The book, he explained, required special presentation. Ende’s next announcement unsettled his publishers further. Young Bastian Bux had refused to leave Phantásia, and it was his duty as an author to follow him on his travels. The book, he told his editor, was not yet complete. Then in autumn 1978 Ende finally re-surfaced. In the course of 1978 Ende’s publishers heard very little from their author. The book would be somewhat longer than expected, but he fully expected it to be finished by autumn 1979. Before too long he was on the phone to his publisher, asking for an extension to the deadline. The subject-matter for the new book grew before Michael Ende’s eyes. He assumed the project would be straightforward, and privately wondered how he could stretch the material to fill a hundred pages. One of the sheets of paper bore the following summary: ‘A young boy picks up a book, finds himself literally inside the story and has trouble getting out.’ Once Weitbrecht had expressed his approval, Ende promised to deliver the manuscript by Christmas. As soon as the topic was broached, Michael Ende started rummaging through a shoebox and sifting through ideas.
Like any good editor, Weitbrecht was intent on persuading his author to write a new book. It started in February 1977 with Hansjörg Weitbrecht’s visit to Genzano. The story of how Michael Ende came to write his most famous novel was almost neverending in itself.
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