Monday, July 6, 2009

Le Secret des Appalaches



Ooh, ooh!

I have received my copies of the French edition of Art's Blood -- and again I'm having fun seeing my words translated into French. (My knowledge of French is minimal, by the way -- I recognize some words; that's about it.)

It was a thrill when I received the translation of Signs in the Blood and it's still exciting to me on this second one.



Once again I was eager to see what Miss Birdie sounds like. On page 159 of Art's Blood, Birdie says:

"Git you a chair, Lizzie Beth. I'm just stringin' these soup beans here in the cool of the evenin'. I do love a bowl of shucky beans come wintertime."

The French Miss Birdie says (and they don't use quotation marks, by the way): -- Prends-toi une chaise, Lizzie Beth. Je profite de fraicheur du soir pour finir ca. (I'm unable to reproduce the diacritical marks, alas!) Quand vient l'hiver, je suis toujours contente de pouvoir manger une bonne soupe.

I note that Sophie wasn't able to deal with 'stringin' soup beans' and substitutes something like "I'm using the cool of the evening to finish this.' 'Shucky beans' was also a problem, I see.


And this time YOU really could be a winner. If any of you are interested (and that includes folks not here in the US), I have an extra copy of Le Secret des Appalaches. Tell me, either here in the comments or by email, that you want to be in the drawing and I'll put your name in the hat -- I'll draw the winner on the 1st of August.

Bonne chance! (Is that correct? )

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10 comments:

KarenB said...

Le Secret des Appalaches sounds deliciously creepy in keeping with the misty cover! Alas, my French is of the extremely minimal variety, so no entrance into the sweepstakes for me. Bonne chance to all who venture there!

Happy belated Fourth of July, Vicki!

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

Vicki - My French is pretty non-existent, so I'm not going to ask to have my name tossed in the hat. But! I had to come squeal about the glorious cover art! I love it! And congrats on all these lovely happenings in your life!

Unknown said...

Vicki - Yes! put my name in the hat - I would love to have this one to go along with my copy of Les Secrets des Montagnes. She translated it to something like - "when winter comes I like to eat a good soup" (quand vient l'hiver...).I personally prefer the shucky! Have a great day and your package is going in the mail today...Look for it later this week!

Vicki Lane said...

Happy 4th back at you, Karen!

Thanks for the squeals, Kaye! I actually like the house on the cover MUCH better than the one on ART'S BLOOD, which doesn't look Appalachian at all -- wrong roof pitch.

And Liz-- your name is in the hat! (I figured this prize would have limited appeal but didn't really need the extra copy.)

Christine said...

Oh, please, put me in the hat. I understood the French translation you had there, so I think I could make it through the whole book. It would be great practice!

Pepper Cory said...

Zut Alors! I know someone in France who'd love this book! Mettez s'il vous plaît mon nom dans le chapeau aussitôt que possible! Merci.

Vicki Lane said...

Christine -- and if you get stuck, I know where you can get an English translation -- a pony or a trot, was what my grandmother called such an aid.

Zut alors, indeed, Pepper! Into the chapeau you go!

Carol Murdock said...

How proud you must be Vicki! Put Reader Wil's name in my place! She would love it I'm sure and can read French!

Susan M. Bell said...

I love the picture on this edition as well. Looks great.

Don't put my name in the hat, though. Like many others here, don't know a lick of French. Let it go to someone who can actually read it.

I do wish someone would put out audiobook versions of your novels. Would love for my mother-in-law to be able to enjoy them. (Maybe I'll have to break down one day and record them for her myself.) *sigh*

Vicki Lane said...

Oh, how I wish they'd do an audiobook, Susan -- NOT abridged and with a reader who can do a decent mountain accent.

(BTW, Ronnie Winemiller is still in Birdie's book -- he didn't get tossed out when the other stuff went.)