to Love, was released in 2009. His second novel, To Be With Her is Like Running Up a Summer Meadow Without Getting the Least Bit Tired, was released in 2011. In 2012, he and his friend Sigge Eklund launched Alex & Sigge’s podcast, which remains a popular podcast in Sweden.
Acquiring Editor: Claes Ericson
How It’s Done: Ericson says that over 100,000 copies sold in hardcover, audio and ebook in the first three months. It has also been on The Swedish Bookseller list every week since two weeks before the book’s release (due to the fact that thousands of copies were pre-ordered prior to the book's release). Rights have sold to Otava in Finland, as well as to Gyldendal Norsk/Norway.
Why They Think It’s Working: Ericson attributes several factors to the book’s success. He says, “We started telling the retailers about this book a year in advance, and managed to get strong release campaigns, with promotions starting a month before the release, and continuing with well positioned campaigns over Swedish Father’s Day. and the Christmas period. The author is a well-known media personality in Sweden, with Sweden’s largest podcast, and large Twitter and Instagram accounts.”
