The Ninja in Nazareth

With my novel freshly translated into Hebrew and about to hit the bookshops in Israel, here are some photos of the original NZ-published version of The Blue taken in Israel by my Hebrew editor Hadas. Those who've been following this blog, will know The Blue has travelled far afield in the hands of friends and other readers and been photographed in Greece, England, India, Antarctica and other exotic locales. If you look down the side column of the blog you'll see the links.

Here is Hadas' email explaining to me where her photographs were taken. Note, Yahli is her five-year-old son.

Saturday we went on a trip to the Galilee (my parents live there) ... On our way we went to Nazareth. There is a Jewish holiday now, called Purim – a lot of candies and customs. Yahli was a Ninja fighter. We walked in Nazareth with our small Ninja and looked quite weird. I don't know how religious you are, but we thought you might like a photo of THE BLUE there – outside and inside the Basilica of the Annunciation – you can chose.

Thanks to Hadas and the small and patient Ninja.

The Blue in Hebrew

The Blue is a Hebrew book from yesterday!

Here's what my lovely Hebrew editor Hadas Matas told me by email: 'I'm proud to tell you the book is ready. It is planned to be in the shops in two weeks – before Passover.'

Hadas and I have been emailing each other for two-and-a-half months now discussing phrases like 'touch of the tar brush' and exploring the words for whales in a culture which isn't familiar with whales. Her emails dropped in on me in the hot Wairarapa in January, in the middle of a Canadian winter, in the streets of NYC and Washington, and back again in Wellington. In the process we've become friends.

For those who can read Hebrew, here's the Aggas Press website. I can only look at it and marvel. The translator was Vered Tochterman. The publisher is Sharon Greenberg.

Thanks to everyone at Aggas for the way they've embraced The Blue. Especially Vered for her skills, Hadas for her keen eye and her personal warmth and encouragement, and Sharon for wanting the book and finding me (roll down the post on the student writers and read the comment underneath.).

I am thrilled.

Water falling in the Golan Heights

Waterfall in the Golan Heights. Photo: Sharon Greenberg from Flickr: [some rights reserved]

Yesterday, it seemed everyone I heard from via email, facebook and blogs was talking about the weather. Hadas Matas who is the translation editor for The Blue in Israel is so relaxed after weeks of chasing me up over translation points, PR material etc for the book that she emailed to tell me there was snow on Mount Hermon. The family got up at the crack of dawn one day and drove for hours to see it. They live near Tel Aviv and Mount Hermon (Israel's tallest mountain) is in the Golan Heights in the north. The children were freezing but Hadas says the trip was worth it.

On the way, they saw the waterfall above. Hadas' husband, Sharon, is the photographer and my Israeli publisher. He's posted some beautiful photographs of the area if you press his name and follow the link.

My brother-in-law in Canada was also talking about snow - this time on Facebook. Mind you it's less of a thrill for Alastair because there's snow in his part of the world for five months of the year. He was heading up to Mont Tremblant in Quebec today to ski with his son Nicky, and it was expected to be minus 33 with the wind chill. I bet they have a wonderful time. Although, Alastair is definitely looking forward to spring and not just for the obvious reasons. He lost his car keys on Tremblant when I was visiting in February - they've told him they might turn up.... in spring.

And two friends in Melbourne reported on Facebook that there is rain over there at last. Andy lives outside the city in a rural area that, he says, hasn't seen rain since December 12. Jennifer - the poet - who is similarly rural in outlook, says poetically, 'it's raining like a bastard! Hooray!'

Long may it last.

In Wellington, today it's sunny and hot with a light breeze. Not a cloud in the sky. Just how we like it.

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P.S. After I wrote this post, I went for a walk with the dog by the sea. The first person I saw was a woman with small twins in a buggy - I called over: 'Lovely day!' To which she replied, 'It's too hot.' I wonder if she'd rather be up Mount Hermon .... Anyway, this is the view from our house and the beach I walked on with Ruby. Pretty nice I think.