paogoa: who is your publisher and what is your book? In English or Chinese? Is it already published? i didn’t know you are a writer. you never mentioned this…
The publisher is Locus, the website is http://www.locuspublishing.com.tw/
My book is called “Counting Mantou” and should be coming out in Chinese in February 2003. Cranky’s site has a bit on it and there’s some at my site, www.poagao.org/pbook.htm as well if you’re interested. Although if this Jimmy thing gets much bigger it might be March instead of February. They told me they were really busy.
The publisher is Locus, the website is http://www.locuspublishing.com.tw/
My book is called “Counting Mantou” and should be coming out in Chinese in February 2003. Cranky’s site has a bit on it and there’s some at my site, www.poagao.org/pbook.htm as well if you’re interested. Although if this Jimmy thing gets much bigger it might be March instead of February. They told me they were really busy.[/quote]
Make sure to let us all know the minute it is available. I will certainly be buying a copy. Can’t wait to read it !
How cool! I think it should go in our Segue shop. (When we have a Segue shop.)
J.
Hey, wait, I didn’t mean for people to actually read that stuff.
The Chinese version of my book, called
Poagao,
Good luck with sales. I told my wife to look for it (she can read Chinese).
Looking forward to read it.
How about the English version?
I haven’t found an English-language publisher yet, but I’ll post on here when I do.
How exactly would one translate the Chinese title: “Taiwan Mantou from an American SOldier?” What does that mean. MANTOU? please xplain.
Yeh, congrats and best of luck getting the word out and hearing reader feedback. can’t read chinese yet but my gf will read it for me.
Hello Poagao,
Congratulations and best of luck with sales of the book. It’s great that you did this–just getting a book published is an accomplishment.
Hello Poagao,
Spelled it right this time. Looked for your book in Keelung today, but couldn’t find it. Maybe next week, the clerk said. You must be in seventh heaven today with your new book out. Yes, as FEE said above, just getting a book published anywhere is a major accomplishment. Hope your dream to get the English version out comes true too. Maybe you should publish some of the chapters in English for free on a website somewhere. Might spark interest among English publishers in the UK or NYC.
The timing is not so good, what with the Irag war taking up TV time and newspaper pages, along with the SARS issues too. So with people in Taiwan preoccupied with the war, the sars and the political hijinks here, your book is going to be just a small little blip on their radar screens. If you become famous, as you probably will be, maybe even more than 15 minutes of fame, maybe 15 days or 15 months … then watch out cause then NEXT magazine or some other scandal mongering sleaze rag will come to your house and start digging for dirt. Of course, you don’t have any dirt, but what if they start publishing details about your life. Are you ready for this?
Because fame in Taiwan seems to be a two-fisted thing. On the one hand, it’s great if it helps book sales. You will be rich and can drive a beamer bike around town. But on the other hand, the media will also try to put you down, tear you up, screw you around. I don’t think the English newspapers will do this, but the local Chinese rags will certainly try to do so. Just be ready for all comers. Some will have their own agendas. Just a word of caution, as I have seen this happen to new writers in the USA and Canada.
Are you planning on an islandwide book tour north east south west to sign books in bookstores? If your experience at fnac was any sample, it will be fun and bring you new fans. Maybe your publisher can pay for a islandwide bookstore signing tour. Are they a rich firm? Do they support their authors? Maybe they don’t give a damn!?
Well, if all of us here buy a copy, that’ll be 1500 copies sold! How many copies do they print of a new book here? 10,000? 25,000? More?
Do you think the book will be popular with new army recruits who want to know what it’s gonna be like? Maybe that is your market! Damn, I wish I could read it and hope it comes out in English soon.
Kionghi! Kionghi!
Congratx! Congratx!
I translated that as “Taiwanese Mantou - American Soldier”. The English nameof Poagoa’s book is ‘Counting Mantou’ and he explains this as slang for serving your time in the Taiwanese army (I forget why - maybe it’s mantou for breakfast every morning and you’re just counting the days). Anyway, that makes for a good Chiense title, I think, with the meaning “it’s the Taiwanese army but the soldier is American” or something.
Brian
thanks, Brian: “Anyway, that makes for a good Chiense title, I think, with the meaning “it’s the Taiwanese army but the soldier is American” or something.”
But one thing I dont get if that is the correct translation is: at the time he was in the ROC army, he was no longer an American, he was already a legally adopted man who now had ROC nationality. so calling him American in the title is not correct. He is not American anymore, and was not at the time of the army thing. he was already Taiwanese. So shouldn’t the title maybe say “Taiwanese Mantou - Big Nose Soldier” ? or Caucasian soldier?
Or maybe those terms are too difficult to use in such a title.?
anyway, thanks for the translation. why exactly is counting mantou a term for army life? Your idea is good, but is that true or just an urban legend. what is the real reason for that idiom. does anyone know?
Congrats. I love the samples of the English version that are floating around the net
Poagao,
Let us know when you’ll be making the talk show circuit promoting the book.
But for Pete’s sake DON’T go on the Jacky Show!