* Chicken Feathers excerpt featured in French textbook!

[Encouragement for self-published authors] While I was in China, I was contacted by Editions Bordas, a French textbook publisher requesting the rights to publish an extract of Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin: Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan, a book I co-authored with former factory worker, Chun  Yu Wang, and that I published independently. (Order on Amazon)

An excerpt of the request letter reads: “We are currently preparing a school book entitled Missions 1re Lycée (code 732771) which will be published in paper form in April 2011 and designed for 16-17 years old pupils….

We would like to obtain your permission to use and reproduce an excerpt taken from Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin: Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan by Chun Yu Wang (Please see below) in this textbook in all formats and for all countries…..this extract will be used for our school book by students who are studying the English language….We would be most grateful if you would grant us this permission for the period of exploitation of the textbook…. Please note that the excerpt will be used for pedagogical purposes by teachers and students in the French education system.”

We corresponded and negotiated the licensing fee via email, I provided the requested information, and now, after much anticipation, the book is finally available! Here are some images showing how the excerpt is being used. Click on image to view enlarged

The topic of the lesson is understanding the “American Dream.” Here is the single page featuring the excerpt:

full two-page spread:

In the phraseology of mentor of mine, “I share this not to IMPRESS you, but to IMPRESS UPON you…” just what is achievable even as a self-published author!

I wish much success to the publishers and to the students learning English! If you read French, (or even if not), you can learn more about the publishers at the Editions Bordas website. (Thanks to Anabelle and Audrey at Editions Bordas for their help!)