From “The Cliff” via “The Factory” and “The Heart Never Gets Full” to “We Never Talked About Love”. — My upbringing was safe, but also marked by loneliness. I was a careful little boy who lived with my parents and my brother in an apartment, a block of flats with 6 apartments in Røldal Haukelivegen in Odda. My father was a factory worker, and my mother worked at home…

A story I wrote several years ago, now republished here in ILLUMINATION. I’ve become four years older, and I am grateful for what I have in my life. 11/2021 © Øivind H. Solheim — — I feel privileged for being who I am, and where I am now. I am happy to have good health and no serious illnesses. Good mental and physical health is fundamental. This does not come by itself. I know that I can do a lot to feel good in my…

I write fiction: novels, short stories, poetry. I also write articles, personal essays, hiking stories, photo reports, and other experimental stories. — A selection of stories from Øivind H. Solheim: Mar 30, 2022 · 8 min read A story on intimacy. Relax! Enjoy! Why Sex Is Good for the Relationship Success Depends on Empathy, Commitment — And Willingness to Givemedium.com

The Man Who Refused to Pass Away a Novel (27) — Chapter 27: Confronting the Inevitable Our days blended into one another, a surreal procession through the sterile, antiseptic corridors of the hospital. Walking those endless halls, waiting for—I know not what—was nothing short of exhausting. What were we really waiting for? We didn’t discuss it aloud, but deep down, each of us knew. Life. A…

The Man Who Refused to Pass Away a Novel (24) — Chapter 24: The Liberation of Writing I have toiled endlessly on the construction of this story, this chronicle of my existence. It’s a narrative I’ve meticulously molded into the semblance of a novel. Why, you might ask, do I embark on such a venture? Is it merely my desire to pen words? In part, yet the…

The Man Who Refused to Pass Away a Novel (26) — Chapter 26: Her Eyes Now Held a Quiet Wisdom In the dimly lit room, suffused with the weight of inevitability, I sat by Elsa’s bedside. Her pallor was a testament to the relentless march of an unforgiving ailment. The air hung heavy with a profound sense of resignation, as though the universe itself were conspiring against us. “Elsa,” I…

The Man Who Refused to Pass Away, a Novel (25) — Chapter 25: The Investigative Craft of Writing For a substantial duration, I have been diligently engaged in the composition of this novel, a peculiar amalgamation of diary and journal. Its essence has taken the form of a narrative; one might venture to call it a novel. Why, you might ask, do I devote myself to this endeavor…

A draft of a new chapter of the novel The Man Who Refused to Pass Away, a reflection on the craft of creative writing. — For an extended period now, I have found myself dedicated to the task of creating this literary work, a mixture of a journal and a novel. It has taken the form of a story—a story I have dubbed a novel. But why do I engage in this endeavor? …

The Man Who Refused to Pass Away a Novel (23) — Chapter 23: The Relentless Interlude In the shadow of the uninvited intruder’s relentless presence, we embarked on a journey whose destination was shrouded in uncertainty. …