The Critics’ Corner

Bertil Falk explains
“The Deep-Frozen Spark of Life”

One question: are you convinced by Anthony Bensen’s explanation of his almost desperate desire to have an heir?

I think that I would like to comment on that. The story is not a bolt out of the blue. I got the idea some 25 years ago and wrote some drafts. Then a couple of my acquaintance were adamant to have a child of their own flesh and blood. It took some time, but ultimately, through artificial insemination, egg implantation and whatever scientific hocus-pocus, they got fraternal twins(!).

Once completed, the novel was published in 1998 with the cover illustration by Ursula Wilby — printed upside down (not that it mattered). Just two years ago, I turned the basic story into the teleplay pilot. I had the notion that if ordinary people like my friends could be that eager, people of so-called consequence, rich and of some kind of power like Anthony Bensen would be even more desperate.

I trimmed the story-line and instead of letting the action, as in the novel, take place in Sweden and on the wonderful island of Ponape in Micronesia, in the Pacific Ocean, I now let everything happen in Manhattan and Queens. And I wrote it in English.

The idea was to make something that would be like a pilot for a TV series, a kind of Dallas + The Fugitive = “The Deep-Frozen Spark of Life” (or “The Big List”). Anthony Bensen on his frantic quest for an heir would be chased by a couple of people, including one of his many sons. Thanks to the list, there could be many installments.

Is this an answer to the question? Or maybe my text is not convincing?

Bertil

Copyright © 2008 by Bertil Falk

I asked about Anthony Bensen’s motivation because, as your explanation implies, it’s not universal. Some readers will sympathize with Bensen completely; others will think, “Bensen’s sentiments are nice, I suppose, but I don’t feel that way, myself. He lives in a culture I’m familiar with, but his personal values seem to stem from an earlier time.”

And that’s perfectly okay, of course. We need not share Bensen’s feelings: we need only know what they are. And his actions show that those feelings are of paramount importance to him.

Don