I’m glad to announce on coming 6th July to be part of this festival. I will introduce „La Cartiera“ to this event, my book is running in competition for Premio „costadamalfilibri“!

This festival has come to its 9th edition and is organized by Alfonso Bottone, he dedicates the whole event to Reyhaneh Jabbari!

Grazie di cuore, Alfonso!

What else can I say? I have a fantastic life ;o)

It’s always a pleasure to be there and sniff this special air!

I visited Lukas Hartmann’s and Marica Bodrozic’s reading and presentation „Authors in dialog“, which was very impressive because themed of the current conflicts on our planet (…about 36…) and most close to us, the fugitives in the mediterranean sea. The reading has been intensely applauded by the audience.

Afterwards I went to Michela Murgia’s reading and met her for a talk. Michela’s novels are mostly based on traditions of the island of Sardinia, where she comes from. She’s got a background as theologist and sees the things from another perspective. I went home with a few books of her and of course signed! We’ll keep in touch via Twitter! Buona fortuna, Michela!!!

The Argentinian newspaper honors me again! You can read the article here:

http://www.periodicoelbarrio.com.ar/nota_mayo2015.asp?id=19405201530

Muchas gracias to the director Marcelo Benini and Claudia Renna for the pic via What’s up! What a bless technology is!

I’m proud to announce the first presentation of „La Cartiera“ at the coming book fair at the suggestive Castel of San Barbato in Manocalzati, close to Naples. Donatella De Bartolomeis, creative director of the fair and my cousin Mirella Merino have organized this edition and invited me. Due to a conflict in my schedule, Mirella will represent my book at the fair. Mirella Merino is also blessed with the writer’s DNA and will present her first book „Lo Sguardo Di Iside“ (Iside’s Glance). Together we are planning more presentations in Italy!

At this point to both ladies: grazie di cuore e buon successo! Mi sento molto onorata! Thanks from the heart and a lot of success! I feel very honored!

You can read the article about the fair here:

http://www.irpinianews.it/manocalzati-vi-edizione-della-fiera-del-libro/

Post Scriptum, here’s a pic from the Merino stable:

I’m very proud about, two Merino’s are writers!

This is my aunt Anna, the protagonist of the story, holding her story in her hands!
The book has been handed over to her through her daughter Claudia.

Ecco! Here it is!
Finally, it took 12 years to publish the Italian edition; we added some shades of neapolitan dialect. It was a big effort to work on three books in the last 2 years; many countless hours in my free time or holidays  until late at night. I often  put off my family, friends and other people by tapping on the watch „sorry…I have to go…I have to work…“. But now I’m very proud I listened to my inner voice to push it through!

to order:http://www.swiboo.ch/La-Cartiera,detail,1111388907.html

And now it’s Gerardo Ceres turn being introduced! I’m very glad about, when I asked him, if he’d like to work with me on „La Cartiera“ – he didn’t hesitate one second. He interviewed me last summer for the mag La Sorgente. Gerardo himself writes short stories mostly based on his native village Caposele, I love to read them as I like his melodic vocabular and the fine humor and nearly satirical touch. He’s now working on a collection being published this summer. A funny story connects us – we were invited at the wedding of a common cousin…but we didn’t meet each other due to the 300 guests! So I hope, we’ll meet soon in the occasion of the book presentation. Grazie anche a te Gerardo, hai fatto un lavoro eccezionale!!!

This week „La Cartiera“ will be available.

Time, to introduce you one of the men with whom I worked very close over the last 18 months. I’m glad to introduce you, Werner Strähl, he’s the one responsible for the output of my books! We spent countless hours, late in the night and on weekends over the manuscript with proofreading, correcting, rewriting, extend lyrics, avoid duplicates, putting punctuations etc.. Werner belongs to those typesetters of the old school. With him I’ve found the perfect person to work on my projects. For me personally, he was a wonderful mentor by reflecting my phrases and their meaning. But the most huge effort of him was working on the Italian edition – he doesn’t understand any Italian! Grazie dal profondo del mio cuore, Werner, hai fatto un lavoro eccezionale!!

Die Papierfabrik, Sina Merino
Die junge Frau sitzt ihrer „ganz besonderen Tante“ gegenüber, eine Tasse schwarzen Kaffees vor sich. Ein langer Flug liegt hinter ihr. Eingetaucht in die altmodische, von Erinnerungen geprägte Umgebung, fiebert sie nun langersehnten Antworten entgegen. „Was macht Deine Papierfabrik?“ Möchte sie als Erstes wissen. Die Tante beginnt zu erzählen. Von ihrer Jugend in süditalienischer Armut. Vom eingeschränkten Leben als junge Frau in der damaligen Zeit. Vom späteren Dasein als Gastarbeiterin in der Schweiz. Es folgt die unglaubliche Heirat auf Distanz, zu der sie sich 1954 mittels einer „Procura“ verpflichtete. Ein Foto am Schluss des Buches zeigt sie als Braut ohne Bräutigam. Erst zehn Jahre später sollte sie diesen physisch treffen, was bedeutete, dass sie nach Argentinien auswandern musste. Unendlich vieles aus familiärer Vergangenheit stürmt auf die gebannt lauschende Nichte ein. Die Tapferkeit und Intelligenz ihrer Tante Anna, die schliesslich zu späterem Wohlstand führte, nötigt ihr Achtung und Respekt ab. Vor allem die Gründung der Papierfabrik. In reiner Handarbeit hatte sie im fernen Argentinien Tragtaschen, Tüten, Verpackungsschachteln und andere Papierprodukte hergestellt und so das Überleben der Familie gesichert. Gefühle übermannen die alte Frau zwischendurch. Bittere und andere. Dann wieder spricht sie nüchtern über die politischen Wirren der vergangenen Jahre. Über die Hochs und Tiefs als Folge. Ihre Geschichte ist lang. Die Ausdrucksweise unverfälscht.
Dieses Buch ist ein wertvolles, spannend gestaltetes Zeitdokument, das vor vier Jahren von der Autorin auf eigene Faust verfilmt wurde. Die Sensibilität mit der sie Tante Anna ihre Geschichte aufrollen lässt, zeugt von tiefem Bedürfnis, mehr über ihre Familie zu wissen und vor allem zu „verstehen“.
Die Papierfabrik erscheint neu auch in italienischer Sprache. Was einer eigentlichen Heimkehr gleichkommt. Ich gratuliere Sina Merino zu dieser liebevoll gestalteten und sehr aufschlussreichen Erzählung.

Nostalgic pictures of „Die Papierfabrik – La Cartiera – The Paper Factory“ from the 60ties! Shot by my late father at that time at Schenker Papierfabrik Däniken!

Pics courtesy of auntie Lisa, here in the pic and below her husband uncle Francesco, grazie mille!