We are delighted to share that There’s a Monster Behind the Door by Gaëlle Bélem (tr. Karen Fleetwood and Laëtitia Saint-Loubert) has been shortlisted for this year’s Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses.
In the words of the judges – Alice Jolly, Houman Barekat, and Jude Cook – this translation of Bélem’s debut novel is a ‘rollicking, sardonic picaresque set on the French outpost of La Réunion in the 1980s [with] important things to say about colonialism and society, but it’s also tremendous fun — darkly funny, acerbic, energetic. There’s scarcely a dull moment on the page, and the translation is remarkably slick.’
We congratulate Bélem, Fleetwood, and Saint-Loubert on the continuing recognition of their work, alongside our fellow small presses included on this year’s shortlist; CB Editions, Peninsula Press, Les Fugitives, and Divided Publishing. We would like to express our gratitude to the judges and the Republic of Consciousness for their longstanding support of independent publishing. We look forward to joining them all at the Shortlist Showcase on 13 March at Deptford Lounge, London for readings, conversation, and audience Q&A.
Thanks are due to the Arts Council, which has supported us in commissioning and publishing international titles since 2022. We also would like to recognize Literature Ireland, Centre National du Livre, and Institut français for their generous support of the book, alongside the Embassy of France in Ireland for their assistance with Bélem’s visit to Ireland for the launch last October.
And good news – if you enjoyed There’s a Monster Behind the Door then you are in luck! Fleetwood and Saint-Loubert have teamed up again to translate Bélem’s second novel, forthcoming this May 2025 from Bullaun Press as The Rarest Fruit.
Stay tuned and connect with us on Instagram, X, and BlueSky for more news on our next title in translation and updates as the awards progress.