6 The Bookseller Advertisement Feature INTERVIEW


Market Focus proves top draw for Briede


For one Latvian author, illustrator and art editor, the country’s participation in the Market Focus scheme has opened numerous doors


A


sk Rūta Briede if Latvia’s stint as one of the three Baltic countries which were part of the 2018 LBF Market Focus was worth the considerable time and energy put into the programme by the country’s


authors, illustrators and book trade—not to mention the cash stumped up its government— and the answer is a resounding “yes”. She explains: “Personally, it was absolutely helpful. I met my UK publisher, Emma [Wright, founder of The Emma Press], after she was on a trip sponsored by the Market Focus activities. That led to my being able to attend a couple of UK events, like the Bradford Literary Festival. “But in general it was a huge boost to the


market. It got people in other countries talking about Latvia and its writers. But it also helped at home, too. There have been so many events and activities [around the Market Focus] that we have had more people in Latvia talking about books, about children’s literature and illustration, than at any time I can remember in the eight years I’ve been an illustrator.”


A flying start Those eight years have been busy ones. Briede has won an armful of awards for her books, including the 2017 Janis Baltvilks Prize (a Baltics-wide children’s gong) for Kaiju Karalienes Noslēpums—published in English as Queen of Seagulls (The Emma Press, 2017)—which she wrote and illustrated. As art editor for the chil- dren’s publisher Liels un Mazs, she designed the logo and concept of Biki-Buks, a hugely popular 101-title strong series of illustrated children’s poems. Her comics are widely published in Latvian and continental European magazines, she lectures at the Art Academy of Latvia, and works as a theatre set designer, too. The many hats she wears does reflect one of the realities of the market: “It is still difficult to


make a living solely as an illustrator in Latvia. It is getting better. It used to be almost impossible, but now a few people are able to do it. It helps that in recent years the media and publishers are recognising the value of illustrators.” Briede describes her illustrations as “minimal-


istic and quite graphic, they are like cartoons but with more poetry”. In addition to writing and illustrating her own books, she has also created the artwork for other writers’ titles. She does love the process of collaboration. She says: “I sometimes tell my students that the essence of illustration is about co-operation. It is often actually easier when you work with someone who is an author/illustrator as they often can tell you more clearly what they want. But you, as the illustrator, still have to have your own vision. Be open to suggestions, but stand on your own two feet.”


Briede actually never really set out to be an


award-winning author and illustrator. Before art school, when she was growing up in her home town of Murjani, about 40km outside Riga, she dreamt of Olympic glory. She says: “I wanted to be an athlete, a runner.


Latvian illustrator Rūta Briede


We used to live near a sports school which had a big stadium and I always went there to train, obsessively. Looking back, I suppose I wasn’t really good enough and it was more like a child’s dream. But, in a way I’ve been sprinting from one thing to another ever since.”


We have had more people in Latvia talking about books... than at any time I can remember in the eight years I’ve been an illustrator


Photography: Ģirts Raģelis


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