COUV Rights list 14 bis rue des Minimes, 75003 Paris – France +33 (0) 1 53 01 01 75 www.editionskero.com Agents Language Agent Website German Liepman AG Literary Agency www.liepmanagency.com Dutch Marianne Schönbach www.schonbach.nl Italian Luigi Bernabo Associates www.bernabo.it Spanish Silvia Bastos www.silviabastos.com Japanese Tuttle-Mori Agency www.tuttlemori.com Korean Milkwood Agency www.milkwoodagency.com Russian Anastasia Lester Agency www.lesteragency.free.fr Danish Swedish Norwegian Finnish Icelandic Wandel Cruse Literary Agency www.wandelcruseagency.blogspot.fr Croatian Hungarian Andrew Nurnberg Associates www.andrewnurnberg.com Polish Anna Jarota Agency Poland www.annajarota-poland.pl Other Camille Lucet [email protected] +33 (0)1 53 01 01 78 www.editionskero.com 2 www.editionskero.com A publisher with the authors’ interests at heart Kero was born out of the conviction that the revolution in the book market called for a whole new type of publishing company – one that reflected the way authors relate to their readers today. Kero provides authors with a new way of working with their publisher: a different kind of relationship, based on shared values and creative ambitions, for all types of media, both print and digital – and leading to a unique new encounter between the author’s message and his readers. With a score of books already published, this new approach to publishing has hit the mark, gaining the confidence of authors, attracting a wide range of works and enjoying huge public success. A different way of relating to authors  Kero releases a maximum of 25 titles a year – ensuring that plenty of time is devoted to each book in an increasingly tough market.  Kero offers authors a new type of contractual relationship, expressed in an appropriately new form of contract (in terms of duration, percentages, advertising, and so on), rooted in a relationship of trust and characterised by equality, transparency and freedom.  Kero gives authors permanent, dedicated, real-time access to print, distribution and sales figures for their works. All the potential of multi-channel publishing  Kero is committed to providing authors with 360° resources to get their message out in France and internationally, using print, digital and broadcast media.  Kero can draw on a powerful distribution network in France and internationally, as well as its media investments. Immediate support from authors Laurent Gounelle, Laurent Baffie, Philippe Vandel, Serge Hefez, Marek Halter, Michel Rostain (Goncourt First Novel Award 2011), Catherine Charrier, Mitch Albom, Gayle Forman, Markus Zusak, Sonali Deraniyagala and others. Average print run: 30,608 copies Shortlisted for the « International Publishing Industry Excellence Awards 2014 » Category: « International Adult Trade Publisher of the Year ». The London Book Fair in association with The UK Publishers Association 3 www.editionskero.com 4 www.editionskero.com TABLE OF CONTENTS Frankfurt Book Fair 2014 Le jour où j’ai appris à vivre ................................................................................................................ 7 Le philosophe qui n’était pas sage .................................................................................................... 8 Extramuros .................................................................................................................................................. 9 Les Pourquoi en images ...................................................................................................................... 10 Celui dont le nom n’est plus ............................................................................................................... 11 Les Cavaliers afghans........................................................................................................................... 12 Un tout petit rien .............................................................................................................................. 13 Le droit d’aimer ................................................................................................................................ 14 La Tentation barbare........................................................................................................................... 15 En finir avec le mal de dos ............................................................................................................ 16 Contacts ............................................................................................................................................... 18 5 www.editionskero.com 6 www.editionskero.com Le jour où j’ai appris à vivre Laurent Gounelle Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: October 2014 288 pages - 56,800 words Novel #7th bestselling French author Resume A new radiant and joyful novel by bestselling author Laurent Gounelle Recently divorced, father to little Chloé, Jonathan leads a home life that is prosaic enough. His professional life, however, is more taxing: for an insurance agent, every day is a struggle to make ends meet, in particular given trying economic circumstances. It’s not always possible to stick to one’s moral values. And the fact that Angela, his ex-wife, is also a partner at work, doesn’t make life any easier. One summer's day, while out on a stroll through the city, Jonathan has his palm read by a mystic who, visibly shaken, foretells his impending death. Although he does not really believe in these things, Jonathan is unsettled by this doom-laden announcement. Soon the thought begins to obsess him, to the point that he can no longer fulfil his duties at work as before. Jonathan starts to question the meaning of his life. What if everything were brought to an end tomorrow? He leaves to recharge his batteries at his aunt’s, the wise and joyful Margie, a former biologist who founded a research institute for neuroscience and "unexplained" phenomena. During his stay, she puts Jonathan through a series of experiments based on real scientific observations. His time with her will turn Jonathan’s vision of life, his life, on its head. A great feel-good novel which calls on us to assess our own lives and shows how we can be the architects of our own happiness. Rights SOLD TO: Pocket (FRENCH paperback), Planeta (WORLD SPANISH) PREVIOUS TITLES: Le philosophe qui n’était pas sage, Kero (2012) Dieu voyage toujours incognito, Anne Carrière (2010) L'homme qui voulait être heureux, Anne Carrière (2008) SOLD TO: Hay House (ENGLISH US) ; Sperling & Kupfer Editori (ITALIAN), Maeva “L’homme qui voulait être heureux” ; Planeta “Dieu voyage toujours incognito” (SPANISH) ; Verlagsgruppe Random House (Goldmann) (GERMAN); Futami Shobo (JAPANESE); Balgunsesang (KOREAN) ; Athena Press (The Eurasian Publishing Group) (CHINESE TAIWAN); China Citic Press (CHINESE); Editora Objetiva (PORTUGUESE); Livanis (GREEK); Pegasus (TURKISH); Kinneret (HEBREW); Sinisukk publishing (ESTONIAN) ; Shtëpia Botuese Toena (ALBANIAN); Ulpius Haz Kiado (HONGRIAN) ; Bertelsmann media “L’homme qui voulait être heureux” ; Swiat Ksiazki “Dieu voyage toujours incognito” (POLISH); Rybka (CZECH); Sinais de Fogo (PORTUGUESE) Uitgeverij Archipel (DUTCH); Alma Littera (LITHUANIAN); Colibri publisher (BULGARIAN); Editura Philobia (ROMANIAN) Dar Al Kitab Al Alami (LEBANESE); Fokus (CROATIAN) 7 www.editionskero.com Le philosophe qui n’était pas sage Laurent Gounelle Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: October 2012 330 pages – 63,800 words Novel Resume Rights Sandro is crippled by grief. The love of his life died under mysterious circumstances last year. A journalist, she had been on a trip to South America to investigate an ancient and mysterious tribe, reputed to be the happiest in the world. Burdened by a desire for vengeance, Sandro does the only thing he feels he can – he journeys to the deepest, darkest reaches of the Amazon rainforest to search out the tribe that he believes is responsible for his misery. His plan for revenge is simple: to rob them of their happiness, by teaching them hitherto unknown concepts like jealousy, rivalry, covetousness and greed. But Sandro’s mission is complicated when he meets Elianta, the beautiful new shaman of the tribe, who is determined to protect her people and maintain the peace and serenity of their simple existence. SOLD TO: Planeta (WORLD SPANISH), Balgunsesang (KOREAN), Random House (GERMAN), Sperling & Kupfer Editori (ITALIAN), Alma Littera (LITHUANIAN), Pegasus (TURKISH), Colibri publisher (BULGARIAN), Rybka (CZECH), China Citic Press (CHINESE), Pocket (FRENCH paperback) The third book by the chart-topping Laurent Gounelle, Le Philosophe qui n’était pas sage is a captivating novel full of humour and suspense, which raises fundamental questions about human nature and the society that we live in. Laurent Gounelle is a writer Review « A captivating novel. » – France Info « Laurent Gounelle offers us enlightening insights. » – Questions de femmes « Gounelle is an optimist, a humanist, and an unrivalled storyteller, taking a stand against the yawning spiritual vacuum in our civilisation. » – L’hebdo and a specialist in the social sciences. He trained in France and in the US. His books exude his enthusiasm for philosophy, psychology and personal development. His previous novels have all become bestsellers and been translated worldwide.  8 www.editionskero.com Extramuros Philippe Nicholson Manuscript status: to be delivered (French) Publication date: February 2015 96,000 words (approx.) Novel Resume Rights In a world facing rising temperatures and electricity shortages, business districts have risen up throughout the world. These highly-secure areas house employees from major companies in cosseted luxury. High walls and electric fences cut them off from the average citizens outside living in increasingly trying circumstances. These business districts have concentrated the majority of the world’s wealth, quickly becoming more powerful than the very states in which they are located. All rights available for this book. To the point that the Spanish government has just sold one of their regions for the creation of the first company-state in the world, Evergreen. A UN council is poised to decide on whether to recognise this new country in a few weeks in New York. Susan Craft, US National Security Advisor, is determined to oppose the move, but to do so she must go up against Ted Muller-Smith, the formidable business districts representative who has already obtained the vote of the four other Member States. But this is also a world in which the rumblings of revolt are beginning to be heard, with a resistance movement forming. Young Max wants to join the struggle, and soon becomes swept up in a chain of events which threatens to not only turn his life upside down, but shake the very foundations of the Earth. Philippe Nicholson has worked in the world of finance, written economic papers, been a crew member on Atlantic sailing expeditions and a consultant in the fields of marketing and finance. He has already published two novels: Krach Party (2009) and Serenitas (2012), with Carnets Nord. Faced with the threat of a world governed by companies, divided in those who seek personal gain and those motivated by moral convictions, everyone will have to take a stand, either for or against the powers that be. Philippe Nicholson has written the definitive political thriller for the 21st Century. 9 www.editionskero.com Les Pourquoi en images Philippe Vandel - Illustrations by Cathy Karsenty and Madd Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: 3 titles published in 2012, 2013 and 2014 260 « Why » Anthology Resume Rights Curiosity did not kill the cat… SOLD TO: Pocket (FRENCH paperback), Graphic adaptation: Jungle Philippe Vandel tackles some of the questions you have always asked yourself without ever knowing the answer. To be enjoyed by the whole family and curious souls of all ages! Why was the baguette only invented in France? Why do cobras dance in front of snake charmers? Why do men fall asleep after making love? Why is black slimming? Why do we eat with a fork? Why are wedding rings worn on the ring finger? Everyone has noticed. But no one knows why. This book is made up of adult answers to children’s questions. Or maybe it’s the other way around. The questions can be read one at a time – but it can also be very hard to stop. Philippe Vandel is a writer and journalist. He has written eight books, including Les Pourquoi en images, published by Kero in 2012. He presents two radio programmes on France Info, “Tout et son contraire” (Anything and everything) from Monday to Friday and “Les Pourquoi du weekend” (The questions of the weekend). He is also a presenter on French TV channel D8 on Cyril Hanouna's daily talk show "Touche pas à mon poste", and hosts the live Monday night programme on Sport 365. Review « His illustrated « Why » books prove that there are no stupid questions. » – Le Point « His answers often hide an amusing or surprising story. » – TV Magazine « An engrossing collection with astonishing answers. » – RTS  10 www.editionskero.com Celui dont le nom n’est plus René Manzor Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: May 2014 396 pages - 94,000 words Thriller Short-listed Prix Polar de Cognac 2014 Resume Rights Dawn breaks over London. On a kitchen table lies a man’s body – minus its internal organs. The murderer is an old lady of impeccable standing. How could she have come to kill the man she brought up as her own son? It makes no sense – and yet everything points to her as being guilty. Two days later, the same thing happens again: a man is killed in similar fashion by the person who loves him more than anyone else in the world. And so it goes on, with a new victim every twenty-four hours. All the murders are linked by a common thread: distraught suspects and epitaphs in letters of blood: “May this sacrifice bring peace to the soul of He whose Name is no more”. Amid these inexplicable murders, three destinies become interwoven. McKenna is an Irishman: a policeman, the father of four boys, widowed a year ago and still grief-stricken. Dahlia Rhymes is an American criminologist who specialises in ritual and satanic murders, assigned to figure out what makes killers tick. Nils Blake is a semi-retired barrister who is willing to return to court to defend these unlikely perpetrators. Three destinies – and three lives irreversibly changed. SOLD TO: Pocket (FRENCH paperback) The tale is packed with breath-taking suspense, larger-than-life characters and a completely unexpected plot twist at the end. Halfway between the works of Stephen King and Michael Connelly, on the borderline between love and death, this thriller will leave its mark on you. Review « A genuine pageturner. » – Canal+ « A tightly plotted thriller with a riveting subject. » – L'Express « A riveting thriller… The reader won’t forget it’s name anytime soon. » – Ouest France « Efficient and extremely well plotted. » – La Provence 11 PREVIOUS TITLES: Les Âmes rivales, Kero (2012) SOLD TO: Pocket (FRENCH paperback), Chaek-Se-Sang Pub (KOREAN) Born with the storytelling urge, René Manzor originally pursued his passion in cinema. His first two films caught the attention of Hollywood. After working as a scriptwriter and director on major US productions (The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception) as well as for French TV, his first novel, Les Âmes rivales (‘Rival souls’), was published in 2012. www.editionskero.com Les Cavaliers afghans Louis Meunier Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: May 2014 336 pages – 83,000 words Non-fiction Winner of the Prix Pégase 2014 Resume Rights On graduating from business school in 2002, rather than following a career path set in stone, Louis Meunier decided to go in search of adventure. He went off to work for an NGO in Afghanistan at a time when the country was fully engaged in post-war reconstruction. SOLD TO: Pocket (FRENCH paperback) He was blown away by the beauty of the land and the dignity of its inhabitants. More particularly, after being enthralled by Joseph Kessel’s novel Les Cavaliers (‘The Horsemen’), he dreamed of being present for a Buzkashi game – a tournament where the riders can do just about anything, gladiator-style, to place a goat’s body in the “hallal” or Circle of Justice. These formidable horsemen are known as Chapandaz. It was not long before Louis had just one idea in mind: finding the horse of his dreams and becoming a Chapandaz himself. This engaging account of ten years of adventures in Afghanistan provides a fascinating insight into the culture and customs of the country. All too often in the West, Afghanistan is seen only through the lens of negative news coverage. This book shows what life is really like there, and Louis Meunier offers us a compelling introductory narrative as he embarks on his quest for the Buzkashi. Review « An amazing testimony. » – Livres Hebdo « Louis Meunier has written a powerful story of initiation set in an Afghanistan steeped in legends and spirits. » – Ouest France « Another adventurer to add to the long list of prestigious travel writers. » – Le Figaro 12 Louis Meunier arrived in Afghanistan in March 2002 to help with the national reconstruction programme. He went on to guide groups of mountaineers through the Pamir Mountains and cross Afghanistan on horseback. He was part of the Kabul Buzkashi team for three years alongside the legendary Chapandaz horsemen. In 2007 he set up Taimani Films, a broadcast production company based in Kabul. Louis produces and directs films for television and cinema, including the documentaries Prisonniers de l’Himalaya (‘Himalaya Prisoners’) and 7 000 mètres au-dessus de la guerre (‘7,000 metres above war level’). www.editionskero.com Un tout petit rien Camille Anseaume Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: February 2014 252 pages – 33,000 words Debut Long-listed Prix de la Closerie des Lilas 2014 Long-listed Prix du Roman Version Femina 2014 Resume Rights At 25, Camille’s world falls apart when she finds out that she’s pregnant by the man with whom she shares her bed – but little else. SOLD TO: Open Book (KOREAN), Karakter (DUTCH), Pocket (FRENCH paperback) “The biggest commitment we’d ever made to each other was to say we’d be in touch at the weekend – and that was on a Tuesday. […] It’s about much more than sex, but a lot less than love. We’re stuck somewhere in the middle.” When her lover hears the news, he walks out and doesn’t come back. And so begin twelve weeks of hesitation – amidst meetings with friends, shouting matches with her family, and doctor’s appointments. Camille draws up lists of pros and cons, despairs as she climbs the seven floors to her garret flat, and bursts into tears when one of her yoghourts plunges to a sticky end below. The clock is ticking, but she just can’t make up her mind: should she keep the baby and bring it up on her own, or get rid of it and try and pick up where she left off? Camille Anseaume has written an endearing – and poignantly accurate – novel about the painful yet joyous transition from one way of life to another. At the end of the day, this tender, poetic and amusing narrative says more about the birth of a mother than the birth of a baby. Review Camille Anseaume is a journalist for women’s magazines. She also runs the blog “Café de filles”, voted ‘best blog’ by ELLE magazine’s editorial team. « Lots of energy and plenty of drive. » – ELLE « Un tout petit rien is appealing, amusing, poetic and moving: the story of a woman who gradually becomes a mother before our eyes. Superb. » – Questions de femmes « One of the most sensitive novels so far this year. » – Cosmopolitan « This contemporary sociological portrait manages to be witty, tender and sensitive all at once. » – France 2  13 www.editionskero.com Le droit d’aimer Anne-Marie Mariani Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: January 2014 160 pages – 36,000 words Non-fiction #10 in Non-fiction best-seller list Resume Rights “Your daddy is a priest.” The words bounced around in Anne-Marie’s head as she realised, then and there, what the dark family secret about her was. SOLD TO: J’ai lu (FRENCH paperback), Film TV: Chabraque Productions Anne-Marie has now decided to tell her story – so that the children of priests will never again feel they have to remain silent. The book reads like a detective story, as the author goes in search of her roots, looking for all those who sought to keep the love of a man for a woman secret, caring nothing for the life of a child. My father is a priest – so what? Why should his child be forced to call him “godfather”; why should he not be allowed to bring up the daughter he loves? Why should a father not be allowed to love? This book offers us a lesson in happiness – and an incredible love story that transcends the laws of men and the Church. Although it could have had a very different ending, in the end this love story resulted in a beautiful young woman. Today, Anne-Marie is a grandmother – and only now has she decided to reveal her secret, to tell the Church what things are like for the many children worldwide born to priests and nuns, and to open its eyes to the reality of those in its orders. Spiritual guides they may be, but they are only human nonetheless. Priestly celibacy dates from 1074, when Pope Gregory VII decreed that all candidates for ordination must first take a vow of celibacy; but that means that no such vow existed before then. That was ten centuries after Christ – so why should such a law be permanent now? “Let them choose, if they wish, to love, marry, and have children. Let them live – they would be no less respected, and the Church would not be any the worse either, anything but. It would be greater, truer, and more just.” Review « An overwhelming book. » – Radio Classique Anne-Marie Mariani is the child of a relationship between priest and a nun. She has set up an association called ‘The Children of Silence’ (Les Enfants du Silence) to provide a listening ear for others with similar stories. Today, she is herself a mother and grandmother, and has decided to tell her story for the first time. « A rare and intimate personal account. » – Le Monde des Religions « This is a true-life novel, replete with unsuspected twists, strong emotions, a colonial dash of the exotic, secrets, and transgression. » – Le Dauphiné Libéré  14 www.editionskero.com La Tentation barbare Pierre JB Benichou Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: March 2014 352 pages – 104,000 words Debut Resume Rights After an uneasy night, Max wakes with a start, and is horrified to discover that she is there again, watching him from his bedside. SOLD TO: Pocket (FRENCH paperback), Movie : Outside films Fleeing a rather mediocre career as a ghostwriter – and a failed marriage – Max has come to try his luck in New York. He soon rediscovers love in the arms of a beautiful redhead, Maureen; and also agrees, in the utmost secrecy, to write the latest novel by Emilie Roubaix, the fashionable author of the moment. But the nightmares he thought he had left safely on the other side of the Atlantic are assailing him once again. Not only that, his worst fears have been realised: the young girl is back. Who is this silent child who haunts his nights? Is her return something to do with the new novel he’s writing? To find out, Max will have to dig through his memories and face up to his past. Devilishly plotted, La Tentation barbare (‘The barbaric temptation’) is an engrossing read tinged with both delight and anxiety. Pierre JB Benichou takes us from one revelation to the next as the scene shifts between Paris, Marseille and New York, in the footsteps of a man in search of his memory. 15 Pierre JB Benichou was born in 1952. In addition to being a ghostwriter, just like his hero, he has also worked in the film industry as a distributor, director and producer, as well as a festival organiser. After spending four years in New York, he now lives in Tel Aviv, where he devotes himself entirely to writing. La Tentation barbare is his first novel under his own name. www.editionskero.com En finir avec le mal de dos François Stévignon Manuscript status: available (French) Publication date: September 2013 208 pages – 33,400 words Non-fiction Rights Resume No more backache! At last, an effortless method that deals with the causes of pain and brings relief within three weeks – without any drugs. SOLD TO: Garzanti Libri (ITALIAN), Pocket (FRENCH paperback) Do you have painful shoulders, a bad hip or persistent lower back pain? Treatments often have no long-term effect on any of these ills. We take pain-killers and anti-inflammatory drugs, go for a massage and end up considering having surgery. These all-too-frequent stages all focus on the effects and on the pain itself, but forget the fundamental element: the causes. By concentrating on the times when our back is obviously under strain, we forget the most important thing: the remaining ninety percent of the time when we don’t think about our posture – slumped on the sofa watching a good film, working hunched over our keyboard, or reading in bed propped up with pillows. Paradoxically, the tricky times are in fact those when we feel we’re resting our back. The Stévignon method addresses these passive postures, helping us to spot them and get rid of them altogether by changing our environment. The book includes a test to assess bad posture, case studies and a step-bystep method. Simple three-week step-by-step programme. Review « Books don't get more practical than this. » – Le Parisien « François Stévignon breaks ranks to reveal how you can prevent and relieve long-term pain. » – Féminin Bio  16 François Stévignon has been a physiotherapist for over thirty years. A qualified osteopath and vertebral therapist, he quickly developed a keen interest in persistent pain. Having treated some 100,000 cases during the course of his career, including sportsmen and women, accident victims and patients suffering from chronic pain, he has accurately identified the crucial points in people’s daily routines and developed a successful, tried and tested method to address these. www.editionskero.com Acquisitions Category Author Title Agency Fiction Harald Gilbers Germania Droemer Fiction Carlos Acosta Pig’s Foot Bloomsbury UK Fiction Caroline Kepnes You WME Fiction Marie-Helene Bertino 2 am at the Cat’s Pajamas WME The Time Keeper, The First Phone Call from Heaven David Black Fiction Mitch Albom 3 books deal Fiction Gayle Forman Just One Day, Just One Year Just One Night Gernert Agency Fiction Markus Zusak The Messenger Curtis Brown Memoir Dan Marshall Home’s Burning Jenny Meyer/Weed Literary Memoir Sonali Deraniyagala Wave Trident Nonfiction Bill Browder Red Notice Conville & Walsh Nonfiction Jenna Miscavige Hill Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape Harper Collins 17 www.editionskero.com Contacts 14 bis, rue des Minimes 75003 Paris – France +33 (0) 1 53 01 21 62 www.editionskero.com www.facebook.com/EditionsKero @EditionsKero Philippe ROBINET – CEO Camille LUCET – Managing Director Deborah DRUBA – Editorial Director – Foreign Literature Marine MONTEGUT – Editor – French Literature Catherine BOURGEY – Head of Communication 18 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.editionskero.com