Presses de la Cité buys French rights to Emmi Itäranta’s Memory of Water and to her next novel

Congratulations to Emmi Itäranta! Rights to her award-winning debut novel Memory of Water (Teemestarin kirja, Teos 2012) and to her second novel City of Woven Streets (working title) have been sold in France to Presses de la Cité, an imprint of Place des Éditeurs. The deal was closed by Elina Ahlbäck in association with Arabella Cruse.

Rights sold in 9 languages so far:

WORLD ENGLISH, HarperCollins/Voyager: 2-book-deal
CZECH, Plus
ESTONIA, Koolibri
FINLAND, Teos
FRANCE, Presses de la Cité : 2-book-deal
GERMANY, DTV/Reihe Hanser
ITALY, Piemme
SPAIN, Ediciones B./Bruguera
TURKEY, Dogan Egmont

Praise:
“Memory of Water is an excepionally fine debut novel in which all elements come together in a controlled and well-considered manner. At the same time, the novel is fascinating and addictive… In Noria’s narration the reflections on water, freedom and existence unfold as a whole philosophy of life, where the relations between an individual and the community, the present moment and the eternal are re-evaluated… The language flows beautifully and the thoughts are deep. On the whole, Memory of Water is a truly terrific debut novel.” – Turun Sanomat Newspaper

Emmi Itäranta has received the Kalevi Jäntti Literary Prize for young authors, worth 16.000 euros for her debut novel Memory of Water in November 2012 and is shortlisted for the Tähtivaeltaja Award 2013. In 2011 Emmi Itäranta received the Teos Fantasy and Sci-fi Literary Prize.

Please ask the Agency for reading materials :
English text of Memory of Water
English sample of City of Woven Streets

About author


Emmi Itäranta

Emmi Itäranta (b.1976) holds two MA degrees, one in Drama and another in Creative Writing. Her award-winning debut novel Memory of Water (Teemestarin kirja) was published in Finland in 2012 to great accolades, followed by The Weaver (Kudottujen kujien kaupunki) in 2015. Her latest novel The Moonday Letters (Kuunpäivän kirjeet) was published in September 2020.

Itäranta’s writing has been compared to that of Ursula K. Le Guin. Her honours include the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize 2013, the Kalevi Jäntti Literary Prize 2012 and first place in the Teos Fantasy and Sci-Fi Literary Contest 2011.

Memory of Water has sold to over 25 languages to date, and it has also been nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award recognizing the best science fiction novel published in the UK in 2014, and the Golden Tentacle award. In addition, Itäranta has been included on the Honor List of the Otherwise Award (formerly James Tiptree, Jr. Award).

Itäranta’s CV is an eclectic mix of writing-related activities, including stints as a columnist, theatre critic, press officer and dramaturge. Her poems, short stories, articles and essays have appeared in anthologies, film magazines and science fiction magazines in the UK and Finland. She now lives in Finland after 14 years in the United Kingdom.

Bibliography


2020, Fantasy & Science Fiction

The Moonday Letters

Emmi Itäranta


2015, Fantasy & Science Fiction

The Weaver

Emmi Itäranta


2012, Fantasy & Science Fiction

Memory of Water

Emmi Itäranta