Today we talk about Adventures of an Au Pair, a book by Jonnathan South, published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Jonnathan South, to get to know him better, what was the moment that led him to the writing of his personal story in his book Adventures of an Au Pair, as well as what sensations he felt by ‘reading’ his life on the pages of his book.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What was the moment that led you to the writing of your personal story?
Deep down inside of me there is something. For a long time, I had no idea that this something even existed let alone for me to comprehend what treasure it held. Some people might call that something a consciousness or creative ability. For the sake of argument, I’ll call that something a “Mini-me”. Over the years, “Mini-me” was growing like a plant would from a seed. There was a stump and the leaves followed. But still it had not grabbed my attention, not even when a rose-bud started to form. I was writing for my own pleasure for years and then a traumatic event happened that made me write and publish my first book. While I was in the middle of writing it, it had made me reflect on a series of incredible, but nevertheless, true events in my life and this lead me to simultaneously write “Adventures of an Au Pair”.
- What sensations did you feel by ‘reading’ your life on the pages of your book?
Although “Adventures of an Au Pair” had existed in my mind through a series of true, life-events a long time before it had made it onto the pages of a book, holding it in my hand and reading it, was a truly electrifying, ecstatic feeling. It had made me immensely happy and proud and I felt that the events and emotions I had described in “Adventures of an Au Pair” had achieved their desired effect. Reading it on paper, I felt that I had articulated the essence of intertwined events that had formed my and the life of others’ in a light-hearted and engaging way. Reading my own book, I felt that the reader could casually enjoy its narrative and yet be deeply shaken with the seriousness of life’s experiences. I have felt exhilarated that from the cobwebs of the past emerged a “spider” that had reminded me of something worth sharing with the rest of the world.
- What are the messages you want to send out with your book?
One is never to underestimate any event that happens in our everyday life. Even the smallest occurrence can lead to a significant change to what one is to believe to be a predictable outcome. The element of surprise has the power to stun the person and leave them rather unprepared despite all of the previous experiences that one possesses. While saying all that, I came to believe that there really is no bad or good “thing” that happens in one’s life. One can only see so far ahead and what, at the time, may have appeared to be bad can turn good in hindsight and vice versa. In the grand scheme of things, life is just that – life – and one can really only see so far ahead. By reading “Adventures of an Au Pair”, the reader will be emotionally engaged and be able to see a bigger picture behind the light-hearted written style of events. It is my intention to engage the reader to experience a whirlwind of sensations, share something unknown and show that humour can have a healing and comforting effect even in the darkest of hours.
- Is there a book you are particularly attached to and that has taught you something?
Every book deserves to be read. Books are like fruit where their exterior and genre attracts or repels the potential reader. The author has done this with intent as there is something that the person who has expended effort to write it, has something to give to the world. It is only when the reader “bites” into the gifted fruit that they are able to determine if that book is that particular reader’s “cup of tea”. That is why it is far from easy to have a simple answer to these two questions. If you “twist my arm” and press me for an answer there were many books and authors that have given me “something” to think about and even identify myself with. From the style of writing to the content, the authors have taught me that readers enjoy reading stories which captivate them and sometimes take them away from their everyday reality. I have learned that many readers living in today’s hectic world would prefer a simple writing style as life is complicated enough.
- Are you planning to write more books?
Let me spill the beans. I am working on my new book right now and I already have ideas for a few more books to come. What has started as a mere form of expression a long time ago, has transformed from a whisper to a confident, strong and powerful voice. The next book is also packed with true life-events of what most of us could recall as a carefree part of one’s life – childhood. Whether it is really so carefree or not, this will be for the readers to decide once the book is finished and published. My intention is to indulge the readers in a sea of events while describing how it was to grow up in a communistic country, its education and political turmoil. Plenty of humour will mellow the seriousness of the times when people’s lives were anything but safe, while amusing stories will entertain the readers throughout. Beware! The “spider” is out! Again, telling stories from the cobwebs of the past’s events!
Europe Books thanks the author Jonnathan South once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Adventures of an Au Pair. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, I wish that this book will allow you to rediscover the importance of surprise and to remember never underestimate the events that happen in everyday life. At the same time, I hope it involves you and lets you reflect on how humor can be of great support in specific circumstances.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy this interesting reading!
Your editor!