Janja Vidmar

Janja Vidmar was born early enough in the history of her homeland to live through two subsequent countries and under four presidents, yet late enough to be under the spell of rock and roll that dictates the rhythm of her writing.

Unless a nearby vineyards-covered hill comes down around her ears, she’ll remain for the time being a thorn in the side of various apologists for the catechism, adapted for everyday use.

Through her contemporary issues oriented works this winner of international and domestic literary awards engages young readers in individual exploration of important ethical questions.

Meager writers’ fees, a teenage daughter and obese tomcats provide her with excellent working and creative conditions in her home town of Maribor.

Janja Vidmar's youth and YA works fall into six prose literary genres: socio-psychological novels (Baraba, Debeluška, Princeska z napako, V imenu ljubezni, Vsiljivka, Fantje iz gline, Zoo, Nimaš pojma, Uspavanka za mladega očka), socio-psychological narratives (Matic je kaznovan, Matic v bolnišnici, Matic prespi pri prijatelju, Matic je zaljubljen, Moja Nina, Prijatelja, Sence poletja, Punce za znoret, Smetiščni dnevnik, Na vroči sceni, Superzvezda, V imenu ljubezni, Manca&rock), adventure realistic stories (Zala Zgaga, Junaki petega razreda, Druščina iz šestega b, Moj prijatelj Arnold, Peklenske počitnice, Potovanje groze), horror stories (Krvava legenda, Hiša groze, Stvor, Otok smrti, Obrazi, Izgubljena avtocesta, Furija, Klovn iz Strahovskega Dola), short realistic prose (Bučko Superga) and fantastic narratives (Aknožer, Leteči krožnik na našem vrtu, Čudni vitez, Vrtiljak čudežev, Zgaga in mesto lutk, Zgaga in mačje oko).

Vidmars works feature sudden twists, and troubled characters are commonly in conflict with the environment, stories however usually do have a happy ending.

Urša is adaptable enough to pretend she is accepting the offered help and even behaves as if she plans to live healthily, but all that is just a front, because deep inside she will always think of herself as a – fatty.

Elvis is a lover who doesn't stand a chance with girls, an inventor whose inventions are useless and a babysitter whose wards have to babysit themselves.

The story, in a way a sequel to Princess with a Flaw (1998), is set in the time of Yugoslav Wars and portray a young Bosnian refugee Fatima in Germany, assigned to a legal guardian, Mueller.

Mueller goes back and reads Carsten's suicide note and the diary entries that describe the genocide.