Sales

Italian rights sold for ’WHEN THE KING DIES’, now 12 rights sold + Film & TV

Posted on
When the king dies

We are very happy to announce that Italian rights to Elina Backman’s bestselling thriller WHEN THE KING DIES have been acquired by Newton Compton!

Elina Backman’s Nordic thriller WHEN THE KING DIES (first published May 2020) has already been sold to 12 territories and counting. TV series is in development by Aurora Studios.

Rights are currently free in  the US, UK, France, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Hungary, Latvia etc

PUBLISHER’S PRAISE:

WHEN THE KING DIES is an unputdownable great Nordic crime novel with an intriguing plot which captivates you till the end, said the happy editor Gabriele Anniballi from Newton Compton.

Click here to request 200-page long English sample, synopsis and media kit.

About the book:
Saana is a former click-bait journalist who spends a summer in the quiet town of Hartola. But when she begins to dig into the case of a teenage girl who died 30 years earlier, the peace of the small town is shaken. Meanwhile in Helsinki, crime investigator Jan Leino is solving a murder at the King’s Gate on Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Saana and Jan continue working on their own cases until their paths cross – for more than one reason.

About the author:

Elina Backman, 37, is a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki, in an old wooden 1920 house with a family of 2 kids and a husband. Elina loves books (all sorts), travelling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally – her dream is a Netflix series based on her novels.

See the video greeting by Elina Backman here.

PS! Is Nordic Crime not your cup of tea? 
No worries, see our complete Fall 2020 Fiction list here

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)

ALBANIA:
Dritan
ESTONIA:
Varrak (2-book deal)
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Grada
GERMANY:
Piper Verlag (2-book deal)
ITALY:
Newton Compton
LITHUANIA:
BALTO
NETHERLANDS:
De Bezige Bij/Cargo
(2-book deal)
NORWAY:
Cappelen Damm (2-book deal)
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
SLOVAKIA:
Arkus
SWEDEN:
Bokfabriken (2-book deal)
TV/FILM:
Aurora Studios

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

AGNES sold to Germany, THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series to Italy!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce 2 new children’s translation rights sales!

Tuutikki Tolonen’s AGNES AND THE GARDEN OF DREAMS was acquired by Carlsen Verlag (also German publisher for J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer etc)

Agnes is a very charming story about friendship and family, it is gripping and heartwarming at the same time. Tuutikki Tolonen takes us to a place full of mysteries and dreams and she creates an atmosphere where the reader immediately feels comfortable. We are very happy to welcome Agnes to our list!

– Wiebke Andersen, Editor, Carlsen Verlag, Germany

Ask for English sample for the title by clicking here.

We are equally excited because the first 2 titles of THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series by Magdalena Hai were sold to Italian publisher Terre di Mezzo
The wonderful younger middle-grade series has already sold to 14 countries, but rights are still available in: France, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, China, Bulgaria, Greece etc.

An original, lively series that we hope will continue for a long time. A terribly funny story, with breathtaking illustrations
– Eleonora Armaroli, Terre di Mezzo, Italy

Ask for English texts and pdfs for the series by clicking here.

AGNES AND THE GARDEN OF DREAMS
by Tuutikki Tolonen, illustrated by Kati Vuorento

First book of the series

11-years-old Agnes has to move to a small countryside town with her mother. Her parents are divorced, and Agnes doesn’t know anyone
from her new hometown. She is not having the best summer of her life.

But then something weird happens. Agnes finds an old tombstone that has her name and birthday engraved on it – only the birth year is different. Whose grave is it?

Agnes befriends a boy called ”Bun”, who is also lonely. Together they start to solve the mystery of the tombstone. They find out more and more about a family who lived in the town years and years ago. When they go visit the family’s abandoned mansion, Agnes realizes something. She has been there before – in her dreams.

What is happening? It feels like someone who lived a long time ago is trying to tell something to Agnes. Is it possible that these two Agneses from different times have some connection?

Coming up: Book #2 to be published in 2021. More information coming soon.

 

THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES
by Magdalena Hai, illustrated by Teemu Juhani

Nina is a is a clever, 9-year-old girl who goes to work in the Little Shop of Nightmares. During the course of the trilogy, she has to solve a mystery with tickling powder, find the lost teeth of a vampire and discover the reason why suddenly it just doesn’t stop snowing. The Little Shop of Nightmares is a mystery full of fascinating and fun characters that make young readers both wonder and laugh!

 #1  THE TERRIBLE TICKLING POWDER
When Nina, 9 years old, enters The Little Shop of Nightmares in hopes of getting a job, she is
greeted by an odd sight: shopkeeper Mr. Kook is rolling on the floor, unable to stop laughing.
With a little help from a ghost called Paddy, they start looking for the untickling powder to help
him, but things are certainly not made easier by Mr. Kook’s world-domination-planning pet octopus
Squishy McGoo, who is a bit too quick about getting into trouble with rollerblades on its tentacles.

 #2  MYSTERY OF THE MISSING TEETH
Nina goes to buy ice cream after her first work day at The Little Shop of Nightmares.
But at the ice cream shop she discovers a vampire – without teeth! Nina decides to help
vampire Lucas to find his teeth from Mr. Kook’s shop. But for some reason all the vampire
teeth seem to have disappeared. It seems like somebody has hidden them on purpose…

 #3  STICKY THE TERRIBLE SNOWMAN
Same awesome monsters. New blizzardy trouble. The Little Shop of Nightmares is
getting buried in snow! Nina and Paddy are trying to find the cause of the snowstorm,
but that’s easier said than done. A well-meaning but horribly clumsy snowman keeps
getting in their way and stopping their every effort to stop the snowing inside.

Rights sold:
AGNES
FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

CZECH REPUBLIC: Portál
DENMARK: ABC Forlag
ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
GERMANY: Carlsen Verlag
RUSSIA: Rosman

 

Rights sold
LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES SERIES:

FINLAND:
WSOY (orig.)

CZECH REPUBLIC:
Euromedia
DENMARK:
Vild Maskine
ESTONIA:
Postimees Publishing
GERMANY:
Egmont Schneiderbuch
HUNGARY:
Cerkabella
ITALY:
Terre di Mezzo
LATVIA:
Latvijas Mediji
NETHERLANDS:
De Vier Windstreken
NORWAY:
Fontini
RUSSIA:
KompasGuide
ROMANIA:
Editura Univers
SWEDEN:
Hegas
TURKEY:
Epsilon

About author


Kati Vuorento

Kati Vuorento is an illustrator living and working in Espoo, Finland: ”In small details there is an infinite magic. I want my illustrations to stir emotion in the audience. Empathizing is important to me. In my illustrations, I always include approachable characteristics to even the most hardened anti-hero. This is how I mold the characters into personalities with depth and dimension.”

She is the illustrator of middle-grade Agnes Series by Tuutikki Tolonen that in 2021 was nominated for the Arvid Lydecken Award, received an honorable mention for the Runeberg Junior Award, and won the Luku Varkaus Award!


Read more Author's page

About author


Magdalena Hai

Magdalena Hai is an award-winning author, lover of cross-genre fiction and all things strange. Her fiction often combines elements of sci-fi, fantasy and horror.

Her Little Shop of Nightmares series has been sold to 30 territories around the world. Among Hai's many accolades are winning the Finlandia Prize for children's and YA literature and the Finnish Literary Export Prize, and being nominated  the Nordic Council Children & Young People's Literature Prize.

Besides being an author, Hai teaches writing and is an active member and editor in the publishing co-operative Osuuskumma.

Read more Author's page

About author


Teemu Juhani

Teemu Juhani is a Finnish illustrator, comic artist and picture book author whose illustrations have been published in picture books and children's fiction in over 20 countries. In addition to children's books Teemu has illustrated magazines and educational material. Originally from the fields and woods of North Karelia, Teemu now lives, works and eats way too many cakes in Helsinki.

Read more Author's page

About author


Tuutikki Tolonen

Tuutikki Tolonen is the author of several acclaimed children’s books, plays and academic articles. She teaches creative writing and has worked as an editor and reporter at Vinski, a Finnish literary magazine for children. For Monster Nanny she received the Arvid Lydecken award.  Her inspiration for the Monster Nanny trilogy sparked during a family breakfast. “My son Leo, then six, said: ‘I heard on the radio yesterday that all moms have to go on vacation and monsters will take their places,” she says.

Her other bestselling series is the Agnes-series, of which the first book "Agnes and the Garden of Dreams" was in 2021 nominated for the Arvid Lydecken Award, received an honorable mention for the Runeberg Junior Award, and won the Luku Varkaus Award. Tolonen tells that the inspiration for Agnes comes for her interest for weird and inexpicable tales, ghost stories and mysteries: "I wanted to write a book my daughter Aili, then nine, would like to read - not too long, not too scary, but very curious."

Tuutikki is nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2026.

Photo credit: Otto Virtanen

Read more

Now 25 territories for A WONDERFUL LIFE and 2 territories for AINO & ALVAR AALTO!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce that we just closed the 25th translation deal for Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE – the new lucky publisher is Sefsafa from Egypt!

The bestselling non-fiction title is still available in Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Denmark, Slovenia, Serbia, Slovakia, China etc.

Ask for the full English pdf by clicking here

We are also very excited to announce that following an auction, Estonian publisher Postimees has acquired the rights for
AINO & ALVAR AALTO: MIRROR LIKE AN OCEAN REFLECTING YOUR SMILE

This unique book about the life and work of the world-famous architect couple Aino and Alvar Aalto is also their love story and will be published in both Finland and Estonia in 2021.
You can ask for the Finnish draft manuscript by clicking here.
The English materials for this very special title will be ready in this November and the final Finnish manuscript in early 2021.

Estonian publisher’s praise:

”When we think about great minds, we tend to see more of the result of their work than the people behind it. Aino and Alvar Aalto’s work in the field of design and architecture has had a great impact worldwide, representing beauty, harmony, and comfort. There are books and studies which can tell us many things about it, but I believe that none of them can ever be as personal and intimate as their own love story – written by their grandson. One can only imagine how much their creativity was nourished by their personal relationship. It will be extremely exciting to read their story and to get to know both of them almost as close as they knew each other. The fact that their creations have proven to be timeless since the day they were born is proof in itself of extraordinary, unbreakable love.”

– Piret Veigel, senior editor at Postimees Publishing House

 

MORE ABOUT THE TITLES:

A WONDERFUL LIFE: Insights for Finding a Meaningful Existence
Harper Design, 24th of March 2020, 200 pp.

In this engagingly insightful book, Frank Martela – one of the only academic experts who has contributed to both the philosophical and psychological research on meaning in life – takes you on a voyage through the history, philosophy, and psychology of meaningfulness and worthy living.

The journey starts in the 19th century, where it is revealed why and how the Scottish author Thomas Carlyle came to be the first person in history who actually used the phrase »meaning of life.»

The life stories of Carlyle and Russian author Leo Tolstoy serve as representative examples of the transformation that this book aims to guide you, the reader, through. Finally, an answer is provided to the question of meaning that is compatible with latest scientific knowledge about human nature, yet still both inspiring and actionable.

 

AINO & ALVAR AALTO: MIRROR LIKE AN OCEAN REFLECTING YOUR SMILE
by Heikki Aalto-Alanen

This is the love story of the world-famous, pioneering design couple Aino and Alvar Aalto.
Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino are internationally celebrated for their architecture, furniture, glassware and other interior design, but their personal lives have been relatively unknown – until now. This book, written by the Aaltos’ grandson, contains photos, sketches, and personal letters between Aino and Alvar beautifully illustrating how inseparable this couple was both in work and love.

“Countless books have been written about Alvar Aalto’s architecture and other works. Recently, Aino Marsio-Aalto has also received the recognition she deserves in her own right as well as in her role in the rise of Alvar Aalto as one of the leading architects of the 20th century,” says Heikki Aalto-Alanen, grandson of the Aaltos’.
“The voice in this book is personal. I want to tell the story of Aino and Alvar’s unique partnership, relationship, and their joint life work from the perspective of a family member. I also want their own voices to be heard.”

In addition to the photographs from the family archive, the book is illustrated with Aino and Alvar’s drawings of each other and of their children, as well as landscape drawings made while traveling, along with other architectural drawings and photographs.

English-language material to be available in November 2020.

A WONDERFUL LIFE,
HarperCollins/Harper Design March 2020

Rights sold:

WORLD ENGLISH: HarperCollins/Harper Design (orig.)

ARABIC:
Sefsafa
BULGARIA:
Prozoretz
CROATIA:
Planetopija
ESTONIA:
Rahva Raamat
FINLAND:
Gummerus
FRANCE:
Editions Leduc.s
GERMANY:
Blessing Verlag
GREECE:
Klidarithmos
ITALY:
Edizioni Lindau
JAPAN:
HarperCollins Japan
KOREA:
Across Publishing
LATIN AMERICA:
Ediciones Urano
LATVIA:
Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA:
Obuolys
NETHERLANDS:
Ambo Anthos
NORWAY:
Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
PORTUGAL:
Editora 2020
ROMANIA:
Editura Humanitas
RUSSIA:
Bombora
SERBIA:
Odiseja
SPAIN:
Ediciones Urano (World Spanish)
TAIWAN:
Crown
TURKEY:
Orman Kitap

 

AINO & ALVAR AALTO: MIRROR LIKE AN OCEAN REFLECTING YOUR SMILE
Otava, September 2021

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava
ESTONIA: Postimees

About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

Read more Author's page

About author


Heikki Aalto-Alanen

Heikki Aalto-Alanen is the grandson of architects Aino and Alvar Aalto, who has previously served as vice chairman of the Alvar Aalto Foundation, been a member of Artek’s Board of Directors, member of the Alvar Aalto Academy Board, and held other positions maintaining Aino and Alvar Aalto’s artistic work and heritage. Today he is serving as the chairman of the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation, established in 2020 to preserve Aino and Alvar Aalto's early masterpiece. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Alvar and Aino Aalto Estate Ltd. Heikki Aalto-Alanen is a lawyer by profession and has worked in the Nordic financial market.

His book tells the story of Aino and Alvar Aalto, depicted through their previously unpublished correspondence from 1921-1949, photographs and drawings.

Read more

Now 11 rights sold for Elina Backman’s ’WHEN THE KING DIES’!

Posted on
When the king dies

We are very happy to announce that Albanian rights to Elina Backman’s bestselling thriller WHEN THE KING DIES have been acquired by Dritan!
Elina Backman’s Nordic thriller WHEN THE KING DIES has already been sold to 11 territories and counting. TV series is in development by Aurora Studios.

Rights are currently free in  the US, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Hungary, Latvia etc

Click here to request 155-page long English sample, synopsis and media kit.

About the book:
Saana is a former click-bait journalist who spends a summer in the quiet town of Hartola. But when she begins to dig into the case of a teenage girl who died 30 years earlier, the peace of the small town is shaken. Meanwhile in Helsinki, crime investigator Jan Leino is solving a murder at the King’s Gate on Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Saana and Jan continue working on their own cases until their paths cross – for more than one reason.

About the author:

Elina Backman, 37, is a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki, in an old wooden 1920 house with a family of 2 kids and a husband. Elina loves books (all sorts), travelling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally – her dream is a Netflix series based on her novels.

PS! FILI translation and printing grant application period is closing soon – please send your applications before 1st of November 23:59 to get up to 70% off your Finnish translation costs or 1000€ off your picture book printing cost. More info here.Also, if you are looking for translators from Finnish, we’ll be happy to help you and check also FILI’s translators’ database: Kääntöpiiri website

PPS! Is Nordic Crime not your cup of tea? 
No worries, see our complete Fall 2020 Fiction list here

RIGHTS SOLD:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)

ALBANIA:
Dritan
ESTONIA:
Varrak (2-book deal)
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Grada
GERMANY:
Piper Verlag (2-book deal)
LITHUANIA:
BALTO
NETHERLANDS:
De Bezige Bij/Cargo
(2-book deal)
NORWAY:
Cappelen Damm (2-book deal)
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
SLOVAKIA:
Arkus
SWEDEN:
Bokfabriken (2-book deal)
TV/FILM:
Aurora Studios

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

THE MARIMEKKO STORY sold to Japan: The Greatest of All is Love.

Posted on

Wonderful news! Japanese rights of THE GREATEST OF ALL IS LOVE. THE MARIMEKKO STORY have been acquired by Shodensha. This no.1 bestselling non-fiction title was published in Finland in April, with over 30,000 copies sold, and feature film in development by Aurora Studios. Rights were previously sold in Estonia.

The editor at Shodensha is excited: ”We saw that this title could shed light to the problems which Japan is facing today. Not only is it a business book, but also it will become a book to give inspiration to and encourage the readers here to give the gender gap serious thought. Finland ranks very high on the Gender Gap Index, and is a country where the social norm is for women to be active. Japan needs to know about the Finnish social environment, and the energy, lifestyle and story of Ms. Kirsti Paakkanen. As a general publisher, we are confident that we are flexible and promote this title which carries the author’s thoughts to fit perfectly in the Japanese society.”
Shodensha, established in 1970, is general trade publisher of magazines (women’s fashion, lifestyle, etc.), novels, nonfiction (business, how-to), paperbacks, and manga of all genres.

The Greatest of All is Love. The Marimekko Story.

The breath-taking rags-to-riches story of Marimekko’s former owner and CEO Kirsti Paakkanen, who took over the Finnish design house and turned Marimekko into a successful worldwide brand name.

Author bio:
Ulla-Maija Paavilainen, award-winning journalist, is the author of several well-received novels and non-fiction books. She has worked as the editor-in-chief at several top Finnish magazines over the past 25 years.

Suurin niistä on rakkaus
Otava, April 2020, 346 pp.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Helios
JAPAN: Shodensha

Reading materials:
English sample, Finnish edition

About author


Ulla-Maija Paavilainen

Ulla-Maija Paavilainen, award-winning journalist, is the author of several well-received novels and non-fiction books. She has worked as the editor-in-chief at several top Finnish magazines over the past 25 years. One of her specific areas of interest is the role of women in working life and analysing the power structure and what is required for women to have successful careers.

Paavilainen’s most recent work is the moving biography of the legendary entrepreneur Kirsti Paakkanen, who took over Marimekko, one of Finland’s most famous design brands. Kirsti Paakkanen: Greatest of All is Love is the story of Marimekko, an authentic rags-to riches tale of how a poor girl from the countryside first founded the world’s first all-women’s advertising agency, Womena. Selling Womena when she was 62, Paakkanen bought Marimekko, a global design company that was on the verge of bankruptcy and turned it around into an international iconic fashion house.

Read more

Bibliography


2020, Memories & Biographies

The Greatest of All Is Love. The Marimekko Story

Ulla-Maija Paavilainen

Related news

Hungarian rights sold to Mabel Merryweather series!

Posted on

Hungarian rights sold to MABEL MERRYWEATHER series by Noora Kunnas and Teemu Juhani
We are excited to announce the third foreign sale for Mabel Merryweather series:  Mabel Merryweather and the Miniature Pirates by author Noora Kunnas and illustrator Teemu Juhani has been sold in Hungary to Pagony!

“Mabel Merryweather and the Miniature Pirates is a vibrant, cheerful and light text from the beginning to the end. It is an adventure novel, but with new, fresh elements like a singing rooster and mini-pirates. Not only has it an exciting story, it also has a very good message – the elderly people are not depicted as passive and helpless but on the contrary: the grannies and the children solve problems together!”

– Hanna Győri, editor, Pozsonyi Pagony Kft. Hungary

Request the English samples and synopses by clicking here

This fast and wacky middle-grade series has adorable, quirky black-and-white illustrations by Teemu Juhani, and the humorous story draws inspiration from the world of Roald Dahl.

About the books:

Book 1: Mabel Merryweather and the Miniature Pirates
Otava 2019, 140 pp.
Nick and Lilly’s visit to their rule-loving, child-hating uncle Jim turns into an adventure as the children get to know their exiting, eccentric neighbor: Mabel Merryweather. Mabel and her friends are preparing for a flower arrangement competition, when the town is hit by a jeweler thief. Nick, Lilly and Mabel have their own problems as Mabel’s decorative miniature pirates have come to live and are rummaging through the backyards. And what happened to the main judge of the competition – a pop singer Monika who disappeared in the same day?  Something must be done to bring peace and order back to the town of Dalton.

#2 Mabel Merryweather and the King of the Thieves
Otava 2020, 144 pp.
The town of Dalton is celebrating a local children’s poet’s 140th anniversary, and everyone is dressed up as a character from a poem. But amongst the happy people there’s also a gentleman thief who has terrorized art museums all spring. Through many mistakes and misunderstandings Nick and Lilly help the police to catch a thief – and to teach a lesson to a grumpy literary critic.

Rights sold for the series:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

DENMARK: ABC Forlag
GERMANY: Mixtvision Verlag
HUNGARY: Pagony

About author


Noora Kunnas

Noora Kunnas is a children’s author from Helsinki, Finland. She has the knack for making both children and grownups laugh while they’re immersed in her zany books. She loves animals and British humor – she grew up watching Jeeves and Wooster and eating ice cream straight from the container. Kunnas draws her inspiration from the world of Roald Dahl. The trademark of her books is a nutty humor, spiced with quirky characters, as well as the titillating mood of various settings, where anything – and we mean anything – is possible.

Noora Kunnas has published eight children’s books at Otava (2015 – 2022),  and her works have been nominated for the prestigious Tiiliskivi and Lukuvarkaus literary prizes in Finland. She graduated from the Turku Academy of Arts with a degree in film, and she worked in television since.

Read more

About author


Teemu Juhani

Teemu Juhani is a Finnish illustrator, comic artist and picture book author whose illustrations have been published in picture books and children's fiction in over 20 countries. In addition to children's books Teemu has illustrated magazines and educational material. Originally from the fields and woods of North Karelia, Teemu now lives, works and eats way too many cakes in Helsinki.

Read more Author's page

Estonian rights sold to HILJA’S SUMMER AT THE GREEN HOUSE

Posted on

We cannot be happier to announce that Hilja-series has now a publisher in Estonia!

Eesti Raamat acquired the rights for the first book in the series: HILJA’S SUMMER AT THE GREEN HOUSE.
Previously, the series has been published in Finland and Germany.

”We love that children can easily relate to “Hilja´s Summer in The Green House”. Stories of Hilja are heartfelt and funny, with a twist of irony.
Who needs superpowers or fairy godmothers when you have two sisters, grannies and aunties!”
– Reet Trummal, editor, Eesti Raamat, Estonia

 

HILJA’S SUMMER IN THE GREEN HOUSE (#1 in Hilja-series)
by Heidi Viherjuuri, illustrated by Nadja Sarell

Hilja is a seven-year-old girl who lives in a wooden house that always needs some fixing. Her family consists of her mother, father, little sister Taimi and big sister Veini. Grandpa is also closely involved in the life of the Green House. He helps Dad with the renovation, takes the kids to fish, and tells jokes.  Hilja has only seen her grandma in an old photograph. However, there are three ladies in the neighborhood who are making sure that Hilja doesn’t have just one grandma but three!

The late summer is full of hustle and bustle. Weather they are celebrating something, catching fish or making Midsummer magic it is never boring! When cousin Martti comes to visit, Agent H and Agent M begin a spy mission to Aunt Strawberry’s house. The excursion ends up in the aunt’s vegetable garden, where secret agents are assigned the task K – weeding.

The idyllic countryside scenery provides room for imagination. These stories are not full of action and crime., but life in the Green house is never too smooth, and the story is spiced with just the right touch of anarchist humor.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Mäkelä (orig.)
ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
GERMANY: WooW Books

About author


Heidi Viherjuuri

Heidi Viherjuuri lives in Cologne, Germany, where she writes about things big and small and also everyday life situations. She loves green tea, weekdays, history, traveling by train and having silly laughs with her son. Heidi´s works have rich language and are straight-to-the-point at the same time and one of her favorite books is the Finnish thesaurus.

Read more Author's page

About author


Nadja Sarell

Nadja Sarell is an illustrator living in Helsinki, Finland. She graduated with MA in Dance from Theatre Academy Helsinki. Soon after that she moved to a small town in North Wales to study children’s book illustration. She graduated from North Wales School of Art and Design with BA in Illustration for Children’s Publishing in 2004.

Since then she has worked as a freelance illustrator for children’s publishing in Finland and abroad. She loves to teach art, illustration and dance for both children and adults. She is also passionate about surface pattern design and enjoys creating charismatic, expressive book characters.
If Nadja was an animal, she would be a cat living in an old mansion with a large fireplace and a comfy sofa. Her favourite things are her family, music, dancing, black coffee and chocolate.

Read more Author's page

LITTLE BOOK OF BAD MOODS sold to Georgia!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce that LITTLE BOOK OF BAD MOODS will also be published in Georgian! The happy publisher that just acquired the rights is Sula Kauri.
The rights for the series have now been sold to 31 countries, but are still available in: Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Korea, Albania, Macedonia, Indonesia, Arabic, Bosnia, Vietnam etc.

“I haven’t laughed this hard for a long time. Reading the activities, one easily realizes the scale and pointlessness of one’s bad mood. These feelings will quickly pass. Especially quickly when one starts listing the dark corners of one’s mind. This book is the funniest way to spend time this summer!”
– Ilta Sanomat newspaper, Finland

Ask for English materials by clicking here

LITTLE BOOK OF BAD MOODS
by Lotta Sonninen and Piia Aho

 

Fed up with being positive? Try the opposite – an activity book in style of Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal. Rights sold to 32 territories!

Are you done and over with positivity and wellbeing? Here’s an adults’ activity book of negativity and ill-being! List your enemies, vent the rage and hide the book from your spouse, children and colleagues.

The Little Book of Bad Moods parodies the positivity trend and adults’ activity books in a hilarious way and is suitable for everyone who has ever held a grudge and looked for a safe way to let it out. The book includes activities like the blame game (what’s wrong with your life – and whose fault it is), getting frank (the things you should have said then and there) and crying over spilled milk (no need to forget and forgive). Let’s get cranky!

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (Orig. publisher)
BRAZIL: Globo Livros
CHINA: Citic Press
CROATIA: Stilus knjiga
CZECH: Euromedia
DENMARK: Modtryk
ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
FRANCE: Le Livre de Poche
GEORGIA: Sula Kauri
GERMANY: Droemer Knaur
HUNGARY: Partvonal
ICELAND: Forlagid
INDONESIA: Gramedia Pustaka Utama
ISRAEL: Kinneret-Zmora
ITALY: DeA Planeta Libri
JAPAN: President Sha
LATVIA: Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA: Baltos Lankos
NETHERLANDS: A.W. Bruna
NORWAY: Vigmostad & Bjorke
POLAND: Zysk i S-ka
PORTUGAL: Planeta
RUSSIA: Bombora (Eksmo)
SERBIA: Vulkan
SLOVAKIA: Ikar
SPAIN: Plaza & Janés/PRH
SWEDEN: HarperCollins Nordic
TAIWAN: China Times
TURKEY: Pegasus
UKRAINE: Vivat Publishing
UK & COMMONWEALTH: Bloomsbury
UNITED STATES: Gallery Books/S&S

About author


Lotta Sonninen

Lotta Sonninen works as an executive editor of nonfiction. She has also taught creative writing and translated many books into Finnish. She got the idea for The Little Book of Bad Moods when working on yet another book on positivity. She secretly thinks that bad moods are good for you.

Read more

About author


Piia Aho

Piia Aho is a Helsinki-based AD and graphic designer with a great love for book design. She always makes an effort to find the perfect visual tone for each book – whether it is toned down or crazy wild or anything in between. The little books of bad mood are her getaway from serious stuff.

Read more

Two new deals for Miika Nousiainen!

Posted on

We are more than excited to announce that Eesti Raamat from Estonia has pre-empted 2 titles of Miika Nousiainen: FACELIFT (2020) and ROOTS (2016).
The first title  – ROOTS  – will most likely be published already in 2021 and FACELIFT will follow.

FACELIFT
by Miika Nousiainen

Sami has a dream: he desperately wants to be a father. His biological clock has been ticking for the past 15 years so loudly that sometimes it’s hard to hear his own thoughts. But it’s not so easy to become a father, first of all, you need to find a suitable future mother candidate.

But when Sami’s latest future-mother-candidate rides off with a biker guy, he makes a series of bad choices that cause him to anger the local motorcycle gang. How to fix a life where everything seems to go wrong? Sini, a wellbeing blogger with perfectly instagrammable life arrives to offer a solution.

”Nousiainen comes to grips with profound topics, managing them with an ease and wits that keeps readers hooked from the page one. In “Facelift”
the modern superficiality gets pointed out in the most entertaining manner.”
– Reet Trummal, editor, Eesti Raamat, Estonia

Ask for English materials for FACELIFT by clicking here

ROOTS 
by Miika Nousiainen

Onni Kirnuvaara left to get groceries when his son was just a child – and never returned. The father was never mentioned again. Years later, during a root canal treatment, the son finds out that in addition to his bad dental karma he has a dentist brother, left behind as a child just like him.

The brothers embark on a journey to find out the truth about their father. After many detours they find themselves in the Australian outback. Lousy fathers are fathers too, after all.

”Nousiainen´s novel about the laws of life is truly enjoyable: both amusing and thought-provoking, sharp and warm. Life has its own unique ways to make us face the problems that are not necessarily the most comfortable to face. With or without anesthesia – one simply cannot bypass his roots!”
– Reet Trummal, editor, Eesti Raamat, Estonia

Ask for English materials for ROOTS by clicking here

Rights sold: ROOTS

FINLAND, Otava (Original publisher)

CZECH REPUBLIC, XYZ
ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
GERMANY, Nagel & Kimche
HUNGARY, Kossuth
ITALY, Iperborea
LITHUANIA, Alma Littera
NETHERLANDS, Prometheus
SWEDEN, Brombergs

 

Rights sold: FACELIFT

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
GERMANY: Kein & Aber

About author


Miika Nousiainen

Miika Nousiainen (b. 1973 in Säynätsalo) has worked as a news and current affairs journalist for MTV3's news department. In addition, he has written for several popular TV-shows.

Nousiainen’s debut novel, Raspberry Boat Refugee (2007), tells the story of Mikko Virtanen, a man who desperately wants to become Swedish at any cost. In this tragicomic work, Nousiainen makes sharp observations about our western neighbor and illustrates that we’re all self-proclaimed experts on Sweden.

Roots (2016) follows the search for a missing father, taking readers across continents from Lieksa, Finland, to Australia. The book was also well-received internationally.

In Facelift (2020), Nousiainen gently explores themes of family and the longing for connection.

In addition, he has written The Danger of the Long Distance Runner (2009) and Forrest Giant (2011).

Nousiainen's novels have been adapted countless times and translated into languages such as Swedish, German, Dutch, Italian, and Estonian.

Miika Nousiainen have been awarded with: Laila Hirvisaari Foundation Grant (2008), Kalevi Jäntti Prize (2009) and Honorable Mention in the Sports Museum Foundation’s Sports Book of the Year Competition (2010)

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen / Otava 2020

Read more

Bibliography


2024, Commercial/Upmarket, Humor

Push, Pace, Position, Pray

Miika Nousiainen


2020, Commercial/Upmarket, Humor

Facelift

Miika Nousiainen


2016, Humor

Roots

Miika Nousiainen


2007, Humor

Raspberry Boat Refugee

Miika Nousiainen

Related news

Estonian rights sold for THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORD!

Posted on

We are very excited to announce that Emmi Pesonen’s debut novel THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORD now has a first international publisher!
Eesti Raamat from Estonia was very happy to acquire the title:

”Emmi Pesonen takes a warm and calm approach when describing the delicate subject of becoming a stepmother. It is a story of love at its finest.”
– Reet Trummal, editor, Eesti Raamat, Estonia

Ask for English materials by clicking here

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORD
by Emmi Pesonen

Warm, humorous and beautiful debut novel from the point of view of a stepmother. Patchwork family life, and new beginnings.

  • Debut novel by acclaimed screenwriter and actress
  • Feature film in development by Aurora Studios

Amanda’s life is revolutionized when Onni curves into her life with a yellow minibus, chaos and four children riding along. She has been living an extended youth and cared mainly for her house plants until she met Onni and his kids. Happiness, the laundry pile and the dish mountains grow in their new home. Everything is always lost and the house is permanently messy, but Amanda firmly believes that love conquers all obstacles. But when Onni’s behavior starts to get weirder, she has to decide if love truly fixes everything.

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
TV & MOVIE RIGHTS: Aurora Studios

About author


Emmi Pesonen

Emmi Pesonen (1977) is a Helsinki-based writer, screenwriter and actress. She graduated in 2001 as a Master of Theater Arts and has worked as an actor in several in theaters, movies, and TV series. Pesonen is bilingual (Finnish-Swedish) and she has translated and dramatized Swedish-language plays. She is also the screenwriter of a movie The Violin Player (Violinist, Mjölk Movies), which premiered in Finland in 2018, and has toured successfully at more than 20 film festivals around the world (including Gothenburg, Moscow, Singapore, Kaliningrad). The film deals with power structures in the art world, passion and giving up.  The Most Beautiful Word (Otava, August 2020) is Pesonen’s debut novel. The book tells a story of a patchwork family from the point of view of the new step-mother. It’s a story of endless love, irreversible decision and learning new things. The movie rights have been optioned by Aurora Studios and a film is currently being developed.

Read more

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

The Magician's Daughters

Emmi Pesonen


2020, Commercial/Upmarket

The Most Beautiful Word

Emmi Pesonen

Related news

29th territory for MONSTER NANNY series!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce that Ukrainian publisher School Publishing House has now acquired the rights for all 3 titles in Monster Nanny series. The series now has 29 rights sold and a feature film in development by Scott Free Productions.

Congratulations to Tuutikki Tolonen, Pasi Pitkänen and School Publishing House!

The rights are still available in Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Japan, Serbia, Slovakia, Iceland, Korea, Croatia, Israel etc
If you are interested, request the full English materials for Monster Nanny trilogy by clicking here.

 

MONSTER NANNY TRILOGY:

Book 1: Monster Nanny
Mörkövahti. Tammi 2015, 300 pp.

The Hellman children must make do with a nanny while their mother is away at a spa. The only problem? Their nanny is a monster.

Grah is hairy, dusty, and doesn’t talk. When the siblings discover that other neighborhood kids have been left with similar creatures, they start to wonder where the monsters came from. With the parents away, the kids work together (between bickering) to figure out the mystery of the monsters.
Book 2: Monster Route
Mörköreitti. Tammi 2016, 280 pp.

Mimi 6 years, has snuck into the monsters’ underground world after her monster friend Grah. She travels in their tunnels, led by the odd Gate Keeper. Back at home, Koby and Halley put their heads together and manage to get in touch with Mimi. But who is the mysterious and frightening ruler of the monster world?

Book 3: Monster Message
Mörköviesti, Tammi, March 2020, 250 pp.

Hellman kids face new troubles. Mom and Dad want to move into a bigger home on the other side of the city. Mimi’s talking bathrobe feels strangely shrunk, and drops hints of leaving. Monstrologist Runar Kalli is starting to act his age without his rejuvenating root potion – and he’s 122. Something must be done. When Mimi finds crumpled leaves with strange markings in her room, they look like messages from underground, but who’s delivering them and why? And why does the Gatekeeper of the underground world appear in their bathroom?

The three books are all illustrated by Pasi Pitkänen.

MONSTER NANNY SERIES:

Rights sold:

FINLAND, Tammi (orig. publisher)

AUSTRALIA, Allen & Unwin
BOSNIA, Šahinpašić
BRAZIL, DarkSide Books
CHINA, Beijing Children’s Publishing House
CZECH REPUBLIC, Portál
DENMARK, Turbine
ESTONIA, Tiritamm
FRANCE, Editions Robert Laffont
GERMANY, Carl Hanser Verlag
HUNGARY, Tessloff Babilon
ITALY, Salani/Mauri Spagnol
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto
NETHERLANDS, Luitingh-Sijthoff
NEW ZEALAND, Allen & Unwin
NORWAY, Gyldendal Norsk
OCEANIA, Allen & Unwin
POLAND, Vesper
PORTUGAL, Asa Editiones/Leya
ROMANIA, Editura Univers
RUSSIA, Rosman
SLOVENIA, Mladinska knjiga
SPAIN (Spanish), La Galera
SPAIN (Catalan), La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TURKEY, SEV Redhouse Kidz
UKRAINE: School Publishing House
VIETNAM, Nha Nam
UNITED STATES: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
FILM RIGHTS, Scott Free Productions

 

About author


Pasi Pitkänen

Pasi Pitkänen has become known for his richly detailed illustrative work on several children’s books such as the extremely popular Monster Nanny trilogy by Tuutikki Tolonen. He has also worked at Rovio Entertainment as an illustrator, character designer, and graphic designer. Pitkänen is the illustrator of the popular Kepler62 series and the author of two Children's titles Monster Tournament and The Island of Lost Animals.

Among Pitkänen’s hobbies are quantum physics, people-watching, B-movies, insects and baking.

Read more Author's page

About author


Tuutikki Tolonen

Tuutikki Tolonen is the author of several acclaimed children’s books, plays and academic articles. She teaches creative writing and has worked as an editor and reporter at Vinski, a Finnish literary magazine for children. For Monster Nanny she received the Arvid Lydecken award.  Her inspiration for the Monster Nanny trilogy sparked during a family breakfast. “My son Leo, then six, said: ‘I heard on the radio yesterday that all moms have to go on vacation and monsters will take their places,” she says.

Her other bestselling series is the Agnes-series, of which the first book "Agnes and the Garden of Dreams" was in 2021 nominated for the Arvid Lydecken Award, received an honorable mention for the Runeberg Junior Award, and won the Luku Varkaus Award. Tolonen tells that the inspiration for Agnes comes for her interest for weird and inexpicable tales, ghost stories and mysteries: "I wanted to write a book my daughter Aili, then nine, would like to read - not too long, not too scary, but very curious."

Tuutikki is nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2026.

Photo credit: Otto Virtanen

Read more

German and Danish rights sold to MABEL MERRYWEATHER series by Noora Kunnas and Teemu Juhani

Posted on

We are excited to announce that the first foreign rights of Mabel Merryweather series by author Noora Kunnas and illustrator Teemu Juhani have been sold. The German rights were acquired by Mixtvision Verlag, and Danish rights went to ABC Forlag.

”We are beyond delighted to publish Noora Kunnas’ and Teemu Juhani’s books at Mixtvision in 2021. The story is hilariously funny and quirky in the very best way and we can’t wait to see what our German readers think about the books!” – Kerstin Rabe, Editorial Director, Mixtvision Verlag, Germany

This fast and wacky middle-grade series has adorable, quirky black-and-white illustrations by Teemu Juhani, and the humorous story draws inspiration from the world of Roald Dahl.

About the books:

Book 1: Mabel Merryweather and the Miniature Pirates
Otava 2019, 140 pp.
Nick and Lilly’s visit to their rule-loving, child-hating uncle Jim turns into an adventure as the children get to know their exiting, eccentric neighbor: Mabel Merryweather. Mabel and her friends are preparing for a flower arrangement competition, when the town is hit by a jeweler thief. Nick, Lilly and Mabel have their own problems as Mabel’s decorative miniature pirates have come to live and are rummaging through the backyards. And what happened to the main judge of the competition – a pop singer Monika who disappeared in the same day?  Something must be done to bring peace and order back to the town of Dalton.

#2 Mabel Merryweather and the King of the Thieves
Otava 2020, 144 pp.
The town of Dalton is celebrating a local children’s poet’s 140th anniversary, and everyone is dressed up as a character from a poem. But amongst the happy people there’s also a gentleman thief who has terrorized art museums all spring. Through many mistakes and misunderstandings Nick and Lilly help the police to catch a thief – and to teach a lesson to a grumpy literary critic.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
DENMARK: ABC Forlag
GERMANY: Mixtvision

About author


Noora Kunnas

Noora Kunnas is a children’s author from Helsinki, Finland. She has the knack for making both children and grownups laugh while they’re immersed in her zany books. She loves animals and British humor – she grew up watching Jeeves and Wooster and eating ice cream straight from the container. Kunnas draws her inspiration from the world of Roald Dahl. The trademark of her books is a nutty humor, spiced with quirky characters, as well as the titillating mood of various settings, where anything – and we mean anything – is possible.

Noora Kunnas has published eight children’s books at Otava (2015 – 2022),  and her works have been nominated for the prestigious Tiiliskivi and Lukuvarkaus literary prizes in Finland. She graduated from the Turku Academy of Arts with a degree in film, and she worked in television since.

Read more

About author


Teemu Juhani

Teemu Juhani is a Finnish illustrator, comic artist and picture book author whose illustrations have been published in picture books and children's fiction in over 20 countries. In addition to children's books Teemu has illustrated magazines and educational material. Originally from the fields and woods of North Karelia, Teemu now lives, works and eats way too many cakes in Helsinki.

Read more Author's page

Introducing EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF HISTORY – first sale to Estonia!

Posted on
We have a brand new bestselling non-fiction title to introduce to you! It’s called EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF HISTORY, written by journalist Maria Pettersson, and today we are extremely happy to announce the first foreign sale to Estonia.

Äripäev in Estonia pre-empted this exciting title that has sold out already three prints in two weeks in Finland!

 

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF HISTORY:
Pirates, Psychics, Priestesses and Princess Spies

by Maria Pettersson

Women whose stories your history teacher never told you. 

  • The captain who ruled the biggest pirate fleet in history.
  • The scientist who changed our understanding of physics, while taking the most famous geniuses of her time as her lovers, and getting in trouble for gambling.
  • The con-artist who could fool any jeweler in Europe.
  • The baseball star who played wearing a fake beard.
  • Teenagers recruited by the Resistance because of their innocent looks, who learned to blow up railways and shoot Nazis from their bicycles.
  • The master of Jujutsu who taught the Suffragettes to fight back.
  • The cult leader who made her followers undergo cosmetic surgery to look more like her.
  • The kidnapped girl who ended up ruling the biggest empire that had ever existed, with her female lover as her queen.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF HISTORY  introduces over a hundred exceptional women from different periods of history and from all corners of the world. It is a veritable treasury of captivating stories and unsung ballads about the exciting women in history.
Outrageous, amazing, terrible, heroic, thrilling and above all extraordinary; their life stories make the reader gasp and ask: “Why haven’t I heard of them before?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As a child, Maria Pettersson’s dream job was to be an international adventurer. Instead, she became an award-winning journalist, the editor-in-chief of several magazines and a serious history geek.

She has worked for the biggest newspapers, radio stations and TV channels in Finland. She has travelled in over 70 countries, got married in Vegas and spent her honeymoon in North Korea.

Her hobbies include games and roleplaying, observing big machines, studying small Slavic languages and visiting dead dictators. She currently lives in Helsinki, Finland.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Atena (orig.)
ESTONIA: Äripäev

About author


Maria Pettersson

As a child, Maria Pettersson’s dream job was to be an international adventurer. Instead, she became an award-winning journalist, the editor-in-chief of several magazines and a serious history geek. She has worked for the biggest newspapers, radio stations and TV channels in Finland. She has travelled in over 70 countries, got married in Vegas and spent her honeymoon in North Korea. Her hobbies include games and roleplaying, observing big machines, studying small Slavic languages and visiting dead dictators. She currently lives in Helsinki, Finland.
Read more

Bibliography


2020, Memories & Biographies, History & Politics

Extraordinary Women of History: Pirates, Psychics, Priestesses and Princess Spies

Maria Pettersson

Related news

AURORA STUDIOS OPTIONS FILM & TV RIGHTS TO ’WHEN THE KING DIES’!

Posted on
When the king dies

We are very happy to announce that Film & TV Rights to Elina Backman’s bestselling thriller WHEN THE KING DIES have been optioned by Aurora Studios to be developed into an international TV series.

Published by Otava in Finland in May 2020 to excellent reviews and immediately hitting the bestseller lists, WHEN THE KING DIES has already been sold to 10 territories and counting. Rights are still free for example in France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Hungary, Latvia and in English-speaking territories.

Elina Backman is now writing a sequel, THE ISLE OF SHEEP, to be published in June 2021.

Aurora Studios owner Ari Tolppanen, CEO Antti Toiviainen and Creative Director Roosa Toivonen are thrilled to start this adventure with author Elina Backman: ”Utterly readable and full of plot twists and quirky characters, WHEN THE KING DIES is an ideal starting point for a TV series that keeps audiences at the edge of their seat and leaves them hungry for more. Luckily, a sequel is already in the works by the promising author!”

”I love Finland – its own unique voice and beautiful landscapes – and I love murder mysteries. I believe that together with Aurora Studios we will create something special. The last months have been amazing: As a debut author this is a dream come true for me to be able to share my crime story with global readers.” – Author Elina Backman

About Aurora Studios:
Aurora Studios was started in June 2020 to enable and assist the creation of commercially and artistically ambitious films and audiovisual content through development, financing and distribution. Its owners are Finnish media company The Otava Group and Ari Tolppanen and Ari Lahti, the investors behind the financing of Finnish audience phenomenon The Unknown Soldier.

About the book:
Saana is a former click-bait journalist who spends a summer in the quiet town of Hartola. But when she begins to dig into the case of a teenage girl who died 30 years earlier, the peace of the small town is shaken. Meanwhile in Helsinki, crime investigator Jan Leino is solving a murder at the King’s Gate on Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Saana and Jan continue working on their own cases until their paths cross – for more than one reason.

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA:
Varrak (2-book deal)
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Grada
GERMANY:
Piper Verlag (2-book deal)
LITHUANIA:
BALTO
NETHERLANDS:
De Bezige Bij/Cargo
(2-book deal)
NORWAY:
Cappelen Damm (2-book deal)
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
SLOVAKIA:
Arkus
SWEDEN:
Bokfabriken (2-book deal)
TV/FILM:
Aurora Studios

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE sold to Portugal – 23 territories conquered!

Posted on

Frank Martela’s non-fiction bestseller A WONDERFUL LIFE: Insights for Finding a Meaningful Existence is now sold to 23 territories – Portuguese rights were acquired by Editora 2020. The deal was negotiated in collaboration with MB Agencia

Editora 2020 is the Portuguese publisher of Yuval Noah Harari and two Nobel Prize winning authors: Olga Tokarczuk and Svetlana Alexievich.

Published in the US in March by HarperCollins, Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE is becoming an international bestseller around the world, but the rights are still available in Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Denmark, Slovenia,  Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovakia, China etc.

“Frank Martela has written an essential primer for making sense of the absurdities of modern life. Philosophically probing yet eminently readable, A Wonderful Life is a book you can refer to again and again on your journey towards purpose.” – Daniel H. Pink, author of the New York Times bestsellers When, Drive, and To Sell is Human.

A WONDERFUL LIFE: Insights for Finding a Meaningful Existence
Harper Design, 24th of March 2020, 200 pp.

In this engagingly insightful book, Frank Martela – one of the only academic experts who has contributed to both the philosophical and psychological research on meaning in life – takes you on a voyage through the history, philosophy, and psychology of meaningfulness and worthy living.

The journey starts in the 19th century, where it is revealed why and how the Scottish author Thomas Carlyle came to be the first person in history who actually used the phrase »meaning of life.»

The life stories of Carlyle and Russian author Leo Tolstoy serve as representative examples of the transformation that this book aims to guide you, the reader, through. Finally, an answer is provided to the question of meaning that is compatible with latest scientific knowledge about human nature, yet still both inspiring and actionable.

Frank Martela, PhD., is essentially the only contemporary academic researcher who has published several articles on the topic of the meaning of life with a unique perspective on the science of happiness.

He has collaborated with key experts of the topic and presented his research in numerous academic conferences as well as invited lectures at universities such as Stanford University, University of Edinburgh, and Simon Fraser University. He is a popular lecturer and author of three well-received and bestselling non-fiction books.

Currently a post-doctoral researcher at Aalto University, Finland, he has been a visiting scholar at University of Rochester, NY. and Australian Catholic University.

Rights sold:

WORLD ENGLISH: HarperCollins/Harper Design (orig.)

CROATIA:
Planetopija
ESTONIA:
Rahva Raamat
FINLAND:
Gummerus
FRANCE:
Editions Leduc.s
GERMANY:
Blessing Verlag
GREECE:
Klidarithmos
ITALY:
Edizioni Lindau
JAPAN:
HarperCollins Japan
KOREA:
Across Publishing
LATIN AMERICA:
Ediciones Urano
LATVIA:
Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA:
Obuolys
NETHERLANDS:
Ambo Anthos
NORWAY:
Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
PORTUGAL:
Editora 2020
ROMANIA:
Editura Humanitas
RUSSIA:
Bombora
SERBIA:
Odiseja
SPAIN:
Ediciones Urano (World Spanish)
TAIWAN:
Crown
TURKEY:
Orman Kitap

About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life

Frank Martela


2023, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Meaning Manifesto: Why Work Needs to Have a Purpose

Frank Martela


2020, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

A Wonderful Life: Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence

Frank Martela

Related news

World English rights sold to FUTURE SKILLS by Perttu Pölönen

Posted on
Perttu Pölönen and his bestselling non-fiction book FUTURE SKILLS are conquering the US and the English-speaking world! Today we sold World English rights of FUTURE SKILLS to Start Publishing/Viva Edtitions in the US for publication in Fall 2021. Start Publishing belongs to Start Media company, and their books are distributed by Simon & Schuster in the US. We are thrilled! Moreover, the audio rights of Future Skills were sold to to Recorded Books also in the US for simultaneous publication in fall 2021. The deals were brokered in collaboration with Rhea Lyons/HG Literary. Warmest Congratulations to futurist Perttu Pölönen and his US publishers!

”Future Skills is an important book for our times. Its mission to support the cultivation of ”soft” skills like compassion, creativity, and teamwork–so often overlooked in today’s workplace–is vital as we move into this unpredictable decade. I’m also excited to work with Perttu Pölönen, whose impressive work as an inventor, composer, and futurist make him perfectly positioned to assess future trends with a hopeful outlook.”
– Hannah Bennett, Senior Acquisitions Editor, Start Publishing, US
Take a look at the video where Perttu introduces himself and his book.
FUTURE SKILLS by Perttu Pölönen
In Finland, the book has sold over 10,000 copies, and is in its 5th print run! The author is 25-years old, selected as one of the 35 Innovators Under 35 by the MIT Technology Review. Just last week Perttu Pölönen was given “Changemaker of the Year 2020 in Finland Award”. Perttu is a composer, public speaker, futurist, and innovator and fluent in English: www.perttupolonen.com

“We must believe that educating our hearts will bring results, success, and happiness. It’s hard to know what you may want to do in the future, but it’s even more difficult to say what you can do today to bring that about. This book will help with both.”  – Author Perttu Pölönen

RIGHTS SOLD:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
KOREA: BP Publisher
TURKEY: Büyükada
WORLD ENGLISH: Start Publishing / Viva Editions
WORLD ENGLISH (audio): Recorded Books

About author


Perttu Pölönen

Perttu Pölönen is a futurist, inventor and an inspirational speaker. In the Finnish media, Perttu has been called a gentle highbrow and fearless inventor. Future Skills has been an instant bestseller in Finland – where Perttu has become one of the most sought-after speakers inspiring thousands of people in his lectures.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2023, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Digital Spell: The Hidden Power of Persuasive Technology

Perttu Pölönen


2021, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Future Identities

Perttu Pölönen


2020, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Future Skills

Perttu Pölönen

Related news

Now 10 rights sold for WHEN THE KING DIES!

Posted on
When the king dies

Polish and Slovak rights sold for WHEN THE KING DIES! Now 10 rights sold!
Elina Backman’s debut crime novel WHEN THE KING DIES has all Europe excited!
The bestselling novel was just published in May and has now sold to 10 territories!
Just yesterday we closed two wonderful new deals for this exciting title!The happy additions to Elina Backman publishers’ family are Czarna Owca in Poland and Arkus in Slovakia.The rights are still available in the US, UK, France, Russia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Romania etc 

Click here to request the English sample, synopsis, and media package!

Praise:

”We are thrilled that we will have opportunity to present Elina Backman to Polish readers. WHEN THE KING DIES is truly amazing – fast-paced, gripping, with relatable characters (who could be a better protagonist than Saana – TV and pizza addict who decides to change her life?). We can’t wait to see what happens next!”

Dominika Dudarew-Osiecka, editor, Czarna Owca, Poland

”We are so excited to broaden our crime list with this exciting work of extremely talented Elina Backman. No doubt Lithuanian readers will welcome this new star from Finland with open arms.”
– Ieva Savukynaitė-Dubicka, Project Manager, BALTO, Lithuania

”A new star on the Nordic crime scene. With a real page-turner that keeps the readers on their toes until the end.”
– Henrik Lindvall, Publisher, Bokfabriken, Sweden

”We are simply delighted to have Elina Backman on our crime list!! Her debut Kun kuningas kuolee is smart, confident, exciting, elegant, entertaining and more!”
– Ida Cleve, Editor, Cappelen Damm, Norway
“Elina Backman is a very exciting addition to our crime list and we are very proud to be able to publish her. With the fantastic WHEN THE KING DIES and the plans for her second book already in development we have every confidence she is more than capable of becoming as popular as authors such as Jo Nesbø, Lars Kepler and Hjorth Rosenfeldt. Dutch and Flemish readers love high quality crime fiction from Scandinavia, and Elina Backman is one of the most exciting new voices we have recently come across.”
– Chris Kooi, Acquiring Editor, Cargo/De Bezige Bij, the Netherlands
WHEN THE KING DIES:
Kun kuningas kuolee,
Otava, May 2020, 495 pp.Jan, a Helsinki-based police officer investigates a ritualistic murder taking place at Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Meanwhile in idyllic countryside an ex-journalist Saana starts to dig up information of a girl who died in the 80’s in Hartola – in the only kingdom in Finland. Jan and Saana’s paths will cross – for more than one reason.

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA:
Varrak (Two-book deal)
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Grada
GERMANY:
Piper Verlag (Two-book deal)
LITHUANIA:
BALTO
NETHERLANDS:
De Bezige Bij/Cargo
(Two-book deal)
NORWAY:
Cappelen Damm (Two-book deal)
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
SLOVAKIA:
Arkus
SWEDEN:
Bokfabriken (Two-book deal)
TV/FILM:
Offers on the table

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

First foreign sale for THE MARIMEKKO STORY!

Posted on
We are very happy to announce the first international rights sold for THE GREATEST OF ALL IS LOVE. THE MARIMEKKO STORY.

Just yesterday, in an auction, the Estonian rights were secured by Helios!
We are also excited to announce that a feature film based on The Marimekko Story is in development by Aurora Studios!We are very glad to have just started representing the breathtaking rags-to-riches story of Marimekko’s former owner and CEO Kirsti Paakkanen, who turned the fortunes of the iconic brand around.

This is the true story of how a retired businesswoman took over the practically bankrupt Finnish design house and turned Marimekko into a successful worldwide brand name.

  • #1 Bestselling non-fiction title on Finland’s official bestseller list 16 weeks in a row since publication! 
  • Feature film in development by Aurora Studios

Reading materials: English sample coming in September
Ask for the Full Finnish manuscript for your reader by clicking here.

If you do not yet have a Finnish reader, please take a look at Kääntöpiiri portal, where you can currently find 99 possible readers.

Author bio:
Ulla-Maija Paavilainen, award-winning journalist, is the author of several well-received novels and non-fiction books. She has worked as the editor-in-chief at several top Finnish magazines over the past 25 years.

Listen to the author Ulla-Maija Paavilainen talking about the book by clicking here.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Helios

About author


Ulla-Maija Paavilainen

Ulla-Maija Paavilainen, award-winning journalist, is the author of several well-received novels and non-fiction books. She has worked as the editor-in-chief at several top Finnish magazines over the past 25 years. One of her specific areas of interest is the role of women in working life and analysing the power structure and what is required for women to have successful careers.

Paavilainen’s most recent work is the moving biography of the legendary entrepreneur Kirsti Paakkanen, who took over Marimekko, one of Finland’s most famous design brands. Kirsti Paakkanen: Greatest of All is Love is the story of Marimekko, an authentic rags-to riches tale of how a poor girl from the countryside first founded the world’s first all-women’s advertising agency, Womena. Selling Womena when she was 62, Paakkanen bought Marimekko, a global design company that was on the verge of bankruptcy and turned it around into an international iconic fashion house.

Read more

Bibliography


2020, Memories & Biographies

The Greatest of All Is Love. The Marimekko Story

Ulla-Maija Paavilainen

Related news

German rights sold to Leena Lehtolainen’s forthcoming bestseller RIPPLE EFFECT

Posted on

We couldn’t be more excited to announce that Rowohlt acquires German rights to Leena Lehtolainen forthcoming Maria Kallio novel Ripple Effect (Maria Kallio #15), to be published in August 2020 in Finland by Tammi Publishers. Rowohlt has previously published all the books in the Maria Kallio series.

”With her usual cleverness Leena Lehtolainen combines a gripping new Maria Kallio case with highly relevant social topics such as identity, racism, sexism, and the need for more tolerance.  Perceptive and enthralling!”
– Dinah Sophie Fischer, Editor, Rowohlt, Germany

Maria Kallio Series is the most succesful Finnish book series in the world with over 2 million copies worldwide and been translated into 30 languages.
Only Jo Nesbo has more titles translated to English than Leena Lehtolainen. Already 11 Maria Kallio books are available in English, all published by Amazon Crossing.

Ripple Effect, Maria Kallio #15

Maria is getting ready for her daughter’s graduation when her cat brings her a human ear. She takes it to the forensic lab and doesn’t think any more of it.

Maria and her team are assigned to investigate a rape of a young woman when things start to heat up. The accused rapist is a young man with an immigrant background, which causes a lot of racism and heated discussions in the papers and media. Angry fathers are organizing a street patrol to keep their daughters safe, and when Rahim is released from the police station, his safety is not guaranteed.

Maria and her team are working to solve a new case, but online trolls are targeting them and doing everything to distract them. But when Maria is almost killed by an earless driver, it makes her wonder if all the harassment is related to the case, or could it be something more personal?

Author bio:
LEENA LEHTOLAINEN published her first book, a young adult novel, at the age of 12 in 1976. The 1993 book My First Murder kicked off Lehtolainen’s first and on-going crime novel series: The bestselling Maria Kallio Series, which has brought an enthusiastically received female perspective to the male-dominated detective genre through its distinctively down-to-earth heroine Maria Kallio. Lehtolainen has been Finland’s bestselling female crime writer for over 30 years with over 2 million copies of her work sold worldwide!  11 Maria Kallio novels have been published in the US so far, and her works has been published in 30 language altogether.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
GERMANY: Rowohlt
TV rights: Maria Kallio tv series in development

Reading materials:
RIPPLE EFFECT, Maria Kallio Book #15: English sample, synopsis, Finnish pdf

Reading materials:
Maria Kallio Books 1-11: English editions
Maria Kallio Books 1-14: German editions.

About author


Leena Lehtolainen

Leena Lehtolainen is the top female crime author in Finland: her new titles always head straight to #1 on the Finnish bestseller lists.

Lehtolainen created her successful protagonist, detective Maria Kallio, in 1993. Having already featured in 16 novels and a complete TV series, a new Maria Kallio TV reboot series was launched in Fall 2021 on C More. Lehtolainen’s novels have been translated into 30 languages and have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

And just like the events in Bodyguard, a that takes the heroine Hilja Ilveskero all around Europe, Lehtolainen’s own work takes her to book festivals, exhibitions and other events across the globe.

Leena Lehtolainen has also published outside the crime genre; her book The Charm of Figure Skating was voted sports book of the year 2010 in Finland, and A Life in Six Scenes showed her return to literary fiction.

The Crossing of the Green Dragon is her first title for YA audiences.

In her free time, Lehtolainen enjoys all kinds of music and follows lynx trails in the forests – just like Maria Kallio.

Photo credit: Ville Juurikkala

Read more

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

The Snow Leopard's Heart

Leena Lehtolainen


2023, Crime & Suspense

A Crossing in the Darkness

Leena Lehtolainen


2022, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

The Crossing of the Green Dragon

Leena Lehtolainen


2021, Crime & Suspense

The Lynx Factor

Leena Lehtolainen


2020, Crime & Suspense

The Ripple Effect

Leena Lehtolainen


2019, Crime & Suspense

Oathbreaker

Leena Lehtolainen


2018, Crime & Suspense

The Killer's Girlfriend

Leena Lehtolainen


2017, Crime & Suspense

The End of Innocence

Leena Lehtolainen


2016, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

The Charm of Ice

Leena Lehtolainen


2016, Crime & Suspense

The Eye of the Tiger

Leena Lehtolainen


2015, Crime & Suspense

A Stroke of Sadness

Leena Lehtolainen


2013, Crime & Suspense

The Iron Triangle

Leena Lehtolainen


2012, Crime & Suspense

The Devil's Cubs

Leena Lehtolainen


2011, Crime & Suspense

The Lion of Justice

Leena Lehtolainen


2010, Crime & Suspense

Where Have All the Young Girls Gone

Leena Lehtolainen


2009, Crime & Suspense

The Bodyguard

Leena Lehtolainen


2008, Crime & Suspense

Derailed

Leena Lehtolainen


2005, Crime & Suspense

The Nightingale Murder

Leena Lehtolainen


2003, Crime & Suspense

Below the Surface

Leena Lehtolainen


2000, Crime & Suspense

Before I Go

Leena Lehtolainen


1998, Crime & Suspense

Fatal Headwind

Leena Lehtolainen


1997, Crime & Suspense

Death Spiral

Leena Lehtolainen


1996, Crime & Suspense

Snow Woman

Leena Lehtolainen


1995, Crime & Suspense

Copper Heart

Leena Lehtolainen


1994, Crime & Suspense

Her Enemy

Leena Lehtolainen


1993, Crime & Suspense

My First Murder

Leena Lehtolainen

Related news

Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE sold to Italy and Latvia, now 22 rights sold in total!

Posted on

Frank Martela’s non-fiction bestseller A WONDERFUL LIFE is becoming the hottest book of the summer – we have now closed three deals for it this week!

Edizioni Lindau acquired the Italian rights, and Zvaigzne pre-empted the Latvian rights for the inspiring title, that was also sold to Serbian Odiseja earlier this week.

Published in the US in March by HarperCollins, Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE has sold already to 22 territories around the world but the rights are still available in Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Denmark, Slovenia,  Portugal, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovakia, China etc

Ask for the full English pdf by clicking here

LATVIAN PRAISE:

Four sources of meaning. Easy and understandable. The quickest path to a meaningful life is through ”A WONDERFUL LIFE”.

–  Meldra Abolina, Foreign Rights Project Manager, Zvaigzne, Latvia

ABOUT THE BOOK

Have you ever wondered what makes one’s life meaningful?
Finnish academic and columnist Frank Martela offers 4 simple and well-researched answers to this in his recent non-fiction title A WONDERFUL LIFE:

  1. Connect with yourself by pursuing activities and goals meaningful to you;
  2. Seek places to grow and utilize your areas of mastery;
  3. Connect with others by cultivating intimate relationships;
  4. Do something good for others.

These four sources of meaning are the cornerstones of meaningful existence.

A WONDERFUL LIFE: Insights for Finding a Meaningful Existence
Harper Design, 24th of March 2020, 200 pp.

In this engagingly insightful book, Frank Martela – one of the only academic experts who has contributed to both the philosophical and psychological research on meaning in life – takes you on a voyage through the history, philosophy, and psychology of meaningfulness and worthy living.

The journey starts in the 19th century, where it is revealed why and how the Scottish author Thomas Carlyle came to be the first person in history who actually used the phrase »meaning of life.»

The life stories of Carlyle and Russian author Leo Tolstoy serve as representative examples of the transformation that this book aims to guide you, the reader, through. Finally, an answer is provided to the question of meaning that is compatible with latest scientific knowledge about human nature, yet still both inspiring and actionable.

Rights sold for
A WONDERFUL LIFE:

WORLD ENGLISH: HarperCollins/Harper Design (orig.)

CROATIA:
Planetopija
ESTONIA:
Rahva Raamat
FINLAND:
Gummerus
FRANCE:
Editions Leduc.s
GERMANY:
Blessing Verlag
GREECE:
Klidarithmos
ITALY:
Edizioni Lindau
JAPAN:
HarperCollins Japan
KOREA:
Across Publishing
LATIN AMERICA:
Ediciones Urano
LATVIA:
Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA:
Obuolys
NETHERLANDS:
Ambo Anthos
NORWAY:
Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
ROMANIA:
Editura Humanitas
RUSSIA:
Bombora
SERBIA:
Odiseja
SPAIN:
Ediciones Urano (World Spanish)
TAIWAN:
Crown
TURKEY:
Orman Kitap

About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life

Frank Martela


2023, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Meaning Manifesto: Why Work Needs to Have a Purpose

Frank Martela


2020, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

A Wonderful Life: Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence

Frank Martela

Related news

Czech rights sold for WHEN THE KING DIES!

Posted on
When the king dies
Elina Backman’s debut crime novel WHEN THE KING DIES (Otava, May 2020) and its sequel THE ISLE OF SHEEP (Otava 2021) are the most talked about titles of this summer!

In the last 2 weeks the rights have been sold to Germany, Estonia, Sweden, Norway and Netherlands!

Today we are proud to announce that WHEN THE KING DIES has now been sold to Czech Republic! The happy publisher is Grada (Max Seeck, Camilla Läckberg, Yrsa Sigurdarđóttir etc publisher).

The rights are still available in the US, UK, France, Russia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania etc

Click here to request the English sample, synopsis, and media package!

#1 WHEN THE KING DIES:
Kun kuningas kuolee,
Otava, May 2020, 495 pp.

Jan, a Helsinki-based police officer investigates a ritualistic murder taking place at Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Meanwhile in idyllic countryside an ex-journalist Saana starts to dig up information of a girl who died in the 80’s in Hartola – in the only kingdom in Finland. Jan and Saana’s paths will cross – for more than one reason.

PRAISE:

”We are honored to introduce Elina Backman, the new rising star of Nordic crime, to the Czech readers. We believe that they will just love her debut and she will join the ranks of already established authors, because in one word ― her first work is just captivating! ”
– Tereza Macibobová, Head of translated fiction, Grada, Czech Republic

”A new star on the Nordic crime scene. With a real page-turner that keeps the readers on their toes until the end.”
– Henrik Lindvall, Publisher, Bokfabriken, Sweden

”We are simply delighted to have Elina Backman on our crime list!! Her debut Kun kuningas kuolee is smart, confident, exciting, elegant, entertaining and more!”
– Ida Cleve, Editor, Cappelen Damm, Norway

“Elina Backman is a very exciting addition to our crime list and we are very proud to be able to publish her. With the fantastic WHEN THE KING DIES and the plans for her second book already in development we have every confidence she is more than capable of becoming as popular as authors such as Jo Nesbø, Lars Kepler and Hjorth Rosenfeldt. Dutch and Flemish readers love high quality crime fiction from Scandinavia, and Elina Backman is one of the most exciting new voices we have recently come across.”
– Chris Kooi, Acquiring Editor, Cargo/De Bezige Bij, the Netherlands

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)

ESTONIA:
Varrak (Two-book deal)
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Grada
GERMANY:
Piper Verlag (Two-book deal)
NETHERLANDS:
De Bezige Bij/Cargo
(Two-book deal)
NORWAY:
Cappelen Damm (Two-book deal)
SWEDEN:
Bokfabriken (Two-book deal)
TV/FILM:
Offer on the table

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

New deals for MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE and PRINCESS RASCAL SERIES!

Posted on

We are very happy to start July with 2 new children’s deals!

Just 2 days after the original Finnish publication, we now have the first international sale for MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE!

The first international publisher is Grada from Czech Republic. Congratulations!

MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE is a new middle-grade title by bestselling writer-illustrator duo Magdalena Hai and Teemu Juhani, whose Little Shop of Nightmares series has already been sold to 13 countries.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Miss Swift lives happily alone in a very extraordinary house that has tigers in the garden and a ghost in the living room. She doesn’t have family, friends, and even people in the pictures on the wall have disappeared.
But one day three children appear on her doorstep, and seems like she might have forgotten something very important…
The answer can be found behind a locked door in the third floor. What’s behind the door you might ask? It’s Miss Swift’s past.

Request the English reading materials for Miss Swift’s Weird and Wonderful House by clicking here!

We are also glad to announce that we now have another sale for PRINCESS RASCAL series!
Danish rights for both books were acquired by Gads Forlag. Previously, PRINCESS RASCAL was acquired by Nieko Rimto in Lithuania.

Princess Rascal is a spirited and resourceful little girl with a great imagination, like the kid sister of Pippi Longstocking!
The heartwarming and funny picture books are written by Elina Hirvonen and illustrated by Mervi Lindman – 2 titles have been published thus far.

Request the full English pdfs for the Princess Rascal series by clicking here!

ABOUT THE SERIES:

#1 PRINCESS RASCAL is a picture book about a little girl who knows her mind and has a heart of gold, though sometimes it’s difficult to know the right thing to do. The book has been praised for its accurate and hilarious depictions of everyday life in a toddler family: sometimes parents get tired, too.

#2 PRINCESS RASCAL AND POTTY WORDS Princess Rascal starts pre-school. She’s nervous about her new mates and new teacher. Especially nervous she is about going to the toilet. When she uses toilet words in a completely wrong situation, she’s sure that she is the most embarrassing girl in the world. But a solution for the problem can be found in her secret treasure chest.

”If your child can’t stop laughing at potty words, then this book is the best Christmas present.
The book made such an impression on the 5-year old in our family that it was read dozens of times a day for a week…. And in the starring role is Princess Rascal’s stunning imagination that rescues her from trouble!”

– Janica Vilen, Turun Seutusanomat newspaper, Finland on PRINCESS RASCAL AND POTTY WORDS

MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE
Neiti Kymenen ihmeellinen talo,
Otava, July 2020, 250 pp.
Ages 7+

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)

 

 

PRINCESS RASCAL SERIES:

Prinsessa Rämäpää
Tammi, 2017 42pp
Prinsessa Rämäpää ja vessasanat
Tammi, 2019 42pp

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Tammi (orig.)

DENMARK:
Gads Forlag
LITHUANIA:
Nieko Rimto

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author of adults' and children's prose and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Magdalena Hai

Magdalena Hai is an award-winning author, lover of cross-genre fiction and all things strange. Her fiction often combines elements of sci-fi, fantasy and horror.

Her Little Shop of Nightmares series has been sold to 30 territories around the world. Among Hai's many accolades are winning the Finlandia Prize for children's and YA literature and the Finnish Literary Export Prize, and being nominated  the Nordic Council Children & Young People's Literature Prize.

Besides being an author, Hai teaches writing and is an active member and editor in the publishing co-operative Osuuskumma.

Read more Author's page

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Her work is full of humor, warmth, and emotional depth. She captures the magical world of childhood and the wonders of everyday life in her illustrations. Lindman’s passion lies in creating imagery that speaks to children while also entertaining adults. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

Read more

About author


Teemu Juhani

Teemu Juhani is a Finnish illustrator, comic artist and picture book author whose illustrations have been published in picture books and children's fiction in over 20 countries. In addition to children's books Teemu has illustrated magazines and educational material. Originally from the fields and woods of North Karelia, Teemu now lives, works and eats way too many cakes in Helsinki.

Read more Author's page

WHEN THE KING DIES sold to Norway and Sweden: 7 territories in 2 weeks!

Posted on
When the king dies
Elina Backman’s crime novel WHEN THE KING DIES (Otava, May 2020) and it’s sequel THE ISLE OF SHEEP (Otava 2021) are the hottest books of this summer! We had auctions in Norway and Sweden, and we are excited to announce that the Norwegian rights are now sold to Cappelen Damm, and Swedish rights to Bokfabriken, both in 2-book-deals.

Last week we sold the German, Dutch and Estonian rights, and we also have offers for film and TV! Yesterday we received the first Czech offer!

Other big news is that we now have a 50-page English sample!

Praise:

”We are simply delighted to have Elina Backman on our crime list!! Her debut Kun kuningas kuolee is smart, confident, exciting, elegant, entertaining and more!”
– Ida Cleve, Editor, Cappelen Damm, Norway

”A new star on the Nordic crime scene. With a real page turner that keeps the readers on theirs toes until the end.”
– Henrik Lindvall, Publisher, Bokfabriken, Sweden
“Elina Backman is a very exciting addition to our crime list and we are very proud to be able to publish her. With the fantastic WHEN THE KING DIES and the plans for her second book already in development we have every confidence she is more than capable of becoming as popular as authors such as Jo Nesbø, Lars Kepler and Hjorth Rosenfeldt. Dutch and Flemish readers love high quality crime fiction from Scandinavia, and Elina Backman is one of the most exciting new voices we have recently come across.”
– Chris Kooi, Acquiring Editor, Cargo/De Bezige Bij, the Netherlands
#1 WHEN THE KING DIES:
Kun kuningas kuolee,
Otava, May 2020, 495 pp.Jan, a Helsinki-based police officer investigates a ritualistic murder taking place at Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Meanwhile in idyllic countryside an ex-journalist Saana starts to dig up information of a girl who died in the 80’s in Hartola – in the only kingdom in Finland. Jan and Saana’s paths will cross – for more than one reason.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Varrak (Two-book deal)
CZECH REPUBLIC: first offer
GERMANY: Piper Verlag (Two-book deal)
NETHERLANDS: De Bezige Bij/Cargo (Two-book deal)
NORWAY:  Cappelen Damm (Two-book deal)
SWEDEN: Bokfabriken (Two-book deal)
TV/FILM: Offer on the table

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

Korean rights sold to FUTURE SKILLS by Perttu Pölönen

Posted on

We are very excited to announce that FUTURE SKILLS by a young innovator and futurist Perttu Pölönen has been sold to Korea to BP Publisher. Future Skills has been a bestseller in Finland, selling already over 9,000 copies in a short amount of time.

”This book provides insights for the younger generation to prepare for an uncertain future. It is a must-read to prepare for an era of new competition.”
– Yoonjoo Park, Director, BP Publisher, Korea

Pölönen was nominated as one of the 35 Innovators Under 35 by the MIT Technology Review in 2018.

Take a look at the video where Perttu introduces himself and his book.

In Future Skills  Perttu Pölönen brings together the skills that will help you succeed in an unprecedented and uncertain future.
The more technological we become, the more human we will have to become as well. The future needs a human revolution. This positive outlook gives hope, which you can never have too much.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
KOREA: BP Publisher
TURKEY: Büyükada

About author


Perttu Pölönen

Perttu Pölönen is a futurist, inventor and an inspirational speaker. In the Finnish media, Perttu has been called a gentle highbrow and fearless inventor. Future Skills has been an instant bestseller in Finland – where Perttu has become one of the most sought-after speakers inspiring thousands of people in his lectures.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2023, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Digital Spell: The Hidden Power of Persuasive Technology

Perttu Pölönen


2021, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Future Identities

Perttu Pölönen


2020, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Future Skills

Perttu Pölönen

Related news

German and Dutch rights sold for WHEN THE KING DIES and sequel THE ISLE OF SHEEP!

Posted on
When the king dies

Breaking news!

Today, we closed two-book deals for Elina Backman’s crime novels WHEN THE KING DIES and sequel THE ISLE OF SHEEP in Germany and in the Netherlands!

What a flying start for the new queen of Scandi Crime!

Piper Verlag won the auction in Germany, and De Bezige Bij/Cargo pre-empted the Dutch rights. We have offers in Sweden and Norway, and auctions are ongoing in both territories.

Last week we celebrated Varrak acquiring the Estonian rights to book 1, and they have now extended their offer into a 2-book-deal as welll

Regine Schmitt at Piper praises Elina Backman:

 A great new Finnish voice, a gripping story and unforgettable characters. WHEN THE KING DIES simply leaves you wanting more, waiting eagerly for the next book by this upcoming new queen of nordic crime.
– Regine Schmitt, Editor, Piper Verlag

There is also an offer for Film & TV rights on table. The excitement around the world is at an all-time-high!

Click here to request the following materials:

  • English synopsis for both titles
  • Full Finnish pdf for WHEN THE KING DIES
  • Author introduction
  • Media package
  • Praise sheet
  • English sample available in July 2020
#1 WHEN THE KING DIES:
Kun kuningas kuolee,
Otava, May 2020, 495 pp.Jan, a Helsinki-based police officer investigates a ritualistic murder taking place at Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Meanwhile in idyllic countryside an ex-journalist Saana starts to dig up information of a girl who died in the 80’s in Hartola – in the only kingdom in Finland. Jan and Saana’s paths will cross – for more than one reason.

RIGHTS SOLD:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

ESTONIA:
Varrak (Two-book deal)
GERMANY:
Piper Verlag (Two-book deal)
NETHERLANDS:
De Bezige Bij/Cargo
(Two-book deal)
NORWAY:
Auction ongoing
SWEDEN:
Auction ongoing
TV/FILM:
Offer on the table

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

Salla Simukka’s DETAINED sold to Estonia, Magdalena Hai’s THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES 3 to Sweden

Posted on

Salla Simukka’s DETAINED sold to Estonia, Magdalena Hai’s THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES 3 to Sweden
We are happy to share excellent new deals for our children’s and YA titles!

DETAINED by Salla Simukka has been sold to Pegasus in Estonia.

Salla Simukka’s previous bestselling Young Adult SNOW WHITE trilogy sold to 52 countries around the world.

In her new exciting YA novel DETAINED, a group of teenagers find themselves jailed for the crimes they are yet to commit. They must figure out their future crimes and confess them before turning 18 years old and staying in jail. The clock is ruthlessly ticking.

The first foreign deal for the title was completed on Salla Simukka’s birthday and only one day after the original Finnish publication date.

Congratulations, Salla!

Ask for the English sample and synopsis for DETAINED by clicking here.

THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series continues, 3rd book now sold to Sweden, Estonia and Romania!

The wonderful younger middle-grade series has already sold to 13 countries, but rights are still available in: France, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, China, Bulgaria, Greece etc.

Ask for English texts and pdfs for the series by clicking here.

Book 3 will be published in Finland in September, but Hegas forlag in Sweden already secured the rights to the 3rd book STICKY THE HORRIBLE SNOWMAN.
The rights were previously aquired by Postimees in Estonia and Univers in Romania.

Congratulations Magdalena Hai and illustrator Teemu Juhani!

”We are really happy to publish The Little Shop of Nightmares in Swedish. It is a wonderful book series with humor and just the right amount of spookiness. The hilarious characters and imaginative world enchants even the most reluctant reader. It is also a wonderful reading experience for adults who want to read with their kids.”
– Malin Nyman, Publisher, Hegas, Sweden

About author


Magdalena Hai

Magdalena Hai is an award-winning author, lover of cross-genre fiction and all things strange. Her fiction often combines elements of sci-fi, fantasy and horror.

Her Little Shop of Nightmares series has been sold to 30 territories around the world. Among Hai's many accolades are winning the Finlandia Prize for children's and YA literature and the Finnish Literary Export Prize, and being nominated  the Nordic Council Children & Young People's Literature Prize.

Besides being an author, Hai teaches writing and is an active member and editor in the publishing co-operative Osuuskumma.

Read more Author's page

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 53 territories and in Hollywood. She has written several novels for young readers and her accolades include the Topelius Prize 2013 and the Finland Prize 2013. Simukka has been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award  every year 2021–2024. Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults and in 2024 she started a collaboration with JP Ahonen on a middle grade novel.

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked as an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has also been working on the programme of Turku Book Fair in 2017–2020.

Read more

About author


Teemu Juhani

Teemu Juhani is a Finnish illustrator, comic artist and picture book author whose illustrations have been published in picture books and children's fiction in over 20 countries. In addition to children's books Teemu has illustrated magazines and educational material. Originally from the fields and woods of North Karelia, Teemu now lives, works and eats way too many cakes in Helsinki.

Read more Author's page

First rights sold, German auction, TV Rights offer for WHEN THE KING DIES!

Posted on
When the king dies

We are extremely excited to announce the first foreign deal for Elina Backman’s thriller WHEN THE KING DIES!

Varrak in Estonia is very happy to be the first foreign publisher to secure the rights for this soon-to-be international bestseller.
Varrak is the largest publisher in Estonia, and a publisher of Jo Nesbø, Lee Child, Liza Marklund, Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Stieg Larsson, David Lagerkrantz, Jens Lapidus and John Grisham.

Now we can announce that we also have a first German offer and the auction there has just begun. That is not all!
We now have an offer for Film & TV rights on table. The excitement around the world is palpable!

Click here to request:

  • English synopsis
  • Author introduction
  • Media package
  • Praise sheet

English sample coming in July!

The attention this book has already gained is something we have never seen before! In a few weeks the book has climbed to no 6 in the official Finnish Bestseller list!

It has also been reviewed in the two biggest newspapers Helsingin Sanomat and Turun Sanomat, both giving it 5 stars and praising reviews! Countless bloggers have praised this – and nobody can wait for the sequel!

Praise:

”Backman keeps the multiple storylines effortlessly together and builds an entertaining summery detective story. – – When the King Dies is the beginning of a new series, and it is flowy, exciting and skillfully written novel that leaves you wanting for more.”

– Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, May 15th 2020

 

“I devoured Elina Backman’s debut novel, hoping that it never ends!”

– Turun Sanomat newspaper 9.6.

 

“Elina Backman’s debut works like a crime novel should: it separates you from normal life and forces you to try to solve the slowly unwinding case. Excellent literary snack!”

– Gloria magazine

 

”When the King Dies shows that Backman knows her genre very well. The plot moves on and the reader gets just enough clues to  keep them guessing whether they will take them closer to solving the case or are they just a decoy.”

– Tuijata. Kulttuuripohdintoja. Blog

 

”When the King Dies is pleasurable to read. The plot is full of surprises, a lot is going on, and there’s a great cast of characters. I thought more than once that I had guessed the ending, but I was wrong each time. The end comes with a surprise!”

– Kirjojen kuisketta blog

 

“When The King dies is an excellent summer crime. Short chapters, great characters, suspense, a dash of romance and the wonderful Finnish summer! Entertaining beginning of a series! This hooked me up completely. 5/5 stars!”

– Kassukan lukupäiväkirja blog

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Saana Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 190 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Photo credit: Jonne Räsänen

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

Who Wanders in the Dark

Elina Backman


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman

Related news

MINI SCIENCE series sold to Turkey! Announcing the 2nd title in the series: MINI SCIENCE: INVISIBLE WORLD!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce that Yapi Kredi Publishing has acquired the Turkish rights for the first 2 titles in the MINI SCIENCE non-fiction picture book series: WHERE ARE YOU and INVISIBLE WORLD!

MINI SCIENCE is a new nonfiction series for the smallest in the family. It feeds curiosity and is designed to start conversations about different topics that children might not think about on their own.

Introducing: MINI SCIENCE #2: INVISIBLE WORLD

In the second title of Mini Science series – INVISIBLE WORLD – the adorable Plop will discover the things one cannot see: electricity, garden in the fog, darkness, micro-organisms and other invisible things.

When Plop will get sick, he will learn about bacteria and viruses and how to avoid them. Vaccinations can seem scary, but they keep us healthy!
Sometimes it’s better to stay home, even if this makes you bored, so that soon you could go discovering the Dark Side of The Moon!

We have full English text for the second title and also some illustration samples and a cover.

Ask for the Full English materials for both MINI SCIENCE titles by clicking here.

MINI SCIENCE: WHERE ARE YOU?

This picture book has already been recently acquired by Klidarithmos in Greece and Avita in Estonia and soon will be published in 4 territories!

In Where Are You? we follow Plop, a little creature who guides us through space to the Earth and from there to the human DNA and finally to the world of atoms. Zooming in all the way from the enormities of space to the minisculness of atoms, we learn a great deal in between.

MINI SCIENCE #1: WHERE ARE YOU

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Minerva (orig.)
ESTONIA: Avita
GREECE: Klidarithmos
TURKEY: Yapi Kredi Publishing

 

MINI SCIENCE #2: INVISIBLE WORLD

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Karisto (orig.)
TURKEY: Yapi Kredi Publishing

About author


Laura Ertimo

Laura Ertimo is a geographer and author. She has previously worked in publishing of geography-related non-fiction and maps, and now she writes full time, specializing in children’s non-fiction. A recurring theme in her work is the holistic worldview, the interaction between phenomena, people and nature.

In 2020, she received the prestigious Tietopöllö Award for her work as a Non-Fiction writer. Her children's title WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu, was nominated for the 2021 Finlandia Award and has also won the Tieto-Lauri award!

Read more

About author


Sanna Pelliccioni

Sanna Pelliccioni is a Finnish illustrator, graphic designer and children’s author living in Helsinki with her Finnish-Italian family. An awarded illustrator, Pelliccioni has been e.g. honoured with being the only Finn named on the IBBY honour list 2022. Pelliccioni utilizes many different techniques in her illustrations, some of her favourites are collage and mixed techniques. She studied Arts and Illustration in Bologna and Macerata, Italy, and Graphic Design at the Pekka Halonen Institute in Finland.

She loves illustrating picture books and poems and making graphic design for book covers and her own books. She also writes for children and young people and concerning the themes of books she’s especially interested in equality, indigenous people, myths and taboos, forest and nature. Pelliccioni is mostly known for her Onni-poika picture book series which started in 2007 and contains 15 books so far.

​Pelliccioni collaborates with authors writing for children and young people and works with many Finnish editors. Some of her books have been translated to Chinese, Korean, Arabic, English and Swedish, Turkish and Estonian.

Read more

Japanese rights sold for DAILY SISU by Katja Pantzar

Posted on

You need a daily dose of ’sisu’ in your life during these strange times! Therefore we are super excited to announce that Hojosha has acquired the Japanese rights for Katja Pantzar’s DAILY SISU!

This is a sequel to her bestselling book FINDING SISU (UK: Hodder & Stoughton), aka THE FINNISH WAY (US:TarcherPerigee/Penguin Random House) – rights sold to 22 countries!

”Confined at home during the COVID-19 crisis, I now realize how I have grown accustomed to be a part of the crowd and to work long hours. To stay home alone and make this additional time fruitful, intelligence and strength are needed.
Finland, where the idea of personal space is deeply instilled in society, is a leading country when it comes to ’not following the crowd’. Now is the time to learn from Sisu, the notion both timely and timeless. A highly recommended title!”  — Hiroshi Shimizu, Editor, Hojosha, Japan

About the book:

Inspired by the unique form of Finnish strength and courage, highlighting ‘daily sisu’ throughout the book, journalist Katja Pantzar embarks on a journey to uncover practical ways coping with tough times: How deal with the issues facing us from personal, wellbeing, and work problems to big picture environmental and health concerns.

DAILY SISU offers hope and action through captivating stories and well-researched information from experts and regular people in the small Nordic country of Finland. Finland tops the UN’s World Happiness Report, is a leader in solving the homeless problem, and dealing with climate change.

About the author:
KATJA PANTZAR works as a writer, editor and broadcast journalist. Raised in Canada, with stints in the UK and New Zealand, she is currently based in Helsinki, where she swims in the sea almost every day year round. Her first book about sisu and wellbeing sold to 22 different territories and has been featured in the world’s media from Le Figaro, El Pais and Corriere della Sera to Vogue, Real Simple, NBC, CNN Travel and Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper.

Rights sold:

JAPAN: Hojosha

About author


Katja Pantzar

Katja Pantzar –  Katja Pantzar is a Helsinki-based writer and journalist who swims in the Baltic Sea year round. Raised in Canada, with stints in New Zealand and England, she is the author of The Finnish Way (Penguin Random House/2018), a bestselling non-fiction book about Nordic well-being, winter swimming and sisu (resilience) that has been translated into 24 languages. Her second book on sisu, Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life (Penguin Random House/2022) explores through expert interviews and research-based information how we can better support our mental and physical health while taking care of each other and our planet. Everyday Sisu has also been published in Japanese, Thai, and Indonesian. Pantzar’s work has been widely covered around the world in media ranging from Le Figaro, Le Monde, and El Paísto Vogue the Washington Post and the New York Review of Books. . She is also the author of three mini-guides to the Finnish capital, including 100 things to do in Helsinki (Siltala/2024).

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Helsinki by Sauna

Katja Pantzar


2024, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Power of Hot and Cold. From Sauna to Sea: The Finnish Way to a Happy, Healthy Life

Katja Pantzar


2022, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life

Katja Pantzar


2018, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Finnish Way

Katja Pantzar

Related news

Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE, published only 2 months ago, already sold to 19 territories!

Posted on

POLISH RIGHTS SOLD FOR A WONDERFUL LIFE!

Polish publisher Czarna Owca has pre-empted the rights for Frank Martela’s bestselling A WONDERFUL LIFE, making it the 19th territory where this inspiring title will be published!

Published in the US in March by HarperCollins, Frank Martela’s A WONDERFUL LIFE has sold already to 19 territories around the world but the rights are still available in Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Denmark, China etc

Ask for the full English pdf by clicking here

 

A WONDERFUL LIFE

Have you ever wondered what makes one’s life meaningful?
Finnish academic and columnist Frank Martela offers 4 simple and well-researched answers to this in his recent non-fiction title A WONDERFUL LIFE:

  1. Connect with yourself by pursuing activities and goals meaningful to you;
  2. Seek places to grow and utilize your areas of mastery;
  3. Connect with others by cultivating intimate relationships;
  4. Do something good for others.

These four sources of meaning might not sound too revolutionary, but that’s exactly their strength. They are the cornerstones of a meaningful existence that you—and everyone else—already recognize as valuable.

 

HERE ARE SOME EARLY REVIEWS:

I really liked Frank Martela’s book. It was profound, but not too much. It made me think and question my own life. It made me think about what I want to do from now on – what things are really relevant to me and at what moments I experience feelings of relevance. It made me miss my loved ones.
– Lily.fi Destination Happyness blog

The book is definitely worth reading, and its message is very important right now. It intoduces good questions, and provides the tools to make your own life as meaningful as possible every single day.

– Terve.fi Inspirations blog

The book is a great introspection into finding what truly matters to you. I started reading it just before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and am now writing this after a month of the world in a tumble dryer. In these extraordinary times, I find it comforting to be able to understand myself – and all of humanity – and what actually matters. Hence, in these times, the title of this book could be ”Science-backed multidisciplinary guide to being successful (according to metrics set by YOU)”.

I hope all leaders in these times of economical crisis would read this book and find guidance to policy-making from within themselves, using the book as a tool for reflection.
– Amazon.com five-star review by Joonas Kiminki

The book can best be summed up in this quote by Alan W. Watts and the suggestion of Martela in the end of the book:

“We thought of life by an analogy—as a journey or a pilgrimage—which has a serious purpose at the end. The thing was to get to that end, success, or whatever it is, or maybe Heaven after you are dead, but we missed the point along the whole way. It was a musical thing, and you were supposed to sing or dance while the music was being played.”

One day the music will stop. What happens afterward no one knows. But there’s no point in waiting for the silence. If you’re reading this, then the music is still playing for you. So go out and dance.

– Goodreads.com review by Mervi Rauhala

Rights sold:

UNITED STATES: HarperCollins/Harper Design (orig.)

CROATIA:
Planetopija
ESTONIA:
Rahva Raamat
FINLAND:
Gummerus
FRANCE:
Editions Leduc.s
GERMANY:
Blessing Verlag
GREECE:
Klidarithmos
JAPAN:
HarperCollins Japan
KOREA:
Across Publishing
LATIN AMERICA:
Ediciones Urano
LITHUANIA:
Obuolys
NETHERLANDS:
Ambo Anthos
NORWAY:
Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND:
Czarna Owca
ROMANIA:
Editura Humanitas
RUSSIA:
Bombora
SPAIN:
Ediciones Urano (World Spanish)
TAIWAN:
Crown
TURKEY:
Orman Kitap

About author


Frank Martela

Professor Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind, Harvard Business Review, Salon, CNBC and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. His research has been published extensively in numerous academic journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal of Personality, Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy, and Academy of Management Review. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, including invited lectures in universities on five continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He’s been interviewed by the New York Times, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Vice News, Fox News,and Monocle Observer among others. He is Assistant Professor at Aalto University in Finland. Outside of work, Frank is a father to three lovely children, an amateur-level soccer player, with an occasional skiing trip in the winters. He is made in Green Bay, so Packers holds a special place in his heart.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2025, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist’s Guide to a Good Life

Frank Martela


2023, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

The Meaning Manifesto: Why Work Needs to Have a Purpose

Frank Martela


2020, Personal Growth & Lifestyle

A Wonderful Life: Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence

Frank Martela

Related news

2 new children’s deals: WHERE ARE YOU to Greece and HOW TO GREET AN ALIEN to Latvia!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce 2 new children’s deals this week!

 

WHERE ARE YOU – the adorable 1st title from MINI SCIENCE series by Laura Ertimo has been acquired by Klidarithmos in Greece. The title has previously been acquired by Avita in Estonia.

WHERE ARE YOU is an exceptional picture book for very small children showing the fundamental meanings of the natural world beginning from the gigantic planet earth and reaching the tiny atoms. Plop is such a lovable character! Children can relate to the hand-made illustrations.
 – Asimina Giannopoulou, Editor-In-Chief, Klidarithmos Publications, Greece

Ask for the Full English pdf for WHERE ARE YOU by clicking here.

HOW TO GREET AN ALIEN by Petri Tamminen now has the first international publisher  – Latvijas Mediji in Latvia. The picture book helps children overcome anxiety and make new friends.

HOW TO GREET AN ALIEN is a fun, unusual and at the same time clever book for both children and their parents. With a humorous attitude it teaches how to overcome fears from strangers, how to accept the difference, cope with unpleasant feelings and uncomfortable situations. It is a great pleasure that this book will now be published in Latvia.
– Gunta Apse, Editor, Latvijas Mediji publishing, Latvia

Ask for the Full English pdf for HOW TO GREET AN ALIEN by clicking here.

WHERE ARE YOU

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Minerva (orig.)
ESTONIA: Avita
GREECE: Klidarithmos

 

HOW TO GREET AN ALIEN

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Karisto (orig.)
LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji

About author


Laura Ertimo

Laura Ertimo is a geographer and author. She has previously worked in publishing of geography-related non-fiction and maps, and now she writes full time, specializing in children’s non-fiction. A recurring theme in her work is the holistic worldview, the interaction between phenomena, people and nature.

In 2020, she received the prestigious Tietopöllö Award for her work as a Non-Fiction writer. Her children's title WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu, was nominated for the 2021 Finlandia Award and has also won the Tieto-Lauri award!

Read more

About author


Petri Tamminen

Petri Tamminen is a Finnish author best known for his laconic humor and short stories, and 6 novels. How to greet an alien is his first book for children. Tamminen often writes about shame and shyness, and he isn’t afraid to use his own life as an example.

Read more

About author


Sanna Pelliccioni

Sanna Pelliccioni is a Finnish illustrator, graphic designer and children’s author living in Helsinki with her Finnish-Italian family. An awarded illustrator, Pelliccioni has been e.g. honoured with being the only Finn named on the IBBY honour list 2022. Pelliccioni utilizes many different techniques in her illustrations, some of her favourites are collage and mixed techniques. She studied Arts and Illustration in Bologna and Macerata, Italy, and Graphic Design at the Pekka Halonen Institute in Finland.

She loves illustrating picture books and poems and making graphic design for book covers and her own books. She also writes for children and young people and concerning the themes of books she’s especially interested in equality, indigenous people, myths and taboos, forest and nature. Pelliccioni is mostly known for her Onni-poika picture book series which started in 2007 and contains 15 books so far.

​Pelliccioni collaborates with authors writing for children and young people and works with many Finnish editors. Some of her books have been translated to Chinese, Korean, Arabic, English and Swedish, Turkish and Estonian.

Read more

About author


Valpuri Kerttula

Valpuri Kerttula is a Finnish illustrator and designer based in Lahti, Finland. In addition to diverse domestic work, her art is also being published internationally. Valpuri is known for her quirky and humorous characters of oddball humans and animals.

Read more

Maria Kallio and Daniel Kuisma are conquering the world!

Posted on

This Friday we have excellent news for crime fiction enthusiasts!

Leena Lehtolainen’s Maria Kallio series has now another language! Arabic rights for the first title MY FIRST MURDER were acquired by Al Arabi Publishing.
Finland’s bestselling female crime writer for over 30 years, Leena Lehtolainen has published 14 Maria Kallio novels, and the 15th book will be published in August 2020. Maria Kallio series has sold over 2 million copies worldwide, and there is a TV Series in development.

Ask for English materials of Maria Kallio series by clicking here.

The bestselling Maria Kallio Series, which has brought an enthusiastically received female perspective to the male-dominated detective genre through its distinctively down-to-earth heroine Maria Kallio.

In the US, 11 Maria Kallio novels have been published so far by AmazonCrossing, and in Germany  Rowohlt has published all 14 Maria Kallio novels.
The rights for the Maria Kallio series are now available in Azerbaijan, Brazil,  Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Vietnam, World Spanish, and more!

Nordic crime series are getting more attention and international sales!

THE DANIEL KUISMA TRILOGY by internationally bestselling Max Seeck has now been acquired by Muza in Albania.

Muza are also Albanian publishers of Max’s recent international phenomenon FAITHFUL READER  that has sold to 38 territories since September 2019.

Ask for English materials of Daniel Kuisma trilogy by clicking here.

’The Angels of Hammurabi’, the first book of Max Seeck’s Daniel Kuisma trilogy, is an intense and cinematic thriller, that immerses the reader in a mystical and dark world. The second book ’The Mephisto Touch’ had the excitement intensified, while developing the side characters, giving the reader the expression of a crime and adventure combination. The third, and last, book of the trilogy, ’Call of Hades’ is thrilling.
The author’s skill to develop characters, makes them realistic enough to engage the readers mind. The plot development is an amazing experience, intriguing the readers to ’solve’ the mystery.

– Irini Plaka, Muza publishing, Albania

Ask for Maria Kallio rights in your territory!

Rights available in: Azerbaijan, Brazil,  Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Vietnam, World Spanish, and more!

 

Rights sold for Daniel Kuisma series:

FINLAND, Tammi (orig.)

ALBANIA:Muza
ESTONIA, Pegasus
GERMANY, Blanvalet
ICELAND, Forlagid
ITALY, Newton Compton
SLOVENIA, Didakta

About author


Leena Lehtolainen

Leena Lehtolainen is the top female crime author in Finland: her new titles always head straight to #1 on the Finnish bestseller lists.

Lehtolainen created her successful protagonist, detective Maria Kallio, in 1993. Having already featured in 16 novels and a complete TV series, a new Maria Kallio TV reboot series was launched in Fall 2021 on C More. Lehtolainen’s novels have been translated into 30 languages and have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

And just like the events in Bodyguard, a that takes the heroine Hilja Ilveskero all around Europe, Lehtolainen’s own work takes her to book festivals, exhibitions and other events across the globe.

Leena Lehtolainen has also published outside the crime genre; her book The Charm of Figure Skating was voted sports book of the year 2010 in Finland, and A Life in Six Scenes showed her return to literary fiction.

The Crossing of the Green Dragon is her first title for YA audiences.

In her free time, Lehtolainen enjoys all kinds of music and follows lynx trails in the forests – just like Maria Kallio.

Photo credit: Ville Juurikkala

Read more

About author


Max Seeck, New York Times Best Selling Author

Max Seeck – New York Times Bestselling Author of THE WITCH HUNTER.

Winner of the prestigious Glass Key Award 2023 for his novel THE LAST GRUDGE.

Jessica Niemi series is being adapted into a English-language TV series by Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures

“An exceptional combination of hardboiled Scandi-noir and eerie ghost story. [--] Seeck marries breathtaking suspense with an expertly drawn heroine. This is guaranteed to send shivers up even the most unshakable readers’ spines." – Publisher's Weekly, starred review (Ghost island)

"Each new step has been an artistic success. Max Seeck, last year's winner of the Glass Key Award for best Nordic detective story, has a golden touch for Finnish suspense fiction." - Kai Hirvasnoro, Kansan Uutiset newspaper

“Another star has been added to the firmament of thriller writers,” announced Iltalehti newspaper, when Max’s debut novel was published in 2016. Four books later, Max Seeck’s novels have been sold to more than 40 countries, including US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries and as far as Korea!

His Jessica Niemi series landed him on the New York Times Bestseller list! The new MILO series has already been sold to 9 territories, with several rights pre-empts ahead of the Finnish publication!

Max Seeck has a background in sales and marketing, and has lately been able to dedicate his time to his lifelong love of writing. His interests include well-conducted research, reading Nordic Noir and listening to movie soundtracks as he writes.

Photo credit: Mikko Rasila

Read more Author's page

Tove Jansson biography WORK AND LOVE sold to Denmark

Posted on

We are happy to announce that Tove Jansson biography Work and Love by Tuula Karjalainen has been sold to Turbine forlaget in Denmark. This is the 10th foreign sales for this classic biography of the beloved Moomin author.

Tove Jansson: Work and Love is the definitive biography of one of the most unique and beloved children’s authors of the 20th century, the creator of the Moomins. Tove Jansson (1914-2001) led a long, colourful and productive life, impacting significantly the political, social and cultural history of 20th-century Finland.

 

Rights sold:
CHINA, Shanghai Cai Qin Ren Culture Diffusion
DENMARK, Turbine
ESTONIA, Varrak
FINLAND, Schildts & Söderströms (Swedish)
GERMANY, Urachhaus
JAPAN, Kawade Shobo Shinsha
NORWAY, Heinesen
RUSSIA, AST
SWEDEN, Norstedts
WORLD ENGLISH, Penguin

Reading materials:
Finnish edition
English PDF

About author


Tuula Karjalainen

Dr. Tuula Karjalainen is a Finnish art historian and non-fiction writer who has previously worked as a director of the Helsinki Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki. As the author of Tove Jansson’s biography, Tuula Karjalainen has become an expert not only on Jansson’s works but also on her several decades of personal correspondence and journals.

Read more

Bibliography


2013, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

Tove Jansson: Work and Love

Tuula Karjalainen

Related news

MARESI is now sold to 26 territories!

Posted on

We cannot be happier to announce that MARESI by Maria Turtschaninoff has now been sold to 26 territories!
The Croatian rights were now acquired by Naklada ljevak. Rights were also recently acquired in Albania by Dritan, Azerbaijan by Alatoran and Bulgaria by Izida.

This is what the happy Croatian publisher said about the deal:

”We are thrilled for the opportunity to introduce to Croatian readers Maria Turtschaninoff, one of the most esteemed authors of the books for young adults – not only in the Nordics, but internationally. Her Red Abbey Chronicles are praised all over the world for its modern and timely feminist perspective and at the same time its timeless mythic and fairy-tale atmosphere, so we are happy our readers will soon be able to join the public of this original and clever fantasy that is growing every day. ”

– Nada Brnardic, Editor, Naklada ljevak, Croatia

This bestselling YA title has sold to already 26 territories, but the rights are still available in Russia, Czech Republic, Greece, Lithuania, Slovenia,  Japan, Portugal, and in many other countries. See the rights sold list on the right.

MARESI is the first title in The Red Abbey Chronicles and an international feature film is under development by Film4/The Bureau.
MARESI RED MANTLE, book 3 in the trilogy,  was awarded earlier this month the 2020 Global Literature in Libraries Translated Book Prize, as the best translated book of the year!

Request the full English PDFs for the trilogy by clicking here.

 

THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
by Maria Turtschaninoff

The Red Abbey is a refuge for women and girls, where everyone pursues their own areas of interest. Maresi prefers to spend her time reading and learning.
Everything changes when the frightened Jai arrives on the island. She has seen her sister get buried alive for speaking to a young man, and her father and a crew of thugs are after her. Maresi and her friends have to fight to defend both Jai and their community.

RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
Rights sold or the series:

Original publisher: FINLAND, Schildts & Söderströms (Book 1)
Original publisher: FINLAND, Förlaget (Books 2-3)

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1)
BELGIUM, Clavis (Book 1-2)
BRAZIL, Morro Branco (Books 1-3)
BULGARIA, Izida (Books 1-3)
CANADA (French), Editions de la Bagnole (Book 1)
CHINA (Simplified), Shanghai 99 (Books 1-3)
CROATIA, Naklada ljevak (Book 1)
DENMARK, Turbine (Book 1)
ESTONIA, Varrak (Book 1-2)
FINLAND, Tammi (Books 1-2)
FRANCE, Rageot (Books 1-2)
GERMANY, Random House/Heyne (Book 1)
HUNGARY, Scolar (Books 1-3)
ITALY, Atmosphere Libri (Books 1-3)
LATVIA, Petergailis (Book 1-2)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
WORLD SPANISH, Penguin Random House/Alfaguara (Book 1)
SWEDEN, Berghs (Books 1-2)
TURKEY, Altın Kitaplar (Book 1)
UNITED KINGDOM, Pushkin Press (Books 1-3)
UNITED STATES, Abrams (Books 1-3)

FILM, Film4

About author


Maria Turtschaninoff

Maria Turtschaninoff is known for crafting lyrical, historically inspired fantasy stories starring strong female protagonists. In addition to J.R.R. Tolkien, she counts Philip Pullman, Ursula K. Le Guin and C.S. Lewis among her favorite authors. She is a two-time winner of the Society of Swedish Literature Prize, winner of the Swedish YLE Literature Prize, winner of the Thank You for the Book Award, a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2020-2024), and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. In 2024, Maria Turtschaninoff won the Eeva Joenpelto Literary Prize (10,000 euro award) for her literary masterpiece Tangled Roots.

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Tangled Roots has been sold to 23 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Photo credit: Veikko Somerpuro/Tammi

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Tangled Roots

Maria Turtschaninoff


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Maresi: Red Mantle

Maria Turtschaninoff


2016, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Naondel

Maria Turtschaninoff


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Maresi

Maria Turtschaninoff


2012, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Anaché

Maria Turtschaninoff

Related news

Second deal for THE ISLAND OF LOST ANIMALS! MARESI is now sold to 25 territories!

Posted on

We are very happy to announce that Lithuanian publisher Aukso pieva has now acquired the rights for THE ISLAND OF LOST ANIMALS by Pasi Pitkänen.
The captivating picture book is a vibrant adventure story with illustrations for young readers and fans of The Jungle Book, Tarzan and Where the Wild Things Are.

Previously, the title was acquired by Hunan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House in China, all other international rights are still available!

Request the full English PDF for THE ISLAND OF LOST ANIMALS by clicking here.

We also cannot be happier to also announce that  MARESI by Maria Turtschaninoff has now been sold to 25 territories!
The Albanian rights were now bought by Dritan. Rights were also recently acquired in Azerbaijan by Alatoran and Bulgaria by Izida.

This bestselling YA title has sold to already 25 territories, but the rights are still available in Russia, Czech Republic, Greece, Lithuania, Slovenia,  Japan, Portugal, Croatia and in many other countries. See the rights sold list on the right.

MARESI is the first title in The Red Abbey Chronicles and an international feature film is under development by Film4/The Bureau.
MARESI RED MANTLE, book 3 in the trilogy,  was awarded earlier this month the 2020 Global Literature in Libraries Translated Book Prize, as the best translated book of the year!

Request the full English PDFs for the trilogy by clicking here.

FILI TRANSLATION GRANTS REMINDER!

Don’t forget to apply for FILI translation grants this week before Friday 1st of May 23:59.
FILI Translation grant can cover 50-70% of your translation costs from Finnish.
All applications that meet the grant criteria are guaranteed at least 50% grant towards translation costs. Picture books can also get a grant up to 1000€ towards their printing cost.

Read more and apply here.

See all of our Spring 2020 Children’s titles here

THE ISLAND OF LOST ANIMALS
by Pasi Pitkänen

Mathias takes his little sister Jenny to the circus for her birthday. Jenny adores lions; she has dressed up in a lion costume for the occasion and is invited in to the circus ring to pet a lion cub. Suddenly, a monstrous creature bursts through the roof of the circus tent, seizing the lion cub and Jenny!

Mathias and the lion cub’s dad set off on a rescue mission, far across the sea to a mysterious jungle island that is home to weird and wonderful creatures. But can Jenny and the lion cub be there too? And why are the island’s inhabitants so peculiar?

A captivating, vibrant adventure story with illustrations for young readers and fans of The Jungle Book, Tarzan and Where the Wild Things Are.

THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
by Maria Turtschaninoff

The Red Abbey is a refuge for women and girls, where everyone pursues their own areas of interest. Maresi prefers to spend her time reading and learning.
Everything changes when the frightened Jai arrives on the island. She has seen her sister get buried alive for speaking to a young man, and her father and a crew of thugs are after her. Maresi and her friends have to fight to defend both Jai and their community.

THE ISLAND OF LOST ANIMALS
Rights sold:

FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

CHINA:Hunan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
LITHUANIA: Aukso pieva

 

RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
Rights sold or the series:

Original publisher: FINLAND, Schildts & Söderströms (Book 1)
Original publisher: FINLAND, Förlaget (Books 2-3)

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1)
BELGIUM, Clavis (Book 1-2)
BRAZIL, Morro Branco (Books 1-3)
BULGARIA, Izida (Books 1-3)
CANADA (French), Editions de la Bagnole (Book 1)
CHINA (Simplified), Shanghai 99 (Books 1-3)
DENMARK, Turbine (Book 1)
ESTONIA, Varrak (Book 1-2)
FINLAND, Tammi (Books 1-2)
FRANCE, Rageot (Books 1-2)
GERMANY, Random House/Heyne (Book 1)
HUNGARY, Scolar (Books 1-3)
ITALY, Atmosphere Libri (Books 1-3)
LATVIA, Petergailis (Book 1-2)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
WORLD SPANISH, Penguin Random House/Alfaguara (Book 1)
SWEDEN, Berghs (Books 1-2)
TURKEY, Altın Kitaplar (Book 1)
UNITED KINGDOM, Pushkin Press (Books 1-3)
UNITED STATES, Abrams (Books 1-3)

FILM, Film4