The publishing house on the road to Frankfurt: Nórdica Libros

Diego Moreno, publisher of Nórdica Libros faces the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 as a «great opportunity to recommend our illustrated books, which are an atypical phenomenon at the international level».

On May 18 and 19, the V Meeting of Ibero-American Independent Bookstores and Publishers «Otra Mirada. Towards Frankfurt 2022″ organized by Paco Goyanes and Ana Cañellas from Librería Cálamo (Zaragoza) and the City Council of Barbastro (Huesca). The aim of this edition was to bring new perspectives to the presence of Spain as Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 and to promote relations between bookstores, publishers, and distributors from Spain, Latin America, and Germany.

For this reason, Publishnews would like to get closer to those publishers who have their sights set on the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022. On this occasion we have the words of Diego Moreno, editor of Nórdica Libros, the publishing house that began in 2006 discovering the literature of the Nordic countries and is currently a benchmark also in illustrated books for adults and in the recovery of fundamental texts of world literature, recently adding three wonderful collections of Children’s literature, Theater, and Comic.

«This year’s Madrid Book Fair is a return to a completely normal encounter with readers. We have more than 20 signings and a novelty: an afternoon dedicated to making the work of translators visible, as they will be signing their work at our stand.»

What did you take away from «Otra Mirada»?

All meetings with fellow publishers, booksellers, and distributors lead to conclusions. Two topics especially made me think: the debate on the number of new releases and the relevance or not of putting the printed book’s RRP on the cover.

We are just at the beginning of the Madrid Book Fair 2022, how do you face this edition?

This year’s Madrid Book Fair is a return to a completely normal meeting with readers. We have more than 20 signings and a novelty: an afternoon dedicated to making the work of translators visible, as they will be signing their work at our stand.

How are you facing Nordica’s road to Frankfurt 2022?

This year’s Frankfurt event is very exciting because as our country is the guest, we will have the opportunity to showcase the great work of Spanish writers and illustrators. I will dedicate myself to recommending our illustrators, who are an atypical phenomenon at the international level.

«What I like most is to shape the books, to think how the book is going to be physical, to decide how the reader is going to read the book.»

We want to know a little more about Nórdica. Where did the idea of founding the publishing house come from?

The idea of creating Nórdica arose in 2006 from the desire to create a solo cultural project that would bring two lines of work that had not existed in Spain until then: literature from the Nordic countries and illustrated books for adults. I believed that I could contribute something new and I believe that I have done so.

How would you define your catalog?

My catalog is, above all, varied and broad, as are my tastes as a reader. I believe that in a good catalog there has to be room for novels, short stories, poetry, essays, theater, illustrated books, comics, and children’s books. I am a reader of all these genres and what differentiates our catalog is having collections dedicated to all these fields. I highly value experimentation in all disciplines, and I especially believe in the value of a well-edited book.

When it comes to editing, whats part of book creation do you enjoy the most?

What I like most is shaping the books, thinking about how the book is going to be physical, and deciding how the reader is going to read the book. The layout, the design, the paper, the typography, and the binding are aspects I really enjoy.

What book/books have you published that have gone unjustly unnoticed?

At the beginning of the pandemic, there were two books that I was sorry that were not as well-received as expected, because they came out in the worst months: De Natura Florum by Clarice Lispector, and The Lost Son by Marghanita Laski. Two great books.

And a title you have fought to publish that you are particularly proud of?

I am very proud to have contributed to the wonderful literary work of Ali Smith.