Luxembourg’s literary leaders returned to the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2018 in a bid to increase visibility for the hundreds of local authors. The pandemic may have slowed its efforts but already a dozen contracts were signed this year for translations of works by Luxembourg authors, according Marc Rettel of the Agence Luxembourgeoise d’Action Culturelle, or Alac. And new books are coming out.

Domestic promotion

While Rettel coordinates Reading Luxembourg, Alac’s charm offensive for Luxembourg literature abroad, this year because of the pandemic he’s also rolling out an internal promotional project.

“Normally at the end of November we would have the Walfer Bicherdeeg (book days), which makes 30% of income of some publishers in Luxembourg. If this doesn’t take place it’s important for me to raise awareness in Luxembourg for all the new publications there,” Rettel said.

“Are you reading Luxembourg?”, as the campaign is known, aims to make residents and cross-border workers aware of the number and works of authors and publishers here.

Dynamic eco-system

According to the Centre national de littérature, there were 602 living published authors in Luxembourg in February 2020. A select number of members of this “dynamic the eco-system” will be represented in the campaign’s online readings.

Among the English language writers featured will be Susan Alexander and Robert Schofield, whose book “The Treasury of Tales” is published this week by Black Fountain Press. The full programme can be found here. The book rentrée kicks off on Thursday with the Luxembourg Book Prize-giving ceremony.