God dag

God dag, mig namn er GM Klubben, och Jag har skrev en Svensk blockbuster sätta inne Stockholm.

That is Swedish for, "Good Day, my name is GM Malliet, and I have written a Swedish blockbuster set in Stockholm."

At least I think that is the proper translation. I have no idea why the online translator changed me from GM Malliet to GM Klubben, but, hey, I wanna be a paperback writer so I'm fine with that, so long as klubben doesn't mean "smelly swordfish left behind in the sauna for several days."

The reason for my sudden willingness to change is this story in the NY Times: "A Scandinavian Hit Sets Publishers Seeking More." The runaway success of the Stieg Larsson trilogy has publishers scrambling to acquire rights to books by other Scandinavian authors who for one reason or another are extremely popular yet never achieved the runaway success of Larsson--authors like Camilla Lackberg, Henning Mankell, and Jo Nesbo. Karen Fossum (Norway) and Arnalder Indridason (Iceland) have also contributed to the chilly thriller phenomenon. The trend, slow-moving as an ice flow, seems to have started with Peter Hoeg's 1992 Smilla's Sense of Snow.

The Times reports that the Larsson books so far have sold 6 million copies in the United States and 35 million copies worldwide. The tragedy, as everyone must know by now, is that Larsson did not live to know of his phenomenal success. That alone is a scary, heartbreaking story that touches the core of every author of every type of book.

The Times goes on to talk about Jessica Case, an editor at Pegasus Books, who is quoted as giving Ms. Lackberg "one of the highest advances we’ve ever paid" for her American debut of The Ice Princess, a book first published in 2003. I must say that as an author I find this inspirational.

Of course, all authors know that chasing a trend in publishing is a sure recipe for disaster. I could change the protagonist in my current book into a Swedish priest, and change the setting to some gloomy town in Scandinavia, include a gorgeous female sidekick with tattoos, and publish as GM Klubben, but something tells me it just wouldn't be the same.

I missed the vampire boat, being sailed so successfully by Charlaine Harris and our own Sue Ann Jaffarian. I missed the whole Harry Potter scene, and the Dan Brown-type religious thriller. I also missed the chick lit trend, typified by Bridget Jones' Diary, but I was just in time to parody the trend in chick lit mysteries in my own Death and the Lit Chick. Does that count?

You have to wonder, as you ponder those 35 million copies worldwide, what the next great country or theme will be. Any guesses from blog readers or my fellow MInkers?

 p.s. This morning's Washington Post also carries an intriguing article on the Scandinavian invasion.

Photo from

www.gadling.com/2007/01/24/finland-s-snow-hotel/

is of the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.

Photo of village is from Scandinavia Travel.