Harry Potter is no match for Secret Mothers' Business
July 23rd 2008 04:42
I am a great fan of JK Rowling. I haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books, but I’ve been dragged to all the movies by my children. My daughter has berated me on several occasions that I should give up writing for adults and write books for children her age. ‘What should I write about?’ I’ve asked her. ‘Something like Harry Potter,’ she suggests.
I saw a documentary on JK Rowling the other night and I have to say, I really like the woman. I love rags to riches stories and I like that she supports charities and gives lots of money to people who need it. She deserves her fame. But in my weaker moments, I confess, I am a little jealous.
I couldn’t sleep last night. So I amused myself by checking out postsecret, one of my favourite weekly internet stops – it really helps me count my blessings to see how fucked up other people are. Thankfully I don’t angst about my unnatural affinity for ABBA interfering with me finding a man since my husband is completely immune to my unnatural affinity with ABBA. Neither do I sit in doorways and identify people by their pant’s crotches – I really don’t have that kind of time on my hands, what with the laundry, the grocery shopping and the housework.
Then I thought I’d check out how my book Weiberabend (the German version of Secret Mothers’ Business ) is selling in Germany. I had heard it was doing very well there, much to my amazement, since it did reasonably well in Australia, pretty crappily in the UK, and it seems so tucked away in the ancient history of 2006 as to be almost forgotten.
I am about to share with you a really cheap thrill. I found my book at number 17 on the Bestseller list in Germany. That is pretty wonderful in itself, but what really got me going at 3am this morning, is that my book, my modest little story about one night, eight women, no kids, no holding back is OUTSELLING HARRY POTTER in Germany! I have no idea why, I don’t really care, but perhaps I should send in a postcard to PostSecret confessing that I sit into the wee hours of morning and imagine what it would be like to be so rich and so famous as an author that I never have to count change to get a coffee.
I slept pretty soundly after that.
Thank you Germany.
www.joannefedler.com
I couldn’t sleep last night. So I amused myself by checking out postsecret, one of my favourite weekly internet stops – it really helps me count my blessings to see how fucked up other people are. Thankfully I don’t angst about my unnatural affinity for ABBA interfering with me finding a man since my husband is completely immune to my unnatural affinity with ABBA. Neither do I sit in doorways and identify people by their pant’s crotches – I really don’t have that kind of time on my hands, what with the laundry, the grocery shopping and the housework.
Then I thought I’d check out how my book Weiberabend (the German version of Secret Mothers’ Business ) is selling in Germany. I had heard it was doing very well there, much to my amazement, since it did reasonably well in Australia, pretty crappily in the UK, and it seems so tucked away in the ancient history of 2006 as to be almost forgotten.
Weiberabend
I am about to share with you a really cheap thrill. I found my book at number 17 on the Bestseller list in Germany. That is pretty wonderful in itself, but what really got me going at 3am this morning, is that my book, my modest little story about one night, eight women, no kids, no holding back is OUTSELLING HARRY POTTER in Germany! I have no idea why, I don’t really care, but perhaps I should send in a postcard to PostSecret confessing that I sit into the wee hours of morning and imagine what it would be like to be so rich and so famous as an author that I never have to count change to get a coffee.
I slept pretty soundly after that.
Thank you Germany.
www.joannefedler.com
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Comment by Aimzster
Health and Beauty
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
Comment by Joanne Fedler
Secret Writers Business
I know jealousy is a base emotion and I hate myself for it, but I am working on it.
Things Without A Name seems to have hit a chord - I get emails every day from people (have been in the past few weeks) which has just been the best gift as an author, but Secret Mothers Business has only just come out in Germany in the past few months and for whatever unknown reason, the women there have latched onto it and are buying it in the tens of thousands. It's a great feeling, even though I can't even say THANK YOU in German.
Jo
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
So the good people of Germany have discovered what I know to be true - Secret Mothers Business is a bloody great book!
Isn't it amazing to think that women (probably), in a country which is culturally quite different from Australia in many respects, have identified so strongly with the themes of SMB? Motherhood - the great leveller? Or is it the unrelenting honesty of your book which touches a chord? Both I think. Hopefully this bodes well for a release of Things Without A Name.
BTW - is there a literal translation of Weiberabend? It's a Lost in Translation moment for me- how can they have just one word for Secret Mothers Business? The cover looks very cool.
Jayne
PS - I also covet aspects of JK Rowling's life. Her website alone is very enviable.
Also...I think 'danke' might be the word you are after. haha
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
It's very cool that your work is being sought after in Germany, I wish you even higher sales in the weeks to come!