Anja Utler was born in Schwandorf (Germany) in 1973. She lives in Regensburg and Vienna and works as a poet, essayist and translator. In 2003 she received a PhD at the University of Regensburg for a thesis on Russian Modernist poetry. Her poetry collection münden – entzüngeln won the coveted Leonce-und-Lena-Preis for Poetry in 2003. Its translation by Kurt Beals, engulf – enkindle (Burning Deck, 2010), was a finalist in the Best Translated Book Award 2012. Utler's works (e.g. brinnen of 2006 and jana, vermacht of 2009) often come in two versions: print and sound. Her most recent book is ausgeübt (2011); her works are published by Edition Korrespondenzen, Vienna.