I sent a sample book to Bai Gui, as well as information about the release date of the first issue.
"This sample book is good..."
Bai Gui nodded and looked at the professors' joint recommendations on the cowhide cover. At first glance, he felt that he was of high quality.
"The Japanese version of this book will be released soon, but I also need to handwrite a copy of the Chinese version and hand it to Mr. Zhu..."
He spread out the manuscript of "Climbing the South Peak of Huayue Mountain" given to him by Mr. Zhu, looked at the ink on it, sighed, and was speechless for a long time.
The original Japanese manuscript of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" is approximately 300,000 words.
With the Japanese comparison, his translation speed will not be too slow.
It’s just a novel about the Great Qin Empire. Although it uses the past as a metaphor for the present, it is an in-depth historical novel that has little impact on the country. It doesn’t matter whether it is translated or not. But "Guns, Germs, and Steel"
This book is different. The Japanese version is about to be released, so the Chinese version has to be sent back to China and handed over to Mr. Zhu...
An answer to Mr. Zhu.
This is the relationship between master and disciple!
A day or two later.
Bai Gui opened the private message that Bai Xiuzhu handed him, and greeted him as usual. There was nothing too disgusting. Although Bai Xiuzhu grew up in the country of his sister, he also received a Chinese education and would not be so explicit when expressing love.
.
The main content of the letter was to ask Bai Gui to study hard in Japan and to be determined to study. It also mentioned that she had recently met one or two good friends under the introduction of her cousin Wang Yufen, including the eighth daughter of the Jin family, Jin Meili, who has a bright personality.
Kind and cute...
Wang Yufen is the third daughter-in-law of the Jin family.
In addition, near the end of the letter, she mentioned the matter of her brother Bai Xiongqi officially serving as an appointed member of the Zizhengyuan.
"I have been studying hard recently and became a disciple of Professor Shiraishi. I just wrote a novel a few days ago. The single volume will be released in a few days. I will give it to you then..."
Bai Gui used a brush to write rows of small characters on the letterhead.
He was accustomed to using a fountain pen when writing in Japan, but when he replied to letters back home, he still wrote in calligraphy.
The price of sending a letter from Japan to Yanjing is not low, about two or three silver dollars.
The embassy is slightly cheaper.
However, this is much cheaper than a telegraph, which often costs hundreds of silver dollars.
But...it's obvious that neither he nor Bai Xiuzhu is short of money, and they can write three or four letters every week.
Wait until this letter is written.
Bai Gui put it into an envelope and wrote the address.
He pondered for a while, then took out some plain white letter paper, rubbed ink and started writing.
The date written in the letter this time is two or three days later than the previous one.
After a while.
The letter was filled and put into another envelope.
"Xiuzhu replies too frequently. I practice literature and martial arts every day, and I have to write books. How can I have time to reply to them one by one... Besides, I definitely can't tell everything about Japan..."
An inexplicable flash of guilt flashed through Bai Gui's heart.
At first, he could reply to Bai Xiuzhu's letters one at a time, but as time went by, he inevitably became a little slow.
He sighed, wrapped the single volume sent by Youfei Pavilion in wrapping paper, and put it together with the second letter.
After a while, I will go to the embassy to send a letter.
Although it is said that the letters are sent at the same time, the embassy cannot send letters one day at a time. Instead, it waits for more letters to be sent home and delivers them in batches at a certain time, so the interval of one or two days is normal.
When it comes to domestic inns, the same is true.
A letter will not come, but a letter will be sent.
When Bai Gui sorted out the letters sent by Bai Xiuzhu and repackaged them, a lovesickness seed slipped out of the envelope.
Xiangsizi is red bean.
He shook his head, smiled, and put the red beans back into the envelope.
Red beans grow in the southern country. When spring comes, a few branches will appear. I hope you will pick more of them. This is the most loved thing.
When writing love letters, red beans are indispensable.
This is the romance of the ancients.
…
The first issue of "Guns, Germs, Steel" was sold quickly as promised.
Just like the first time Asahisha sold the first volume of The Great Qin Empire, Youfei Pavilion also placed advertisements in various newspapers. The headlines of the news were "The New Work of The Great Qin Empire by Bai Meihe, unanimously recommended by all professors", "New Work by Bai Meihe"
, not to be missed", "A masterpiece on human history"...
The titles are all hilarious!
It's just that gimmicks are not enough. People who buy newspapers and read them have long been tired of these gimmicks.
"A new work by Bai Meihe, author of The Great Qin Empire? Interesting..."
"If it can be unanimously recommended by many professors, the content should not be much different."
"Do you think Bai Meihe has a background? It was just that the Qin Empire was recommended last time. After all, the writing was quite powerful, but this time it was recommended by professors again? Does he have any background behind it?"
"..."
Some people doubt it, and some people praise it.
But the heat is there.
The Youfei Pavilion brand is still available, and the first issue is sold in major bookstores in Tokyo.
"This time the novel has not been serialized in newspapers. Those who can come to buy it are all called by pen names. Although the initial sales are bleaker than the last time, the prospects are excellent..."
Bai Gui is still holding book signings during the first few days of publication.
After hearing Nobuo Nakajima reporting to him the sales of the first issues of several other major bookstores, he didn't lose the slightest bit and said with a smile.
The advantage of newspaper serialization is that it can accumulate a lot of readers during the serialization period, sell single volumes, and people can support it. However, directly publishing novels undoubtedly eliminates the process of accumulating readers, and readers do not know the content of the novel. At this time, sales volume depends entirely on
The hard power of writers.
And Bai Gui has the momentum of the newspaper serialization of the first and second volumes of The Empire of Qin. There are many loyal readers, and many people recognize his pen name. Therefore, although there are not as many people coming to buy the book as when the first publication of The Empire of Qin was first published,
...He can sell thousands of copies in Tokyo in one day, which shows that his appeal is not weak.
Word of mouth is constantly fermenting.
The quality of the first book was good, but everyone was still doubtful about the second one being released... But the quality of the second book was still good. The third and fourth books, readers dared to buy just by looking at the pen name!
"Editor Bai's free and easy personality is admirable."
Nobuo Nakajima nodded.
He has been in the industry for so long and knows this truth, but there are really not many people like Bai Gui who saw a lackluster sales on the first day of the first issue without changing their face and chatting and laughing.
"I also bought a copy of the book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" today and read it. This book will definitely become popular..."
"It just takes time..."
He said again.
Having been an editor for a long time, he still has certain predictions about which books will be popular and which books will not be popular.
After a while.
Mitsuko Yamada walked in. She reported the news and said: "Professor Shiraishi and some professors from the Faculty of Liberal Arts of Tokyo University recommended this novel to the students who taught today. The sales will definitely explode tomorrow!"