Cyra Pfennings – Translator

With over five years of experience as a self-employed English to German translator and more than two years of experience in that field in a corporate context, I'm confident and well-suited to translate both commercial and literary fiction. I translate mostly crime, including cozy and historical crime, and some romance as well as children's books (non-fiction picture books with a scientific focus and creative fiction translations) and non-fiction (especially travel books), but am definitely open to other genres.

Having worked as an editorial manager, production editor and project coordinator in the publishing industry (independent design, scientific as well as commercial literary publishing), I understand the whole process of book production. If my client wishes, I can work in collaboration with my partner, who is a translator as well.

I'm an avid reader myself and there are few things that make me happier than a good translation or a well-edited book. Accordingly, I'm always very dedicated to the books I work on, so that they can become the best versions of themselves in a different language. In order to achieve this, I'm very invested in details and accuracy as well as in innovation and creativity. In fiction translations, I empathize with protagonists and authors to create high-quality works of literature with authentic characters, dialogue, scenery and atmosphere. I'm very interested in communicating directly with authors, wanting to understand their perspectives, intentions and voice, and am open to any form of collaboration and means of communication (this can be via email or calls or via an editor/representative).

I love to work on thrilling works of fiction, creative language projects and inspiring books that take me and the reader places – while listening to the sound of Italian cicadas in the summer by the open window or sitting by the fireplace with my cat on my lap in the winter.