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Finding Agnetha: A dream to reunite ABBA sparks a global event
They said it would never happen, but a young boy, Morrie Norris, believed otherwise. Inspired by the pop group, ABBA , Morrie runs away to Sweden in search of Agnetha Fältskog, of ABBA fame, to convince her to get the band together again. With police searching for him, Morrie pursues what everyone he meets along the way says is an impossible dream - or is it? An inspiring story.
"Written in a flurry of inspiration, after seeing the film Mamma Mia, Laplaine conjured a magical adventure in a tribute to the iconic Swedish band, ABBA, that sweeps you along in its cosmic flow, where real time (and disbelief) is suspended and events travel with the speed of light."
- Author, Barb Roman
"An absolute must for any ABBA fan, as beguiling as it is well-written, involving one fan's dogged determination to bring to fruition that which will never happen...An ABBA reunion."
"...Finding Agnetha was a simple read that brought a smile to my face and put goosebumps on my arms. A bit unrealistic yes, but this is a book with a message folks....dreams CAN come true.
"Written in a flurry of inspiration, after seeing the film Mamma Mia, Laplaine conjured a magical adventure in a tribute to the iconic Swedish band, ABBA, that sweeps you along in its cosmic flow, where real time (and disbelief) is suspended and events travel with the speed of light."
- Author, Barb Roman
"An absolute must for any ABBA fan, as beguiling as it is well-written, involving one fan's dogged determination to bring to fruition that which will never happen...An ABBA reunion."
"...Finding Agnetha was a simple read that brought a smile to my face and put goosebumps on my arms. A bit unrealistic yes, but this is a book with a message folks....dreams CAN come true.
154 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Réal Laplaine
34 books217 followers"The truth is the only thing that nobody will believe."
- George Bernard Shaw
"Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
- George Orwell, author of 1984
I write high-concept thrillers, literary fiction, action-packed thrill rides, weaved around issues affecting our world today, which pull back the curtain to expose deeper truths behind the facade of mediocrity, the lies and stories we are fed to keep us from seeing the real picture. As far as literary fiction goes, I like to delve into what makes my characters tick, giving the reader a closer sense of identity with them and what motivates them, what their inner demons or the voice of their soul is saying. I am a true believer that we are, individually and collectively speaking, capable of producing a great culture where war, racism, inequality and the insane imbalance of wealth and resources in the world are largely things of the past, and where the collective and individual social consciousness is raised to a level where society focuses on equality, potential, creativity, tolerance and love - the true elements of advance. There are billions of galaxies out there beyond our tiny planet, waiting to be explored, and in them, other races to be met – and to reach them, the road ahead must be paved with the stones of a higher culture, a greater humanity, something we are capable of achieving if we push the edges of the box we find ourselves living in and reach for those stars.
Born in French-Canada, and later growing up in Ontario, Canada, Réal Laplaine's sense of adventure sent him on many bicycling trips at a young age. At sixteen he was flying single engine planes and by eighteen, he and his best friend hitchhiked across Canada into some of the remotest parts of the nation, to the Yukon and Alaska, a trip that profoundly changed him. After reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach, he set himself on a journey to find deeper meaning in life, a journey, after a long career in marketing, recruiting and sales, landed him where he truly wanted to be - a writer. Since his first book, The Buffalo Kid, he has published fourteen other books and sees no end to that road - at least until the road comes to an end.
- George Orwell, author of 1984
Réal Laplaine
Author of high-concept thrillers
www.reallaplaine.com
- George Bernard Shaw
"Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
- George Orwell, author of 1984
I write high-concept thrillers, literary fiction, action-packed thrill rides, weaved around issues affecting our world today, which pull back the curtain to expose deeper truths behind the facade of mediocrity, the lies and stories we are fed to keep us from seeing the real picture. As far as literary fiction goes, I like to delve into what makes my characters tick, giving the reader a closer sense of identity with them and what motivates them, what their inner demons or the voice of their soul is saying. I am a true believer that we are, individually and collectively speaking, capable of producing a great culture where war, racism, inequality and the insane imbalance of wealth and resources in the world are largely things of the past, and where the collective and individual social consciousness is raised to a level where society focuses on equality, potential, creativity, tolerance and love - the true elements of advance. There are billions of galaxies out there beyond our tiny planet, waiting to be explored, and in them, other races to be met – and to reach them, the road ahead must be paved with the stones of a higher culture, a greater humanity, something we are capable of achieving if we push the edges of the box we find ourselves living in and reach for those stars.
Born in French-Canada, and later growing up in Ontario, Canada, Réal Laplaine's sense of adventure sent him on many bicycling trips at a young age. At sixteen he was flying single engine planes and by eighteen, he and his best friend hitchhiked across Canada into some of the remotest parts of the nation, to the Yukon and Alaska, a trip that profoundly changed him. After reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach, he set himself on a journey to find deeper meaning in life, a journey, after a long career in marketing, recruiting and sales, landed him where he truly wanted to be - a writer. Since his first book, The Buffalo Kid, he has published fourteen other books and sees no end to that road - at least until the road comes to an end.
- George Orwell, author of 1984
Réal Laplaine
Author of high-concept thrillers
www.reallaplaine.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 22, 2021
Thank you for the music!
Written in a flurry of inspiration, after seeing the film Mamma Mia, Laplaine conjured a magical adventure in a tribute to the iconic Swedish band, ABBA, that sweeps you along in its cosmic flow, where real time (and disbelief) is suspended and events travel with the speed of light.
It begins as a conventional family drama, about a strong-willed boy, Morie Norris, with an impossible dream, who is also a casualty of his parents’ turbulent marriage. Although only 11 years old, Morie is self-reliant in the extreme, plotting out every detail of his trip to Sweden - to find lead singer Agnetha - and inspire a reunion concert that will rock the world in just three days time!
His parents think he has run away from his Buffalo NY home, completely unaware that their little boy has a passion for ABBA let alone that he is flying half way around the world to fulfill a musical mission. If you understand the stuff of dreams, it will seem not at all incredible that everyone Morie meets along the way is captivated by his fervor and enables him to succeed. For they all have had their own dreams interrupted and dare not stand in the way of seeing magic happen. Amazingly, their own broken relationships are mended, their discarded dreams reclaimed.
Laplaine created an intimate glimpse into the minds and hearts of the four ABBA members, who still harbored feelings of betrayal and distrust, and heartache, many years after their break up. But Morie’s motivations, and the resurgence of fan excitement around the world for their reunion inspire them to mend old wounds and find new purpose in their music. I read this story with rapt anticipation, caught up in Laplaine’s passionate imagery, as I understand the stuff of dreams, and the mysticism of music’s power resonates within me. I defy you to read this “fairy tale” and not pull up an ABBA video to experience it for yourself. “I Have A Dream” comes to mind. “Thank You For The Music,” is the icing on the cake. But any of their songs will do. Enjoy.
Written in a flurry of inspiration, after seeing the film Mamma Mia, Laplaine conjured a magical adventure in a tribute to the iconic Swedish band, ABBA, that sweeps you along in its cosmic flow, where real time (and disbelief) is suspended and events travel with the speed of light.
It begins as a conventional family drama, about a strong-willed boy, Morie Norris, with an impossible dream, who is also a casualty of his parents’ turbulent marriage. Although only 11 years old, Morie is self-reliant in the extreme, plotting out every detail of his trip to Sweden - to find lead singer Agnetha - and inspire a reunion concert that will rock the world in just three days time!
His parents think he has run away from his Buffalo NY home, completely unaware that their little boy has a passion for ABBA let alone that he is flying half way around the world to fulfill a musical mission. If you understand the stuff of dreams, it will seem not at all incredible that everyone Morie meets along the way is captivated by his fervor and enables him to succeed. For they all have had their own dreams interrupted and dare not stand in the way of seeing magic happen. Amazingly, their own broken relationships are mended, their discarded dreams reclaimed.
Laplaine created an intimate glimpse into the minds and hearts of the four ABBA members, who still harbored feelings of betrayal and distrust, and heartache, many years after their break up. But Morie’s motivations, and the resurgence of fan excitement around the world for their reunion inspire them to mend old wounds and find new purpose in their music. I read this story with rapt anticipation, caught up in Laplaine’s passionate imagery, as I understand the stuff of dreams, and the mysticism of music’s power resonates within me. I defy you to read this “fairy tale” and not pull up an ABBA video to experience it for yourself. “I Have A Dream” comes to mind. “Thank You For The Music,” is the icing on the cake. But any of their songs will do. Enjoy.
February 6, 2012
I received this book through the Goodreads Firstreads program and was very excited to read it. This idea behind this story is very interesting. An 11 year old boy, Morie, became infatuated with ABBA and decided that it was his mission to get the band to perform once again. He started listening to the band at age 9 and had been plotting his adventure for two years. Due to his parent's marital strife he decides that he is going to virtually run away from his home in Buffalo, NY to Stockholm and, with the support of millions of other ABBA fans, appeal to Agnetha Faltskog, to convince the group to reunite. The characters that Morie meets along the way are very interesting, if too eager to help him on his quest. It seemed that there was a lack of obstacles along his journey which made the outcome seem almost a given instead of a challenge. As with every good short(er) story there was a lot of unanswered questions that kept you thinking after you've reached the ending so I would have preferred a little more back story to help me answer some them. I've resolved many of these questions but the one that still remains is why, when there are so many other classic bands to choose from, did Morie become obsessed with ABBA? There had to be some connection to his life that wasn't clear to me, otherwise how would he have even known to search for them on-line? That question plagued me throughout the story and knowing this from the beginning would have helped me with the rest of the story. Overall, it was an interesting read and I would definitely recommend. There are a few typos however that sometimes made the reading awkward but these can be easily overlooked.
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October 31, 2013An absolute must for any ABBA fan,as beguiling as it is well-written,involving one fan's dogged determination to bring to fruition that which will never happen...An ABBA reunion.Just buy it boys and girls! - J.P.G.
May 28, 2018
This is a feel-good but illogical story about an eleven-year-old boy who goes from the United States, on his own, to Sweden with the dream of getting ABBA to perform together again. He meets some people who become his friends and finally locates Agnetha and tries to get her to work with the other members to have a concert.
The part where she talks with the other members is very interesting and is based, at least somewhat, on Agnetha' s known dislike of being away from her children (when she was in the active ABBA phase), how the divorces affected the group and how the members feel about possibly restarting the group.
We now know, of course, that ABBA has done two new songs but there are no plans for an album and there will be no group performances by them as they are today. There's going to be some kind of hologram performance setup but no live performances.
November 26, 2016
An 11-year-old boy from Buffalo New York has a dream. To make an ABBA reunion happen. His biggest challenge: convince the reclusive Agnetha Fältskog, the soprano, to have a meeting with him. In order to do that, he will have to fly to Sweden without his parents' knowledge and gain access to her seaside mansion outside of Stockholm. And then he'll have to convince her to listen.
The story was professionally written, but is definitely an artifact for true ABBA fans. I can't help but think that this 2014 novel had an impact on ABBA today, as they are in fact planning a sort-of reunion in 2017. One can't but help wonder if this author had an influence.
The story was professionally written, but is definitely an artifact for true ABBA fans. I can't help but think that this 2014 novel had an impact on ABBA today, as they are in fact planning a sort-of reunion in 2017. One can't but help wonder if this author had an influence.
July 13, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I don’t really know how to characterize this book. While it is a work of fiction, some of the people are real, making it a hypothetical book. The book revolves around eleven year old Morie from Buffalo, USA. He is a big fan of ABBA and his dream is to see them in concert, something that hasn’t happened for thirty years. Also, the fact that he lives in America and most of ABBA in Sweden is another obstacle to overcome. Along the way Morie meets people to help him further on in achieving his dream, while his parents and the police are searching for him.
One thing I felt uncomfortable with was that the author put thoughts and emotions unto real people, namely the members of ABBA. I think is quite common knowledge that their breakup was a bit infected, but no one knows what really happened between them, only themselves. I felt it a bit presumptuous that the author chose to put the alleged emotions into words for the ABBA members, rather than just follow Morie’s point of view, hearing the reactions. Had it been fictuous people I wouldn’t have mind, but since it was real living people I didn’t like it.
The books message is to believe in our dreams because sometimes they do come true. Morie, the eleven-year old main character, is supposed to teach us to never give up because dream do come true. Most people he meets on his quest are at first hesitant to his plan to reunite ABBA, but all are easily convinced. I would have liked some more detailing on this, since most people go from “that will never happen” to “OK, I will help you” within a few paragraphs. Why is it Morie is so convincing that almost everyone he meets either agrees to help or at least get out of the way so he can continue. Since Morie is quite resourceful some obstacles probably wouldn’t have stopped him, but would also have been a good way to show more of his inventiveness and persuasion abilities.
The language felt a bit stilted from time to time, there was no natural flow in the text. Often characters were advised to “go to the Internet and Google ‘ABBA’” which really felt unnatural. Would anyone say that? There were also other instances when the language felt a bit odd, which disrupted the rhythm. It also felt odd that the author sometimes used Swedish language, but then didn’t write Helgö, the island on which Agnetha Fältskog lives, with the Swedish ö but rather wrote it Helgo. Otherwise it was a quick and easy book to read.
The book is quite short and a quick read. It is very nice, but a bit more character development of Morie would have been better. I wanted to understand and like him, but I felt I didn’t know enough about him. I wanted to know what his driving forces for reuniting ABBA were more than his bad family situation.
All in all, I did enjoy reading this book, but it could have been better in my opinion. Since it is short and easy to read, there could have been room for expansion, which would have improved the experience. If you’re an ABBA fan it’s an interesting “What if”-scenario presented.
I don’t really know how to characterize this book. While it is a work of fiction, some of the people are real, making it a hypothetical book. The book revolves around eleven year old Morie from Buffalo, USA. He is a big fan of ABBA and his dream is to see them in concert, something that hasn’t happened for thirty years. Also, the fact that he lives in America and most of ABBA in Sweden is another obstacle to overcome. Along the way Morie meets people to help him further on in achieving his dream, while his parents and the police are searching for him.
One thing I felt uncomfortable with was that the author put thoughts and emotions unto real people, namely the members of ABBA. I think is quite common knowledge that their breakup was a bit infected, but no one knows what really happened between them, only themselves. I felt it a bit presumptuous that the author chose to put the alleged emotions into words for the ABBA members, rather than just follow Morie’s point of view, hearing the reactions. Had it been fictuous people I wouldn’t have mind, but since it was real living people I didn’t like it.
The books message is to believe in our dreams because sometimes they do come true. Morie, the eleven-year old main character, is supposed to teach us to never give up because dream do come true. Most people he meets on his quest are at first hesitant to his plan to reunite ABBA, but all are easily convinced. I would have liked some more detailing on this, since most people go from “that will never happen” to “OK, I will help you” within a few paragraphs. Why is it Morie is so convincing that almost everyone he meets either agrees to help or at least get out of the way so he can continue. Since Morie is quite resourceful some obstacles probably wouldn’t have stopped him, but would also have been a good way to show more of his inventiveness and persuasion abilities.
The language felt a bit stilted from time to time, there was no natural flow in the text. Often characters were advised to “go to the Internet and Google ‘ABBA’” which really felt unnatural. Would anyone say that? There were also other instances when the language felt a bit odd, which disrupted the rhythm. It also felt odd that the author sometimes used Swedish language, but then didn’t write Helgö, the island on which Agnetha Fältskog lives, with the Swedish ö but rather wrote it Helgo. Otherwise it was a quick and easy book to read.
The book is quite short and a quick read. It is very nice, but a bit more character development of Morie would have been better. I wanted to understand and like him, but I felt I didn’t know enough about him. I wanted to know what his driving forces for reuniting ABBA were more than his bad family situation.
All in all, I did enjoy reading this book, but it could have been better in my opinion. Since it is short and easy to read, there could have been room for expansion, which would have improved the experience. If you’re an ABBA fan it’s an interesting “What if”-scenario presented.
July 4, 2016
I got this book in a giveaway on goodreads. I really love this book and I think that it tok me about three hours to read it. It's short but good. If you like ABBA you should read this book. It's abort a young boy who runs away to Sweden to reunite ABBA. It's about dreams and how to try and fulfill them. I'm really happy that I got to read this book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews