Where are you from?
I am from Ljubljana, Slovenia. I am journalist, TV host and publisher.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I am first and foremost a journalist. However, after I wrote my first book called Dangerous Liaisons of Naked Slovenia in 2002, which went on to become a national bestseller, I’ve come to consider myself as a publisher as well.
What inspired you to write Melania Trump – The Inside Story?
Melania Trump is the most famous Slovenian in the world today. In a way she could be considered as a brand. But despite that there isn’t much information about her or her family, even though they’ve all been living in the States for quite some time. I would even go as far as saying that a lot of information that is known about her is either inaccurate or strategically placed. Not just in America but in Slovenia as well. That was my inspiration from the book.
Apart from that, as mentioned I’m a published and well read author in Slovenia already, but my desire was to try and breakthrough to a foreign, global market as well. And the story about Melania Trump, the potential First Lady of USA, was the perfect opportunity for that.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Most people would say that I do, yes. I personally consider it more of a journalistic style of writing.
How did you come up with the title?
Melania Trump: The inside Story seemed like an obvious choice, considering we were writing a biography about a personality about whom not much is know yet. The second part of the title simply refers to the history of her background, it is there to provide a historical context.
How much of the book is realistic?
Everything is realistic. All the information in the unauthorized biography is accurate.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Biographies and non-fiction works of great historical and contemporary figures.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I would say Ernest Hemingway. In part because of his lifestyle, even if we are talking about an entirely different era and time.
What book are you reading now?
Hoodwinking Churchill, Tito’s Great Confidence Trick. It was written by a British journalist Peter Batty. When I’m finished with this, I’m planning on reading Amazon by Brad Stone. It’s a story about Jeff Bezos, CEO and founder of Amazon.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
There are always little things we could change, but I think of every book as as a product of its time and the specific context it was written in. I am considering a sequel though.
Who designed the covers?
The covers were designed by a talented duo Hercog-Martini from Ljubljana; they’ve won several design awards and both Mateja and Nina are very good acquaintances of mine. They’ve also designed books written by my co-author Igor Omerza.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Mostly the pressure of getting the book out in time and the fact that it’s very politically relevant in this very moment due to the presidential campaign.
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