Låt de gamla drömmarna dö Foreword

[Wolfchild]

A friend at Ordfront was kind enough to send the me the first 30 or so pages of Låt de gamla drömmarna dö (the same ones posted at bokus.com) in a form that allowed me to copy/paste it into the Google translator. Here is the Google-translated version of the foreword:

Foreword
When I first saw the completed version of the film Let the Right One In at the Gothenburg Film Festival in 2008, I was speechless.
I did visit the set on three occasions, I had sat with Tomas Alfredson and looked at different scenes, talked about the film editing. I had seen a couple rough versions of larger and smaller screens. Yet nothing could prepare me to see the film finished cut, with all audio work done, at the cinema Draken giant canvas. It was a revelation. All the pieces had fallen into place and the film was a small masterpiece both in Swedish film and the horror genre. Later on, this is confirmed by an unprecedented price rain all over the world and I am Tomas Alfredson forever grateful for how he managed my story.
There was only one thing that gnawed at me when the movie was over, and it was just the very end. When Oscar sitting on the train with a box containing Eli at his feet, moving towards a new life.
Although I had written the script so it was not until after the showing at Draken that I really understood what the end would suggest. Namely, that Oscar gets a new Håkan. Someone who will have the terrible task of being Eli's human assistance, obtain blood and housing and so on. That was what the end said. That I had not understood it, indicating probably a certain level of cork in my brain.
Recently the U.S. version premiered, called Let Me In. I really like that version too, but what is hinted at in the Swedish film is in the U.S. now crystal clear. Håkan has been with Eli since he was a boy in Oskar's age. Thus, it is not hard to figure out the fate that awaits Oskar.
Do not misunderstand me. I think it's an entirely reasonable end, a gorgeous interpretation of history and deliberately open-ended as I left the book. But it's not my end.
I admit that I would not have thought to write the novel which gave this collection its title, had it not been for the films. I wanted to give my version.
"Let the old dreams die" has been rewritten several times, but once I accepted that it must be a story that stands completely on its own feet, I could write it well. A version where Oskar and Eli are only minor characters. A love story, but with different protagonists.
It is my favorite in this whole collection, and I hope you like it. I have told what to say.

But!
There are a lot of other stuff, too.
When I published the short story collection Paper Walls was wondering a couple of reviewers if I cleaned the drawers. Not at all. I had with me half of the short stories in a plastic bag when I first was on Ordfront office to talk about my first novel would be published a year later.
The on Ordfront was not so hot on a collection of short stories and wondered if I had no more novel at once. I had. Handling the Undead was almost finalized and a few months later, I submit that instead. Then I had also written a couple short stories.
Only when Handling the Undead came out and met kindly by critics and readers, it was judged to be possible to publish a collection of short stories. So out it came, and almost all were kind again. But it had been intended as a collection of short stories ever since its existence in the plastic bag.
Here is the issue of other buns. Buns, which in most cases, already been chewed in various forums. Yikes, it was an unpleasant picture, think no more about it.
But it is. The majority of the texts here have been published or performed in different ways in the past. In radio, newspapers, online forums or on stage. Most are custom orders. I have been asked to write something for a specific purpose, and I have written. Usually pretty fast.
With your permission, I intend now to do a little review of these writings, the birth and growth / aging before they are finally put to rest on the printed pages. If you think it is uninteresting or destroy any of the reading, just to get over it, maybe come back later. So do I, usually.

Tindalos. Dagens Nyheter asked me if I could consider writing a series that would go over Christmas and New Year and also available to download as mp3 files. I wrote the story in a couple of months, read it in my regular studio, and felt very good. The story was just so long as it would be and more chapters, I thought many of the chapters ended in a way that it felt natural to read on the next day.
Rather than bake it all together into one story I have here retained the original structure because the story is supposed to be read that way.
If you wish, you can of course spread out the reading of the story over the thirteen days it was meant for. Or use it as reading aloud, one clip per day. Or just plow through it all as if there was no tomorrow.
Although I have read all H.P. Lovecraft's short stories and sometimes play role-playing game Call of Cthulhu and so, is this story my only attempt to make a contribution to this mythology.
For those of you who think that Cthulhu in Swedish sounds like a nice idea, I recommend Anders Fager Swedish cults. A few short stories which takes up the subject in a more orthodox manner. And that's good, really good.

Elda telefonkataloger, Flickan, Fulet. All these short stories were written for various editions of the collection volume recording Lectures sponsored by public transport and were distributed free to high school students. "Elda telefonkataloger" I wrote by hand and in one go while I sat in the emergency room and waited to get my toe X-rayed after a sledding accident.
"Fulet" thought I was too gloomy, so I wrote "Flickan" instead.
If you think the "Flickan" leaves too many questions unanswered, it depends partly on format. It had to be short. But a straitjacket can sometimes be an advantage - I like the open end where one can reflect upon itself.
"Fulet" gathered as much dust as a story can do when positioned on a hard drive, until Galago asked if I had any unpublished stories. They took "Fulet" and spiced it up with some really creepy illustrations.

Antique Round. Dagens Nyheter asked if I could write a short story for Halloween (as All Saints' Day has begun to be called) four days later. I asked for an hour's reflection to see if I got no idea. I got an idea that included a large nail. The short story was later published under the title "The old man's house". For some reason which I do not remember so it could not be called "Antique Round". Now it has regained its original title.

Face Jar by Erik Pettersson. My only real meta-history. As described in the story, I was asked if I wanted to be a festival author of the Gothenburg Film Festival 2009. I am so fond of the festival that I could not refuse. As the festival writers you are free to write just about anything. It is not necessarily about the festival or even on film. Several of the contributions published over the years has indeed been about other things.
But I saw it as a challenge to assume these obligations me that straitjacket. The story would be about the festival and it would be about movies. I got the idea to write the story from a fictional narrator and take the opportunity to roll myself - or my government I - a bunch of yards in the mud.
It was funny and horrible to write and I wrote it in five days where I only once got to shake hands when I depicted the awful John Ajvide Lindqvist and an evil that he, rightly or become a victim of.
When the thin book that came out was to be presented at the Book Fair, I suggested that it would hire an actor who could play the role of Erik Pettersson. I wrote some questions and answers intended to further drag myself through the mud and the result can be seen on YouTube, if you're interested. Google "ansiktsburk" and "Ajvide" it just pops up.
Do not miss the old video that is the root of it all. "Face Jar, facial jar, he got what he wanted for the hat... "

Garnet. My friend from the past summer, Patrik Qvist, wrote to me and asked if I could think of to help with a text for a book about sheds that he would give out, sheds that he has designed. He sent me a picture and I wrote the little Cortázar-scented text about a family who live outside the normal human concepts.

Men with eyes like blueberries and milk. Was originally written to test an idea and a language to Harbour. I also had a vague idea that through this trail linking Port of man with the short story "Equinox" from Paper Walls. One of these men would become a talking corpse, and the explanation would be that he was possessed. Nothing came of this, there was a woman making herself ugly through plastic surgery instead.

Do you know Rudi Schmerz? Here we come to such a truly strange bird in the collection. It is the first story I managed to write to the end. I wrote the earliest version in 1995, re-wrote it in 1996, and wrote it in its current form in 1998. Before publishing this, I have edited it, but with the initial awkwardness of maintaining. It starts from the title's reply, an obsession as my wife had for many years ago and told me about.
I was influenced by Antonio Lobo Antunes at the time of the last through the exam and those who are familiar with his works have hardly any trouble to see it. The stylistic idea to let all times exist simultaneously.
But I would not bring it here unless I genuinely liked it. I do not write like this anymore, and among those buns, this is definitely the most difficult to chew. But it has a richness and a picture. . . yes. . . charm that makes me still want to have with this first novel which has not been published previously.
When I read it now I see that it's a kind of original source from which I later have poured images and people in other novels and short stories.

Let the old dreams die. We have already discussed. For anyone wondering about the title, it's the next line in the song: "Let the right one in, let the old dreams die..." and also a fitting title for such a collection.

All stories and texts are in some way dreams I have been dreaming for a while. Volatile butterflies that when written down and released becomes chloroformed and pinned. Dead. Until they meet again, in a readers' consciousness.
And that's where you come in, whoever you are. Without getting too fuzzy so I think it is ashäftigt that you should now give you grapple with all these stories that have long since gone out of my vivid imagination. That they should be "re-living" in your. I hope you enjoy these ghosts from the past. (This could use a better translation.)

A word on the extras too.
Articles and reviews speak for themselves. Stuff I've read or been through, and then reported.
"One day at the castle" and "The Man Without a Face" was originally written for an actor who would have one-man show, but he did not want them, so instead, I myself have submitted them on several occasions.
The texts of Reuter and Skoog's one thing for themselves.
This comedy series went to two rounds of the SVT in 1999 and 2000. To the first round, I wrote such twenty percent of the material, the other thirty percent. There are several things that I still am proud. Especially all the monologues in which Ulla Skoog praises the benefits of its air-tight tub, and the nature Schatterius Nina (played by Suzanne Reuter) in a variety of skits demean people with his cheerful sincerity.
And, Ulla Rundqvist! I was so glad when this long parody of the memorial program began the second season and thank the director Anders Lenhoff to his spending so much effort into it. Check out "Of course we remember Ulla Rundqvist" on Youtube if you want to see Eva Cassidy play himself and "the first anti-Semitic film pilsner".
Well. The thing is when I wrote a variety of skits and short films that were never recorded, and you know what? Several of them are among the very best, at least in my opinion. They are darker and more "literary" than many of the other. Of course there is also a bunch that were not recorded because they simply were not very good. But the best of the rejected texts I have gathered here and although I certainly understand why "Quite normal people" and "From the depths we call upon you" was never recorded, I think they have a suitable home in this book.

That's it. There will be a while before we can talk this way again. Next hefty book I write will be called X, the publisher allows it, and it will probably take quite some time to implement. It deals with a number of people with mobile homes in very special circumstances and it will be great. I hope. Nothing is written yet, but I have a feeling based on the "I am just a girl" by Abba and. . . we'll see.
Before that, I finished writing a book called Tjarven and that alone will be published as an mp3 file. Thus, an audio book that I will load itself. It is an entirely conventional zombie story set in a tiny lighthouse island in the archipelago Roslagen. I have been giving me hell for me to write a book of fifty days. No fuss, just a small area, a group of people and then zombies. Plus three evil ålanders.
It appears to go way. I am currently on day nineteen and ninety-nine hand, has perhaps seventy-eighty pages left. For spring / summer, it should be in places where such a sale. And wherever there is free, if you are of wool.

And so I want to thank!
Now that I have a little space at my disposal, I would like to thank.
Nisse Sjögren and Mandy Berglund has been enthusiastic reader of my test script, even as to the degree that they have read aloud to each other on the phone when they have been in different places, and then gave me suggestions.
Christopher and Emma Sjögren has been involved as a sample reader from the very beginning and came up with suggestions and encouragement, which made it easier to continue.
Jonatan Sjögren the test read and hejat on by being the one that really shudder and contributed its expertise in music to Little Star.
Jan-Olof Vesström and Bob Hansen is my friends and may thanks for being such wonderful people. Jan-Olof sample also read Little Star to make a statement about its moral content. He found that it was doubtful.
Andreas ENGDAT on Rigmondo has worked as a recording engineer at my last book and I could not ask for better, would not record with anyone else.
And from Ordront: Pelle Anderson has assumed the mantle head in ways I never thought possible, Anne Ekberg manages my marketing commitments with schwung and enthusiasm, Elizabeth Watson Straarup keeps track of my lyrics in the same cautious way as she did from day one.
And Mia. There would be no fun to write if I did not read everything aloud to her, one piece at a time. The evenings are the best I know. We will always continue.

Thanks, everyone.
John Ajvide Lindqvist, October 2010

If any Svenska-phones want to contribute a better English translation, I can send you the original Swedish text.

[DMt.]

Hilarious and sweet. Thank you for this, 'Child.

[StefL]

It does seem Google translator works pretty well. A few minor flaws that I've seen just by glancing on the text is that it keeps saying "novel" where it should be "short story" or "novella" since the Swedish word it refers to is "novell".
And interestingly the story called "Elda telefonkataloger" is translated as "Elda directories" but the name actually means "Burning phone books" or "Burning phone directories".
Just to clarify a bit - I'll get back later when I have more time to read.

And rest assured I'll buy the book the second it hits the store shelves here in Stockholm in January

[drakkar]

With a little help from me I didnt finish it yesterday; did the rest early this morning. A bit sloppy towards the end - had to catch a bus.

[editrice]

The video "Ansiktsburk" (Face Jar) can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_8U-GDgwc -it's a Turkish song where the lyrics have been "transcribed" into Swedish. Utter nonsense, really funny.

[drakkar]

Remember we used to do this with Indian and Pakistan song videos. This one was real good!

[StefL]

Still, my all time favourite is Fiskpinnar (Fish Fingers): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMKMYbzJsD8

[jonjon_z]

Thank you for posting this Wolfchild it's nice to know you have friends at Ordfront. However this brings up a touchy subject I wish to address. I was actually relieved to find out this wasn't a spoiler or 'leak' since it was published at Bokus.com. As much as we're anticipating the story with baited breath, I for one would much rather read the book myself than see someone sum up the ending in one sentence. Don't take this as an aside it is nothing personal; this is an appeal to everyone concerned; If you're privy to the details of the book, whether its' firsthand or hearsay, then please Please PLEASE don't spoil it for the rest of us. Use spoiler tags if you must.

With that said, I know it will happen anyway as its' happened so often in the past. Secrets like this are too big for most people to keep.

[Wolfchild]

Well, you are tempting fate by reading this section of the forum. I wouldn't be reading it at all if I wasn't a moderator.

Perhaps I should make a sticky post to remind people though.