(Winner below post!)
I am in absolute awe of people who are fluent in more than one language. My mother was from Vienna, and pretty much taught herself to speak English. My new daughter-in-law is from Poland, and is trying to make sense of what my son says (Good luck, Magdalena). I took French and German in school and am okay reading signs, but cannot ask for directions in either language. So it stuns me that my books are being translated into Russian, Thai, Turkish and Japanese, four languages that have completely different alphabets.
I found out recently that Mistress by Midnight (January 2011) will be published in Japan, and just a week later got some copies of the Japanese edition of Mistress by Mistake (May 2010). Here’s the cover–isn’t it gorgeous?
The book is smaller than a regular paperback, and has a removable dust jacket. Flipping through it is awesome but incomprehensible.
There’s a running joke in the book–the heroine Charlotte comes from a small village, Little Hyssop. The hero Bay keeps teasing her and calls it other things: Little Sickup, Little Muckup, Little Dustup. I wonder, how can that be translated? I’ll never know, LOL.
Do you speak another language? Have you ever traveled to a country where you’re completely clueless? I think I know why I like to go to England so much. I’ll give away an English version of Mistress by Mistake to one commenter. (unless you’d prefer it in Japanese!)
AND THE WINNER IS BETTY HAMILTON! PLEASE CONTACT ME AT MAGGIE@MAGGIEROBINSON.NET
I do admire people who can speak multiple languages, but I am not one. I have never traveled to a country that did not speak English as a first language or a close second. It must be wonderful for you to see your work in other languages! If I win, I would love to have the English version though. Thank you!!
Betty, the Japanese edition is the first I’ve seen. I love how they kept the red color for the first book in the series. (My Brava covers are gorgeous!) Can’t wait to see what the others look like!
Hi Maggie , I came from Indonesia soni am fluent in Indonesia language and English . Asides from that as a Chinese descendant I also can speak mandarin even though not very fluent
. Cobgratz for the release of your book in other languages !
Thanks, Aretha! I think the best time to learn languages is when you’re very young. I bought my 6 month old grandsdon some English/Polish books so he can talk to both sets of grandparents. (when he talks, LOL)
I’ve never been out of the country, but…traveling from the south to the north..you can definitely lose some translation.
Ha! I lived in Virginia for 4 years and everyone told me I should slow down speaking ! (I grew up in New York)
I understand more toi san than i speak. My relatives speak Cantonese and I generally know what they’re saying.
My parents would only speak German at Christmas so I wouldn’t know what my presents were. That worked until I took German in school, LOL. My dad was American and learned German so he could woo my Austrian mom.
Lovely covers. I speak another language. I’ve been to places where I don’t speak the language, but people are usually friendly.
I was in Paris a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised how nice everyone was, contrary to what most people believe.
Both of those covers are gorgeous Maggie.
I haven’t been outside the U.S. so I’ve never had that problem of being at a loss. Just in my own home with relatives. lol
I too am amazed and awed by anyone speaking more then one language. I grew up with a Mom, grandmother and Aunts who spoke English and Italian. Unfortunately I never learned Italian. It was the only way they could speak freely and us kids wouldn’t know what was being said.
Carol L.
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
LOL. Like a secret code.