Interview with Jean Koning, Author of "Visions"

Join Jean Koning, author of the absurd humor non-fiction book Visions (1jp Organization, June 2007), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in June on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

About the Author:

"As most of us were popping pimples pimples and starting puberty, the versatile Jean Koning (or perhaps better known as his musical alter-ego '!JP') was launching project after project to avant garde aficionados.

At the age we were struggling to get our drivers license he was a resident at clubs. While the rest of us were chasing girls, laboring to get through school, or trying to sneak into clubs Jean was already inside of them, busy becoming one of the most original artists in the world. Seems impressive, but I guess when you're studying masters of the trade like Andy Warhol and Arthur Rimbaud while the rest of the kids are studying math and science those kind of things aren't too big of a deal.

From these not so humble beginnings Jean has carved himself a spot in the world of Underground Music that stretches from the Dutch Landscpaes to South East Asia. He has taken steps into music, spoken word, photography, poetry, theatre and film, working with a wide variety of amazing artists while showing off his own formidable talents as well.

With the help of his personal side-kick, the multi-instrumentalist Van Weely, he created almost legendary performances; his own conceptual punk-n-roll shows. Jean has made a name for himself that should be on the lips of art lovers the world over.

Now he is a published author as well. His latest novel was published in 2008 (in Dutch only). His novel "Visions", which contains stories and columns written in 2006, is now reissued.

He is married and has a daughter.

For more information about this author and his work visit: http://www.1jp.org/

About the Book:

Visions is a collection of columns written for the e-zine The Noise. A surprisingly intimate portrait on life and every day politics, accomplished with a fierce manner of writing.

Inspired by his own research for the musical album 'Notes from Purgatory', Jean Koning digs deep into the well of his personal life and blends the stories he found there with his experiences and visions of the American Way of Life, to portray a whirlwind of emotion, anger and doubt.

Dipped deep in a cocktail of absurdity and melancholy, the swift stories are built upon the eagerness to achieve a deeper understanding in trends, hypes and the corrupt world of commercial art.

The stories' subjects change as swiftly as the Dutch climate. From Amsterdam hookers to New York art openings and the ongoing war in Iraq. From the duality toward American lifestyles and Hollywood productions to Barbie and Ken in a setting of ironic perversity. From a heartfelt letter full of tips for Hillary Clinton to a remarkable talk show with Oprah Winfrey.

Visions is a humoristic approach of the life we lead today, with a huge comment made on worldwide politics. This is our planet today, with America as the prime suspect, Europe as the jury and Koning himself as the brutal judge.

Surprisingly enough, Koning doesn't point a finger of blame at anyone without pointing that finger at himself first."

The author agreed to an interview. These are his answers

Where are you from?

Amsterdam, Holland

When and why did you begin writing?

At the age of twelve. Basically because I was not allowed to do speeches that truly interested me – I was a kid actor. So I started to make up speeches and stories for myself. Later on, when I developed myself into a singer, I wrote my own lyrics. And so forth.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Well, that took a long time. I was never very sure of the work I wrote. But in 2003 I received a special price for most literary lyrics in music. Since then I consider myself a writer.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I am always at work and life seems to slip through my hands – at least, that´s how the rest of the world considers it. So I decided to give people a little glimpse of the things I do and the way that I do them. And I wrote a book about my life among actors and musicians.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I try to make things funny. I think life is necessarily funny. I hate it when people say that we live in a strange world. I think we live in an interesting world. And the things we do as a race are funny. Most of the time these things are only funny in retrospect, but who´s counting?

How did you come up with the title?

I explain on the first page of the book that these stories – "Visions" is a collection of stories – are my vision of life. So that´s why I chose the title.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes! Most definitely. I want readers to know that no matter where you live on this planet, no matter how powerful America is as a nation, we are all humans and we are all alive and we have to be careful that we don´t waste a moment of life, because we are busy worrying about shit that´s going on on the other side of the planet. Try to enjoy every day with the people you love and respect.

How much of the book is realistic?

I think 99 percent. Some of the things are made more dramatic. Or more funny than they were at first. But a lot of the political messages are real. I just burst the political bubble.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Most of the events are based on events in my life. I do have a taste for drama and I turn stuff into small-time soap-opera´s, I realize that. But it´s all true at the core.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Everything by Jonathan Safran Foer. And "Naked Lunch" by Burroughs – wow, I never knew you were permitted to write that way.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Definitely Allen Ginsberg.

What book are you reading now?

Just the other day I grabbed the "Beowulf" from the shelves. I never finished it. I´m going to give it another go. I don´t think I am ever going to finish it, but I will never give up on it. But somehow every time I try to read the book in total, something else – and perhaps something more interesting – turns up.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Jonathan Safran Foer and Mark Z. Danielewski (but I don´t know if you consider them "new" enough)

What are your current projects?

I am trying to get my latest novel "Noppen" (I think it is "Studs" in translation) translated in English and then get it published. I hope, I hope, I hope. The translation-part is not the hard part, since I can do the translation myself, but the publishing part – dude – that´s hell once more.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

My friends Tom and Marcel. (Nobody knows them, but I name them as often as possible, since they influence my life as much as they can with laughing and dining and lots of red wine)

Do you see writing as a career?

I see writing as the strangest career move ever in my life. I went from model to actor to singer to songwriter to author and back again. Except for the modeling part, since I hated that and I am thirty something now and I am currently losing my looks... man!

What do you think makes a good story?

A story that surprises you. A story that cannot take place in real life, because life is too real to be published, if you catch my drift.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned that politics are a dangerous terrain. And something you have to do a lot of research about to find anything worthwhile to write about. And since my book is about how Europeans look at America, I realize now how much I love America.