Monday, November 18, 2013

Tricia goes to Japan!

Last month I got an email from my agent asking:  "Did we know the Booktown Mysteries had been sold to a Japanese publisher?"

No, we didn't.  Why?  Because when it comes to these things, the author is ALWAYS the last to know. (And apparently her agent, too.)  We only found out about it on the Royalty Statement. 

Despite that negativity, the cover for the book is actually very cute.  In some ways, it's better than some of the covers my primary publisher has been giving me.  (See last week's semi rant.)  It's sort of Manga, but very true to the description of Haven't Got a Clue.  Miss Marple better resembles the cat in the book.  (It was only when I contacted the artist for my US covers and gave her pictures of Miss Marple that she has been portrayed correctly, and she's done a marvelous job considering the very few good pictures I have of my dear girl Cori.)  Mind you, I have no problem with the quality of the art on my original covers.  I'm lucky to have the supremely talented Teresa Fasolino do them.  Unfortunately, she MUST do what the Marketing Department tells her to do.  (Including garish colors.)

I'm actually quite thrilled to say a book of mine has been translated into another language.  And Japanese books are so cool.  They read from right to left and in columns--so different than us westerners.

I'm pretty sure that the Japanese publisher came to us and not the other way around. After all, the series has been around since 2008 and and this is the first foreign sale.  (Do you think Janet Evanovich waits that long?)  I'd much rather be able to say "Translated into 20 languages" than "Translated into ONE language." 

I just hope more foreign publishers find the series and say, "I'd love to bring this series to our readers."

Well, a girl can dream.