15.04.15 www.thebookseller.com


Q&A MARISOL SCHULZ


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[South America] is not really an equal continent in publishing terms; the industry isn’t the same in Brazil as it is in Nicaragua. The countries that do have strong publishing scenes . . . have been hit by the same economic crisis as everyone else


forums, authors and seminars focused on every aspect of publishing—especially rights exchanges. In our Rights Hall we have 520 tables for rights agents. Recently, the book industry in Spain has been in crisis and sales have really fallen, so Latin American publishing is really supporting that. People come here to buy rights.


But the fair is not just in the Expo Guadalajara [building] itself, there is a cultural programme across the whole city which everyone gets involved in. For a Latin American book fair to be that important and that big, and to carry that amount weight, is fantastic. There is no book fair in Spain as big as ours.


In addition to traditional book fair content (above), FIL offers a cultural programme across Guadalajara; pictured below is Argentine reggae singer Dread Mar-I performing at the event.


FW: The UK will be the Guest of Honour at this year’s fair (28th November–6th December) and a delegation of editors, writers and artists will represent UK culture and literature. Are you looking forward to it? MS: Of course! We are thrilled for everyone in the Mexican book industry because it is going to be such a wonderful year with all of this cultural exchange. We are so excited and we have had such positive feedback since we announced the UK as Guest of Honour. We are all looking forward to learning more about the UK, and I think there will be a few surprises along the way—and more chances to connect.


FW: How would you sum up the Latin American publishing industry at the moment? MS: It is hard to talk about Latin American publishing in general, because you have some smaller countries that don’t really have a publishing industry, some that are growing with smaller, independent publishers, and some that are thriving globally. It is not really an equal continent in publishing terms; the industry isn’t the same in Brazil as it is Nicaragua. The countries that do have strong publishing scenes, however, have been hit by the same economic crisis as everyone else, but they’re facing it strongly and faring well. 


Marisol Schulz is director of the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) and of LéaLA, the Los Angeles Spanish Book Fair.


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