I\u2019m absolutely delighted to welcome Johan Ingler to Linda\u2019s Book Bag<\/em> today because I think his new book for children sounds simply wonderful. It\u2019s a real sadness to me that I haven\u2019t been able to read it, but life hasn\u2019t afforded me the time.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s find out more:<\/p>\n Welcome to Linda\u2019s Book Bag<\/em> Johan. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.<\/strong><\/p>\n Thank you for having me! This is such a fun space for authors, and I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to talk about my book.<\/p>\n You\u2019re most welcome. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ve brought along my novel, Frankie & Chair<\/strong>. Although it\u2019s middle-grade, I hope it can be enjoyed by anyone with an open mind and heart. Actually, as this is my only published book, it\u2019s an easy pick. But it\u2019s also a story that\u2019s been with me on a long journey, through thick and thin, and I\u2019m thrilled to finally share it with the world.<\/p>\n Oh congratulations on your debut! I think children have some of the best books around. I might be in my mid 60s but I love children\u2019s fiction. You said Frankie & Chair<\/em> has been with you a while. Tell me more.<\/strong><\/p>\n I first wrote it as a screenplay in 2015, ten years ago (gulp! where does the time go?), and was honoured to win a couple of awards for it. It nearly made it into a movie, but we never quite got there. Making movies is hard! So many stories for the screen, written by passionate writers who pour their hearts into their work, never see the light of day. But I just couldn\u2019t let Frankie & Chair<\/strong> wither away on some dusty shelf. So, I turned it into a book, and I couldn\u2019t be more excited about it.<\/p>\n So, what is Frankie & Chair<\/em> about?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s a story that handles big themes of loss and grief, and encourages empathy and understanding. But it\u2019s still light-hearted and quirky, celebrating the power and importance of imagination, and how kids find their own inventive ways of tackling tough subjects that they don\u2019t yet have the emotional tools for.<\/p>\n I hope this book can help anyone who needs a bit of encouragement, inspiration, comfort, or just a friend in the shape of a book\u2014tagging along on their personal journey.<\/p>\n That sounds fabulous Johan. What else can we expect from an evening in with Frankie & Chair<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n Based on flattering feedback and reviews, you can expect to laugh, be moved, and find yourself hooked by a page-turning read with characters that latch straight onto your heart. Needless to say, readers have been far too kind to me. And this is from adult readers, which I\u2019m very happy about, as I hoped this book would resonate with readers of all ages.<\/p>\n While the story centres on two nine-year-olds (and an armchair), I\u2019ve also included the perspective of Danny\u2019s mom. Even if there\u2019s only a few scenes from her point of view, I wanted to add the grown-up angle of handling the loss of a loved one, while also being there for your child. For young readers, these scenes might \u201conly\u201d read as advancements of the plot, while adult readers will see a parent\u2019s struggle in a very difficult situation.<\/p>\n Also, as the book has two parallel storylines\u2014Danny\u2019s \u201creal-life\u201d story and the cosmic adventure he writes\u2014you can expect an interesting structure that keeps the reading going at a fun pace. These two storylines are very much connected, enforcing Danny\u2019s feelings, creating one larger interconnected narrative.<\/p>\n That description has made me even more determined to fit in Frankie & Chair<\/em> to my TBR at some point.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?<\/strong><\/p>\n I brought an extract from the book, I hope that\u2019s not too cheeky of me. I thought it might be helpful to get a sense of how Danny\u2019s friendship with Chair works.<\/p>\n Absolutely not cheeky at all!<\/strong><\/p>\n This is early on in the story, where Danny and Frankie have their first real conversation\u2014after she has invited herself to his house. Chair tries to intervene in the discussion, but as only Danny can \u201chear\u201d Chair, it creates a whole heap of misunderstandings. Here it goes:<\/p>\n Danny sat on the veranda railing, clutching his sketchbook, looking at Frankie as if she was an armed bomb.<\/p>\n She sat by the stairs that led to the lawn, regarding Chair on his wagon. \u201cSo, you two are like\u2026 friends?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re more than just friends,\u201d Chair said, quickly correcting himself: \u201cBut not in that<\/em> way. I mean, we do more things with each other than just friends do\u2013\u2013\u201d He stopped himself and tried again: \u201cWhat I mean is that Danny and I have taken our relationship to the next level\u2013\u2013\u201d He gave up. \u201cOh, the heck with it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re friends and writing partners,\u201d Danny clarified, giving Chair wary side-eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I see?\u201d Frankie asked, referring to the sketchbook, oblivious of Chair\u2019s floundering word salad.<\/p>\n In a situation like this, Danny would never have handed off his sketchbook. No way. He would rather have given away the log-in to his mom\u2019s bank account. But for some inexplicable reason, as if his movements were controlled by some other force, he handed her the book.<\/p>\n Chair nearly choked on his cushion. \u201cWhat are you doing?!\u201d<\/p>\n Danny could only helplessly shrug.<\/p>\n Frankie flipped through the pages. \u201cI love it! So much action and adventure! You both make this stuff up? You and the chair?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy name\u2019s just Chair<\/em>, thank you very much. And it\u2019s not polite to talk about me as if I wasn\u2019t here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just Chair,\u201d Danny said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe chair <\/em>comes up with this alone?\u201d Frankie asked.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t say that\u2019s not what it feels like sometimes,\u201d Chair sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, that\u2019s his name. Chair.\u201d<\/p>\n Frankie gave the padded furniture a regal nod. \u201cDo<\/em> accept my apologies. Chair.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, whatever, talk to the armrest\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe both come up with it,\u201d Danny said. \u201cBut I draw the pictures.\u201d He didn\u2019t add how obvious that was, considering that Chair\u2019s stumpy little legs couldn\u2019t possibly hold a pencil (without using sticky-tape or glue).<\/p>\n Frankie wondered if Danny also had made the painting of the galaxy that hung in his room.<\/p>\n He explained that his mom had painted that one. Before. When they lived in their old house. But Danny left that last part out. He didn\u2019t want to talk about the before-times.<\/p>\n While Frankie\u2019s presence wasn\u2019t immediately threatening, Danny couldn\u2019t shake his guarded feelings toward her. After all, she had <\/em>stolen that hammer in school. He feared her visit wasn\u2019t merely a friendly one. Would she try to steal anything from him? Perhaps the painting? Is that why she asked about it?<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what I miss in here?\u201d Frankie asked, nodding at the sketchbook. \u201cAn amazingly cool, butt-whoopin\u2019, space-cruisin\u2019, blaster-slingin\u2019, one liner-bustin\u2019\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes, get on with it,\u201d Chair said.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014 beam-blastin\u2019 girl!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA girl?!\u201d Chair blurted out. \u201cSomeone get me a drink to spit out!\u201d<\/p>\n Danny shifted on the railing where he sat. \u201cWell, it\u2019s sort of only about Captain Redtail and Sir Winchester.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose are the only two true space pirates,\u201d Chair quickly filled in. \u201cHence the name, The Adventures of Captain Redtail and Sir Winchester!\u201d<\/p>\n Frankie shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m just saying,\u201d naturally just answering Danny\u2019s comment. She kept flipping through the pages. \u201cSo how are you gonna end it?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny looked at Chair. He\u2019d never thought about ending any of the stories before. \u201cWe kind of just keep the adventures going. We don\u2019t really end them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly,\u201d Chair added. \u201cEndings aren\u2019t our thing. We\u2019re not really fans of letting things go.\u201d<\/p>\n Frankie drew her eyebrows together. \u201cBut you\u2019re gonna end it eventually, aren\u2019t you? What\u2019s the point of telling a story if it doesn\u2019t have an ending?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause it\u2019s fun<\/em>,\u201d Chair said. \u201cWhat\u2019s the fun in endings?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny nodded in agreement. \u201cWhat he said.\u201d<\/p>\n Frankie couldn\u2019t help but smile. \u201cYou\u2019re a strange one, aren\u2019t you.\u201d She jumped down onto the garden. \u201cNow, can I show you<\/em> something cool?\u201d<\/p>\n Danny squinted at her, skeptical about being shown anything by someone he didn\u2019t yet know if he could trust.<\/p>\n Oh that\u2019s brilliant Johan.<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks for reading, I hope it sparked some interest!<\/p>\n I\u2019m intrigued though, why isn\u2019t the book called Danny & Chair?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ah yes, while I have this chance to explain my intentions with the book, some might wonder why I didn\u2019t call the book Danny & Chair. That makes sense. Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Frankie & Chair<\/em>. It sounds such an important book.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Thank you for this chance to talk about my book, it\u2019s been wonderful. Sending all the best from Sweden! Happy reading, writing, and all the other fun things you\u2019re up to!<\/p>\n Thanks Johan.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Nine-year-old Danny has an unusual best friend: Chair, an armchair. Together, they write\u00a0The Adventures of Captain Redtail & Sir Winchester<\/span>, a comic about a squirrel space pirate and his faithful companion, a robot cupboard. Content with life as it is, Danny dislikes any sort of change. He\u2019s already had to endure the hardest change of all: the loss of his father.<\/p>\n But things take a turn when he starts at a new school and meets Frankie, a bold skateboarder whose friendship takes him by surprise. Frankie battles with a looming tragedy of her own, stirring emotions in Danny that he struggles to understand. And with Chair stubbornly opposing Frankie\u2019s presence, the rising tensions set off a series of events that none of them could have imagined.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a rocky journey toward new friendship and an understanding of grief, all mirrored in Danny\u2019s comic world\u2014a place where he explores the emotions he\u2019s still learning to process.<\/p>\n Published on 28th November 2024, Frankie & Chair<\/strong> is available for purchase here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Born and raised in Sweden, Johan started his adult life as a musician: teaching and performing. To pursue writing, he studied screenwriting at UCLA Extension, where he won first place at the school\u2019s feature film screenwriting competition, while working at an LA-based production and management company. After returning to Europe to work at an animation studio in Rotterdam, Johan is now back in his native Stockholm. Johan currently writes and develops projects for film and TV, and of course he\u2019s working on his next novel.<\/p>\n For further information, find Johan on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lindasbookbag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/frankie-and-the-chair.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nStaying in with Johan Ingler<\/h3>\n
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<\/em>I decided on\u00a0Frankie & Chair<\/strong>\u00a0because these two characters play a central role in Danny\u2019s journey of coping with his loss. Chair represents Danny\u2019s struggle to accept it, while Frankie initiates his process of confronting it.<\/p>\nFrankie & Chair<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nAbout Johan Ingler<\/h3>\n
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