A Slice of Cake With... Nils Odlund

This week I am delighted to be having a slice of cake with Nils Odlund.

Nils Ödlund is originally Swedish, but lives these days in Ireland. He's an avid reader, gamer, and fan of geek-culture. Ödlund picked up writing as a hobby, almost by accident, back in 2010, and it quickly grew into something of an obsession. In 2017 he decided to get serious about it, and in early 2018, he published his debut novella Emma's Story. Since then he's been working on the Lost Dogs series. When not writing, Ödlund enjoys hiking through the Irish countryside, reading, or playing games.

What kind of books do you write?

I write books about ordinary people in a fantasy world in modern times. Except, the people aren't quite as ordinary as I originally intended them to be, before I started the story. I'm writing a series, and both of my characters are therianthropes (werewolves, kind of), and on of them is a world-famous celebrity. The focus is on character development and internal conflict rather than on action and quests to save the world.

Can you describe your writing why?

It's fun. I enjoy it, and I feel like I'm good at it. Also, and perhaps more importantly, I want to be read. I want to give people an escape from the real world, and a glimpse into something else. Escapism. 

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most

Here, from Lost Dogs #4, which is probably still my favourite book in the series, and which meant most to me as I wrote it:

She turned her head up the street. Looked away into the dark for a moment. Thin black tendrils of hate and revenge wound their way into her mind as she thought about the future, but she closed her eyes and pushed them away. A hot shower, and a soft bed in a private room. That's what she wanted. 

It'd be better than any vengeance ever could be.

The second paragraph there was initially something like “a hot shower and a soft bed in a private room would be better than any vengeance” but it fell away while editing the second draft. I wanted to keep it in though, because it's very central to the character's personality, and this is how it ended up.

Tell us about your latest project

I'm currently working on the ninth part of the Lost Dogs series. At its core, the series is a story about trust, friendship, and belonging. On the surface, and from a distance, it's about werewolves on a train.

If you want to go somewhere in between, it's about Roy and Alene. Roy is a middle-aged man who gets a chance to correct the biggest mistake of his life, and who drops everything to do that. Alene is an aspiring young journalist who decides she's the one to uncover Roy's story.

The most recent book in the series Lost Dogs #8: North Into The Past was released on September 6, and the 9th part will be out in later November or early December.

What is your favourite cake?

My favourite cake is Sans Rival. My dad used to make it for birthdays when I was a kid.

A new one for me, Nils, but it sounds yummy! You can keep up to date with Nils's writing endeavours on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Join me next week when I'll be having a slice of cake with Sybrina Durant.

If you would like to take part in A Slice of Cake With... please fill in the form found here. I'd be delighted to have you.

You can also support my writing endeavours and buy me tea & cake - it's what makes the world go round!

Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find all her books on Amazon. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop.