WRITERS’ NEWS
http://www.writers-online.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2018^81Have a pop at Lolli
UK BOOK MARKET
Tina JacksonSubjective
opinion
Patrick Forsyth suggests an
encouraging lesson from a
famous caseGOING TO MARKET
Faber &Faber is a long established and
still independent publisher which perhaps
deserves the description iconic. A recent
publication is a book describing their own
history: Faber & Faber: The Untold Story,
by Toby Faber. This has the slightly odd
format of consisting mainly of verbatim
copies of a variety of correspondence and
documents from their archives and going
back to the early 1920s.
It provides an intriguing insight into the
working of such an organisation, a very
traditional publisher motivated as much,
sometimes more, by the search for good
and worthwhile writing as by the need to
be profitable. Indeed, as the publisher of
T.S Eliot’s poems, the company’s income
was boosted by royalties from the musical
Cats. One tale makes a point worth linking
to this column.
The company published William
Golding’s famous book Lord of the Flies,
despite the first report on the manuscript
reading thus: ‘Absurd and uninteresting
fantasy about the explosion of an atom
bomb on the colonies. A group of children
who land in jungle country near New
Guinea. Rubbish & dull.’ Remember this
when you get your next rejection. It could
be that your writing is bad, but more
likely it is only evidence of one person’s
opinion, and an opinion influenced by
current mood and circumstances at that.
Of course, one should always take note
of criticism and – be honest and objective- respond if it does contain sense about
something’s potential for publication.
Change may be necessary. But equally do
not despair; much writing has been subject
to criticism, but has subsequently been
published, well regarded and sold well.
If you aim to sell your work you need to
work to make it publishable – one adverse
comment should not be allowed to put
you off.
Lolli Editions publishes contemporary
literary fiction and creative writing that
engages with art and culture.
‘We are particularly interested in authors
who challenge and innovate the novel –
formally, narratively and thematically,’ said
editor Denise Rose Hansen. ‘Although
we operate a small list at present, our
rather grand aim is to diversify the literary
landscape in the UK by making available
to British readers some of the most exciting
and original work being published in
Europe right now.’
Lolli was launched in 2018 on the occasion of Manifesta 12, the roving European Biennial
of Contemporary Art, which that year was hosted in Palermo, Sicily. ‘It takes its name from
Stazione Lolli in Via Dante – we like to think of books like trains that move people from
one position to another, the journey there the most important part. That year we published
Walking Through Palermo, a cultural, historical, architectural and literary guide to the capital
of Sicily in 33 sights. Though it was an art book, it included what I like about good fiction:
the playful, the original, the formally compelling. And even better if it has a strong footing in
the art world.’
Lolli will publish two to four books each year. ‘We are looking for writing that pushes
the boundaries of form and speaks to the current cultural moment,’ says Denise. ‘This
August, we are publishing Johanne Bille’s Elastic, translated by Sherilyn Hellberg, in which
the fairly unlikable and yet exceedingly recognisable protagonist Alice is having a hard time
with her new open relationship(s). Alice wants to live the ideals she sees the enigmatic
couple Mathilde and Alexander living; what they call free love, sexual fluidity, never
feeling jealousy, believing that work is less important than love and so on, but putting it
all into practice proves a messy ordeal for Alice. Bille’s prose is very “clean” and merciless;
she allows Alice no concessions. Next year we are publishing Tine Høeg’s New Passengers,
translated by Misha Hoekstra, a pared down, poignant and wry novel confronting the
norms for how “new passengers” in adulthood ought to conduct themselves.’
Denise wants to grow Lolli’s reputation as a home for innovative, experimental
literature. ‘I hope to expand our list as we gain ground and become a publisher that
readers and authors go to for the most innovative new writing. We aim to publish works
in translation a lot quicker than the industry standard. This is to work against the lag
that pertains when it comes to accessing fiction from other European countries and
can sometimes produces a bell jar effect. We should be able to access the work of our
neighbours in real time even if we don’t speak their language. I think, and statistics show,
that literature is an important and powerful way to help lessen the cultural divide in
Europe in these Brexit times.’
Lolli accepts submissions that aligns with its list
by post and email. Authors should send 10-15 pages
of their writing, a one or two-page synopsis, and a
biographical note.
Details: email: [email protected]; website:
http://www.lolllieditions.com
Chasing the Booker
The shortlist for the 2019 Booker Prize is: The Testaments, Margaret Atwood (Chatto &
Windus); Ducks, Newburyport, Lucy Ellmann (Galley Beggar Press); Girl, Woman, Other,
Bernardine Evaristo (Hamish Hamilton); An Orchestra of Minorities, Chigozie Obioma
(Little, Brown); Quichotte, Salman Rushdie (Jonathan Cape); 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This
Strange World, Elif Shafak (Viking).
Margaret Atwood’s nomination is the author’s sixth and she previously won in 2000 for
The Blind Assassin. The Testaments is her widely feted sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.
The Guardian pointed out that, ‘Four of the six shortlisted books are published by
imprints of the giant conglomerate Penguin Random House,’ and that publishers that have
never had a book longlisted can only submit one title a year, potentially heavily biasing the
Bookers in favour of major publishers.