SANG nominated for the Young Aleksis Award!

We are thrilled to announce that SANG by Elina Pitkäkangas has been nominated for the Young Aleksis Award! The award is given yearly to a Finnish YA title, chosen by a jury of junior high school students. The prize will be awarded at Turku Book Fair on 29th September.

SANG, the first part in a LGBTQIA+ YA fantasy / romantasy duology with cross-over potential, has previously won the Topelius award and City of Tampere Literature Prize, and the rights have been sold to Turkey, Germany, and Denmark. The sequel, NARAKA, will be published in Finland April 2024.

Rights are still available for France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, UK, etc – now is the time to secure this fantasy highlight for your list!

Download the materials for SANG here!

 

SANG
Elina Pitkäkangas

When a person’s value is determined by money and one’s happiness by family, what will be left when both are ripped away?

The state of Fusang is recovering from a war that ravaged the world. 16-year-old Kong Dawei, an earnest young man, is living in a poor mountain village and tries to pay his adopted siblings’ citizen dues by transporting contraband goods at night.

After a series of unfortunate events, Dawei ends up in the southern capital which is ruled by the cruel matriarch of the White Tiger Clan. When there is nothing else to lose, Dawei has only one goal: to get back to his loved ones – whatever it takes.

Sang is an addictive fantasy novel that travels through cold mountains and humid cities, noisy bazaars and opulent halls, and the world after the Black Rain, in which one’s value is measured in money.

 

NARAKA
Elina Pitkäkangas

The sequel to SANG takes the reader back to Fusang and the world where Kong Dawei is faced with impossible choices.

The new novel about war and human relations by the winner of the Topelius Prize.

Kong Dawei has returned to his home region, but nothing is the same. The second book of the duology, loved by readers and praised by experts, is a vivid and an intensive novel about war, morals, and ever holding love.

The sequel of the top-rated book SANG presents Fusang’s region Naraka, a workcamp where the unfortunate citizens are sent. The resistance is growing there. When Kong Dawei finds himself in the middle of The Iron Revolution, he must face the boundaries of his loyalty. Whose side does he want to be on? Can there be winners in the war?

Sang
WSOY, September 2022, 496pp
Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig. 2-book deal)
DENMARK: Straarup (2-book-deal)
TURKEY: Indigo Kitap
GERMANY: cbj

 

Naraka
WSOY, April 2024
Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig. 2-book deal)
DENMARK: Straarup (2-book-deal)

About author


Elina Pitkäkangas

Elina Pitkäkangas is an author from Nokia, Finland, and an active advocate of YA literature. She has studied creative writing and did her master's degree in the University of Helsinki majoring in literature. Her works seamlessly combine elements of fantasy, social criticism and moral questions. Pitkäkangas has written five novels and produces book-related videos to TikTok and Instagram on her channel @elinapitkakangas.

Bibliography


2023, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Naraka

Elina Pitkäkangas


2022, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Sang

Elina Pitkäkangas

SANG sold to Germany!

We are thrilled to announce that the German rights for SANG by Elina Pitkäkangas have been snapped up by cbj Verlag (Penguin Random House) in Germany! Previously, the rights have already been sold to Denmark and Turkey.

Cbj is the home of many bestselling international and German YA and crossover authors like Angie Thomas, Karen M McManus, Holly Black, Monika Feth, Naomi Novik and many more. They are part of Germany’s biggest book publisher, the Penguin Random House Group. We can’t wait to see their German edition of SANG which is scheduled for spring 2025!

SANG, the first part in a LGBTQIA+ friendly YA fantasy / romantasy duology with cross-over potential, has now been sold to four languages – and we are sure there are more to come soon, so watch this space! It is the winner of the Topelius award and City of Tampere Literature Prize. The sequel, NARAKA, will be published in Finland this fall.

Rights are still available for France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, UK, etc – now is the time to secure this fantasy highlight for your list!

Download the materials for SANG here! 

 

Sang
WSOY, September 2022, 496pp

Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig. 2-book deal)
DENMARK: Straarup (2-book-deal)
TURKEY: Indigo Kitap
GERMANY: cbj

About author


Elina Pitkäkangas

Elina Pitkäkangas is an author from Nokia, Finland, and an active advocate of YA literature. She has studied creative writing and did her master's degree in the University of Helsinki majoring in literature. Her works seamlessly combine elements of fantasy, social criticism and moral questions. Pitkäkangas has written five novels and produces book-related videos to TikTok and Instagram on her channel @elinapitkakangas.

Bibliography


2023, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Naraka

Elina Pitkäkangas


2022, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Sang

Elina Pitkäkangas

In the Dark I Can Be Yours sold to France in pre-empt

Acted Sud Jeunesse pre-empted Salla Simukka’s YA novel IN THE DARK I CAN BE YOURS!

We are thrilled to report more wonderful post-Bologna deals:  Actes Sud Jeunesse acquired in pre-empt the World French rights to the highly acclaimed YA novel IN THE DARK I CAN BE YOURS (Matalapaine/Korkeapaine, Tammi) by award-winning and internationally bestselling author Salla Simukka. This beautiful novel was published in Finland in 2021 to excellent reviews. This is the first foreign sale for In the Dark I Can Be Yours – with more news to follow!  The deal was closed by Mimi Matinpalo at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Warmest Congratulations, Salla Simukka and Actes Sud Jeunesse!

Full English manuscript is available, download it here: DOWNLOAD IN THE DARK I CAN BE YOURS 

Praise in Finnish media: 

“In The Dark I Can Be Yours is a book of summer, of life, which describes the relationship between the two girls intuitively and beautifully. [–] Simukka’s text is simultaneously strong and delicately descriptive.” –Sivupiiri, libraries’ blog for YA literature

“The narration is light, almost poetical, and so one reads it quick. Despite this, the book is not an easy read. For the covers hide truly big, impactful issues, told by two different protagonists. [–] -the book describes beautifully one’s awakening sexuality and the pondering on one’s own identity.”   –Kirjapöllön huhuiluja blog  

”A breath of summer love [–] The ending hangs in the air in a way that both makes you crave more and think that every word was right where it should’ve been. A beautiful work of art by Simukka.” –Siniset Helmet blog

Download full English for In the Dark I Can Be Yours here!

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka

If your love can only be a secret, will it last?
Varpu and Saga are two sixteen-year-old girls that are forced to stay in their hometown for the summer. After just one drunken kiss, prejudice and identity are shattered and it’s revealed how, behind the facade, everyone hurts and loves the same. In The Dark I Can be Yours is a touching and beautiful title about great emotions in the summer.

The authentic characters are supported by Simukka’s light and airy narrative. Each side of the book tells one girl’s story, which effortlessly melts together into a summer of love, insecurities, and the exploration of two young people.

 

IN THE DARK I CAN BE YOURS
Matalapaine/Korkeapaine
Tammi 2021, 144 pp.
READING MATERIALS:
Full English translation
Finnish edition
RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
FRANCE: Actes Sud Jeunesse

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
FRANCE: Actes Sud Jeunesse

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.  Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has written books for young adults and children, and now also for adults, and travels the world talking about them.

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

First foreign sale for MY UGLY DIARY by Mari Kujanpää – to Estonia!

We are thrilled to announce that the Estonian rights for MY UGLY DIARY (Rumuuspäiväkirja), the latest YA title by award-winning author Mari Kujanpää, have been acquired by Varrak! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Established in 1991, Varrak is one of the leading publishing houses in Estonia. Their authors include J. K. Rowling, Fredrik Backman, Olga Tokarczuk, Sofi Oksanen, Sally Rooney, Haruki Murakami, Lucinda Riley, Kazuo Ishiguro, Elena Ferrante, etc.

They praised the title for being a timely and captivating read:
MY UGLY DIARY speaks to and about the young people of today, but is a very useful read for adults as well! [It is] a book written in a lively and seamless way, [a book] where the bad ones get their due and the main character receives help.
– Reelika Rahu, editor, Varrak, Estonia

Download materials for MY UGLY DIARY here!

My Ugly Diary

Mari Kujanpää

A contemporary and touching YA novel about the courage to be yourself and finding your own people.

  • Mari Kujanpää won the Finlandia Prize in 2009
  • Deals with body image, bullying and the pressure on teenagers to always be Instagram-ready

“Everyone else has a purpose, and they always walk without looking at their surroundings. Someone’s waiting for them somewhere. I’m not going anywhere and I’m not expected anywhere. Yet my feet are moving me somewhere”.

Age 14, shoe size 42, height 175 centimetres, cup size AA and a hideously ugly face, that’s how Malva is defined. She knows she is ugly, and the other pupils remind her of it daily with words and looks. Malva escapes to art and nature. Then along comes Runo, who is passionate about the same things.

My Ugly Diary is a delicate story about how a bullied girl hating her own reflection slowly recovers from the anxiety of her looks. Everyone who has been insecure about their looks can relate to Malva’s experiences.

Finlandia award-winner Mari Kujanpää writes directly and sympathetically about subjects that touch young readers.

MY UGLY DIARY
RUMUUSPÄIVÄKIRJA
Otava, 2023, 160 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English sample and synopsis
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Varrak

About author


Mari Kujanpää

Mari Kujanpää has studied forestry and library and information science. During the days she works as a library manager in the Oripää library, and during the evenings she writes. She has authored multiple children’s novels, and her work Minä and Muro, dealing with school bullying, won the Finlandia Prize in children's and YA literature in 2009. A play based on the novel was performed in the Finnish National Theatre 2013-2014.

Kujanpää enjoys the challenge of writing about topics often perceived as challenging in the lives of children, such as loneliness, bullying, and a grandparent’s memory disorder. In her best dreams, she spreads her arms and flies over ancient forests. In her nightmares, she is a teenager again and walks the gloomy corridors of secondary school.

Bibliography


2023, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

My Ugly Diary

Mari Kujanpää

Introducing Ahlback Agency CHILDREN’S & YA Spring 2023 Rights Guide!

We are thrilled to present our Children’s & YA Catalogue for Spring 2023: award-nominated middle-grade novels, charming picture books with the cutest animals, creeping horror for the teenagers, and painfully relatable but hopeful stories about self-image..

We’ve picked some of the hottest titles from the catalogue for you – check them out below!

View the Spring 2023 Children’s Catalogue here!

 

The Fox and Silence

Reetta Niemelä, ill. Eri Shimatsuka

A charming picture book about a sensitive fox and the need for silence.

Once upon a time there was a fox the colour of a copper pot. It had very long and sensitive ears. Loud noises keep hurting the fox’s ears. It had to dig deeper and deeper into its den to rest its ears. Where does the fox find silence? How would the other creatures in the forest understand that the silence is like a hammock, where one can safely fall asleep?

This beautiful story discusses sensibility and the need for silence. The touching text by award-winning poet and children’s author Reetta Niemela is paired with charming illustrations by textile artist Eri Shimatsuka.

 

Stella

Ted Forsström, ill. Åsa Lucander

An interactive and playful bedtime story for toddlers featuring a very loud dog with a big imagination! 

A father tries to put his child to bed, but keeps getting interrupted by Stella the dog, who starts barking hysterically. Something unexpected always happens, and the reader is treated to Stella’s lively imaginations: it may be a door opening or a car driving by, but Stella is strongly convinced it’s Grandma coming to give her food, or that squirrels have built a nest in the toaster.

Anyone who has ever tried to bring a child to bed knows how cozy yet fragile the situation is. It requires the right amount of patience and determination. The right bedtime story can be the key to a successful, quiet night.

There is a warm feeling, playful rhymes and an unusual mix of familiar ordinariness and fantastic antics. Clear recognition for anyone trying to combine cozy moments with a pet!

 

Dadman and the Impossible Time Knot

Arttu Unkari, ill. Kai Vaalio

The quirkiest cop in town! The Dadman Series offers fast-paced adventures and humour for all ages – especially lower middle gradeFor fans of David Walliams and Captain Underpants.

Dadman is a dad, and a policeman – but he also has a superpower! Too bad his superpower is one shared by almost all dads – an unwavering belief in himself and his own abilities. It follows that Dadman’s nine-year-old daughter Oona needs to solve all of the issues herself.

Oona and her friends find out that Dadman would never have gotten into police school without help – from them! How is that possible? The friends have no choice but to jump into a time machine and go back to Dadman’s police academy years to find out.

The four friends find themselves at the centre of a mysterious series of art theft. The case is being investigated by the police academy’s quirkiest cadets, including, of course, Dadman. Luckily, Oona and friends have a clue of their own. There is a criminal in the police school who they have already caught once.

 

Black Moon Inn

Reetta Niemelä, ill. Katri Kirkkopelto

Nominated for the Finlandia Prize 2022 – Audience favourite!
Winner of Arvid Lydecken Prize 2022. 

The animal-loving Saimi Salaper and her veterinarian father move to the city of Bluehill in order to set up a hospital for wild animals there. By coincidence, they buy an old inn, where one can hear weird noises behind closed doors, see rare butterflies fly past on the yard, and, at the rooftop, there seems to be… a perch for dragons.

Little by little, the house reveals its secrets to Saimi, and soon the Black Moon Inn is open for creatures of the secret folk who seek refuge there: the trolls, the fairies, and many more. But there’s a threat lurking just behind a corner, and the Inn takes both Saimi and the reader on an exciting adventure into the world of the secret folk.

 

Secrets of the Grimhill Sanatorium

Janne Malinen, ill. Teemu Juhani

The thoughtful and elaborate opening of a middle-grade trilogy opens the doors to the mysterious Grimhill sanatorium, where nothing is what it seems.

Oskar is a perfectly average boy living with his parents in the red brick house by the biggest market square in the city. Everything changes when he is diagnosed with a serious illness. His parents send him to the remote Grimhill sanatorium, which from the very first moments feels suspicious and off-putting – and the staff don’t make it better. It seems like they are hiding something. Together with his new friends Robin and Vilma, Oskar gets pulled into a compelling adventure as they try to find out what is behind the ominous voices in the night. And what is hiding within the cold forest which seems to enchant the children?

 

Diary of an Ugly Girl

Mari Kujanpää

A contemporary YA novel about the courage to be yourself and finding your own people from a Finlandia-winning author

Age 14, shoe size 42, height 175 centimetres, cup size AA and a hideously ugly face, that’s how Malva is defined. She knows she is ugly, and the other pupils remind her of it daily with words and looks. Malva escapes to art and nature. Then along comes Runo, who is passionate about the same things.

Diary of an Ugly Girl is a delicate story about how a bullied girl hating her own reflection slowly recovers from the anxiety of her looks. Everyone who has been insecure about their looks can relate to Malva’s experiences.

 

The Horned God

Magdalena Hai

Creeping horror for the YA audience from an internationally bestselling author!

When death touches your life, everything changes.

Lauri wakes up in the hospital after a fatal car crash and he doesn’t remember much about it. Mom is dead and now life has changed drastically.

When Lauri starts his slow recovery in a small town at his aunt’s house, he has an unpleasant feeling that everything is not right. The dead don’t stay dead and the beautiful neighbor Vilja-Maaria doesn’t want to live. When an ominous creature with antlers appears behind the window, Lauri begins to see nightmarish dreams that feel too real.


MARESI RED MANTLE by Maria Turtschaninoff sold to Lithuania!

We are thrilled to announce that the Lithuanian rights for MARESI RED MANTLE (Breven från Maresi), book #3 in THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES by internationally bestselling and award-winning author Maria Turtschaninoff have been acquired by Aukso pieva! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

The Red Abbey Chronicles is a historically inspired feminist fantasy series which has been sold to 30 territories!

The rights for the series are still available in Czech Republic, Japan, Greece, Slovakia, Iceland, Portugal…

Download the materials for THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES here!

Maresi Red Mantle

Maria Turtschaninoff

The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love.

PRAISE FOR MARESI RED MANTLE:

“Maresi: Red Mantle is a stirring epistolary novel that presents a young woman caught between two homes, cultures, and communities. It is the concluding title in the Red Abbey Chronicles trilogy, but we were very impressed with how beautifully it works as a stand-alone title.
Committee Chair Annette Y. Goldsmith, The Global Literature in Libraries Initiative, Translated YA Book Prize 2020

Naondel

Maria Turtschaninoff

An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

PRAISE FOR NAONDEL:

“…complex, multilayered, and wholly believable. […] Feminists of all ages will appreciate this positive portrayal of a matriarchy.”
– Booklist

A prequel that introduces the founding sisters of the all-female Red Abbey… their interwoven stories told with unflinching clarity, rise to a vengeful climax with the glow of the red moon, and will stay with the reader long after the book is closed.
The Guardian

“An unforgettable feminist epic, shot through with hypnotic dark charm.
– The Bookseller

Maresi

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.

PRAISE FOR MARESI:

Dark, powerful and original… it really stands out in a very crowded YA marketplace. Thrilling, suspenseful and gloriously feminist.
– The Bookseller

Beautifully written… Maresi has a touch of Katniss about her, and although the target market is different, female lovers of dystopian fantasy adventures will enjoy the journey.
– The School Librarian

It’s hard not to be impressed with Turtschaninoff’s magical world.
– The Times 

MARESI RED MANTLE
BREVEN FRÅN MARESI
Förlaget, 2018, 300 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English edition
Swedish edition
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Förlaget (orig. Finland-Swedish)
FINLAND: Tammi (Finnish)
BRAZIL: Editora Morro Branco
BULGARIA: Izida
CANADA (English): Abrams
CHINA: Shanghai 99 Readers’ Culture
HUNGARY: Scolar Kiado
ITALY: Atmosphere Libri
KOREA: Gimm Young Publishers
LITHUANIA: Aukso pieva
NORWAY: Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND: Sonia Draga
RUSSIA: Eksmo
UNITED KINGDOM: Pushkin Press
UNITED STATES: Abrams Children’s

 

NAONDEL
NAONDEL
Förlaget, 2016, 400 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English edition
Swedish edition
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Förlaget (orig. Finland-Swedish)
FINLAND: Tammi (Finnish)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran
BELGIUM: Clavis Books
BRAZIL: Editora Morro Branco
BULGARIA: Izida
CANADA (English): Abrams
CHINA: Shanghai 99 Readers’ Culture
ESTONIA: Varrak Publishers
FRANCE: Rageot
HUNGARY: Scolar Kiado
ITALY: Atmosphere Libri
KOREA: Gimm Young Publishers
LATVIA: Izdevnieciba Petergailis SIA
LITHUANIA: Aukso pieva
NETHERLANDS: Clavis Books
NORWAY: Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND: Sonia Draga
ROMANIA: Univers
RUSSIA: Eksmo
SWEDEN: Berghs
UNITED KINGDOM: Pushkin Press
UNITED STATES: Abrams Children’s

 

MARESI
MARESI
Schildts & Söderströms, 2014, 180 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English edition
Swedish edition
Finnish edition

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Schildts & Söderströms (orig. Finland-Swedish)
FINLAND: Tammi (Finnish)
ALBANIA: Dritan
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran
BELGIUM: Clavis Books
BRAZIL: Morro Branco
BULGARIA: Izida
CANADA (English): Abrams
CANADA (French): Editions de la Bagnole
CHINA: Shanghai 99 Readers’ Culture
CROATIA: Naklada Ljevak
DENMARK: Turbine
ESTONIA: Varrak
FRANCE: Rageot
GERMANY: Random House/Heyne
HUNGARY: Scolar Kiado
ITALY: Atmosphere Libri
LATVIA: Izdevnieciba Petergailis SIA
LITHUANIA: Aukso pieva
NETHERLANDS: Clavis Books
NORWAY: Gursli Berg Forlag
POLAND: Wydawnictwo Debit
ROMANIA: Editura Univers
RUSSIA: Eksmo
WORLD SPANISH: Penguin Random House/Alfaguara
SWEDEN: Berghs
TURKEY: Altın Kitaplar
UNITED KINGDOM: Pushkin Press
UNITED STATES: Abrams
FILM & TV RIGHTS: tba

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, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. 

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 21 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

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

Turkish and Danish deals for SANG!

We are thrilled to let you know that the first TWO deals for SANG by Elina Pitkäkangas have been closed!

The YA fantasy title was sold this week to Indigo Kitap in Turkey and in a two-book pre-empt deal to Straarup & Co in Denmark! The deals were closed by Elsa Lindström and Anna Kappauf respectively, both at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

This news follows the recent nomination of SANG for the Topelius Award, the jury of which praised the book:

“The dystopian novel upholds a beautiful and dark atmosphere in the state of Fusang. Sang is an epic story about a youngster trying to fight against the impossible circumstances of a totalitarian state. Kong Dawei joins the rebels, and breathtaking events follow one another. Pitkäkangas’ skill to conjure with believable details a whole world is enchanting. Our choices create a chain which not only joins us together, but also in the end defines who and what we are. Sang is a story about love, but above all it is a story about morale: all the things we are ready to do for one another.”

Download the materials for SANG here!

 

Elina Pitkäkangas introduces SANG

SANG

Elina Pitkäkangas

When a person’s value is determined by money and one’s happiness by family, what will be left when both are ripped away?

The state of Fusang is recovering from a war that ravaged the world. 16-year-old Kong Dawei, an earnest young man, is living in a poor mountain village and tries to pay his adopted siblings’ citizen dues by transporting contraband goods at night.

After a series of unfortunate events, Dawei ends up in the southern capital which is ruled by the cruel matriarch of the White Tiger Clan. When there is nothing else to lose, Dawei has only one goal: to get back to his loved ones – whatever it takes.

Sang is an addictive fantasy novel that travels through cold mountains and humid cities, noisy bazaars and opulent halls, and the world after the Black Rain, in which one’s value is measured in money.

The sequel Naraka is coming out in Finland autumn 2023, continuing Dawei’s story!

Sang
WSOY, September 2022, 496pp
Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig. 2-book deal)
DENMARK: Straarup (2-book-deal)
TURKEY: Indigo Kitap

About author


Elina Pitkäkangas

Elina Pitkäkangas is an author from Nokia, Finland, and an active advocate of YA literature. She has studied creative writing and did her master's degree in the University of Helsinki majoring in literature. Her works seamlessly combine elements of fantasy, social criticism and moral questions. Pitkäkangas has written five novels and produces book-related videos to TikTok and Instagram on her channel @elinapitkakangas.

Bibliography


2023, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Naraka

Elina Pitkäkangas


2022, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Sang

Elina Pitkäkangas

Topelius Award nomination for SANG and Arvid Lydecken Award nomination for BENJAMIN BATEMAN!

We are so happy to announce that two of our Children’s & YA titles have been nominated for prestigious prizes in Finland!

SANG, the epic YA story by Elina Pitkäkangas, has been nominated for the Topelius Award 2023! The award is given yearly to a YA title of high quality, and the jury praised the book as follows:

“The dystopian novel upholds a beautiful and dark atmosphere in the state of Fusang. Sang is an epic story about a youngster trying to fight against the impossible circumstances of a totalitarian state. Kong Dawei joins the rebels, and breathtaking events follow one another. Pitkäkangas’ skill to conjure with believable details a whole world is enchanting. Our choices create a chain which not only joins us together, but also in the end defines who and what we are. Sang is a story about love, but above all it is a story about morale: all the things we are ready to do for one another.”
Download the materials for SANG here!

 

And BENJAMIN BATEMAN – SUPER EMBARRASSED SUPERHERO, the middle-grade title written by Hannele Lampela and illustrated by Pasi Pitkänen, has been nominated for the Arvid Lydecken Award 2023! Given yearly to an meritorious children’s book, the jury said:

“Every kid wants to be a superhero. Benjamin Bateman finds out that he is a superhero from Martinlaakso, but the superpowers are missing every now and then. Is it possible there’s been a mistake after all? A very everyday story gets wings when Benjamin understands that he truly is of a superhero family. The narration is breathtaking, but not tiring. The plot really hooks one in, and it is hard to set the book down. The different time periods create ellipsis in the story, and the vivacity of it is awe-inspiring. As a superhero, Benjamin is humane and human-sized, which makes the story very relatable.”

Download the materials for BENJAMIN BATEMAN here!

Massive congrats to Elina, Hannele, and Pasi! The winners will be announced in January.

SANG

Elina Pitkäkangas

When a person’s value is determined by money and one’s happiness by family, what will be left when both are ripped away?

The state of Fusang is recovering from a war that ravaged the world. 16-year-old Kong Dawei, an earnest young man, is living in a poor mountain village and tries to pay his adopted siblings’ citizen dues by transporting contraband goods at night.

After a series of unfortunate events, Dawei ends up in the southern capital which is ruled by the cruel matriarch of the White Tiger Clan. When there is nothing else to lose, Dawei has only one goal: to get back to his loved ones – whatever it takes.

Sang is an addictive fantasy novel that travels through cold mountains and humid cities, noisy bazaars and opulent halls, and the world after the Black Rain, in which one’s value is measured in money.

 

BENJAMIN BATEMAN – SUPER EMBARRASSED SUPERHERO

Hannele Lampela, ill. Pasi Pasi Pitkänen

What if your superhero costume looked like a butterfly? And your only superpowers would be having a good heart and an imagination? Welcome to the embarrassing life of Benjamin Bateman!

The wholly hilarious and thrilling adventures of a super embarrassing superhero for middle-graders!

Benjamin Bateman is stunned when he finds out that he is part of a family of superheroes. Who would’ve believed that about poor Benjamin?

Benjamin’s superhero costume is quite embarrassing though – a butterfly. And his superpower is even more mortifying – a good heart and imagination! But when Benjamin must battle the terrifying Mortem, a deep imagination will come in handy.

The story is enriched by the colorful illustrations of Pasi Pitkänen. A movie is being planned based on the title.

 

Sang
WSOY 2022, 496pp.
Rights sold: FINLAND: WSOY

 

Paavali Pattinen: Supernolo supersankari
Otava 2022, 120 pp.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Otava, DENMARK: Bogoo

About author


Elina Pitkäkangas

Elina Pitkäkangas is an author from Nokia, Finland, and an active advocate of YA literature. She has studied creative writing and did her master's degree in the University of Helsinki majoring in literature. Her works seamlessly combine elements of fantasy, social criticism and moral questions. Pitkäkangas has written five novels and produces book-related videos to TikTok and Instagram on her channel @elinapitkakangas.

About author


Hannele Lampela

Hannele Lampela's lovable works have been praised above all for their rich humor and ability to truly show the world from a child's perspective. She has the ability to enchant her readers, and that is why both children and adults love her stories. Lampela's works have been dramatized for example by the Finnish National Theater, Kuopio City Theater and YLE's radio plays. She has been awarded the prestigious Kaarina Helakisa Prize for her work and she has been nominated for Runeberg Junior award in 2019 and for Storytel Award, and Arvid Lydecken Award in 2020.

In addition to her fictional works, Lampela has written and created  a world of stories for the next national ABC book of Finnish schools. First graders across the country will learn to read through Hannele’s texts. Lampela lives in a small wooden house in the middle of apple trees with her family, and spends her days not only writing, but also pampering herself and others on a regular basis.

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.

French two-book-deal for WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN and DRAGONFLY by Finlandia Prize winner Anne-Maija Aalto!

French two-book-deal for WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN and DRAGONFLY by Finlandia Prize winner Anne-Maija Aalto!

We are extremely thrilled to announce that the French rights for WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN and DRAGONFLY written by the Finlandia Prize winner Anne-Maija Aalto have been pre-empted by French publisher Éditions Milan. The deal was closed by Mimi Matinpalo at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency. Rights have been previously sold in Hungary to Metropolis Media.
Éditions Milan is one of the leading Children’s Publishers in France, founded in 1982 and with a wide range of Children’s and Young Adult fiction & non-fiction titles in their catalogue, publishing 300 new titles annually.

Congratulations, Anne-Maija Aalto and Éditions Milan!

The French publisher loves these books:

Dystopian YA at its best : beautifully nuanced yet enthralling and epic, Anne-Maija Aalto’s duology is perfect for Murakami and Bradbury fans.”
-Louison Couzy, Éditions Milan, France

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN is a FINLANDIA PRIZE WINNER in 2021 and received many praises:

“The narration is effortless, the world distant yet timely. The great questions of humanity are
present. The story elegantly invites young people to see how their relationships with their parents
can change when they get to know them better.”
–Perttu Pölönen, futurist and non-fiction author, for the Children’s & YA Finlandia award

“The novel describes humanity skillfully, whether it is about an individual’s desire to control, dominate and not care, or about the desire to escape to a virtual reality. The basis for the young protagonist’s change builds up piece by piece, from the events experienced but also by understanding their parent’s decisions. As long as the memories live and influence a person, they can find a path towards the new.”
-Finlandia audience favourite motivations

DRAGONFLY is a TOPELIUS PRIZE NOMINEE in 2020! 

“Dragonfly is a dystopian set in the near future, a world after a flood. [–] The impactful book narrates with a beautiful language a story about friendship, loss, and the inequality in society and between genders.”
–Topelius Prize jury motivations

If you are interested to publish or hear more about Finlandia Prize winner Anne-Maija Aalto and her wonderful novels, we recommend you read and get in touch with us! A third, standalone book is being written for publication in 2024! Rights are still available around the world (excl. Hungary, France, Finland).

Download the materials here!
WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN 
Anne-Maija Aalto
FINLANDIA PRIZE WINNER 2021!What is a person if you take away their memory? Who determines what we believe? A captivating story of rebellion, hope and humanity.Aleksei is a young man whose father runs a human research institute in Tokyo, which is now partly covered by the sea. New batches of test subjects regularly arrive at the facility, including one with Satomi, a young woman whose memory is set to be erased. Satomi becomes Aleksei’s trial case, since he is meant to continue his father’s work. But something is already churning beneath the surface, and the younger generation can see the horrors of the system their parents have created.

 

Mistä valo pääsee sisään
Otava 2021, 320 pp.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Otava, HUNGARY: Metropolis Media Group, FRANCE: Éditions Milan

DRAGONFLY
Anne-Maija Aalto
TOPELIUS PRIZE NOMINEE 2020!A shocking, brilliantly told story about resistance in an unequal society. Two young women, Satomi and Mai have always stuck together. They were born in an internment village on an island that was called Japan before sea level rose. They are non-citizens whose purpose is to serve full citizens.On good nights they go to the seaside together to wade. They still have that, even if everything else has been taken away from them.

Then Commander Rafikov takes Mai to make her a Nymph.

And Satomi can’t just wait anymore.

“I’m standing here and coming apart inside, just like that. I’m only thinking of the end.”

 

Korento
Otava 2020, 387 pp.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Otava, FRANCE: Éditions Milan

About author


Anne-Maija Aalto

Anne-Maija Aalto is an award-winning Finnish author of both YA and adult fiction. Her YA novel Where the Light Comes In won the prestigious Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature in 2021 and has received praise for its effortless narration, beautiful prose and compellingly current story.

Where the Light Comes In is a standalone sequel for Dragonfly which was nominated for the Topelius Prize in 2020. The prize is awarded yearly to an expectional novel for young people, and the jury described Dragonfly as “a deeply touching and beautifully written story of friendship, loss and social inequality.” Her other works include YA novel Into Deep Water and novel The Silence of Snow. Her books often dwelve into the darker sides of humanity, exploring the themes of loss, loneliness, identity and coming of age.

Anne-Maija holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature from the University of Turku where she also studied English and creative writing. She lives in Turku with her husband and an extensive collection of half-filled notebooks. When she isn’t writing, she can most likely be found walking in nature with her camera or lounging on the couch with a good book.

Bibliography


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Where the Light Comes In

Anne-Maija Aalto


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Dragonfly

Anne-Maija Aalto

Introducing: EALA Fall 2022 Children’s & Young Adult Catalogue!

We are thrilled to present our Children’s & YA Catalogue for Fall 2022: An epic novel about love and power, a YA thriller by Finland’s bestselling female crime author, and beloved fairytales with new twists, inspiring stories and enchanting adventures by bestselling and award-winning authors and illustrators.

From our new catalogue, we’ve picked some hot titles for you – take a look at them below!

View the Fall 2022 Children’s Catalogue here!

 

Sang

by Elina Pitkäkangas

When a person’s value is determined by money and happiness by family, what will happen when boht are ripped away? An epic novel about love and power in a fictional East Asia of the future! 

The state of Fusang is recovering from a war that ravaged the world. 16-year-old Kong Dawei, an earnest young man, is living in a poor mountain village and tries to pay his adopted siblings’ citizen dues by transporting contraband goods at night.

After a series of unfortunate events, Dawei ends up in the southern capital which is ruled by the cruel matriarch of the White Tiger Clan. When there is nothing else to lose, Dawei has only one goal: to get back to his loved ones – whatever it takes.

Sang is an addictive fantasy novel that travels through cold mountains and humid cities, noisy bazaars and opulent halls, and the world after the Black Rain, in which one’s value is measured in money.

 

The Crossing of the Green Dragon

by Leena Lehtolainen

The Crossing of the Green Dragon is a YA thriller about loss and the power of friendship. About things that one doesn’t want to reveal to adults. About a world where fear and hope are entangled in each other, and where nobody makes it on their own.

Who has painted the image of a green dragon taking flight on the electronic box at the crossroads? Why does it keep appearing again and again, despite being washed and painted over?

High school freshman Viggo knows  the original painting was done by his brother Joel shortly before his disappearance, over two years ago. The police have no leads whatsoever. Did he leave of his own volition or is he the victim of a crime?

Meanwhile, young Selma visits the dragon to seek a connection with her deceased friend Sennu, with whom she played dragons as a kid. Selma’s sibling Savu has worries of their own. A gang idolizing roadman culture has managed to extort Savu to join them in stealing designed clothes. Selma doesn’t want to idly watch Savu’s demise. Can she gather the courage to share her worries with Sennu’s father, who works with the police?

 

Thelma the Tenacious Witch Series

by Satu Varjonen, ill. Mari Luoma

A humorous and magical series about the adventures of a young witch girl, written by Satu Varjonen with gleeful illustrations by Mari Luoma!

Thelma, the sweet-hearted young witch, has always lived with her grandmother, so the ways of other people are a bit strange to her. When she starts school, she finds not everyone sees things the way she does, and there are mishaps and headaches to come, before differences are accepted!

There are two books in the series so far, with more to come!

 

Little Mouse’s Fables

by Riikka Jäntti

Little Mouse and Mommy Mouse dive together into the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and discuss them. A charming and cheerful book for small readers and all Little Mouse’s friends! 

Little Mouse loves storytime. Together with Mommy Mouse, they read the Grimm classics: Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, The Three Wishes, Sweet Porridge, Jack and the Beanstalk, and more! Riikka Jäntti’s lovely illustrations depict the mouseified adventures in these classic tales.

 

Itty Bitty Princess’s Teeny Bit Terrific Fairy Tales

by Hannele Lampela, ill. Ninka Reittu

The hero of all mischief-makers, Itty Bitty Princess, tells us seven familiar stories from the perspective of the teeny bit naughty! 

Have you ever thought of how a witch feels when her magnificent gingerbread house is eaten? Or the fairy who doesn’t get invited to a birthday party? Indeed, probably not so good.

Itty Bitty Princess has noticed that the ones who are already kind are the ones who always win the battles. Like her little brother. That’s why she has decided to tell a few stories from the side of the scoundrels, like the dragon that gets constantly poked by swords. After all, Itty Bitty Princess knows what it’s like to be kind and naughty at the same time.


Finlandia-winning novel WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN sold to Hungary!

Anne-Maija Aalto’s Finlandia-winning novel WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN Hungarian rights sold!
We are delighted to let you know that the Hungarian rights to Anne-Maija Aalto’s YA title WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN have been sold to Metropolis Media Group! They praised the book saying:

“A very original novel. As a publisher, I always try to find books that can suggest something new,  approach a topic from a new perspective, and this novel has surpassed all our expectations. Impressive and captivating dystopia, and these books have the potential to inspire young people to read.”
– Dr. Mund Katalin, Editor-in-Chief, Metropolis Media Group, Hungary

Download the English materials for WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN here!

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN won the prestigious Finlandia prize for Children’s and YA literature in 2021, and was also selected as the audiece favourite! The jury said:

“The narration is effortless, the world distant yet timely. The great questions of humanity are present. The story elegantly invites young people to see how their relationships with their parents can change when they get to know them better.”

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN 

What is a person if you take away their memory? Who determines what we believe? A captivating story of rebellion, hope and humanity.

Alexei is a young man whose father runs a human research institute in Tokyo, which is now partly covered by the sea. New cargoes of test subjects regularly arrive at the facility, one containing Satomi, a young woman whose memory is set to be erased. Satomi becomes Alexei’s trial case, since he is meant to continue his father’s work. But something is already churning beneath the surface, and the younger generation can see the horrors of the system their parents have created.

Download the English materials here!

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN 
Mistä valo pääsee sisään, Otava, 2021. 320 pp.

Rights sold: 
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

HUNGARY: Metropolis Media Group

About author


Anne-Maija Aalto

Anne-Maija Aalto is an award-winning Finnish author of both YA and adult fiction. Her YA novel Where the Light Comes In won the prestigious Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature in 2021 and has received praise for its effortless narration, beautiful prose and compellingly current story.

Where the Light Comes In is a standalone sequel for Dragonfly which was nominated for the Topelius Prize in 2020. The prize is awarded yearly to an expectional novel for young people, and the jury described Dragonfly as “a deeply touching and beautifully written story of friendship, loss and social inequality.” Her other works include YA novel Into Deep Water and novel The Silence of Snow. Her books often dwelve into the darker sides of humanity, exploring the themes of loss, loneliness, identity and coming of age.

Anne-Maija holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature from the University of Turku where she also studied English and creative writing. She lives in Turku with her husband and an extensive collection of half-filled notebooks. When she isn’t writing, she can most likely be found walking in nature with her camera or lounging on the couch with a good book.

Bibliography


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Where the Light Comes In

Anne-Maija Aalto


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Dragonfly

Anne-Maija Aalto

SNOW WHITE TRILOGY by Salla Simukka sold to Albania!

We are very excited to announce that the Albanian rights for the internationally bestselling YA series SNOW WHITE by Salla Simukka have been acquired by Muza!

Salla Simukka is Finland’s #1 internationally translated YA author with her SNOW WHITE TRILOGY which has been sold to 52 countries and has a major international TV show in the works in Hollywood.

The trilogy will have a series of relaunches all over the world, with Italian, Icelandic and Arabic rights also just recently updated.

Download the English PDFs for the whole trilogy here!

#1  AS RED AS BLOOD
17-year-old Lumikki Andersson goes to a high school of performing arts. She has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. However, the rule is put to the test on leap day when she finds washed five hundred euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom. It turns out that three students from Lumikki’s high school have in their possession plastic bags containing bloody notes, and soon Lumikki finds herself caught in a tangled web of international drug trade.

Elisa, one of the three students and daughter of a wealthy family, begins to suspect that her father, a police officer in the narcotics division, is somehow involved.
Lumikki is swept into a whirlpool of events and faces life-threatening situations on the run from Russian and Estonian criminals. Finally, after four hectic days, Lumikki finds herself in a huge mansion where the mysterious Polar Bear is having a legendary secret party. In the mansion, all secrets are revealed. It’s the coldest winter in decades; the streets of Tampere are frozen and white with snow. And nothing is as red against white snow as blood.

#2  AS WHITE AS SNOW
Lumikki Andersson is backpacking in Prague, where the weather is scorching hot. A girl approaches her in a small café and claims to be her half sister. Lumikki’s parents seem to be hiding a secret concerning the family’s past, so the girl’s claim rouses Lumikki’s interest. Despite her erratic behaviour, the girl manages to persuade Lumikki to join a religious family community.

Later it turns out that the members are no relation to each other, after all. But it is not until Lumikki learns that the cult leaders are planning mass suicide that she understands just how dangerous the cult is. Furthermore, someone is planning to profit from the tragedy. Lumikki gets acquainted with the streets and graveyards of Prague when she is forced to run for her life to prevent the tragedy. The religion of the cult is not pure; and innocence is not as white as snow.

#3  AS BLACK AS EBONY
Lumikki Andersson is set to play the leading role in a modern-day version of Snow White at her high school. The rehearsals are going well, and Lumikki seems to have found a stable and loving relationship with the boy playing the Huntsman. As opening night approaches, Lumikki starts receiving notes from a secret admirer whose infatuation soon turns out to be a dangerous obsession. The admirer threatens to turn the premiere into a blood bath unless Lumikki consents to his demands.

Lumikki tries to uncover the stalker’s true identity, and in doing so comes face to face with the darkest secrets from her past: being a victim of bullying at school and the mysterious disappearance of her sister from Lumikki’s life. Time is running out, the opening night is just around the corner and Lumikki has to find a way to outwit the stalker with a soul as black as ebony.

SNOW WHITE TRILOGY:

#1 PUNAINEN KUIN VERI
Tammi, 2013, 240 pp.

#2 VALKOINEN KUIN LUMI
Tammi, 2013, 240 pp.

#3 MUSTA KUIN EEBENPUU
Tammi, 2014, 250 pp.

FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ALBANIA: Muza
ARAB WORLD: Arab Scientific
ARGENTINA: Nuevo Extremo
AZERBAIJAN: Qanun
BELGIUM: Clavis
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: BTC Sahinpasic
BRAZIL: Novo Conceito
BULGARIA: Egmont
CANADA (French): Hachette Livre
CATALAN: La Galera
CHINA: Modern Press
CROATIA: Znanje
CZECH REPUBLIC: Egmont
DENMARK: Gyldendal
ESTONIA: Pegasus
FAROE ISLANDS: Bókadeildin
FRANCE: Hachette Livre
GEORGIA: Bakur Sulakauri
GERMANY: Arena
GREECE: Metaixmio
HUNGARY: Athenaeum
ICELAND: Forlagid
ICELAND: Storyside (audio and e-book rights)
INDONESIA: Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer
ISRAEL: Yedioth
ITALY: Mondadori
JAPAN: Nishimura
KOREA: Gimm Young
LATVIA: Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA: Alma Littera
MACEDONIA: Bata Press
MALAYSIA: Buku Fixi
MONTENEGRO: BTC Sahinpasic
NETHERLANDS: Clavis
NORWAY: Gyldendal
POLAND: Foksal/WAB
PORTUGAL: Presença
ROMANIA: Trei
RUSSIA, Eksmo
SERBIA: Vulkan
SLOVAKIA: Verbarium
SLOVENIA: Mladinska Knjiga
SPAIN: La Galera
SWEDEN: Rabén & Sjögren
TAIWAN: Emily Publishing
THAILAND: Nanmee Books
TURKEY: Altin Kitaplar
UNITED KINGDOM & COMMONWEALTH: Hot Key Books
UNITED STATES & CANADA: Penguin Random House/Crown
VIETNAM: Alpha Books

TV: Zerogravity

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.  Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has written books for young adults and children, and now also for adults, and travels the world talking about them.

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

Mondadori to relaunch SNOW WHITE TRILOGY in Italy!

We are really glad to let you know that the Italian rights to Salla Simukka’s bestselling SNOW WHITE TRILOGY have been renewed by Mondadori and relaunch of the series will happen in Italy! As a major international TV show is in the works in Hollywood this is the perfect time to start planning the relaunch of the Snow White series. The deal was closed by Elsa Lindström at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

“We are very proud to be the Italian publisher of Salla Simukka’s “Snow White Trilogy”. Being part of this big family is an honor.
We are pretty sure that the tv show will give Salla’s trilogy a new life and make her novels reach a new generation of readers who will fall for Lumikki and her story.
Actually, as all her readers, we cannot wait to see how the atmospheres and the characters of Salla’s novels have been translated into images and sounds. Luckily, we won’t have to wait long…”

– Simona Casonato, Young Adult Editor, Mondadori Italy

In January, Icelandic e-book and audio rights to SNOW WHITE TRILOGY were sold to StorySide.

“The Snow White Trilogy is an amazing YA series and I’m happy to be able to finally present the whole series for Icelandic readers. The books are extremely well written, total page-turners, and the main character is as cool as ice.”
– Stella Soffía Jóhannesdóttir, publishing coordinator, StorySide Iceland

Salla Simukka is # 1 Finland’s internationally translated author with her SNOW WHITE TRILOGY, sold to 52 countries and has a major international TV show in the works in Hollywood.

Download the English pdfs for the whole trilogy here

See Salla Simukka’s story of becoming a writer in the clip below.

Salla Simukka: “Books can be someone you can talk to when growing up”


SNOW WHITE TRILOGY
by Salla Simukka
#1 As Red as Blood
(Tammi, 2013)It’s the coldest winter in decades: the streets of Tampere are frozen and white with snow. And nothing is as red against white snow as blood…
17-year-old Lumikki Andersson goes to a high school of performing arts. She has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. However, the rule is put to the test on leap day when she finds washed five hundred euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom. Soon Lumikki finds herself caught in a tangled web of international drug trafficking.#2 As White as Snow
(Tammi, 2013)

Lumikki Andersson is backpacking in Prague, where the weather is scorching hot. A girl approaches her in a small café and claims to be her stepsister. Lumikki’s parents seem to be hiding a secret concerning the family’s past, so the girl’s claim rouses Lumikki’s interest. Despite her erratic behaviour, the girl manages to persuade Lumikki to join a religious community. But the religion of the cult is not pure; and innocence is not as white as snow…

#3 As Black as Ebony
(Tammi, 2014)

Lumikki Andersson is set to play the leading role in a modern-day version of Snow White at her high school. As opening night approaches, Lumikki starts receiving notes from a secret admirer whose infatuation soon turns out to be a dangerous obsession. The admirer threatens to turn the premiere into a bloodbath unless Lumikki consents to his demands. Time is running out, the opening night is just around the corner and Lumikki has to find a way to outwit the stalker with a soul as black as ebony.

Snow White Trilogy
by Salla Simukka

Rights sold:
FINLAND, Tammi (Orig,)

ALBANIA, Botime B-Books
ARAB WORLD, Arab Scientific
ARGENTINA, Nuevo Extremo
AZERBAIJAN, Qanun
BELGIUM, Clavis
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, BTC Sahinpasic
BRAZIL, Novo Conceito
BULGARIA, Egmont
CANADA (French), Hachette Livre
CATALAN, La Galera
CHINA, Modern Press
CROATIA, Znanje
CZECH REPUBLIC, Egmont
DENMARK, Gyldendal
ESTONIA, Pegasus
FAROE ISLANDS, Bókadeildin
FRANCE, Hachette Livre
GEORGIA, Bakur Sulakauri
GERMANY, Arena
GREECE, Metaixmio
HUNGARY, Athenaeum
ICELAND, Forlagid
ICELAND (e-book & audio): StorySide
INDONESIA, Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer
ISRAEL, Yedioth
ITALY, Mondadori
JAPAN, Nishimura
KOREA, Gimm Young
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA, Alma Littera
MACEDONIA, Bata Press
MALAYSIA, Buku Fixi
MONTENEGRO, BTC Sahinpasic
NETHERLANDS, Clavis
NORWAY, Gyldendal
POLAND, Foksal/WAB
PORTUGAL, Presença
ROMANIA, Trei
RUSSIA, Eksmo
SERBIA, Vulkan
SLOVAKIA, Verbarium
SLOVENIA, Mladinska
SPAIN, La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TAIWAN, Emily Publishing
THAILAND, Nanmee Books
TURKEY, Altin Kitaplar
UNITED KINGDOM & COMMONWEALTH, Hot Key Books
UNITED STATES & CANADA, Penguin Random House/Crown
VIETNAM, Alpha Books

TV & Film Rights:  Zero Gravity Management

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.  Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has written books for young adults and children, and now also for adults, and travels the world talking about them.

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

Introducing: EALA Spring 2022 Children’s & YA Catalogue!

EALA Spring 2022 Children’s & YA Rights Guide is here!

Bologna season starts now!

Today, we cannot be happier to launch our 2022 Spring list!

Figure out how to become a researcher, notice robots among us, solve secret codes and find out, how can plants move and where have thousands of species disappeared.

Celebrate a birthday with Little Mouse, build robots with Kati-e, see the pirate ships hit the shores near Little Shop of Nghtmares, meet the Super Embarassed Superhero and discover with Oboi the land where nobody reads.
To read a captivating story of rebellion, hope and humanity, go to water-covered future Japan with Aleksei and Satomi.

If you need a break go to an island with Anni  – but beware – a treasure hunt is about to begin!
If you are looking for ghost stories, move into a mysterious manor with Agnes and see the shadow in the mirror. Or go to Lapland to an orphanage, where children’s emotions are robbed by Demons.

We have over 10 exciting new Children’s and YA titles for you in our Spring 2022 digital catalogue, browse the full list here.


THE BOOK OF OBOI
by Veera Salmi

In the city where nobody reads – can a book save the World? What about an orphaned boy who doesn’t believe in stories?

A spectacular novel about a world where literacy has been decimated and a boy who does not believe in stories. Thirteen-year-old Oboi has run away to find his former homestead. He ends up in a peculiar and disaster-stricken city where no one knows how to read. People are led by the mysterious Wanda, who, via devices hooked up to one’s palm, says what everyone should know or do. At a flea market, Oboi meets a woman who gives him a book. According to her, this book can change everything and help find what Oboi thought was lost forever. Suddenly the story-averse Oboi notices he has become the hero, that orphaned boy deemed to save the whole world.Download the English sample and synopsis here


BENJAMIN BATEMAN – SUPER EMBARRASSED SUPERHERO
by Hannele Lampela, illustrated by Pasi PitkänenWhat if your superhero costume looked like a butterfly and your only superpowers would be having a good heart and an imagination?Welcome to the embarrassing life of Benjamin Bateman!The wholly hilarious and thrilling adventures of a super embarrassing superhero for middle-graders!Benjamin Bateman is stunned when he finds out that he is part of a family of superheroes. Who would’ve believed that about poor Benjamin?
Benjamin’s superhero costume is quite embarrassing though – a butterfly. And his superpower is even more mortifying – a good heart and imagination! But when Benjamin must battle the terrifying Mortem, a deep imagination will come in handy.
The story is enriched by the colorful illustrations of Pasi Pitkänen. A movie is being planned based on the title.Download the materials here


WHAT IS A ROBOT
by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Aapo Ravantti

Robots are all around us and we don’t even notice

  • Laura Ertimo’s Children’s non-fiction titles have sold to 18 countries
  • Pre-publication rights already sold to Estonia!

Friends Ro and Bot take a look at where one might bump into robots both now and in the future in this entertaining illustrated book. What do robots and humans have in common, and how do they differ?  Do robots think, can they have a crush on someone or even get mad?

Everything becomes clear in this amazing book by award-winning, bestselling children’s non-fiction author Laura Ertimo.

Download the reading materials here


WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN by Anne-Maija Aalto

Aleksei is a young man whose father runs a human research institute in Tokyo, which is now partly covered by the sea. New batches of test subjects regularly arrive at the facility, including one with Satomi, a young woman whose memory is set to be erased. Satomi becomes Aleksei’s trial case, since he is meant to continue his father’s work. But something is already churning beneath the surface, and the younger generation can see the horrors of the system their parents have created.

Anne-Maija Aalto’s Finlandia Award-winning Where the Light Comes In is a tremendously skillful, captivating story of rebellion, hope and humanity.

Download the English sample for this Finlandia-winner here!

 

… but that is not all!

We have 6 more exciting new Children’s and YA titles for you in our Spring 2022 digital catalogue, browse the full list here.

It would be so nice to talk about these and other titles with you!

Book an EALA Zoom meeting for the Spring season via e-mail: info@ahlbackagency.com

See you soon!

Team EALA,
Elina, Toomas, Elsa, Sten-Erik and Linda


Icelandic e-book and audio rights for SNOW WHITE TRILOGY now sold to StorySide

Congratulations, Salla Simukka!

Icelandic e-book and audio rights for SNOW WHITE TRILOGY now sold to StorySide!

We are really glad to let you know that the Icelandic e-book and audio rights for all 3 titles in SNOW WHITE TRILOGY have been sold to StorySide Iceland! The deal was closed by Toomas Aasmäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

The Snow White Trilogy is an amazing YA series and I’m happy to be able to finally present the whole series for Icelandic readers. The books are extremely well written, total page-turners, and the main character is as cool as ice.
– Stella Soffía Jóhannesdóttir, publishing coordinator, StorySide Iceland

Salla Simukka is # 1 Finland’s internationally most translated author with her SNOW WHITE TRILOGY that has been sold to 52 countries and has a major international TV show in the works in Hollywood.
Download the English pdfs for the whole trilogy here

See Salla Simukka’s story of becoming a writer in the clip below.

Salla Simukka: “Books can be someone you can talk to when growing up”


SNOW WHITE TRILOGY
by Salla Simukka
#1 As Red as Blood
(Tammi, 2013)It’s the coldest winter in decades: the streets of Tampere are frozen and white with snow. And nothing is as red against white snow as blood…
17-year-old Lumikki Andersson goes to a high school of performing arts. She has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. However, the rule is put to the test on leap day when she finds washed five hundred euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom. Soon Lumikki finds herself caught in a tangled web of international drug trafficking.#2 As White as Snow
(Tammi, 2013)

Lumikki Andersson is backpacking in Prague, where the weather is scorching hot. A girl approaches her in a small café and claims to be her stepsister. Lumikki’s parents seem to be hiding a secret concerning the family’s past, so the girl’s claim rouses Lumikki’s interest. Despite her erratic behaviour, the girl manages to persuade Lumikki to join a religious community. But the religion of the cult is not pure; and innocence is not as white as snow…

#3 As Black as Ebony
(Tammi, 2014)

Lumikki Andersson is set to play the leading role in a modern-day version of Snow White at her high school. As opening night approaches, Lumikki starts receiving notes from a secret admirer whose infatuation soon turns out to be a dangerous obsession. The admirer threatens to turn the premiere into a bloodbath unless Lumikki consents to his demands. Time is running out, the opening night is just around the corner and Lumikki has to find a way to outwit the stalker with a soul as black as ebony.

 

Snow White Trilogy
by Salla Simukka

Rights sold:

FINLAND, Tammi (Original publisher)
ALBANIA, Botime B-Books
ARAB WORLD, Arab Scientific
ARGENTINA, Nuevo Extremo
AZERBAIJAN, Qanun
BELGIUM, Clavis
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, BTC Sahinpasic
BRAZIL, Novo Conceito
BULGARIA, Egmont
CANADA (French), Hachette Livre
CATALAN, La Galera
CHINA, Modern Press
CROATIA, Znanje
CZECH REPUBLIC, Egmont
DENMARK, Gyldendal
ESTONIA, Pegasus
FAROE ISLANDS, Bókadeildin
FRANCE, Hachette Livre
GEORGIA, Bakur Sulakauri
GERMANY, Arena
GREECE, Metaixmio
HUNGARY, Athenaeum
ICELAND, Forlagid
ICELAND (e-book & audio): StorySide
INDONESIA, Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer
ISRAEL, Yedioth
ITALY, Mondadori
JAPAN, Nishimura
KOREA, Gimm Young
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA, Alma Littera
MACEDONIA, Bata Press
MALAYSIA, Buku Fixi
MONTENEGRO, BTC Sahinpasic
NETHERLANDS, Clavis
NORWAY, Gyldendal
POLAND, Foksal/WAB
PORTUGAL, Presença
ROMANIA, Trei
RUSSIA, Eksmo
SERBIA, Vulkan
SLOVAKIA, Verbarium
SLOVENIA, Mladinska
SPAIN, La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TAIWAN, Emily Publishing
THAILAND, Nanmee Books
TURKEY, Altin Kitaplar
UNITED KINGDOM & COMMONWEALTH, Hot Key Books
UNITED STATES & CANADA, Crown Books for Young Readers
VIETNAM, Alpha Books

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.  Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has written books for young adults and children, and now also for adults, and travels the world talking about them.

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

Lithuanian rights for NAONDEL (RED ABBEY CHRONICLES #2) acquired by Aukso pieva!

We are very excited to let you know that the Lithuanian rights for Naondel, the second chapter of Maria Turtschaninoff’s three-book series The Red Abbey Chronicles have been acquired by Aukso pieva. The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

There are now 30 foreign sales for The Red Abbey Chronicles, very recently also to Russian publishing company Eksmo and Korean Gimm-Young Publishers.

“Maresi will be the children’s hero following Harry Potter. Feminism and fantasy are completely woven together to catch not only fun but also lessons! It’s a must for children!”
– 
Soyeon Kim, Foreign Rights Manager, Gimm-Young Publishers

The Red Abbey Chronicles is a historically inspired feminist fantasy series with 30 foreign sales and a feature film based on the series in development by The Bureau.

The rights for the series are still available in Greece, Slovakia, Japan, the Czech Republic, Israel, Spain, etc.

Download full English PDFs for the series here

Red Abbey Chronicles by Maria Turtschaninoff

MARESI
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.

NAONDEL
An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

MARESI: RED MANTLE
The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love.

Watch a video of the author Maria Turtschaninoff sharing her inspiration for the titles.

Maria Turtschaninoff: “I crawled into every wardrobe I could find and I was very disappointed that none of them ever lead to Narnia”

Praise for the series:
“Maresi stands out for its startling originality, and for the frightening plausibility of the dangerous world it creates” – Rebecca Hawkes, Telegraph“It’s rare to find a YA fantasy with such polished writing… Utterly satisfying and completely different” – Booklist, starred review

“Dark, powerful and original… it really stands out in a very crowded YA marketplace. Thrilling, suspenseful and gloriously feminist” – The Bookseller

“It’s hard not to be impressed with Turtschaninoff’s magical world” – The Times

”The novel is at once contemporary and timeless. Its unwavering feminism is resolutely modern, resonating with a range of texts from Ursula Le Guin’s 2001 Tales from Earthsea to Disney’s Frozen. At the same time, it feels authentically ancient and mythic.” – The Guardian

”The first book in a very unusual fantasy/fairytale trilogy, bristling with feminism, inner darkness and intellectual questions” – The Daily Mail

Rights sold:

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

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1-2)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1-2)
BELGIUM, Clavis (Book 1-2)
BRAZIL, Morro Branco (Books 1-3)
BULGARIA, Izida (Books 1-3)
CANADA (English): Abrams (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)
KOREA: Gimm-Young Publishers
LATVIA, Petergailis (Book 1-2)
LITHUANIA, Aukso pieva (Book 1-2)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
ROMANIA, Univers (Books 1-2)
RUSSIA: Eksmo (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 & TV Rights: The Bureau/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, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. 

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 21 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

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

Russian rights pre-empted for RED ABBEY CHRONICLES. Now 30 rights sold!

We are very excited to let you know that the Russian rights for Maria Turtschaninoff’s three-book series The Red Abbey Chronicles have been acquired by one of the largest publishers in the world, Russian publisher Eksmo. 

“Red Abbey Chronicles is a fascinating project and idea! We are eager to introduce Maresi to Russian readers!” said Eksmo’s Foreign Rights Manager Alexey Smirnov.
There are now 30 foreign sales, very recently also to Korean Gimm-Young Publishers:

“Maresi will be the children’s hero following Harry Potter. Feminism and fantasy are completely woven together to catch not only fun but also lessons! It’s a must for children!”
– 
Soyeon Kim, Foreign Rights Manager, Gimm-Young Publishers

The Red Abbey Chronicles is a historically inspired feminist fantasy series with 30 foreign sales with a feature film based on the series in development by The Bureau.

The rights for the series are still available in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Iceland, Japan, Serbia, etc.

Download full English pdfs for the series here

Red Abbey Chronicles by Maria Turtschaninoff

MARESI
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.

NAONDEL
An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

MARESI: RED MANTLE
The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love.

Watch a video of the author Maria Turtschaninoff sharing her inspiration for the titles.

Maria Turtschaninoff: “I crawled into every wardrobe I could find and I was very disappointed that none of them ever lead to Narnia”

Rights sold:

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

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1-2)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1-2)
BELGIUM, Clavis (Book 1-2)
BRAZIL, Morro Branco (Books 1-3)
BULGARIA, Izida (Books 1-3)
CANADA (English): Abrams (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)
KOREA: Gimm-Young Publishers
LATVIA, Petergailis (Book 1-2)
LITHUANIA: Aukso Pieva (Book 1)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
ROMANIA, Univers (Books 1-2)
RUSSIA: Eksmo (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 & TV Rights: The Bureau/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, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. 

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 21 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

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

Thank You for an excellent year 2021 and Happy Holidays!

Elina Ahlback Literary Agency Team would like to Thank You all for an excellent year 2021 and wish you Happy Holidays! May Year 2022 bring us all joy and happiness.

With our brand new Finlandia Prize winner ’Where the Light Comes In’ by Anne-Maija Aalto we wish you Happy New Year 2022.

With gratitude,
Elina, Toomas, Ebba and Linda


Finlandia Prize winner WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN by Anne-Maija Aalto

The narration is effortless, the world distant yet timely. The great questions of humanity are present. The story elegantly invites young people to see how their relationships with their parents can change when they get to know them better 

– Perttu Pölönen, Futurist, Non-Fiction Author, Finlandia Prize Jury.

Finlandia Prize winner Anne-Maija Aalto’s WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN is the dystopian love story of two very different characters with different values set in a water-covered former Japan. What is a person if you take away their memory? Who determines what we believe?

A captivating story of rebellion, hope and humanity.

Download reading materials here

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN
(orig. Mistä valo pääsee sisään)
Otava, 2021


Introducing the Finlandia Prize winner 2021 Anne-Maija Aalto with the YA novel WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN

We are incredibly proud to announce that the Finlandia Prize winner for Children’s & Young Adult Literature this year, Anne-Maija Aalto with the YA novel WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN is now represented by Elina Ahlbäck Literary Agency.

Join us in welcoming and congratulating Anne-Maija Aalto!

Finlandia Prize winner Anne-Maija Aalto’s WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN is the dystopian love story of two very different characters with different values set in a water-covered former Japan.
Download the Finnish pdf for WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN from this link.

The English sample and synopsis are available in early January 2022. If you need a Finnish reader or translator, find them here.

Finlandia Prize Jury’s motivations:

The narration is effortless, the world distant yet timely. The great questions of humanity are present. The story elegantly invites young people to see how their relationships with their parents can change when they get to know them better.

  • Perttu Pölönen, Futurist, Non-Fiction Author

 


Finlandia Prize winner: WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN
by Anne-Maija Aalto
What is a person if you take away their memory? Who determines what we believe? A captivating story of rebellion, hope and humanity.

Alexei is a young man whose father runs a human research institute in Tokyo, which is now partly covered by the sea. New cargoes of test subjects regularly arrive at the facility, one containing Satomi, a young woman whose memory is set to be erased. Satomi becomes Alexei’s trial case, since he is meant to continue his father’s work. But something is already churning beneath the surface, and the younger generation can see the horrors of the system their parents have created.

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN won the Finlandia Prize and was also selected as the audience favorite among the Finlandia Prize for Children’s & Young Adult Literature nominees at the Cultural Gala held in December 2021..

The Finlandia Prize for Children’s & Young Adult Literature is a recognition presented by the Finnish Book Foundation for meritorious Finnish children’s and young adult writing. The amount of the award is 30,000 euros. The Finlandia Prizes were presented on December 1, 2021.


Anne-Maija Aalto (b. 1988) holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from the University of Turku. She enjoys good stories and traveling to foreign cities. Her acclaimed debut novel Into Deep Water was published in 2016. Her second novel, Dragonfly, appeared in 2020 and was nominated for the Topelius Prize. Her 2021 Where the Light Comes In is the 2021 Finlandia Prize winner.

Bibliography:

*   Into Deep Water, 2016
*   Dragonfly, 2020 – Topelius Prize nominee 2020
*   Where the Light Comes In, 2021  – Finlandia Prize winner 2021

WHERE THE LIGHT COMES IN
by Anne-Maija Aalto

Mistä valo pääsee sisään
Otava, September 2021, 320pp

RIGHTS SOLD:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

READING MATERIALS:

Finnish manuscript.
English sample and Synopsis coming early January 2022

About author


Anne-Maija Aalto

Anne-Maija Aalto is an award-winning Finnish author of both YA and adult fiction. Her YA novel Where the Light Comes In won the prestigious Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature in 2021 and has received praise for its effortless narration, beautiful prose and compellingly current story.

Where the Light Comes In is a standalone sequel for Dragonfly which was nominated for the Topelius Prize in 2020. The prize is awarded yearly to an expectional novel for young people, and the jury described Dragonfly as “a deeply touching and beautifully written story of friendship, loss and social inequality.” Her other works include YA novel Into Deep Water and novel The Silence of Snow. Her books often dwelve into the darker sides of humanity, exploring the themes of loss, loneliness, identity and coming of age.

Anne-Maija holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature from the University of Turku where she also studied English and creative writing. She lives in Turku with her husband and an extensive collection of half-filled notebooks. When she isn’t writing, she can most likely be found walking in nature with her camera or lounging on the couch with a good book.

Bibliography


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Where the Light Comes In

Anne-Maija Aalto


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Dragonfly

Anne-Maija Aalto

Hungarian rights for STORMSEYE by Meri Luttinen sold to Európa Könyvkiadó!

We are really happy to let you know that the award-winning YA fantasy debut STORMSEYE by Meri Luttinen has found its publisher in Hungary!

The happy new publisher is Európa Könyvkiadó, the Hungarian publisher for Christopher Paolini, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Kazuo Ishiguro, Stephen King, Milan Kundera, etc.

STORMSEYE is an adventure set in the ancient Finnish fantasy world and a touching story about a young woman finding her own place in society.
It won the coveted Topelius prize and was nominated for  Finlandia Prize for Children’s & YA literature 2020 and also Kuvastaja Award!

Download English sample and synopsis for STORMSEYE here!

Just recently the Russian rights were sold to one of the TOP40 publishers in the World –  Eksmo!

“We are glad to bring joy to our readers with such a wonderful book as Stormseye (Myrskynsilmä) by Meri Luttinen. It is an inspiring story that will certainly adorn our publishing portfolio. This is a book about a young girl looking for the place she belongs – exactly what we have been looking for a long time!”
– Alexey Smirnov, Foreign Rights Manager, Eksmo, Russia


STORMSEYE
by Meri Luttinen
A beautiful fantasy adventure set in the ancient Finnish fantasy world where a young woman finds her own place in the society

On a long midsummer night, when the sun never really sets, sixteen-year-old Kainu stands at the edge of a series of red circles drawn in ochre on the ground.

All young girls in her village discover what their future role in life is going to be by taking part in this ancient and traditional “rite of the circles”. Girls usually find that they end up in one of the more common circles that points them in the direction of roles such as matrons, mothers, or craftswomen. No one even dreams about the five most unique and select innermost circles, usually reserved for shamans and sages. Not one single girl has ever found themselves directed to one of the special circles for hundreds of years.

However, when Kainu enters the very middle circle which is that of a Great Sage, heavy responsibilities fall on her, and she has to go on a long journey to find out who she really is.

Praise for the award-winning STORMSEYE:

Set in an ancient Finnish fantasy world, the debut novel is a great story of a young woman growing up, it deals with difference, loneliness and overcoming one’s own fears.
– Topelius Prize Jury

Meri Luttinen is a skillful writer, her debut novel Myrskynsilmä is a masterful story that progresses effortlessly.
– 
Kirjavinkit blog, Finland

“he language of the book is highly nuanced, and the narrative flows like a gushy stream. Despite its volume, the novel is a real page-turner.
– 
Lastenkirjahylly Blog, FInland

The Finlandia Prize Nominee YA book Stormseye expands on the subject of being seen and being seen in the right way. — The story haunted me.
– Kangasalan Sanomat newspaper, Finland

STORMSEYE
(Myrskynsilmä)
WSOY, 2020, 397 pp.
Age group: 13 or 14+

READING MATERIALS:
English sample and synopsis

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: WSOY

HUNGARY: Európa Könyvkiadó
RUSSIA: Eksmo

About author


Meri Luttinen

Meri Luttinen is an award-winning Finnish debut writer from Tampere. Her debut Stormseye won the Topelius prize and was nominated for both Kuvastaja Award and Finlandia Prize for Children's & YA literature in 2020.

She has a Master's degree in Finnish language and literature and has worked teaching Finnish and creating study materials. Luttinen is fascinated by everyday life in different eras and wants to transport readers to other worlds with her texts.

Bibliography


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Stormseye

Meri Luttinen

Korean rights for Maria Turtschaninoff’s bestselling YA Fantasy novel series THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES acquired by Gimm-Young Publishers

The Korean rights for Maria Turtschaninoff’s bestselling YA Fantasy novel series THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES have now been acquired by Gimm-Young Publishers

We are excited to inform you that the Korean rights for Maria Turtschaninoff’s three-book series The Red Abbey Chronicles have been acquired by one of the major children’s books publisher in Korea, namely Gimm-Young Publishers. Their foreign title list includes authors such as Franziska Biermann, Michael Ende, and Victoria Ying.

The Korean publisher’s praise catches the spirit of the series:

“Maresi will be the children’s hero following Harry Potter. Feminism and fantasy are completely woven together to catch not only fun but also lessons! It’s a must for children!”
– 
Soyeon Kim, Foreign Rights Manager

The Red Abbey Chronicles is a historically inspired feminist fantasy whose rights have been sold to 29 territories. Additionally, a feature film is in development by The Bureau.

Download full English pdfs for the series here

Maria Turtschaninoff: “I crawled into every wardrobe I could find and I was very disappointed that none of them ever lead to Narnia”

We thank the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture for their financial support of the video project.
Red Abbey Chronicles by Maria Turtschaninoff

MARESI
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.

NAONDEL
An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

MARESI: RED MANTLE
The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love.

Praise for the series:

“Maresi stands out for its startling originality, and for the frightening plausibility of the dangerous world it creates” – Rebecca Hawkes, Telegraph

“It’s rare to find a YA fantasy with such polished writing… Utterly satisfying and completely different” – Booklist, starred review

“Dark, powerful and original… it really stands out in a very crowded YA marketplace. Thrilling, suspenseful and gloriously feminist” – The Bookseller

“It’s hard not to be impressed with Turtschaninoff’s magical world” – The Times

”The novel is at once contemporary and timeless. Its unwavering feminism is resolutely modern, resonating with a range of texts from Ursula Le Guin’s 2001 Tales from Earthsea to Disney’s Frozen. At the same time, it feels authentically ancient and mythic.”– The Guardian

”The first book in a very unusual fantasy/fairytale trilogy, bristling with feminism, inner darkness and intellectual questions” – The Daily Mail


 

RED ABBEY CHRONICLES

#1 Maresi, Schildts & Söderströms 2014 180 pp.
#2 Naondel, Förlaget , 2016, 400 pp.
#3 Breven från Maresi, Förlaget, 2018, 300 pp.

Rights sold:

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

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1-2)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1-2)
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)
KOREA: Gimm-Young Publishers
LATVIA, Petergailis (Book 1-2)
LITHUANIA: Aukso Pieva (Book 1)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
ROMANIA, Univers (Books 1-2)
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 & TV Rights: The Bureau/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, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. 

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 21 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

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

Russian rights for STORMSEYE by Meri Luttinen sold to Eksmo!

We are really happy to let you know that the award-winning historical debut STORMSEYE has found its first international publisher. Russian rights have been pre-empted by Eksmo –  the biggest publishing house in Russia. Among Eksmo’s authors who write books for the youth market are Naomi Novik, Terry Pratchett, Soman Chainani, Dan Poblocki, Jonathan Stroud, Julie Berry, as well as many notable Russian authors. Moreover, it is one of the leaders in the modern Russian book market.

“We are glad to bring joy to our readers with such a wonderful book as Stormseye (Myrskynsilmä) by Meri Luttinen. It is an inspiring story that will certainly adorn our publishing portfolio. This is a book about a young girl looking for the place she belongs – exactly what we have been looking for a long time!”
– Alexey Smirnov, Foreign Rights Manager, Eksmo, Russia

Download English sample and synopsis here!


Topelius Prize Winner 2020! Nominated for both Kuvastaja Award and Finlandia Prize for Children’s & YA literature 2020.

A beautiful historical fantasy adventure set in the ancient Finnish fantasy world where a young woman finds her own place in the society

On a long midsummer night, when the sun never really sets, sixteen year-old Kainu stands at the edge of a series of red circles drawn in ochre on the ground.

All young girls in her village discover what their future role in life is going to be by taking part in this ancient and traditional “rite of the circles”. Girls usually find that they end up in one of the more common circles that points them in the direction of roles such as matrons, mothers, or craftswomen. No one even dreams about the five most unique and select innermost circles, usually reserved for shamans and sages. Not one single girl has ever found themselves directed to one of the special circles for hundreds of years.

However, when Kainu enters the very middle circle which is that of a Great Sage, heavy responsibilities fall on her, and she has to go on a long journey to find out who she really is.

Praise:

“Set in an ancient Finnish fantasy world, the debut novel is a great story of a young woman growing up, it deals with difference, loneliness and overcoming one’s own fears.” – Topelius Prize Jury

“Meri Luttinen is a skillful writer, her debut novel Myrskynsilmä is a masterful story that progresses effortlessly.” – Kirjavinkit blog

“The language of the book is highly nuanced, and the narrative flows like a gushy stream. Despite its volume, the novel is a real page-turner.” – Lastenkirjahylly Blog

“The Finlandia Prize Nominee YA book Stormseye expands on the subject of being seen and being seen in the right way. — The story haunted me.” – Kangasalan Sanomat newspaper

STORMSEYE
Myrskynsilmä
WSOY, 2020, 397 pp.

 

Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)
RUSSIA: Eksmo

About author


Meri Luttinen

Meri Luttinen is an award-winning Finnish debut writer from Tampere. Her debut Stormseye won the Topelius prize and was nominated for both Kuvastaja Award and Finlandia Prize for Children's & YA literature in 2020.

She has a Master's degree in Finnish language and literature and has worked teaching Finnish and creating study materials. Luttinen is fascinated by everyday life in different eras and wants to transport readers to other worlds with her texts.

Bibliography


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Stormseye

Meri Luttinen

Russian rights for NORDIC HORROR series sold to Eksmo!

We are really happy to let you know that Nordic Horror series (2022-) has found its first international publisher!
Russian rights for titles 1-3 in the series were pre-empted by Eksmo –  the biggest publishing house in Russia!

We are happy to offer our readers a new, fascinating, shivering and appealing NORDIC HORROR series! Take a look at these covers – they engage and intrigue and attract eyes

– Alexey Smirnov, Foreign Rights Manager, Eksmo, Russia

Download the long synopses for the series and Full English manuscript for the first title – THE SHIVERING here.


Nordic Horror Series by A.R.S. Horkka

When the days are short, the nightmares are long.

Nordic Horror is an anthology series. Each novel introduces a new main character with fast-paced, original, and fun-to-read plots representing different horror subgenres with a Nordic twist. Furthermost, the stories are honest and emotional studies of their protagonists – about the fears that have made them who they are and how they still have to face the biggest of them all in the form of a monster.
The first “season” of seven books has already been acquired by Tammi in Finland, and the first books will be published in 2022.

#1: THE SHIVERING

When six-year-old Armas loses his parents in a plane accident, he is sent to a remote orphanage in northern Lapland, where children are called “hot bloods” who need to be “cooled down.”
What people don’t know is that by “cooling down”, children are actually losing their emotions to demons. Now 16-year-old Armas has to get all his emotions back by killing every monster in the process, including the oldest and the most dangerous of them all – the demon queen called the Snow Lady.

Download the materials for #1 The Shivering and the rest of the series here

Book 2: THE CLOCKWORK WHISPERER

Two fifteen-year-old steam engineering cadets, Orca and Vapor, each make a death-defying trip to Helsinki, the Lead City, which is teeming with clockwork zombies and enemy soldiers, to retrieve their beloved mentor, Professor Aeris, the Imperial Clockwork Whisperer, and the Fire Stone, a magical object with the ability to heal the plague raging in the empire and end the war with the Blood Army.

Book 3: THE STAND-IN
After a brain tumor diagnosis, 18-year-old Taika, an avid member of a historical reenactment group, develops a psychic connec- tion to a medieval noblewoman, a Viking berserker, and a Finnish civil war photo- grapher. Now Taika must help them with their troubles, and they help her, to the point of curing her cancer. Ultimately we learn that the ghost that has been haunting her has been herself all along.

Book 4: CHILDREN OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN
As punishment for using ancient forest magic, 16-year-old Dia, who suffers from Tourette syndrome, is sent to spend her summer holiday with her grandmother on a remote island, where she ends up solving a decades-old mystery involving the mur- der of several children but almost falls victim to a macabre Midsummer’s Eve ritual.

Book 5: THE MURDER BALLADS
A Wannabe guitar slinger/vocalist Krista and her goofy heavy metal band break their idol, the iconic black metal singer and total nutcase Jennifer, out of a mental hospital to get their hands on her notorious demo tapes. But when the murder ballads come to life, Krista must find a way to undo the curse before the monsters kill them all.

Book 6: THE BLACK BEETLE
Maija is 18 years old, friendless, and seri- ously ill. When she becomes the owner of a black VW Beetle, a car with an evil mind of its own infamous for its connections to a series of recent murders, it unlocks her suppressed memories of being a 600-year- old vampire. Now she realizes that she must save her fellow vampires from a ruthless biotech company that is harvesting their blood to massproduce the elixir of youth.

Book 7: WERESONG
Nooa is a sensitive and quiet art student who is interested in costume design.
But all that changes when a mysterious werewolf pelt comes into his possession. Passed down through the ages, it protects him and all of his reincarnations as he uses his newfound powers to fight against a vicious serial killer who wants to avenge his sister’s murder.

NORDIC HORROR SERIES, Books 1-7
Tammi, 2022-
Age group: 15+

READING MATERIALS:
Series introduction
English manuscript of Book 1
Long synopses of Books 1-7

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi
(Books 1-7, orig.)
RUSSIA: Eksmo
(Books 1-3)

About author


A.R.S. Horkka

A.R.S. Horkka is a very private person and feels unwelcomed in social situations. This author doesn't give interviews, refusing to step into the public spotlight. Horkka is a human being without a face, skin color, or gender. Part of the Nordic Horror series lure and 'lore' is that its author is just a "story," among other stories.

A.R.S. Horkka is also a pseudonym for wife-and-husband author-illustrator duo Riina and Sami Kaarla and author Anders Vacklin. They are Team Horkka, and this team is on fire. Because - Season 2 is coming!
The authors are already planning seven new Nordic Horror novels.

Riina and Sami Kaarla have worked for over a decade as an author-illustrator duo. They have written and illustrated dozens of internationally sold Moomin books based on characters created by Tove Jansson. Their latest children’s novel series, “Pet Agents” has also been an international success. Its rights are now sold to six countries.

Anders Vacklin is a prize-winning screenwriter, dramaturge, script doctor, creative writing teacher, and author of several non-fiction books on scriptwriting. He has written stage plays, musicals, and even a Virtual Reality game. Anders has also co-authored a YA novel-trilogy based on a script for a short film, a success at PAGE, BlueCat, and ScreenCraft screenwriting competitions.

Bibliography


2023, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Nordic Horror Series: Book 5: Children of the Midnight Sun

A.R.S. Horkka


2023, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Nordic Horror Series: Book 4: Murder Ballads

A.R.S. Horkka


2022, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Nordic Horror Series: Book 2: The Clockwork Whisperer

A.R.S. Horkka


2022, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Nordic Horror Series: Book 3: The Stand-In

A.R.S. Horkka


2022, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Nordic Horror Series: Book 1: The Shivering

A.R.S. Horkka

AUTHORS’ AUGUST ends on a high note: watch Maria Turtschaninoff describe the ideas behind her bestselling YA Fantasy novels

Authors’ August ends on a high note!

Watch how bestselling YA Fantasy author Maria Turtschaninoff describes becoming a writer and the ideas behind the worlds she has created.

Elina Ahlback Literary Agency has produced in collaboration with Kintsugi Agency five cinematic Author Videos.
In Authors’ August,
 we are extremely proud to launch these unique author videos one by one.

In previous weeks we have launched Laura LindstedtMax SeeckSalla Simukka and A.M. Ollikainen and this week we are happy to end the Authors’ August on a high note with Maria Turtschaninoff!

See all 5 videos here.

Maria Turtschaninoff: “I crawled into every wardrobe I could find and I was very disappointed that none of them ever lead to Narnia”

We thank the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture for their financial support of the video project.

Red Abbey Chronicles by Maria Turtschaninoff

MARESI
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.

NAONDEL
An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

MARESI: RED MANTLE
The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love.

Download full English pdfs for the series here

Praise for the series:
“Maresi stands out for its startling originality, and for the frightening plausibility of the dangerous world it creates” – Rebecca Hawkes, Telegraph

“It’s rare to find a YA fantasy with such polished writing… Utterly satisfying and completely different” – Booklist, starred review

“Dark, powerful and original… it really stands out in a very crowded YA marketplace. Thrilling, suspenseful and gloriously feminist” – The Bookseller

“It’s hard not to be impressed with Turtschaninoff’s magical world”
– The Times

”The novel is at once contemporary and timeless. Its unwavering feminism is resolutely modern, resonating with a range of texts from Ursula Le Guin’s 2001 Tales from Earthsea to Disney’s Frozen. At the same time, it feels authentically ancient and mythic.”
– The Guardian

”The first book in a very unusual fantasy/fairytale trilogy, bristling with feminism, inner darkness and intellectual questions”
– The Daily Mail

RED ABBEY CHRONICLES

#1 Maresi, Schildts & Söderströms 2014 180pp
#2 Naondel, Förlaget , 2016, 400pp
#3 Breven från Maresi, Förlaget, 2018, 300pp

Rights sold or the series:

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

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1-2)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1-2)
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)
LITHUANIA: Aukso Pieva (Book 1)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
ROMANIA, Univers (Books 1-2)
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 & TV Rights: The Bureau/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, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. 

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 21 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

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

Authors’ August continues! How did one of the bestselling Finnish authors of all time – Salla Simukka – start writing and why did she choose Young Adult as her genre?

Elina Ahlback Literary Agency has produced in collaboration with Kintsugi Agency five cinematic Author Videos.
In Authors’ August,
 we are extremely proud to launch these unique author videos one by one.In previous weeks we have launched Laura Lindstedt and Max Seeck and this week we are happy to present Salla Simukka!WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE:

Salla Simukka: “Books can be someone you can talk to when growing up”

We thank the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture for their financial support of the video project.


The most recent YA title by Salla Simukka is IN THE DARK I CAN BE YOURS, which talks about a relationship between two girls in one summer and about setting yourself free from prejudice.

Salla Simukka is most known for her SNOW WHITE TRILOGY that was sold to 52 countries with a major FILM/TV project in the works.


IN THE DARK I CAN BE YOURS 
by Salla Simukka

If your love can only be a secret, will it last?

Salla Simukka is Finland’s most internationally bestselling author with the Snow White Trilogy (sold in 52 countries)

Varpu and Saga are two sixteen-year-old girls that are forced to stay in their hometown for the summer. After just one drunken kiss, prejudice and identity are shattered and it’s revealed how behind the facade, everyone hurts and loves the same.

In The Dark I Can be Yours is a touching and beautiful title about great emotions in the summer. The authentic characters are supported by Simukka’s light and airy narrative.  Each side of the book tells one girl’s story, which effortlessly melts together into a summer of love, insecurities, and exploration of two young people.

Download the full English pdf here


SNOW WHITE TRILOGY
by Salla Simukka

#1 As Red as Blood
(Tammi, 2013)

It’s the coldest winter in decades: the streets of Tampere are frozen and white with snow. And nothing is as red against white snow as blood…
17-year-old Lumikki Andersson goes to a high school of performing arts. She has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. However, the rule is put to the test on leap day when she finds washed five hundred euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom. Soon Lumikki finds herself caught in a tangled web of international drug trafficking.

#2 As White as Snow
(Tammi, 2013)

Lumikki Andersson is backpacking in Prague, where the weather is scorching hot. A girl approaches her in a small café and claims to be her stepsister. Lumikki’s parents seem to be hiding a secret concerning the family’s past, so the girl’s claim rouses Lumikki’s interest. Despite her erratic behaviour, the girl manages to persuade Lumikki to join a religious community. But the religion of the cult is not pure; and innocence is not as white as snow…

#3 As Black as Ebony
(Tammi, 2014)

Lumikki Andersson is set to play the leading role in a modern-day version of Snow White at her high school. As opening night approaches, Lumikki starts receiving notes from a secret admirer whose infatuation soon turns out to be a dangerous obsession. The admirer threatens to turn the premiere into a bloodbath unless Lumikki consents to his demands. Time is running out, the opening night is just around the corner and Lumikki has to find a way to outwit the stalker with a soul as black as ebony.

Download the English editions for the series here

 


Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences. These days she writes books for young adults and children, and travels the world talking about them.

Snow White Trilogy
by Salla Simukka

Rights sold:

FINLAND, Tammi (Original publisher)
ALBANIA, Botime B-Books
ARAB WORLD, Arab Scientific
ARGENTINA, Nuevo Extremo
AZERBAIJAN, Qanun
BELGIUM, Clavis
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, BTC Sahinpasic
BRAZIL, Novo Conceito
BULGARIA, Egmont
CANADA (French), Hachette Livre
CATALAN, La Galera
CHINA, Modern Press
CROATIA, Znanje
CZECH REPUBLIC, Egmont
DENMARK, Gyldendal
ESTONIA, Pegasus
FAROE ISLANDS, Bókadeildin
FRANCE, Hachette Livre
GEORGIA, Bakur Sulakauri
GERMANY, Arena
GREECE, Metaixmio
HUNGARY, Athenaeum
ICELAND, Forlagid
INDONESIA, Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer
ISRAEL, Yedioth
ITALY, Mondadori
JAPAN, Nishimura
KOREA, Gimm Young
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA, Alma Littera
MACEDONIA, Bata Press
MALAYSIA, Buku Fixi
MONTENEGRO, BTC Sahinpasic
NETHERLANDS, Clavis
NORWAY, Gyldendal
POLAND, Foksal/WAB
PORTUGAL, Presença
ROMANIA, Trei
RUSSIA, Eksmo
SERBIA, Vulkan
SLOVAKIA, Verbarium
SLOVENIA, Mladinska
SPAIN, La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TAIWAN, Emily Publishing
THAILAND, Nanmee Books
TURKEY, Altin Kitaplar
UNITED KINGDOM & COMMONWEALTH, Hot Key Books
UNITED STATES & CANADA, Crown Books for Young Readers
VIETNAM, Alpha Books

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.  Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has written books for young adults and children, and now also for adults, and travels the world talking about them.

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

Introducing NEW AUTHORS for Elina Ahlbäck Literary Agency this Fall 2021!

We are extremely happy to announce seven new authors for our Fall 2021 catalogue!

FICTIONKatja KallioKaj Korkea-ahoMartta Kaukonen and Jyrki Erra
NON-FICTIONIsmo Leikola and Angelika Leikola
YOUNG ADULTA.R.S. Horkka

Please join us in welcoming them aboard, read more about the new exciting authors and their titles below and see our Fall 2021 catalogue here.Thank you!

Team EALA
Elina, Toomas, Ebba and Linda

 


FICTION: 
Katja Kallio is a critically acclaimed bestselling author and screenwriter. Since her striking debut on the Finnish literature scene in 2000, she has described the life and faith of misfit women at odds with the community, in modern and past times, with her distinctive voice and thoroughly visual style.

Kallio is praised for her accurate portrayals of the human mind. In her six novels she revisits themes such as the constant push-and-pull between distance and intimacy in a person’s life and the meaning of passion as a barrier-breaking force. Katja Kallio’s books have sold more than 180,000 copies in Finland.

Her new, much-anticipated novel THIS TRANSPARENT HEART, available in Finnish in August 2021, tells the forbidden love story of a young Finnish woman and a Soviet POW during WW2.

Young Beata returns home to war-torn Hanko in the winter of 1942. When she accidentally encounters a prisoner of war who sees directly into her innermost being, life changes irreversibly. Forbidden love puts Beata and Ivan at risk for their lives, but they can’t stay apart. In the moment of reckoning, Beata has to ask herself whether one can ever truly know their beloved – or even themselves.

Download English materials for THIS TRANSPARENT HEART here.

 


 

Kaj Korkea-aho is a writer, columnist and a comedian. Moreover, he has a career as an actor and a host in TV and radio. In his varied acting roles, he has often taken a stand for the rights of queer people, and his texts often discuss themes such as growing up, sexual minorities, religious revival communities and literature.

Korkea-aho has published four novels which have been already translated into six languages. and have scored several prizes, such as The Swedish Literary Society’s prize, the Thanks for the Book Award AND the Längmans Cultural Foundation’s prize.

Together with Ted Forsström, they run the Ted & Kaj podcast, one of the biggest podcasts in Finland.

Korkea-aho’s latest title THE RED ROOM describes lust and power colliding in an upscale apartment in fashionable southern Helsinki.

At first, it’s just a joke: a newspaper ad in which a young writer promises to write a book in exchange for an affordable apartment. But when a gentleman living alone offers him the home of his dreams, the young man finds himself involved in a remarkable game.

He begins to write a story that takes the reader to the labyrinth of desire and submission, to the nightlife of 1980s Helsinki, and to the intricate setups of relationships between men – but what is his place in it?

Download English materials for THE RED ROOM here.

 


Martta Kaukonen (1976) lives in Helsinki and is a film critic, whose reviews have been published in both Finland’s biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and a popular women’s weekly magazine Me Naiset. Martta has a master’s degree in arts. She has interviewed the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Justin Bieber. Martta met her future husband at his second-hand bookshop and fell in love.

Alongside writing, Martta loves psychological thrillers, film noir, flea markets, abandoned houses and travelling.

Martta’s debut novel GUIDE ME, BUTTERFLY was published in March 2021.

Ida, 20, a serial killer who was abducted as a child, starts therapy with celebrity therapist Clarissa. Only one of them knows that they share a mutual secret from the past. Will the other one realize it before she gets murdered?

Clarissa is a middle-aged psychotherapist, the best in her field. She is familiar to everyone from her TV appearances and from glossy magazines. For her, every patient is a princess. And someone only she can save. Or can she? Clarissa already has one suicide to answer for; a teenage boy’s death never seizes to haunt her.

When Ida becomes Clarissa’s patient, a cat-and-mouse game begins in which rules are followed by no one. The kind of game that never ends well.

Download English materials for GUIDE ME, BUTTERFLY here.

Jyrki Erra, born in 1950, is an architect and an author. He lives and works in Helsinki with his spouse, who is also an architect.

As a counterbalance to his work as an architect and large design projects, in 2012 he published his first novel, a historical thriller named The Pages (Kaunasin sivut). This was followed in 2015 by The Hounds of Berlin (Berliinin ajokoirat), an espionage novel set during the final stages of the Cold War. Inspired by Roman events architecture and the discovery of a lost Caravaggio masterpiece, in 2020 he published LEAD WHITE.

Axel Wallas is a Finnish painter and Caravaggio expert, who is asked to consult a professor of art history about a painting that may be a masterpiece of Caravaggio himself. He is unable to give a definite estimate. The next morning the professor is found murdered and the painting is gone.

Surprisingly, Axel’s wife, Elina, has failed to return on her flight from Rome without telling him. Are the cases related?

Axel travels to Italy in search of his spouse, but finds himself in the middle of a devastating power struggle. How many lives does a painting worth millions require before it reveals its secrets?

Download English materials for LEAD WHITE here.

 


Ismo Leikola, known professionally also as ISMO, is the most successful stand-up comedian to come from Finland. He’s also an author, musician, screenwriter, and YouTuber.

ISMO made his United States debut in 2014 when he was awarded the title of “The Funniest Person in the World” in a contest organized by the comedy club Laugh Factory.

He became an internationally known stand-up comic after his 2018 performance on Conan O’Brien’s TV show and made history by being the show’s most-watched stand-up clip ever with over 90 million views on TeamCoco’s Facebook. He has also appeared on James Corden’s TV show and his talent in joking about language resulted in a collaboration with the prestigious Merriam Webster dictionary. He tours in the US and worldwide.

Angelika Leikola has been the hidden assistant-writer of her comedian husband ISMO for thirteen years. Angelika has a master’s degree in literature. She has also studied journalism and linguistics. Now the world is finally able to hear her own voice and humor through the couple’s collaboration in the book SURVIVING HOLLYWOOD WITH COMEDY.

Finnish comedian-writer couple arrives in Los Angeles. Is the city ready for them?

The authors share their personal story of navigating through the Hollywood comedy industry and the American way of life as a freshly arrived writer-comedian couple from a very different society.

As they examine this new world and how their old one looks from afar, they end up realizing their life is like an ongoing stand-up bit. And that the line between tragedy and comedy is truly so fine it’s in many ways non-existent.

Download the English proposal for SURVIVING HOLLYWOOD WITH COMEDY here

 

 


A.R.S. Horkka is also a pseudonym for wife-and-husband author-illustrator duo Riina and Sami Kaarla and author Anders Vacklin.The authors are already planning seven new Nordic Horror novels.

Riina and Sami Kaarla have worked for over a decade as an author-illustrator duo. They have written and illustrated dozens of internationally sold Moomin books based on characters created by Tove Jansson. Their latest children’s novel series, “Pet Agents” has also been an international success. Its rights are now sold to six countries.

Anders Vacklin is a prize-winning screenwriter, dramaturge, script doctor, creative writing teacher, and author of several non-fiction books on scriptwriting. He has written stage plays, musicals, and even a Virtual Reality game. Anders has also co-authored a YA novel-trilogy based on a script for a short film, a success at PAGE, BlueCat, and ScreenCraft screenwriting competitions.

Their new collaboration NORDIC HORROR is an anthology series. Each novel introduces a new main character with fast-paced, original, and fun-to-read plots representing different horror subgenres with a Nordic twist. Furthermost, the stories are honest and emotional studies of their protagonists – about the fears that have made them who they are and how they still have to face the biggest of them all in the form of a monster.

The first “season” of seven books has already been acquired by Tammi in Finland, and the first book Cold will be published in 2022.

#1: COLD 

“I dont live in the cold, the cold lives in me.”

When six-year-old Armas loses his parents in a plane accident, he is sent to a remote orphanage in northern Lapland, where children are called “hot bloods” who need to be “cooled down.”
What people don’t know is that by “cooling down”, children are actually losing their emotions to demons. Now 16-year-old Armas has to get all his emotions back by killing every monster in the process, including the oldest and the most dangerous of them all – the demon queen called the Snow Lady.

Download more English materials about the NORDIC HORROR series here


EALA Fall 2021 Children’s Rights Guide is here!

EALA Fall 2021 Rights Guide is here!

Frankfurt season starts now!

Enter the red carpet with Anni, meet the girls Varpu and Saga and their fragile summer love or get lost in Nordic Horror? The choice is yours!

We have 9 exciting new Children’s and YA titles for you in our Fall 2021 digital catalogue, browse the full list here.

FEATURED NEW TITLES:

Nordic Horror Series by A.R.S. Horkka

When the days are short, the nightmares are long.

Nordic Horror is an anthology series. Each novel introduces a new main character with fast-paced, original, and fun-to-read plots representing different horror subgenres with a Nordic twist. Furthermost, the stories are honest and emotional studies of their protagonists – about the fears that have made them who they are and how they still have to face the biggest of them all in the form of a monster.

The first “season” of seven books has already been acquired by Tammi in Finland, and the first book Cold will be published in 2022.

#1: Cold
I dont live in the cold, the cold lives in me.

When six-year-old Armas loses his parents in a plane accident, he is sent to a remote orphanage in northern Lapland, where children are called “hot bloods” who need to be “cooled down.”
What people don’t know is that by “cooling down”, children are actually losing their emotions to demons. Now 16-year-old Armas has to get all his emotions back by killing every monster in the process, including the oldest and the most dangerous of them all – the demon queen called the Snow Lady.

 


In the Dark I Can Be Yours
by Salla Simukka

If your love can only be a secret, will it last?Varpu and Saga are two sixteen-year-old girls that are forced to stay in their hometown for the summer. After just one drunken kiss, prejudice and identity are shattered and it’s revealed how behind the facade, everyone hurts and loves the same. In The Dark I Can be Yours is a touching and beautiful title about great emotions in the summer.

The authentic characters are supported by Simukka’s light and airy narrative. Each side of the book tells one girl’s story, which effortlessly melts together into a summer of love, insecurities, and exploration of two young people.

 


Anni the Friend Tamer on The Red Carpet
by Kaisa Paasto, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

If doing good was easy, everyone would do it!

Anni is inspired to do something good. Her class is shown a news clip about a hurricane in Brazil, and in the clip Anni sees a girl with a t-shirt exactly like one that Anni has in her closet.

She is moved to do something. With her friend Riia she starts to make a movie that will be shown in the library auditorium, to collect money for charity work in Brazil. But everything does not go as planned – the movie is hijacked by “the pink girls”. Anni’s mom is also in a crisis. It doesn’t look like she is going to make money with her blog, but she doesn’t know what else to do with her life. If Anni is not short on something, it’s ideas!

In the second title of the series, Anni learns that doing good is surprisingly easy – and surprisingly hard. The secret might after all be… teamwork.

 

… but that is not all!

We have 6 more exciting new Children’s and YA titles for you in our Fall 2021 digital catalogue, browse the full list here.

It would be so nice to talk about these and other titles with you!
Book an EALA Zoom meeting for the fall season via e-mail: info@ahlbackagency.com

See you soon!

Team EALA,
Elina, Toomas, Ebba and Linda



Salla Simukka nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award!

Salla Simukka nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award!

We are really happy to share the news that our author Salla Simukka is nominated for upcoming 2022 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award – the world’s largest children’s and young people’s book award!

The prize, established in 2002, is worth SEK 5 million and is awarded annually to one or more individuals. The award criteria are, among other things, the high quality of the works and the production, which has been carried out in the spirit of Astrid Lindgren.

Finnish Section of IBBY, Finnish Institute for Children’s Literature and Finnish Library Association nominated Salla Simukka and Linda Bondestam to represent Finnish children’s literature in the competition for the prestigious award.

Congratulations, Salla!

Below you can see some of Salla Simukka’s excellent titles!

NEW: TWO GIRLS, ONE SUMMER by Salla Simukka 
(Matalapaine/ Korkeapaine)The touching and beautiful title about great emotions in the summer is supported by Simukka’s light and airy narrative,A powerful, authentic novel about the summer and love, insecurities, and exploration of two young people by the popular YA author.Published 27th of May 2021, English materials coming soon!
Let us know of your interest by clicking here!
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi


THE SNOW WHITE TRILOGY

AS RED AS BLOOD by Salla Simukka
17-year-old Lumikki Andersson goes to a high school of performing arts. She has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. However, the rule is put to the test on leap day when she finds washed five hundred euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom. It turns out that three students from Lumikki’s high school have in their possession plastic bags containing bloody notes, and soon Lumikki finds herself caught in a tangled web of international drug trade.
AS WHITE AS SNOW by Salla Simukka
Lumikki Andersson is backpacking in Prague, where the weather is scorching hot. A girl approaches her in a small café and claims to be her half sister. Lumikki’s parents seem to be hiding a secret concerning the family’s past, so the girl’s claim rouses Lumikki’s interest. Despite her erratic behaviour, the girl manages to persuade Lumikki to join a religious family community. She gets acquainted with the streets and graveyards of Prague when she is forced to run for her life to prevent the tragedy. The religion of the cult is not pure; and innocence is not as white as snow.
AS BLACK AS EBONY by Salla Simukka
Lumikki Andersson is set to play the leading role in a modern-day version of Snow White at her high school. The rehearsals are going well, and Lumikki seems to have found a stable and loving relationship with the boy playing the Huntsman. As opening night approaches, Lumikki starts receiving notes from a secret admirer whose infatuation soon turns out to be a dangerous obsession. The admirer threatens to turn the premiere into a blood bath unless Lumikki consents to his demands.
RIGHTS SOLD: THE SNOW WHITE TRILOGY
FINLAND,  Tammi (orig.), ALBANIA,  Botime B-Books,  ARAB WORLD,  Arab Scientific,  ARGENTINA,  Nuevo Extremo,  AZERBAIJAN,  Qanun,  BELGIUM,  Clavis, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA,  BTC Sahinpasic,  BRAZIL,  Novo Conceito, BULGARIA,  Egmont, CANADA (French),  Hachette Livre,  CATALAN,  La Galera, CHINA,  Modern Press, CROATIA,  Znanje, CZECH REPUBLIC,  Egmont, DENMARK,  Gyldendal, ESTONIA,  Pegasus, FAROE ISLANDS,  Bókadeildin, , FRANCE,  Hachette Livre, GEORGIA,  Bakur Sulakauri, GERMANY,  Arena, GREECE,  Metaixmio, HUNGARY,  Athenaeum, ICELAND,  Forlagid, INDONESIA,  Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer, ISRAEL,  Yedioth, ITALY,  Mondadori, JAPAN,  Nishimura, KOREA,  Gimm Young, LATVIA,  Zvaigzne, LITHUANIA,  Alma Littera, MACEDONIA,  Bata Press, MALAYSIA,  Buku Fixi, MONTENEGRO,  BTC Sahinpasic, NETHERLANDS,  Clavis, NORWAY,  Gyldendal, POLAND,  Foksal/WAB, PORTUGAL,  Presença, ROMANIA,  Trei, RUSSIA,  Eksmo, SERBIA,  Vulkan, SLOVAKIA,  Verbarium, SLOVENIA,  Mladinska, SPAIN,  La Galera, SWEDEN,  Rabén & Sjögren, TAIWAN,  Emily Publishing, THAILAND,  Nanmee Books, TURKEY,  Altin Kitaplar, UNITED KINGDOM & COMMONWEALTH,  Hot Key Books, UNITED STATES & CANADA,  Penguin Random House/Crown Books for Young Readers, VIETNAM,  Alpha Books, TV RIGHTS: Zerogravity Management (”Ozark”)
Download materials here


 

DETAINED by Salla Simukka
Fifty teenagers aged 16-17 are introduced to a fully automated prison with no guards or other staff. Probability calculations have shown that each of them will commit a crime at some time in their lives that will send them to prison.This is their last chance. They must solve their future crimes, confess them in the prison’s Confession Room, and demonstrate remorse. If they do, they will be set free. If they fail to discover their crimes before they reach age eighteen, they will remain in prison to serve their full sentences.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi (orig.), ESTONIA: Pegasus

Download materials here

SISTERLAND by Salla Simukka
In the heart of Sisterland lies a wonderful garden full of all kinds of peculiar creatures: wind fairies, dream weavers and asking flowers. And in one tree, on a swing, is Marissa. All Alice has ever wanted is a best friend and now her dream has come true! But the girls have not ended up in Sisterland by coincidence. They must find the queen who rules  Sisterland to end the endless snowfall in their own world. However, Alice faces the hardest task when Marissa seems to have forgotten about their friendship.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi (orig.), Belgium&Netherlands: Clavis, CHINA: Hunan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House, ESTONIA: Pegasus, FRANCE: Hachette Black Moon, JAPAN: Nishimura Co., Ltd., LATVIA: Zvaigzne ABC Publishers, UNITED STATES: Crown Books for Young Readers, WORLD ARABIC: Arab Scientific Publishers, Inc.

Download materials here

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS! TURN ON THE LIGHTS! by Salla Simukka
A collection of ”little awesome stories and little awful stories” from Finland’s internationally most successful YA author.What is the most awful or the most awesome thing that has happened to you? Salla Simukka’s anticipated new book includes little awful stories and little awesome stories about young people’s lives. Why are under-fifteens not allowed in the basement? What happened in Dog’s Head Park? Who makes nightly visits in Klara’s solitary confinement room? What does it take to make out with lights on?
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi (orig.), LATVIA: Zvaigzne ABC Publishers

Download materials here

ELSEWHERE by Salla Simukka
Eighteen-year-old Samuel is the stereotypical nerd. His nights are spent playing on the computer and his days in bed. Now that he has finished school, Samuel is in danger of completely losing touch with society. But then he is invited to join a secret project that pays shockingly well. Samuel is caught up in the construction of a virtual world that is full of surprises. However, the biggest surprise for him is that he falls in love. Everything else loses its meaning when Samuel decides to save Emmi, the girl of his dreams. Elsewhere is an astounding vision of what the world of virtual gaming could become in the near future. It also deals with the difficulties of relationships between parents and children and the inability of adults to cope with many of the problems young people face. And of course it is a story of first love, which is always intense, turbulent and beautiful.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi (orig.), NETHERLANDS: Clavis Books

Download materials here

WITHOUT A TRACE by Salla Simukka
Have you ever wished that everyone else in the world would just disappear? You’d better watch out what you wish for.Emmi Aalto is a 15-year-old girl who feels like she doesn’t have anything. She hasn’t figured out what she’s good at in school yet; she’s still just a “Potential”. Her family doesn’t seem to pay any attention to her at home. And she has never had any friends. Emmi decides to run away, so she could at least  become the girl who disappeared. But when she comes back home, there’s no one there. Or next door. Or in the entire town. Everyone has disappeared – or have they?
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi (orig.), NETHERLANDS: Clavis Books

Download materials here

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 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.  Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has written books for young adults and children, and now also for adults, and travels the world talking about them.

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

EALA Spring 2021 Children’s Rights Guide

We have wonderful new Children’s titles for you!

We are very proud to share our Spring 2021 Children’s Rights Guide and announce exciting titles from YA fantasy adventures to finding new friends with a pet pig, from teaching children about viruses to a wonderful wintertime story and everything in between!

Browse our full Spring 2021 Children’s Rights Guide here.


 

Stormseye
by Meri Luttinen

Nominated for Finlandia Prize for Children’s & YA literature 2020!

Topelius Prize Winner 2020!

A beautiful historical fantasy adventure set in the ancient Finnish fantasy world where a young woman finds her own place in the society

On a long midsummer night, when the sun never really sets, sixteen year-old Kainu stands at the edge of a series of red circles drawn in ochre on the ground.

All young girls in her village discover what their future role in life is going to be by taking part in this ancient and traditional “rite of the circles”. Girls usually find that they end up in one of the more common circles that points them in the direction of roles such as matrons, mothers, or craftswomen. No one even dreams about the five most unique and select innermost circles, usually reserved for shamans and sages. Not one single girl has ever found themselves directed to one of the special circles for hundreds of years.

However, when Kainu enters the very middle circle which is that of a Great Sage, heavy responsibilities fall on her, and she has to go on a long journey to find out who she really is.

Download English sample and synopsis here!

 

Annie the Friend Tamer
by Kaisa Paasto, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Shy people of the world, unite!
Annie is a 10-year-old girl. When her friend Miisa moves abroad, Annie has a chilling realization: she has never had to find a new friend. Is it too late to learn how to make friends? Obviously no-one can learn a skill this big when they’re 10. Can they?

At home Annie has a different sort of problem: her new pet pig is refusing to be trained. He just wants to stay in his safe place, under the table. Good thing that Annie’s brother has just had a major back operation, as this means he has lots of time to lie in bed and dole out great advice. Anni’es parents are also alright as far as parents go, even if they do laugh a bit too much at their own jokes. So it’s not all too bad – she just needs to become a ‘friend tamer’!

Download English book presentation and Full Finnish pdf from here

Full English text coming soon!

BOOK 2 coming in Fall 2021! 

 

Tales of Wintertide: The Snow Queen’s Spell
by Hannele Lampela

Nominated for Arvid Lydecken Prize 2020!

Imagine if all the bedtime stories were true! The Snow Queen’s Spell begins an enchantingly funny and fantastical series for middle-grade readers.

Greta’s little brother Kai has gone missing, but her parents act like he has never even existed. So, she embarks on a mission to find and save him, and ends up in the fairytale-like land of Wintertide, where she becomes a member of the Storytellers Guild. Before Greta can save Kai, she needs to learn to tell her own story.

But just what is her story? Is it a fairy tale about the Snow Queen? At least it seems as if it is;  Greta must now become a member of the Guild to break the enchanted spell cast by the Queen of Coldness. It’s clear that the Queen is definitely not going to let Kai go without a fight.

Download English sample and synopsis here

 

Mini Science: Invisible World
by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Sanna Pelliccioni

In the second title of Mini Science series – INVISIBLE WORLD – the adorable character 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!

Download full English pdf here

 

Weird Weather: Why Does Climate Change
Weird Weather Activity Book for Climate Heroes

by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu
Now the bestselling children’s non-fiction title about climate change got even better!
Let us introduce the Weird Weather Activity Book that compliments the original bestselling title and can turn anyone into a Climate Hero!

Weird Weather is an original title about climate change, sold already to 16 territories!

Two clever buddies, Lotta and Kasper get tired of their parents’ evasive answers about weird weather. They decide to research what climate change is really about. Weird Weather! is an accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction title that explains how humans are responsible for climate change and what we can do to ensure a brighter future. It also gives tips on how everyone can make better choices and practice climate-positive skills every day.

But climate change won’t be beaten with tiny tricks, and that’s why this book also encourages talking to children about how to make societal changes, and how working together can change everything. Stay also tuned for the upcoming sequel!

Download full English pdf here

Weird Weather, the Activity Book provides fun pastimes for environment lovers. Fun tasks, brain-teasers and inspiring ideas unleash children’s creative powers. Through the activities, they will learn more about the world including both past and current changes happening everywhere in nature – as well as what can be done for a better future!

Some of the tasks can be done directly in the book, others encourage the children to explore their home environment or the surrounding areas. Get busy with a friend, call your grandparents to learn about the climate, and why not write a letter to the people who can make a difference, whether it’s your favorite YouTuber – or the President!

Download full Finnish pdf here

About author


Hannele Lampela

Hannele Lampela's lovable works have been praised above all for their rich humor and ability to truly show the world from a child's perspective. She has the ability to enchant her readers, and that is why both children and adults love her stories. Lampela's works have been dramatized for example by the Finnish National Theater, Kuopio City Theater and YLE's radio plays. She has been awarded the prestigious Kaarina Helakisa Prize for her work and she has been nominated for Runeberg Junior award in 2019 and for Storytel Award, and Arvid Lydecken Award in 2020.

In addition to her fictional works, Lampela has written and created  a world of stories for the next national ABC book of Finnish schools. First graders across the country will learn to read through Hannele’s texts. Lampela lives in a small wooden house in the middle of apple trees with her family, and spends her days not only writing, but also pampering herself and others on a regular basis.

About author


Kaisa Paasto

Kaisa Paasto spent her childhood in the north of Finland and now lives in Espoo with her husband, two children, bunnies and a shih tzu. Kaisa has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature and has previously worked as translator, content specialist and entrepreneur. Apart from the Anni books she has published domestic thrillers for adults by Storytel Original.

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!

About author


Mari Ahokoivu

Mari Ahokoivu is a Finnish illustrator and a comics artist. She’s been drawing professionally for over 10 years, mainly drawing graphic novels and comics for children, including Sanni & Joonas and Lola Olifante. Ahokoivu loves everything cute and scary. She lives and works in Copenhagen. 

Mari Ahokoivu won the Puupäähattu Comic Book Award 2023, and together with Laura Ertimo, they won the Tieto-Lauri Award 2022 and were nominated for the Finlandia Prize 2021 for WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO?!

About author


Meri Luttinen

Meri Luttinen is an award-winning Finnish debut writer from Tampere. Her debut Stormseye won the Topelius prize and was nominated for both Kuvastaja Award and Finlandia Prize for Children's & YA literature in 2020.

She has a Master's degree in Finnish language and literature and has worked teaching Finnish and creating study materials. Luttinen is fascinated by everyday life in different eras and wants to transport readers to other worlds with her texts.

Now 17 territories for LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series and 20 for NAONDEL!

We are very excited to announce 4 new children’s deals!

There are now 2 new deals for Magdalena Hai’s LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series and also 2 new deals for Maria Turtschaninoff’s NAONDEL – the second title from the bestselling YA series Red Abbey Chronicles!

In an auction, one of the leading publishers in Greece – Dioptra –  acquired rights for the whole LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series. Odiseja in Serbia also acquired the rights for the first title in the series.

The wonderful younger middle-grade series illustrated by Teemu Juhani has already sold to 17 countries, but rights are still available in: Poland, France, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Slovenia, China, Bulgaria, etc.

Download the Full English pdfs for all 3 titles in the series here.

Little Shop of Nightmares is a bit spooky but mostly hilarious just like the tickling powder from the book. We are super excited to present its strange but charming characters to our readers.
– Sandra Bakić Topalović, Editor, Odiseja, Serbia

Enchanting series, well-written, with funny illustrations, stimulates children’s imagination.
A delightful blend of fantasy and humor. The amazing illustrations in each page feature dynamic characters and unexpected goosebumps!

– Lindy Galatis, Editorial Director, Dioptra, Greece


Maria Turtschaninoiff’s NAONDEL, second title in RED ABBEY CHRONICLES series was acquired by Romanian publisher Univers and also by Albanian publisher Dritan.

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

A prequel that introduces the founding sisters of the all-female Red Abbey… their interwoven stories told with unflinching clarity, rise to a vengeful climax with the glow of the red moon, and will stay with the reader long after the book is closed. […] Turtschaninoff weaves a hypnotic spell…at once contemporary and timeless.
– The Guardian

Download full English manuscripts for all 3 titles in the series here


 


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.


THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
by Maria Turtschaninoff

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!

Download full English manuscripts for all three titles in the series here

MARESI

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.
NAONDEL 
An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

MARESI: RED MANTLE 

The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love

LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES SERIES:

#1 Kamala kutituspulveri, WSOY 2019, 60pp
#2 Hampaat hukassa, WSOY 2019, 60pp
#3 Hirmuinen Jumimies WSOY 2021, 60pp

Rights sold

FINLAND:
WSOY (orig.)

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

RED ABBEY CHRONICLES

#1 Maresi, Schildts & Söderströms 2014 180pp
#2 Naondel, Förlaget , 2016, 400pp
#3 Breven från Maresi, Förlaget, 2018, 300pp

Rights sold or the series:

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

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1-2)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1-2)
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)
LITHUANIA: Aukso Pieva (Book 1)
NETHERLANDS, Clavis (Book 1-2)
NORWAY, Gursli Berg Forlag (Books 1-3)
POLAND, Wydawnictwo Debit (Books 1-3)
ROMANIA, Univers (Books 1-2)
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 & TV Rights: The Bureau/Film4

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 over 20 territories around the World. Among Hai's many accolades are winning the Finnish Literary Export Prize, and being nominated for the Finlandia Prize for Children's and Youth Litetature and 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.

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, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. 

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 21 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

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.

Meri Luttinen’s STORMSEYE wins Topelius Prize

Congratulations to our author Meri Luttinen, whose debut novel, a YA fantasy Stormseye (Myrskynsilmä, WSOY 2020) has won prestigious Topelius Prize.

“Set in an ancient Finnish fantasy world, the debut novel is a great story of a young woman growing up, it deals with difference, loneliness and overcoming one’s own fears.” – Topelius Prize Jury

Topelius Prize is given yearly for the best young adult novel. Stormseye was also nominated for Finlandia Prize for Children’s & YA Literature 2020.

About author


Meri Luttinen

Meri Luttinen is an award-winning Finnish debut writer from Tampere. Her debut Stormseye won the Topelius prize and was nominated for both Kuvastaja Award and Finlandia Prize for Children's & YA literature in 2020.

She has a Master's degree in Finnish language and literature and has worked teaching Finnish and creating study materials. Luttinen is fascinated by everyday life in different eras and wants to transport readers to other worlds with her texts.

Bibliography


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Stormseye

Meri Luttinen

NAONDEL sold to Azerbaijan!

Maria Turtschaninoff’s NAONDEL, second title in RED ABBEY CHRONICLES series was acquired by Azerbaijani publisher Alatoran.

This bestselling YA series 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.

A prequel that introduces the founding sisters of the all-female Red Abbey… their interwoven stories told with unflinching clarity, rise to a vengeful climax with the glow of the red moon, and will stay with the reader long after the book is closed. […] Turtschaninoff weaves a hypnotic spell…at once contemporary and timeless.
– The Guardian

Download full English manuscripts for all 3 titles in the series here


 

MARESI

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.

NAONDEL 
An independent prequel to Maresi, Naondel tells the story of the First Sisters – founders of the Red Abbey. Imprisoned in a harem by a dangerous man, with a dark magic that grants him power over life and death, the women must overcome their mistrust of each other in order to escape. But they can only do so at a great cost, both for those who leave and those left behind.

MARESI: RED MANTLE 

The third book is an epistolary novel that follows Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey to establish a school in her oppressed home province of Rovas. The return to her Northern home, and fitting in, is not easy even with all the knowledge she’s bringing with her, but she is determined to triumph over the difficulties. However, she does not need to make it alone, for life has yet another surprise in store: love

ALBANIA: Dritan (Book 1)
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran (Book 1-2)
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