Foreign Rights Higlights
For all requests please contact Pavlína Juračková Foreign Rights Manager jurackova@paseka.cz
+420 720 305 831 (WhatsApp)
Since 2022, Paseka has been actively promoting its titles internationally by selling foreign rights and participating in prestigious book fairs and festivals worldwide, including events in Guadalajara, Shanghai, Brooklyn, London, Bologna, Frankfurt, and Leipzig, as well as renowned comic book fairs in Angoulême and Erlangen. We collaborate closely with the Czech Centres network, CzechLit, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, which provide grant support for the publication of Czech authors abroad.
Nakladatelství Paseka Vítkova 286/5, 186 00 Prague, Czech Republic
www.paseka.cz www.facebook.com/knihypaseka www.instagram.com/knihypaseka
About Paseka
As the first independent Czech publishing house, Paseka has been delivering exceptional works in fiction, history, social issues, comics, and children’s literature for over 35 years. Our impact extends beyond the Czech cultural landscape, contributing to a global literary conversation, publishing each title guided by our conviction that books have the power to change the world for the better.
When establishing one of the first Czech private publishing houses after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, founder Ladislav Horáček was inspired to take its name from the publisher Josef Paseka, a literary figure from The Bloody Novel by artist and writer Josef Váchal.
In the 1990s, Paseka made its mark primarily through historical literature, most notably the Great History of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown series — the first comprehensive history of the Czech lands up to 1945, or Jan Žižka by Petr Čornej, which won the Magnesia Litera Book of the Year award in 2020. The publishing house gained further recognition for its fiction, with works by authors such as Petr Šabach and Květa Legátová, whose books found success internationally. Poet Pavel Šrut became a key figure, co‑creating the beloved Oddsockeaters children’s series with illustrator Galina Miklínová. Today, Paseka’s children’s offerings proudly feature the Dustopia trilogy by Vojtěch Matocha.
After the passing of Ladislav Horáček, his daughter Anna Horáčková took the reins, ensuring Paseka remains an independent, family‑run publishing house. Today, Paseka offers a diverse range of books, including Czech and translated fiction, children’s literature, non fiction, comics, and graphic novels. The publisher continues its complete edition of Vladimir Nabokov’s works and collaborates with renowned authors such as Édouard Louis, Salman Rushdie, Layla Martínez, Alice Winn, Itamar Vieira Junior, and Fernanda Melchor, among others.
Since 2015, the publisher has expanded its comic book offerings, particularly for children and young adults. Paseka publishes acclaimed series like Amulet and Hilda, alongside works by celebrated authors such as Liv Strömquist, Alfonso Casas, Raina Telgemeier, Tillie Walden, or Lucie Bryon. The publisher also supports local creators, including Štěpánka Jislová, Tereza and Tomáš Kopečtí, Jindřich Janíček, Toy_Box, and Marto Kelbl, among others.
It is remarkable how lucky that scoundrel Paseka was with women, despite his neglected appearance. With the help of that young lady, Paseka opened his great publishing house. Soon, the most varied absurdities of the Czech nation began to swarm from this enterprise.
Josef Váchal, The Bloody Novel
Memory Burn (2023)
At 3:37 a.m., our protagonist is awakened by a phone call. A late night conversation with his mother stirs memories of his adolescence in a conservative industrial town. The story explores the experiences of a queer boy growing up in a struggling family within a society that punishes difference. Our protagonist dissects his memory as one might examine old photographs, searching for details that reveal more than what’s visible at first glance. He reflects on his family, bullying, alcoholism, and coming to terms with his sexual orientation, deconstructing both personal and collective memories.
This delicate debut uniquely brings global literary themes into the Czech context. In both subject matter and style, it evokes works by authors such as Ocean Vuong or Édouard Louis.
MAGNESIA LITERA — BEST NOVEL (2024)
JIŘÍ ORTEN PRIZE (2024)
SUSANNA ROTH AWARD (2024)
Rights sold — Arabic, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Polish, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish
Goodreads 4.35/5
Marek Torčík (*1993) is a poet, novelist, and journalist from Přerov, now based in Prague. His poetry collection Rhizomy was published in 2016, and he was twice a finalist in the Czech-Slovak competition Básne SK/CZ. Memory Burn (2023), his debut novel, has received critical acclaim.
At 3:37 a.m. you’re woken by the phone.
Your mother’s voice is quiet and yet you can hear every syllable clearly.
“Marek, your grandad’s dead.”
You fail to detect anything unusual or urgent in this sentence, so you don’t come to your senses quickly enough. Your mother hangs up before you can say anything. You sit up and rub your eyes.
For a while the darkness on the walls seems uniform, but gradually you discover places punctuated by twisted bands of golden light from the street. Patches you can’t focus on.
It occurs to you that there are things you haven’t told anyone about yet. For example, in the eighth grade at school, Filip didn’t throw you down the stairs. You fell because of your own stupidity, and when you came to, you wanted to use the situation to your advantage. Surprisingly, it all went pretty smoothly. Just a couple of weeks later you were sitting in the headmaster’s office in a new school, listening to a greying man with a glint in his eye. He was shouting: “I will not tolerate any bullying here, mark my words!”
You’d been given a second chance, at least according to your mother.
“Try not to stand out too much, OK?” she urged you as the two of you walked along the corridor towards the classroom. You were determined to fit in. Not to be different, not to talk to anyone about what was on your mind. Not to give any sign of who you were. You had learned to watch your every step, not to sway your pelvis too much, not to stare at others for too long. Before you went into the room, you cleared your throat and tried out a new, deeper voice, and since then no one has known the real you. You kept your head down whenever the guys started talking about girls. You’d laugh and pretend to go along with it, and then later you copied them by using a naked woman as the wallpaper on your mobile.
But the truth is that you couldn’t bear to look at her. Whereas you remember how a few days later your grandad snatched the mobile out of your hand. You were visiting him at the psychiatric hospital in Kroměříž when he reached out and grabbed the phone, nearly falling out of bed. He looked at the screen for a long time, nodding approvingly.
Why didn’t you tell anyone about that?
translated by Graeme and Suzanne Dibble
Marek Torčík
I WAKE UP IN SHIBUYA
MAGNESIA LITERA AWARD FOR DISCOVERY OF THE YEAR (2019)
JIŘÍ ORTEN PRIZE (2019)
Rights sold — Armenian, Arabic, Belarusian, Bulgarian, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Polish, Serbian, Spanish, Ukrainian
Goodreads 4.06/5
320 pages
I Wake Up in Shibuya (2018)
Seventeen year old Jana’s dream of living in Tokyo turns into a nightmare when she becomes trapped in a magical loop in Shibuya. As her younger self searches the city for an escape, twenty four year old Jana is studying Japanese in Prague, working on a translation project with a classmate, longing to return to Tokyo. The fates of two seemingly disconnected Janas, and a forgotten writer named Kawashita, intertwine in ways none could have foreseen.
MEMORIES OF EEL
Rights sold — Arabic, Bulgarian, Hungarian
Goodreads 4.28/5
720 pages
Memories of Eel (2022)
Sára Fukuhara, a half Czech, half Japanese researcher living quietly in Yokohama, shares her life with two companions: her landlord, Mr. Nakajima, and her eccentric neighbor, Miyu, who converses with an eel named Unagi. Sára’s routine is disrupted when Yuka Suzuki, a former classmate of Sára’s, arrives in search of a missing colleague. As forgotten memories resurface, the three women embark on a journey of unexpected challenges.
Memories of Eels is a multilayered novel that weaves fantasy and mystery into a tale of friendship, courage, and the enduring power of memories.
Anna Cima (*1991) is a writer and Japanologist, having graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Charles University. She has lived in Japan since 2015, where she has been focusing on postwar Japanese literature. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and playing music.
It’s Saturday night. The only thing I can say for certain is that the year is 2010 and I’m in Tokyo. I came to Japan a month ago with my friend Bára so I could learn something about the land that has fascinated me since I was fourteen.
I’m walking down a narrow street of bars and restaurants in Shibuya, and I feel strange. All around me I hear people speaking Japanese, and I can’t understand anything. I know only a few words. And that is definitely not enough for me to comprehend what the people around me are saying. The air is humming with a million discrete tunes, a different melody emanates from each and every bar and restaurant. Groups of chortling boys and girls wearing two meter high heels are sprawled on the sidewalks. I hear laughter. Whichever way I look, my eyes come to rest on bright, bare skin. The legs of girls wearing miniskirts, exposed shoulders, midriffs, hips. Empty beer cans on the ground. The air is mixed with perfume, sea salt, and soy sauce. I kneel on the curb opposite two seated girls. One is vomiting and doesn’t seem to know where she is. The other tries to pull her to her feet and is simultaneously speaking to someone on her phone. I don’t feel like helping them. I’m in a bit of trouble myself: I can’t remember how I got here.
I take my mobile phone from my pocket and call Bára. It rings for a while, then it beeps and the connection ends. I try to remember when I saw her last. Where did I leave her? And why did we ever go our separate ways? We haven’t been apart before. We don’t even have two sets of keys to Pepa’s flat, where we live! Did I get drunk in some bar? Nonsense. My boyfriend back in Prague forbade me to drink, so that I don’t accidentally cheat on him with some Japanese boy. The entire time I’ve been here I’ve had just one can of beer, and when I told him about it over Skype he made a terrible scene.
Anna Cima
from I Wake Up in Shibuya, translated by Julia Sherwood
Miřenka Čechová
DIVADELNÍ NOVINY AWARD FOR PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT (2020)
SHORTLISTED FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION PRIZE FOR LITERATURE — CZECH REPUBLIC (2021)
Rights sold — Bulgarian, German, Macedonian, Serbian
Goodreads 4.06/5
Ballet Dancers (2020)
Ballet dancers wear two faces. One for the audience — smiling and flawless — and a hidden one, revealed when the curtain falls. In those moments, their stage smiles drop, faces contort with exhaustion. They can’t breathe through their mouths while dancing; their eyes bulge as they fight for air. If caught on film, it would seem like a parade of suffering. But they are trained for it — just like the protagonist of this story.
At just fourteen, she endures ballet drills that rival military training. She’s become an expert at laxatives, vomiting to maintain her weight, treating bloodied toes, and binding her chest. Yet, despite withstanding the physical toll, her dream of becoming a ballet dancer transforms into a waking nightmare.
Miřenka Čechová, both a director and a dancer, draws from her personal experiences and diary entries, delivering a raw, self ironic, and unforgiving portrayal of life at a dance conservatory.
Miřenka Čechová (*1982) is a Czech dancer, choreographer, director, and writer with an international career in dance and physical theatre. A Fulbright scholar, she has taught at American University in Washington, D.C., and lectured at several other U.S. universities. She has performed in over 18 productions, directed more than ten shows, and co-founded two theatre companies.
And one, and two, and three, and four. The répétiteur bashes away on the black Petrof, not caring in the slightest that with every inch of your body, you’re selling your soul, leaving it to the mercy of the mistress’s absent gaze, you are opening up your shell, letting the demons in, and blasting your thoughts beyond the horizon.
He keeps trotting out the same old tunes as though you are performing monkeys, not caring that he’s playing a motif from the second act of Sleeping Beauty and in a minute it’ll be one from Giselle. You are all Sleeping Beauties at eight in the morning, turned out in uniform leotards, uniform tights, uniform shoes, uniform chignons, uniform smiles, uniform futures as losers, uniform crushed little souls that you will spend the rest of your lives trying to resurrect to the consciousness of yourselves as beings with equal validity.
Giselle is driven mad by a broken heart, dies, and becomes a fairy who dances wayfarers to their death at night. And five, and six, and seven, and eight. A fluffy white dress in which she looks like she’s floating, like she’s levitating above the ground, spinning like a medium, like a scattering dandelion. You will dance yourself to death, sacrificing yourself for love. And rest.
Demi-plié. First, second, fourth, fifth position, then slide, forward bend, back bend, attitude en demi-pointe, hold, both arms off the barre, balance! No dropping down. Concentrate! Hold! Back knee higher, turn out the instep to give you the line, against the shoulder blades, higher demi-pointe, no calf spasms. “Smile number twelve,” adds the professor ironically when she sees you all going red because it’s so painful to balance on tiptoe with one leg while the other one is raised high behind you. You’re holding it for another minute, everyone is shaking, the veins swollen on necks, teeth clenched, backs convulsed. It’s too much for one person, who puts a hand on the barre. “Did I say you could hold on?” shrieks the professor.
translated by Graeme and Suzanne Dibble
Miroslav Hlaučo
NOMINATION FOR THE LITERARY CRITICS’ PRIZE (2025)
LONGLISTED FOR MAGNESIA LITERA AWARD (2025)
Rights sold — German, Polish, Spanish (Latin America)
Goodreads 4.34/5
384 pages
Pentecost (2024)
Walking on water, breaking stone with a whistle, conversing with angels and statues of saints — these are everyday occurrences for the residents of the remote town of St. George.
They live in isolation at the dawn of the 20th century, clinging to their traditional miracles, yet they begin to sense that an era of technological marvels is on the horizon, ready to replace the magic of their world.
Odysseus, a local presumed dead, returns to St. George. A seasoned traveler, he helps his neighbors navigate the approaching changes, all while competing with his younger brother Tomáš for the affection of the beautiful, temporarily mute Julie, whom Tomáš found half dead in the forest years earlier.
The arrival of a government inspector from the capital causes a stir, as some miracles must remain hidden. In 1904, everyone eagerly anticipates a new century of happiness and progress — one where miracles will no longer be needed.
This novel blends magical realism with a range of influences from great literary epics of the past, from The Odyssey to Don Quixote to Tristram Shandy
Miroslav Hlaučo (*1967) studied Clinical Pharmacy in Bratislava, followed by Directing at DAMU and Film Studies at the Faculty of Arts in Prague. After a brief period working in the arts, he has spent many years in medical research and the development of cell biotechnologies.
“Something is happening,” wrote Methodius the Forty Third in his thick diary that Sunday as he sat down at the old oak table before Sunday lunch with a sip of red wine that might have been more bitter than was usual in faraway places in the world of lazy rivers and broad plains, for the grapes here, in the mountain valley, rarely grew larger than thorns, and the first frosts usually struck before they were fully ripe. Surely it was God’s will, he thought of the wine and the strange omens he was recording on a separate sheet neatly beside him in the hope that some apparent meaning would one day emerge from them.
Today’s sign was the wet valenki of Agnes of the Cross, which he noticed when he placed the host in her mouth at Mass. The grey felt was soaked with water almost up to the ankles so that dark patterns had formed on it.
He knew that the old woman took a shortcut to church across the village pond; she did so every single Sunday, for on Saturdays she liked to drink liquor made from plums and then not want to get up in the morning. He could smell it on her breath when he gave her absolution, but in this village even small children knew how to walk on the water’s surface without the slightest trace, and that was even on stormy days with gusts of north wind, let alone today when not a leaf stirred upon the trees. An adult rarely left behind gently swaying circles on the calm water, and men returning across the pond from the pub were certainly much more drunk than old Agnes, who only used the liquor once a week to drive the cold from her bones and dispel her occasional bad dreams. He looked out of his study window at the copper spire with a propeller that stood motionless on the roof of the local town hall. It was Sunday, after all, and the wind never blew here on Sundays. That is why locals called it the day of stillness. No matter what the week was like, the winds, breezes, and rain always abated on Sunday.
translated by Nathan Fields
Jonáš Zbořil
LONGLISTED FOR MAGNESIA LITERA AWARD (2025)
Rights sold — Polish, Serbian, Spanish (Latin America)
Goodreads 4.42/5
Flora (2024)
Longtime partners Adam and Sára stumble across a mysterious creature during a late night walk home and, unsure of what it is, decide to take it to Adam’s grandmother’s cottage, intending to call a vet the next day. The cottage is located in the Steppe — a part of town slowly becoming a wasteland — inhabited by the last few daring and eccentric residents.
They name the creature Flora, though it’s unlike anything they’ve seen before, alive or otherwise. As Sára begins to form a bond with Flora, the couple decides to remain in the Steppe and care for the strange being, despite the challenges and resistance they encounter.
Flora is the prose debut of poet Jonáš Zbořil. This tender yet unsettling dystopian novella explores themes of parenthood and the new forms of nature emerging from human hands.
Jonáš Zbořil (*1988) is a Czech poet and journalist whose works explore identity, family, and the relationship between humans and nature. His debut poetry collection, Podolí (2013), was shortlisted for major literary awards in the Czech Republic. His second collection, Nová divočina (New Wilderness, 2020), examines themes of wildness in modern life. Zbořil is also an experienced cultural journalist. He has hosted several radio programs focused on contemporary literature and music, and currently leads the culture section of Seznam Zprávy, one of the most prominent Czech news outlets.
He notices that it has a face.
The lips parting as if they were playing paper fortune teller, but they don’t make a sound. Sara shines her phone light into the tangle of shapes in the dark. We can make out eyes, searching for a trace of awareness that might glimmer back at us.
The body is small and fragile. We can’t tell where it ends and where it begins, what belongs to it and what doesn’t. Some cables tangled with brambles, knotted like earphone wires. A hunk of flesh, or just a rag. A musky animal smell fills the air.
— Let’s go home, Sara.
She says nothing and reaches her hand into the darkness. Inhale, exhale. Not far from here, life is normal, but down here, it’s no man’s land. The Barrens. A ravine carved out by some slag heap with the motorway bypass overhead, a railway bridge, the barbed wire fence of the train yard — just barriers, warnings and bushes everywhere.
Cars soar above us at high speed, while a freight train crawls by, slow and endlessly long. Sara hands me her phone.
— Hold the light.
She takes off her coat, carefully spreading it where she guesses the body could be. She wraps it in the beige wool, carefully patting it with her hand to keep it in place.
— Help me pick it up.
If someone sees us down here, then we’re not gonna make it out. We could have been home ages ago.
The evening didn’t go well. We wanted to get some air.
— It’ll make you feel good. Better than sitting here making yourself miserable, I told her.
translated by Alžběta Belánová
They Them
(2023)
As the school year comes to a close, all the kids teem with excitement for summer break — except Lukáš, who dreads the idea of spending it alone. In class, everyone belongs to a group — the girls experimenting with makeup, the boys engrossed in their phone games — but Lukáš feels like an outsider. One day, he takes something that doesn’t belong to him and sparks the awakening of new feelings. He learns that some people don’t identify as male or female and embarks on a journey to uncover their stories.
MAGNESIA LITERA & JIŘÍ ORTEN PRIZE LONGLISTED NOMINEE, CZECH GRAND DESIGN NOMINEE (2024)
INCLUDED IN THE BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN CATALOG (2023/2024)
Rights sold — Italian
Goodreads 4.67/5
96 pages
From the Indigenous cultures of America to communities in India, Mexico, Albania, and New York, Lukáš begins to understand that the world is a wondrous place where everyone can find their sense of belonging. One of the most captivating illustrators of the younger generation takes on a deeply personal and vital theme in this moving children’s book.
Marto Kelbl (*1996) graduated in Illustration from the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art in Pilsen. She gained international artistic experience in Portugal, the USA, France, and Italy, and currently resides in Pilsen. Her collection of illustrated palindromes, Back and Forth (Tam a zpět, 2023), earned second place in the student category of the Most Beautiful Books of the Year 2020. Her thesis, They Them (2022), which inspired the book, was a finalist in the Czech Grand Design competition.
Marto Kelbl
Milada
Rezková
illustrations by Veronika Vlková & Jan Šrámek
INCLUDED IN THE BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN CATALOG (2022/2023)
The author trio was previously recognized for their first book That’s the Metro, Man! which won the title of the most beautiful Czech book for children and youth in 2019. The book was also selected for The Illustrators Exhibition at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, where a panel of five international experts chose the illustrations from over 2,500 artists across 66 countries.
Goodreads 4.33/5
148 pages
You Can’t Stop Progress, Man!
(2023)
When Grandpa Kroupa and his grandson Kája each receive a mobile phone under the Christmas tree, they are suddenly thrust into a world of new possibilities. The tech savvy schoolboy must teach Grandpa how to use this flat, bewildering device. In return, Grandpa, a lover of all things durable and a connoisseur of old technologies, shares his knowledge of the history of computers and human communication. Together, they embark on a journey to an electronics flea market, to the forest, to the outskirts of the big city, to places in Prague where skateboarders and traceurs gather, and deep into the vast realm of the internet.
This book offers children an engaging guide to understanding how our modern world works, while reminding them that life beyond the screen holds its own unique wonders. As Grandpa wisely exclaims, “You can’t stop progress, man!”
Milada Rezková (*1979) is a writer and editor of the children’s magazine Raketa.
Veronika Vlková (*1985) is a watercolor artist known for her long-time collaboration with Jan Šrámek on illustrations, art installations, and videos.
Jan Šrámek (*1983) is an illustrator, a member of the Anymade studio, and a university lecturer.
153.000 copies sold
Vojtěch Matocha
illustrations by Karel Osoha
NOMINATION FOR THE MAGNESIA LITERA AWARD (2019), THE GOLDEN RIBBON AWARD, AND THE JIŘÍ ORTEN AWARD
RECEIVED THE TEACHERS’ AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN’S READING
HONORED WITH THE NIGHT SLEEPERS AWARD FROM THE NIGHT WITH ANDERSEN EVENT; AND MULTIPLE CHILDREN’S HEART AWARDS
Rights sold — Slovak, Polish and Bulgarian (all three parts); Lithuanian (two parts); German, Greek, Hungarian and Latvian (first book)
Goodreads 3.95/5
264 pages
Dustopia (2018)
Dustopia is a dark, mysterious island nestled in the heart of radiant Prague. For reasons no one can explain, electricity doesn’t work there. Streetlights stay dark, trams don’t run, radios are silent, and there’s no phone signal. In this eerie district, Jirka and his friends Tonda and En embark on a perilous quest to uncover an ancient secret that could change the world — while trying to stay one step ahead of a group of relentless adults pursuing the same hidden truth.
Dustopia has become a bestseller, enchanting readers of all ages. Its great success led to the creation of two sequels, The Black Mercury and The White Chamber.
A successful stage adaptation of the book has been produced, and the film rights have been sold for an upcoming audiovisual version.
Vojtěch Matocha (*1989) studied mathematics and now works as a mobile phone software developer. He is the author of the successful novel Dustopia (2018), which has captivated readers across generations.
Karel Osoha (*1991) is an award-winning comic book artist, recipient of the Muriel Award, and nominee for the Czech Grand Design Award.
They strode through the nocturnal Dustopia quickly and in silence. They couldn’t wait to return to the warmth of Grandpa’s kitchen. It must be past midnight, Jirka realized. But he wasn’t tired. The very opposite was true! He was more alert and perceptive than ever, as though his stay in the Dustopia had sharpened his senses. He heard every rustle, noticed every reflection in the windows as they passed, his nose palpably sensed the damp stones and rotting leaves. But what would his grandfather do after they’ve brought him these strange light bulbs? Would he know how to use them to somehow halt the expanding Dustopia?
“I’m thirsty,” said En. They stopped in front of a palatial house. On either side of the entrance stood mute statues of women in flowing garments, supporting the wide second floor balcony. Jirka handed En a water canteen, and as she drank he took one of the light bulbs out of the bag and carefully examined it. The moon emerged from behind a cloud and immersed the Dustopia in pale light.
Just then En gasped and her eyes became wide with alarm.
“Behind you,” she whispered, jumping to her feet.
Jirka turned to look. His pulse raced. When they’d passed it earlier, the alley behind them was dark like the others. Now with the moon shining, a gangly shadow stretched from the alley into the street. It was the hulking figure of a man. En didn’t waste any time: “Run!”
She grabbed the paper sack with the two remaining green light bulbs, and she bolted up the street.
“Doggone it! Go after her!” squawked a familiar hoarse voice. Good grief! The dark shadow sprung from the alley. Jirka took the backpack and ran after En. He could still make out her form in the dark. Behind him was a clamor of footsteps and heavy breathing. He ran as fast as he could manage it on the slippery pavement, not turning around to look. Were both of them there?
The translation was provided by Paseka
Comics & Graphic Novels
Vojtěch Matocha
DUSTOPIA: CHALK MAN illustrations by Karel Osoha
MURIEL AWARD FOR BEST ILLUSTRATION (2023)
GOLDEN RIBBON NOMINEE (2023)
FEATURED IN THE BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN CATALOG (2021/2022)
Rights sold — Slovak, Polish
Goodreads 4.25/5
200 pages
Dustopia: Chalk Man (2023)
Dustopia has evolved since its original prose adaptation: cranes now tower over old rooftops, stone buildings make way for glass and steel, and the ancient darkness is fading. But what if that darkness could take human form? When Vašek moves to Dustopia, he quickly discovers that beneath its calm facade lie lingering secrets. A mysterious arsonist emerges, leaving strange symbols on charred walls. All seven issues of Chalk Man are finally available in a single hardcover edition.
Dustopia: Strange Walks (2023)
While the comic book series Chalk Man showed that new legends and phantoms still arise in the new Dustopia, Strange Walks takes readers back to the period before the book trilogy. Strange Walks serves as the perfect introduction to the mysterious world of this enigmatic district.
DUSTOPIA: STRANGE WALKS
illustrations by Kateřina Čupová & Ester Kuchynková
Goodreads 4/5
3 issues, each with 24 pages
Vojtěch Matocha (*1989) studied mathematics and now works as a mobile phone software developer. He is the author of the successful novel Dustopia (2018), which has captivated readers across generations.
Karel Osoha (*1991) is an award-winning comic book artist, recipient of the Muriel Award, and nominee for the Czech Grand Design Award.
Kateřina Čupová (*1992) is an award-winning creator of animated films and comics, honored with two Muriel Awards for her work.
Ester Kuchynková (*1993) is an illustrator and comic artist specializing in children’s books and magazines.
Jislová
Heartcore (2023)
Where does love come from? Is it genetic? Do we model it after our parents’ relationships, or is it a wild, uncontrollable force? What if every new relationship is just a perfect copy of the last?
In this graphic novel, the author takes us on an intimate and daring journey through her memories of love, relationships, and everything in between. From university parties to moments of solitude, the author challenges ideas about what it means to be young today. Bravely, she shares her experience with sexual violence and explores the complexities of modern relationships — from online dating and hookup culture to the traps of toxic love.
Is it an autobiography? A romance? A love letter to the comic medium? A little of each — but above all, it’s a story that requires immense courage to tell with such honesty.
Štěpánka Jislová (*1992) is a Czech comic book artist and illustrator. Since 2013, she has been publishing short comic stories in both Czech and international anthologies. She contributed to several notable works, including Češi (Czechs, 2016), Milada Horáková (2020), Hon na Macbetha (The Hunt for Macbeth, 2022), and Supro: Hrdinové na dluh (Supro: Heroes on Credit, 2023). Štěpánka
MURIEL AWARD FOR BEST COMIC BOOK (2024)
MURIEL AWARD FOR BEST SCRIPT (2024)
CZECH COMICS ACADEMY AWARD (2024)
Rights sold — English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Serbian, Slovak
Goodreads 4.47/5
200 pages
My love life began to be governed by one simple rule:
THE MORE UNATTAINABLE, THE BETTER!
Do I turn them into such bores? Why does it always end this way? What, that one? That’s so over. He texted me ten times a day. Such a stalker! I’d love to fall in love... But it’s so hard to find someone interesting. Relationships are obsolete anyway, you know.
And I tried to act like I didn’t care.
Tereza Čechová (née Drahoňovská)
illustrations by Štěpánka Jislová
MURIEL AWARD — BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL (2020)
Rights sold — Catalan, English, French, German, Greek, Slovenian, Spanish
Goodreads 4.45/5
120 pages
Bald (2020)
Tereza never imagined she’d go bald before her boyfriend or miss the feeling of a ponytail brushing her back. She certainly didn’t expect strangers to assume she was undergoing chemotherapy and offer their support. But when she lost all her hair within months due to alopecia, an autoimmune disease, she had to come to terms with a new appearance, a sense of lost femininity, and the world of wigs. This experience reshaped her view of relationships, of work, and of herself.
In this candid, humorous account of her first year with alopecia, Tereza captures both moments of struggle and resilience. With Štěpánka Jislová’s distinctive illustrations, this work continues the rich tradition of autobiographical comics.
Tereza Čechová (née Drahoňovská) (*1990) grew tired of wearing a wig long ago, but she never stopped enjoying talking about alopecia and answering curious questions. She graduated with degrees in Journalism and Media Studies and co-founded, alongside Štěpánka Jislová, the Laydeez do Comics Prague group, which promotes the work of female comic book creators.
Štěpánka Jislová (*1992) is a Czech comic book artist and illustrator. Since 2013, she has been publishing short comic stories in both Czech and international anthologies. She has contributed to several notable works, including Heartcore (2023).
translated by Martha Kuhlman and Tereza Čechová
Jindřich Janíček
CZECH GRAND DESIGN AWARD FOR BEST ILLUSTRATOR (2022) Rights sold — German, Hungarian
West by Northwest (2022)
What would the soundtrack of places like Seattle, Salt Lake City, Portland, or Vancouver sound like? What stories lie in the locations where Twin Peaks was filmed? How much time can one spend in a bookstore, and why would someone in the Pacific Northwest think of Znojmo?
One of the most acclaimed illustrators presents a visually stunning and unique travelogue, blending his fascination with American geography, folklore, and pop culture. The author captures memories too difficult to describe to friends back home. His diary style narrative is filled with wonder, awe, and self irony — the kind only travel can bring.
We explore old bridges, road junctions, bays, local landmarks, and ordinary neighborhoods not found in any guidebook. Comic book passages intertwine with illustrated prose, enriched by curiosities, sketches, and maps.
Janíček’s love of American folk music further enhances the book, featuring an imagined soundtrack with artists like Julien Baker, Talking Heads, and Sun Kil Moon.
Jindřich Janíček (*1990) was born in Znojmo and graduated from Tomas Bata University in Zlín and the Illustration Studio at UMPRUM in Prague.
A two-time winner of the Czech Grand Design Award, Janíček is a sought-after book designer and illustrator, both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
translated by Jindřich Janíček
No!
Just kidding. Of course you can sit here.
Sorry. I am from the East Coast.
Can we sit here? Oh...ok. Really? We are from neither coast.
Tereza Kopecká
illustrations by Tomáš Kopecký
MURIEL AWARD FOR BEST SCRIPT (2021)
INCLUDED IN THE BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN CATALOG (2021/2022)
Rights sold — Hungarian, Spanish
Goodreads 3.79/5
120 pages
Total Madness (2021)
Anna, a high school student, hasn’t left her room in a week. The last time she tried, her heart raced, and she felt so sick that she thought she might die. Now, diagnosed with anxiety, she’s back at school, where triggers lurk around every corner. Suddenly, everyday tasks become monumental challenges — squeezing onto a crowded bus or taking an unfamiliar route feels overwhelming. Even her parents’ worried looks make her uneasy.
Unexpected calm enters Anna’s life when she notices a boy who takes the same route to school. Though she doesn’t know his name, she feels an instant connection. Then, on the first day of summer break, his van pulls up in front of her house, and Anna embarks on an unplanned journey. How will she navigate this new adventure with anxiety lurking at every step?
Through a distinctly modern approach drawing comparisons to works by Raina Telgemeier, this new Czech graphic novel carves out its own unique path — much like Anna, who’s a relatable protagonist for both girls and boys.
Tereza Kopecká (*1984) published her first children’s book in 2019. With a passion for storytelling, it has long been her dream to write a graphic novel inspired by real life.
Tomáš Kopecký (*1982) began drawing as a child and continues to this day. Having illustrated several games and books, he’s thrilled to finally have the opportunity to illustrate a graphic novel.
Toy_Box
Goodreads 4.46/5
288 pages
Comic Textbook on Comics (2019)
Punk and discipline — these two extremes blend seamlessly in the work of Toy_Box, a Czech comic book creator whose unique style merges influences from graffiti, street art, and the DIY aesthetic of the techno scene with a deep understanding of literary, film, and art history. In no time, she became a key figure in 21st‑century comics.
Now, this award winning artist presents a groundbreaking guidebook for anyone interested in this incredible medium, regardless of age, expertise, or experience. Drawing on her own work and years of leading creative workshops, Toy_Box has created a visually stunning publication that answers a wide range of questions: from choosing an artistic style and developing a story to finding time for creative work. But her book is more than just a manual — it’s also a unique self portrait in comic book form.
Toy_Box, the artist known by her long-standing pseudonym, graduated from the Josef Škvorecký Literary Academy in Prague and later studied scenography at DAMU. After working as a journalist, she is now a freelance artist. Her comics, often addressing social issues, have been featured in numerous magazines and anthologies.
50.000 copies sold
Čornej
Jan Žižka: The Life and Times of the Hussite Warrior (2019)
Renowned historian Petr Čornej presents a groundbreaking biography of Jan Žižka, one of the most iconic figures in Czech history. Published to mark the 600th anniversary of the Hussite revolution (1420), this work is the culmination of Čornej’s lifelong study of Hussitism.
JAN ŽIŽKA: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE HUSSITE WARRIOR
MAGNESIA LITERA — BOOK OF THE YEAR (2020)
JOSEF HLÁVKA AWARD (2020)
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIDOVÉ NOVINY
MIROSLAV IVANOV PRIZE (2021)
Rights sold — Polish
Goodreads 4.62/5
320 pages
THE HUSSITE REVOLUTION
Rights sold — Greek
Goodreads 4.51/5
224 pages
Petr Čornej (*1951) is a prominent Czech historian specializing in the history of the late Middle Ages, particularly the Hussite movement, the history of historiography, and the study of historical memory. Petr
The book offers a fresh perspective on Žižka, the undefeated military leader, shedding light on his strategic genius, charisma, and the loyalty of his warriors. Čornej places Žižka’s life within the broader context of the Hussite era, delving into themes such as the legacy of Jan Hus, Hussite Prague, and King George of Poděbrady, while also reflecting on how Hussitism continues to shape modern Czech identity.
The Hussite Revolution (2021)
In this concise and engaging overview, Petr Čornej explores the key events of the Hussite era, from the rise of the movement to the reign of King George of Poděbrady. The book delves into the religious and political tensions of the time, the military strategies of the Hussites, and the profound impact of Jan Hus’s execution on Czech and European history.
We have already encountered it several times. At certain times, Žižka’s personal story becomes part of not only Czech but also of European history. Although the one eyed man did not always shape them in an obvious manner, the European historical developments formed the organic background of his individual destiny. That is why we must pay attention to them even at the cost of an apparent digression, notwithstanding the fundamental fact that without a good understanding of the European framework, we will not understand Žižka nor the struggle that he was engaged in the years 1419 1424.
At the end of 1412, the Hungarian and Roman king Sigismund of Luxembourg left Hungary (without realizing that he would return there only after more than six years) and he set out west. He did so for two weighty reasons. The first reason was the war he waged with Venice, motivated by the intention to restore imperial authority in northern Italy and to prevent the loss of Dalmatia, which was also claimed by the Republic of St. Mark, which controlled most of its territory in 1409—1410. Sigismund could not accept this situation, because access to the Adriatic was vital for Hungary. As early as the autumn of 1411, he sent an army against Venice under the command of his confidant, generational peer and the bán of Temeš, known as Pip Span of Ozora (whose real name was Filippo Buondelmonti degli Scolari; he was born in Tizzano near Florence) who occupied much of Friuli and was plundering the northern territory of the powerful town‑republic. While doing so, he acted with immense cruelty. For example, he ordered that the prisoners have their right hands cut off; in other cases, that their eyes be plucked out; and in others, to cut their heads off in the Turkish way. In April 1413, the Luxembourg, who was limited by his economic resources in the conflict, concluded a fiveyear truce with Venice without giving up Dalmatia. This freed his hands for a task he saw as the challenge of his life.
translated by Václava Kofránková
The Thirty Years’ War (2023)
The Thirty Years’ War, sparked by the Prague Defenestration of 1618, was a widespread crisis that reshaped Europe socially, politically, religiously, and culturally. As the longest European conflict of the early modern period, it involved key figures such as Wallenstein, Gustavus Adolphus, and Richelieu. However, this war’s landscape was no continuous battlefield, but rather a forest where tensions smoldered beneath the surface, occasionally erupting into violence. The conflict reflects deeper struggles between constitutionalism and monarchism, as well as Protestantism and Catholicism.
Rights sold
This book tells the story of the Thirty Years’ War, beginning and ending in the Czech lands, marked by two pivotal events: the Prague Defenestration and the Swedish sack of Prague in 1648. Kilián explores the everyday lives of Europeans and soldiers, examining the evolution of military strategies and how the war’s far‑reaching consequences shaped the future of Europe.
Jan Kilián (*1976) studied at universities in Liberec and Prague and earned his habilitation in 2014 in Hradec Králové. He teaches early modern Czech history at universities in Plzeň and Hradec Králové. His research focuses on the socio-cultural aspects of the Thirty Years’ War and the history of Czech towns in the 17th century. Kilián is the author or co-author of over 30 books and approximately 100 scholarly articles, published both in the Czech Republic and internationally.
56.000 copies sold
Honza Vojtko
Rights sold — Slovak (all three titles)
Goodreads 4.28/5
184 pages
Relationships and Myths (2020)
“Have a child; that will help!”
“You definitely shouldn’t text him first!”
“What? He’s a Cancer?! Well, that’s not going to work out.”
“Yeah, sweetheart, you have to suffer a little for the relationship…”
We’ve all received some form of so‑called guaranteed relationship advice. But how often do we end up questioning it? This book explores the myths and fairy tales we’ve been told about relationships — those “universal truths” shared by well meaning friends, family, and even strangers. Whether single or in a relationship, it’s easy to fall victim to these myths. But are they helpful, or are they just misguided ideas that we should be wary of? With professional insight and a healthy dose of humor, the author sheds light on the most common myths and gives readers the tools to navigate them.
This “couples therapy in your pocket” has resonated so deeply with readers that it has spawned two more books: Relationships and Traps (2022) and Simply Relationships (2024).
Honza Vojtko (*1975) is a psychotherapist specializing in both couples and individual therapy. He is trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy, schema therapy, and he integrates body therapy into his practice. In addition to his therapeutic work, he is involved in adult education and writes books for children and articles for adults.
Jan Kilián
Partners
Ministry of Culture Grants for Publishing Czech Literature Abroad
Every year, the Czech Ministry of Culture awards grants to support the publication of Czech prose, poetry, drama, essays, comics, and children’s literature.
Publishers can apply for funding for:
— Translation costs (up to 50% of the total cost of publishing)
— Graphic design, typesetting and printing costs (up to 50% of the total cost of publishing)
— Copyright costs (up to 15% of the total cost of publishing)
— Promotion costs (up to 25% of the total cost of publishing)
In total, the grant can cover up to 70% of the total cost of publishing.
Deadlines: May 15th and November 15th
Info: https://mk.gov.cz/en/literature and libraries en 1123
Czech Literary Centre (Czechlit)
Czechlit is a state funded organization that supports and promotes Czech literature both abroad and within the Czech Republic, including offering grant residencies to foreign translators.
Info: https://www.czechlit.cz/en/czech literary centre/
Czech Centres
Czech Centres promote the good reputation of Czech culture worldwide. Currently, there are 26 branches across 4 continents.
Info: https://czechcentres.gov.cz/en/
Central and East European Book Market (CEEBM) as Part of Book World Prague
A hub for experts and professionals in the book industry.
Info: https://svetknihy.cz/praha2025/ceebm/informace
Hear from our international publishing partners
Paseka has published some beautiful graphic memoirs by very talented Czech creators, and Graphic Mundi is proud to have published two of these in English translation: Bald and Heartcore — books that offer singular creative perspectives on universal questions that challenge us all.
Kendra Boileau, Publisher of Graphic Mundi
We at De Arbeiderspers are over the moon about the idea of publishing Marek Torčík — we loved Memory Burn, admire its tone of voice, and are enthusiastic about the important themes it explores: family ties, homosexuality, coming of age, mental vulnerability, the passage of time, and the meaning of memories — how they change and what should be remembered.
Esther Hendriks, Editor of De Arbeiderspers
Dargaud is delighted to publish the new generation of Czech authors like Štěpánka Jislová, very daring and talented in addressing very sensitive subjects, such as the feeling of love, without taboo. And also, an astonishing graphic talent.
Gisèle de Haan, Editor of Dargaud
The publishing house Paseka stands for strong and extraordinary voices — like Miřenka Čechová, Marek Torčík or Miroslav Hlaučo. We, at Anthea Verlag, are happy and grateful to make these authors accessible to the German‑speaking public.
Ruben Höppner, publisher of the Anthea Verlag
Paseka is a wonderful publishing house from Prague — the heart of Czech literature. I have been working with them since the very beginning, as it was thanks to their author, Petr Šabach, that I founded my own publishing house. Over the years, I have discovered many other remarkable titles for both adults and children, most recently the exceptional Dustopia series — we have already published the entire trilogy and will soon continue our adventure with comics. Paseka truly has a knack for finding great books!
Julia Różewicz, publisher of Wydawnictwo Afera