There is an impressive amount of Norwegian literature activity taking place in 2015, and the interest in Norwegian authors worldwide has never been greater. NORLA is undergoing a renewal to meet the growing need for information about Norwegian literature in different languages and about all of NORLA’s schemes for the promotion of Norwegian literature export.

We are now launching our new website and on that occasion simultaneously updating our visual profile and logo – created by the design agencies Kord and Manual.

NORLA is starting up a Publishers Hotel pilot scheme for foreign publishers and editors who are interested in learning more about Norwegian literature and the Norwegian book industry. The scheme is initially intended for non-fiction publishers and editors.
NORLA wants to offer foreign publishers and editors who are interested in the possibility of publishing Norwegian literature the opportunity to come to Norway. We have formed an agreement with a hotel rich in Norwegian traditions, Hotel Bondeheimen, centrally located in downtown Oslo, where publishers and editors can apply for five-day visits in June 2015 (weeks 24 and 25).

NORLA will cover travel expenses and five days at the hotel for a total of four non-fiction publishers/editors, with two publishers/editors taking part in the scheme at a time.

The application deadline for visits in the spring of 2015 has expired. (The deadline was 16 March).

Maria Parr’s children’s novel Adventures with Waffles (original title: Vaffelhjarte) was recently published in the USA, and is now receiving great reviews. The prestigious literary magazine Kirkus says that the novel is “Filled with both rollicking escapades and poignant moments” and that “Parr’s notable tale portrays a young boy’s heartfelt appreciation of family and friends”. Publishers Weekly states that it is a “heartfelt and humorous debut novel”. Adventures with Waffles was recently sold to Latvia, which is the 26th country to publish the book.

We would like to remind foreign publishing houses that it is possible to apply for translation subsidies from NORLA for the publication of Norwegian books. The forthcoming application deadlines are:

1 June 2015 – for non-fiction
1 August 2015 – for fiction.

Åsne Seierstad’s book on the terrorist attack in Norway on the 22nd of July 2011, One of Us (En av oss), gets rave reviews in the UK’s most prestigious papers.

“Un libro per l’ambiente” («A Book for the Environment) is awarded to a publication of high literary quality, with an environmental theme. The prize is established by the Italian Association for Nature, with the intention of enhancing reading among elementary school pupils.
Publishers, schools and libraries nominate candidates for the prize. 80 books were nominated, and a group of experts has now chosen Waffle Hearts as one of six finalists.

Jo Nesbø was recently chosen as the best foreign author in the 2014 "Reading St. Petersburg” competition, for his crime novel Police (original title: Politi), translated into Russian by Ekaterina Lavrinaitis. The winner was chosen by the readers themselves, who throughout the last year have voted for authors from 17 countries.

At NORLA we are pleased about the great interest also this year in our offer for translators who translate directly from Norwegian: the opportunity to apply for two-week stays in Oslo at Hotell Bondeheimen.

There were many good applications also in this round, and we have found ourselves obliged to give priority to applicants who are at work on translation projects this spring which entail a particular need on the part of the translator to be in Norway.

Six out of a total of 31 applicants have received an offer of a stay at the Bondeheimen starting 27 April – and the translators have also been offered work stations at NORLA’s office premises.

NORLA annually hands out an award to a translator of Norwegian literature. In 2015, the award will be given to a talented young translator of fiction as an encouragement towards continued efforts.

NORLA offers its warmest congratulations to translator Olga Drobot on her receiving the The Russian Translator’s Society prize for the best translation in 2014. The prize was awarded in December, and Olga Drobot was chosen as the winner in category for prose, for her translation of Rune Belsvik’s Dustefjerten. The book about Dustefjerten, who is named “Prostodursen” in Russian, is published by Samokat Publishing House, through translation subsidies from NORLA.

In January crime fiction specialist Nils Nordberg, author Trude Teige and Oliver Møystad from NORLA all visited India, first to attend the Crime Writers’ Festival in New Delhi, and subsequently the famous Jaipur Literary Festival.

It was the first time a crime fiction festival was arranged in India and it was an unmitigated success! A large and diverse public of active and eager participants attended the different sessions and it was of interest to note that people were particularly interested in how the crime fiction genre can be used to shed light on current social issues. Both Nils Nordberg’s introduction to Nordic crime and Trude Teige’s participation in a panel on sexualised violence were well-received.