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Wednesday, February 04, 2009
One Book - One Cover - Two Titles
Laura Wilson's Stratton's War will be published as The Innocent Spy in the US in July. The sequel, An Empty Death, will be published (in the UK) in July also.
I wonder why publishers like to change titles. Maybe Stratton's war is too close to Foyle's War? In any case, it's annoying. I seem to remember people getting peeved because they thought they were getting a new Reginald Hill and it was just a title change in the US.
I think Barbara Vine´s "Asta´s Book" is called "Anna´s Book" in America. I certainly don´t like that either, because while girls may be called Anna in large parts of the world, Asta is a more unusual Danish name which really suits the character (was that clear?)
Well, whatever the reasons, I am looking forward to the sequel. I loved Stratton's War (it was one of my top picks for 2008) and am sure the sequel will also be a great read. I did not think the title "Stratton's War" that great - but I am not sure if "The innocent spy" quite sums it up either.
I have an image of a focus group deciding that Americans would be confused by the name Asta. They probably figured we would associate it with the name of the terrier owned by Nick and Nora Charles in the Thin Man books. To which I say, "Grrr."
I wonder why publishers like to change titles. Maybe Stratton's war is too close to Foyle's War?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, it's annoying. I seem to remember people getting peeved because they thought they were getting a new Reginald Hill and it was just a title change in the US.
I think Barbara Vine´s "Asta´s Book" is called "Anna´s Book" in America. I certainly don´t like that either, because while girls may be called Anna in large parts of the world, Asta is a more unusual Danish name which really suits the character (was that clear?)
ReplyDeleteWell, whatever the reasons, I am looking forward to the sequel. I loved Stratton's War (it was one of my top picks for 2008) and am sure the sequel will also be a great read.
ReplyDeleteI did not think the title "Stratton's War" that great - but I am not sure if "The innocent spy" quite sums it up either.
I have an image of a focus group deciding that Americans would be confused by the name Asta. They probably figured we would associate it with the name of the terrier owned by Nick and Nora Charles in the Thin Man books. To which I say, "Grrr."
ReplyDeleteMack, Asta from "Asta´s Book" might well be seen as a terrier :)
ReplyDelete