Mr. Stejskal is the author of the children's series "Oliver and Jumpy" for small to primary school aged children. The Oliver stories started out with YouTube clips and are now available as picture books as well. Werner's involvement in "Oliver and Jumpy" is only the latest project in a very interesting life.
He was born in Vienna, Austria very soon after the Second World War. Being a single child for 11 years before a younger brother arrived, influenced his character greatly. He had lived very much by himself, and was an avid reader in his spare time. During his apprenticeship in the printing industry, he became interested in travelling and corresponding with pen-friends. This was still the time without emails, and when an international phone call could cost a week's wages. So people still wrote snail mail letters called aerograms.
There was this German pen-pals magazine, where you could advertise to find a pen friend. Werner was 18 years old and had saved some money with the intention of seeing some of his pen-pals in the Far East. After meeting a girl in Singapore, he had to make an important decision. One night sitting at the harbour looking out at the ships, he took stock of his financial situation. There was just enough money to either bring him back home or to continue on to Hong Kong and meet another pen-friend. Unfortunately not enough funds to return home after that! Werner made then one of those life changing decisions. He wanted to meet the Hong Kong girl before everything else. The money question would be settled later.
He did meet his future wife and stayed in HK for three weeks. The Austrian consulate helped him out for the time until the money arrived from his parents for the return journey. His mother had to borrow funds from the bank for her son's adventure! Werner had, of course, fallen in love with Cynthia and vowed to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible. At that time a return flight from Europe to Asia did cost nearly a year's wages!
He returned to Austria sick with hepatitis. It took him 18 months to recover and save sufficient money to make another epic voyage over Siberia and Japan to Hong Kong. There he married his pen-pal after six months. Later, the pair went to Austria and lived there for nine months. By that time both had applied and received Australian immigration visas.
Travelling partly overland and partly by air, they finally arrived in Sydney 1969. Both started working within two weeks of their arrival and saved up to buy a house, which was built one year later. After living over three years in Australia, Werner and Cynthia wanted to start a family and went back to Vienna.
They were very lucky with the exchange rates, enabling them to buy land and subsequently start building a house. In Europe it is quite common that the extended family joins forces to help building a home. This first place took five years to build, which was longer than expected. During this time they lost their first-born son, Thomas, shortly after birth, but had the house ready to move in when their second son, Philip, was born.
While building, Werner had to join the National Service for 8 months. Their daughter, Linda, was born 15 months after Philip. Werner worked for the UN in Vienna and Cynthia for Hewlet Packard. Life was good. Considering all the experience gained by building their first house, they decided to build a second one.
Werner and Cynthia had again applied several times for immigration visas to return to Australia, but without success. They kept trying and in 1987 were suddenly given the green light. This time the destination was Perth, a town they had visited before and liked very much.
The Stejskal's had already purchased a house on their previous visit and were able to move in quickly. Both were working part time. Cynthia in cosmetics and Werner in the printing industry. This made it possible for them to dedicate more time to their two children.
Two years later a new house was built, where they lived for more than 14 years. During that time their daughter, Linda became a graphic artist and their son Philip an architect.
Eventually Werner and Cynthia were involved in Network Marketing and decided to involve the fledgling Internet as a selling tool, which became a viable alternative in the late 90th. They were able to build a fairly large business working from home. After a few good years, bad exchange rates and fierce competition made it unviable. Now real estate investing took over.
In 2012, while coming back from Europe, Werner watched a movie on board the plane starring Morgan Freeman: The Magic of Belle Isle. In this lovely little film, Freeman is playing a down and out drunk writer, who spends time in a holiday village. In the neighbouring house lives a lady with three kids. The younger girl would like to learn how to write stories. She asks the writer to teach her and finally writes her first story after learning to have "imagination"! This movie left a big impression on Werner, and when arriving home, all worn out from a West to East flight, he had a sleepless night. During those hours "Oliver and Jumpy" was inspired and born. The next morning he wrote the first adventure story and the rest is history. With the all important help of several illustrators, this series of animal stories is finally providing enjoyment to countless little people.
He was born in Vienna, Austria very soon after the Second World War. Being a single child for 11 years before a younger brother arrived, influenced his character greatly. He had lived very much by himself, and was an avid reader in his spare time. During his apprenticeship in the printing industry, he became interested in travelling and corresponding with pen-friends. This was still the time without emails, and when an international phone call could cost a week's wages. So people still wrote snail mail letters called aerograms.
There was this German pen-pals magazine, where you could advertise to find a pen friend. Werner was 18 years old and had saved some money with the intention of seeing some of his pen-pals in the Far East. After meeting a girl in Singapore, he had to make an important decision. One night sitting at the harbour looking out at the ships, he took stock of his financial situation. There was just enough money to either bring him back home or to continue on to Hong Kong and meet another pen-friend. Unfortunately not enough funds to return home after that! Werner made then one of those life changing decisions. He wanted to meet the Hong Kong girl before everything else. The money question would be settled later.
He did meet his future wife and stayed in HK for three weeks. The Austrian consulate helped him out for the time until the money arrived from his parents for the return journey. His mother had to borrow funds from the bank for her son's adventure! Werner had, of course, fallen in love with Cynthia and vowed to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible. At that time a return flight from Europe to Asia did cost nearly a year's wages!
He returned to Austria sick with hepatitis. It took him 18 months to recover and save sufficient money to make another epic voyage over Siberia and Japan to Hong Kong. There he married his pen-pal after six months. Later, the pair went to Austria and lived there for nine months. By that time both had applied and received Australian immigration visas.
Travelling partly overland and partly by air, they finally arrived in Sydney 1969. Both started working within two weeks of their arrival and saved up to buy a house, which was built one year later. After living over three years in Australia, Werner and Cynthia wanted to start a family and went back to Vienna.
They were very lucky with the exchange rates, enabling them to buy land and subsequently start building a house. In Europe it is quite common that the extended family joins forces to help building a home. This first place took five years to build, which was longer than expected. During this time they lost their first-born son, Thomas, shortly after birth, but had the house ready to move in when their second son, Philip, was born.
While building, Werner had to join the National Service for 8 months. Their daughter, Linda, was born 15 months after Philip. Werner worked for the UN in Vienna and Cynthia for Hewlet Packard. Life was good. Considering all the experience gained by building their first house, they decided to build a second one.
Werner and Cynthia had again applied several times for immigration visas to return to Australia, but without success. They kept trying and in 1987 were suddenly given the green light. This time the destination was Perth, a town they had visited before and liked very much.
The Stejskal's had already purchased a house on their previous visit and were able to move in quickly. Both were working part time. Cynthia in cosmetics and Werner in the printing industry. This made it possible for them to dedicate more time to their two children.
Two years later a new house was built, where they lived for more than 14 years. During that time their daughter, Linda became a graphic artist and their son Philip an architect.
Eventually Werner and Cynthia were involved in Network Marketing and decided to involve the fledgling Internet as a selling tool, which became a viable alternative in the late 90th. They were able to build a fairly large business working from home. After a few good years, bad exchange rates and fierce competition made it unviable. Now real estate investing took over.
In 2012, while coming back from Europe, Werner watched a movie on board the plane starring Morgan Freeman: The Magic of Belle Isle. In this lovely little film, Freeman is playing a down and out drunk writer, who spends time in a holiday village. In the neighbouring house lives a lady with three kids. The younger girl would like to learn how to write stories. She asks the writer to teach her and finally writes her first story after learning to have "imagination"! This movie left a big impression on Werner, and when arriving home, all worn out from a West to East flight, he had a sleepless night. During those hours "Oliver and Jumpy" was inspired and born. The next morning he wrote the first adventure story and the rest is history. With the all important help of several illustrators, this series of animal stories is finally providing enjoyment to countless little people.