Kai writes…

Hello Michelle,

I am a huge fan of your books from Sweden. I started reading your books when they first appeared on the shelves here in Sweden and practically grew up with them. I remember how fascinated I was by every little detail and the way you described it as if you'd been there yourself. Maybe you were actually there somehow.

I am now grown up and came back to your books in audio form as a way to survive my daily commute. I am still just as astonished by them as I was almost 20 years ago.

It came to me in a dream as I was recently watching some shows on popular streaming sites that this is something that they truly don't have there. There is no show that does what your books did for me. I was questioning why they are making a show of Harry Potter which has already seen the theaters in film form and not your fantastic book series Wolf Brother.

I both hope that a great producer sees your books in a similar light as I do but I also hope not, I would hate to see someone not make your books justice, astonishing work.

I am sorry for the long text, but I do in fact also have a question. What was the process of putting yourself into the character's shoes
that enabled you to describe them as if you truly had experienced it yourself? Like the main protagonist, it almost seemed as if your souls had wandered into them and experienced the saga through their eyes.

Huge thanks for all of what you have given me,
best Regards,

Kai

Michelle Replies…

Dear Kai, What a lovely message, thank you!  And I’m really pleased that re-experiencing my stories as audiobooks has helped you survive your journey to work.  Concerning film or tv adaptations of the Wolf Brother stories, as you may know, we’ve done several deals with production companies over the years, but they have always come to nothing in the end.  Perhaps this is because the stories would be so difficult and expensive to film, particularly as Wolf would probably need to be computer-generated. Like you, I am in two minds about whether or not this is a good thing.  On the one hand it would be great to see a really good adaptation which captures the spirit of the books. On the other hand, it would be dreadful to see a bad one.

Now for your question. The short answer is, I simply use my imagination – although it doesn’t all come at once, and it takes a great deal of time really to be in Torak’s world, so that I can experience what’s happening as if it were happening to me.  (That’s probably why I live alone, and don’t even have a cat: no distractions!)  Again, you put it very well when you liken the process of writing to spirit walking. Without wishing to self-aggrandize, that’s sometimes how it feels; although I suppose in psychological terms, it’s more a question of accessing my unconscious.

Again, thanks so much for getting in touch – and I hope you continue to enjoy the stories.  With very best wishes, Michelle