Edmonton author turns a 4-book German translation deal into a 5-book deal

Most authors dream of having their works translated into foreign languages, and I am one of them. There is an immense thrill and satisfaction in knowing my books are being read by people across the world.

Over the past couple of years I've seen Chinese translations of WHALE SONG and CHILDREN OF THE FOG, a Turkish translation of THE RIVER (GIZEMLI NEHIR), a Spanish translation of my nonfiction marketing book, HOW I MADE OVER $42,000 IN 1 MONTH SELLING MY KINDLE eBOOKS, and most recently a German translation for my #1 bestseller CHILDREN OF THE FOG.

DES NEBELS KINDER (CHILDREN OF THE FOG) was released on June 10 and was published by Amazon Crossing, a division of Amazon Publishing. It immediately made 7+ Top 100 lists on Amazon.de. And German readers are loving it, as evidenced by the 5-star reviews it's receiving.

But my most amazing book deal is with a small independent publishing company, Luzifer-Verlag, which is owned by Steffen Janssen. Steffen had contacted me 2 years ago to inquire about German rights for THE RIVER. I found his email a week ago while cleaning out my email folders. I almost deleted it! Thank God I didn't. My finger hovered over the "delete" button. But a thought crossed my mind. Whatever had happened with this? I couldn't recall why it hadn't gone through.

I immediately emailed Steffen to see if he was still interested. I mentioned I was just releasing book 3 in my Divine Trilogy and that DES NEBELS KINDER had just released. The reply I received stunned me. An offer! For THE RIVER and the Divine Trilogy. Within a few days that deal was secured, and we are underway to publishing these 4 titles in ebook and paperback.

But wait! There's more! lol

I had one other title that I KNEW would do well in the German market--SUBMERGED. It has cool tie-ins or connections to CHILDREN OF THE FOG, although this is not a series. And with DES NEBELS KINDER doing so well, there was no doubt in my mind that SUBMERGED would sell in Germany.

So with some hesitation, I contacted Steffen and offered him SUBMERGED, letting him know its connection to DES NEBELS KINDER. And he made an offer.

It is rare enough for an author to receive a 2-3 book deal, but even more rare to secure a 5-book deal. And from what I've seen so far, these German translations are going to take that country by storm.

As I recently posted on Facebook:

Dear Germany and German readers:
Watch out for the Cheryl Kaye Tardif invasion!!!!!!!!!! I'm on my way!!!

New release: DIVINE SANCTUARY, book 3 in Divine Trilogy - Plus DIVINE SANCTUARY FB Launch Party

Book 3 in the Divine Trilogy

There's no place like home…

In the Divine trilogy finale, the heat is tripled when CFBI Agent Jasi McLellan must rescue Emily, the ghost girl that haunts her dreams; expose her own mother's killer; and uncover a murderer that preys on the weak at Sanctuary, a controversial cult nestled in the woods near Mission, BC.

Something insidious lurks behind the safe haven of Sanctuary's wrought iron gates. Led by the charismatic Father Jeremiah, the cult's idyllic lifestyle seems perfect on the outside. But a lethal hunter is on the prowl, and in a carefully executed game of cat and mouse, the body count rises.

Along with Victim Empath Natassia Prushenko, Psychometric Empath Ben Roberts and Special Consultant Brandon Walsh, Jasi follows three trails of clues that lead to one terrifying conclusion: home is not always the safest place on earth.

Editorial Reviews:

“An excellent last installment to this psychic mystery/thriller series! Fast-paced action from cover to cover!” —Dale Mayer, international bestselling author of the Psychic Vision series

“Dark and compelling with details so vivid the reader can smell the smoldering corpse as he follows Pyro-Psychic, Jasi McLellan, who has the ungodly ability to enter the mind of a serial arsonist. This Canadian FBI psychic team moves like wildfire in the hands of consummate thriller author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif.” —Barbara Silkstone, international bestselling author of Miami Mummies

“You'll find yourself rooting for Jasi, Brandon, Natassia, and Ben as the Top-Secret PSI team comes face to face with the depths of human evil in Divine Sanctuary. The story unfolds with Tardif's signature razor-taut pacing as she sets her likable protagonists against the charismatic leader of a disturbing cult where all is not as it seems, and the shattering revelations that await them will leave Jasi's life changed forever. Hunt this one down and read it!” —Paul Draker, international bestselling author of Pyramid Lake

Available at:

Amazon

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Createspace

iTunes

Kobo Books

Smashwords

LAUNCH PARTY - June 18 from 1-6 PM ET and June 19 from 2-9 PM ET

Join the party at: https://www.facebook.com/events/593149520783337

NEWS FLASH: 2 Children Missing in Detroit; NO Amber Alert!

I know it's Father's Day, and normally I would blog about something funny or nice, but my mind is preoccupied with the plight of an American family. One of my author friends, Yanna B., told me her family is going through a shocking tragedy. Her cousin was brutally murdered, the woman's two young children have gone missing, and neither the Detroit Police nor the FBI have issued an Amber Alert. WTF??? So today, I am sharing a guest post. This isn't for the faint of heart...

Children Refused Amber Alert After Mother’s Brutal Murder

Alicia Fox and her two children were reported missing on June 4th, 2014. After receiving an anonymous tip, Alicia’s body was discovered by her family inside a vacant home on Detroit’s west side. The wife and mother of two’s body was found shot and badly dismembered.

After the discovery of her body, we were concerned of the whereabouts of her children, 6 yr old Kaylah and 8 month old Kristian. No one had seen Alicia or her children since May 24th. We all were now wondering where Kaylah & Krisitan could be. We immediately began searching for the children and Alicia’s husband, Erin Justice, who were nowhere to be found. 

The Detroit Police Department immediately began to give excuses as to why an Amber Alert was not initially put into place. They stated that when Alicia and her children were initially reported missing, there was no reason to be alarmed and that it was nothing out of the ordinary. However, now their mother had been discovered and no one knew where the children were. 

The police began looking for Alicia’s husband Erin. After voluntarily giving a statement to Fulton County Police in Atlanta, Erin was released but is now subsequently being held by the FBI. He’s already told a judge there he’s going to fight extradition back to Detroit. 

We have since been desperately searching for Alicia’s two children. The police continue to make the statement that the children do not fit the criteria for an Amber Alert. I know that is not the case. I myself researched the criteria for an Amber Alert and these children most definitely fit them. They are refusing to issue the alert. Instead, the family goes out every day searching for the children. 

Timothy Jones, Justice’s accomplice, has since been arrested in Detroit for being an accessory after the fact. He had gone to help Justice move Alicia’s body to that vacant home on Penrod and clean up the scene of the murder. 

As the days continue to roll by, thousands of people share the missing children’s pictures online and pray for the family, hoping the children are found. We are heartbroken that the Detroit Police Department still will not issue the Amber Alert for Kaylah and Kristian. Why wouldn’t they enlist the help of the entire country in the search for these innocent children? Their mother was found murdered and their father is currently in custody for her murder. These children are most certainly in danger. They need to be with us. Anything could have happened to them.

I am outraged that they are not looking for my cousin’s children in Atlanta also, especially considering it’s where Justice was detained. My family is being torn apart by the negligence of the Detroit Police Department and the FBI. Any and all missing children should receive an Amber Alert regardless of their race or economic status. It breaks our hearts to feel as if our lives and tragedies are being ignored and disregarded. We are desperately searching for our family and will not give up until we find them. 

DPD said that too much time has passed, but that to me would signify the danger the children could be in. They are waiting for us to find them. They are wondering why we haven’t come to get them. I am disgusted at the blatant disrespect of my family and so many other families in the inner-cities of America. These children deserve the same respect and care that every other child receives because they possess the same potential for greatness. 

I am determined to bring awareness to companies and individuals who chose to continuously ignore the cries of America’s inner-cities. I am an author and blogger and will use those outlets to identify every media source that does not help us, and instead, turns a blind eye to the children in America. 

These children are not with a family member…..and no Amber Alert has been issued. Their mother was found brutally murdered…..and no Amber Alert has been issued. Their father is now in custody and will face first-degree murder charges for the murder of their mother……and STILL NO AMBER ALERT!!! 

We owe this to Alicia’s innocent children. This should be on the front page of every newspaper and broadcasted on every news cast in America!! What if this was your family? These children need us to find them. It’s our responsibility to find them. Please help us find Kaylah & Kristian.

Sincerely,

Lynice Jackson

And the entire family of Alicia Fox

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/25734258/woman-found-dead-in-home-on-detroits-west-side

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/25758855/father-of-missing-detroit-toddler-arrested-in-atlanta

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/clip/10254120/father-of-baby-boy-in-custody-search-for-missing-children-continues

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/video?clipId=10258557&autoStart=true

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/25774395/second-man-charged-in-case-of-slain-mother-missing-kids

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2014/06/11/mom-found-shot-death-where-are-her-babies?clusterId=1411#videoplayer

* * * * * * * * * * * *

From Cheryl: 

Please, if you're anywhere in the Detroit area or anywhere between Detroit and Atlanta, please keep your eyes open for these kids, and show support for this family. And let the Detroit Police know you don't agree with the lack of an Amber Alert for these children!

Bestselling Authors Theresa Ragan and Cheryl Kaye Tardif Compare Their Experiences with Foreign Translations

On June 10^th Amazon Crossing, a division of Amazon Publishing, released two German translations: SPIELZUG INS GLÜCK by New York Times/USA Today bestselling author, Theresa Ragan, and DES NEBELS KINDER by international bestselling author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif. Today these authors are going to share their experiences with foreign translations by interviewing each other.

Theresa: Do you mind telling us a little bit about the process of getting your book translated? For instance, when were you approached, and how long did it take to get your book translated?

Cheryl: On August 24, 2011, I was contacted online by an agent who had a client that wanted the Turkish rights to THE RIVER. That deal went ahead and GIZEMLI NEHIR was released about a year later as well. It was actually prominently displayed at the Frankfurt Book Fair. In March 2012, I signed a two-book deal with a Chinese company for the translations of CHILDREN OF THE FOG and WHALE SONG. I believe it took about a year for the ebook editions to come out. However, they are illustrated inside and much went into their production.

On October 18^th, 2013, I was contacted by a representative from Amazon Crossing. Here’s what she said: “We’re launching an invite-only beta program focused on literary translation for select KDP authors to translate their works into German. We think your title, Children of the Fog, would be a good fit for this program.” I was elated! It took just under 8 months before DES NEBELS KINDER was released.

I was paid an advance for my German and Turkish translations. I received no advance for the Chinese editions, but I did not have to pay them. I did pay for the Spanish translation of my non-fiction marketing book.

How about you, Theresa? When were you approached, and how long did it take?

Theresa: In October, 2012, Amazon Crossing translated Abducted which I had sold to Thomas & Mercer. Abducted, IM NETZ DES SPINNENMANNS: THRILLER, hit #1 on Amazon.de and stayed there for over a month. The book did so well I decided to look into finding a German translator and having my KDP books translated. I ended up finding the Libelli Agency in March 2013 and I signed a contract to have them translate HAVING MY BABY, a contemporary romance. Nine months later, in November 2013, Having My Baby (Plötzlich Vater) was released. The entire process for that one title cost me a little over $8,000, but at 70% royalties, I made my initial investment back in the first week! Getting 70% royalties is nice, but it takes money to make money.

By the time Amazon Crossing approached me in July, 2013, I had already signed with the Libelli Agency to translate two of my books. Since I like to try everything, I signed three of my books with Amazon Crossing. I signed a contract in October and eight months later, on June 10^th, SPIELZUG INS GLÜCK was released! Two more books are coming soon.

Cheryl, what was your first reaction to seeing the cover? Did you ask for any changes?

Cheryl: My first reaction was absolute joy when I saw the cover for DES NEBELS KINDER. Like most authors, I am very particular about my covers, and since Amazon Crossing was new to me, I was hoping I’d get a cover I liked. Not only do I “like” it, I LOVE it! They perfectly captured an element of the story, the mood and the atmosphere. Then there’s the way they stacked my name. Funny thing, I had once stacked my name like they did, and for some reason I didn’t like it, so I changed it. Yet on the cover of DES NEBELS KINDER it works. Maybe it’s the font, I don’t know. The cover was perfect, so I had no reason to ask for any changes. I am also very happy with the covers for my Chinese, Spanish and Turkish translations.

Theresa, how do you feel about your cover? Did you suggest any changes or tweaks?

Theresa: My biggest problem with being an independent author is choosing a great cover. I go back and forth and I swear I can’t always tell a great cover from an okay cover. It’s so subjective, in my opinion. Anyhow, I didn’t like the font on one of the books, so we played with that for a while and then I wasn’t sure about the color of the font, so I ended up choosing black for the author name. I am so original. Ha! Lucky for me, Amazon Crossing is easy to work with. And patient!

Did you do anything different with the editing process, Cheryl? How involved were you in the process?

Cheryl: Amazon Crossing was very easy to work with and very diligent about keeping my story intact. We had a minor challenge in one chapter where we had to come up with different items as the first letter of each was to spell out a message. But we were able to agree on those items. And there was a poem in the English version that had to be replaced with a different poem so that everything would flow. Other than these, I left it up to my translator. Trust goes a long way to making the process easy. All in all, I would have no problem with them translating any of my books.

With the Turkish and Spanish translations I trusted the process. With the Chinese ebooks I did have to explain a few times what a character was doing or saying. I had a fair amount of input into the editing and the creation of the illustrations, which are beautiful.

How about you, Theresa? Was your editing process challenging?

Theresa: The editing process for all of my translations have been fairly simple and straightforward. Like you, I did have one problem in that one of my characters, a small child, had a lisp. That lisp did not translate well, so we had to do some tweaking to make it make sense for German readers. I believe the character ended up having a problem with “S” instead of “L”. To tell you the truth, any of these foreign books could be someone else’s story altogether. I don’t mean to scare anyone. I took two years of German when I was very young, but unless you are Tina Folsom and you speak the language, how can you be sure every sentence is your own? It’s called trust. I trust the people at Amazon Crossing and I trust the people at the Libelli Agency. I trust them to care about the books they put out and their reputation. So, overall, it’s been fun.

Is there anything else you’d like to add, Cheryl?

Cheryl: Just my extreme gratefulness to my translator, Ingrid Könemann-Yarnell, and my Amazon Crossing representative, Katrin Mueller, for making my first German translation such an enjoyable experience. I hope to have more works with Amazon Crossing soon. I love that my works are available to those who speak/read other languages. Now if only I had some French translations—half of Quebec might buy them (all the Tardifs). J

Any last words, Theresa?

This has been fun, Cheryl. I’m so glad we’ve had a chance to meet and blog together. I must say I do love your cover for Des Nebels Kinder. Very eerie…which I love. Congratulations on your success in the foreign markets. I would also like to thank Katrin Mueller with Amazon Crossing, and Birte and Ute with the Libelli Agency. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with.

One last thing…I also had a book translated in Spanish. The book is doing great. I have 15 five stars, which tells me that my translator did a great job. También es hijo mío has been doing well in the U.S. and Spain. For anyone interested in having a novel translated in Spanish, feel free to contact Angeles Aragón. Her website is http://www.elregalodesuvida.com. You can email Angeles at geleraragon@gmail.com and ask her for a quote on what it would cost to have your book translated.

Author Bios:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Theresa Ragan grew up with four sisters in Lafayette, California. She has garnered six Golden Heart nominations in Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart Competition for her work. After writing for twenty years, Theresa decided to self-publish in March, 2011, and has sold over one million books since that time. In 2012, she signed with Thomas & Mercer and is having the time of her life. Theresa writes medieval time travels, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and thrillers under the name T.R. Ragan. OBSESSED, the fourth book in her bestselling Lizzy Gardner series is available for pre-order. To learn more about Theresa you can visit her website at www.theresaragan.com.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif is an award-winning, international bestselling Canadian suspense author represented by Trident Media Group in New York. Her novels include Divine Sanctuary, Submerged, Divine Justice, Children of the Fog, The River, Divine Intervention, Lancelot’s Lady (written under the pen name of Cherish D’Angelo) and Whale Song, which New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice calls "a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart...a beautiful, haunting novel." Cheryl also has three Stephen King-inspired works: Dream House (short story), Skeletons in the Closet & Other Creepy Stories and Remote Control (novelette). Cheryl is also the owner/publisher of Imajin Books, a hybrid publishing company.

Booklist raves, "Tardif, already a big hit in Canada…a name to reckon with south of the border."

Cheryl's website: www.cherylktardif.com

Imajin Books: www.imajinbooks.com

UPDATE from Cheryl (June 13): I have just received a 4-book publishing deal for German translations of THE RIVER and my Divine Trilogy! I am super excited!!!

Neues: DES NEBELS KINDER (Children of the Fog) EUR 4.99 & $5.00 US

DES NEBELS KINDER – Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Sie haben 10 Sekunden, um eine Entscheidung zu treffen: Erlauben Sie einem Kidnapper, Ihnen Ihr Kind zu nehmen, oder sehen Sie zu, wie Ihr Sohn stirbt! Wählen Sie!

Sadie O’Connell ist Bestsellerautorin und eine stolze Mutter. Aber ihr Leben ist dabei, außer Kontrolle zu geraten. Nachdem ihr sechsjähriger Sohn Sam von einem Serientäter gekidnappt wurde, gerät sie an den Rand des Wahnsinns. Aber es sind nicht nur Angst und Trauer, die sie zu zerstören drohen. Es ist ihr Schuldgefühl. Denn Sadie ist die einzige Person, die weiß, wie der Entführer aussieht. Und sie kann es niemandem sagen. Denn sollte sie das tun, wird der Mann ihren Sohn in »blutigen kleinen Stücken« an sie zurückschicken.

Als Sadies treuloser Ehemann zufällig über eine Zeichnung des Kidnappers stolpert, setzt er eine Reihe entsetzlicher Ereignisse in Gang, die sie in den Abgrund stürzen. Sadies Rückfall in den Alkoholismus führt zu merkwürdigen Geistererscheinungen und zu einer Begegnung von Angesicht zu Angesicht mit dem Monster, das ihren Sohn entführt hat – ein Mann, der nur unter einem Namen bekannt ist ... Der Nebel.

Übersetzt von Ingrid Könemann-Yarnell

Amazon.de

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

ATTENTION: Solve a Book Crime Being Committed

Tonight, help me welcome talented author, Jesse Giles Christiansen, whose new release, CAPTAIN SHELBY, is releasing later this fall. In the meantime, Jesse invites you to become a video and book star. Jesse, thank you for being a guest here on The Suspense is Killing Me. Take it away...

As you read this, thousands of readers are missing out on the opportunity to have their profile pictures appear both in a rock video and inside a published book. I know, it is a heinous crime indeed!

What is the crime?

The crime is regret. The Facebook event involved in this crime, open to the public, June 10^th, may be one of the most unique events held in recent years. It’s far more than just huge prizes and fun activities, it comes with the chance to one day in the future, bring your fellow bibliophiles over to your grinning bookshelf and say, “I have a very unique collector’s item; I have a book by a rising author with my picture in the back. Check it out!”

How do I solve the crime?

Like all good detectives, it is paramount that you investigate the event thoroughly to see if there is any evidence leading to the crime. Every detective that joins the event, upon investigation, will reduce the occurrence of the crime by 2%. Once the event reaches 500 guests (currently at 306), the crime will be well on its way to being solved; 500 avid readers will have their pictures in the back of the prequel to the number one list bestseller, PELICAN BAY, entitled CAPTAIN SHELBY, coming out soon.  

How do I report the crime?

Once you join the event, you’ll notice that one of the big prizes is signed paperbacks for life from the author hosting the event. The person who invites the most friends will receive this prize. By inviting your book nerd friends, you are reporting the crime and thereby preventing it from being spread in the future. You can make a difference!

Who is the author?

Jesse Giles Christiansen is an American writer from Miami, Fl. who grew up playing in and around the ocean, now constantly enamored with the sea. He’s the author of PELICAN BAY published by Imajin Books, Amazon #1 bestseller in sea adventures, outselling OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Hemingway.

Can I Make a Civil Arrest?

Yes! You can make a civil arrest by telling anyone who refuses to go about the regret they may face in the future. You may also tell them about the importance of supporting rising authors in their literary community to help reduce this crime all around the world.

What if I’m Not Available on June 10^th?

This is a Facebook online event. All that is required is that you log into the Internet from anywhere in the world and stop by for a few minutes. And if you can’t do that, just be sure to fulfill the basic requirement for being in the video and book sometime during the day of June 10^th. Simply buy or gift PELICAN BAY for only .99 cents and post via Amazon that you did (on Facebook or Twitter). Very low price for immortality, don’t you agree? These days, sodas often cost more than that!

Sign me up!

Thank you! See you there!

Click here to join: http://ow.ly/xFopp