Leon Paul, tell us something about yourself. What do you do when you’re not writing?
I usually am a lot in motion. On the bike, on the tennis court, in the table tennis hall, or with friends and acquaintances. I love to keep moving. Mentally with conversations, reading, writing, listening to music and physically with a lot of sport.
How did you start writing and what are the titles of your books?
It started when I was at school with an internship at a regional daily newspaper and continued with short stories that I wrote when I had time at the weekend. My first novel is called “Terribly Important!”. The titles of two other e-books I have published are “Football Stars: Their Worst Scandals” and “How do I write a book? 7 steps to success!”.
I went to Berlin for ideas and inspiration.
How did you come up with the idea for your story?
The idea was in my mind for a long time while I was studying journalism in Mittweida. However, I lacked time and inspiration for it for a very long time. That’s why I went to Berlin for my compulsory internship.
How do you get inspiration for your stories?
Flexibility is extremely important to my writing. I often make new acquaintances and have already moved and had a few jobs. Of course, this can be very stressful. On the other hand, I keep collecting new experiences that I incorporate into my texts.
How would you spontaneously describe your protagonists?
My protagonists belong to Generation Y. They are incapable of attachment, selfish and cross borders. All are in search. A lot is possible. Both up and down. It’s important to me to build a strong depth into the characters. As is well known, where there is light, there is also shadow. The abysses belong to the protagonists of “Terribly Important!”, Pat, Luc, Dan, Mel, Chloe and Sarah, just like the light, their kindness. You constantly oscillate between these two worlds. The further they go, the more the reader will realize who finds their way out of the darkness and who doesn’t.
How did you feel when you finished your story?
It was great when the last sentence was finished. Writing a book has been a goal of mine for a long time.
Where can one buy your books?
“Terribly Important!” is available on Amazon, in the publisher’s web shop and online from booksellers such as Hugendubel and Thalia. My recently completed e-books exclusively on Amazon.
Do you have a favorite quote from “Terribly Important!” ?
Yes, this is from a scene that takes place in one of the Santa Burin clubs and is emblematic of the search for a way out:
The three of us lock ourselves in the toilet, shoot a line speed each, pour down the second bottle of beer together, get three more Desperados at the bar and stroll back to the dance floor. Meanwhile, Darry Kino spins dynamic tech house. The stuff starts working after a few minutes. A pure wave washes away all my worries, fears and problems, lets me feel pure love. I feel great.
The reader should get a better understanding of the behavior of young people of today.
Do you want to convey something to the readers? If yes, what exactly?
I want the book to be not only entertaining, but also thought-provoking. The reader should get a better understanding of the behavior of young people of today. It is often reported that many young people feel misunderstood and have difficulties finding a permanent place in society.
In addition, I address long-term trends from the Internet such as online shopping, online dating and social media consumption through the many dialogues. Here I want to show habits in the modern world in an entertaining way.
