Goetz, Meyer, Schroeder: A fragmentary tale from the German literary scene (Part 3)

 Schroeder and Gilbner are sitting in a bobo cafe on the Lister Meile sipping on two big latte macchiatos. (Later, Schroeder will take a stroll, find a record shop and purchase an old Tocotronic CD.)

Gilbner likes Schroeder, who is able to cite Marcuse and refer to repressive entsublimierung. He is surprised that such a relatively young person seems to have the same revolutionary spirit that dominated his own youth. 

They talk about the novel, and after five minutes Gilbner says Wir machen das Buch.

Schroeder has that strange feeling of mixed emotions that sets in when a goal is achieved in a way that wasn't forseeable. Another thing is, he doesn't quite know what to make of Gilbner who owns a farm in Dithmarschen where he conducts obscure workshops and teaches Alexander Lowen's bioenergetics. (A few years later Schroeder will hear that Gilbner is suspected of trying to merge eco radicalism with neo-nationalist thinking.) But this is what he wanted, after all. His book to be published. To become part of the literary scene.

Grossartig he says.

There are just some minor changes Gilbner suggests, for example, he rejects the ridiculous Latin (!) title. Let's call the book Grunge he says. Grunge: Report aus dem Drogensumpf der 90er.

Schroeder protests. He agrees that Grunge expresses his clear opposition to Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre's brit pop preference, but Report aus dem Drogensumpf, no. He wasn't a heroin addict. Not this Bahnhof Zoo style, please. He got lost in a different way. Finally, Schroeder and Gilbner agree on the simple title


GRUNGE

Eine Sumpfgeschichte


but Gilbner insists that the chapters should be named after Nirvana songs, starting with Come as you are. Schroeder reluctantly agrees. (Should he rename the trilogy Plunge, Munge, Grunge, as a tribute to Henry Miller maybe?) But then he realises that there might not be enough Nirvana songs to choose titles from, so he suggests in return that he could also use titles of other grunge bands, especially Alice in Chains and Mudhoney, two other favourite bands of his. Gilbner agrees but remarks that Schroeder should prefer hits, well-known songs. No problem, says Schroeder. Deal, says Gilbner.

On the way back to the station, Schroeder gradually allows himself a less reflected kind of euphoria. He'll have to come to terms with the fact that soon he will officially be an author. Something new will begin.

A week later Gilbner calls and tells Schroeder that the book is on its way, it will come out already in autumn, and that it will have a blurb by Sandra Nasic.

"Sandra who?" wonders Schroeder.

"The singer of the Guano Apes. They're big, aren't they? And they live close to you."

"I don't know. And, yeah, I suppose they were big. But I'd prefer a blurb by Jerry Cantrell or a foreword by Thurston Moore."

Wer sind die? asks Gilbner. (Don't forget, it's Germans speaking German.) Die Namen hoeren sich nicht deutsch an.

Vergiss es says Schroeder. Ich dachte bloss an einige Typen im Weserland mit einem Plattenlabel. Vielleicht koennen die alte Connections aktivieren.

Gilbner: Lass mich beizeiten wissen, ob da was laeuft.

Schroeder: Okey-dokey.

The weeks pass by with more PR activities on part of Lindenblock Editions and nervous waiting on part of the author. Finally, the promo copies are sent out. There is a lot of positive feedback. Even some of the Southern German neo-beats are rumoured to have said that the novel is "not bad". Quite a few journalists write enthousiastic reviews. There are also some that don't like the book. One dismisses it as a Schlumpfgeschichte and questions its authenticity. 

All in all it looks like a good start for Schroeder.

The novel is published in October 2006.


TO BE CONTINUED


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