Lost in translation. (AND CELEBRATION!)

I’m always very excited with a new translation of one of my books comes out, mostly because it gives me a chance to use google-translate to try (and fail) to determine what what the cover says. I just got the Polish version of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened and it did not disappoint:

And now I just turn on the google translate camera and it’ll automatically try to translate the text even though it seems to be in cursive. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG.

First try:

Huh. Let’s try again.

Hmm.

I mean, it’s not inaccurate.

You can’t tell me what to do.

Well, that’s a little insulting. But actually really close. One more time?

Yup. Nailed it.

And speaking of books, I don’t know how it happened but I’m beyond thrilled to tell you that Broken (in the best possible way) somehow won Best Humor Book of the Year in the Goodreads Choice Award and I can’t even tell you how much that means! This book came out during pandemics and shortages and lockdowns but with your support it’s still finding a way out into the world and I’m so lucky. Thank you!

PS. I’m going to sign books at Nowhere sometime this weekend so if you want a personalized copies for the holidays you can order them here and we’ll ship anywhere. Also, if you write “surprise me” in the comments of the order form I may implicate you in an exciting crime just to make life more mysterious when your grandchildren find the book later.

56 thoughts on “Lost in translation. (AND CELEBRATION!)

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  1. Apparently I’m not the only one who read your post about being nominated but probably not winning because there were so many good contenders and thought, “Challenge accepted!” 🙂 Congratulations, Jenny! Making people laugh so hard that they spit out their coffee when so much else in the world is going to shit is definitely deserving of an award or two!

  2. The titles are glorious. I also loved how it kept changing your last name. Jenny Jawgon sounds like a perfect name for your next taxidermied find. Congratulations.

  3. I KNOW! I got the goodreads results email and went straight to humor and I was so excited for you! Congrats!

  4. I just did a Google search to see how they translated your books in Romania (I read them in English – probably for the best, as a translator I can see how it would be terribly difficult to get a good translation of your books with all the brilliant wordplay that you use). Anyway, back to the Romanian translation. I could only find Furiously happy. It wasn’t that funny. It’s called ‘Crazy happy – a funny book about horrible things’ – so they stayed pretty close to the original. Now I think I might buy it to see how the translation turned out. Bonus – I would get to reread Furiously happy.

  5. One I totally voted for you and made everyone I know vote for you. Two google translate was creating the best story. We all know he really did spent that much which is why hell was released lol

  6. Yours was the only one I voted for that won. I am beyond thrilled for you. Congratulations!

  7. For the last few years, I haven’t been able to sit down and read a book for long enough to actually finish it eventually. Broken was the one exception. I burned through it in two days. Then I bought the audiobook so I could listen to it in the car.

  8. About an hour ago I went to check on the winners. I screamed when I saw Broken had won.,Go, Jenny!

  9. Yay congrats! I mean, it totally does not surprise me that you won but I’m so happy for you.
    Also, I can’t decide which of those translation titles are my favorite. I think it’s between Huh it didn’t work out, although that seems more like a title for a book of my life (maybe why I like it?) and He won’t spend that much. 3rd runner up is The Hell Was Released. Actually they are all hilarious.

  10. Congratulations! I love how mangled translations can be. Your book titles mis-translations are always make me smile.

  11. I’m so glad you won!!! I voted for yourbbook, but No had a he’ll of a time finding it!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

  12. “deliberate lateral thinking” is going on my resume because it sounds better than, “you will hear all about the gerbil with broken tail that I had when I was a teenager on the way to me telling you about how the latest project is going, with interspaced commentary on that TV show you mentioned one time and why the philosophies of the different characters of the Princess Bride are just too perfect to describe this one situation… “

  13. These ‘translations’ are golden. I needed that laugh today. And of COURSE you won. You are right that the pool of finalists was amazing and all deserve accolades. But you forget that YOU are amazing too. I’m so happy you won. You are deserving and not only are a brilliant and funny writer, but a balm to all our souls. Thank you for you.

  14. These are hilarious! ‘do not have a weekend’ is just totally random and ‘the hell was released’ is either insulting or an interesting judgment of the book, lol. Yaaayyy Broken won!!

  15. My Polish Facebook friend says the title reads “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened,” so I think Google translate has a few glitches. And yes I voted for your book and I am absolutely sure it’s going to win.

  16. Congratulations! I voted for you! I have to tell you that the chapter on Shark Tank ideas had me rolling on the floor in tears. People thought I was loopy wondering ‘what the heck, I’ll have what she’s having’ LOL Thank you for bringing laughter to the world when it’s going to shit right now <3

  17. I looked up “polish translation let’s pretend this never happened” and found this result in a phrasebook:

    Go back to your lives and pretend it never happened.
    Wróćcie do własnego życia i udawajcie, że to się nie wydarzyło.

    Seems that they translated it literally this time. I feel like maybe I stumbled onto a pretty dark phrasebook, for the traveler who gets into some trouble in foreign lands.

  18. Congratulations! Also for those who like ebooks, Broken is on sale for Kindle (Amazon) – only $2.99! I was so excited to get it for such a great deal ❤️

  19. Huge congratulations to you! I find these translations hilarious! Also, I am ordering 3 of your books so I’m hoping to be implicated in either 3 crimes or maybe 3 different stages of the same crime (a girl can dream) 🙂

  20. Jenny, your book released so many emotions in me…laughter, sadness, head nodding understanding and sometimes a felling of heartfelt compassion as you explain your health issues. You deserve not only the best book award but the humanitarian award for persevering amidst the chaos that can be your life. I love all you books no matter the title!

  21. Go Jenny! So fantastically happy for you and hope it brings you to the attention of the many more people who can benefit from your words!

  22. you deserved this. it’s a classic comedy book already. Love it, love you.

  23. I would say from reading you over the years that I could just eat you up, but dammit, you’re awgon.

  24. Congratulations! Guess who is NOT surprised? ME! Because your book was fantastic!

    Also, now I need a personalized copy that implicates me in a crime.

  25. Woohoo! Congratulations and thank you so much for helping the world through a difficult time! ❤️

  26. Of course you won your book was so wonderful and funny. Just like these translations. I’m really happy that your book won and so did another I voted for.

  27. I can’t post an attachment photo but I got “Let’s Pretend It didn’t Happen.”

  28. A very deserving win. Kudos to you. BTW. On the one translation, I see the acronym AMWA plastered right across the mouse. In my pre-retirement world, that stood for the American Medical Writer’s Association. Perhaps a reference to the much-appreciated therapeutic value of your book?

  29. And so it begins. You win something and you start seeing a different person in the mirror every morning. Then it really hits home when you get that call from Hollywood to turn it all into moving pictures. Next thing ya know, you’ll be too hip for your fans and we’ll never hear from you again. Great. Just Great. You go on, pretty lady. Enjoy your champagne. Don’t worry about the rest of us out here, reminiscing about the good ol’ days when Jenny used to talk to us. We’ll be okay. (I’m off to go cry now.)

  30. Yes, yes, yes!!! I was so excited when I saw that you had won. Congratulations! You have the courage to put yourself out there, and now it’s being rewarded. (Btw, your work is such an inspiration – or at least a comfort – to those of us who also battle mental demons. Thank you!)

  31. That’s awesome!!!! Congrats!!! You seriously make my life lighter every time I read your posts. I laugh out loud and scare my dogs. LOL.

  32. Just finished Broken. Hubby got up and left the room multiple times because I was snort laughing, nearly peed the bed and kept interrupting his reading to tell him what I had just read to have me snort laughing. Thank you!!!

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