ActuSF: Hello. Could you introduce yourself to our reader?
Anders Fager: This is the worst part. Hi. I wish I had some dashing reply to this, but I don’t. I’m Swedish. I write horror fiction. And anything else that pays. I’m 52 and I live in Stockholm. Before I became a writer I’ve had all kinds of jobs, some of them in the gaming industry. I’m very happily married and a very cheerful person. The first time I met my agent she expected me to show up looking like some middle aged Marilyn Mason-clone, leather coat and chains and heroin-chic girlfriend. She was mistaken.
Did I miss anything?
ActuSF: In France, we know little about Swedish fantasy and science-fiction literatures. Are these genres very "mainstream" or are they more a sort of niche genres?
Anders Fager: Just like everywhere else the niche genres are becoming more and more mainstream here. (Anyone who doubts that can check out the ratings for The Walking Dead or how many of the top 10 grossing movies in 2015 that had “fantastic” subjects in one way or another. The ones that fail to see that usually so embedded in niche culture that they are afraid of “being swallowed” by the mainstream. )
Otherwise I think there are two major differences between the French and Swedish scenes. You guys have a huge national comic book culture that is probably unique in the world. We have nothing like it. Most Swedes (along with the dutch) are bi-lingual at twelve, which makes for a very anglo-american mindset. We make Minecraft and pop for global consumption because there is only 9 milion of us and we have no dubbed tv.
ActuSF: A collection of your short stories titled "Les Furies de Borås" was released in France by Mirobole and released in paperback edition by Pocket. The stories are inspired by the myth of Cthulhu. How did you come up with your initial collection, Samlade svenska kulter, which regroups several of your short stories? Did you have to reinvent a common theme to link the texts?
Anders Fager: The idea to make the whole collection set in one universe came pretty early. I will write horror. I will write in a present day setting. I will use themes and monsters that harks back to Lovecrafts mythos. That part was easy.
I used odd anecdotes, pieces of history and some ideas from old RPG adventures to build a setting. The scope of the whole thing grew on me a bit slower. If I ever do it again I’ll for one thing start a register of all the characters. Before I lose track of them. When we made the RPG I discovered there was over 100 of them.
ActuSF: "Les Furies de Borås" is only a portion of the short stories you can find in Samlade svenska kulter. How were the texts for the French version chosen?
Anders Fager: If I recall correctly the whole thing was done by other people than me. They took three books of short stories and broke it up into two books, but not by cutting in the middle. More like the other way. But sideways…. :-D
My main concern was that they would not unbalance the whole thing. Loot the best stuff for the first book. But no they did not. The Queen In Yellow will be great.
ActuSF: We can see that you have a very accurate knowledge of the myth of Cthulhu, because you hint at characters invented by H.P Lovecraft, but also at characters invented by authors that also created within that universe, such as the Star Vampire that appeared in Robert Bloch’s Shambler from the stars. Is H.P Lovecraft one of your main literary inspirations?
Anders Fager: I’m not sure that I have such an accurate knowledge. I always make the scholars disappointed. Probably because I have deliberately stayed away from naming things, but rather kept up with the spirit, so to say. In the end I think horror should not be dissected and understood they way Lovecraft’s horror has been. Generations of researchers and RPG-fans has pulled the magic to bits. I get questions from fans “that must know if monster X is a ghoul or something else.” And I always reply “what the fuck do I know?” To me, what you name “Star Vampire” might just be some nasty cosmic stuff with no name.
ActuSF: What are the others?
Anders Fager: I’m very found of Raymond Chandler and James Elroy. And William Gibson. All very stylish guys. For horror I like Clive Barker’s short stories. And Gaiman’s Sandman for the fantastic world he builds. Otherwise I mostly read historical stuff. I’m very fascinated by technological history. How gadgets and inventions shape our culture. And that can be used in horror. Of course all these ”forbidden books” of Lovecraft will nowadays be available on PDF.
ActuSF: We can find horror, but also (black) humor in "Les Furies de Borås". Did you want to show that we can also laugh with the myth of Cthulhu, and not only be frightened by it?
Anders Fager: I’m dead serious in tone. People find me funny because I make them nervous, not because I’m camp or witty. Face it, if these things live among us today the way I describe them, that is much more frightening than some old men going mad over a forbidden book. Hence, you laugh.
ActuSF: "Les Furies de Borås" is currently being adapted for the cinema. Can you tell us anything about this?
Anders Fager: The whole of “the Cults” are currently being turned into a tv-series as a French-Swedish production. Måns Mårling and Björn Stein who made “The Bridge” and the recent “Midnight Sun” will direct.
ActuSF: You also work with other medias, such as theatre and role playing games. In France, we know the Swedish role playing game Kult, which will soon be updated. Which game have you worked on? Are there any connections between your short stories, your novels, your theatre and your games?
Anders Fager: Most of the stuff I’ve written takes place in the same universe, what is known as « The Cult’s World ». That holds true for the books, the play, the comic and the RPG . But I have written stuff for « other wolds », so to speak. One of them is the reissue of Kult this fall. I am not entierly at liberty to talk more about that at the moment. Lets just say i twill be magnificent.
ActuSF: What are your on-going projects?
Anders Fager: I’m working on the above not so secret thing, I am writing some material for the reissue of the boardgame “Siega of the Citadel” and I am trying to find time for writing the next book in the world of the cults. I’m busy.
ActuSF: Will any of your other texts be translated into French? Will we be able to see you in France anytime soon? Maybe when the stars will be right …
Anders Fager: The other half of the collected cults will be out this winter, I hope. It will be called “La Reine En Jaune « . You will all love it.
ActuSF: What would you like to say to your French readers who are getting to know you through "Les Furies de Borås"?
Anders Fager: Hello ?! Please buy my books. From what I’ve understood they are very nicely translated. :-D