Four years ago I
stumbled across the ten commandments and wondered why they've never
been updated. At the core, they are actually quite useful, but
they're hopelessly trapped under a thick layer of dust. 'Thou shalt
not...', who speaks in such a weird way today? And besides, why so
negative? A bunch of well-meant guidelines that have become rotten
rules, totally inappropriate for the modern world. So I thought of a
story where God and a young girl meet on a beach and rewrite those
old wisdoms.
Three years ago I
told my girlfriend Rocío about this idea. She loved it, we talked
about it for a while and then life went on and the idea disappeared
in my folder of buried possibilities.
Two years ago I
contemplated options for a new writing project when my girlfriend
brought up the new ten commandments again. 'Why don't you do
something with that? I really think it has potential.' I gave it some
thought and agreed with her. Yes, it was an idea worth digging out and
working on. And so that's what I did.
Back then I was living in
a shared house with one of my best friends, Charlotte. One day I was
sitting at my desk, pondering on God and Moses, when she came in for
a cup of tea. I told her about the basic idea of the book: God is
tired of seeing humans screwing up the planet and each other, and so
he asks 11-year old Olivia to help him rewrite the ten commandments.
'Why he?' Charlotte asked. 'Why can't God be a woman?'
One year ago I was
disillusioned because I couldn't find a publisher for MISS GOD. In
Germany, where most of my works are published, I only got rejections.
Many publishers liked it, but either it was too religious for them,
or too critical of the church. I've never fully understood these
reasons, because MISS GOD is neither about religion nor about blame.
It's an invitation to believe. In something.
One day ago MISS
GOD was released by my English publisher, Ammonite Press. Like
me, they felt it's a perfect story for our times. A story about
changing old habits and exploring new perceptions. And like me, they
just loved the title. Who on Earth wouldn't publish a book called
MISS GOD? I'd buy it at first sight!
On page seven, the book is
dedicated to Charlotte and Rocío. Without them, MISS GOD wouldn't
exist. But there are many others who helped as well: My daughter
Paloma, who played the role of real-life Olivia; Roxanne, who did a
brilliant job at proofreading my English translation; Jason, who
convinced his boss at the publishing house that this could be
something special; Kate, whose illustrations have transformed the book
beyond special. Plus all the team at Ammonite Press and of course
Jane, who, some years ago, had met the owner of the UK publishing house
on a plane trip, chatting away and mentioning casually, 'hey, I know
a writer...'
I wrote MISS GOD in a
self-imposed, solitary lockdown. But underneath the lockdown,
invisible to most people's eyes, there was a tight web of meaningful
connections. It happens with each writing experience: From the
outside, I might seem like an antisocial nerd at times, but on the
inside, vital exchanges are happening all the time.
Now you're in lockdown
too. A challenging situation, no doubt about it, but also a chance to
reflect. A chance to pause, listen and wonder. Why do we fight and
destroy so much? Why do we suffer? And why are we here in the first
place?
Maybe it's the perfect
moment to question your beliefs, while at the same time finding a way
to connect to the divine. Maybe it's the perfect moment for an
inspiring story. Maybe it's the perfect moment to meet MISS GOD...
