Scandinavian Thriller Moves to Spain
The Evil Book by Finland-Swedish author Kaj Korkea-aho has been sold to Plaza y Janés (an imprint of Penguin Random House Spain) for publication in early 2016. The book was published earlier this month in Finland in the country's two main languages: Finnish and Swedish. Otava Publishing Company released the book in Finnish, while Schildts & Söderströms released it in Swedish; Otava Group Agency controls all rights. The novel follows a college student who comes across a manuscript from the 1920s that supposedly has the power to send its readers to hell.
Italian Novel Gains Attention
The novel set to be an early 2016 lead title for Italian house Garzanti, Valentina Cebini's The Perfect Recipe for Love, has been acquired by Marion Kohler at Penguin Verlag (a new imprint of Random House Germany) and Ailah Ahmed at Little, Brown UK. Laura Ceccacci at the Laura Ceccacci Agency controls all rights. The novel follows a woman named Elettra whose family owns a bakery. When her mother becomes too old to run the store Elettra steps in, and begins confronting questions about her mother's past. With one clue to her mother's history--a necklace engraved with the name of an island--Elettra sets off for the place, to try and unlock the mysteries of the past.
Argentinian Collection Nabbed in U.S. Auction
The latest short story collection by Argentinian author Mariana Enríquez, Things We Lost in the Fire, sold in four-way auction to Alexis Washam at Hogarth for high five figures. The deal is for two books, and includes the novel Enríquez is currently writing. Rights are controlled by the Barcelona-based Casanovas & Lynch Literary, and deals have also been made with Granta/ Portobello (U.K.) and Meridiaan (the Netherlands). Anagrama will publish the book in Spanish in February. The agency said the book, set in Buenos Aires, is "a 21st century remix of Dirty Realism, Edgar Allan Poe, Julio Cortázar and Shirley Jackson."
Mexican Debut Continues to Sell Abroad
Umami by Laia Jufresa, a Mexican debut which we reported on in March, continues to rack up foreign sales. Most recently, the book sold to Nelleke Geel at Meridiaan Uitgevers (in the Netherlands) in a preempt, and to Turkish publisher Bence Kitap. This adds to previous sales for Spanish, French and world English rights. Rights are controlled by Víctor Hurtado of Barcelona's VicLit Literary Agency. The book follows the members of a residential complex that is modeled after the human tongue, with each house named for a different taste.
Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said that The Evil Book was published by Schildts & Söderströms in Sweden. Schildts & Söderströms is a Finnish publisher, and released the book in Finland in Swedish.
