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Jul 16, 2019

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The International Visitors Programme Announces 2019 participants, Canadian Editorial Fellow and Keynote Speaker

The International Visitors Programme Announces 2019 participants, Canadian Editorial Fellow and Keynote Speaker

TORONTO, ON — The International Visitors (IV) Programme, in association with the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA), announces its 2019 participants, the Canadian Editorial Fellow, as well as the 2019 keynote address. This October, the Programme celebrates its 13th year of hosting publishing professionals from around the world during the Toronto International Festival of Authors (October 24 –November 3, 2019). The 2019 IV Programme runs from October 27 – November 1, 2019.

The IV Programme provides a cultural exchange between Canada’s finest talent and some of the most influential publishing figures from around the world – facilitating networking opportunities and serving as a catalyst for business negotiations. It has become a fertile setting for international publishers to gain a deeper understanding of the Canadian literary scene and its writers. Local, national and international participants will partake in six days of scheduled inter-industry dialogue with the goal of increasing opportunities for Canadian authors and publishers abroad.

“Now in its 13th year, the IV Programme has welcomed publishers, editors, literary agents, scouts and festival directors from around the world to Toronto for a weeklong immersion into Canadian publishing,” said Iris Tupholme, Chair of the IV Programme Committee. “This year, we are back to welcome our colleagues publishing Indigenous writers. The IV Program gives our visitors a chance to meet their Canadian publishing counterparts as well as an opportunity to meet writers and agents. The goal of the programme – to see the work of Canadian writers published internationally through rights sales – remains the central focus. We look forward to welcoming all of our guests to Toronto this October.”

The confirmed 2019 IV Programme participants include:

Michal Alenowicz, Owner & Translator, Wiatr od Morza (Poland); Mitzi Angel, Senior Vice President and Publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (U.S.); Patrik Henry Bass, Senior Editor, Amistad at HarperCollins Publishers (U.S.); Valerie Brandes, Founder and Publisher, Jacaranda Books Art Music Ltd (U.K.); Alison Callahan, Executive Editor, Gallery Books, Simon & Schuster (U.S.); Alanna Feldman, Owner, Alanna Feldman Scouting (U.S.); Lyndsey Fineran, Literature Festival Programme and Commissions Manager, The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival (U.K.); Chris Fischbach, Publisher, Coffee House Press (U.S.); Hannah Fosh, Literary Agent, Liepman Agency (Switzerland); David Forrer, Agent, InkWell Management (U.S.); Arnaud Foulon, Vice President, Publishing and Operations, Groupe HMH (Canada); Sharmaine Lovegrove, Publisher, Dialogue Books (U.K.); Sylvie Mouchès, Head of Foreign Rights, Liana Levi (France); Kirsten Naegele, Acquiring editor, Heyne Verlag /Verlagsgruppe Random House (Germany); John Parsley, Editor in Chief/VP, Dutton and Plume, Penguin Random House (U.S.); Katharina Picandet, Editor and Rights Manager, Edition Nautilus (Germany); Dominique Pleimling, Editorial Director, Eichborn Verlag (Germany); Piero Salabe, Editor, Hanser Verlag (Germany); Margo Shickmanter, Editor, Doubleday, Penguin Random House (U.S.); Annette Weber, DuMont (Germany); Sooyun Yum, Assistant Manager, Literature Translation Institute of Korea (Korea). Further guests are to be confirmed.

The 2019 Canadian delegates promoting Indigenous authors include: Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Founder and Managing Editor, Kegedonce Press (ON); Jill McConkey, Acquisitions Editor, University of Manitoba Press (MB); Garry Thomas Morse, Editor, Portage & Main Press/ HighWater Press (MB); Natasha Slack, Operations Manager, Theytus books (B.C.); Kevin Williams, President, Publisher, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Talonbooks (B.C.). Further guests are to be confirmed.

For the eighth year, the IV Programme has awarded the Canadian Editorial Fellowship, which promotes an opportunity for a Canadian publishing professional to meet with the international publishing executives in attendance. The 2019 Canadian Editorial Fellowship has been awarded to Janice Zawerbny, Senior Editor at HarperCollins Publishers.

“I am honoured to be awarded the IV Programme’s Canadian Fellowship this year,” said Janice Zawerbny. “I am excited to meet and talk with my international colleagues in publishing. This is a wonderful opportunity to expand my knowledge of the international book market and to promote the exceptional talent of Canadian writers and publishers to book professionals beyond our borders.”

Fiona McCrae, Director and Publisher of Graywolf Press will deliver the 2019 IV Programme Keynote Address titled THE ALTERNATIVE SUCCESS STORY—The Power of Independent Publishing. This event will be held Monday, October 28, 2019 at 3:30pm EDT at Harbourfront Centre.

Fiona McCrae has been Director and Publisher of Minneapolis-based Graywolf Press since

1994, following eleven years with the British publishers Faber and Faber. Authors that McCrae has published at Graywolf include Anna Burns, Daisy Johnson, Elizabeth Alexander, Per Petterson and Percival Everett. She currently serves on the board of the Anderson Center, and as Vice-Chair of the board of the National Book Foundation. McCrae received the Editor’s Award from Poets & Writers in 2017 and the Golden Colophon Award for leadership from the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses in 2014.

The IV Programme Committee is composed of representatives from a number of organizations within the Canadian literary community, including the Toronto International Festival of Authors. The 2019 IV Programme Committee members are: Iris Tupholme(Chair), Senior Vice President and Executive Publisher, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.; Erin Balser, Producer, CBC Books; Gillian Fizet, Executive Director, Canada FBM2020; Carolyn Forde, Senior Agent, Transatlantic Agency; Maria Golikova, Managing Editor, House of Anansi Press; Jen Knoch, Senior Editor, ECW Press; Hazel Millar, Co-publisher, Book*hug Press; Jay MillAr, Co-publisher, Book*hug Press; Eirini Moschaki, Development Coordinator, TIFA; Christine Saratsiotis, Deputy Director, TIFA; Deborah Sun de la Cruz, Assistant Editor, Penguin Random House Canada; Samantha Swenson, Editor, Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers; Geoffrey E. Taylor, Director, TIFA; Synora Van Drine, Sales Manager at Portage & Main Press; Dan Wells, Publisher, Biblioasis.

The 13th edition of the IV Programme is supported through the Canada Book Fund and the Ontario Creates Business Development grant. For more information about the IV Programme, please visit IVprogramme.com.

The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) is Canada’s largest and longest-running festival of words and ideas. Since 1974, it has hosted over 9,000 authors from more than 100 countries, including 22 Nobel Laureates and countless other award winners. Mandated to advance the art of literature, TIFA connects curious readers of every kind with leading authors and provides forums to showcase Canadian talent to the world. TIFA presents events and programmes all year round and will celebrate the 40th edition of the Festival Oct. 24 – Nov. 3, 2019. Based at Harbourfront Centre.

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