'Mizé', by Ricardo Adolfo, new Portuguese edition out!

'Mizé' is a wonderful novel by Portuguese author Ricardo Adolfo. The novel was originally published in Portugal in 2006 by Dom Quixote and now Alfaguara Portugal is about to release a new edition, revised by the author and with a stunning new cover.

Ricardo Adolfo's latest novel, 'Depois de morrer aconteceram-me muitas cosas' ('Lots Happened to Me After I Died', Alfaguara Portugal 2009) has been a success in Portugal and Alfaguara Portugal has decided to back the author and promote him as one of their top Portuguese authors by releasing this new edition while Ricardo Adolfo writes a new novel.

* “Lots happened to me after I died” is a big, enjoyable surprise (Diario Digital, Portugal)

* A level that is uncommon in the new Portuguese literature ('Ler' magazine, Portugal)

* A successful entry in the literary world (Newspaper 'Sol', Portugal)

* Ricardo Adolfo has already received the blessing of his peers. valter hugo mãe and José Eduardo Agualusa recommend him as obligatory reading (Newspaper 'Sol', Portugal)

* Choice of Best Books 2009 from 'Ler' Magazine: Ricardo Adolfo draws with irony a portrait of all those who live immigrated within themselves, wherever they may be. 

Set in the outskirts of Lisbon 'Mizé' is the story of a man who loved the idea of loving a woman, and a woman who loved the idea of being loved by many men. It’s a research on living in an imaginary dimension created by ambitions and wishes, where an ensemble of suburban characters struggles to fulfil their dreams – while struggling with their petty conditions, the daily grind, and bigger aspirations than they could possibly handle. 

With a very peculiar point of view, these characters take us into an exploration of double moral standards, ambiguity and into the grey zones that we all operate in. 'Mizé' is a story of fiction versus fiction, where truth doesn’t exist, but lie doesn’t either.

Foreign rights of 'Mizé' have been sold to: Berlin Verlag (Germany) in a pre-empt, Querido (The Netherlands) and Suma – Santillana Group (Spain).

The novel centers on Palha, a young man who still lives with his parents in the unglamorous suburbs of Lisbon, who desperately wants to fall in love. His life proceeds as expected until one magical night when he finds himself drinking with Mizé, the beautiful and sought-after neighborhood hairdresser. After a night of unprecedented passion, she agrees to marry him. 

Soon after he begins conjugal life in a small apartment, Palha is faced with an insurmountable project at work and seeks advice from his old bar cronies. As is typical, they completely misunderstand his predicament, thinking he’s received a big promotion instead, and so they rent a couple porn movies to celebrate. 

To his horror, Palha discovers the star of the movies is his own Mizé. After confronting her, his life begins a downward spiral which culminates in his attempted murder of a leading porn producer. 

* The entire book is a fast-paced pleasure (Ingrid Mylo, Germany)

* Sublime reading pleasure; a Portuguese who writes books like Almodóvar makes movies! (Neon, Germany)

Orlando Publishers (Netherlands) has acquired rights of 'Hierba Santa', by A. Scheiman

We are happy that Orlando Publishers (a new imprint of AW Bruna Publishers/The Netherlands) has acquired Dutch rights of 'Hierba Santa', by Alexandra Scheiman. The Bruna Group publishes important international authors in The Netherlands, and some of the most acclaimed Spanish speaking ones such as Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Marcelo Figueras or Guillermo Martínez.

'Hierba Santa' has been published by Planeta Mexico and, with echoes of Magic Realism, is a vivid homage to Frida Khalo, a woman who changed the course of modern art. 

In the novel we are told that all her life Frida kept a little notebook which she called 'The Book of Hierba Santa (Holy Herb)'. In it, she wrote down not only her thoughts and ideas but also many Mexican food receipes that she prepared every 'Día de Muertos' (Day of the Dead), a holiday celebrated in Mexico to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Traditions connected with the holiday include preparing the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.

Some of Frida's favourite receipes are included in the novel towards the end of every chapter, so apart from enjoying the narrative and learning more abot Frida's life, readers can also try their culinary skills and pay their own homage to a woman that has become an icon of 20th century art and feminism.

'Alicia en un mundo real', de Isabel Franc y Susanna Martín

En Abril llegará a las librerías una novela gráfica tierna, divertida y vital: 'Alicia en un mundo real' (Norma Editorial)

Porque 'la vida después del cáncer ya nunca es igual... pero viene a ser lo mismo'.

Isabel Franc y Susanna Martín nos presentan esta novela gráfica en la cual Alicia no vive en el país de las maravillas. Ha pasado por una experiencia que, lamentablemente, es real y común para muchas mujeres: un cáncer de mama. Sin embargo, gracias a su espíritu luchador, alocado y positivo ha sabido darle la vuelta a la situación. Ni el periplo de la enfermedad ni los tratamientos agresivos, ni la extirpación de un pecho le han robado el sentido del humor...

Podéis leer un avance de la novela (aquí).

EL mejor amigo del escritor - Jóvenes Agentes Literarios en Barcelona (Tendències, 04-03-2010)

Ayer, 04-03-2010, el suplemento cultural de 'El Mundo Catalunya' publicó un reportaje de LauraFernández dedicado a los jóvenes agentes literarios de Barcelona. Pinchad (aquí) para leerlo.

Yesterday, 03-04-2010, the Arts supplement of 'EL Mundo Catalunya' published a reportage by Laura Fernández dedicated to young literary agents from Barcelona. Click (here) to read it.