Posts Tagged ‘Stone in a Landslide’

English Summer Heat

Sunday, June 5th, 2011

 

Thanks to Peirene the British book market has been enriched over the last 18 months by the following:geography-fieldwork-photos-098

- a narrative about the dark side of motherhood

- a classic love story set in the mountain

- an analysis of war-time society told in a single sentence

- a clever, well-crafted, psychological mystery

 

All of these books are best-sellers in their own countries, and some, like No 1, Beside the Sea, and No 2, Stone in a Landslide, have become bestsellers across continental Europe.

 

But I have to admit none of them sound like the fool-proof bestseller material for the insular English market. And sure enough none of them has yet hit sales figures in the tens of thousands.

 

However this is about to change – if you trust Maddy and myself. We unanimously believe that we have a true English best-seller at our hands.

 

Or, to put it more realistically: Peirene No 5, Tomorrow Pamplona by Dutch author Jan van Mersbergen, represents our best shot yet for a best-sellerdom. The book will be released this week.

 

Here is a list of evidence to support our claim:

- suspense and tension: features a protagonist with a mysterious past

- sex: three fab sex scenes – do I need to say more?

- violence: after all one of the protagonists is a boxer

- value for money: 189 gages, it can’t get much thicker than that in the Peirene “less than 200 page” world.

 

In addition – and as a little extra so to speak -  Tomorrow Pamplona is a fantastic book about men and masculinity - their aggressions, their anxieties and their longing for intimacy.

 

And all of the above of course without compromising literary quality. The narrative rhythm and sparse style reflects and compliments the subject matter beautifully.

 

The Peirene Ladies are convinced Tomorrow Pamplona will add heat to the English summer.

 

The Nymph herself, however, has some doubts. “And what if everybody is going abroad for some sun and fun? They won’t need juicy stories to spice up their lives. They’ll experience it themselves.”

 

Peirene may be worried but I, for once, am not. “Luckily for us, we live on an island.” I calm her down. “Everyone heading south has to take a plane or ship. And there is nothing better than a two-hour book to ease the boredom of travel.”

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The Princess and the Publisher

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

 

People who rehearse their roles and do their jobs well are exciting to watch. The Royal Wedding last Friday was such an occasion. A*geography-fieldwork-photos-088 performances from everybody involved.

 

Including my family. We, too, decided to play our roles, as members of the general public. After all, what would be a Royal Wedding without the masses lining the Mall. We got up at 5 am, were in position near Buckingham Palace by 6 and stood at that very same spot for 8 hours. When the Queen and the Bride and the Groom passed, we cheered and waved and took pictures. I adore a fairytale story and love the idea to have been part of a small historic moment.

 

It wasn’t my suggestion, though. The credit goes to my husband. Initially I wasn’t thrilled. Indeed I resented the whole Friday Bank Holiday idea. We had just had Easter, children were finally back at school, I actually wanted to get on with work. I was about to blow our family outing. But my husband knows how to sweet talk me. “I think this is a brilliant opportunity to sell some books,” he wooed me. “Take a few copies of Stone in a Landslide. Surely people will want to read a two-hour romance while waiting for the wedding procession.” As soon as he said it, my publisher’s heart lit up. The Bank Holiday suddenly appeared as the ultimate opportunity for spreading the Peirene word.

 

So I packed 10 copies of Peirene No 2 into my rucksack. As we were heading downtown, I imagined people sitting and lying on blankets, having picnics, reading and listening to music. I’d strike up conversations and offer my romantic tale for a fiver. The happy publisher would serve the lucky book buyer. Time would pass quickly. Bingo.

 

The scene in Central London looked slightly different. No one was sitting, no one was reading, no one was listening to music. There was no space to even lift your arms to take the ear phone in and out of your ears. A genuine group experience – very bonding indeed. No way I could have sold a single book.

 

Luckily a publisher is a multi-dimensional creature with many roles at her disposal. I might not have succeeded as a bookseller that day. I did, however, advance as film maker. “Peirene’s Tales at the Royal Wedding” is out now. You will see policemen, marching bands, and lingering views of simply thousands of people waiting for a three second glimpse of Kate in her carriage.  

 

Without doubt, it was a memorable day. By the time we got home, my back was hurting and my neck was stiff from carrying for hours a rucksack with ten books. I went to bed at 8.30 exhausted and dreamt of being a princess in a stunning white wedding dress from McQueen, walking down the aisle pain- free into the arms of a gorgeous, trustworthy, business guru. And do I need to point out the obvious? It wasn’t my husband.

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Posted in Marketing Pains | 1 Comment »

The Second Coming of D’Artagnan

Monday, July 19th, 2010

 

It’s been a wonderful week. The Guardian Books Blog publicly called me “a D’Artagnan”. Yep, that’s right, one of the Three Musketeers – voila no-2-launch-043c’est moi – brave and clever because I set up a publishing house to challenge the UK’s homogenous reading culture. And successfully so. Because  here comes the second good news of the week: Stone in a Landslide is going into reprint.

 

And there is a third piece of good news. To reveal it, however, I have to tell you a little story.

 

About three weeks ago I got a phone call from an agent. She had just received an  English translation of a short Bulgarian novel which sounded right up Peirene’s street. Some days later I received an email from the same agent. The editors from Penguin and the likes were buzzing about the novel. Did I want to make a bid too? I declined as I know that I cannot compete against the majors. However just last week, the agent called again. The majors had sadly withdrawn their interest. While the editors had been thrilled, their sales teams weren’t – and so none of them will make an offer.

 

My ears perked up. Editors say yes, sales teams say no – all the signs are that this is a very good book which however doesn’t fit the mass market criteria. I will now definitely read it.

 

It’s Peirene, who was dead keen that I tell you this little anecdote. In her eyes that’s really the ultimate success story of the past week, as it is a proof yet again how much she values the quality of the text – and how little she rates mass-market appeal.

 

In regard to the other two news items, my nymph shows less enthusiasm. She is of course  happy about Stone’s second print  run, but she is absolutely not sure about the value of the D’Artagnan bit. She says it’s utterly childish of me to blurt it out here.

 

Frankly, I think she’s in a sulk. Because the article referred to me, the publisher, not her, the all-conquering nymph.  I’ve tried to sooth her jealousy by offering to take a picture of her all dressed up as the female version of  D’Artagnan. “Thank you very much,” she huffed “I am not being made a fool of. Do it yourself.”

 

So I did. And franchement, I make a far more stylish Musketeer than her. If she wants to go back to Greece – then let her.  Anyway I don’t need a nymph any longer. I need a horse, a white mare preferably. Then I can ride through night and fog and save poor readers from the onslaught of mediocre books.  

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Posted in Publishing in the 21century | 3 Comments »

Botox Thoughts

Friday, June 18th, 2010

 

I am a woman of a certain age, I might as well admit it. I have now reached the moment where I could consider Botox with a clear conscience.no-2-launch-033 Each time I look at a picture of myself I am surprised I am no longer 20. ( I am sure anybody over 40 understands what I am talking about, anybody under 40 doesn’t –yet! – have a clue.)

 

Luckily I have Peirene who keeps me young at heart.  Moreover, she compels me to keep in synch with the modern world. So, thanks to my nymph I write my little weekly blog, I am on facebook and I twitter – an achievement  since these delights weren’t programmed into the DNA of my generation.

 

Initially it felt like a duty - an obligation I had to do for the sake of the books. But now I am just so grateful that these social media forms exist. Thanks to them I have discovered the lit blogger scene. Even a year ago, I didn’t know these impressively ferocious readers existed. They’ve given Beside the Sea and Stone in a Landslide some stunning reviews.

 

But that’s not all. Because of their comments I am also learning to understand why foreign fiction has such a difficult time here in the UK. People are concerned that the author’s intention and voice has been lost in translation, that the publisher and translator might have taken liberties with the text. Valuable concerns indeed. I am just pleased that Peirene has embarked on a journey to dispel them.

 

And since we’re talking about journeys I should announce that my nymph has been backpacking in foreign places. Let me explain. A few days ago, I was asked by the London correspondent of the German newsmagazine focus, Imke Henkel, which nationalities visit my website. I shrugged. Never thought about it, as I assumed UK only. For the first time I checked the stats in my control panel. And what a surprise – most visitors come from the US, followed closely by the UK. And then – in third place – Russia! I’m intrigued. So please if you are a visitor from Russia and you’re interested in Contemporary European literature in English translation then drop me an email.

 

If however you are interested in selling me beauty aids or anti-aging pills ( I am not joking, I had a substantial increase in emails offers recently) then please wait for a few years. I want to retain the illusion of looking as beautiful as Peirene.

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Posted in Life Philosophy | 6 Comments »

Showbiz in Sloane Square

Friday, June 11th, 2010

 

My nymph, I am afraid to say,  has gone of the rails! She thinks she’s a star now – a film star – living in Belgravia, hanging out with the Gucci and no-2-launch-031Armani crowd.

 

Yesterday evening saw the launch party of Peirene Title No2, Stone in a Landslide by Maria Barbal. We went to town for that event, I have to admit. We left behind the big bleak Archway tower, descended into the Underground and emerged at Sloane Square. There tucked away in a quiet road my fellow country woman Barbara Schwepcke owns Haus publishing and runs bookHaus, a delightful little bookshop. She opened her doors for us, allowed Peirene to take over the entire shop and kept the wine flowing all evening long. And guess what: Peirene had a whale of a time. She not only managed to persuade Claire Skinner – THE actress from Outnumbered – to read excerpts from the novel and invited 80 people to join in the party –she also enticed two camera teams, Catalan TV 3 and the Catalan News Agency, to film the big night and even do an interview with the two of us, herself and me.

 

The nymph of course overstayed her welcome. The event finished at 8.30. By 9.15 I had to drag her by the hair out of the shop, as poor Barbara was exhausted and wanted to lock up. Skipping along by my side, she then made me stop at every shop window in Sloane Street, nagging me to buy her – just once - a cute Chloe blouse or perhaps some tiny weeny Gucci handbag. Because, hadn’t she done well at the launch? It wasn’t fair not to reward her, she lamented. I stayed firm.

 

Today she’s been useless. Utterly useless. She’s uploaded the pictures of the evening onto Facebook and the website and is waiting for the film crew to send her the news reel so she can put it on Youtube. She says she has to prepare herself psychologically for fame which she claims is imminent.

 

I am seriously wondering if I should give her the boot. I am not very patient when it comes to people and creatures who don’t pull their weight. That’s not how you run a publishing house, is it? I’ve also been trying to tell her if fame were her goal she’s in the wrong business. We are in this for the love of the text, aren’t we. She just shrugged the shoulders at me – shameful but true. Love for the text alone won’t put the bread on the table, she said, took her coat and left. I guess she’s down in Belgravia again, searching for glamour and richess.

 

Well, what can I say? I am sure she’ll be back soon. And in the meantime let me bury my envious grudges: I do understand her. A bit of showbiz and glitz makes a nice change to life at the desk.

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Heidegger’s Socks

Friday, January 8th, 2010

 

Schools are closed, buses aren’t running, the country will soon be out of gas and grit.  Everything has grind to a holt. webite-home-080

Except for Peirene and I. Back from the Christmas break bang on time Monday morning 9am. Refreshed, rejuvenated, full of beans for 2010. Our launch year! Peirene Title No 1 “Beside the Sea” will be published on 4th of February, the Catalan modern classic “Stone in a Landslide” comes in April, followed by the Germanic 120-page-long sentence that reads like a thriller “Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman” in June. I am worried (“Will they sell?”), I am excited (“Wow, they will actually come out”) and I can’t wait (“Will I earn a penny or two – or not?”).

 

The vibes are good, not only up here in the North but also down South. I received a phone call on Tuesday from Mark, the owner of Kew Bookshop. My sales rep had given him Beside the Sea before Christmas. He read it and told me how impressed he was, with the novel (he compared it to Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”), the cover, the personal statement at the beginning of the book, the whole Peirene idea. His compliments warmed my heart and so no surprise, I’m not going to fuss about the temperature outside.

 

Yep, of course I came back with a couple of beautiful lovely New Year’s resolutions. One actually. But it is – will be – live changing. Over the Christmas break I looked long and deep into my darling little nymph’s eyes. I love you dearly, I told her, I can’t live without you but… you are my job and not my life. Ordnung muss sein. I was tough with her but fair. I told her that I will care and nurture her during the day but at night she must sleep. However much she screams I will no longer return after bedtime. Because – after all – there is more to my life.

Heidegger for example. I’ve been neglecting him hugely, he stood out in the cold for months. But that’s all changed now. I’ve taken him back into the warmth, dusted the snow off his covers and dried his socks.

Happy New Year!

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Posted in Life Philosophy | 2 Comments »

Love Thy Text

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

 

When I read a brilliant book, I immediately think – wow, the author is a genius! Included in this author-is-a-genius package is of course the idea that the writer is the sole creator of the text. The more perfect the text, the more I assume that the author gave birth to it in one push – without any midwives and doulas about. Sometimes I even wonder about immaculate conceptions.

 

This belief is deeply imbedded. Years of writing and now publishing other writers’ texts has not dissuaded me. Although my daily work proves me continuously wrong, nothing seems to shake the foundations of my credo. It’s a recorded disk – no, a mantra written in stone - in my subconscious. However, every now and again I get a glimpse of my fatal error.

 

A few weeks ago I received a first draft of the translation of “Stone in a Landslide” from Laura. ( I mention her name – and Paul’s in a moment – deliberately here because she is a Catalan translator I can indeed recommend). Now, this Catalan novel is a modern classic and cyberspace is full of Catalonians discussing its meaning. Frankly no easy text to translate. Laura’s work exceeded my expectation. Then Paul went through it meticulously improving rhythm and narrative voice. Then the manuscript came back to Laura and me, we added our comments. Even better. Yesterday Paul and I sat down with the latest version (Laura has gone on a well deserved holiday!) The last two thirds of the text come through strongly. I still manage to cry each time I read it. The translation clearly works its magic. It’s the first part which doesn’t feel right yet. The narrator’s voice needs more work and the text jars at too many places. We discussed, compared notes until 11pm, and now know where the problem lies. So Paul has gone back to the drawing board and will send it to Laura and afterwards to me. And then probably another time round Paul, Laura, me and perhaps one more. Paul, Laura, me.

 

Afterwards I cleaned the kitchen, I tried on some clothes from my wardrobe – do my old jeans go with my new black top? And the orange necklace? Or the purple one or perhaps better earrings? – I put my hair up, I let it down, I made myself a tea and stood in front of the bathroom mirror a bit, all the while thinking: I love text. I love working with text. By this time it was way beyond midnight. But I was far too excited to go to bed. What a wonderful feeling! To make a text complete. And this process requires teamwork. One person alone just can’t get to it. Hurray! No author, no editor, no publisher, no translator is a genius, we are humans and we need each other! Yeah!

 

Anyway, guess what? Because of all this excitement I went to sleep far too late, got up exhausted, have already drunk three coffees (my usual daily limit is two!) and find it hard to deliver a punch line.

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