“This noise is part of the miracle of Michel Simonet”
Three million views on Instagram and more than 1 million and 700 thousand views on TikTok, the video of Fribourg-based photographer Davide Nestola went around the world. We see Michel Simonet, a highwayman of the city of Fribourg, and the author of the best-selling book. A flower and a broomtell your story.
There were many requests in the comments. It affects my values and I wanted to help him
After several million views and several requests to translate the book into different languages, Davide Nestola Fribourgeois decided to ask for help from his community to find an English-language publisher who could translate and publish his Fribourgeois work through a second video.
“There were a lot of requests in the comments, I saw this as an opportunity to make the second part. It touches my values and I wanted to help him,” explains the photographer.
The hunger of the century was surprised
If Switzerland remains the country most loyal to Davide Nestola’s videos, the United States, France, Italy or England also follow the recorded stories of the resident of Fribourg. Thus, the virality and international impact of this video had an immediate impact on Faim de Siècle publications, which were responsible for publishing the novel. A flower and a broom.
At first I wondered if a computer hacker doesn’t have fun.
According to Charlie Veuthey, president of the Faim de Siècle publishing association, the book created a buzz upon its release and experienced several waves of popularity. “Suddenly I had orders from the US, Australia and all over the world,” he says.
The publishing director caught off guard at first did not know how to react to this unexpected uproar. “At first I wondered if there was no computer hacker having fun. Then I discussed it with Michel Simonet, who told me about this publication on Instagram and TikTok.”
How to adapt?
Although Charlie Veuthey is delighted with this exuberance, he is pragmatic about this success. “It gives us some problems: the book A flower and a broom our edition is sold out, so we can’t make copies available to those who ordered it.” Fortunately, the e-book version is available for those interested in an unlimited number.
But book orders were not the only surprise the editor faced. “We have received translation requests from Japan or Turkey after this buzz. The author of the article also urges his community to find an English-language publisher. This is really surprising to us, especially since book # is more of a novelty these days. .”
This buzz is perfectly suited to the miracle of Michel Simonet, because since then A flower and a broom turned out, everything always went very smoothly.
True, in the meantime, Michel Simonet published another book. A couple and seven cribs. So this new hype around his first book is all the more surprising to Charlie Veite. “This noise is perfectly suited to the miracle of Michel Simonet, because since then A flower and a broom came out, everything always went very smoothly.”
For faim de siècle editions, it is not possible to publish the book in English translation. “It doesn’t work like that,” said their director. “We don’t have a distribution network in English, we can’t improvise like an English publisher and market a translated book.” That’s why Davide Nestola appealed to his followers: may the miracle Michel Simonet continue.
to circle the world
Charly Veuthey is still waiting for a contact from an English-language publisher, possibly to generate further hype around the Friborg wayfarer’s book. “If we sell the rights, we get interest. The bigger the market, the more profitable it is. To conquer the world market as an English-language publication is the dream of a small publisher like Faim of. Century.”
The book has already gone through nine editions in French-speaking Switzerland, it was also published in France, then translated into German, and an Italian version will soon be available on the market. “I’m still waiting for an inquiry from China,” smiles Charly Veuthey. An ambition that doesn’t seem so disproportionate in context.
