This week’s blog is dedicated to the party we held on Tuesday at the Astoria hall. It could not have been otherwise. It was a truly special celebration. We were celebrating 25 years of work and travelling through the magical world of books, and what happened that evening was truly magical.
We wanted to organise something worthy of a 25th anniversary while also making it feel like a celebration among friends. And I think we succeeded. The atmosphere was so wonderful I cannot put it into words. So thank you to everyone who was able to join us, and to those who could not be there but whom we still felt close. Life passes by very quickly, and moments like this are treasured memories.
For those who did not get to hear my short speech in person, I am sharing here my attempt to sum up the journey we have embarked on all these years with all of you, who are a part of my literary life:
“I don’t want to make a long speech, but I do not want to leave anything important unsaid either. Twenty-five years is a long time, and summing it all up in a few words is not easy. So I am going to try to do it with four.
The first is family.
The theme of this celebration is Literary Family, and those of you who know me know that a very important part of my family has worked, or still works, with me.
My mother was there from the very beginning, and almost all of you know her. Then my brother joined us, followed by my father, and, finally, my sister Berta.
I am here today celebrating these 25 years thanks to them. Because I honestly do not think I could have done it without them.
But when I say family, I do not mean just them. I am also talking about all of you. Over these past 25 years, each of you, in their own way, have helped the agency keep moving forward, grow, and reach this point. That is why I like to think that this is not only my family, but our Literary Family.
The second word is perseverance.
My parents raised me with values that have stayed with me forever, and one of them is perseverance.
I have been incredibly lucky to get to devote myself to something I am passionate about, but we all know that this work requires effort, patience, late hours, and the ability to keep moving forward when things do not turn out the way we expected.
And if there is one thing we have done over these years, that is exactly it: we have kept moving forward, celebrating the good times, and learning from the times that were not quite so good.
The third word is enthusiasm.
And I have to admit something: I still cannot believe that the agency is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The agency was born from a dream, and the most wonderful thing is that, after all this time, I still feel the same excitement when there’s a new project, when we discover a new voice, or when we keep company of an author as they take a new step in their career.
I still feel those butterflies in my stomach that remind me why I started all this. And I believe that enthusiasm is what has gotten us this far.
And the fourth word is gratitude.
Because if there is one thing I feel tonight, that is gratitude.
To my family, to those who work alongside me every day, and to those who wait for me at home. To my husband and son, because I took away, and continue to take away, many hours from them to devote to this passion that is also my work.
And thank you to all of you.
If you are here tonight, it means that we have shared part of this journey at some point. Because we have lived this adventure together. And because I am certain that every one of you has helped me, in one way or another, to reach this point.
So thank you. Thank you so very much. Thank you for helping me write these first 25 years of our story.
And I hope we can continue to write many more chapters with the same enthusiasm and perseverance, surrounded by this literary family that means so much to me.
But today is a day of celebration. So raise your glass with me and let us toast to these 25 years, all the stories we have shared, and all of those we have ahead of us”.
