As I mentioned here in a post last November, last year I was approached by a literary agent (Chengdu Rightol Media & Advertisement Co. Ltd.) in the People’s Republic of China about the translation and Chinese publishing rights for my two vampire romance novels, Bloodchained and Bloodchained II: The Secret of Secrets (www.bloodchained.com). The deal went through successfully and was thrilling to me both financially and as an awesome cultural experience. I even exchanged Facebook messages with the translator of BCII, Ning Qian, a wonderful young woman who taught me a lot about Chinese culture.
Well, yesterday I decided to try googling the titles on Amazon China, and lo and behold, there they were! Some of the artistic elements drawn by my daughter Katie for the English book covers are combined with those gorgeous Chinese characters...I love them! Both books are indicated as “Editors Choice,” and they are currently selling better than the paperback versions on Amazon.com! (Now if only China would get the Kindle...)
So now you can see how “Bloodchained” translates! According to Google translate, it’s literally “Blood Bound.” I’d love to know what else these covers say, if anyone out there can read them for me! I’m expecting eventually to receive some sample copies from my agent, so that will be amazing. And here’s my name in Chinese (assuming you all have the font installed): 戴安娜•劳伦斯 Too cool!
In googling the books, I found they are offered for sale all over the internet, at countless Chinese sites that are remarkably similar to online book distributors in the Western World. Considering the population of the People’s Republic, it should come as no surprise that there are droves of Chinese booksellers.
What is a fairly new development, from what I can gather, is the PRC government’s willingness to encourage and endorse free enterprise like this. My publisher, New Star Press in Beijing, has official authorization to find Western titles like mine, translate and distribute them. That means lots of new opportunities for agents like mine, and translators, and booksellers both online and brick-and-mortar style. There is more demand for recreational reading material than the People’s Republic can currently provide from within, and with increased openness to the principles of capitalism, situations like mine are the result.
What really rocks about this, Blog, is that it means more communication between citizens of the West and those of the PRC. That can only be a good thing. I’ve learned, for example, that young Chinese people now enjoy tons of American television via the internet. Clandestine though it is, this it teaching them how much we all have in common. Apparently there are tons of people in China just as interested in Bones and Booth getting together on the Fox drama series as I am!
Meanwhile, I experienced perfect courtesy and professionalism from my dealings with my agent and my translator. Establishing a relationship like this, which by necessity required some trust on both sides (it’s not like I can go to their offices and accost them!), also builds bridges.
Blog, all I can say is, it’s a great time to be an author, a publisher, and a citizen of Planet Earth!
They are a gracious people indeed! You will have to visit China one day and meet them in person!
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