Yet again Per Petterson is hailed by American literary critics – this time for his acknowledged novel I Refuse.

Author Karl Ove Knausgård is currently touring the US on occation of the launch of volume four of his My Struggle-series. My Struggle: Book Four has so far received excellent reviews and extensive media coverage.
There is great interest for the author in the US: Yesterday more than 1200 people came to Nourse Theathre in San Fransisco to hear Knausgård in a discussion with author and literary critic Daniel Handler.

The book is translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett, and is published in the US by Archipelago Books.
Knausgård’s tour is supported through NORLA’s travel grant, and our Senior Adviser for Non-Fiction, Andrine Pollen, is attending parts of the programme.

Translators play the most important part in spreading Norwegian literature out into the world. Their work is of crucial importance and in order to shed some light on their work, NORLA has started the interview series “Translator of the month”, where we can get better acquainted with translators of Norwegian and their hard work that makes Norwegian literature available in all the world’s languages.

Åsne Seierstad’s book on the terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya in 2011 receives rave review in the New York Times.

At NORLA we are pleased about the positive reception for our new offer for non-fiction publishers from abroad, specifically, the opportunity to apply for a stay of five days in Oslo at the Hotel Bondeheimen, which is also NORLA’s translators hotel.

Norwegian literature abroad is doing extremely well, and NORLA is experiencing a large interest in Norwegian literature, judging from the number of applications for translation subsidies from foreign publishers.

During 2014 NORLA received a record-breaking 386 Norwegian books that have been published in a total of 47 languages made possible by translation subsidies from NORLA and the Nordic Council of Ministers. This surpasses even last year’s all-time high of 365 books.

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.