My Fair Godmother, German style
I just got the German version of My Fair Godmother. They changed the title, of course. (The play on words doesn’t work in other languages.) Their title is Real Fairies, False Princes, which I have to say, is one cool title. I totally wish I had thought of it, and I’m sad it won’t work for the sequel. (Sorry, no princes, but there is a single king.)
When I turned in My Fair Godmother to Walker it was 111,000 words–over 400 pages. They thought this was too long and wanted me to cut nearly a 100 pages out. They did have a point. It needed to be trimmed. I clearly learned my lesson because this time when I wrote the sequel it was only 103,000 words. Yeah, I know, the first revision request I’m expecting is that I cut the text down—which I’m dreading because I already cut 7,000 words from it before I sent it in.
Granting three wishes just takes some time.
Anyway, so the interesting thing about the German version of My Fair Godmother is that it is 419 pages long. I feel strangely vindicated by this fact. I also wonder what is in those extra pages. Is German like Russian and it takes them more syllables to say the same thing? Did the translator go into more depth explaining things? Maybe the romance scenes are more romantic. It makes me wish I spoke German.
18 comments
Leave a comment
Subscribe and receive 3 free Ebooks!
Want to know about new releases or ebook sales?
Sign up for Janette's newsletter and receive a free copy of 3 books:
- Slayers
- A Longtime (and at one point illegal) Crush
- Blue Eyes and Other Teenage Hazards
Both the title and cover are lovely! And I still need to get my hands on that book. I love reading your books, they’re such a nice breath of fresh air between Shakespeare and Chaucer. (The exciting life of an English major).
Ahh, I remember it well!
That’s pretty cool 🙂
Cool cover and title.
My hubby who does speak German says that it would depend on the translator. Many German words are long and strung together, but it wouldn’t necisarrily take more space to translate a book.
You need to find someone who speaks German to read a copy and let you know. 😉
That is so cool! What other languages are your books translated into?
A couple have been translated into Polish, French,and Portuguese.
Cool! The cover is gorgeous and the title is just as good as your American one. Who came up with it?
Way cool 🙂
The German Publisher came up with their title. I do really like it. I wish they could come up with a title for the sequel. Right now the only title I can think of is: My Fair Godmother Two–with the Two crossed out and the word ‘Too’ written over it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wow, I really love the title! I took two years of German in high school, and I’m planning to take some more German classes throughout my college career. It’s such a wonderful language. I’d definitely love to get my hands on this version.
How about “My Slightly Improved Godmother” for the title of the sequel?
And for the German sequel you could go with “I’d Like to Upgrade my False Prince to a Real King. One Who’s Single. And Hot.”
Genius. I know.
It’s a great cover. Very different feel from the American version, though.
Hopefully your wonderful charm and wit made it through the translation.
That must be so funny to think of your book a certain way and identify it with its cover and yet here is the “same” book but different title and cover. 😀
love the title! And the cover is cool too. Lee Modesitt gave me the swedish version of his recluse series and I’ve wondered if I should let him know there’s a typo on page 57.
The title is gorgeous and I love the cover.
As a German myself and just reading “Echte Feen, falsche Prinzen” – by the way: WOW I love that book! – I can confirm:
Yes we are kinda using more words than you English guys (whose language I think is pretty cool).
And by the way: Most US people I have spoken too found German quite horrible ,-)))
It is also for grammar reasons. We do not use your -ing-form but have often complete sentenses afterwards.
I REALLY HOPE WE WILL GET A SEQUEL.
And: Any Hollywood plans already. It would make such a great Romantic Comedy ,-)
All the best from Germany
when will the second book “My Unfair Godmother” be traslated into german? I read the first one in german so I’d rather read the second one in german too 🙂