Say What? - Lynn Raye Harris

Dear Reader:

As a relatively new Harlequin author, I've been so excited every time I realize one of my books has been translated into another language. It's almost like being published all over again -- though not quite. ;)

Even more exciting is when a reader from another country contacts me to say how much she enjoyed my book. I always wonder how the translation differs from what I wrote in English, but how can I ask that? I can't, of course; I have to be happy with the knowledge that someone enjoyed my book and hope it still says what I think it says. *g*

Another thing about translations that interests me are the variety of covers. Sometimes my cover is changed. Other times it remains the same. I never know why.



The cover above (left) is for The Prince's Royal Concubine, but it was actually Penny Jordan's cover first. In Brazil, Robyn Donald and I share the cover for our two royal themed stories. (I have to admit I coveted this cover when I first saw it with Penny's name on it!)

Here's the original North American cover (right). As you might imagine, this cover was not so popular in some countries. :)



India changed it altogether. So did Italy.



India preferred a man in uniform. I kind of liked that. :)







Italy went with the tropical island theme.








Japan has now entered the fray as well. Their idea is totally different than either of these two. I have no idea what it says, but I love it!





So, same book, five different covers thus far. And I'm pretty pleased with all of them! What do you think? Do you like one of these better than the others? I have to say that the Brazilian cover and my original cover most closely fit the image of the hero and heroine that I had in mind when I wrote.

All the best,
Lynn

***

Lynn Raye Harris writes glamorous, sexy romance for Harlequin Presents and Mills & Boon Modern. Her latest UK release, Prince Voronov's Virgin, was the Mills & Boon Book of the Month for January. So far, this book has spent 5 weeks on the M&B bestseller list -- 3 of those weeks at #1! Lynn's next North American release is The Devil's Heart in April, followed by the NA release of Prince Voronov's Virgin, retitled Behind the Palace Walls, in June in Presents EXTRA.

You can learn more about Lynn and her books at http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/.

You can also follow Lynn on Twitter @LynnRayeHarris or visit her author page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnRayeHarris

Annie West: Foreign Delights

I adore getting mail. Always have. It's an incentive to write letters, and even in these days with almost instant access to friends and acquaintances via email there's nothing I love more than getting mail. Well, not the dreaded 'window' envelopes that inevitably contain bills. My favourite of all is the parcel.

Today I received two. Fantastic. First was a special delivery: a largish box with American editions of my June Harlequin Presents release, THE GREEK'S CONVENIENT MISTRESS. Then later, with the rest of the mail, came a small padded envelope containing two copies of my latest title in Spanish: Noche de pasion con el jeque, Not speaking Spanish, I'm guessing it means something like Night of Passion with a Sheikh. I know that story as THE DESERT KING'S PREGNANT BRIDE but I think the Spanish edition has a wonderful ring to it.

One of the absolute joys of writing for Harlequin is seeing my work translated into other languages. Most of the time my linguistic skills are such that I can't read the translations but knowing that people in Brazil or Korea, Greece or Germany are reading about my characters in their own language is a thrill.

I've included here a Japanese cover and a Spanish cover for the same story. Isn't it fascinating the way each country has set its own stamp on FOR THE SHEIKH'S PLEASURE? What made this particular Japanese edition particularly interesting was that it's actually for a manga book - a cartoon book. Like other Japanese editions you read it from right to left. But unlike other editions I've received, this one has a minimum of text and most of the drama is represented in clever pictures. Once I got used to the rather interesting fashions that the heroine prefered it was rather fun to 'read'. I'm told I've suddenly become 'cool' with various teenagers of our acquaintance - no one else they know has made it into manga.

It would be lovely to think that one day I might read my books in translation but I received my first Polish edition last week and I'm afraid I'm not up to that challenge. And as for Korean...much as I love the look and feel of the book, I think I'll stick to something in an alphabet I can understand.

In the meantime I give away most of my foreign editions to libraries in areas that cater for people who's first language isn't English. It's great to think of them going to a good home.

We love foreign languages in this house. Though I'm not a good linguist I have a tiny smattering of other languages and am married to a man who's passion is languages (and me, of course!).

What languages do you know? Which appeal? If you could learn any language what would it be and why? To read a terrific book in the original text? To go travelling somewhere special? To understand every syllable when a sexy foreign lover whispers sweet nothings in your ear?

I'm currently celebrating the release of THE GREEK'S CONVENIENT MISTRESS in North America. You can visit my website to read an excerpt or enter my latest contest. Or click here to buy a copy.

I'll give away a copy of this new release today to one person who comments on this post. And, if you read Spanish, or know someone who'd appreciate it, I'll also include Noche de pasion con el jeque.

From Foreign Climes!

by Anna Campbell

One of the fun bits about writing romance is that it's a worldwide industry. That means an author gradually starts to see foreign translations of her books. So far, I've sold books to Germany, Australia, Italy, Russia and Japan, apart from my U.S. editions. I wanted to share some of the lovely European covers with you (nothing as yet for Japan!).

What prompted this column is that I've only just seen my German cover for the book that comes out in the U.S. next January as TEMPT THE DEVIL. VERBOTENE UMARMUNG translates as "Forbidden Embrace" which I rather like. And I just adore this cover with its gorgeous aubergine and that breathtakingly sexy clinch. The picture looks exactly like my characters too! AKA The Earl of Erith is a handsome devil like this guy!

Here are my other two German covers. I'd say, at a guess, the Germans really like a sexy bedroom scene! Or perhaps that's just what they do for my books! I love the solid colors under the pictures. REBELLISCHE KUSSE translates as "Rebellious Kisses" and ZART WIE DIE NACHT translates as "Tender as the Night." Wonder what F. Scott Fitzgerald thinks of that! Finding out what the foreign titles are is always a fun part of this particular game too!

This month, CLAIMING THE COURTESAN comes out in Russia and Italy. Someone told me that the Russian title translates as WINNING THE HIGH-CLASS PROSTITUTE which made me laugh. I guess you could say that's "claiming the courtesan"! I love the Russian cover. It's so exotic and fairytale-looking. Although the Scottish Highlands suddenly look VERY Swiss in their white jagged iciness! Is that the Matterhorn in the background? I also like the idea of being AHHA. Not sure why! Perhaps Aha sounds like I know what I'm talking about!

IL CUORE DI UNA CORTIGIANA translates as "The Heart of a Courtesan" which is marvellously romantic! This cover makes me smile, not just because it's so pretty, but also because my heroine is kissing my hero and he's turning away. If any of you have read CTC, you'll know that's not precisely the plot!

So let's talk about covers. What sort of covers do you like? We've seen so many fashions over the years. There's the classic clinch (all of my covers so far fall into this category and I must say I love them!). These divide into the dressed and undressed category in my mind! There's the girl on her own. There's the hero on his own. There's a 'bit' of somebody - a torso or a shot from the chin down or some bare legs sliding out of a bed. There's the non-person cover. You know, champagne glasses or a locket or some other object of significance to the story. There's the landscape covers - often with a country house in the distance. Are you embarrassed to be seen reading a romance in public, because of the covers? I used to be. Must say I'm over that now! Are there any covers you'd like to see more of?

Covers That Get Around, by Bronwyn Jameson

It's always fun to receive translations of my books in the mail, or even to find a new translation on one of Harlequin's foreign websites. Sometimes they carry the same cover as the original publication, but even these look new and shiny with the office's own cover treatment. Other times they come dressed in different cover art and I asked the Managing Editor of Harlequin Australia, Jackie Johnson, about the how and why of cover art selection. Here's what the always-helpful Jackie had to say.

"We have a data-base that is open to all of the overseas offices which holds every artwork commissioned for series books. We can, and do, use different artwork when we need to -- this can happen if the artwork commissioned for a particular title is unsuitable, or when we use single title product in the series line, etc. These would be chosen (usually) by marketing after an art brief has been supplied by an editor. In the case of our office, I am in essence, both editor and marketing function for covers, so I take care of this.

Whilst this happens on a couple of titles each month, I order the artwork commissioned for the specific title for the majority of titles from North America or the UK. For duo books I order the most appealing image of the two titles. The only art we select locally from stock photo-libraries appear on Sexy Sensations and Ultimate Collections. These are generic images and are sourced monthly. The only artwork we order from the UK offices are Medical.

Each overseas office has a different art strategy depending on how that particular series performs in their market (eg. The UK use more photographic images on certain series, the French design from scratch for a more sophisticated look etc.)"

It is fun and especially delightful when one of the foreign offices chooses a cover image which captures the characters or the book's tone better than the original. When the cover art is recognisable -- for example, because it's been featured on the cover of a good friend's book or because it's been staring at me from the cover of a favourite on my keeper's shelf -- then that can be slightly strange...but still fun in a different way.

Last week I received copies of the Dutch translations of my Princes of the Outback trilogy, beautifully packaged as a single and a duo under the flag of Love in the Outback. The cover of The Rugged Lover (left, below) is beautiful. This could be Tomas and Angelina. I love it! Next I looked at the duo cover (centre, below) and didn't need to check my keeper's shelf. This is the cover originally used on Taylor's Temptation, Suzanne Brockmann, from 2001-ish. (I'm kinda glad the shorts are cut from mine! *g*)



Recently my Bought-And-Paid-For Wife came out in the UK, using the original cover art from the other book in the duo, Patricia Kay's One-Week Wife. My book's art was used the same month on another Desire Duo, and I have to say it was funny seeing "my" cover on another book (see right).



When another author sent me a link to the German site, where Bought-And-Paid-For Wife is a September release, my eyes were drawn to another familiar cover. First seen on Trish Morey's Virgin For The Taking, this is one of my favourite romantic covers -- and one of my favourites of Trish's wonderful books -- which is why it caught my eye. This time around it's gracing Pat Kay's One-Week Wife and the couple are walking a romantic stretch of Mexican beach, rather than Broome, Western Australia, as in Trish's book. Wherever that beach is, it's gorgeous, isn't it?

Covers, they do get around. *g*

Do you have any favourite cover images which do a fabulous job of depicting the characters and the story inside the book?