{"id":11908,"date":"2018-11-20T22:21:25","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T11:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soundslikewish.org\/?p=11908"},"modified":"2019-01-16T15:00:29","modified_gmt":"2019-01-16T04:00:29","slug":"the-wolf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soundslikewish.org\/?p=11908","title":{"rendered":"The Wolf"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I can say, at last, that my translation, ‘The Wolf’, by Marcel Aym\u00e9, has been published by Delos Journal <\/em>at the University of Florida.<\/p>\n

I came across the original story, ‘Le Loup’, one lunchtime as I was eating my sandwich in the sun. It’s rare for a story to keep me reading all the way to the end in one sitting, but ‘Le Loup’ did it for me. When I’d finished the story, and my lunch, I began translating it immediately.<\/p>\n

That was a couple of years ago. Publication of the piece has been a long time coming. In the world of literary translation and publishing (or any writing and publishing really), progress is often at snail pace and this is a good example.<\/p>\n

First there was the enquiry to the French publisher, Gallimard, to see if the rights to publish a translation were available.<\/p>\n

Months passed without a response, but prompting them brought a yes.<\/p>\n

Second, there was the submission to journals. Many journals said No. But Delos<\/em> said Yes! That was two yeses!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Then it was back to the French, who in turn had to put the question to the rights holder of Marcel Aym\u00e9’s estate. It was the beginning of a looooong negotiation process to buy the rights. Three months I waited, anxious that the journal might give up. There was no response.<\/p>\n

But the journal editor, bless her, offered to write to the French publisher on my behalf. And I suppose it’s not surprising that she was answered tout de suite…<\/p>\n

Weeks passed again while we waited for a response from the rights holders. Finally they quoted a price so high that I was sure my translation would really never see the light of day.<\/p>\n

Now, in the world of literature there are people who care, good people, and one of them came to my rescue with some of the funds, but it wasn’t enough. I scraped together a bit more, and made an offer to the French. And waited. Again. The journal deadline came and went, I had no response to my (low) offer, and Delos<\/em> and I agreed to drop the whole project.<\/p>\n

Then, that very night, there was a miracle. The rights owners accepted my figure, and it was full steam ahead for ‘The Wolf’.<\/p>\n

The editor offered to find an illustrator for the story, and with my childlike adoration of illustrations, it was a bonus thrill for me.\u00a0 Most French editions are illustrated with sweet images like this one showing three good friends hugging, laughing and trusting one another:<\/p>\n