Literary Translation Projects: German to English
I've translated numerous novels and various projects for German-language publishers and film producers, agents and authors. Please contact me here or at sfanderson66 [at] gmail.com with any inquiries.
For commercial translation and transcreation, see my Services page.
For literary translations both published and on submission to publishers, scroll down ...
Recent Projects
The new novel Der erste letzte Tag: Kein Thriller (The First Last Day: Not a Thriller) (Droemer Knauer, 2021) from bestselling author Sebastian Fitzek, who hasn’t written a psychological thriller this time but a humorous and heartfelt “road movie” story.
The wonderful biographical novel about Michael Ende, Die ganze Welt ist eine grosse Geschichte, and wir spielen darin mit (The World is One Big Story and We All Play a Part) (Ullstein, 2019) by bestselling author Charlotte Roth. Michael Ende is best known for his 1979 fantasy novel The Neverending Story.
In the last few years I’ve also completed the thrillers Trigger (Heyne, 2009) by Wulf Dorn and the Auris sequel Die Frequenz des Todes (Droemer Knauer, 2020) by Vincent Kliesch from an idea by Sebastian Fitzek. Before those came the first Auris novel by Vincent Kliesch (2019), Sebastian Fitzek's Abgeschnitten (Droemer Knauer, 2013) and Michael Tsokos’ sequel Abgeschlagen (2019). All are on submission to publishers under contract with AVA International agency in Munich and the authors.
I’ve completed samples for some compelling works I see as a good fit for the English-language market in North America. Along the way, I sometimes get the chance to work on exciting film treatments for Berlin’s Ziegler Film among other projects.
2022: Long-listed for the Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Award for Crime Fiction in Translation, the leading prize for novels published in the UK.
2018: Residency at the Europäisches Übersetzer-Kollegium (European Translator College) in Straelen, Germany with a stipend award from the Kunststiftung NRW (Arts Foundation North Rhine-Westphalia).
2015: TransLab for emerging translators of German to English, a collaboration between the German Book Office NY and the Goethe-Institut NY.
Recently Published Translations:
Seat 7a
by Sebastian Fitzek
Germany’s king of the psychological thriller takes to the skies with a terrifying and twisted new novel.
Long-listed for the 2022 CWA Dagger Award for Crime Fiction in Translation.
From Head of Zeus. Original German version: Flugangst 7a
Where the Desert Meets the Sea
by Werner Sonne
An illuminating and heart-stirring historical novel set in post-WWII Palestine, where the boundaries of love and friendship are challenged by the intractable conflicts of war.
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I was able to translate part of Where the Desert Meets the Sea while on a residency at the Europäisches Übersetzer-Kollegium (European Translator College) in Straelen, Germany, with support from the Kunststiftung NRW (Arts Foundation of North Rhine-Westphalia).
From Amazon Crossing. Original German version: Jerusalem, Jerusalem
A Thousand Devils
(Max Heller, Dresden Detective Book 2)
by Frank Goldammer
A disturbing murder reveals a high-stakes conspiracy among the ruins of postwar Dresden.
From Amazon Crossing. Original German version: Tausend Teufel
The Air Raid Killer
(Max Heller, Dresden Detective Book 1)
by Frank Goldammer
As World War II ends, a killer’s game begins.
From Amazon Crossing. Original German version: Der Angstmann
The Honest Spy
by Andreas Kollender
During one of history’s darkest chapters, one man is determined to make a difference.
From Amazon Crossing. Original German version: Kolbe. More about Fritz Kolbe here.
More published translations:
”Pretty Women from Hangelar,” by Sven Heuchert, a short story from his collection Asche (Ashes) (2015); also appeared in the Fredericksburg Literary and Art Review, 2017.
Grave Intent (2016), Alexander Hartung
Terminal (2015), Mike Powelz
Mark of Cain (2014), Marcus Hünnebeck
Until the Debt is Paid (2014), Alexander Hartung
Alexanderplatz, Berlin (Kindle Single) (2014), Georg Diez
Other novels translated but not yet published and on submission to publishers:
Sturm (Storm) (2018), Uwe Laub
Die Göring-Verschwörung (The Göring Conspiracy) (2010), Achim Müller Hale
Westend Blues (2009), Helmut Barz
Dunkle Tage (Dark Days) (2006), Gunnar Kunz