…Juliane forgot to send this back to me. She called herself a lazy sock, I didn’t!

Hi, Juliane, and thanks so much for being at my blog today. I’m pretty excited to be talking to you, since you’re the person responsible for translating my Spice novel, Broken, into German. And now I see you’re translating Tempted into German as well!

Is translation your full-time job, or do you have other work?

Translating novels is my … well, half-time job. In the morning or in the afternoon, just as I like it. But most days I start with translating til midday, and in the afternoon I do my other work: I’m also a writer.

How long have you been translating novels? Do you work only with Harlequin (which is Cora in Germany, I think, please correct me if I’m wrong) or do you have other publishers?

I translate since April 2007. That was funny, because I didn’t think that I am qualified for this job, but then the editor asked me, if I translate. I didn’t know what i should answer, and in the first moment I thought, it is a joke. WEll, it wasn’t a joke, and so ‘Broken’ became the first novel I translated. And I loved it, and that was the beginning of a wonderful job! – I do not only translate for Cora, but also for the publisher Lübbe.

How long does it take you to translate a novel?

It takes about three months to translate a novel. Well, sometimes only one and a half or four months, it depends on the novel’s length. The last novel I finished (“A Kiss of Fate” by Mary Jo Putney) took exactly four months. It was a little more complicated for me.

How difficult or easy is it to match the author’s voice in translation? For example, a literal, word-by-word translation might not accurately portray the tone of the novel. In addition, common cliches or phrases in the US might not translate to the same meaning in Germany — do you have to change those sorts of things to make the book make sense in German? Or do you leave them alone?

Well, these are decisions I come to while I translate. Special plays on words can not be translated, and then I must ignore them, when I can’t find a German equivalent. The author’s language is very important for me, and I hope, that I can carry this special “tone” into German. The reader not only wants a exciting story, she also looks at the language. And when I read in Germany’s Amazon reviews, that the language of the book is wonderful, I know that the editor and I have done a good job.

What’s the best thing about your job? The worst?

The best: the freedom to work when and where I want. The worst: the freedom. I often must kick my ass to go to the computer and do my work. Especially when the sun is shining and I’d prefer to sit in the park.

Have you ever met any of the authors whose work you’ve translated? Would you like to?

No, I’ve never met one of the authors. If I’d like it? Well, I’m not only translator, but also writer, and I love it to meet colleagues. Sometimes our job is really lonesome.

How does it feel to see your name up there next to the author’s? After all, you’ve now taken as much a part of the story as the author, in making it accessible in another language.

That’s a great feeling. It’s a little like sitting in the author’s head. Much nearer than a ‘normal’ reader, because I live for months with the author’s story.

Have you ever written a novel yourself?

Well, let me think about it … up to now there are about twenty novels I’ve written, but they were all published with a pseudonym. In fall 2009 will the first novel with my name be published: a historic novel that is set in the 12th century’s Ratisbon. I’m very proud of this book and I hope the reader will love it. In May 2009 my first erotic novel will be released (my pseudonym for erotica is Julie Gordon): ‘Die Lilie von Florenz’ (‘the Lily of Florence’) is set in 18th century’s Florence, and of course it’s hot, hot, hot! – The pseudonyms are often used in Germany to separate the author’s work in different genres, by the way.

Anything else you’d like to share with my readers about what you do? The requirements of the job, etc?

It’s a wonderful job and I love it! I must confess, that I did never improve my English, and after school I didn’t even read any English novels, because I loved reading, but there were enough German books I could read. But now I’m infected and read much more in English.

Of course the translating work is often very exhausting, especially on those days, when I prefer wirting my own stuff. At the moment I write my second erotic novel. I’m a creative head, I’ll always be, and sometimes I’m envious, because my American colleagues write so beautiful novels! But then I’m just glad to be part of the process to bring Megans books to the German readers. (I hope to be the translater for ‘Stranger’, when it will be translated!)

thanks so much for answering my questions, Juliane!

You’re welcome!

Kind regards,
Juliane
the lazy sock