12.03.19 Free


At the London Book Fair 2019.


Grand Hall Gallery, 2C.82


Agents braced for American land-grab as publishers eye European rights post-Brexit


keep trying to include Europe... We’ve really noticed that over the past year.” Emma Paterson from Aitken Alexander agreed that there had been an increase in such activit, but said “it is something we would defend”, while Sophie Lambert of C+W revealed that “European exclusivit is defi- nitely a question that is arising more oſten”. One agent, who preferred to remain anony- mous, said: “It’s going to be a bit of a horror show in terms of who has control of the right to sell English books in Europe... It has always rested with the UK, but aſter Brexit it won’t be so cut and dried.”


A NUMBER OF AGENTS AT OLYMPIA HAVE NOTED THAT US EDITORS ARE TARGETING EUROPEAN RIGHTS


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egotiation of European distribution rights will become “a horror show”, agents have warned, with American


publishers emboldened to grab European English-language rights from British firms aſter Brexit. The warning gun over a post- Brexit turf war was sounded as far back as the 2017 Frankfurt Book Fair, when Simon & Schuster US c.e.o. Carolyn Reidy said that when UK publishers no longer have tariff-free access to the EU, “the argument the British have used to grab Europe as an exclusive market will be over”. Will Francis of Janklow & Nesbit told The Bookseller Daily that Europe had indeed become something of a batleground: “I’ve heard some uncertaint from publishers around Brexit and non-exclusive distribution rights in Europe. I recently had a case with two publishers, a UK and US one, where there was a tussle over non-exclusive access to Europe.” Madeleine Milburn, of The Madeleine


Milburn Literary Agency, has also seen similar fights: “We’ve noticed a difference, and assume it’s a knock- on from Brexit and the uncertaint over potential free movement of trade.” Agent Lorella Belli agreed, though she said the issue was “never a deal-breaker. US publishers are certainly trying [for European exclusivit], and Brexit is an argument used by some of them, since the deals are going to be for length of copyright. Although we don’t know what will happen [to a post-Brexit trade deal], being part of the EU and the free circu- lation of goods can’t be used as a supporting argument by UK publishers any more.” One agent, who spoke on the condition of


It’s going to be a bit of a horror show in terms of who has control over the right to sell English books in Europe... after Brexit it won’t be so cut and dried


Literary agent


However, some agents said they had not seen a change. Robert Caskie of Caskie Mushens said: “I don’t think it is happening more than before. The issue has been going for years and years.” He conceded that the issue “is more relevant now, because US editors are thinking it is harder for the UK to distribute across Europe”. Peter Straus, m.d. of Rogers, Coleridge &


White, agreed with Caskie: “I don’t think this is happening more now. This has been the case for years.”


Reporting Te Bookseller News Team


Six- figure début


Borough Press lands Mirrorland at auction


A début novel billed as “Rebecca meets Room” has gone for a significant six-figure sum in the UK, with US, French and Dutch rights also going in the run-up to the fair. The Borough Press commissioning editor


anonymit, said of US publishers: “They 100% have [tried to secure European rights]. They


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Carla Josephson won the eight-way auction for Carole Johnstone’s Mirrorland, acquiring UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Hellie Ogden at Janklow & Nesbit. S&S US won North American rights from Allison Hunter at Janklow US. Heyday Television acquired exclusive TV rights, in a deal brokered by Tom Winchester for Heyday and Emily Hayward-Whitlock at The Artists Partnership. Mirrorland explores the make-believe world


created by sisters Cat and El in their Edinburgh home; a hidden den of imaginary pirate ships, clowns and witches. Decades on, Cat must revisit the world, after her sister sets her a treasure hunt to unmask “the realities of a childhood that wasn’t what it seemed”. Glasgow-based Johnstone has had short stories published, but Mirrorland is her début novel.


Tuesday


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