An Inside Look: Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine
Today, 12–12:45 p.m.
Driven by a singular mission to change the narrative for women, Reese Witherspoon’s company initially made a name for itself in literary circles as a production company dedicated to female authorship and storytelling. Now, with one of the most vibrant book clubs around and forays into everything from scripted and unscripted television, premium cable, streaming shows, and feature films to podcasts and audio storytelling, Hello Sunshine is much more than a production company. In this session, two Hello Sunshine executives will address the media brand’s vision, how it works with various forms of literary content, and how it would like to work with a variety of players in the book space, from publishers to booksellers.
Jason Boog (moderator), West Coast correspondent, Publishers Weekly; Charlotte Koh, head of digital media and unscripted, Hello Sunshine; Lauren Neustadter, head of film and television, Hello Sunshine.
International Blockbusters
Today, 1:15–2 p.m.
The number of books in translation published in the U.S. is alarmingly low, languishing for years at a mere 3%. There’s a perception that translations don’t sell. Why? This panel looks at four books written in languages other than English that have become global bestsellers: Viola Ardone’s The Children’s Train, Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, Antonio Scurati’s M: The Son of the XX Century, and Un-su Kim’s The Plotters. What sets them apart? How did they gain momentum in the market, first with industry professionals and then with readers? And what can U.S. publishers take away from the success of these books in order to publish more works in translation in the States?
Gabriella Page-Fort (moderator), editorial director, Amazon Crossing; Peter Borland, v-p, editor-in-chief, Atria Books; Claire Sabatie-Garat, literary agent, the Italian Literary Agency; Marleen Seegers, owner and foreign rights agent, 2 Seas Agency; Barbara Zitwer, owner, president, Barbara J. Zitwer Agency.
Inside the World of Foreign Rights Sales and Scouting
Today, 2:15–3 p.m.
Foreign rights sales account for a significant portion of the revenue that publishers and authors make on their books. But how are these rights sold? And what makes one American title more appealing to a foreign house than another? This discussion will offer the inside scoop on how foreign rights are sold from professionals who specialize in this aspect of the business, scouts and those working for both publishers and literary agencies.
Kelly Farber (moderator), owner and scout, KF Literary Scouting LLC; Denise Cronin, senior v-p, director, subsidiary rights, Random House Group, PRH; Rebecca Gardner, v-p, rights director, the Gernert Company; Marleen Reimer, senior scout, Maria B. Campbell Associates; Stefanie Diaz, director, international rights, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
Market Focus: Brexit and the U.K. Book Biz—What Does It Mean?
Today, 3:15–4 p.m.
Although U.K. voters cast their ballot to leave the E.U. more than two years ago, the details of Brexit remain fuzzy. Will the Commonwealth face what’s known as a “hard Brexit” and leave behind all of the trade agreements membership in the bloc brought? Will politicians be able to work out another deal? Will another “leave vote” be put to the public? Robert Powell will speak on what Brexit might look like and how it could affect various industries in the U.K. His talk will then segue into a discussion with U.K. publishing professionals about their biggest concerns regarding how Brexit may affect the U.K. book business.
Liz Thomson (moderator), journalist, founder and executive producer of the Village Trip festival; Richard Charkin, founder, Mensch Publishing; Isobel Dixon, head of books and a director, Blake Friedmann Literary Agency.
International Literature: Promoting and Finding Audiences
Today, 4:15–5 p.m.
Over the past decade, there has been much focus on the very low percentage of books published in the U.S. that are translations from a language other than English, and on the production of more works in translation. But simply increasing the number of published works of international literature is not enough. For an interest in international literature to continue to expand among English readers, the industry needs to focus on developing larger audiences for these works. To identify ways to get translated literature into the hands of more readers, this panel will explore a variety of initiatives, from the new National Book Award for Translation to the impact of the Man Booker International Prize and the Booksellers Without Borders program.
Chad Post (moderator), founder, Open Letter Books; Nick Buzanski, general manager and buyer, Book Culture, in New York City; Jennifer Croft, writer and translator, New York Public Library; Lisa Lucas, executive director, National Book Foundation; Michael Reynolds, editor-in-chief, Europa Editions.
2019 Best Translated Book Award Winners Announcement and Reception
Today, 5–5:30 p.m.
The awards will be presented by Chad Post.
Open to all New York Rights Fair attendees.
