Team Interview: Anja Stephan

Please introduce yourself.

I’m Anja, I’m old enough, and I recently moved to Ireland with my two children. I’m a psychologist, writer (contemporary fantasy & steampunk), ghostwriter, geek since forever, and (again) studying at DCU. I have a great love for anime and manga, Star Trek, and science. I celebrate cinema with lots of popcorn and coke. ProGamer since the Amiga 600.

Why are you part of the MetropolCon team?

I would be pretty stupid to miss this chance.

It’s Saturday night at a con: Where can you be found?

At the buffet, where else? Seriously, you don’t want to let me go hungry.

What are your wishes for the future of the speculative genres, particularly in Germany?

New and above all original ideas. German speculative fiction is not evolving; the same people have been writing the same stories for years. I’d like to see more recognition of the genre as a vital part of literature and more interest from publishers to publish good spec fic, instead of just scrubbing and pulping more and more.

Best fictional sidekick of all time?

Nightingale (Ben Aaronovitch, Rivers of London).

You just won a week-long trip to a fantasy/SF world of your choice: Where will you go?

Kiki’s Little Delivery Service. I’m a witch and I bake enchanted cakes. Incidentally, I’m also my own best customer.

One work of speculative fiction (whether book or film or series or game) you would strongly recommend we all check out?

The little Stranger (Sarah Waters), both book and film. It didn’t get any attention in Germany, but it’s such a good poltergeist story. Read it!