“Löwenherz” is the last part of Monika Helfer’s personal novel trilogy. A talk about how fiction makes life easier, writer marriages and unwanted gifts from neighbors.
Interviewed by
Julia Rothhaas
Monika Helfer is sitting at a small table in the living room, surrounded by masses of books, pictures, plants and memorabilia. You feel a bit like in the den of two squirrels that have perfectly prepared for the eternal winter. Helper lives in the house in Hohenems near Bregenz in Austria with her husband, the writer Michael Köhlmeier. He brings coffee, the 74-year-old just wants a glass of warm water. To “baggage” and “Dad” Her newest book “Löwenherz” has now been published, a story about her brother Richard, an oddball who involuntarily takes on the role of father.