Book Expo America marks a festive U.S debut for author Emmi Itäranta

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CaptureEmmiJuneNYC5Last week, in conjunction with Book Expo America (BEA) in New York City, Harper Voyager celebrated the U.S publication of Emmi Itäranta’s acclaimed debut Memory of Water (Teemestarin kirja, Teos 2012).

Throughout the week Itäranta had the opportunity to meet local readers, literary bloggers and members of the HarperCollins team at several events. She was also the guest of honour at a book launch event hosted by the Consul General of Finland, Ambassador Jukka Pietikäinen.

On Saturday, May 31st, Itäranta signed both electronic and physical copies of Memory of Water at BEA, held at Manhattan’s massive Javits Center. The turnout was so enthusiastic that the stack of books reserved for the signing quickly ran out.

“Could this be that major author breakthrough in the U.S that has not been seen since Mika Waltari?” asked Helsingin Sanomat newspaper in an article published on Monday, June 2nd.

Memory of Water will hit U.S bookstores on June 10th. Its recent critical accolades include starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, as well as praise from Kirkus Reviews.

Together with Emmi Itäranta we also had a chance to celebrate the opening of Elina Ahlback Literary Agency’s New York office at Makeshift Brooklyn in Williamsburg.

RIGHTS SOLD
MEMORY OF WATER
Original publisher: FINLAND, Teos
WORLD ENGLISH, HarperCollins (2-book deal)
ARABIC, Dar Al Muna
BRAZIL, Record (2-book-deal)
CZECH, Albatros Media/Plus
DENMARK, Turbine
ESTONIA, Koolibri
FRANCE, Place des Editeurs (2-book deal)
GERMANY, DTV/Reihe Hanser
HUNGARY, Metropolis Media (2-book deal)
ITALY, Piemme
JAPAN, Nishimura Shoten (2-book deal)
SPAIN, Ediciones B.
TURKEY, Dogan Egmont

CITY OF WOVEN STREETS
Original publisher: FINLAND, Teos
WORLD ENGLISH: HarperCollins
BRAZIL: Record
FRANCE, Place des Editeurs
HUNGARY: Metropolis Media
JAPAN: Nishimura Shoten

PRIZES:
Young Aleksis Kivi Prize 2013
Kalevi Jäntti Literary Prize 2012
Teos Fantasy and Sci-Fi Literary Contest 2011
Nominated for the Tähtivaeltaja science fiction award 2013

Reading material:
English edition
German edition

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

 

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.

Read more Author's page

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

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