From Death to Dating
The title ‚Horror-Date‘ might suggest a connection between death and Tinder, especially when associated with author Sebastian Fitzek. This new work, following ‚Der erste letzte Tag‘ and ‚Elternabend‘, marks his third venture into the realm of ’not a thriller‘. However, the theme of death remains central to the bestselling author, who characterizes it as ‚the only inevitable date.‘
Fitzek discusses the universal struggle to avoid the topic of death, stating, ‚We constantly try to repress death, but we cannot, and we shouldn’t always succeed, as it ultimately defines our lives.‘
A Unique Dating Platform
In ‚Horror-Date‘, the protagonists utilize a dating platform called ‚The Walking Date‘, inspired by the popular zombie series ‚The Walking Dead‘. This platform caters to terminally ill singles looking for one last chance at love, including a character named Nala.
Through this portal, she meets Raphael, who, despite extensive online chatting, does not meet her expectations during their first date. Unbeknownst to her, Julian, who appears poorly dressed, is filling in for his best friend. This leads to a series of white lies that spiral into chaos.
Comedy Amidst Tragedy
Fitzek employs a style reminiscent of Murphy’s Law, where everything that can go wrong does. The signature cliffhangers typical of Fitzek’s writing culminate in an ‚Oh, not this too?!‘ moment.
He blends the gravity of terminal illness with absurdly humorous situations, such as an elephant in a garden, sexual rituals, and ill-fitting bathrobes. Fitzek, who is 53, prefers to approach death with a wink, believing that humor can make the subject more bearable, making it easier for him to write about death humorously rather than in a thriller context.
Real-Life Inspirations
Fitzek also draws from personal experiences and anecdotes. He notes, ‚What some perceive as madness is everyday life for others.‘ He emphasizes that ‚Life is always stranger than Fitzek.‘
A Personal Horror-Date
The Berlin-born author shares a personal story related to dating. He recalls how he helped his wife experience a ‚horror date‘ after their second meeting in Leipzig. She mistakenly believed he had already returned to Berlin, while he chose to stay longer to fulfill a request and deliver a signed book for a friend. When she didn’t hear the doorbell, he sent her a photo of her doorbell as a sign of his presence.
When she failed to respond, he eventually went home. Later, he received a distressed call from her, as she thought the ‚psycho author‘ was a stalker after seeing a photo of her doorbell on her phone that night, leading him to laugh, ‚It was brave of her to agree to a third date.‘
The ‚Sushi Author‘
Fitzek’s popularity is evident at events like the Leipzig Book Fair, where he is in high demand for signings. When asked about his success, he states, ‚I don’t conduct market research; I always follow my instincts.‘ He believes that readers primarily rely on their gut feelings when choosing books. He humorously remarks that he has been labeled a ’sushi author,‘ indicating that people either love his work or can’t relate to it at all.