Marcin Wroński blogs about Chartres (2)

At the beginning of my stay in Chartres I did not think much of the cathedral. I found it to big, to overwhelming, filled with tourists instead of believers. I still think it’s true, but the cathedral is not to be blamed. Therefore today, as an old resident, when my visit to Chartres is drawing to an end, I herby solemnly swallow all my bitter comments... [read more: English, Dutch, French, Polish]

Marcin Wroński blogs about Chartres (1)

For a couple of days now I’ve been trying to get down to some honest work, some quality time with my keyboard. But the cloudless blue sky invading my room uninvited through the window is stronger, I give up and go out to stroll around the city. And it seems as if Chartres enjoys being watched by me, because, even though I know maybe ten words in French (including a few indecent ones), I feel completely at home here... [read more: English, Dutch, French, Polish]

Chartres is like a book

"L'Echo Republicain" (Chartres, France) says today about the Marcin Wronki's meeting with French readers (text by Basem Shalabi).

“Commissar Maciejewski” on Youtube

“Commissar Maciejewski” – it is, of course, a series of retro crime novels from Lublin of the 1930's and 40's but it is also a historical picture of ‘statistic Poland’ which is not a capital, not a far province and not a holiday resort. I am playing with the true history and a crime story, however, looking for historical details and my own roofs is most important for me as a writer. I am trying to see this Polish-Jewish city from 80 years ago which I could see never and nowhere. I am writing about it and I am happy because I am meeting many readers, historians and history fans interested in the same. They say that I should write new novels about Maciejewski and old Lublin, so I am doing it seeing the sense of my work.

Marcin Wroński

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Marcin Wroński is going to Chartres, France

At 10th March 2012 Marcin Wroński starts his residence in Chartres as one of artists in Citybooks project. You may expect a new short story about this beautiful city, some interviews and if you will be in Chartres, we would like to invite you to the Library L'apostrophe on Satuday 24 March 2012 at 11 o’clock for the public meeting with the author. During the event Emmanuel Ray, an actor of the 'Théâtre en Pièces', will read a fragment of “The Flying Coffin”, the latest novel by Marcin Wroński. Moderator: Thierry Plantegenet.

"The Flying Coffin" - posters and banners

The first meeting with "The Flying Coffin"

Yesterday, at 29th March 2012, nearly 200 readers and fans of Marcin Wroński met with him in the Old Town Hall in Lublin, Poland. The author, during the public interview with the moderator Józef Szopiński (Radio Lublin), was talking about his latest novel "The Flying Coffin", which fragments were be reading by Jacek Brzeziński ('Provisorium' Theatre), and was answering the questions of the audience. On the photos by Gazeta.pl you can see a historical reconstruction's group wearing uniforms the pre-war Polish Police, post-war Internal Security Corps (KBW) and Soviet NKVD like in new retro crime by Marcin Wroński.

During the event the author was awarded the Medal of the Mayor of Lublin.

Crime for the winter 2011

W.A.B. Publishing House recommends three crime novels and one thriller by Marcin Wroński. You can see more on pages 36-40.

Commissioner Maciejewski: Cinema Venus

We are presenting with pleasure a fragment of "Cinema Venus" by Marcin Wroński from the catalogue of Polish Book Institute translateted into English:

Bio

Marcin Wroński (1972, Lublin, Poland) studied Polish literature and language at the Catholic University of Lublin. Before devoting himself wholeheartedly to becoming a writer he worked as a columnist, a radio journalist, a secondary school teacher and an editor at various Polish publishing houses.

Wroński’s debut book appeared in 1992. Since then he has published six novels. He has also written countless short stories and articles, cabaret sketches, essays and plays. Wroński combines literary tradition with elements from mass culture in his work, whereby the complex Polish-Jewish-Russian-German history of his native city of Lublin often plays a role in the background.

In Poland he is known mainly as the author of historic crime fiction with Police Commissioner Zygmunt Maciejewski as the main character. Up until now he has published in this series Morderstwo pod cenzurą ("Murder Under Censorship", 2007), Kino Venus ("Cinema Venus", 2008), A na imię jej będzie Aniela ("And She Shall Be Called Aniela", 2011) and Skrzydlata trumna ("The Flying Coffin", 2012). Wroński also wrote a political thriller about today’s Poland: Officium Secretum. Pies Pański ("Officium Secretum. Domini Cane", 2010). Morderstwo pod cenzurą, Kino Venus and Officium Secretum were nominated to the ‘Great Calibre Prize’ (the most prestigious prize for authors of crime fiction in Poland). The Russian rights for these books were sold to Gesharim/Bridges of Culture Publishing in Moscow. Studio Kalejdoskop, a Polish production company, has bought the film rights. In 2009 Marcin Wroński was awarded the honorary title of Bene Meritus Terrae Lublinensi (Meritiorious for Lublin's Region) for the way in which he managed to conjure up the history of Lublin in his novels about 'Zyggie' Maciejewski. In 2012 he was awarded the Medal of the Mayor of Lublin.

The author is actually writing the 5th retro crime with Maciejewski Pogrom w przyszły wtorek ("Pogrom on the Next Tuesday") and he is working on screenplays based on his novels.

Other bios:

• The "Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre” Centre (in Polish)
• Wikipedia (in Polish)
• Citybooks project: in French, Dutch