French Authors on Tour

The French Authors On Tour Program is back after a two-year hiatus and welcomes each years French and Francophone authors in the US for the promotion of their latest book released in English translation. 

Villa Abertine offer support to American institutions wishing to host French authors for readings, book signings, talks, and symposia. 

If you would like to organize an event with one of our visiting authors, carefully read the general information below, then fill out the application listed at the bottom of the author’s individual page. Once we have received your application, we will review the request with the author and get back to you shortly. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Please also review the following information below.

Length of tours
Authors’ tours usually last up to two weeks. Occasionally, tours might be longer if we can secure additional funding from the publisher, universities and/or other partners involved in the tour.

Accommodations
During the tour the welcoming institution is expected to take care of the housing of the author. Unless otherwise specified the hosting institution books and pays for the hotel for as many nights as necessary. To avoid changes of hotel and multiple bookings, we may ask one institution to make the reservation for a longer period. The author or another institution may be responsible for payment for the additional nights.

Travel
The Villa Albertine will pay for all airfares (international and domestic) in the limit of the funding allocated to the tour. The hosting institution is responsible for pick-up and drop-off of the author at the airport and/or the train station. For extended stay, hosting institutions may be asked to contribute to the funding for domestic transportation. 

Language of communication
Whenever possible we invite authors who speak English fluently, but in some cases, interpretation may be required. Please check the language of communication and/or secure an interpreter if the communication needs to be in English at your institution. 

Visa and Honorarium
Our authors travel to the US on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for Business or on a B1 visa (Temporary visitor for business). The VWP and the B1 visa allow them to receive an honorarium for their conferences under certain conditions. It is essential to contact the appropriate people in your institution in charge of handling payments to foreign scholars to ensure that you follow the procedures set forth by your institution's accounting regulations.

Universities and institutions usually grant the visiting author an honorarium. If you are the first university to welcome the author in the US, you are requested to fill out the ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) request with the author and provide a copy to the institutions who will welcome the author after you. The Villa Albertine is not entitled to fill out that request. You will find all the information on ITIN on the Internal Revenue Service website. The paperwork should be done in the presence of the author.

More info

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Ionah Vasseur
Program Officer, fiction, youth and comics

Anne-Sophie Hermil
Program Officer, nonfiction