Die Befragung von Gisela Lehmer-Kerkloh und Thomas Przybilka
Ein Service der Alligatorpapiere.


Chris Rippen



Question: Why crime mystery?

Chr. Rippen: As a reader I liked the genre. I tried to write one, succeeded, and stayed with it. Up to now.

Question: Do you know any German crime stories?

Chr. Rippen: A few. Recently I read Regula Venske and Petra Hammesfahr.

Question: If so, what does German crime mysteries mean to you?

Chr. Rippen: I have not read enough of them to have an opinion. But, at the other side of your western border German crime tv serials do have a reputation. I think the novels are as good as that.

Question: Do you think, German crime fiction can compete with international crime fiction?

Chr. Rippen: Of course. Like crime literature of any country. To be honest, to me German crime fiction is international crime fiction.

Question: Which author is overrated?

Chr. Rippen: Many of the best selling authors are overrated, mainly, because they are rather poor writers.

Question: Which author is underrated?

Chr. Rippen: From my European point of view many capable continental authors are underestimated and therefore unknown to the Anglo-American publishers and public. Or, in reverse, the overseas market and readers often overestimate their authors.

Question: Is crime fiction literature to you?

Chr. Rippen: It is a narrative genre. And like any other genre one can write it at different levels and with different aims, including the literary.

Question: How did you get into crime fiction?

Chr. Rippen: See the answer to question one.

Question: What is your favourite murder weapon?

Chr. Rippen: None. I only need a victim.

Question: Murder – is it necessary in a crime story?

Chr. Rippen: No. Just the thought of it will do. Or even less. However, the presence of death will increase the stakes.

Question: Why do you write?

Chr. Rippen: Ambition, fame, money. If and when the latter fail, the first stays as the strongest motive. And, beside, I love writing.

Question: Are your crime stories set in the present?

Chr. Rippen: Mostly. But for most of the motives you have to go back years, decades sometimes. The past is always present.

Question: Where would you choose the setting?

Chr. Rippen: At any place the story and the main character require. My most recent novel, "Een Enkel Woord" ("Ein einziges Wort", yes, after Heine), is situated in a Dutch home for elderly people. But in most of my novels and stories Dutch landscape is very present.

Question: What do food and drink mean to you?

Chr. Rippen: I need both. I enjoy food and I love drinking wine, beer, liquor. In my books meals and dinners are useful for characters to meet, to exchange information and in that way they add to the atmosphere or to the knowledge of a person. Not more. But most of my heroes, even the 79-old Eline Marchand of "Een enkel woord", drink too much now and then, also solitary. I can use that too.

Question: Sex in crime fiction: how do you view it/use it?

Chr. Rippen: Only when it's functional, but that is a cliché. According to their novels, many writers think explicit sex is an obligation in crime fiction, like hitting or killing. Bust mostly it is boring to read. As an author I prefer an erotic tension in scenes or as a part of the relation between characters. Some expectation, with or without outcome.

Question: If you do use it, why?

Chr. Rippen: – – –

Question: If not, why not?

Chr. Rippen: – – –

Question: Is there such a thing as "women's" crime fiction?

Chr. Rippen: I am afraid it is a little bit an artificial and not very fruitful distinction. There is crime fiction, written by a man or a woman, with a hero or a heroine, with or without an emancipatory tendency, read by a male or a female reader or both. All crime fiction. Please translate my "Een enkel woord" in German and put it in the right box.

Question: For whom do you write?

Chr. Rippen: No one in particular.

Question: Plot development – your first thoughts?

Chr. Rippen: It can be everything.

Question: Do you make any notes and where do you get your ideas from?

Chr. Rippen: Yes. Sometimes a few, sometimes rather elaborate. Most ideas come from my own imagination, starting with thoughts about relations between people.

Question: Where do you write?

Chr. Rippen: In my study with a big window in front of me.

Question: Does the PC get in the way of your writing?

Chr. Rippen: Not really. But sometimes, when I am stuck, I get back to the old pencil.

Question: Your favourite book as a child?

Chr. Rippen: "Fulco de Minstreel" by C. Joh. Kieviet (19th century). Curious? Translate and shiver.

Question: Your favourite book today?

Chr. Rippen: Difficult to say. There are a few books to which I return now and then. Like Garcia Marquez "Hundred Years of Solitude", Hemingway "The Old Man and the Sea", formerly "Billard um halb zehn" and other (earlier) novels bei Böll. From Dutch literature: Nootemoom "Rituals", Van het Reve "On the Way to the End", and more

Question: Your favourite male/female crime writer?

Chr. Rippen: Sjöwall and Wahloö, the early Tony Hillerman, the complete Martin Cruz Smith. And when there is nothing new, I go back to Chandler and Ross Macdonald.

Question: Your favourite movie?

Chr. Rippen: "Amarcord" by Fellini. And once in five years "Les vacances de M. Hulot" by Jacques Tati.

Question: Your favourite drink?

Chr. Rippen: That depends. See question "What do food and drink mean to you?"

Question: Do you cook?

Chr. Rippen: Yes. At last, I call it cooking.

Question: Do you go out to eat, if so where?

Chr. Rippen: Yes. Everywhere.

Question: What is your favourite item of clothing?

Chr. Rippen: My montycoat.

Question: Soccer – is this a topic for you?

Chr. Rippen: Not any more. However, I won an international award with a story on this.

Question: Women/men – is the relationship between the sexes important to you?

Chr. Rippen: Yes, very. In life and in art.

Question: What is your favourite city in your country?
Chr. Rippen: Amsterdam.

Question: Your favourite country?

Chr. Rippen: In France I am at home. But there are so many beautiful, inviting and intriguing countries.

Question: What do you love?

Chr. Rippen: Bach at breakfast, piano.

Question: What do you detest?

Chr. Rippen: Hypocrite politicians, which is mostly a pleonasm.

Question: What was your best subject at school?

Chr. Rippen: Literature and History.

Question: What was your worst subject – and way?

Chr. Rippen: I don't remember and that's why.

Question: Your dream job?

Chr. Rippen: I am retired.

Question: Do you have any idea why you answered this list of questions?

Chr. Rippen: Mainly because Thomas P. persisted and I cannot resist him.


Chris Rippen
Geboren 1940 in Haarlem / Niederlande. Chris Rippen studierte Niederländische Philologie und Literaturwissenschaft an der Universität Amsterdam.
1988 debütierte er mit dem Kriminalroman"Sporen" ("Tödliche Spuren" 1993 bei Econ). Chris Rippen machte sich in den Niederlanden sehr schnell einen Namen als Kriminalschriftsteller und gehört heute zur créme de la créme der niederländischen Kriminalliteratur. Bislang wurden (leider) nur drei seiner Kriminalromane ins Deutsche übersetzt (alle im Econ Verlag / alle inzwischen vergriffen).

Seit seinem ersten Kriminalroman scheint der Autor auf den wichtigsten niederländischen Krimipreis, den "Gouden Strop", abonniert zu sein. 1992 wurde er mit diesem Preis für "Playback" ausgezeichnet. "Baltische Connecties" wurde 2000 und "Een enkel woord" wurde 2002 für diesen Preis nominiert, "Eeuwige Stranden" stand 2005 auf der Nominierungsliste für den "Gouden Strop". Für den belgisch-flämischen Krimipreis "Diamanten Kogel" wurde seine Anthologie "Nachtboot" nominiert. Der bulgarische Krimischiftstellerverband zeichnete ihn 2002 mit dem "Atanas Mandadjie Award" für den Kurzkrimi "The Best" (!!) aus.

Von 1994 bis 1999 war Chris Rippen Präsident der niederländischen Kriminalschriftstellervereinigung "Genootschap van Nederlandstalige Misdaadauteurs", und ist Chairman der niederländischen Sektion der IACW (International Association of Crime Writers). Verschiedene Kriminalromane und Kurzkrimis des Autors wurden bisher in Spanien, Deutschland, Bulgarien, Japan und in den USA übersetzt.


Homepage: www.crime.nl

Die Kriminalromane:


1988, Sporen
1991, Playback
1993, Met de grond gelijk
1995, Zuidelijke streken (Sammlung von Kurzgeschichten)
1999, Blatische Connecties
2002, Een enkel woord
2003, Nachtbook (Sammlung von Kurzgeschichten)
2005, Eeuwige Stranden
2005, Misdaad in triplo (Sporen / Playback / Baltische Connecties)

Deutsch:
1993, Tödliche Spuren. Econ
1994, Stimme aus dem Off, Econ
1996, Plattgemacht. Econ

Die Kurzkrimis:
1989, Nagerecht
1991, Kunst
1994, Zuidelijke streken
1994, Vreselijke dingen die in de vakantie gebeuren
1994, Een prettige dag
1995, Buiten het seizoen
1995, Colportage
1995, Dolly
1997, Under my skin
1998, Nachtboot
1999, Perfekt op dronk
2000, Carpoolen
2000, Onderstrom
2000, Tackle
2002, Op blote voeten

Die Sekundärliteratur:
2000, Moorden met Woorden. Honderd jaar Nederlandstalige misdaadliteratur
(zus. mit Jan C. Roosendaal und Bert Vuijsje)


Stand: September 2005

© Gisela Lehmer-Kerkloh & Thomas Przybilka

Alle Titel und natürlich jedes andere lieferbare Buch können und sollten Sie bei Missing Link in Bonn bestellen, einer Buchhandlung, die sich auf Sekundärliteratur zum Krimi, auf Kriminalliteratur und auch auf die Beschaffung ausländischer Literatur spezialisiert hat.
Buchhandlung Missing Link
Zweigniederlassung Bonn
Thomas Przybilka
Buschstr. 14
53113 Bonn
Fax: 0228 - 24 21 385
Tel: 0228 - 24 21 383
e-mail: mlbonn@t-online.de
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Die Befragenden:

Gisela Lehmer-Kerkloh rezensiert Kriminalliteratur. Sie ist Mitglied bei den Sisters in Crime sowie Amiga im Syndikat.
Bei den Alligatorpapieren veröffentlicht sie regelmäßig ihren "Krimi-Kurier" Letzte Buchveröffentlichung:
Siggi Baumeister oder: Eine Verfolgung quer durch die Eifel. Die Eifelkrimis des Jacques Berndorf.
84 S., 2001; EUR 10,50
NordPark Verlag

Thomas Przybilka verdient seinen Lebensunterhalt als Buchhändler. Er ist langjähriges Mitglied der "Autorengruppe Deutschsprachige Kriminalliteratur Das Syndikat". 1989 baute er das international bekannte "Bonner Krimi Archiv (Sekundärliteratur)" [BOKAS] auf. Bei den Alligatorpapieren veröffentlicht er regelmäßig seine "Krimi-Tipps zur Sekundärliteratur zum Krimi." Zahlreiche Publikationen zur Kriminalliteratur in Fachanthologien und -magazinen im In- und Ausland. Kriminalgeschichten in Deutschland, Bulgarien und Spanien. Letzte Buchveröffentlichung:
Siggi Baumeister oder: Eine Verfolgung quer durch die Eifel. Die Eifelkrimis des Jacques Berndorf.
84 S., 2001; EUR 10,50
NordPark Verlag