Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary discussed their collaborative translation process for Dahlia de la Cerda’s "Reservoir Bitches." They initially divided the stories, with each translating a specific set before exchanging edits. They conducted subsequent passes together, reviewing the collection in order. By the end of the second editing round, they shared lingering questions with de la Cerda, who provided answers along with queries from the Italian translator, highlighting the unique challenges of distinct character voices across diverse demographics.
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Music played a significant role in their translation, as they frequently listened to the songs referenced in the stories, enhancing their understanding of the narrative’s context.
Heather Cleary recalled her childhood obsession with Sherlock Holmes, which sparked her interest in the intricate nature of translation. Julia Sanches, on the other hand, was inspired by her experience translating works for her university thesis while exploring Black American literature and working-class narratives.
Cleary’s path to translation began when a professor suggested she pivot her undergraduate thesis project to translation, leading her to translate a play by Federico García Lorca, which she found deeply fulfilling.
Both translators expressed admiration for many of their peers in the field, mentioning various small presses dedicated to excellent literary translations, including Tilted Axis, Fitzcarraldo, Transit Books, New Directions, and Two Lines, encouraging readers to discover the breadth of translated literature.