Zauberer Zettelwitz

The book Zettelwitz is online

2008-07-16T03:29:00.000-07:00

The complete Zauberer Zettelwitz - Zettelwitz the wizard is online.
Read it here.
I appreciate your feed-back!

King Kalinko's manor is also shown online.
This landmark is situated at Stellenbosch in South Africa and is a work of art, designed by the architect Aardt Bijl.

The Dutch wood merchant Kees Bruynzeel had it built in 1962. He was not only a lover of wood, but also of the sea and sailing ships. With this house he created a monument to sailing.

The hyperbolic paraboloid of the roof calls to mind an enormous sun sail on a yacht, which seems to float in the air. It is lined with precious yellow wood and the roof never touches the walls directly, but is resting on windows.

Kalinko has been living here with his family, dogs and cats for nearly 29 years.
(Painting by Hérine Fourie)

Recent feedback on Zettelwitz the wizard

2008-07-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.
W. Somerset Maugham

Very true, I asked for 'frank opinions', but was very relieved to get so many compliments:)

- I have read Zettelwitz with interest and enjoyment -- the concept is original, and it is executed wittily and inventively. I should think that children would find it both entertaining and instructive. I do hope your book is very successful.
Michiel Heyns, July 2008

It's really great. The theme is original, the story exciting and the whole work can be appreciated on many different levels (a characteristic of great literature!)
- As for the question of the alcohol consumption and drunkenness, my suggestion is leave it as it is. It reflects an aspect of life that is everyday (for many) and not frightening or otherwise unwholesome.
- I suggest you retain the film rights when the book is accepted, for it would make a great children's film (cartoon, probably).
- The language and some of the vocabulary are advanced. But that does not matter, for the story is very clear indeed and can be fully appreciated by the least sophisticated readers (or more likely they will have the story read to them).
- Little by little the more intelligent 'readers', when they reread it, will find more to understand, for there are some subtleties in the narration. They will ask for explanations of some of the words and some of the descriptions. This will add to its value for them.
- The prose translation is clearly very good.
Sinclair Wynchank, May 2008

What a clever concept! I think this book would be super for learners aged 9 to 11. The range of vocabulary is amazing and the children would be extending their command of English and having fun at the same time.
I thought Chapter 2 was particularly strong because there were several examples of sentences beginning with silent 'k'. This is a concept I have always struggled to teach.
The rhymes are strong and could steer learners towards writing poetry themselves. The humour is engaging too. Towards the end, the sentence, 'If the house isn't right, you can always change it', made me smile.
I thought the happy ending was a tour de force and the alphabetical; list of the delicious food made me ravenous. Congratulations on creating a book that works on so many levels.
Elaine Kirkland, primary school teacher with over 30 years experience

Reading the story for the third time, I found it enjoyable, especially with the illustrations. I was unsure about the age of the readers. Introducing the many new adjectives would be interesting and challenging – especially so with the way the letters of the alphabet were grouped.
I hope it is a successful book, and I certainly enjoyed the happy celebration at the end.
M. Taylor (retired school teacher)

What a delightful book!
WHO on earth is the person who thought of it as too risky? An alien?
Riana Scheepers

7 Tower

2008-05-30T01:43:00.000-07:00

Do you disapprove of drunkenness in a children's book?
Please give me your opinion.

The tower where the treacherous wizard lives lies in a trackless taiga. Tall thin trees grow there. Trolls and troublesome imps tramp through the shadows.
Beyond the troubled waters of a tarn grow a thicket of thorn trees.
A tawny owl tu-whit-tu-whos near the tower and a bittern tiptoes at the water's edge, scaring the toads.
Zettelwitz the wizard is hurrying home. He’s terribly angry because the king escaped. He opens the door with a clatter and treads heavily up the stairs to the top of the tower.
Zettel pours himself a drink from a bottle. He sits at the table and stares at his tot of tequila, tongue-tied.
How can I stop the king pestering me? he wonders.
I'll just have to work better and faster on those transformations.
From time to time he tips some more out of the bottle. Before long he’s totally intoxicated.

His tower can be seen from a long way away. The turrets on top make it look like a T. The tipsy wizard decides to try another trick. He totters towards his magic wand.
The magic wand can tell what its master has in mind.
"Don’t be silly! You won’t have anywhere to live!"
"That’s enough of your tomfoolery, you twittering twig", mutters Zettelwitz.

Tittle, tattle, tosh and prattle – Tower, become a T!
A TWIRLING TORNADO TWISTS AROUND THE TOWER!
A TOOTING LIKE A THOUSAND TRUMPETS! A THUNDERING FLASH!

The tower has tumbled down, and all that’s left is a T!
"Tell me how many letters I’ve got now!"
"Seven", answers the magic wand.

Toppling this tower can’t be right
Where will old Zettel sleep tonight?
He took a wrong turn on his trail,
A tippling wizard – a tragic tale!

Looking for a publisher for your children's book?

2008-05-29T22:08:00.001-07:00

I am. For the German original and the English version, brilliantly translated by Alison Kirkland (www.proz.com/profile/770261).

But it is no use to send printed manuscripts to publishers, even if they insist on it in their website. It is a waste of paper (and trees). Publishers are inundated by offers for children's books. If at all, the overworked editors will skim only the first 2 pages. This is not a good basis for deciding whether a book merits printing.
The problem is, publishers are so hectic, they don't even read their mail properly.

What I might do is offer them my help as a reliable and thorough free-lance editor of manuscripts (small fee for success only) on the condition that they read my manuscript properly:)
You see, my son turned "Zauberer Zettelwitz" into 15 photo-books for the family and they all showed it around, to their doctors, teacher's of their children and friends.
Result: An excellent feed-back!
There was only one teacher in Southern Bavaria, who didn't like the 'ravishing lady, round in all the right places' :) and the drinking (Zettelwitz is so furious that the king escaped he gets drunk and destroys his tower. Well, if a publisher insists, I can tone this down.)

Also, I am going to place the full Zettelwitz into the web.
Some well known authors have started to load their books into the web and the sales went up considerably. Buying the book or CD is cheaper (and nicer) than printing out such a long text on your home printer.

Zettelwitz the wizard

2008-05-29T21:22:00.000-07:00

Do you know that you are doing your children a favour by reading them texts with an unusual vocabulary? Even a two-year old toddler has the ability to learn 10 new words a day, no matter how long or out of the ordinary - they take them in their stride, in fact they prefer them to simple words.

Zettelwitz the wizard
is a crafty sorcerer, who likes to transform unfortunate creatures and things into their capital letters. However, magic rules require that they somehow resemble the letter. Zettelwitz is fanatical about collecting the whole alphabet. He does not get away with it easily, as some of his victims put up a fight. They chase him, beat him up and catch him, but he manages to escape more than once. Zettelwitz is in love with beautiful Ronya - so how will all this end?
Here is an exciting story, which you will find captivating - no matter your age.

Read this story for yourself or to your children.
Let them have fun with the animations or finding the principal letters by themselves.
Teach them to read, write and count.
Practise your language skills!