Author from Horshamhas China in her hands

It has taken three years but for one Horsham-based author, her dream of selling books in China has finally materialised.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Jan 2016, 15:00 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 06:43 BST
Horsham-based author Dee Blick has had her second book published in China SUS-160115-145540001Horsham-based author Dee Blick has had her second book published in China SUS-160115-145540001
Horsham-based author Dee Blick has had her second book published in China SUS-160115-145540001

Dee Blick’s second book, The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Book is now on sale in bookstores in China and on Amazon China.

In an exclusive interview with the West Sussex County Times, Dee said: “Three years ago I received an email out of the blue from CITIC Publishing Group in China enquiring if I had any plans for visiting China, which I thought was a little unusual.

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“Later that day, Chris Day, managing director of Filament Publishing, the UK publishers of this book, received a publishing contract from CITIC.

Horsham-based author Dee Blick has had her second book published in China SUS-160115-145521001Horsham-based author Dee Blick has had her second book published in China SUS-160115-145521001
Horsham-based author Dee Blick has had her second book published in China SUS-160115-145521001

“They wanted to translate my book lock stock and barrel. I couldn’t quite get my head round it but naturally signed the contract.

“Thus began an exciting journey culminating in the book now being alive and kicking. And the early signs are encouraging.

“It has reached the top 100 bestselling business books in its category on Amazon China several times but, as a long established author, I know that if you are to have an enduring bestseller, it has to stick around in the top 100 for many months.”

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Dee continues: “What helped make the process from contract to translation, cover design, layout and release so enjoyable, was that I built a friendship with Glacier Ding, rights manager at CITIC.

“We became ‘modern-day pen-pals’, with Glacier updating me on where my book was in CITIC’s publishing process and, me sending the latest reviews of my book on Amazon UK with snippets of news coverage including coverage in the West Sussex County Times and ETC magazine.

“In China it’s very much ‘friendship first’ and then business which suited me to a tee.

Explaining why CITIC selected Dee’s book from the thousands of marketing books on Amazon UK, Glacier Ding said: “We are always pleased to publish the books of leading authors in China. Dee is an expert in marketing especially in small business marketing.

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“With startup businesses booming in China, Dee has written a timely work.”

Dee added: “I think it’s every author’s dream to be discovered by an overseas publisher and to have their work translated.

“What this experience has taught me is that amazing things can happen to ordinary people.

“Although I’ve not been classically trained as a writer, I love writing and, from the age of seven was pretty much glued to pens and paper.

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“But I still remember in my early months of book writing, one particularly harsh critic telling me I would never sell books which dented my ego somewhat.

“Life is too precious and too short not to pursue your dreams so, if there is a book in you, don’t procrastinate. Start writing it. You never know where it might take you.”

Dee’s books includ: ‘The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Book’, ‘The 15 Essential Marketing Masterclasses for Your Small Business’ and ‘The Ultimate Guide to Writing and Marketing a Bestselling Book’.

Contact Dee on Twitter @deeblick

Related topics:ChinaChris Day