Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Tina and my writing career has already begun at school. I am the type of person who is writing diaries. Events, thoughts and stories – everything that I have seen, felt and experienced is written down in my diaries. By this time my collection covers 30 books with 300 pages each.
At the beginning I was only writing for myself. Life creates the best stories and so my diaries are a real treasure, an inexhaustible source of ideas, thoughts and stories. Eventually I started writing for friends and family festivities. But I would have never thought that I would write my own books, not to speak of an own book-publishing house!
I have written four books until now.
My first two books „Die Abenteuer des Gottfried Primero“ are addressed to boys and girls at primary school age. They describe the adventures of a girl with her two stuffed animals: Gottfried, a raven who is so thick that he needs an engine for flying and his co-pilot, a moose who is always busy servicing Gottfried’s engine.
„Chris – Mein kleiner großer Prinz“ is a book for adolescents. It is a novel about a stubborn pony who is always eager on playing pranks. Chris, a girl, who absolutely wanted a pony, needs steady nerves to tame the temper of the stallion. I think that this is a book rather read by girls.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called „Lisa and Egon – Teaching a hippo to dance“ which also appeared in English as you can see from the title. It is a book for first readers and connects literature with movement. The dances are described vividly so that the kids can imitate them easily. The book is popular with all age groups, an amusement for the whole family. The main character is a little hippo named Egon who learns how to dance ballet and who can animate also the boys to dance. But actually the book is most popular with girls from 4 to 7 years.
With my children’s books, I get most of my inspiration from the pupils of my ballet school. Their imagination is infinite and they have a lot of funny ideas.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I would be aware of. However I believe that every author has his or her peculiarities.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are great authors who are able to dig deep down under the surface of a story, in the abyss of their characters. Hans Fallada for example is successful in doing this. But it depends on the topic of course and on whether depth is favoured or not. Linguistic joke and style can also be unique, consider T.C. Boyle for example. I also love the minimalism of trenchant language like in the texts of Ernest Hemingway. But there are many more outstanding writers that I cannot all name here. They can be idols, but I believe that, in the end, everybody has to find their own way.
What are you working on now?
Currently I am working on the second volume of “Lisa and Egon”. It is based on a very famous Christmas fairy tale and again it shall make literature experiencable trough dance and movement.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method for me is to address the target group directly through web-portals, social networks or groups. I am trying to reinvent myself continuously.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
In my opinion it is very hard to give advise to other authors as everybody has their own style of writing. I think that everybody must find theit own way.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never jump on a train that is already running. Jump when the train is starting.
Author Websites and Profiles
Tina Lizius Website