First of all, Gentle Reader, I apologize that this post isn’t in Italian or Spanish. I actually understand Spanish pretty well but I’m sadly out of practice for a written post. I can only hope the translation application you push this through doesn’t mangle meaning too much.

Where are the final Parasol Protectorate Books in Italian and Spanish?

Here’s the long winded answer…

First, what happens when you sell a book overseas for translation?

From my end? Not a great deal. I get the (very) occasional ping from my French and Polish translators and slightly more reoccurring emails from Japan (mostly concerning made up words or colloquial use). I have little to no contact with my foreign editors (until they demand instant help with promotion). Most of the time I don’t even know when or if a book has released in a foreign territory until someone tweets me. When I say I get all the information about my career from Twitter, I’m not joking.

Legally? Here’s the gist: The foreign house has purchased the rights to translate and produce the book exclusively in their territory. They have paid me an advance (on return of royalties). They own that right for a specific length of time and conditional on continued production, depending on the contract. Now, as they then have to go to the expense of getting the book translated and put into production and distribution, you can imagine that they purchase this right long before the book actually appears in the bookstores of that country.

If you look under Foreign Language Editions for the Parasol Protectorate, Finishing School, Custard Protocol you can see where each series has sold and which books have been bought ahead of time.

 

Here is what it looks like for Italy:

Italy ~ Baldina & Castoldi

• Soulless ~ March 2011
• Changeless ~ out
• Blameless ~ unknown
• Heartless ~ unknown
• Timeless ~ unknown

The problem? They bought the rights to translate all of the Parasol Protectorate, so any declaration of bankruptcy or other issues means my contracts are involved in the litigation – because the money has been advanced and this means my books are now assets of the company. We cannot find a new publisher until the rights are available. Eventually, we might have to activate the reversion clause for non-production but that clause is often in terms of years so it could take a very long time for us to even be able to ask.

 Here is what it looks like for Spain:

Spain ~ Versatil

• Sin Alma ~ November 2010
• Changeless ~ October 2011
• Blameless ~ April 2012

Look on the bright side, Spain, you could be Italy left with the cliff hanger at the end of Changeless.

This situation is slightly different as they bought and brought out all three of the books that we contracted with them. However, my editor at Versatil is gone and the house looks shaky. They are unlikely to buy the final two books, even if they were able to put them into production.

So what if Gail gets the rights for the final books back and could sell them into these territories all over again to a different publisher?

It is VERY unusual for a publisher to pick up any series in the middle. Especially one that has gone down with the ship, as it were. Or has under-performed to expectations.

But but but, when you own the rights again, couldn’t you, Gail, get them translated and self publish them?

No. I can barely handle self publishing in my own language. I’d have to figure out how to promote, produce, and distribute into foriegn markets and I find the US/UK quite frustrating enough. I’d need to find and hire translators at a fair pay with no way to proof read the end quality of the product (since I don’t read any foriegn languages). Then, lucky me: I’d get angry emails about formatting and translation errors in a whole new set of languages. (As opposed to just UK and USA.) Plus, what if someone decides to sue me in one of those countries? I’d need an IP lawyer, and the necessary cash flow to protect myself in a foriegn country.

Yes, I am bitterly sorry that my books have become those books (you know the unfinished series ones that I myself loathe) but I can’t afford the time or money needed to become a foreign publisher. Which is basically what publishing them on my own would require. I don’t have my sell numbers for these territories (are you surprised, given the lack of communication?) but I never earned royalties in either Italy or Spain so I can’t imagine the books sold well enough for me to justify taking time away from writing my next book.

Yes, I’m so sorry for Italy who never even got to Blameless, the book that epitomizes my love for that country. And I’m upset to say goodby to Spain and a darling editor I adored and my fellow authors who I actually got to meet. I live in California, Spanish is all around me. I have dear friends who will never get to finish my books because of this.

Also, these just happen to be two of my favorite countries to visit (and eat in) and now my work is unlikely to take me there.

I know, in the end, it all comes back to food with me. You’re surprised?

In the words of Dimity, “I’m a terribly, terribly shallow person.”

{Coop de Book for January 2015 was Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis}

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Tags: BLAMELESS, FAQ, Foreign Language Editions, HEARTLESS, TIMELESS