'My mother's death was the beginning of my writing'

'Exciting and accessible, with great tragic content and an unexpected and poignant ending'. With those words, writer Jan Vantoortelboom was awarded the Zeeland Book Prize last week. A Quattro Mani visited him in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and talked to him about his novel De man die haast had. 'I have grown as a writer.'

Writing House

'The Tortel's Nest' reads on the hand-painted sign against the dark stained wooden house in his yard. Next to the door hangs a triangular...