Today, Michelle Montebello’s The Quarantine Station will be available in Italian on Kindle as La Stazione di Quarantena.
This release feels incredibly significant to me. It represents not just a professional achievement, but also reflects weeks spent deeply immersed in two distinct yet interconnected worlds. I’ve had the privilege of exploring both Rose Porter’s Australia in 1918 and Emma Wilcott’s Sydney a century later. It’s been a journey filled with fascinating experiences, and I’m grateful for the chance to share these stories with you.
Translating Historical Fiction: More than Words
When we translate historical fiction, we do more than just swap words from one language to another. We are reconstructing a specific time and place, ensuring that the cultural nuances, speech patterns, and emotional layers are preserved. Rose's voice required a hint of formality to reflect her era, while Emma's needed the immediacy of contemporary Italian.
Balancing these two styles was one of the most rewarding challenges of this project.
Why Human Translation Matters
Could a machine have translated this book? In the most literal sense, perhaps. However, novels are defined by their subtleties: the flow of a sentence, the rhythm of dialogue, and the emotional impact of a phrase. While a machine can replicate structure, only a human translator can capture the true voice of the text.
Historical fiction, in particular, demands cultural insight. A translator must determine when to preserve original elements, when to adapt them, and when to enrich the narrative so that it resonates with Italian readers, all while maintaining the story's Australian essence.
A Message to Authors
If you are an indie author writing romance, historical fiction, or any narrative that deserves to cross borders: Italian readers are ready for your stories. I’ve seen how powerful a well-crafted translation can be in opening new markets and new readerships.
I would be delighted to help you take that step, ensuring your words resonate authentically in Italian while keeping your unique style alive.
👉 La Stazione di Quarantena launches today on Kindle. I invite you to discover it, and to celebrate with me the art of storytelling across languages.
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