Freelance author/writer wanted

I am the illustrator of the four ‘greatest classics’ of Chinese literature (The Three Kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, The Water Margin, and Journey to the West) which are planned to be published as illustrated retellings for children and adult learners by Real Reads in 2010. Each Real Reads classic retelling, where the narrative of the original is retold in some 6,500 words, is designed to act as a ‘bridge’ to the original work, retaining much of the feel and style of the original. For more information about the Real Reads project, please visit the Real Reads website at [login to view URL], where you will find examples of previous titles, together with creator Gill Tavner’s vision for the series. We are looking for a freelance author who is excited about Chinese culture and literature, who would be interested in helping us rewrite the Chinese classics in Real Reads format. The ideal author must meet all the requirements as below: a) has a deep familiarity with Chinese culture b) has read at least one of the classics, preferably all of them, and has real understanding of the Chinese original c) is able to grasp the essence of the stories and rewrite them retaining the ‘feel’ of the original d) is able to tell the stories well in English If you are interested, please contact Shirley Chiang on yngwie12@[login to view URL] with your CV, a synopsis of one of the four Chinese classics, and a list of the main characters of that classic in the style of a Real Reads characters page – see [login to view URL]