[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

thanks for the information, Helen. i guess i would prefer the UK version then ; i like to read the original text whenever possible.

i really do live in london, and you're right, it's not far by eurostar. you should definitely make the trip to see your friend.

Originally Posted by Sparrow

What!

You don't Zelda - you're in Paris; Paris, France!! Look out your window.

blimey (), what a lapsus. i just had looked at Helen's location to confirm the UK version would be the original text and i guess "london" went in my eyes and came directly out my fingers...

Helen, i'll try to avoid mistyping here : i live in PARIS (sparrow's got it right). and just in case my fingers have once again put in some random city (Copenhagen ?) which looks like paris to me, just check my location in my profile to the left here (or ask sparrow)... (sheesh, this is a lot more embarassing than not remembering what day of the week it is !)

Originally Posted by Helen Smith

Aww, disappointed you don't live in Paris, Zelda.

heh, don't be.

The story behind this book and my second novel, Being Light, is that the first was originally published by Victor Gollancz before it was taken over by Orion and began to specialise in fantasy/sci fi. George Orwell's publisher! I nearly died of happiness.

i can easily understand your joy !

I'm interested in what you say about reading the original text, Zelda. I have been dithering over this. My plan is to have a version with US text available on Kindle as I believe most buyers are still Americans and might prefer familiar spelling. But the print version will be the UK text just because that's the original text. It seems daft to bring out a special US edition if I only sell a few copies. I'm going to see how it goes after a couple of months.

well, personally, i think that language is important, an integral part of the story in fact (i realise that may sound like a tautology, but it's really not, i promise ) ; i think the original language adds a colour or a tone (this is partly to do with sonority and partly to do with ambiance) to the narrative which is important. after all, a good writer will choose specific words for a reason. this is why i prefer to read original texts whenever possible ; i'm forced to read translations when the original has been written in a language i don't understand, but even then, i try to choose the translation based on similary of language "colour" ; for example, i will prefer to read an italian or spanish book translated into french, however i'd choose the english translation of a book originally written in german. personally i have a strong aversion to "US versions" of a british book with spelling changes (even worse if some vocabularly is changed, like "parking lot" for "car park") and would never want to read one, but that may just be one of my personal oddities. i hope that answers your question (and i've not inadvertently typed the opposite of what i actually mean again ).