I could also say: Ojalá estuviera aquí.
And soon it will be: [whatever “Wish I Was Here” is in French].
The publisher asked authors if they’d like their Kindle e-books translated into German and Spanish.
“Sure!” I said. “Why not?”
“They’ll be up within 72 hours,” was the response.
Clearly, that means they’re AI-generated. I hope the robots did a good job. Not that humans can’t make mistakes, of course. In fact, as well-refined as AI has become, maybe it did a better job than a human could. Still, some carbon-based life form proofreading after the fact would probably be prudent. I’d like to say I could do it, but…
Conozco ein bisschen Español y Deutsch pero nein Français. And certainly not enough of the first two to be a decent judge.
If anyone wants to 1) test their foreign language knowledge, 2) help out a blog buddy, and 3) enjoy a good book, especially as a fun summer read, try Wish I Was Here in the lingua of your choice! [Click/tap See all languages and editions then choose a language from the drop-down menu. It’s only $6 or free if you have Kindle Unlimited. Yes, I have an affiliate link, FWIW.]
Other ways my book goes international
The Travel Architect emailed me a pic of my book on her lap at the airport as she awaited a flight to Copenhagen.
“Oooh! Send me a pic of it at cool places,” I requested.
A couple of days later, I received an email titled Malmo City Library, Sweden.
And another titled Malmo Castle.
If any of you take my book some place, even if it’s just your local grocery store, (I’m easily amused) I’d love to see it and share it with everyone here. Maybe we could do a “Guess where the book is” or a “Who held it best” contest.
It’s a wild world. We’ll see what happens.
Another wild thing
Driving home one day, I saw my neighbor, Subie, my Jiu-Jitsu friend Surfer Dude’s bandmate, getting into his car. I pumped my fist out the window as I shouted, “Exterminator!” in my best deep scary voice. In other words, not deep. Not scary. But he probably got what I was going for. He smiled and waved back.
A couple of weeks later, I saw SD in class and asked if Subie had told him about it.
“Yeah, he did,” SD said.
“So he saw that crazy lady that lives on his street,” Her Royal Highness rightfully pointed out.
I was honored Subie thought the incident worth mentioning, but maybe I should’ve asked if he found the encounter positive or if it was more like, “She’s on my street, dude. You gotta help.”
It’s probably best I don’t know what the man was thinking. He’s merely a rockstar. Not everyone can be a dork like me [blows on fingernails, polishes them on shirt]. But seriously, that these 20-something metal heads deem my Instagram worthy of following is an honor.
Since I mentioned Surfer Dude…
One night I was trying to take him down from a standing position, not really using any Jiu-Jitsu techniques, because by the end of class, my brain is fried.
“You’ve got to push into me,” he said.
I threw my whole weight into him. He didn’t budge. “You’re like a brick wall,” I said.
He grinned.
And then somehow I wound up flat on my back with him standing over me. I must have bounced off him and fallen backwards.
“On the ground. Just where I was trying to be,” I joked.
Then he let me play around for a bit before he got bored and submitted me. Just another typical Wednesday night.
Old Q: Signed December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812.
“Too easy,” Herb complained. Okay, Herb! How about THIS ONE!
Q: Not only does this group with a number-three hit in 1999 like girls who wear Abercrombie & Fitch, but Chinese food makes them sick.
Good luck, Herb!
Bonus Q (though not trivia): Which foreign translation would you want to read: German, Spanish, or the forthcoming French?
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Writing and Martial Arts 
How cool! Love the idea of travel readers sharing pics of your book in foreign places.
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I love it too! Even if not foreign. It would be fun to see it snuggled among bags of potatoes at the store. It would be fun if people got creative. 😛
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I wish I could help you out on the translation thing, but I don’t know many modern languages. I do know a little Spanish (well enough to order drinks and find the restroom) but not enough to read a novel. I do know a couple of ancient Elvish dialects and can read many Dwarven cave runes. Also I understand a bit of Orc — mostly curses and swear words … sadly I doubt that’s much help to you.
But next time you find yourself with a band of Dwarves fighting Orcs, call me, I can help.
and sorry to fail you, but I don’t do pop culture (I mean LFO was pop culture, right?) — only history and obscure facts.
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“I understand a bit of Orc — mostly curses and swear words.” I literally LOLed but also thought, isn’t that basically all orcish is?
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. SO sneaky, Andrew! 😛
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I actually DIDN’T approve translating my books to other languages and Kindle still did it. I was concerned about the AI translations. I’ll be interested if anyone takes you up on your offer and what they think.
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I would be too. Hmm. Maybe I’ll look out for complainy reviews saying the translation is terrible. I guess you haven’t gotten any? That’s a good sign. Not cool that Amazon did it against your wishes, though.
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I have never heard of that song and it’s probably for the best. Very cool pics of your book on the move!
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Yes, the pics are great! Never heard the song, either. Not sure I’ve heard of the band even. But maybe?
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😂
hahaha ““You’ve got to push into me,” he said.
I threw my whole weight into him. He didn’t budge. “You’re like a brick wall,” I said.
He grinned.
And then somehow I wound up flat on my back with him standing over me. I must have bounced off him and fallen backwards.
“On the ground. Just where I was trying to be,” I joked.
“You’ve got to push into me,” he said.
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The dude’s a tank. I still don’t know how I wound up on the ground. Maybe he gave me a push without me even noticing? It was bizarre.
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Oh man, that’s pretty wild. I’m just glad you didn’t break anything!!! 💕
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Knowing me, that’s quite an accomplishment! 😛
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Translation could be beneficial, Ilsa. Bouncing off that guy and ending on the floor is a lesson, I guess. It’s good to hear from you.
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Thanks, T. I’m still not sure how I ended up on the ground, to be honest! 😛
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your jj story is hilarious and i can help with spanish if do a pre-k version as i took spanish with my class for 21 years. that being said, the teacher said, ‘well, at least you’re trying.’ so there’s that. if your book was all color names and animals and family, i could use my spangish to help…)
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Haha! Beth, you’re so delightful and humble. ❤
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Okay, you got me. I give. I know nothing about music after the 80s, if it existed.
It’s cool that you’re being translated but I don’t really know any languages ‘cept American. I’m happy you’re so well-traveled. Or at least your book is.🤣
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I was driving home tonight and an 80s song was playing. I thought, what is this, Journey? It was Lynyrd Skynyrd. Shame on me. But I’m a 90s girl, not well-versed in 80s. It would be fun to see my book even more places, but a Swedish castle is hard to top.
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