Tune in to our second edition of Virtual Encouters, featuring Laura Freudenthaler, one of the most interesting and best-known voices in recent Austrian literature, speaking with renowned translator Tess Lewis.

This digital exchange gives you an insight into Freudenthaler’s creative writing process as well as the working relationship between writer and translator. They will also discuss her latest novel Geistergeschichte (Ghost Story), which is currently being translated by Lewis.

Laura Freudenthaler was born in Salzburg in 1984 and studied German Literature and Philosophy in Vienna, where she now lives and works. Ghost Story is her third novel, for which she was awarded the European Union Prize for Literature last year. She is also participating in this year's renowned literature competition, the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize.

Freudenthaler is the incoming writer-in-residence, co-hosted by the Ingeborg Bachmann Centre and the ACF London. We look forward to her residency and welcoming her as soon as circumstances allow.

Tess Lewis is a widely acclaimed translator from German and French, including works by Austrian authors Peter Handke, Alois Hotschnig and Julya Rabinowich. Her translation of Maja Haderlap’s Angel of Oblivion was awarded the 2017 PEN Translation Prize.

Head over to New Books in German and explore an extract from the featured book here.

The event is organised in cooperation with the Ingeborg Bachmann Centre for Austrian Literature and Culture.