Tokio Hotel & Culture: TH-inspired vampire writer Emily Kay talks about "Geisterfahrer"

Tokio Hotel and their songs have inspired many fans in their various pursuits, whether it’s to raise money for charities like the Tokio Hotel Houston Fan Team for “Love Unleashed” to write Tokio Hotel videos like the Tokio Hotel fan video for “Screamin’”. Well, one such fan who was also inspired by Tokio Hotel songs was up and coming German vampire writer, Emily Kay.


What inspires a writer to write the stories she does?
Is there a particular character that comes to mind? A book that holds particular influence? What about a song? For one up-and-coming voice in vampire fiction, German writer, Emily Kay, it was definitely music that inspired her, and one song in particular--Tokio Hotel's "Geisterfahrer". Emily Kay explained how “Geisterfahrer” came to play a role in the evolution of her debut novel, "Eulenflucht: Durch die Nacht". Kay explained the process of writing her novel in an email interview,

“First there were these pictures in my head. I saw the people—even a single scene. Then the story came together eventually until I wrote it like an expose and “Eulenflucht” (her novel) was born.”

She went on to explain how Tokio Hotel's Bill Kaulitz came to be an inspiration to her in her vampire novel series.

“And then I heard “Geisterfahrer” (Phantom Rider) and it was exactly the story and the feeling that was in “Eulenflucht”. It was as if Bill stood before me singing and that was so unbelievable to me, as if an unseen entity had given me a message and made a connection between me and Tokio Hotel. It was absolutely fascinating, unbelievable, awesome and I knew that in that moment, something important had happened, that would influence my whole life."

She also explained that the word “Geisterfahrer” has significance in German culture itself. In German culture, someone who rides down a two-lane highway going the wrong way is called “Geisterfahrer”—a phantom rider. A Geisterfahrer can have many motivations for driving the wrong way, including to test his courage or to carry out suicidal thoughts.

The idea of a person traveling down the road the wrong way struck a cord with Kay. She explained

“In my book, there is a person, who doesn’t know which way she’s going, but believes nonetheless that she will find a great love in the world. She knows that not even death can conquer this love. She doesn’t see her way at first, but searches for it fiercely and with great effort. In the end because of hope and belief she finds her place. The phantom rider becomes a “normal” rider, because despite the obstacles, he reaches his destination. You could also say, 'Against All Odds'”.

Whatever the odds, chances are pretty great that the boys from Magdeburg and specifically Tokio Hotel twin, Bill Kaulitz will continue to inspire legions of fans just like Emily Kay.

***”Tokio Hotel & Culture” will be a regular part of this column; it’ll explain issues and events in German culture and in the world as they relate to Tokio Hotel.

http://www.examiner.com/tokio-hotel-in-national/tokio-hotel-culture-th-inspired-vampire-writer-emily-kay-talks-about-geisterfahrer-video