Johanna Grillmayer: "A Good Man" and Hubert Weinheimer: "Circus Morgana"

JOHANNA GRILLMAYER, born in 1974 in Vienna, where she still lives with her family today. She completed her studies in history at the University of Vienna and works as an editor at ORF. Her most recent publications include: "A Safe Place," 2024, and "That’s Life in Dystopia," 2023.
About the book: It is the year 20 after the mysterious "event" that wiped out most of humanity. This occurred in the first volume "That’s Life in Dystopia" of Johanna Grillmayer's trilogy and presented a small group of survivors, led by Jola, with the challenge of rebuilding their existence. They were in their early twenties then, and now they have crossed into their forties. The fact that the now almost adult children are experimenting with sex, love, and vocational training does not exactly contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. A brutal attack forces village chief Em into a terrible choice. And Jola must come to terms with what makes a good man and which one her love is meant for... (Publisher's text)
HUBERT WEINHEIMER, born in 1983 in Upper Austria. Has lived in Vienna since 2003. Studied sociology. In 2007, he founded the band "Das Trojanische Pferd," with which he has released five albums to date. He is an author, actor, and musician in various theater productions. His most recent publication: "Gui Gui or the Feasibility of the World," 2014.
About the book: A computer program has its hands full, especially one that is sent through the systems as a data cleaner to fix glitches, or errors. The program developed by computer scientist Kristin is called "Version 8.03"; it ominously names itself "Sisyphus." When Sisyphus realizes that there is a "tangible world" beyond its boundaries, it wants to lift this curtain. It creates its human alter ego: Peter Kaltenbacher, once responsible for keeping the family of an alcoholic parent afloat, now a structural engineer at TU Vienna. When a circus comes to town, Peter joins it, a wonderful "world of cotton candy, worn-out trailers, prehistoric circuits, and camel dung" – but above all because of the trapeze artist Jana Morgana. Things take their course until suddenly a loud, sonorous rumbling arises... (Publisher's text)