New Bernhard Aichner leads into the “darkroom”
Bernhard Aichner, who was born in East Tyrol, is a fixture in the crime scene. His books sell like hot cakes, have already been translated into numerous languages and recently Harald SICHERITZ even filmed his Broll thriller “Forever Dead”. His “woman of the dead” will also be shown as a series on Netflix in 2022.
With his new novel “Dunkelkammer”, in which the press photographer David Bronski appears for the first time, Aichner is once again relying on short sentences and speech reduction and is constantly working on the “Aichner” brand, people in non-Corona times in droves lures to readings and lets booksellers celebrate.
In the APA interview, Aichner told why non-crime readers should read his new novel, why he has which writing style and which “brand extensions” in the Aichner universe could soon be in the house.
APA: Mr. Aichner, how would you make your new book attractive to non-crime readers?
Bernhard Aichner: It’s a criminal case and at the same time a very private story. The hero of the story is a press photographer. It has to do with murder and manslaughter. His daughter was kidnapped when she was four months old. For non-thriller readers, it is a very emotional book that you can also feel a lot. It’s not really bloody either, but very nasty.
APA: How does the character David Bronski differ from the previous crime fiction protagonists in your books?
Aichner: There is more of a certain continuity. They all have in common that they have something to do with death professionally.
APA: Do you also draw from your previous work as a press photographer for the Bronski character?
Aichner: Yes, of course. Fortunately, however, I rarely had to go to the seriously injured or dead. But the protagonist has to do with it. He practically lives on death. Actually, that should make him almost unsympathetic. But he has many wounds that also play an important role in the book.
APA: Will you keep this character busy for the next few years?
Aichner: Yes, the next volume has already been written. I’m currently writing the third volume and I already have plans for the next volumes. I already have titles by the sixth part. I’m just thinking about what will happen in the fourth part.
APA: The new novel also features the typical Aichner style – with short sentences and minimalism of language.
Aichner: It took me a long time to grow so that I could do that. I wanted to find a form and a language that was reduced to the bare essentials. My aim is to appeal to the readers’ imaginations in the best possible way. Every reader can imagine my characters differently.
APA: How is it then to see your characters in film and series in concrete terms, so to speak?
Aichner: That was and is very exciting. I am also increasingly interested in writing scripts, if not for film adaptations of my own novels. The first time I was on a film set was the filming of the Broll crime thriller. Harald Sicherheitsitz took me by the hand straight away and has been introducing me to the art of screenwriting as a mentor for a year and a half. I really enjoy it and definitely want more.
APA: Aichner now also stands for a certain style and certain topics, has become a kind of brand. Is a “brand expansion” and a genre change coming soon?
Aichner: Changing genres is definitely an exciting thing. A script is even more reduced than a novel. 100 pages of script are really very scarce. I need a lot less for that. I can leave out a lot of what is then simply played by the actors.
APA: What can your fans expect from you in the future?
Aichner: First of all, it’s nice that there are many thousands of people waiting for a new book from me. I stay true to myself, my style, my genre and my profession, except for a few possible detours.
APA: Speaking of detours: What paths did you find for yourself as a writer in times of Corona without readings?
Aichner: I usually write a book every year. In Corona times, I was even more diligent and wrote even more. I still mainly sit at my desk and write three to four hours a day. I also completely skipped online readings. I like the contact with my readers. I am eagerly waiting for it to be possible to read again.
(Interview conducted by Markus Stegmayr / APA)
(SERVICE – Bernhard Aichner: “Dunkelkammer”, btb Verlag, 352 pages, 17.50 euros, publication date: March 22nd)