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Allied Authors Agency (AAA)
Welcome!
In existence since January 1, 2004, The Allied Authors Agency reigns as Belgium’s sole literary agency. Which means that we can claim as much for more than twenty years now!
At the outset, our goal was something brand new: the representation of quality fiction, non-fiction and youth literature of Belgian origin on the international market. After a few years, we logically adapted to how the market at large responded to our offering. In effect, this lead to two major changes. With a heavy heart, as it was against our preferences, we had to stop representing Belgian youth literature. Two main reason led to that painful decision:
Internationally, the market had proven not to be overly welcoming to titles hailing from a ‘small’ language. Citing the cost of translation, many a title judged ‘interesting’ in the end didn’t make a sale. Making matters worse, we noticed more than once that such a title turned out to be the apparent direct ‘inspiration’ for a title by a local author on that very same topic, not too much later.
In Belgium, those who could (and should) try to remedy that situation by supporting a range of quality authors – the Flemish Literary Fund, to name but one – rather than help, actively sabotaged authors’ chances, as they opted to extremely support ‘a happy few’ and neglect everybody else.
Whereas that change came about as a result of negative issues, the other had a most positive basis. Our first successes had attracted attention. Being Belgian, it is part of our nature to be ‘different’. Offering quality literature went hand in hand with originality, making a difference. Soon, we attracted quality literature ‘with a twist’ from all over the globe. And scored with several of these titles.
Since, the Allied Authors Agency differed from many other agencies in that we do not only work hard to find top quality and highly original literary titles to represent, but strive to deliver triple A quality service to all of our contacts. The A.A.A. abbreviation is not ‘just a name’! Knowing, feeling authors, we are involved in a very personal manner. We carefully select and opt to represent a limited number of titles rather than a mass. As a result, the A.A.A. knows! Whether we discuss publishing contacts, its authors, their work, their devotion and their wishes. We know each and every book which we propose to publishers or colleagues at the fairs in Frankfurt, London, Paris or elsewhere inside out, and we fight for each for at least two to three years before giving up on its chances…
If you are a publishing house or an author looking for quality representation, feel free to contact us. But do remember that we are only interested in the representation of books, not manuscripts. Our force lies in realising international sales for titles that have a history in at least one country to their credit. If you are interested, send us an email first, detailing your work and your wishes or hopes. We will definitely get back to you. If/when your work is still just a manuscript, please do not send it to us. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.
On the other hand: if you are an editor with a publishing house on the look-out for original material, rest assured that you’ve come to the right place ! The A.A.A. will be pleased to help you make a choice in fiction or non-fiction, from Belgium and beyond. We have fantastic material available in both categories. Material we can tell you all about in proposal format or by sending you a full manuscript plus extra’s detailing specific sales angles, existing promo-opportunities, etc.
We got you curious? – Good, as we won’t keep your attention on this introduction page any longer…
Please click on our logo on any of the Belgian flags below to see what we currently have on offer!
The Allied Authors Agency
2004 – 2024
Fiction & Non-Fiction catalogue
The A.A.A. 2004 – 2024
“They sentenced me, to twenty years of book fairs” (or something of that nature ) Leonard Cohen once sang. That was about a thousand years ago…
Who could ever have imagined beforehand all that would happen to the world since 2004? When A.A.A. started, that world, dear friends, was still very much open to discover books. People actually read enough, just about everywhere, to give publishers the necessary leeway to go out on a limb every now and then, try something innovative…
It was a climate that left us, the Allied Authors Agency, the necessary space to precisely carve out our specific ‘niche’ in the whole of the book market: quality fiction and non-fiction, with an original slant, set apart from many and being able to ‘survive’ over many a year.
Up until and including ‘Frankfurt 2019’, the A.A.A. was successful enough, seeing fine original fiction titles as “A Day With Mr. Jules” or “The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman” getting sold to well over twenty countries.
Then, the worldwide pandemic hit. The book world suffered immensely. As a consequence, we did too. Many literary agencies stopped existing. The A.A.A. is still here, but did have to cut back an awful lot on expenses in order to survive, and, worse, as a consequence we had to cut back quite a bit on services as well.
The result today being that we have far less titles on offer and are no longer a staple at the international book fairs. But… what we still have still oozes quality and deserves attention. YOUR attention!
And so, thanks to some great books that stay with us, the A.A.A. is still alive! Marc Hendrickx, for A.A.A
The Blackberries
Cécile Coulon
Author Cécile Coulon made her mark as one of ‘the’ most promising voices in French contemporary literature with an impressive string of poetry collections.
She won the ‘Prix Mauvais genre’ in ’12, 22 years old. Further titles winning the ‘Prix du meilleur roman des lecteurs’ in 2014 & the ‘Prix des librairies’ in 2017.
Her latest – The Blackberries – won the famous ‘Prix Apollinaire’ in 2018, which is considered to be the most important French literary prize for poetic language, lovingly dubbed ‘The Goncourt of Poetry’. As an extra, it also won the ‘Prix SGDL’.
In The Blackberries Cécile Coulon covers a wide range of topics, using a highly original, poetic language uniquely hers. Offering a refreshing take on ordinary, everyday things – from jogging, over the buffet of a railway station, to ripped clothing. Coulon succeeds in perfectly bringing across the feelings that go with something like a late summer’s day out, picking blackberries with your parents while the new season of literary book releases and the start of school looms.
Swiftly navigating between caresses and cracks, The Blackberries takes readers by the hand this side of Raymond Carver. Coulon’s poetic landscape evokes our shortcomings just as well al the light that radiates in each of us.
demain matin
les ronces vont griffer les renards
dans les bois
le ciel ce grand poumon sauvage
a jeté ses filets
sur les hommes tout en bas
seul le bruit de la terre
arrive depuis la fenêtre ouverte
“There is something American and its great authors in the boisterous pencil of this young French woman.” Les Inrockuptibles
French origin
22,500 Words – 240 Pages
French language manuscript
Rights sold
2018, France, Castor Astral
Sato San, the Corset Master
Roland Brival
Why does a nine year old young boy choose a profession that is impossible? How extraordinary is his motivation, wanting to become something that is simply unthinkable in traditional Japan halfway through the 20th century?
And give up E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G to do so, including his manhood…
Master Sato balances the arguments in favour of his choice, and those against it. No matter how many times he does, the outcome is always the same… thus was his fate, and he is happy to have chosen it.
The ‘it’ being the confection of corsets. The most beautiful ones in the world. Which other profession would ever have allowed him to get so close to females? To enter the universe of all of them? Allow him to establish such intimate relationships with them?
Without a doubt it is a privilege which every man will envy him for.
Roland Brival masterly let’s Sato San tell the story of his life. Sensuality oozes of the pages. This ace writer does not need flat out active sex scenes to stir…
Rave reviews have been following “Sato San, The Corset Master” everywhere. From small publications to reputed Le Figaro. Many praising the exquisite refinement with which Roland Brival describes Sato San’s handling of fabrics & females alike.
French origin
55,600 Words – 264 Pages
French language manuscript
Rights sold
2017, France, Mercure
2022, Peru, Estruendomudo
Red Flowers of Flamboyance
Roland Brival
Having lived in exile for twenty years, writer Simon Darnell finally returns to his hometown.
But why does he undertake the trip?
Does he return to Martinique to settle? Or is it an umpteenth step before fleeing to yet other latitude?
The answer reveals itself bit by bit, turning up from behind the shadows of Simon’s past, uncovering the truth of the drama which had him seek refuge in Paris, far away from his island home, so many years ago.
Awaking in Martinique between the dead who stand in front of him as if alive, watched by him through the eyes he had as a child, Simon sees their tender madness. Wild, burlesque behaviour. And memories burning in all of them… The memory of Evanyse, whom Simon loved and who he now encounters once again for an ultimate, tearing episode of their tormented love affair.
Roland Brival hails from Martinique himself. He uses his roots very effective to offer readers a touching look on the uniqueness of childhood as well as into the complex magic of insular ghosts.
French origin
59,100 Words – 278 Pages
French language manuscript
Rights sold
2018, France, Mercure
A Gallery of Worlds
Yova Stankova
Valentina recently broke up with her husband, a well-to-do Russian. She goes to live in his gallery in Sofia’s centre. There, Valentina looks for a roommate to share expenses. That same night still, as if out of thin air, Polina materializes. Pretty and artistic, Polina’s presence makes Valentina question herself.
Readers are left in doubt whether there really are two females, or if Polina is a metamorphosis of Valentina. The latter first battles isolation, then her undue closeness to Polina. Trying to come to terms with the situation, Valentina spends time with her family and her ex, feeling superfluous in both places.
A planned exhibition of Polina’s work fails, and a girl called Nikolina takes over Valentina’s apartment above the gallery. In her, Valentina sees yet more parts of her life… unwanted, past, lost. Wanting to become responsible for all three of them, Valentina has the property registered in her name. Returning to it, she finds her mother visiting, and finds herself alone. All alone.
Promising newcomer Yova Stankova tackles the alienated feeling which one encounters when the world build together with a loved one falls apart. She does so highly convincingly, portraying in Valentina a multi-faceted character that effectively reflects that of many a modern day young woman. Author Yova Stankova’s fine debut… in which she unravels typical aspects of the female psychology in a clever, most appealing way.
Bulgarian origin
76,300 Words – 278 Pages
Bulgarian language manuscript
English language manuscript available
Rights sold
2017, Bulgaria, Black Flamingo
Trapped Inside You
Yova Stankova
Damian and Tanya are a couple in love, living in Sofia, Bulgaria, in Damian’s hereditary apartment. The financial crisis makes Damian feel highly insecure. A feeling that is heightened by the fact that his girlfriend earns her living being a local TV show host. In order to better his position, he opts to go work in Germany, expecting Tanya to wait for him.
While Tanya suffers for her lover and often complains to Juliet – her former boss and friend – Damian encounters head on the many cultural differences, reactions and attitudes in Germany. He makes great efforts to adjust, considering the western society as a ‘successful world’. Becoming acquainted with the darker sides of German society, he becomes acutely aware of all the tricks that accompany the life of an Eastern European in Western Europe.
The desire to establish himself as a successful man makes Damian hesitant about the path he needs to follow. Wanting to feel rich enough to return to his homeland secure and strong enough to take care of Tania before returning to Sofia. When he finally does, things do not turn out as he had foreseen them…
A novel that is most acutely ‘today’, offering a rare insight in the psychology of those who decide to leave their own country behind in order to gain more wealth elsewhere, even if that wealth comes with the dreadful price of becoming a second-rate citizen.
Bulgarian origin
60.700 Words – 248 Pages
Bulgarian language manuscript
English language manuscript available
Rights sold
2021, Bulgaria, Black Flamingo
(both regular & HC edition)
Yesterday’s Tomorrow
Marc Hendrickx
Leonard Cohen is a legendary poet, singer/songwriter and overall artist. Without any competition in coupling literature to popular music, with the possible exception of Bob Dylan.
But Cohen has always and by far been the most erudite of the two, spreading knowledge, wisdom, spiritual insights and more, without ever forgetting to add in a fun ‘twist’ or ‘double entendre’…
There is a crack in everything
That’s where the light gets in
As an internationally published author in his own right, Marc Hendrickx’ successes include major biographies, theatre plays performed in packed houses, and a Belgian movie adaptation of one of his titles.
Yesterday’s Tomorrow offers the literary encounter of two writers, two souls… First published in 2004, Hendrickx’ work faces Cohen’s visions on subjects such as the ever searching human being, evaluating encounters with happiness, understanding, background, faith, life’s goal, love, ageing and death. Offering his insights alongside Cohen’s, 30 years younger Hendrickx gives the texts of long gone ‘Yesterday’s’ a new “Tomorrow” indeed. An international hit 2004 through 2008, Yesterday’s Tomorrow returned late ‘20. Updated to include a look at the massive success which befell Leonard Cohen upon his return to recording and touring, as well as ‘closing the book’ on his life.
Flemish Belgian origin 35,000 Words – 148 Pages
Flemish language manuscript
Manuscript available in many languages
Rights sold
2004, Flanders, Vanhalewyck
2005, Netherlands, United Media
2008, Spain, Milenio
2008, Portugal, Guerra y Paz
2008, Australia, Brandl & Schlesinger
2020, U.K., Bookline & Thinker