Author Interview: Anna Rickards

What political messages from folklore resonate with you?

I always enjoyed the emphasis that folklore always had on the strange and other worldly, and how that might be an allegory for othering in a different sense. I really appreciate the idea that these sorts of differences should be embraced and celebrated, and that the unknowingness of life was a part of its charm. The way folklore will often scrutinise ideas of community, and tensions within a community, I always found really interesting. 

What role does folklore and speculative fiction play in our modern world?

I think speculative fiction in particular is so important in pushing us to analyse ourselves more, and analyse popular culture in terms of ethics – why do we act the way we do? In what ways does modern society pit us against each other? Sometimes, a more heavy handed metaphor such as the body swapping one in Body Clock, can really help drive home a point about the way in which we are commodifying things like our bodies in the modern world. 

Which folkloric character or creature do you hate/ want to punch in the face?

Definitely Rumplestiltskin. That smug little shit got what was coming to him. Nobody owes you their baby, dude!! 

What do you hope the readers get from your piece?

I hope it makes them think a little bit about consumerism and corporate consumption. There are points to be made about things like OnlyFans, too, in the sense that there is more and more of a trend towards commodifying our bodies and using them for profit. My character, Sadie, is never happy with herself, continually looking to the next thing she can buy to make her feel better about her life, and I think this is sadly quite a common sentiment in the modern climate. 

What are the themes you are exploring? 

I am looking at the idea of hyper capitalism, as well as consumerism, body image and the perpetual “renting” culture of the modern age in which nobody outrightly owns anything, and simply rents things indefinitely to the profit of the provider. My story is a critique of modern culture’s obsession with looks and status, the complexities around female body image and the dangers of over reliance on instant gratification. 

What folklore traditions do you take inspiration from? 

I really enjoy an Aesop’s fable, despite their usual grim didacticism; there’s something about the lessons you learn in those stories that feels very ancient and wise. A lot of the time I think they teach you really impactful and potent moral lessons, and as a kid you might not necessarily take them in but as an adult they really hit. There’s often not a lot of fun in these tales, since the characters end up facing the consequences of their foolish actions, but they definitely make you stop and think! 

Tell us a little bit about yourself as an artist/writer:

I am a novelist primarily, and my usual output is literary fiction. I enjoy writing in a contemplative, poetic style, with an emphasis on exploring character’s inner development and feelings, so being able to branch out a bit and try some speculative fiction has been a lot of fun. I find that writing speculative fiction allows you to explore themes more directly, and the freedom you have to invent new rules for an imaginary future world is a lot of fun too. I am also an illustrator, and love to create fun and colourful artwork for neurodiversity charities in particular! 

If you were a cryptid or folkloric creature, which one would you be and why?

I’d love to be a forest nymph; it seems so unproblematic and fun. You’re literally plant-based, no drama, chilling in nature, maybe you’ve got some nymph gals to hang with and eat berries with. And if you ever wanted to just disappear back into the forest, you could just take your tree form and go for it. 

If monsters are a manifestation of a society’s fears, what monsters exist in our modern folklore and why?

Definitely I feel like the most direct threat to us in modern society is the unending obsession with profit and exploitation – the monster of AI is a big one, of course, and possibly climate change too. I do feel that all these things are connected by the thread of a capitalistic, resource-hoarding mentality, the idea that we must use whatever means possible to mine for resources, use them until they’re drained and profit from their use to the point of monopolising the entire system. It’s unsustainable, unethical and is only going to end in complete destruction and ecological and societal collapse. What we need more than ever is stories that challenge us and make us think about our own ethical decisions and morality. 

Follow Anna on Instagram @annarickardsart

Read Anna's story "Body Clock" in our first issue, releasing August 22!

[originally posted to Patreon on 2/7/25]