When did you realize that you wanted to become a writer?
I have always been interested in writing, but never got around to do anything substantial. Until Oliver and Jumpy. The characters and storyline just hit me one night and the rest is history.
Is being an Author all you dreamed of, or did it just happen?
As mentioned before, it just happened very suddenly and was totally unexpected.
What was the very first thing you ever wrote?
I wrote fairy tales as soon as I could write in primary school.
What was the inspiration for your book?
The inspiration for my series came two ways. My daughter’s cat Minnie must have something to do with it. The most important influence had the movie Belle of the Island with Morgan Freeman, where he teaches a little girl “Imagination” to write her first story. this somehow triggered something in my mind.
Who is your literary hero?
Nora Roberts. I have read most of her 240 books. She is a literary wonder to me. In quality and quantity.
How much of your characters are based on your traits or someone you know personally?
Oliver certainly shares character traits with me. I tend to sign with Werner/Oliver. That says it all!
Describe your main character in six words.
Oliver the opinionated elegant tuxedo cat.
Describe the world you’ve created in six words.
Everybody may be silly in Sillandia.
What scene was your favorite to write?
I love the scene where Oliver gets to kiss the princess in Story 41 “Waking the Princess”.
What scene was the hardest for you to write?
Kids stories are never hard to write. It is sheer fantasy and never took me more than a few minutes to work out the plot.
What are you working on now?
I am just finishing the Chinese translations. My aim is to flood China with Oliver and Jumpy.
Goals? Accomplishments? Improvements?
My final goal is to find somebody to make a TV series from the stories. Currently a new editor is revising all English stories to improve the grammar. My German mother tongue tends to influence my English. After Chinese, I will work on German and Spanish.
Are there any authors or books you recommend?
Well, what can I say Nora Robers or J.D. Robb, as you please.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?
I love to read, walk, travel and most of all, I love to learn all about promoting my series. Nobody can promote a book better than the author himself. One simply has to find the time for that.
