David D. LevineScience Fiction Author

Back in August I learned that my story “Charlie the Purple Giraffe Was Acting Strangely” had been translated into Hungarian and published in Galaktika magazine without permission or payment. Furthermore, they had done the same back in 2006 with “Tk’Tk’Tk.” I tracked down an email address and sent them a note politely requesting payment and author copies.

Somewhat to my surprise, I received a rapid and apologetic response — “It seems my colleagues who should clear the rights slipped up big time” — and a request for wire transfer information for payment. Some of my writer friends thought this sounded like a phishing scam, but I contacted them in the first place, and I also know that in Eastern Europe they use wire transfers the way we use credit cards, so I sent them the information as requested.

Wonder of wonders, the payment came through earlier this month!

So now I have added two Hungarian translations to my roster of foreign sales.