Seriously now

How well does one notice something that is not there? Well, this blog has not been kept up for some time. Still - I did some blogging. But I do it as part of my website now.

So if you wish to follow my mad and windswept exploits (like sitting at the PC and then ... sitting at the PC), please read my blog here. Or you can also find it on Livejournal under Juhonisch. I just have not got the time to write two different blogs, sorry!

Meißen is a lovely medieval town near Dresden, right in the East of our country. I was invited to do aa reading there - in a wonderfully eerie dungeon. If you'd like to know more and see some pictures, do take a look at my writer's blog.

This week I am at home. I worked so much recently at my day-job (trade fair preparation) that I could take three days off now which I am truly thankful for. Didn't do very much yesterday except write that blog. I daresay today I shall have to go back to my new manuscript. It is going to be yet another epic fantasy novel. I wish to deities above that German publishers would wise up and let people write what they want to write rather than passing on dictates on the basis of marketing statistics. I have never known them to be right.

But the story as such will be okay, I hope. Of course, the agent has not yet been able to sell the last manuscript.

Question to the English native speakers:
I am to translate a slogan into English. Slogans are difficult because they must convey the same idea - not necessarily in the same words.
The slogan in German is: "Pure Innovation"
Would it be possible to use the straight translation or would "pure" in English somehow convey the idea of morrally correct or untouched? What do you think? Any suggestions or ideas?

I am back from the Leipzig Book Fair where I won the SERAPH (Speculative Fiction Award given out by the Phantastische Akademie at the Leipzig Book Fair) for my book "Schwingen aus Stein". My book, all its heroes and of course I are very happy and proud indeed.

If you'd like to read more about the Book Fair and my adventures there, please look up my writer's blog.

Yesterday we had a Steampunk reading event. If you want to learn more and see some pics, let me invite you along to my author blog.

Yeah! I managed to get onto the shortlist of the last five nominees for the SERAPH - the arward for speculative literature which gets awarded each year at the Leipzig Book Fair!

Please keep your finger crossed for me, or (in recognition of the corresponding German custom) press your thumbs for me or send good vibes or whatever might help!

:-)

Kein Panta rhei

Ich trieb im Fluss
der Dinge,
Bisweilen war das Wasser warm.
Häufiger kalt.
Doch bin ich wohl
an irgendetwas
festgehakt,
kann mich nicht lösen,
während wildes Wasser
an mir vorbei fließt,
schießt
und nicht mal grüßt.
Es geht nicht weiter.
Ganz sicher mündet dieser Fluss
in einen größeren
und irgendwann im Meer,
dem Ozean der Freiheit, die uns lockt.
Ich - - -
hänge fest
in einem besseren Bach,
und Wellen überspülen mich,
kalt, nass und rücksichtslos.
Komm doch,
so rufen jene auf den Booten
mir winkend zu und fahren an mir vorbei.
Komm doch, da vorn wird's besser.
Welle um Welle überspült mein Haupt,
und meine Augen brennen
- das Herz ist längst gelöscht.
Ich hänge fest
und denke: alles fließt
- nur ich nicht.

Ju Honisch © 2014

Reich sein
Hätte Vorzüge.
Dabei ist Geld
Nur nebensächlich.
Reich sein
Ist Zeit haben.
Sie ist so dünn geworden,
die Zeit,
ganz abgemagert und ärmlich
schafft sie es kaum noch,
das nächste Weihnachten aufzuhalten,
das sich spätestens ab dem 1. Januar
massiv ankündigt.
Sie stemmt die Pflichten
nicht mehr auseinander,
dabei gehören da dicke Zwischenräume hin.
Irgendwann waren die mal da,
ich kann mich noch dran erinnern.
Es war einmal ein Pflichtenzaun
Mit Zwischenraum hindurchzuschauen.
Doch war das Bauwerk nicht von Dauer
Und ward zur Mauer.
Reich sein
wäre eine Tür
in der Mauer.

Good news! My latest book has been nominated for the SERAPH the Award for seculative literature. If you'd like to know more details please take a look at my writer blog.

Next week Wednesday will be my last day at work for 2013. After that: holidays!!!

The end of the year always means some kind of closure for me. This is, of course, a total illusion since the year 2014 will start off with exactly the same situation with which the year 2013 ends. None of the chores started will be finished, none of the problems gnawing at us will be finally solved. Everything is just on hold.

And still. If I did not have that weird illusion that something new and fresh was starting, I would have found it pretty hard to plod on and on over the years.

I need this time with all its Christmassy twinkle. I am not even sure whether this is a religious matter. Like most things around Christmas it seems to have much more to do with tradition and custom - a ceremonial framework that prevents the years to run together, merge and clot like so much porridge.

So I get as many celebrations and rituals in as I can. This includes going to carol concerts, singing carols at the top of my lungs, watching the terribly politically incorrect fireworks on Newyear's Eve and eating the exact same food that we always eat over Christmas. Another nail of stability in the framework of dodgy life.

Even the discussions whether you may wish people a "Merry Christmas" have started again and are becoming tradition. An insipid tradition, but still a tradition.

I shall miss Yule with my pagan friends this year because we shall not be in Frankfurt on the day. That is a shame because I love that ceremony. But I am just not terribly good at being at two places at once.

So. Another week. And now back to my trade fair statistics.