KF: I've always wanted to write a series. I conceived the idea for The Studytrain a few years back. It was a concept, scribbled on a piece of paper. No more than a few lines really: what if there would be a flying train that would take average teenagers on board, show them the world and turn them into world leaders?

The reason why I was so passionate to write it stems from my own life-experience... I have traveled a lot thanks to my job. It taught me that all cultures in the world are valuable, however big or small; and that people are more alike than we think. It is my firm believe that when youngster pick this up (by traveling around the world) it will make the world a better place.

This is in itself a heavy and "loaded" idea, so I packaged it in a magical fiction story, filled with adventure, spread over various volumes. And it turned out good if I may believe the reviews I got so far.

How long have you been writing?

KF: I started writing at young age. First lyrics (I played guitar in various bands as of the age of 13), the poems (or what I thought was "poetry" at the time; to express my emotions). When I was 16 I wrote short stories, philosophical essays, and some children's fantasy novels. I continued writing until I was in university but didn't really do much with it.

Just kept it all in a drawer. It wasn't until my second wife and life-partner motivated me to pick it up again. What really turned out to be the pivotal point in my writing was the birth of my first daughter. All of a sudden it seemed like a great idea to one day have her read my stories. It also gave me a lot of creative ideas. That is now 4 years ago.

Ever since, I've been writing regularly. I consider writing my #1 hobby. So I write whenever I can. And I gathered my courage to look for publishers. It was painful at first, but after a while I found some people in The Netherlands that believed in me. And so, my life as an author started; in 2008.

Are your characters in StudyTrain based off any real life people?

KF: I've build all the characters as fictional persons. Of course, you can't avoid bringing in some characteristics of people around you in some of them. But in essence it remains a full fictitious story.

The StudyTrain is filled with magic, drama, adventure; aiming at young adults age 13-16. (But adults like the story too).

What authors inspire you? What books changed your life?

KF:This is a wonderful question. There are so many books that shaped my life, thinking and writing. The most important ones are:

Animal Farm

Animal Farm is an extraordinary novel by George Orwell, published in England in 1945. I had to read this in school and hated it. Now, while reading old classics again I discovered the greatness of this work. What a WONDERFUL story. Only now do I realize the analogies in the book : the Stalin era with all its actors. This is a book you can really enjoy as an adult. I read it in one single day! Swallowed it so to speak.
You'll discover a lot of truths in it.

The Count of Monte Cristo

Now here's a book I loved as a kid. An intriguing story. Hero-to-zero-and-back! One of my favorite re-reads. The story covers France, Italy, the Mediterranean and Levant in the early 1800s. The plot is amazing. As a reader you swing past hatred and hope, vengeance and mercy, forgiveness, love and death. Amazing. It is one of Alexandre Dumas' greatest books (he is also the author of Three Musketeers)

Don Quixote

Who doesn't know the famous expression "fighting the windmills"? Well Cervantes, in his book Don Quixote is the one that launched it. I actually read it in old Dutch... what a delight! The adventures of self-proclaimed knight Don Quixote and his loyal but stupid servant are just hilarious. Brilliantly written!

The Celestine Prophecy

Nothing less than life-changing, eye opening. This was a book that completed my "search" for the meaning of life, 10 years ago. Everything in this well-written novel makes sense! It makes you think. And it actually makes you appreciate

The Warrior Inside

I don't necessarily admire legendary Kung Fu founder Bruce Lee for his martial arts skills, but rather for his philosophies. His biography "The Warrior Inside" is one of my all-time-high books; I reread it every year.

What are you currently reading?

KF: I just re-read "THE LITTLE PRINCE" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Now, here's a book I haven't read in like 20 odd years. What a marvel. What a marvel. It has real depth, speaks so well to the imagination, and is powerful by the sheer simplicity. It's a book that has warmth and it really touched me. What strikes me most about it, is the things that we DON'T see anymore as adults. This idea is beautifully being brought forward. I was really thrilled to re-discover this piece of art - because that's what it is. Next on my list is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. In all honesty, I'm not dying to read it; I really just want to find out for myself what all the fuss is about around this book.


**More on Kurt's writing and books on: http://www.kurtfrenier.webs.com/ and he welcomes email at Reviews for the StudyTrain can be found on: