Occupied, a new drama about a Russian invasion of Norway in order to seize its oil resources, starts on Sky Arts in January 2016. The story is based on a concept by Jo Nesbø. This interview with the bestselling Scandinavian author was first published in May 2014.

Jo Nesbø says that he is such a natural pessimist that whenever he is asked how long a journey will take to complete, he always replies "two hours more", no matter how near the final destination.

The author, who was born on March 29 1960, is known throughout the globe for his gritty crime novels featuring serial-killer chasing Oslo detective Harry Hole. But he has another, more upbeat, side to his writing: as the best-selling children's author of the Doctor Proctor series.

Nesbø's children's fiction has been a runaway success in Norway and throughout Europe although the books started simply as a way to amuse his daughter, Selma, who was seven years old when the series began in 2007.

The Oslo-born author says: "Selma began asking for stories but she had a few stipulations. She wanted a dinosaur, and a boy character who was smaller than the girl. Oh, and she wanted a Princess and a potato. And a mad professor."

I compare Harry Hole to the intricate conducting of a symphony, and Doctor Proctor with going to a jazz club and jamming with a band. It does not mean that children's fiction is easier

The crazy professor turned into Doctor Proctor and in making up the bedtime stories, he realised he liked the characters. "The farting and anti-farting powder was all my idea," he jokes. "Selma just said: 'Not again, Dad. We used to joke that she was the co-writer, until she suggested we share the royalties."

For Nesbø, there is a similar pattern to his work, whether it's writing for adults or children. "I am a storyteller," he says during a visit to the Telegraph offices in London. "Whether it's adult crime novels, or lyrics for my songs or children's stories. I come up with ideas and then work out whether they will fit for Harry Hole or Doctor Proctor. Then I provide the story with what it needs: suspense, humour, whatever."

"I compare Harry Hole to the intricate conducting of a symphony, and Doctor Proctor with going to a jazz club and jamming with a band. It does not mean that children's fiction is easier. When I'm writing the books I have to make them funny for myself and have to laugh at the stories myself. I found the powder that would stop you farting hilarious and I like to put in music jokes."

In the latest book, the fifth in the series called Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder. The End of the World, Maybe, for example, there are running jokes about a band called De Beetles, with their song Yelp, I Need a Bandage.

Nesbø had a mixed upbringing in terms of what he read. He liked Scandinavian authors such as Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking) but was also exposed to Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawer books via his father, who had grown up in New York.

He believes that one of the key goals for literacy, in Norway as in the UK, is encouraging boys to read. Asked if he attends a lot of children's school and book events, he jokes (in a deadpan way): "I try to avoid children. They lack concentration."

Jo Nesbo has sold more than 20 million books worldwide

In fact, he marvels at the way children are able to navigate the world, even when they can't make sense of what is going on, or understand all the punchlines to life's stories. In any writing, honesty from the author is important. "With writing you are inviting people into your mental home, and in a sense being accommodating," he says. "You have to say this is my world, This is what I want to write about and describe and if you want to know or think it's funny then come in."

The Doctor Proctor books were an overnight success in Norway (there have been two film adaptations) but Nesbø, whose books for adults sell in phenomenal amounts, seems engagingly unaffected by success. "Well, I had been published for eight years when my books suddenly took off," he says. "The good thing about being a writer is that people can have opinions and maybe like or dislike what you write but if they don't read you, they don't really care. So you tend to get only nice attention. In any case, you never get as much fame as being a footballer. Writing has been all downhill, anyway, from football."

Nesbø, who has a degree in economics and business administration, was briefly a professional footballer with Norwegian premier league side Molde, before injury ended his career while still a teenager. "I've not played football since I was 19 and after a knee injury I realised I could no longer do what I wanted to do as a football player. I still follow football" – during the visit to London he went to see West Ham v Tottenham, unfortunately seeing his beloved Spurs lose – "but I do some rock climbing now."

We chat about the difficult spell in Britain for Nesbø's Norwegian counterpart Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer, the former Manchester United striker who took charge of Cardiff and could not halt their slide towards relegation. "Ole's a patient chap. He will come good," Nesbø says. "I know him quite well and he has even sung with my band Di Derre."

How did he do? "Let's just say he's a better footballer than a singer," the author replies, smiling.

Nesbø has a lot on his plate at the moment. He will be touring with a bass player again this summer to give small acoustic concerts in Norway, has a new Doctor Proctor novel in progress, is writing more crime fiction and is working on a modern novel version of Macbeth. "Imagine if Macbeth had been a video game. All that cold-blooded murder and insanity would have earned it an 18 certificate," he says.

He spends a lot of time travelling but makes use of the time, writing on planes and trains. And never feels rushed to deliver. "A book is always two years away, is what I tell publishers," he says.

40 great quotes about life (for a pessimist)

Has his daughter inherited his pessimism? "Well, when she was young her mother suggested I play guitar at one of her birthday parties and Selma said: 'Do you think that's a good idea?' She was about six at the time. I feared the worst, because I did not think my music would mean much to small kids."

And what happened? "Oh, I emptied the room," Nesbø says. "So all the children fled and I was left alone there with my daughter, who arched her eyes and said: 'I told you'. It's safer to be pessimistic, then you don't have false hope."

Order Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder: The End of the World, Maybe by Jo Nesbø from the Telegraph bookshop for £6.99