About Me

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I was born in the last century in a valley in picturesque southern Germany until one day I got on a train to Berlin and ever since I have been enjoying life in this city. This city has problems growing at a faster rate than its population. It is chaotic, even nightmarish but also full of exciting human beings from over 250 nations. A city abounding in stories. All you have to do is bend down to pick them up or listen and then be ready to tell them.

After a traumatic event related to September 11, I accepted my sister’s invitation to come to Berlin and, attracted by its bizarre beauty, have never left. I slowly fell in love with this city and its people and I began to write. First it was short articles for newspapers, then online sites, all while jotting down ideas for a novel. I also attended a renowned screenwriting school since good scripts and good novels have more in common than one might suspect. Actions, turning points, pitches, characters, plot structure and so on. I was happy that my prior work experience and a few other incidental events helped to keep me afloat until one day I stumbled upon this fascinating topic: the fear of relationships among big-city dwellers.

… How I came up with the idea for Secrets: Eva, Phil & Lou

I discovered it among my female buddies. I soon found that I had become the shoulder for them to cry on. On the phone, in cafes, clubs, bars. Mornings and evenings. Inevitably, the word ‘relationship anxiety’ would come up. My initial research led me to a therapist who has written a very informative book on the subject. It occurred to me that one of the benefits of current literature might be to educate readers about the issues they face. And that led me to write down the story of Eva, Phil & Lou. For all of you out there. For everyone who has suffered from the on/off relationships, abrupt abandonment, lack of commitment, disappointments and lies without knowing why. Not knowing the reason you can’t just let go. Why you keep falling into the same relationship patterns. Ultimately, this novel derived its title from the fact that some secrets actually benefit a relationship.