Home OLD - Nenad writes

Welcome to my abode! Enter freely of your own will, but do leave behind your preconceptions and prejudices, get rid of any prudishness and petulance. If you insist, you can always pick them up when you depart. For now, sit back and relax. Pour yourself a glass of your favourite drink. Light up the herb of your choice. I will do my best to entertain, shock and confound you. Make you question everything you’ve ever been taught and turn your perception of the world on its head. But don’t fret. Trust me, it’s all make-believe in here. You do trust me, don’t you?

Now that you’re here and settled in, what can I tempt you with?

How about novels? Thrillers set in Southeast Asia, as seen through the eyes of foreigners, with plots that explore the sense of dislocation and detachment that even locals sometimes feel. Each place visited in the novels exists and is familiar to me. Just like every character, no matter how outrageous, is based on someone I know or have met. My only claim to originality, I freely admit, is juxtaposing and mixing real locations and characters (and not least strange local practices) with bizarre situations originating in my mind. If you’ve read any of John Burdett’s Bangkok novels, or Nick Seeley’s Cambodia Noir, you’ll know what I mean.

If you’re after a quick fix, you may prefer to check out some of my stories, all of them true. Well, sort of. Scary, funny, or downright disturbing, they document my exploration of the globe as much as my subconscious. I’ve experienced all of them, either in real life or in my nightmares.

For immediate gratification, may I suggest a few samples of my poems? I know, poetry is a dying art and very much an acquired taste nowadays, not unlike opera or oysters. Maybe because it’s mostly practiced by clueless people with artistic aspirations exceeding their abilities, pretending to disdain both metre and rhyme while, in reality, they wouldn’t be able to spell either, let alone apply them. I’m a firm believer and adherent to the rigid rules and structures of classical poetry when it comes to rhyming, syllables, and stanzas. When combined with contemporary themes and occasionally risqué language I find it irresistible. Read Kingsley Amis and you’ll get my drift. Or savour John Wilmot’s (that old rascal, the Earl of Rochester) inimitable poems, such as Signior Dildo.

If you can take my take on anything that takes my fancy, take a look at my musings. In addition to literature in all its forms I have definite views on most subjects, ranging from thoughts on food and alcoholic beverages to stripping a Harley engine, growing your own chillies, and other non-controversial subjects such as religion, politics and gender issues. You are welcome to comment on my comments, on which I may or may not comment.

Be aware though that I regularly think, converse, write and dream in both English and Swedish, and may do so here when you least expect me to. Sometimes also in other languages, if I deem that the situation requires it. Let Google Translate be your friend while you’re here and I’ll try to stick to one language at the time.

Who am I, you ask? I am legion: writer and poet; multinational expat; father and husband; occasional biker; boring adventurer; cat whisperer; project manager; amateur musician; shy extrovert and arrogant recluse; self-proclaimed kitchen guru; principled libertine and ultra-right-wing communist. But all that’s irrelevant. Here and now, see me as your maitre d’, guiding you through a food and wine menu whilst discretely insinuating dishes and beverages most suited to your palate. Some you may have tried before, others will surprise you.

And finally, before you leave satisfied, horrified, elated, disgusted, frustrated, tempted or intrigued, do tell me about it. That’s what the contact page is for.

Enjoy!

Nenad