Once upon a translation… make that three… c’est si bon!
March 11, 2026 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, translation, Writing tagged as #Boldwood Books, books, Paris, Translation, writing
The Resistance Girl in Dutch
The Lost Girl in Paris in Spanish
Words… words… words.
They drive us authors crazy, the right words, the passionate words… the words that make your characters do stupid things and wonderful things, too.
Even more surprising to an author is when your words are translated into thousands of words in another language. Will the reader ‘get’ what you’re trying to say? Will they feel the love, the pain?
You bet they will.
The art of being a translator is one I can attest to personally when I was a tour guide at Universal Studios. I gave the tour in German and also learned it in French as a backup for our French guides.
My Universal Studios ‘stuff’ — name tag, parking sticker, studio ID (love the hair!), photo of me in Paris, and my Universal Studios Tour Guide Manual in English — I had to translate it into German.
I had to do the translation myself, which had its moments on the tram when I was trying to explain Bruce the shark in ‘Jaws’, or the early days with Boris Karloff as ‘The Monster’ wearing a paper bag over his head when he went to lunch between takes so no one would see his makeup job. I’d stumble and fall over words, but as one visitor from Munich told me, ‘You have such heart for what you do. Even if you don’t know the right word, we understand.’
I never forgot that.
I also acted as a ‘translator’ for my sensei, teacher, in class when American tourists came into the kimono shop after hours when we having a kimono and dance class on the small stage. However, here I was translating from Japanese to English.
So you can imagine I have the deepest respect for these fabulous professionals who put their hearts and souls into translating my books into other languages. It’s not unusual for a translator to contact me by email, asking me for clarification on something because they want to get it ‘right’. Merci, Bedankt, and Gracias.
For the first part of this year, I’m thrilled to have 3 of my Boldwood Books coming out in Spanish, Dutch, and French. La chica perdida en Paris (The Lost Girl in Paris) came out in the worldwide Spanish market in February; Her meisje in het verzet (The Resistance Girl) came out in Dutch on March 8. Les enfants volés de la guerre (The Stolen Children of War) comes out in French on April 1st. (no cover yet! I’ll update when we do.)
So for now, mes amis, I shall say, Au revoir — until we meet again and we shall. For words are like stars in the sky. I never tire of them.
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Anyone remember paper dolls? Why AI can’t compete with a trip down memory lane by Jina Bacarr
August 11, 2025 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as AI, France, German, imagination, movie star, paper dolls, Translation, writing
I have the best memories when I was a kid playing with my paper dolls.
From Sleeping Beauty to In Old New York (Colonial Paper Dolls), I cherished these fragile cardboard dolls with paper dresses with tabs that never stayed on (bobby pins worked!) and kept them in my box of treasures.
Yes, I still have them.
I invented names and personalities for each paper doll, designed clothes for them, and stuck them between the pages of my math book so I could play with them when I was supposed to be doing homework.
As a child, I didn’t have AI answering questions for me, or a cellphone screen telling me what to think, wear, or ‘influence’ me. I made up the stories and created worlds with my paper dolls down to the smallest detail.
And that is what forged my writing.
Imagination.
We writers must continue to craft stories to engage readers to encourage them to use their imagination, even if the words flicker across a computer screen and not the printed pages of a book. To bring our characters into their world so they can identify with them, to feel for them when they’re sad, happy, fall in love.
It’s called being a human. AI has its place, I don’t dispute that, but it’s not the whole enchilada. How can it be?
I doubt AI ever played with a paper doll.
Have you?
My best wishes to you!
Jina
——————————
We have a new German translation for THE RESISTANCE GIRL.
Paris, 1943. Sylvie Martone is the star of French cinema, and adored by fans. But as Nazi officers swarm the streets of Paris, she is spotted arm in arm with an SS Officer and her fellow Parisians begin to turn against her.
However Sylvie has a secret – one she must protect with her life…
Paris, 2020. Juliana Chastain doesn’t know anything about her family history. While her mother was alive she remained very secretive about her past.
So when Juliana discovers a photograph of a glamorous French actress from World War Two amongst her mother’s possessions, she is in shock to find herself looking at her grandmother – especially as she is arm in arm with a Nazi Officer…
Desperate for answers, Juliana is determined to trace the journey of her grandmother. Surely there is more to the photograph than meets the eye?
But as she delves into Sylvie’s past, nothing can prepare Juliane for the tales of secrets, betrayal and sacrifice which she will uncover.
Here she is from DP Digital Publishing: Die Tochter der Résistance
Ein historischer Roman über das Schicksal einer jungen Frau
The Daughter of the Resistance | A historical novel about the fate of a young woman
Wenn Sie in Deutschland sind, hier ist der Link:
https://www.digital-publishers.com/de/romane/die-tochter-der-resistance-historisch-ebook
I’m also excited to announce The Resistance Girl is also being translated into French and Dutch…
Here’s a fun video I made about Sylvie Martone, the heroine of The Resistance Girl:
See you soon!!
Jina
0 0 Read moreLost… no, Found in Translation and where the heck have I been? by Jina Bacarr
July 11, 2025 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as France, German, movie star, Translation
Sister Mary Celestine would be so upset with me… like the time she made me kneel on my desk and measured with her ruler to see if my green uniform touched the polished blonde wood.
It didn’t.
I was in total teen rebellion, making my uniform shorter so I looked ‘cool’.
I wish I could say I was in teen rebellion to explain my absence, but I just haven’t been my best for a while. I’m homebound, rarely go out or post on social media, and my poor motorcar barely has any miles on it; in other words, I’m trying to heal from injuries sustained several months ago. And continue to write. I’d rather ship myself off to a desert island with teeth-gnashing raptors than let my editor down. Isobel has been so understanding, working with me and giving me extra time to finish my next book. And I did it.
I’m working on edits this week when I realized it’s time to post. Then I realized I missed last month… and before that. I apologize. I’ve been living with massive headaches and hand and shoulder injuries… well, I’m not a downer type, so let’s talk about some majorly good stuff… like finishing my book due out later this year.
And a new German translation for THE RESISTANCE GIRL.
Paris, 1943. Sylvie Martone is the star of French cinema, and adored by fans. But as Nazi officers swarm the streets of Paris, she is spotted arm in arm with an SS Officer and her fellow Parisians begin to turn against her.
However Sylvie has a secret – one she must protect with her life…
Paris, 2020. Juliana Chastain doesn’t know anything about her family history. While her mother was alive she remained very secretive about her past.
So when Juliana discovers a photograph of a glamorous French actress from World War Two amongst her mother’s possessions, she is in shock to find herself looking at her grandmother – especially as she is arm in arm with a Nazi Officer…
Desperate for answers, Juliana is determined to trace the journey of her grandmother. Surely there is more to the photograph than meets the eye?
But as she delves into Sylvie’s past, nothing can prepare Juliane for the tales of secrets, betrayal and sacrifice which she will uncover.
Here she is from DP Digital Publishing: Die Tochter der Résistance
Ein historischer Roman über das Schicksal einer jungen Frau
The Daughter of the Resistance | A historical novel about the fate of a young woman
Wenn Sie in Deutschland sind, hier ist der Link:
https://www.digital-publishers.com/de/romane/die-tochter-der-resistance-historisch-ebook
I’m also excited to announce The Resistance Girl is being translated into French and Dutch…
Here’s a fun video I made about Sylvie Martone, the heroine of The Resistance Girl:
And now back to my edits…
See you soon!!
Jina
4 1 Read moreFind out how many schools I went to as a kid and book news about ‘Sisters of the Resistance’ by Jina Bacarr
August 11, 2024 by Jina Bacarr in category historical, Jina’s Book Chat, Paris, sexual assault, sexual violence, World War 2, Writing tagged as #sexual assault, historcal, Library, Paris, sequel, sexual violence, sisters, Translation, women, World War 2
Fifteen.
Yep. From first grade through high school, I went to 15 schools, sometimes for weeks only. I learned to be resilient but I’m still shy.
And I still remember my best ‘friends’.
Books.
I got a library card in every town, big or small, and boy, did I use it. I want to give a shout out to the librarians I met along the way who never failed to give a shy little girl who didn’t know then she was dyslexic the kind words & encouragement she needed to keep reading.
When you’re left-handed, it ain’t easy… transposing words, letters, etc. Lost because you can’t figure out directions (I remember when I got totally lost in the big ole vintage library in Lexington KY). No one talked about it then, but several librarians took time with me, finding books and helping me believe in myself.
Thank you!!
BOOK NEWS!
Sisters of the Resistance will be featured soon on NetGalley on the Boldwood Books page! If you’re a member, check it out and dowload a copy. I’d love to hear your tyoughts about the sequel to Sisters at War about sexual violence against women during wartime!
Writing the sequel to ‘Sisters At War’ (Paris WW2 — the story of two sisters and how sexual assault on a sister by the SS affects both their lives),
It’s also the story of the women of the French Resistance.
LINK to more info on Sisters At War and Sisters of the Resistance
Who are the Beaufort Sisters?
They’re beautiful
They’re smart
They’re dangerous
They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.
BONUS The Orphans of Berlin in French
The Ophans of Berlin speak French and me, too, in my videos by Jina Bacarr
July 11, 2024 by Jina Bacarr in category historical, Jina’s Book Chat, Paris, sexual assault, sexual violence, World War 2, Writing tagged as #sexual assault, historcal, Paris, sequel, sexual violence, sisters, Translation, women, World War 2
Once upon another lifetime, I was hired by Universal Studios as a tour guide for French and German tourists. I still have my Universal ID and parking pass…
So when my Boldwood Books ‘The Orphans of Berlin’ was translated into French by City-Editions, well, I couldn’t resist giving it a Parisian try…
I made a bunch of videos in French. Voila! Here are the links to my FACEBOOK page and story to see them.
https://www.facebook.com/stories/10218318286764331/UzpfSVNDOjEyNDQ2ODU2MzY5Njg1Njc=/?view_single=1
https://www.facebook.com/jina.bacarr
Sisters of the Resistance I is off to the proofreader!
Writing the sequel to ‘Sisters At War’ (Paris WW2 — the story of two sisters and how sexual assault on a sister by the SS affects both their lives),
It’s also the story of the women of the French Resistance.
LINK to more info on Sisters At War and Sisters of the Resistance
Who are the Beaufort Sisters?
They’re beautiful
They’re smart
They’re dangerous
They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.
BONUS The Orphans of Berlin in French
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