Alessandro Gallenzi & Elisabetta Minervini, from Alma Books

Alma Books was set up in October 2005 by Alessandro Gallenzi and Elisabetta Minervini, the founders of Hesperus Press, publishing around 80 titles a year mainly in the field of contemporary literary fiction and classics. Alma takes around half of its titles from English-language originals, while the rest are translations from other languages such as French, Spanish, Italian, German and Japanese. From the Spanish they have translated and published Carmen Posadas, Alberto Manguel and Clara Sánchez, among others.

Alma is the Spanish word for “Soul”, why did you choose it?

Because we aim to be “a publisher with a soul” and show the kind of passion and human touch that is gradually disappearing in our globalized world.

Can you define Alma Books in 3 words?

Independent at heart.

What has it meant for you to be awarded the Independent Publisher of the Year 2013?

It was a great boost and definitely put us on the map. The award coincided with our best year and another prestigious translation prize from the Italian government, so it was particularly special.

In an era of information overload, how do you screen the many proposals you must receive? 

By patiently opening each letter and replying individually to all submissions. Writers have a right to get a reply, and it’s our job, as publishers, to offer some feedback.

You have translated a few Spanish authors along the years. Why them? What do you look for when considering a translation?

We commission a book, in English or in translation, when we fall in love with it and we are confident we can place it effectively in the market. We do not tend to discriminate translated fiction against works written originally in English. What we look for in a book from a foreign literature is the voice, the style and the presence of themes that are easily exportable from one culture into another.

What tips can you give to a Spanish publisher or agent wanting to promote their authors for publishing in the UK?  

To study the publishing programmes they are submitting to and to understand what works and what doesn’t in the UK publishing trade. For example, there is virtually no market for short books and novellas, and very long books may be economically unviable because of the high translation costs.

Elisabetta, you are writing a cookery book, could you tell us about it? What brought you to write it?

I am not a professional chef, but I have always loved cooking for the family, especially after the birth of our first child Eleonora. Since then, I could say that cooking has become the focal point and unifying element of our entire family life. The idea for this book came during one of our dinnertime gatherings. We were having a simple lentil soup, which is among our children’s favourite dishes, when Eleonora said, with a smile on her face: “Thank you, mammissima!” That was my eureka moment, and I decided I should write a cookery book aimed at busy mums who have little time on their hands but still want to give their children delicious, healthy food.

Alessandro, as well as a publisher you are a novelist, a poet and a translator. Do you have any immediate projects in these areas?

I am writing my third novel – my most ambitious work to date. It’s called The Tower and it’s centred on the figure of Giordano Bruno and the darker side of our modern technological world. I have two translations projects on the back burner: Peri Bathous by Pope and Shakespeare’s Sonnets. I write poetry whenever the inspiration comes. The Muse has been wayward of late.

What do you look for in a translator?

We look for voice and style, just as we do for an original writer. In addition to this, faithfulness to the source and a natural ability to reinvent a world in another language.

Is there anything you would bring from the Italian or Spanish publishing cultures to the UK, and vice versa?

Very little apart from food and design. And oh – the joie de vivre.

How do you see the future of publishing in translation in the UK? Can technology help or hinder?

The recent success of the Stieg Larsson trilogy, as well as the brilliant efforts of many other independent publishers such as ourselves are removing the stigma attached to works in translation and making them more and more of an established presence in British bookshops. Translations are an essential part in a healthy, outward- and forward-looking society. All great periods in history – from Dante’s time to the Renaissance and the Enlightenment – were eras of intense translation activity. It is to be hoped that Britain – for so long one of the leading world nations, not just for its economy but for its linguistic and cultural influence – may with time undergo a quiet revolution and discover the many joys that can be found in translation. There is every sign that this may happen.

With the advances in print-on-demand technology, millions of books are being made available that were difficult to come by only a few years go. Availability and choice have actually improved over the last decade. This is also valid for books in translation. Printing has become cheaper and less risky, and publishers don’t have to be lumbered with masses of dead stock any more. This makes publishing a relatively low-investment business, improves profitability and allows not only a better exploitation of authors’ backlists but also the emergence of many new independent presses, thus fostering creativity and diversity. The P.O.D process has proved to be transformational for poetry, drama and special-interest publishers, and has given thousands and thousands of authors the opportunity to publish their own works and find an inexpensive route to market. Thanks to email and social networks, marketing and publicity have become cheaper and less reliant on advertising and direct-mail marketing. ONIX makes the flow and maintenance of bibliographical data less of a burden for publishers. With the advent of eBooks, intellectual content can be made available instantly through a paperless medium, and new, previously untapped channels are opening up for salespeople and marketeers. So it’s looking up for publishers who are prepared to embrace change.

What is your most recent discovery that we should all watch out for?

Roland Watston-Grant – a natural born storyteller and a very talented novelist. He has just delivered the sequel to his much acclaimed debut, Sketcher, a novel about the beauty of life no matter how broken it is.

What are your medium- long term plans for Alma Books?

To continue doing what we do now – but better.