Fabrizio Michels, author of “The Flight of the Fox”, plunges into the depths of an inspiring story that blends fiction and reality. In this fable, he recounts his personal journey through the path of the Fox, a courageous single mum, as she explores her territory with her baby. The story reveals challenges such as solo motherhood, the importance of pursuing one’s dreams and the search for happiness in everyday life. With an engaging narrative, Michels shares his own path, using the Fox as a mirror of his wife, and the Hawk as a representation of the author, a writer in search of freedom. “The Flight of the Fox” is a journey of personal growth, overcoming and the reminder that happiness lies in the present, despite adversity. Fabrizio Michels, born in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, tells a story that transcends the narrative of a book, exploring the art of fantasy as a way of conveying profound messages. “The Flight of the Fox” marks his first literary plunge, enriching Brazilian literature with a touching story about love, perseverance and empowerment.
The inspiration for “The Flight of the Fox” comes from your own life story and your love for your wife. Can you tell us how you came up with the idea of turning this personal experience into a fable?
For some time, I had wanted to give my wife a unique, distinctive and unforgettable gift. It was during my walk in the park that an idea came to me: to write a short story that would condense our history, telling the details of how we met and fell in love in a creative way. At that moment he figure of the fox and the hawk materialised in my imagination. They became the protagonists of this narrative, symbolising the possibility of an unlikely love blossoming. Imagine a fox that lives on land and a hawk that lives in the air. My intention was to emphasise that, above all, her courage was the link that brought us together. With this concept in mind, I started writing. The ideas flowed naturally, and I soon realised that a simple short story wouldn’t be enough to express everything I wanted. Before I knew it, I had filled more than 30 pages. It was at that point that I realised I was actually writing a book. I dedicated myself fully to the task, because I knew that our story could inspire other people. From that moment on, my writing wasn’t just aimed at my wife, but at everyone who could benefit from it.
The protagonist, Fox, is a single mum who faces challenges to protect her family. What message do you want to convey to readers through this character?
I think the Fox represents many of today’s women very well, because they need to keep their feet on the ground and look after their children, regardless of whether they are single mums or not. But they also need to live their dreams and pursue their goals, facing the daily challenges of having the security of a job, for example. This often causes them to stray from their career or life goals. With the Fox, I wanted to show that it is possible to take care of your children and go in search of your own happiness, with courage.
“The Flight of the Fox” deals with themes such as solo motherhood, empowerment and overcoming. How do you hope these themes will resonate with readers?
I think that in the society we live in, it’s always a little more difficult for women to find their own way in various spheres. Whether it’s because they face sexism in the home, or the challenges of dividing a career with motherhood, or even domestic violence. My book shows some of these themes in a very subtle way, but the message I would like to convey is that it is possible to be an exemplary mother and, at the same time, face prejudice, pursue your dreams and follow your instincts to achieve your own fulfilment. During my life, I’ve seen many women who put aside their dreams, their goals and their own happiness to look after their children or simply because they didn’t believe it was possible. With Raposa, I want to show everyone that it is possible to continue pursuing your dreams and be happy even in the face of all the challenges.
The story involves mysteries, dangers and extraordinary adventures. Can you share with us how the journey of the Fox and the Hawk symbolises the challenges and twists and turns of real life?
It’s a real story. Although it’s a fantasy with fantastic characters, it’s a real story. Our lives are full of mysteries, challenges and incredible adventures. I’ve tried to use metaphors and symbolism to make the story more interesting, but we all experience these fears, confrontations and madness during our lives. The book shows that Fox lets himself live, has the courage to face danger and follow his own instincts, believing that in the end he will find happiness. And that’s the meaning of the “flight of the fox”: to take your feet off the ground and go in search of what you believe in. It’s not about surviving, it’s about living.
Your language in the narrative is described as simple but rich in meaning. How have you balanced simplicity with the depth of the messages you want to convey?
I think that because I have an artistic background and have worked with art all my life, every story I tell or that is in me is always loaded with meanings, metaphors and figures. But I’ve always tried to write simply, as if I were really talking. I think this balance developed naturally in me.
The book also touches on the idea that happiness lies in the present, even in the face of adversity. Can you tell us how this concept is explored in the story?
I think everyone always thinks about the future. We always think that we’ll be happy in the future, that we’ll be successful in the future, that we’ll get married and have children and find our loved one in the future. We mentally plan to be happy forever in the future. But life is in the present. Every day we struggle, we have to make choices, we have to take difficult decisions. I wanted to show in my book that happiness is built day by day, that a relationship is built day by day, that love is learnt day by day. That’s why the adventures we plan for our lives need to be lived now, today, and not in the future.
As well as being an author, you have a background and experience in various art forms, including animation, design, painting and music composition. How have these experiences enriched your writing?
I believe that in every work of art, whether it’s a painting or instrumental music, there’s a story, a message, a feeling behind it. I believe that all forms of art are intertwined in some way. When it comes to artistic writing, you have to focus a little differently, because you need to make it interesting to read and, at the same time, get a clear message across. As I said before, I think that because I’ve had these previous artistic experiences, my writing ends up having a choice of words that bring a musical experience in the metric, in the sonority and that also boost the imagination, letting the reader be their own plastic artist, imagining the colours, the settings, etc.
How did the decision to make “The Flight of the Fox” your first book come about, and what were the challenges and rewards of bringing this story to the public?
When I realised that what I was writing could actually become a book, I embraced the idea. Of course, I had always dreamed of writing a book and publishing it. It was the perfect moment, when I was finally able to put into words a story that I thought would inspire many people. From then on everything became a reward for me. When you’re writing your first book, you constantly question whether what you’re writing is really good or interesting to anyone other than yourself, but I decided to follow the fox’s example and had the courage to tell my story, conveying everything I believed would inspire others. I allowed myself to write the story I wanted to tell, without worrying about whether it would be perfect or the best book ever written. I just allowed myself to tell the story I wanted to tell.
What is the main message or lesson you hope readers take away from reading “The Flight of the Fox”?
There are many messages and I think some readers will take some paragraphs with them for life. When I started writing, my main aim was to convey the message that courage leads to happiness. However, I think that for each person the book can bring a different message. Currently, I think the lesson the book conveys is that happiness in life lies in pursuing your own dreams. Happiness lies in everyday relationships, in learning from each other.
As an author, what are your future writing plans? Can we expect more works that explore fantasy as a means of conveying messages and teachings?
I confess that the idea of new books is very tempting. I already have a few other stories in my head that I’ve always wanted to tell. I think I’m going to wait a while for the repercussions of Flight of the Fox and, perhaps, write a sequel to this fable.
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