These are troubling times. And we are convinced that people need books more than ever, since fiction and non-fiction provide wonderful entertainment and nourishment for the mind. While many publishing houses have stopped printing and new titles are being re-scheduled (nobody really knows for when), we must go on, reading and re-reading and trying to sell rights, but also encouraging authors to keep writing! What new books will come out of this situation? Film and TV producers have also stopped shootings and development and are not in the mood for acquiring any content at the moment. But they will again, and there will be more stories to adapt than ever.
For those asking, the Pontas Agency’s team is well and in good health (including Maria and her baby!), so are our families and closest friends. However, we have been confined and working from home since Monday March 16th, 2020 as it’s the best solution to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. Thanks to technology, we're able to keep working as if we were in the office in Barcelona (or, at least, as much as we can). We are adapting well to the challenge and “meeting” once or twice per day...
The authors represented by Pontas live in the five continents, across 26 different countries. We are used to staying in touch with them through writing and through screens. So we try to keep our relationship with them as normal as we can too. However, many of them are worried and have seen their book launches, literary events, conferences and festivals cancelled or postponed, so we'll make extra efforts to represent them and to provide a good service!
Some say – and are probably right – that this situation should help us to slow down, to rethink our priorities, to go back to basics. Without putting on any pressure, but just a little touch of humour, we want to remember that when Shakespeare was quarantined because of the plague, he wrote King Lear!
Let's take good care of ourselves, let's stay more connected than ever, let's keep calm, keep reading, keep writing!