Author Friedrich Kalpenstein: No time for airs

Author Friedrich Kalpenstein speaks in an interview about success, future plans, corona and human abysses.

And about the actor Helmfried von Lüttichau.

Friedrich Kalpenstein has been celebrating success for years with his "Herbert" series, which is now being filmed.

He has also been writing provincial crime novels since 2020 - number four will be published in March 2022.

Mr. Kalpenstein, please give a quick answer: How many books have you written to this day?

15!

And which one is your best?

Is there a personal favorite?

I think that for all authors this is always the last one that came out.

Because you think you're evolving.

But also because I'm still involved in the story.

The book that had the best placement, “Cheers to the landlady”, which was number 3 on the Bild bestseller list for a long time, can be verified with numbers.

Since your first provincial crime story was published in June 2020, you have put three more cases on paper with Chief Commissioner Carpenter.

Three have appeared, number four is due in March 2022. Where do you get your inspiration from?

I actually get this input all day, even while writing.

And of course on my research trips with my wife.

Our cell phones are off, we're away from home, looking at the area and the people, watching.

The exchange is very important to me.

Only when I have spoken about a thought, a new storyline, does it become concrete and tangible for me.

I can't think about it in silence.

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Cheers to the youth: Provincial thriller number three was published recently. 

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An author is always a good observer.

Have you always been?

Even as a child I had a great sense for people and noticed when others were not doing well.

This mindfulness has only increased through writing.

I look closely at people.

I try to find out by observing what kind of life this person leads.

This is how interesting characters are created for my books.

And of course that only works if you go out and deal with the people.

Her crime fiction and Herbert fan base are huge.

What is the secret of your success?

Back then I walked from publisher to publisher with the first Herbert novel and kept being told that it wouldn't work.

Then I published it myself - and my many, many readers have been telling me ever since: It works!

To be successful, of course, is the desire of every author.

Maybe the secret is that I've always been true to myself.

You said in an earlier interview "Crime writing is the supreme discipline for every author, and you learn a lot about yourself and your own abysses".

Are there still surprises for you after the fourth thriller?

Yes!

I notice that I'm moving more and more in the direction of thriller and then often have to take some tension out of it so that it remains a provincial thriller and I also bring my sense of humor into it.

It is probably in the nature of things that you always want to go one better.

Often I have to hold back on the murders - they mustn't be too bloodthirsty in Brunngries.

So won't there be a thriller?

Wouldn't your readers go along with that?

In the beginning, the provincial crime genre was a little feared opponent of mine.

Because you do not know beforehand, when you open up a new audience, whether you are not closing the door to the loyal readers at the same time.

Fortunately, that was not the case.

Basically, I feel connected to humor - and the difference between a humorous book and a provincial thriller is not too great.

Except for the unfortunate fact that a person dies in the latter.

But even if I should write a thriller, I'll always come back to humor in between, that's important to me.

Hand on heart: what about Herbert?

I would have enough ideas, but there is so much murder going on in Brunngries at the moment that I have to finish the investigation with Commissioner Tischler before I can clear my head for Herbert again.

Do his fans miss him?

Yes very.

I keep getting emails asking when it will finally go on.

“Like Champagne”, the second part of the Herbert series, is supposed to come to the cinemas.

How far has the film project come?

We are still in the middle of the development process as far as the script is concerned.

And the cooperation is still incredibly close, because the makers want the reader to recognize "his" Herbert - and also Hans and Anja - on the screen.

It is not every day that the author is so involved in the process and I am very grateful for that.

It is clear that the book cannot be 1: 1.

But it will definitely be Herbert on screen.

How do you ensure that success doesn't go to your head?

On the one hand, it's the gratitude that I've reached readers with every book.

Besides, I have so many new ideas that there is no place for such airs.

(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

Does Corona appear in the new books?

Of course, I had the idea.

But no.

Corona has so taken and challenged society.

People need areas where it's not an issue.

If you pick up one of my books, you should immerse yourself in a world without a pandemic.

I take the right out of myself - and my readers also have the right.

And as Ben Valdern you were also hardworking: New song, new video - party music in times of Corona.

Is that your personal message to the pandemic?

There is actually still a song in the pipeline.

A real mallesong.

I wrote it at the end of 2018.

Everything was ready - and then Corona came.

To release a party hit in the meantime, I definitely couldn't agree with my conscience.

That would have been tactless.

Now Ben is waiting until the world turns back to normal at some point.

But that's not a problem for me.

Not bad because?

Because singing is a hobby for me.

As a writer, on the other hand, I am an artist who voluntarily quarantines himself every day to write.

It is absolutely lucky that Corona cannot harm me.

In contrast to artists who live from being on stage, who are also reaching their financial limits due to the pandemic.

That does something to people.

And then there are your audio books, read by Helmfried von Lüttichau.

How did that happen?

I wanted him for my crime novels.

Very deep and full of devotion.

Because he's human when I see him on TV, I'm fine.

And because there are so many different characters in Brunngries, he is exactly the right one.

The publisher asked him and he said yes.

What is more exciting: holding the new book in your hands or listening to the audio book for the first time?

They are both very special moments.

Each in his own way.