_There Are Things I Want You to Know_ About Stieg Larsson and Me - Eva Gabrielsson [52]
Friday, October 7
MEETING WITH the Yellow Bird people at the Pan Agency office.
The screenwriter, Lars Bjorkman, starts off with a direct question: “Have you read the fourth volume?”
Reply: “No!”
And voila—one less question!
A few minutes later, another question: “Stieg must have done a lot of research. Where is his documentation?”
“Would you like to take a look?” I then bring out a whole pile of Stieg’s writing I’ve brought with me: his books on the far right, his last article for Searchlight, his reports for CRIDA (Centre de recherche et d’information sur la democratie et l’autonomie), for Tel Aviv University, for CRISP (Centre de recherche et d’information socio-politiques), etc.
“You’ll find names, people, events, opinions, reflections,” I add, while they examine the material. “This is Stieg’s life, and that is all his documentation. His crime novels flow naturally from the rest of his work.”
Another question settled!
There were more points raised, for example the places and addresses in the trilogy. I explained that, thanks to my profession, I had furnished them. Next, the characters. “Aside from those everyone knows,” someone asked, “like the boxer Paolo Roberto, are there other real people in the novels?”
Answer: “Yes.” Next question!
“And that style, that way of speaking, where does that come from?”
Here I was careful to explain that the atmosphere of these books was different from that of classic crime fiction because Stieg came from Vasterbotten County, and I advised the Yellow Bird team to pay close attention to the influence of the Bible on his fictional world. One of the women there agreed with me, and to my surprise, announced that she was the daughter of Per Olov Enquist—a contemporary author I’ve already mentioned in a similar context, whose works reflect his roots in the isolated northern region of Vasterbotten.
At the end of the meeting, we parted on good terms, and I was invited to come to Ystad, where Yellow Bird has its headquarters. As for my collaboration, that remained somewhat up in the air.
Wednesday, October 19
PER-ERIK NILSSON phoned at around eight this evening to read me what Erland and Joakim’s lawyer Svanstrom had faxed to him from Umea. In short:
The response to my request to take over the management of the intellectual rights to Stieg’s work is NO. The Larssons will continue to handle that, in concert with Norstedts. Or someone of Norstedts’ choice.
The response to the deed of gift for their half of the apartment is NO. Unless I hand the fourth manuscript for the Millennium series over to Norstedts. In which case, the discussion regarding intellectual property rights might also be reconsidered.
The response concerning the remainder of the outstanding loan Stieg took out to buy our home is that it should be paid for by his life insurance.
And finally, they emphasize that they “have been generous” since they’re leaving me Stieg’s bank accounts, the furniture, and his life insurance (of which I am in fact the beneficiary and which should not be included in his estate).
“How mean!” I exclaimed.
“Yes, that’s about right,” replied Per-Erik.
These new and unexpected arbitrary demands must be due to my lack of cooperation during the meeting with the film production company last October 7.
So everything started up again. For the umpteenth time, trapped in insomnia, I had trouble sleeping. I’d get up, smoke, go back to bed, get up again, over and over, before dropping off at dawn with barbed wire rolling around in my head. Then I stopped eating. Again. For the I-don’t-know-how-manyeth time.
Thursday, October 20
I SENT an email to Eva Gedin at Norstedts and to Magdalena Hedlund at the Pan Agency to inform them of Erland and Joakim’s responses. I explained that since the Larssons refused to grant me the intellectual property rights, Norstedts should therefore tell Yellow Bird that it is