TR&W Issue 20

Cornelia Funke is the critically acclaimed and internationally bestselling author of the Inkheart trilogy, the Dragon Rider series and, most recently, Pan’s Labyrinth , with Guillermo del Toro. cornelia.funke.official corneliafunke.com Barry Cunningham, OBE, has worked with authors including Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan, and signed JK Rowling for Bloomsbury. In 2000, he founded his own company, Chicken House, which publishes original children’s books, with a special emphasis on new fiction. The Colour of Revenge by Cornelia Funke is out now in hardback (£14.99, Chicken House). When did you realise that the series was becoming very popular? Barry: As a publisher, it was fascinating seeing the power of storytelling spread itself; through word of mouth, and through readers’ networks before the internet was all-powerful. But I believe it was principally through booksellers, librarians and teachers, who saw children’s own enchantment when they read Cornelia’s words and wanted to bring that to more readers. Cornelia: The same is true of Inkworld in Germany. It was made a success by the readers and booksellers. There is no better promotion for a book than readers telling their friends of a book they loved. I am still deeply touched when readers in India or Mexico quote lines from Inkworld and make me realise how many of them have been travelling with me and my words. This connection with the readers and the journeys we go on together, granted by passionate publishers and booksellers, is a deep and quite mysterious magic. TRW . Inkdeath , the last instalment in the series, was published in 2007; when did the idea of the fourth novel in the series, The Colour of Revenge begin? Barry: Cornelia and I had always talked about Dustfinger, and whether there was more of his story to be told. And then one day she said, “What if…?” Cornelia: In fact, Barry planted the seeds for the fourth book by asking me for a short story, to be added to a new edition of Inkworld . I wrote it and the door was open again. I knew already then that there was so much more waiting behind that door, and one day I had to step through. TRW. What has it been like returning to the world of Inkheart again after such a long time? Cornelia: Oh it was wonderful to be back. I hadn’t realised how much I missed them all. And I always wished to write more about the friendship between Dustfinger and the Black Prince. Of course, the story surprised me many times and with many turns, and it was the first of all my books where, in the end, I didn’t want to leave. What has the reaction been to the return of the series after so many years? Barry: Huge! The Colour of Revenge is a number one bestseller on both adult and children’s lists in Germany, and in the UK and USA there’s been a big reaction from people who grew up with the Inkheart series. Cornelia: I will never forget presenting the book at Frankfurt Book Fair. So much passion! So many, often teary, readers telling me how much this book means to them and that it came at just the right time, giving them hope in a world that grew so dark. I had, of course, wished for that, but only the readers will tell whether the storyteller did her job properly. TRW: The books are translated from German to English. Are there any challenges around this? Barry: After the sad passing of Cornelia’s long-time translator, Anthea Bell, we tested out a number of new translators – but finally chose Cornelia’s daughter Anna. She not only gives the readers a brilliant taste of Cornelia’s writing style but a modern feel of character too. Cornelia: My daughter Anna has been my fiercest and best editor since she was five, and by now I cannot imagine working on any book without her being my first reader. She had a vast influence on this book: long before she became its translator, as she helped me untangle a few threads and proved to be an even more insightful editor than my very good German editor. When I read her translation, I had a ridiculously happy smile on my face. She made the German text sing and gave it new English clothes that fit perfectly and at the same time brought a freshness and youth that fits the story so perfectly. TRW: Have any conversations with young readers ever influenced the direction in which you take your books? Barry: Frommy point of view, I do listen to readers, but I always want to exceed their expectations – and dream bigger. Cornelia: That’s for sure a goal I share. And yes, I had many suggestions and requests from readers that inspired more thought, and sometimes more attention to a motive or character. I did, though, always ignore one wish brought by many readers: that Meggie needs to end up with Farid. I knew he would not make her happy. Doria, in contrast, would for sure. “Only the readers will tell whether the storyteller did her job properly” BOOKS FOR SCHOO L S www.teachwire.net | 61 ©Michael Orth ©Michael Orth