Muz Murray's Blog - Posts Tagged "ifflepinn"
How I Came to Write Ifflepinn Island
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
What inspired you to write Ifflepinn Island?
Well, when I was about thirteen I loved reading the charming Moomintroll books by Tove Jansson. And that made me want to create funny little characters like hers. In fact, I had already drawn some amusing creatures I called ‘ifflepinns’ for a parody of Alice in Wonderland I was writing at that age, called Bryon in Bewilderland. But that never came to anything as I never got further than the first chapter. Three years later I rediscovered those early ifflepinn sketches in my art folder.
And the little chubby creature looked so endearing that I called him ‘Iffleplum-with-a-little round tum.’ And I thought why not use him as a central character in the style of Winnie-the-Pooh?
I had imagined writing a little story for each chapter. However, I hadn’t the remotest idea even for single episode, let alone a whole book. I was simply enamoured with the funny characters I drew and the magical world they lived in. I wanted to lose myself in something that took me out of the dreary grey workaday world around me. So I just started writing about the antics of ifflepinns, their quirky habits and lyrical way of life.
How did you come up with the title?
Having adored Treasure Island as a kid, I always wanted to write something with ‘Island’ in the title. Islands have always held a sense of mystery for me. But I had no idea of how I might fit it into a story. I only found out very gradually during the many years of writing how to make it into an integral part of the plot.
And since I had no particular storyline, to begin with I just concentrated on the poetry of the language and the humourous word-play instead.
Yes, you have a uniquely poetic style of writing. How did you come to write this way?
I can’t take the credit: that’s just the way it comes through me. I was already steeped in the wonderful word-mongery of Dylan Thomas. But I suppose my own style developed because of having no specific plot when I started to write the book. At first, I wasn’t happy with my over-the-top flowery prose. It wasn’t punchy enough. So in order to tighten it up, I began writing it in short, pithy sound-bites all down the left hand side of the page, in the format of a poem in blank verse. Then I spread the ‘bites’ out into sentences if they looked and sounded good. I deliberately wrote the book to be read aloud, so I had to make sure every sentence flowed without a tongue-tripping narrative stumble.
Gradually a rhythmic prose began to develop, by connecting one sentence to the next with a rhyming word echoing a word in the previous sentence. And soon, I found I was thumping merrily along in a specific poetic rhythm for every different character that appeared, and coming back to it whenever they reappeared. But that got very complicated. For hours, days and weeks, I would lose myself out of time and space, creating deliciously onomatopoeic words. Eventually, I found myself even composing sentences that had no meaning other than that which the structure and sounds evoked.
Then suddenly—Eureka!—I realised that I had discovered the secret of reading James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake. It was a stunning moment of revelation for me, to discover that I had found the key to writing in the same style as that great literary genius. But I had plunged too deeply into the love of words and sounds way beyond a child’s capacity to follow. And anyway, as for style, Joyce had already beaten me to it. My poetic character rhythms had become too complex and they had to go. And so I started all over again.
And again. And again. Many, many times. But the basic poetic rhythms remained.
So how did you manage to develop your story without a plot?
I didn’t. It was years before I vaguely found out what the story was going to be about. It only began when I showed the first couple of chapters to my friend, the philosopher Colin Wilson. And having read them, he exclaimed, “Great! But you’ve got no hook!” And I hadn’t. There was nothing to grab a reader’s curiosity about what might happen next. So I had to invent a threat to Iffleplum’s family and a mysterious owl-eyed creature who spies on them.
I had no idea who the creature was, or why he was secretly following them about. And that’s how the story gradually moved along. I had to find a reason for his interference. And so the story crept on, for nearly 60 years, in between my painting, travelling the world, leading workshops and the obligatory efforts at keeping the wolf from the door. But once I discovered the theme of the hero’s quest I kept creating cliff-hanger ‘hooks’ at the end of every chapter. And then wishing I hadn’t. Because this meant I often had to spend several months racking my brains wondering how to get Iffleplum out of the predicament I had put him in. My only consolation was in thinking—at least, if I have no idea how he escapes the situation, then my readers won’t guess either.
So what finally is the basic plot of the story?
Iffleplum, the hero, loses the childlike spirit of his heart—known as an ‘elfin-heart’—and as a result, he is no longer happy, being left with a hollow-feeling in his empty-hearted breast. I think we can all relate to that.
When the innocence of childhood has gone, don’t we feel we have lost the spirit of our hearts and wish we could get it back? Iffleplum chases his wraith-like spirit through strange worlds and many fearsome adventures before he achieves his goal—but you’ll have to read Ifflepinn Island to find out the surprising way he gets it back.
Why do you think readers warmly bond with your hero, Iffleplum?
I suppose because he’s an innocent abroad. And like children, he loves to eat a dozen times a day. He has a few tiny flaws and can get annoyed like anyone else. But he’s full of fantasy bravado and has the spirit of adventure. Although fearful of the threatening Shadow-creatures called ‘Gropes’, he gradually learns how to be brave. He is also compassionate and warm-hearted. So everyone feels for him when he loses his elfin-heart and has to slog sadly through many trials and errors to fulfil his lonely quest.
I notice a number of philosophical concepts sprinkled throughout the story. Do you think children will grasp them?
Of course! Kids are far more astute than most people imagine. I worked hard to weave these time-honoured spiritual secrets of life into the adventure in the simplest manner I could express them. Children will absorb them along with Iffleplum as he learns them. I wanted to add a little soul-food to the story, in order to counteract the diet of mindless pap so often offered to children in books and TV entertainment.
So is there a message that you hope readers of your book come away with?
Well, the basic theme of Ifflepinn Island is—“Follow your heart.” And avoid losing your spirit by negative thinking and foolish desires. Another important idea is to give to others that which you wish most for yourself. You will find that attitude brings you a greater joy.
My hope is that the spiritual teachings that are slipped into the adventures of the hero will colour the consciousness of children and give them greater understanding of how to deal with life, as well as making their creative imaginations soar.
Any advice for children?
Yes, always follow your heart—but don’t be foolish: take your head along too to balance it!
How can people find out more about you and your work?
There’s plenty of info on my website: videos, interviews, life-story, CDs, Books, etc., at http://www.mantra-yoga.com
They can also follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MantraMuz
And I have several videos of my responses to spiritual questions from my students, on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MuzMantra...
What inspired you to write Ifflepinn Island?
Well, when I was about thirteen I loved reading the charming Moomintroll books by Tove Jansson. And that made me want to create funny little characters like hers. In fact, I had already drawn some amusing creatures I called ‘ifflepinns’ for a parody of Alice in Wonderland I was writing at that age, called Bryon in Bewilderland. But that never came to anything as I never got further than the first chapter. Three years later I rediscovered those early ifflepinn sketches in my art folder.
And the little chubby creature looked so endearing that I called him ‘Iffleplum-with-a-little round tum.’ And I thought why not use him as a central character in the style of Winnie-the-Pooh?
I had imagined writing a little story for each chapter. However, I hadn’t the remotest idea even for single episode, let alone a whole book. I was simply enamoured with the funny characters I drew and the magical world they lived in. I wanted to lose myself in something that took me out of the dreary grey workaday world around me. So I just started writing about the antics of ifflepinns, their quirky habits and lyrical way of life.
How did you come up with the title?
Having adored Treasure Island as a kid, I always wanted to write something with ‘Island’ in the title. Islands have always held a sense of mystery for me. But I had no idea of how I might fit it into a story. I only found out very gradually during the many years of writing how to make it into an integral part of the plot.
And since I had no particular storyline, to begin with I just concentrated on the poetry of the language and the humourous word-play instead.
Yes, you have a uniquely poetic style of writing. How did you come to write this way?
I can’t take the credit: that’s just the way it comes through me. I was already steeped in the wonderful word-mongery of Dylan Thomas. But I suppose my own style developed because of having no specific plot when I started to write the book. At first, I wasn’t happy with my over-the-top flowery prose. It wasn’t punchy enough. So in order to tighten it up, I began writing it in short, pithy sound-bites all down the left hand side of the page, in the format of a poem in blank verse. Then I spread the ‘bites’ out into sentences if they looked and sounded good. I deliberately wrote the book to be read aloud, so I had to make sure every sentence flowed without a tongue-tripping narrative stumble.
Gradually a rhythmic prose began to develop, by connecting one sentence to the next with a rhyming word echoing a word in the previous sentence. And soon, I found I was thumping merrily along in a specific poetic rhythm for every different character that appeared, and coming back to it whenever they reappeared. But that got very complicated. For hours, days and weeks, I would lose myself out of time and space, creating deliciously onomatopoeic words. Eventually, I found myself even composing sentences that had no meaning other than that which the structure and sounds evoked.
Then suddenly—Eureka!—I realised that I had discovered the secret of reading James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake. It was a stunning moment of revelation for me, to discover that I had found the key to writing in the same style as that great literary genius. But I had plunged too deeply into the love of words and sounds way beyond a child’s capacity to follow. And anyway, as for style, Joyce had already beaten me to it. My poetic character rhythms had become too complex and they had to go. And so I started all over again.
And again. And again. Many, many times. But the basic poetic rhythms remained.
So how did you manage to develop your story without a plot?
I didn’t. It was years before I vaguely found out what the story was going to be about. It only began when I showed the first couple of chapters to my friend, the philosopher Colin Wilson. And having read them, he exclaimed, “Great! But you’ve got no hook!” And I hadn’t. There was nothing to grab a reader’s curiosity about what might happen next. So I had to invent a threat to Iffleplum’s family and a mysterious owl-eyed creature who spies on them.
I had no idea who the creature was, or why he was secretly following them about. And that’s how the story gradually moved along. I had to find a reason for his interference. And so the story crept on, for nearly 60 years, in between my painting, travelling the world, leading workshops and the obligatory efforts at keeping the wolf from the door. But once I discovered the theme of the hero’s quest I kept creating cliff-hanger ‘hooks’ at the end of every chapter. And then wishing I hadn’t. Because this meant I often had to spend several months racking my brains wondering how to get Iffleplum out of the predicament I had put him in. My only consolation was in thinking—at least, if I have no idea how he escapes the situation, then my readers won’t guess either.
So what finally is the basic plot of the story?
Iffleplum, the hero, loses the childlike spirit of his heart—known as an ‘elfin-heart’—and as a result, he is no longer happy, being left with a hollow-feeling in his empty-hearted breast. I think we can all relate to that.
When the innocence of childhood has gone, don’t we feel we have lost the spirit of our hearts and wish we could get it back? Iffleplum chases his wraith-like spirit through strange worlds and many fearsome adventures before he achieves his goal—but you’ll have to read Ifflepinn Island to find out the surprising way he gets it back.
Why do you think readers warmly bond with your hero, Iffleplum?
I suppose because he’s an innocent abroad. And like children, he loves to eat a dozen times a day. He has a few tiny flaws and can get annoyed like anyone else. But he’s full of fantasy bravado and has the spirit of adventure. Although fearful of the threatening Shadow-creatures called ‘Gropes’, he gradually learns how to be brave. He is also compassionate and warm-hearted. So everyone feels for him when he loses his elfin-heart and has to slog sadly through many trials and errors to fulfil his lonely quest.
I notice a number of philosophical concepts sprinkled throughout the story. Do you think children will grasp them?
Of course! Kids are far more astute than most people imagine. I worked hard to weave these time-honoured spiritual secrets of life into the adventure in the simplest manner I could express them. Children will absorb them along with Iffleplum as he learns them. I wanted to add a little soul-food to the story, in order to counteract the diet of mindless pap so often offered to children in books and TV entertainment.
So is there a message that you hope readers of your book come away with?
Well, the basic theme of Ifflepinn Island is—“Follow your heart.” And avoid losing your spirit by negative thinking and foolish desires. Another important idea is to give to others that which you wish most for yourself. You will find that attitude brings you a greater joy.
My hope is that the spiritual teachings that are slipped into the adventures of the hero will colour the consciousness of children and give them greater understanding of how to deal with life, as well as making their creative imaginations soar.
Any advice for children?
Yes, always follow your heart—but don’t be foolish: take your head along too to balance it!
How can people find out more about you and your work?
There’s plenty of info on my website: videos, interviews, life-story, CDs, Books, etc., at http://www.mantra-yoga.com
They can also follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MantraMuz
And I have several videos of my responses to spiritual questions from my students, on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MuzMantra...
