Bruno Blog

Working as an agent is so diverse that it can hardly be defined. Many ask about the demands to be a good agent, and the truth is that it involves so much that I struggle to mention the most basic aspects. Those who think we spend the greatest part of our day reading manuscripts, should remove that bucolic idea from their heads. In my personal case, it is impossible to fit the readings, which are basic in our jobs, in my daily routine. Therefore, I always end up reading before going to bed, when I am able to dedicate at least to hours to my authors’ readings and to the manuscripts my team refers as works which have potential to be represented. That is why a mature agency like mine, nearing its 20th year of existence, struggles to go for new voices. It has nothing to do with a lack of motivation, as the butterflies of falling for something and making it grow is a lovely part of this job. It’s just a matter of time, which does not normally leave enough room to develop this facet as much as we would like to. And being realistic, agents should know what they can manage in the time that is available to them, otherwise, the author and the agent will be dissatisfied. Nevertheless, we do leave some vacances open every year, even if it’s just a few, for the new voices that might win our hearts or might be different and extraordinary. In 2021 we have taken in several powerful non-fiction voices, as the sales in this genre have grown (something which is natural, after the pandemic and its effects) and a few fiction voices that captivated the entire team.

In non-fiction we have incorporated Ferran Cases who, with his books BYE BYE ANSIEDAD and PEQUEÑO LIBRO SOBRE LA ANSIEDAD is a leading voice on the topic in Spain. By the end of the year we will have a very special novelty, in co-authorship with Sara Teller, in which they will explain anxiety but in its most scientific aspect: teaching how to achieve a happy brain. In non-fiction we also have three powerful women who join the team with force. There’s SILVIA BUESO, who will publish her new book with Cúpula, about a topic which will turn the female world upside down, with her charisma and people skills. We also have MERITXELL GARCÍA, an expert in empathy who will publish a book on how to understand highly sensitive people. She will also join the children’s world to teach them how to be empathetic, because the sooner we learn to be so, the faster this change will come in our society. Lastly, there’s IMMA TABASCO, instagrammer and now author who will delight us with a very special book on the importance of smiling.

And in fiction, there’s Men Marías who, for me, is one of the most special voices that I have read recently. Her thriller, LA ÚLTIMA PALOMA, was published a month ago by Planeta and both press, and readers have praised it. An exciting thriller, with an unbelievable character, sergeant Patria Santiago, who will face the most macabre crime and will delight the lovers of strong emotions and will leave nobody indifferent. We are certain it will join the list of bestsellers. Recently, we have also incorporated a writer of historical fiction, Sandra Asa, who I will soon introduce, as hers is a powerful and original project. And her narrative voice is spectacular. Unfortunately, I will have to stop here.

The Spanish and Catalan editions of the new book by John Green is being published today: THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED, a clever, exciting, and personal collection of essays by the author who fascinated us with THE FAULT IN OUR STARS and LOOKING FOR ALASKA.

Green lived in Chicago for several years, where he worked for a magazine named Booklist. While he was there, he reviewed hundreds of books, particularly literary fiction, books about Islam or conjoined twins. Green later lived in New York City for two years.

He also wrote for «National Radio’s» and in 2014, Green was included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2006 he won the Printz Award for his debut novel Looking for Alaska.

Aside from being a novelist, Green is also known for his YouTube ventures. In 2007, he launched the Vlogbrothers channel with his brother, Hank Green. Since then, John and Hank have launched events such as Project for Awesome and VidCon and created a total of 11 online series, including Crash Course, an educational YouTube channel teaching literature, history, and science.

Probably, thanks to that last facet, Green has decided to publish this new book, a collection of texts describing different aspects of our present and ranks them from one to five. He observes topics such as QWERTY, internet, Super Mario Kart, whispers, teddy bears or sunsets. These essays, full of beauty, humor, and empathy, make our society face their contradictions and are, at the same time, a celebration of the love for our world. It is a unique register, but it makes a lot of sense, and can open our minds, and calls for a deep reflection.

It has been one of the greatest successes of the agency and that is why we believe we should continue supporting John Green in his literary career because, no matter the register, he always refers to things in a special way.

Selling LOOKING FOR ALASKA, his first novel, which I absolutely loved, was not easy. As a matter of fact, it was published first just for the Latin American market because Editorial Castillo became interested. But that debut contained an interesting and different voice which grew with PAPERTOWNS and was crowned with his bestseller, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, a novel which made me laugh and cry equally and opened the gates to a painful reality in which it is allowed to dream.

I am proud of having this author in the agency and allowing locals to read in our language.

Next month our agency will be 20 years old! And it seems as if it was yesterday when we celebrated our 10th anniversary… Time flies, literally, and so much has happened…

But the basis was to keep learning a profession that will never cease to surprise, frighten, and delight me. Many authors have been represented by our agency, but the ones that started with me are not as numerous, as the author-agent relationship is not easy. I wouldn’t say it’s difficult either, but, like any relationship, it needs basic ingredients like loyalty, honesty, and transparency. Among the pioneers is Francesc Miralles, who I admire as a person, who has proved his worth in all the genres and has reached the top with his bestselling title, IKIGAI, which counts over 60 translations. I don’t think any of us would have ever imagined this success, but we knew this was a long run and we are still glad to share projects. Alejandro Palomas is another lifelong author with whom we’ve had ups and downs, like in any relationship, but as we have grown, we have achieved an impeccable literary stability.  After succeeding with UNA MADRE, receiving the Nadal Prize for UN AMOR, and the National Literature Prize for UN HIJO, we know we can’t complain. But we both dream about UN PAÍS CON TU NOMBRE, his next novel, which you cannot miss, as the fans will become even more addicted and those who are not will get hooked by Palomas’ special world. Dr. Estivill was among the first to trust me and has supported me along the way. His first success, DUÉRMETE NIÑO, translated into 20 languages, with millions of copies sold, helped us take off. And this year, with EL MÉTODO TOKEI, he has opened the gates of the chronobiology to reach happiness. They were the first and we still walk elbow-to-elbow. I would say we are as excited as ever, but have a better knowledge of the literary world, which is kind as it is cruel, but to which we are addicted to. Nowadays I wouldn’t know what else to do which would inspire, demand and activate me as much on a daily basis. This job is like a trapeze artist who is on the tightrope and needs to maintain the balance to cross from one end to the other every time they take the stage. Our stage is similar to theirs: there is no truce, but we do have passion and vocation and that is more than enough.

This week the blog is being published during a bank holiday in Barcelona, in the middle of a long weekend where we all sense the much-desired summer holidays, after such a troublesome period. That is why recommending this book is a pleasure, as it has helped me grow and believe in myself, and to think that effort is always worthwhile, although we might, sometimes, think otherwise. In this book NOBUO SUZUKI shows us that giving up is not an option, and that we must go on. Japanese people, after wars and natural disasters, are reborn from their ashes over and over, like a Fenix. And that is the GANBATTE philosophy, a Japanese concept which could be translated as “give it your best and never give up, carry on”. In other countries, before starting an exam, a job interview or a competition, we wish each other “good luck”, but the Japanese use the expression “Ganbatte!” to encourage each other to make an effort. Through the 50 inspirational chapters in this book, we will learn the Japanese philosophy of persistence and resilience, which is the art of overcoming adversities. If you apply the Japanese persistence and resilience in your daily life, difficult things will become easy, and the impossible will be feasible. Surprisingly enough, it’s not magic. That is why I encourage you to buy this book: easy-to-read, useful, and applicable. Ideal to start over and begin the new schoolyear with new energy.

GANBATTE is the first-ever published book about another “famous” secret of the Japanese about resilience and self-improvement. While IKIGAI is the Japanese term to find a reason for existence, GANBATTE is the term to outdo oneself, as the effort depends on each person and, if you believe not only in yourself, but in what you do, the possibilities of achieving your goals get close to 100%. And this book is the key to it. It has recently been published and has already been sold to 12 countries, that is why I am convinced that GANBATTE will be as successful as IKIGAI, which keeps helping and guiding us towards a better and happier life.

After a year and a half into the pandemic, in which Barcelona has emptied and tourists haven’t been able to visit our city, Francesc Soler’s novel hits shelves. This novel is a harsh critique, precisely, about BARCELONA being sold to tourism and being a city in the service of tourists, rather than of locals. This book was written before the pandemic, but it arrives in the best moment, given that after everything we have been through, many of those who complained about tourists now miss them, or the other way round. What do you think?

In this funny novel Soler explains what an architect of the Olympic Barcelona, a fishmonger working in the Boqueria market, an editor from the Upper Diagonal, an immigrant who dresses up as a Disney princess and acts as a human statue in the Rambla or the priest of Sagrada Familia have in common. They are fed up with Barcelona being a tourist destination, a city in the service of foreigners, rather than locals and which they no longer recognize or feel as their own. And what would happen if these characters, divergent but typically Barcelonian, decided to stop complaining and joined forces to develop a transformative project for the city, much more radical than the Olympic Games?

Barcelona demà o aquesta tarda is an absolutely original and seemingly simple story, but full of nuances and plot twists, fast paced with concise and clear language that hooks the reader from the very first page. A satiric and parodic story that can also be read as a disturbing dystopia.