RIGHTS GUIDE

CONTEMPORARY

UKRAINIAN

2020

LITERATURE

LITERARY AGENCY OVO has an ambitious goal to advance modern Ukrainian

literature into the international context by making it an integral and prominentpart of global trends. Literary Agency OVO was established in 2019 by threecultural managers who shared the main idea reflected in the agency’s motto —‘Literature has no borders’. The agency specializes in three areas:

Contact us at: litagency.ovo@gmail.comViktoriya Ma, International Projects Coordinator

To learn more, please visit: www.litagencyovo.comwww.facebook.com/lit.agency.ovo

selection of talented authors who require assistance in finding publishersfor their manuscripts and further conclusion of publishing agreements;

promotion of authors with published books, namely organization ofpromo tours, PR campaigns, participation in festivals and more;

sales of rights for translation and publication of Ukrainian authors atinternational book fairs and in the framework of bilateral cooperation.

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CONTENT

AWARDED BOOKSSvitlana TaratorainaPavlo MatyushaAtrem ChapeyeMartyn Yakub

BESTSELLERSIryna HrabovskaPavlo DereviankoSolomia ZelenskaOleksii FilanovskyiIryna ZhurakovskaRoman KryzhanivskyiVasyl Shulga

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© Designed by Olena Odynoka

AWARDEDBOOKS

SVITLANA TARATORINA

— journalist, political and mass communicationsprofessional, one of the ‘25 most influentialwriters of Ukraine’ according to FOCUSmagazine. Winner of a fantasy writing contest‘Star Fortress’, ‘Stos’, ‘Brama’, ‘Best UkrainianShi Fi’, ‘Murder on the street…’, ‘Babay. Firstnightmare’. Winner of the award LitAkcent 2018Literary Prize, Book Forum Best Book 2019.

Winner of the CHRYSALIS AWARDS 2019 forthe novel ‘Lazarus’ as the best debut!

LAZARUSAlternative history; Dark fantasy

Lazarus is set in the mystifying Kyiv of 1913:a bizarre and vivid world full of magic,legends, political strife and detectiveinvestigations, and of great injustice. Peopleare comfortably living alongside the impure– ghouls, devils, and werewolves, as well asgruesome forest, field, and water spirits.The humans rule the Empire, while theimpure await the return of their legendaryleader, the Dragon. But one day everythingchanges. In the reeds next to the DniproRiver, the adopted child of the water spiritsis found with his stomach torn open. It isclear: the deceased is a human. In order toprevent war with the impure, the humansenlist the help of a brilliant investigator.But will he be able to defeat hisown demons and actuallyaccept what he had for somany years refusedto believe in?

ISBN 978-966-948-117-7, 130 х 200 mm, 416 p.; 2018.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

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— Ukrainian poet, writer and translator. Graduatedfrom HEC Paris with an MBA and Taras ShevchenkoNational University of Kyiv with major in TranslationStudies. Pavlo started his career in multilateraldiplomacy, then lived and worked in France. In 2019Pavlo returned to live in Kyiv. He is a laureate of theprestigious National Literary Contest ‘Smoloskyp’ in2018 and 2019 with his poetry and prose.

ISBN 978-617-7262-58-8

120 х 165 mm, 86 p.; 2018.

PAVLO MATYUSHA

Longlisted in the LitAccent Literary Prize 2018 and Espresso TV Readers Choice

2019 Book Award!

COCLIQUOT – POPPY FLOWERSocial drama, Conspiracy.

EYEEFairy tale

Eyee and her parents, father Ashy and mother Thalia, are a veryspecial family. They are brave, friendly, and caring unlike othersmall dwarfs in the forest. They love each other and the world so thatthey succeed not only to convert a very selfish and hostile tribe ofdwarfs but also help those in danger. Eyee teaches others how to bepolite, accept diversity and make friends. Pavlo Matyusha’s bookopens the series of pocketbooks “Tale under the pillow” for readingbefore bedtime.

ISBN 978-617-614-287-4, 130 х 200 mm, 304 p.; 2020.

After the breakout of war on the East of Ukraine, a young financialmanager is getting ready to leave his country, not able to live through theloss of love of his life. However, he stays to join the PresidentialAdministration on the proposal of his childhood friend, another financierwho returned from Frankfurt to support the new political leadership. Ajourney begins, full of aspirations to help the country but also deliria of thepast and conspiracy on the highest level. The protagonist finds himselflocked in the world where wolves in sheep’s clothing get out hunting. Willhe succeed to understand who is who while reassembling himself to begina new life?

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

2019

5

Rights sold to Georgia. Full English translation available.

ARTEM CHAPEYE

— renowned Ukrainian writer, afour-time finalist of the BBCBook of the Year Award and afinalist of UNESCO City ofLiterature award. Artem hasauthored several Ukrainianbestsellers, including a non-fiction book that won theParents’ Book of theYear award.Artem was awarded the CentralEuropean Initiative Fellowshipfor Writers, as well as the PaulCelan Fellowship for Translators.He was also a finalist of the KurtSchork Award in InternationalJournalism. Artem speaks fourlanguages and served briefly as awar correspondent in EasternUkraine.

EROSIONSocial post-apocalypse

While an overworked couple from thecapital city retreats for a vacation inthe mountains, all human beingsdisappear from the Earth except onislands of certain size and aroundmountain tops where the humanity isspared the erosion. The novelinfluenced by the war in easternUkraine and the current pandemicdeals with social and philosophicalissues of human behavior. Unnamednarrator is melancholic, with burstsof gallows humor and a stronginclination to admire nature andbeautiful moments, even in the midstof calamities.

Forthcoming in 2021.

STRANGE PEOPLESocial drama

Stepan Vovk is a neanderthalrecreated from DNA. Or so he says.In contrast to his name, “Wolf”, Vovkis an extremely kind and somewhatnaive person who is often comparedto Lamb by others. He isoversensitive to “strange” behaviorof “strange” homo sapiens andoverreacts when trying to protect asmall girl from abuse by her ownparents, and he almost gets himselfinto prison for that. The novel dealswith social and philosophical issuesof human behavior. It is soaked inhumor, albeit bitter or sinister humorat times. ISBN 978-617-614-256-0,

84☓108 1/32, 304 pp., 2019

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

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English sample translation available at request.

English sample translation

available at request.

DEAD MODELSCrime story

Max Gedz is a former militiamanfrom Gorlivka, Donetsk region.During the conflict on the east ofUkraine he joined the side ofseparatists. After some time, hechanged his preferences andstarted serving as a solder in theArmed Forces of Ukraine. He waswounded and lost his right arm.At the beginning of the story,Max is a poor person with adisability who works as an officeguard forgotten by everyone. Hegets involved in the investigationof a disappeared girl by chanceand with the only motivation –he needs money to pay rent.

Former serviceman in the Anti Terrorist Operation on the East of Ukraine,former militiaman from Gorlivka, Donetsk region, former separatist andnow a fresh detective Max Gedz gets involved into a new investigation.The wife of his school classmate Valera perished in a car accident. Thehusband is sure she was assassinated. Max is as usual lacking cash. Hesets on to unriddle that case and dives into the world where assassinationis the highest equity. Can an evil be defeated by greater evil?

ISBN 978-617-7173-99-0,

130 х 205 mm, 240 p.; 2019.

CALL OFF THE DOGSCrime story

The most awaited sequel of criminal story starring detective Max Gedz!

Coming in 2020.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

MARTYN YAKUB

— writer, businessman, formerpolitical scientist and journalist.Martyn holds a Masters degree inPolitical Science from the Kyiv-MohylaAcademy.

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2018

BESTSELLERS

IRYNA HRABOVSKA

— writer, blogger, co-author of the wardocumentary bestseller ‘In the Ring ofFire. The Luhansk International AirportDefense Operation’ (2018). Author ofcomputer game screenplays.Winner of the ‘Fantastic Cities ofUkraine’ short stories contest by ‘SvitFantasy’ journal (2019). Finalist of thecontest ‘Star Fortress’ (2018). Winnerof the short stories contest by theaudio journal ‘Expression’ (2013).

THE LEOBURG DUOLOGYAlternate history; Steampunk

ISBN 978-966-948-325-6, 130 х 200 mm, 480 p.; 2019.

ISBN in progress,

130 х 200 mm, 500 p.; 2020.

THE LAST WAR OF EMPIRES, Book 2

Leoburg is in danger! Internal and externalenemies are just waiting for the opportunity todestroy the center of scientists and artists, toeradicate rebellion and launch an offensive againstthe Ukrainian Kingdom. Danylo and his friendsreturn to theburning city.Will they be ableto save Leoburg?Will they returnhome? And whatwill be the costfor this strangerbut such a familiarwar, the last warof empires?

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

THE REBEL’S LAST RESORT, Book 1

Danylo receives a gift from his missing uncle. Thisis a beautiful estate near Kyiv. He finds out that agirl named Jackie lives in the uncle’s house. Whileexploring the new home, the guy suddenly fallsinto a strange place where airships fly in the sky,monorails go through the city and amazing steamengines do the homework. Danylo wants to find hisuncle and this intention leads him through anumber of mysterious events. Will he be able tosave his ‘cousin’, who is wrongly accused of amurder? And where is his uncle?

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PAVLO DEREVIANKO

— bestselling debutant author.Favorite genres are fantasy,horror, mystery, popular science,and historical researches. Keen onvideo games and motorcycles. Hisdark fantasy novel with elementsof alternate history andsteampunk ‘Arkan of wolves’ waspublished in 2019 and becamebestseller immediately afterrelease. First circulation of thesecond book of the trilogy ‘Toils ofwar’ was sold out before it wasreleased.

THE CHRONICLES OF THE GRAY ORDER TRILOGY

Alternative history; Dark fantasy

ISBN 978-966-97870-0-2

130 х 200 mm, 448 p.;

2019.

ISBN 978-617-7842-08-7

130 х 200 mm, 448 p.;

2020.

TOILS OF WAR, Book 2Year 1852. The Gray Order lost manydue to the victory of the NorthernAlliance and the Dual Alliance in therecent war. The Red and BlackSoviets are preparing for the electionof the hetman. Alarming rumors arecoming from abroad, and theOrthodox Church is openly opposingthe wolves, whose bloodedcampaign ranks are melting alongwith their glory. But the Gray OrderKnights are on guard despite theOrder decline…

ARKAN OF WOLVES, Book 1

Year 1845. The State of BohdanKhmelnytsky withstood. Electivehetmans and bicameral parliamentruled here for almost two hundredyears. The Catholic and Orthodoxchurches coexist, the language hasshifted to Latin, zeppelins float in thesky, and witches live among thepeople. The Ukrainian Hetmanate isdefended by the Sich army, theSecret Guard and the bizarre knightsof the Gray Order, who haveotherworldly forces…

To be announced Book 3

Tear apart the cursed scroll.Discard the wolf knight's braces.Shed the last drops of blood and tears,which will turn into the brilliance of heroic legends.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

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— writer, member of theUkrainian Union of Writers,actress by training andvocation. Her novel ‘Priest’sConfession’ was awardedwith the first prize at theliterary contest jointly heldby the Kiev MunicipalAdministration and theUkrainian Union of Writers.‘Marylyn’s secret’ waspublished in 2018 and 2019,correspondingly. Solomia iscurrently working on twonext novels, psychologicalcriminal mystical stories,but strictly speaking —romance by genre.

MARILYN’S SECRETPsychological romance

Darina and Iness have been friends sincethey were in school. Darina has alwayscalled Iness Marilyn Monroe, and Inessdreamed of becoming an actress like herfriend. However, it did not work out.Iness was betrayed by her husband andafter disappeared for a while after that.Darina is desperately looking for love.She experiences betrayal and rape onher way. Darina changes her lifedrastically after that. Though she foundlove, got married and gave birth to ason. And now her old friend Inessappears and disappears again withDarina’s son…

The search for love, despair and a desperate struggle for happiness.

ISBN 978-966-8448-21-8, 80х100/32, 308 p.; 2019.

PRIEST’S CONFESSION Psychological criminal mystical

story

The famous writer Oleksa is serving hissentence in prison. A strange manArtemiy, sentenced for the murder of awoman, becomes Oleksa’s cellmate andwriter shares with him the story of hislife and imprisonment. In a huff ofjealousy, he allegedly killed a priest whowas in love with the beloved woman ofOleksa. Meanwhile the actress Melaniareturns home after a failed marriage tothe famous scandalous producer JosephZabar. But isn't Oleksa serving asentence instead of someone else? Andmaybe that someone is closer than itseems?

ISBN 978-617-95014-0-1

130 х 200 mm, 264 p.; 2020.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

SOLOMIA

ZELENSKA

Three men, one woman, failed marriage, betrayal, forbidden love, corruption and painful desire for fame and fortune.

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— Ukrainian non-fiction and fiction writer. He holdsa degree in History. Oleksiy is one of the bestmarketing specialists in Ukraine. He created anumber of popular local brands, and successfullymanaged businesses across different industries. In2018, Oleksiy created his “Filberry” marketingagency. Marketing books of Oleksiy are bestsellersinUkraine.

ISBN 978-617-09-4875-5, 130 х 200 mm, 304 p., 2018.

A PROVINCIALHistorical fiction

Defan, son of a KnightHospitaller and a simplemonk, becomes acardinal and the masterof the Papal treasury –Camera Apostolica.Everything he touchesturns into gold. Defan

This book is neither amarketing manual nor aguide for specialists inparticular areas ofmarketing. The word‘main’ in its title indicatesthat it contains the

A great love story, multiple seductions, detective plot, intrigues of the Holy See, fear of God and God’s judgement – and how to make money out of it – all of this in the exhaustive reconstruction of the 13-14th centuries.Full Russian version is available.

ISBN 978-617-09-6253-9, 130 х 200 mm, 432 p.; 2020.

OLEKSII FILANOVSKYI

created liqueurs and perfumes popular to thisday, paved the path for cashless Transfers inEurope, and defined the rules by which theVatican Bank is still governed. His moralitydiverges from the norm of his time. His end ismiserable: first, he loses his memory, then hissanity.

answers to the most fundamental questionsrelated to marketing which is live, changeableand moving like mercury. You will learn how thetriads have lost control over the prostitutionmarket, how the principles of shared economywere implemented in the Occitan village, howto apply the right pricing in a strip club, whyprofessor Zimbardo’s experiment exposed thetrue face of humanity which issues are faced bymodern physicists and how to drink horilka inthe right way. Obviously, kings, cabbages,walruses and carpenters will not be ignored.

THE MAINMARKETING BOOKNon-fiction

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

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— writer, social activist, traveler, and brandmanager currently based in Zürich,Switzerland. In recent years, Iryna has co-founded and led the volunteer organization‘Verein der deutsch - ukrainischenZusammenarbeit’ in Germany, and startedthe Celtic dance school ‘Lugnasad’ in Kyiv,Ukraine. Iryna has lived and worked inGermany, France, and Switzerland.

ISBN 978-617-614-161-7, 145 х 205 mm, 496 p.; 2017.

ON THE FAR SIDE OF WAR

Historical romance

The protagonists of the novel, a German manBastian and a young French woman Constance,meet in spring 1914. Their short and passionatelove affair results in pregnancy and marriage, butthe beginning of the war tears the newlywedsapart and they find themselves on different sidesof the front. Constance faces the horrid reality ofthe war, while giving birth to their son.Meanwhile, Bastian is recruited to the Germanartillery. He is injured in battle. In the hospital,his marriage to a French woman is revealed.Accused of treason, Bastian flees. After manyadventures, now a deserter, he arrives in neutralSwitzerland. The protagonists meet again in1921. They are now completely different people.Deprived of the illusions of youth, the couplenevertheless decides to start over once again.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

IRYNA ZHURAKOVSKAFresh view

on World War I events

mirroring modern

times.

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ISBN 978-966-97835-6-1,

225 х 290 mm, 36 p.;

2020.

KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER SERIESKids Comics

HERO SPARROW SERIESKids Comics

DANGEROUS RACES, Book 1Dangerous races among birds have beenheld for thousands of years already. But forthe first time in the history of races someonedares to challenge the established leaders. Ithas never happened before. Faith, courageand bravery opposed the brutal force thistime and the result was extremelyunpredictable…

ISBN 978-966-97835-1-6, 170 х 240 mm, 48 p.; 2019.

Ghosts, riddles, stunning adventures ofthe Order of Knights — six rabbitsheroes and their guardian spirits savethe world again and again. BYF (Bite-your-Finger), Moishy Numbhern, V@S,France la Crune, James WilliamRackstone III and Savamura.Remember these names, they willsoon go down in history!

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

— writer, publisher,businessman, bookstoresowner, member of the juryof literary contest‘Coronation of the Word’.He hosts the popular TVshow ‘Bookshelf’ and theradio show ‘The TownAbove Buhov’.Roman’s book ‘Knights ofthe Order. The ghostfrom the past’ isUkrainian bestseller. Therights were sold to theUSA and it was releasedthere in 2019.

ROMAN

KRYZHANIVSKYI

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THE GHOST FROM THE PAST , Book 1

THE ABDUCTION OF THE KING, Book 2ISBN 978-966-97835-3-0, 170 х 240 mm, 64 p.; 2020.

BOOKLOVERS SERIESKids Comics

Once upon a time people just believed in miracles.Legends were as real as stories. Times have changed and the creatures inthese stories have become less and less real. There were books that only theselected few could read and learn about all those bizarre oddities that werestill ubiquitous. Years passed and these stories became more and more likefiction, until in one very ordinary city in ordinary family happened this story…

English translation is available!

ISBN 978-966-97615-1-4,

170 x 210 mm,

200 p.; 2017.

The building that you see on the book coversymbolizes the whole photo business. Theauthor invites to go on a sightseeing tour. Youwill find out what and how to do in order tobecome a professional advertisingphotographer. You will go through offices ofadvertising agencies and their clients. They willtell us what advertisers are expecting fromphotographers, which troubles are awaitingthem, how to build a profitable cooperation,and eventually, how to get huge money for theimplementation of advertising photo projects.Finally, you will have an opportunity toparticipate in an advertising project at all itsstages – pre-production, production, post-production.

INVISIBLE PHOTO BUSINESS: What a photographer should know to work with big brands.

Non-fiction

‘Invisible photo business’ became a desk book for brandmanagers, producers and photographers in Ukraine.

Full English translation available.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

— Ukrainian writer, businessman, formerpolitical scientist and journalist. Vasyl holds aMasters degree in Political Science from theKyiv-Mohyla Academy. He established PositivePictures photo-production in 2009.

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VASYL SHULGA

— journalist, director of PAUCI (Poland AmericaUkraine Cooperation Initiative, later the Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation Foundation) (2005-2016), PolishAmbassador in Ukraine (2016-2019). He published twobooks on the Balkans. As a conflict resolutionjournalism trainer and media consultant, hecollaborated with Rutgers University, the ColumbiaSchool of Journalism, Jagiellonian University of Krakow,IREX Pro Media, Groeningen University and otherinstitutions. He was involved in journalism trainings inBosnia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania and Poland.

ISBN 978-966-8853-67-8, 130 х 200 mm, 220 p., 2017.

SCENT OF THE ANGELNovel

The scent from the titlerepresents an angelic aurathat follows the path of themain characters in thenovel; it mingles with theirfates as they travel throughtime and across continents.

Jan Pieklo's volume of poetrypresents a gallery of lyricimages from different periodsof author's life. This collection

ISBN 978-966-8853-37-1, 130 х 200 mm, 264 p.; 2013.

JAN PIEKŁO

Framed within the context of the most dramatichistorical and political events of the turn of the lastcentury — from the war in the Balkans, the 9/11attacks on the US, to terrorism in the Middle East,the Orange Revolution in Ukraine. A vision of newglobal conflicts — the novel tells a story of thevictory of love over death. It ends with a vision ofconflicts and disasters caused by those who areallied with the forces of evil and are confronted bythe angels and their human partners. The authorchose to create a trio of Archangels: Gabriel,Raphael and Michael. They interact with humanbeings and help them to combat evil. The authorleaves the reader with a choice between twopossible endings – two possible visions. The readerwill determine which one to believe.

consists also of the reflections over the search forthe sense of our universe and human civilization.Colorful life experience, a wide range of emotionsreflected in selected metaphors, epithets andparallels allow the reader to immerse in the time,world and state of author’s creative mind. Thepoems tell of events from different periods; they arelike good, old dry wine, which is served in crystalglasses to the readers for tastings.Author wanders around the world, visiting differentplaces, recording images seen from his window,during walking, starring at the sky, admiring thesurrounding landscape. His travels touch levels ofmetaphysics and religion. This poetry is constructedfrom delicate but straight personal fabrics,addressing issues which are eternal for all of us.

THE WORLD AROUND THE CORNER. COLLECTION OF

POSTCARDS UNSENT.

Poetry

CONTEMPORARY POLISH - UKRAINIAN LITERATURE

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GRANTS FOR TRANSLATION FROM UKRAINIAN

CREATIVE EUROPE. Literary translation grants

https://creativeeurope.in.ua/en/programs/19This funding opportunity supports publishers and publishing houses. The fundaims to support cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe, promote thetransnational circulation of high quality literary works. A grant of up to €100,000(maximum 50% of the eligible costs) with duration of maximum 2 years.

HOUSE OF EUROPE. Translation grants

https://houseofeurope.org.ua/en/opportunity/1This opportunity is perfectly suitable for publishing houses or other publishingorganizations (including private entrepreneurs) registered in Ukraine or EU intandem with translators. Translations from Ukrainian into EU languages aresupported. Duration up to 18 months.

UKRAINIAN BOOK INSTITUTE. Translation Grant

The Ukrainian Book Institute invites publishers to submit applications for theProgram ‘Translate Ukraine’. The program is designed for foreign publishers willingto translate and publish Ukrainian literature. Grant amount: 4000 EUR.Applications may be submitted only by email: translateukraine@ubi.org.ua

TAULT

The Tompkins Agency for Ukrainian Literature in Translationwww.tault.org