Two
small kiwi publishers have turned indie hit The Book of Hat by
Harriet Rowland into an ebook, launching it into the world on what would have
been the author's 21st birthday: 26 August.
From
its sell-out launch in February this year, two days before the 20-year-old
author entered a Wellington hospice in the final stage of cancer, The
Book of Hat hardcopy went on to become a surprise hit in NZ. With $1
from each sale going to CanTeen, the blue book with a hat made of stars on the
cover was bought by students and grandparents alike, and made its way into
CanTeen gift packs, hospices, adult book groups, school libraries and
classrooms. A surprising burst of internet sales saw it fly off as far as
Moscow, Prague and Wisconsin.
One
week, the blog-based book unusually topped both the total sales chart for
independent bookshops, as well as the general bestseller chart for children’s
and young adult books. It was also runner-up for the prestigious Ashton Wylie
Award which aims to assist people in becoming more perfectly loving. Sir Lloyd
Geering was the winner, and Joy Cowley was third.
Mary
McCallum of Wellington-based Mākaro
Press, which published The Book of Hat under their Submarine imprint,
says there’s been pressure to turn Harriet’s book into an ebook to meet both
the demands of the young and overseas’ markets.
To do this, Mākaro Press formed an association with
Dunedin ebook publisher Rosa Mira Books, owned by Penelope Todd. ‘Penelope’s a
wonderful publisher and we knew she’d “get” Hat’s book, and she has. The ebook
has been sensitively done, in the way Harriet would have wanted, incorporating
the original book design features including colour photographs that helped make
the book so popular.’
‘I’m very excited to be launching The Book of Hat
as an ebook,’ says Penelope Todd, ‘It’s been a privilege and a poignant
project. Harriet’s story also fits beautifully with the Rosa Mira list, of
intelligent books with heart.’
Both
publishers echo the praise of reviewers around the country, especially
mentioning the author’s upbeat, compassionate and engaging voice and the way
she talks more about her good luck and happiness than the reality of her
illness and death. One Auckland libraries blogger termed the book 'the real The
Fault in Our Stars', and Sir Peter Jackson, who met Harriet, calls her book
'funny, truthful and wise' and praises her ‘genuine talent’.
1 comment:
Everyone involved with getting Harriet's book out can justly feel very proud.
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