As of late, we hear more and more about a new group called Kult Group. Except for a few initiates, no one seems to know who they are. We can tell you that they are young authors that found each other in the sci-fi circles after the revolution. The mentor of the group is Costi Gurgu. He had the chance to study in London for a while and this is how he got in touch with Willesden Writers Group, a group of writers from a certain part of London. It is there that he learned of modern currents in literature and he also learned how to create such a closed literary circle. Because this is a circle for people who know how to write and prove their literary talents.
The members of the Kult Group are Costi Gurgu, Ana-Maria Negrila, Vali Dia, Mirel Palada and Bogdan Bucheru. There are also a few writers affiliated to the group: Horia Nicola Ursu (an editor in Satu-Mare who was so excited about the group’s projects that he wanted to be a part of it), Florin Pintea and Jean-Lorin Sterian. They will all be on the cover of the “A time for demons” anthology that will soon be published at the Image Publishing House. The subject: short stories – horror, heroic fantasy, dark-fiction, cyberpunk, and a vast assortment of mixtures.
The special item is the location they chose for their stories – a certain area of Bucharest (Mitropolie, Unirea, Lipscani). All their stories are set there. The characters are the same and they move from one text to another, trying to recreate the diversity of life. They are very self-aware when it comes to their image and their circle includes a number of graphics designers. The work of these designers will be included as illustrations in their anthology.
The group tries to open literature towards the latest conquests of technology – thus the special interest for image. “A time for demons” is a great success. They realised they were on the right track when they were in Calarasi, at the National Sci-fi colloquium (organised by Dan-Silviu Boerescu). They won most of the prizes there (Costi Gurgu – The Grand Prize, Florin Pintea – 1st prize, Ana-Maria Negrila and Bogdan Bucheru – 2nd prize, Jean-Lorin Sterian – 1st prize for essay). Meanwhile, two of the authors of “A time for demons” debuted with their own novels: Costi Gurgu published “Ciuma de sticla” (The Glass Plague), a book with strange stories, and Jean-Lorin Sterian is now at his second book – “Scriitorul a iesit la vanatoare” (Writer out hunting), after his debut two years ago with “Baltazar.”
The members of the Kult Group have many projects. They already think of a second anthology. The subject is still a secret.