Faye G's Writer's Block

Hi! I just finished it!

I can't decide which season was my favorite. The first season had such a unique vibe that I still adore, but the second had an action adventure thriller going for it, which is my guilty pleasure, lol. The third season, I cant really say because I genuinely lost the plot like midway and had 0 idea what was happening.

I loved the mysteries each season, really got my brain going, and I was having fun figuring it out with each new bit of info. (excluding season 3. I'm not sure why that one got me so bad, lol.

Thanks for your work, and I'll be here waiting for whatever you decide to write next!

First of, I just wanna tell you I LOVE The Missing and you did such an amazing job with this book! Absolutely chef's kiss 😽!

TM week deep dives has been a joy to read and I'm like, you know what, why don't I try Odette's route this time just to support women's wrongs?

Anyway! If you don't mind, can you tell us a bit more background about our BFFs Saga and Jannie (ft. Steen)? How did their friendship begin? I read in Alba's deep dive about Saga's potential as love interest, and if that did happen, how do you think the dynamics in their friend group would have changed? Aah the what-could-have-been with Saga, I CANT!

And I absolutely adore the ending where we get to confirm the future parents! Honestly getting some girldad vibes from Steen. The group would be wonderful parents and amazing godmothers 😻.

Thanks, Faye, and hope you get your well-deserved rest! Looking forward to reading more stories from you 💖 (P.S. may I ask what months does fall fall under? We don't have that season in my country 😅)

Hello!

I'm winding down my social media engagement to go touch some grass, but I wanted to answer this because this is something I know lol.

Jannie and Ghita knew each other from school, from probably around 13-14 years of age. Jannie has a sister and at some point in her late teens, her mom died from cancer - and no, this isn't written anywhere, but as previously mentioned, I give characters traits and motivations that don't revolve around the main character in order to feel that they're 'complete' people while I write. Jannie has long since processed her loss, but it makes her much more aware and protective of Ghita, because she of all people understand the grief and Ghita's missing closure.

Ghita and Saga met each other at university, maybe at one of those basic academic 101 classes, maybe at a social event. They would hit it off and always find the other in a crowd, bonding over their chaotic love lives probably. As Ghita went into policing and Saga into research, their friendship might've had its dips and curves, but Ghita would've introduced Saga to Jannie and they would also quickly have made friends, binding them all together. Saga and Jannie might've spent more time together during a period where Ghita was at the academy and when she came back, it would've been as if it was always the three of them.

The main reason why Saga isn't a love interest is that I never saw her as one and it's only in hindsight with knowing what I know now that I wondered if it would've been more appropriate. And by wonder, I truly just mean "wonder" - I think there's a bunch of other issues with Saga as a LI that means she wouldn't necessarily have been a better option. I don't think the friend group would've worked as well as it did, for a start.

I’m having the time of my life reading everything you share about The Missing and its background, so I just wanted to let you know that the Department of Shy Boy Mads Lauritzen Studies is eternally grateful for every little piece of information - especially that Easter egg about Mads and Kuno. I mean, can you imagine Kuno throwing Mads around like a ragdoll? We already know what that big man can do to Ghita. Crazy.

Anyway, I’ll definitely be back with more questions, but since you asked, I thought I’d shyly share a few of my own thoughts. I’m currently stuck at home with my newborn, so I figured… why not? Let’s fool around a little and fill in some of the gaps. Just to be clear, I absolutely don’t expect you to confirm any of this.

Why did Mads want to kiss Ghita after accusing her of being the mole?

I think he panicked. He switched into investigator mode, convinced himself he was doing the right thing, and then suddenly saw that she was genuinely hurt and furious. Maybe he expected her to defend herself or try to convince him, but instead Ghita basically went, “Fuck this guy.” (And then later… “I kind of want to fuck this guy.” lol)

Since he was already hanging by a thread after everything that had happened (like forced proximity stuff and Ghita nearly dying), I think something in him simply snapped. You kind of hinted at it in his character description, and I completely agree with the idea that offering her his trust is almost like giving her a gift - choosing vulnerability on purpose. And maybe there was also a part of him thinking, “Fuck this case. Everything is so unbelievably messed up, and it’s messing with both of our heads.”

The first date and the first “I love you.”

This one is incredibly difficult for me because I can’t quite place Mads anywhere. I don’t think he invited her straight to his place because that would have implied something more intimate from the beginning of them being officially dating. Instead, I imagine him choosing a small, cozy, quiet restaurant with wooden furniture, dim lighting, and a classic menu, the kind of place he occasionally visits alone because it feels familiar and comfortable. I think he was incredibly nervous. They had already slept together, yet somehow they were going back to the awkward “first steps” stage of a relationship. But (un)fortunately for him, Ghita loves teasing him, so instead of an unbearably awkward evening, they end up having a long conversation about books, her university work, his undercover assignments, and everything in between.They only end up drinking whiskey at his apartment because Ghita is the one who suggests it.

As for the first “I love you,” I imagine it happening after sex, during aftercare. Mads had already caught himself calling her “darling” a few times without even thinking about it, and I think that’s when he realized he was already hopelessly in love with her. So he was the first one to say it.

A few additional headcanons that somehow took over my brain:

At some point, Mads realizes he has an absurd number of unused vacation days because he never takes time off. So they start traveling. I think Greece would be their first destination because Ghita has never been there, and I can absolutely picture Mads enjoying sailing (you know… stoically watching the sea). Then something unexpected happens: Mads becomes the one planning their next destinations. He discovers that he genuinely enjoys wandering through tiny local museums and spending slow mornings reading in bed in some cute little hotel.

Saga and Mads never become especially talkative, but after what feels like their hundredth gathering with Ghita’s friends, Saga casually mentions a book from her book club (not horny book club, the other one). Mads asks her something about the plot because he has already read it. From that moment on, they accidentally create a silent little book club of their own. They don’t lend each other books - that privilege belongs exclusively to Ghita, but whenever they meet, they have one more thing to quietly discuss.

Mads never mentions it to Ghita, but he secretly starts reading books about schizophrenia and how to recognize the earliest warning signs. He simply wants to understand her better. Eventually, Ghita finds one of the books. At first she is pissed off, but  then she realizes he bought it because he wanted to know how to support her if she ever needed it.

Mads isn’t really a gift-giving person, but he always remembers her favorite wine and snacks (I refuse to believe Ghita isn’t a wine-and-cheese kind of girl). He quietly keeps them stocked at his apartment so that whenever she comes over, everything she likes is already there without him ever making a big deal out of it.

Ten years after Greenland, when they’re already married, Ghita is invited back to a university as a guest lecturer to talk about the O case and everything surrounding it. The students are fascinated. The case was horrific, famous, and she experienced it firsthand. She talks about the investigation, presents psychological profiles, tells stories from the case. One day Mads quietly attends one of her lectures. Somewhere in the background and he reflects on all the crazy stuff that happened, but also he feels incredibly proud of his reckless, beautiful, infuriating wife.

Thanks! And sorry - I didn’t expect this to turn into such a long message! 😅

First of all - congrats on your baby!

Secondly - why shy????? I read your ideas and I couldn't stop smiling - they're wonderful! I feel like you really understood the characters and very much captured their dynamic in your headcanons.

Everyone should see these, as they are brilliant!

I came from the fandom myself so fanfiction is like..... crack to me. I love to toy around with scenarios that I think should've happened and explore closed-door situations, fill in the blanks as you say. I still try to keep up with books both in Romance Club and other apps, and sometimes an author will touch upon something inconsequential and my brain just starts firing 'what if...!' 'what if...!' 'what if...!' - I love that! It's an incredible feeling.

I know not everyone is like this but then I really hope we as fandom support those who are - and I'm not talking about The Missing, specifically, I'm saying support your mutuals who have ideas and encourage them to bring them to life. It doesn't matter if it's the most navel-gazing, self-indulgent crack ship in the world, or just 100 words describing a kiss that never happened - having an idea and being creative, even chaotically, is good for your heart and your brain and your soul.

Now, I won't make this a habit AT ALL, for all we know, this will be a one time thing, but your first date scenario is super cute and I am really grateful that you took the time to write down your own ideas in such detail, so I wrote you a tiny tiny fic to accompany the date scenario.

Please enjoy when you need a short break from mommy business 😊

(not edited and not canon, just a blablabla)