Rock Dreams

Titelbild zum Artikel „Ich spiele keine Instrument“ von Michael Sell.
English News

I Don’t Play An Instrument

After “Rock Dreams,” people ask me what instrument I play. The answer surprises them: none. I’ve never played in a band, never stood on stage.
Why do readers believe me about the music scene anyway? Because technical accuracy is not the same as emotional truth. And because a friend who knows the scene told me about every scene, “This is much more harmless than reality.”
About doing research, pretending to be something you’re not, and what kind of expertise a novel really needs.

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15. January 2026
Titelbild zum Artikel „Wenn Dialog zur Flucht wird – über das Schreiben innerer Konflikte“.
English News

When dialogue becomes escape—writing about inner conflicts

In “Rock Dreams”, there is one scene that caused me more headaches than any other during the editing process: Tom is sitting on a park bench after the concert. He has just been humiliated on stage, is wearing a collar he cannot open, and is completely devastated. It is when everything falls apart.

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5. January 2026
Cover image for the article “Between snow, light, and a fleeting moment.” The left half of the image shows a winter scene in the city center. On the snow-covered Paradeplatz in Zurich, a tram stands on the left, while people in winter clothing can be seen on the right and in the center. The sky is dark, suggesting that it is evening. Illuminated windows in the houses, the tram, and Christmas lights above the street lend the scene a cozy atmosphere. On the right side of the image, the title of the article, “Between snow, light, and a fleeting moment,” is written in capital letters and sans serif font. Photo © iStock.com/Rafael_Wiedenmeier
English News

Between Snow, Light, And A Fleeting Moment

Rock Dreams is now almost a year old. I wanted to share something with you: a little scene with Tom Born. Not part of the novel, more like a glimpse from the sidelines.
Thank you for accompanying Rock Dreams for almost a year. I wish you a warm, peaceful Advent season.

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4. December 2025
Titelbild zum Artikel „Spiegelbilder – Was wir in anderen sehen“. Zu sehen ist ein bewölkter Himmel über einem See. Am Ufer links und rechts ist zum Hintergrund zulaufend Wald zu sehen. Im Vordergrund steht eine Person am Ufer, von der nur die Silhouette zu sehen ist.
English News

Reflections: What We See In Others

Last week on the train to Zurich, a woman diagonally across from me in the next compartment laughed loudly–uninhibitedly, freely. I catch myself staring at her. Not because she’s too loud. But because I’m jealous. Jealous of this lightheartedness that I don’t allow myself.

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5. November 2025
Titelbild zum Artikel „Ferienzeit – Zeit zum Nachdenken“. Zu sehen ist ein bewölkter Himmel über einer See, die zum Ufer hin mit weiß-schäumenden Wellen heranrollt. In das bewegte Gewässer ragen von links her hölzerne Stege.
English News

Holiday season – time to reflect

Summer is slowly coming to an end, the light is changing, the days are becoming quieter. Between the sea, reflection, and new beginnings, space emerges for stories – a good moment to continue projects and plan new paths.

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15. September 2025
Cover picture for the article “Stay authentic - even when it hurts” by Michael Sell.
English News

Stay Authentic – Even When It Hurts

“Maybe that’s all we can do: not stay perfect. But sincere.”
My new reflection on Rock Dreams is not about fame, but about fragility.
Tom, frontman of The Cry, loses himself in a silent power struggle. Not with the world – but with himself.
What remains when you stop fighting back? And what happens when someone else starts to reshape you?
I accompanied Tom for a long time – and learned a lot about him during the crisis. And perhaps also about us.

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16. April 2025
Cover picture for the article “Behind the scenes of ‘Rock Dreams’” by Michael Sell.
English News

Behind the scenes of “Rock Dreams”

I’ve always believed that music is a language that connects people. With Rock Dreams, I wanted to show what’s behind this language – the struggles, the passion and the moments that change everything.

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6. January 2025