My musical abilities are limited – one of my school reports read 'Iris can’t sing in tune’ and I remember my parents taking me aside to explain that our neighbours had complained about my rather poor flute-playing. I should mention that I was eight at the time. With the bubble of a career in music burst, I packed my bags (12 years later) and moved to Manchester.
As a German living in Manchester, I find some things challenging at times: I prefer coffee to tea and enjoy my chips with mayonnaise rather than gravy. I also love cheese. Food and beverages aside, I’m obsessed with the American sitcom Seinfeld and re-watch the whole of the series at least once a year. It makes me laugh every time.
I read a lot of novels and short stories but what I love the most is Children’s Literature.
I’m in charge of the Manchester Writing School’s anthologies of short fiction for children and have edited three collections, which consist of the work of published authors as well as MA students – Animal Stew (2012), Timelines (2013) and Crimelines (2014).
I also co-run a small press, Pandril Press, which specialises in short stories.
When I graduated I knew one thing for sure: I didn’t want to teach. I fell into teaching accidentally and when I fell, I fell hard. I love it.
Learn because you want to learn. Read because you want to read. And write because you want to write. Try different cheeses.
My teaching style is wild, inclusive and enthusiastic.
MA Creative Writing
BA English and Film
German
French
Spanish
Panopticon (2011)
Animal Stew (2012)
Timelines (2013)
Weird Love (2013)
Crimelines (2014)
KEIF (2013)