Kolby debuted as a published author in 2001 with the fantasy novel
Will O'Phillie and the story of Lord Falconbridge on Cappelen Damm. The story takes place in England where the 12-year-old Will O'Phillie suddenly brings to life magical powers as he walks in a forest and reads aloud a Shakesperian sonette.
This awakens the head of the more than 400 year old Lord Henry Falconbridge who was decapitated in 1622. Together they embark on a journey to fight an attack from dark powers as well as to find Ophelia, the long lost love of Lord Falconbridge. The novel was also published in Danish.
In 2008 Kolby had published the historic novel Flames on Kagge Forlag. The book thematize the witch processes in Northern Norway in the 17th century. The book takes place in Lyngen by Tromso where a love story and drama unfolds around the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV's historic visit at the location in 1599.
The novel debates the historic witch processes in Norway as well as today's religious oppression of women. Kolby has also written a screenplay of the story and has worked for an adaption of Flames.
In 2009 Kolby published Ghostwalking - Haunted places in Norway with his co-writer Kristin Amundsen on Kagge Forlag. The book presents a series of locations around in Norway that is allegedly haunted. Many of the places are famous, such as Akershus Fortress in Oslo, the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and the Utstein monastry in Stavanger.
Flammer
Novel, 440 p. 2008, Kagge Forlag
April 17th, 1599: King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway sets sail with his eight-ship fleet, leaving his safe Copenhagen. The destination of this thousand mile long, daring voyage is the northern part of Norway, where the 22-year-old monarch is to restore political and economical order. But a darker concern than ravaging pirates occupies the king’s mind. He is about to sail into the homeland of Satan.
Europe believes that the Devil lives in the north of Norway, these wildest of the European landscapes, and fears the inhabitants and above all; the native Lapps.
Aboard is also the king’s notary and friend, Henrik Borkhart, documenting the voyage. The fleet makes a stop in the little village Sennvik in the north of Norway, where Henrik accidentally shoots a Lapp boy in the mountains and meets a local girl; the half Lapp Maren Paulsdaughter. She works with herbs and shaman medicine, a magic craft now forbidden by the king. Irresistible, and forbidden, feelings develop between the two, to their great fear.
A storm almost sinks the royal fleet and kills the region’s governor. Henrik instantly grabs the chance to remain, as the king needs a replacement for the late governor. He is now to head the hunt for the witches having created the storm, a chase that will inevitably involve the girl he loves.
Flames is a drama dealing with an awakening of human spirit and courage, a suppressing religion and the search for the inner truth, forcing these people to go beyond their limits and, for the first time; beyond their faith.
The century after the monarch’s visit to the north the witch processes were to spread dramatically in Norway.
Will O’Phillie
and the story of Lord Falconbridge
Novel, 336 p. 2001, Cappelen Damm
Kolby is renowned as a painter. But along with his art he has created the world of 12-year-old William O’Phillie, known as Will. This fairytale novel takes place in London and its outskirts, unveiling to the reader a tale of magic, destiny, Shakesperian sonnets, old spells and the ghosts of historic personaleties - all altering between the year 1622 and present time.
It is a classic fantasy novel, never the less with a higly original twist. And much inspired by Roald Dahl. Kolby writes with humour, wit and a fine feeling for the language. As one critic put it; “Kolby paints with the language.”
The book was first published in Norway at the renowned publishing house Cappelen Damm. The year after it was published in Denmark by their oldest publishing house; Gyldendal. This fairytale novel is Kolby’s debut as an author after spending 2 years creating the world of Will O’Phillie.
Ghostwalking - Haunted places in Norway
In 2006 Kolby joined the small Oslo based guide company Oslo City and Nature Walks, to perform ghostwalks in the old center of Oslo as well as on the grounds of the old royal palace Akershus. He unfolded 700 years of city history along with hair raising ghost stories from the area.
Kolby initiated a book about these stories, as well as several others around the country, and it was published in the fall 2009. His co-writer was Kristin Amundsen, the owner of the guide company. The series of ghost stories is enthralling, and one will be surprised where and how spirits haunt along the stretched country.
Sweet ghosts, frightening ghosts and simply dangerous poltergeists are found in old and new houses. The reader will meet ghosts in places as famous as the legendary viking ship Oseberg where they, 1200 years after their deaths, still throw a party in the impressive ship.