Writing

Most of you will have heard by now the exciting news – my book
THE LITTLE BUDDHA has been taken on by a big German publisher and will be re-published in early 2013. Time to celebrate? Yes and no.

Yes, because it took many years of hard work and endurance to make it happen. It’s fantastic to finally be able to harvest some fruit. At the same time, no, there’s no reason for endless celebrations. As always, life goes on! Also, I am still as poor as most other artists so I can't afford enormous champagne bottles. Saying that, in times of crisis and financial chaos that’s probably not a bad thing – if you don’t have anything, there’s nothing you can lose.

Writing a book, or doing any long-term project for that matter, is similar to climbing a mountain: You need to really motivate yourself, you got to invest a lot of energy, you struggle and there are many moments when you want to give up. If you continue, at some point you will reach the top, that wonderful place you’ve dreamt of all along the way. However, most mountaineers don’t climb to reach the top – they climb because they enjoy climbing.

I love holding a finished book in my hands. But even more I love the actual writing process. So since January 2012 I have been working on a new book. To sum it up: It has been one of the most intense, difficult and also most satisfying experiences I’ve had so far. And with a few chapters left, it ain’t over yet!

While the new book is a fictional story, it also overlaps with my own reality. It’s very personal and, at least for me, very emotional. As a result, I have been spending much time during the last months locked away in my little room; battling with sanity, protected only by four crumbling walls. I know I have been (and still am) a bit weird and distant, and I’d like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. But I am sure – if you entered into my skin for a day or two, experiencing the ups and downs of an author, you’d understand. Just look at me...

Finally, once I have finished this book, you might have to send in some happy messages to remedy my sadness – ‘cause when a journey ends, the traveller will be sad. After all it’s not about reaching a destination, it’s about travelling itself. Just as life is about living.