Uta Christensen

I am an author, and my name is Uta Christensen. Though I was born in Germany, I spent most of my life in other countries—Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. I have been in love with the United States since my childhood. When I saw a documentary movie at an early age called Traumstrasse der Welt (Dream Highway of the World), depicting California’s Highway 101 from San Diego to Alaska with its nearby natural wonders, I was totally enthralled by that beautiful far-away country. And, miraculously, I ended up there. It was in California I earned my university degree in English and German literature. I have been fond of literature since my childhood, starting off with Russian novelists, and have been reading ever since. I was also fond of writing but didn’t start my writing career until the early 1990’s. My first book, my father’s memoir was published in Germany in 2005. The memoir was written in German for the benefit of my father who never learned to speak or read English. My second book, the novel Caught Midstream, was published in the U.S. in 2006. My third novel Into the Unknown has not been published. In 2009, my third novel Bed of Roses, Bed of Thorns was also published in the U.S., and my fourth novel Tough as Fine Silk, Escape from Beijing was published in 2011.All my novels are based on true stories. I think of the true story a novel is built on, however short, incomplete or fragmentary it might be, as the novel’s seed. It is when the imagination comes into play while writing that the seed begins to sprout, grows, matures into a tree, begins to bloom and eventually bears fruit. I always hope that it will bear fine fruit.When I’m in the process of writing, I try to stay disciplined. Being a morning person, I write every morning for several hours, except Sundays. My whole being is dialed into this schedule. What I love to write most are family sagas/coming-of-age story with historical backgrounds, though I also write love stories with historical backgrounds and with some surprising and thrilling aspects. I find writing fiction very fulfilling and artistically challenging, but I hope it will not become an obsession of mine and prevent me from engaging in other experiences.