Unser kroatischer Autor Roman Simić veröffentlichte kürzlich seinen zweiten Erzählband »Von all den unglaublichen Dingen« bei uns. Dass er zudem ein eloquenter und humorvoller Zeitgenosse ist, beweist er im folgenden Interview. Die Fragen stellte Constantin Mauf.
You first published a volume of poetry. When did you switch to writing prose?
I guess i stopped when i realised i don’t see the world around me in verses any more. And when i realised i was not able to do what i wanted with poetry. But that poetic drive of mine didn’t just disappear, quite often i find it in my prose, in the rhythm and images i use in my stories. Frankly, my personal feel is that short story has much to do with poetry thank with novel, it can be whatever it wants, but i somehow connect it with breath-pace, heart-beat, emotion, world that appears out of detail… – rather than firm plot, big story, things like that.
What are the perfect circumstances for you to write?
My kids sleeping or somewhere else, my wife in her own stuff or with them, me – relaxed, not tired, with plenty of time… sounds like summer vacations, but it could be during the rest of the year, too.
Your wife is an author, too. How does that affect your creative processes?
We’re completely opposite when it comes to writing, i guess that saves our heads. She’s fast, vertical, goal-getter, needs small space to score; me, i guess i’m a middle fielder, barcelona style, think a lot, work hard on every move, need lot’s of time to come to 16m, and then – after a while, everyones nerves already broken – i do my best to score. We play the same game, have our own killer instincts, but the very idea of scoreing sometimes differs.
So far, three volumes of stories have been published. When does the first novel come out?
Now, i’m heading that way, at least it seems so. Think i found a path, but i’m old (or naive) enough to know there are things around able to distract one.
Which author would you like to meet?
Hah; if only i could have met Roberto Bolano, I’d be peaceful till the rest of my days, i guess. The rest of my list belongs to spiritualists – lot’s of dead guys and girls. Of living ones, I’d gladly have a pleasure to meet David Grossman, Alice Munro, Paul Auster, John Banville…
Reason or love?
Both! I believe they can coexist in the same life, same person, maybe they’re just to switch sometimes, the key is to balance them. It takes two for tango, don’t you think so?
(Foto: Sarah Jane Eyre)