In our CanLit on the Move series, Livres Canada Books interviews Canadian publishers about their foreign marketing activities and the role of Canadian books in the international marketplace. For this installment, we’ve caught up with Gillian Fizet from House of Anansi Press and Groundwood Books who talks about the main factors for international success.
1. Who are you and what do you do?
I am the Rights Director for House of Anansi Press and Groundwood Books.
2. Describe your publishing program in one sentence.
House of Anansi is one of Canada’s largest independent publishing houses—we are committed to publishing works of Canadian fiction, non-fiction, poetry, lifestyle, crime and thrillers, French-Canadian literature in translation and select international titles from around the world.
Groundwood Books is dedicated to the production of children’s books of the highest possible quality, including fiction, non-fiction, and picture books from Canada and beyond. Many of our books tell the stories of people whose voices are not always heard.
3. What is your most successful title on the international market? What do you think makes that title successful? Generally, what makes an international success?
For House of Anansi: I would say the Massey Lectures an annual five-part series of published lectures on a political, cultural or philosophical topic given in Canada by a noted scholar. They do so well because their subjects are almost always timely, or timeless. Some would be quick to say that they are also successful because the authors in the series are often well known and have international clout, such as Margaret Atwood, Noam Chomsky and Douglas Coupland. But actually, some of our bestselling Massey Lectures have been by authors who were relatively unknown to mainstream readers abroad, such as theoretical physicist Neil Turok, and anthropologist, ethnobotanist and photographer Wade Davis. This is all to say, an interesting topic or story, and the way in which is delivered is what makes an international success!
For Groundwood Books: On the fiction side, it’s the international bestselling middle-grade novel The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis. Sold in over 25 languages and soon-to-be a an animated movie—this moving story about a very brave girl living in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s regime has resonated with children around the world. Although the setting may be unfamiliar for many, the themes of loyalty, survival, families and friendships are universal and relatable. The international success of this novel, and many others like it, can be attributed to the interesting subject matter and very skilled storytelling.
4. Where are your primary export markets? What do you think makes these compatible with the titles you publish?
For House of Anansi: Australia and New Zealand, the UK, the US, France, Germany, French-Canada and Asia (Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan)
For Groundwood Books: the UK, Australia and New Zealand, France, Germany, French-Canada , Asia (Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan)
5. Name one of your books that you love to peddle on the foreign rights market? What titles from your publishing house are you currently excited about promoting? Why?
For House of Anansi: My all-time favourite book to peddle is Eric Siblin’s The Celllo Suites: J.S Bach, Pablo Casals and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece. Part biography, part musical history and part literary mystery—there’s no better or interesting pitch I’ve ever made!
The book I am most excited to promote in the near future is The Substitute by Nicole Lundrigan. A seriously creepy psychological thriller my office mates and I obsessively talked about the different plot twists around the lunch table, and I can’t wait to do the same with international colleagues!
For Groundwood Books: My favourite book to peddle at the moment is Away by Emil Sher and illustrated by Qin Leng. Love shines through in the sticky notes shared between a mother and daughter in this beautiful picture book about making time for family in the midst of our busy lives. The concept of sticky notes is original and gives storytelling a fun twist. The universality of the parent-child relationship in the face of a short-term separation (summer camp!) is also incredibly moving, even for adults like myself who don’t have kids!
The book I’m most excited to promote in the near future is I am Cleopatra by Dennis Abrams, a provocative coming of age fictional memoir about a boy actor in Shakespearian England. Gender fluidity and sexuality through the recollections of a fascinating central character from the past is bound to strike a chord with many.
6. What are some of the greatest challenges you face in promoting books in international markets?
One of my biggest struggles is getting people to be the first to take a chance on a really great author and/or book that is unfamiliar. Editors tend to start paying attention to a book when they hear that others are paying attention, rather than just on the merit of the book. Of course, this kind of cautious behaviour is warranted—especially when chances are that we (Anansi) haven’t even published the book yet either and that there is not a lot room in budgets to arrange for author travel to support international promotion!
7. What is your favourite book event outside of Canada?
The Frankfurt Book Fair. There is nothing else like it in the world. It’s the biggest international book fair, and if you’re in the business of selling rights, it’s where you have to be, need to be. It’s chaotic, overwhelming and exhausting, but the relationships and contacts you build, and the eventual sales you make are all worth it!
8. If you could recommend one Canadian book to an international reader, what would it be?
For House of Anansi: The Break by Katherena Vermette. Through multi-generational perspectives, The Break is a comprehensive story about the conditions and circumstances facing a marginalized community in Winnipeg. While The Break centers around one particular Indigenous community in Canada, it has many universals that readers from all over will be curious about, and in some cases, may even identify with, such as female violence; teen gangs; poverty; violence; drug and alcohol abuse; justice and assimilation. Nominated for two of Canada’s major literary awards, this novel quickly became a bestseller for us this fall and we’ve sold rights in Germany, Bulgaria and Quebec.
For Groundwood Books: Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith. In this beautiful, wordless picture book a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. A book for the mindful, Sidewalk Flowers won the Governor General’s Award and was A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. It has sold in 15 territories and a special paperback edition was given to 3,000 refugee families last winter upon their arrival to Canada.
01/10/2017 | Interview