interview with the author Ernst Probst from Mainz-Kostheim 
*
interview with the Wiesbaden-based science writer Ernst Probst
*
question: How did you get the idea to write your first book?
Answer: A colleague in a Mainz newspaper in which I have previously worked as an editor, asked me after he read a long article on a scientific topic by myself, "Why Leave Please not a book "The next day I wrote several letters to book publishers, and had great luck: C. Bertelsmann offered me a contract for a popular science book.
* Question: What is your first book?
Answer: My first book is titled "Germany in prehistoric times" and is subtitled "From the origin of life to the end of the Ice Age." It describes the development of the landscape, plants, animals and people in Germany and in the world. The initial plan was a book with a retail price of 40 DM, but when the manuscript was finished after four years, from a large-scale work with a number has been specially created for photos, drawings, maps and paintings for the price of 168 DM
*
Question: Was your first book a success?
Answer: The first edition of "Germany in prehistoric times" (1986) was sold out within a few weeks before Christmas and it had a second edition will be printed. Overall, this track reached despite some relatively high retail price five editions. There were three runs for the first 168 DM 198 DM and later cheap, but later onion book club editions. I owe this success to many well-meaning book reviews in the media as "mirror", "world", "Welt am Sonntag". From television, this title was not perceived.
*
question: What happened next?
Answer: "Germany in prehistoric times" I was known as a successful author. Suddenly, other publishers were interested in me, including one, had previously on my idea for the "Germany in prehistoric times" shown no interest. But C. Bertelsmann offered me a contract for a sequel, called "Germany in the Stone Age", which was released in 1991 and weighed about three kilograms. This song was also well received in the media, achieved three editions and was also mentioned on television.
*
question: Did you after that a book?
Answer: Yes, it followed "records of ancient times" (1992), "Dinosaurs in Germany" (1993, with Raymund Windolf) and "Germany in the Bronze Age" (1996) and later many other titles.
*
Question: Did you have a book author and failures?
Answer: To my great surprise, no great need for "Walking in Germany," in which has really Raymund Windolf done the main work. This was because at that time, the successful film "Jurassic Park" came to the cinemas and many publishers published books about dinosaurs. One of the last Title was "Walking in Germany" should, initially until a year later on the market. The bookstores in Germany at that time were overflowing with books about dinosaurs and the media had no desire to present a book about dinosaurs. It is this title different from the competition in that he presented the dinosaur found in Germany in words and pictures. The demand was so weak that only a fraction of the rest could be sold at regular price. This was followed by a second edition.
* Question: Have you experienced disappointments in other books?
Answer: An "Germany in the Bronze Age" the media had not much interest. I think many journalists did not know the inside sure what the Bronze Age is. The spectacular "sky disc of Nebra was discovered at that time. In addition, the publisher advertised very little for this title, and someone had the crazy idea of some of the journalists, who wanted to discuss the Bronze Book, should pay for the review copy. Namely those who do not work on really big media. Who knows the situation in newspapers knows that no publisher paid for some review copies. Nevertheless reached the Bronze Age book two runs. It costs needed today more than ever, partly new.
*
question: why there was no follow-up volume of the Iron Age?
Answer: After the bad experience with the publishing and the media during Bronze Age book I had no desire to work, another four or five years in almost every free minute on a such a book. Whether the publisher would have been interested in Iron Age book, I do not know.
*
Question: But you have not published for 'Germany in the Bronze Age more books?
Answer: Yes, it was initially a 14-volume paperback series of short biographies about famous women. At such a super-set women had no publisher serious interest. That's why I decided to become self book publisher.
*
Question: How many books have you published a total of?
Answer: That's right, I do not know anymore. There should be more than 30 titles. For example:
monsters on the track. As the legends about dragons, giants and unicorns were
Nessie. The monster book
ape-man. From Bigfoot to Yeti
sea monster. From Nessie to Zuiyo-maru Monster
My words are like the stars. The speech of Chief Seattle and other American Indian wisdom (along with my daughter Sonja Probst)
words are like weapons. Wisdom and folly of the media largely hushed up (along with my wife Doris Probst), by German media!
The ball is a bastard. Wisdom and follies of football (along with my wife Doris Probst)
records of primitive man. Inventions, art and religion
Archaeopteryx. The first bird from Bavaria
The Ur-Rhine. Rheinhessen ten million years ago
The Dinotherium Museum in Eppelsheim (with Dr. Jens Lorenz Franzen and Heiner Roos)
cave lions. Wild cats in Ice Age
saber-tooth cats. Machairodus of up to Smilodon
The cave
queens of the skies
queens of the dance
super women from the Wild West
Black Peter. A robber in the Hunsrück and Odenwald
Most of these items are in "GRIN for academic texts" www.grin.de available in paperback or e-book.
* Question: Have you brought your dozens of books and thousands of popular science books, literary or scientific honor?
Answer: It often happens that I get letters, faxes, e-mails or calls when I am called in error as a professor or doctor. The renowned author Vitus B. Dröscher proposed in 1986 in a review, you should give me an honorary doctorate. Apart from him no one had this idea. A scientist who heard it said only: "But make sure you have something." After all my books but are in many libraries in Europe and elsewhere, are often cited in other works and even mentioned in a prestigious encyclopedia.
*
question: What would you advise someone who wants to write his first book?
Answer: The most important thing is that you know that very few authors will be able to live by writing books. I once read somewhere that these are less than 1 percent! Writing books is always a solitary pastime, in which exploits the author or the author herself. Whether the amount of work, time and money is worth might the stars. Who is investing thousands of euros, this usually does not return.
*
question: Was there for you as an author and raves?
Answer: Plenty. During the research for non-fiction I encountered surprisingly often on people who give no response to requests. Serious was when a book manuscript was finished and decided, the publisher of the first to bring to market a year later because he already had enough books in the program. Annoying is that many media of books for different reasons are not interested and they hush. A sad chapter are also envy and resentment. Many envious people would have liked to have had my book fee but not the long hours (on some titles estimated 10,000 hours). Strange are sometimes even relatives, friends and acquaintances who believe that an author could give away hundreds of books at his own expense.
*
question: Write books continue?
Answer: I currently work an extensive book with biographies of women, whose title I did not tell. It will probably not be the last track ... http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Probst
Ernst Probst from "Wikipedia"
Ernst Probst from "biographies-news"
http://biografien-news:
*
Links .blog.de/2005/12/10/biografien_von_ernst_probst ~ 376 539 / Books by Ernst Probst
http://buecher-von-ernst-probst.blogspot.com look inside the book
http://blick-ins-buch.blogspot.com
