The Malta Book Festival runs from October 18 to 22, promising a colourful immersive multimedia experience. It’s a great opportunity for enthusiastic readers to catch up on new titles from local and international publishers and book-related news from 44 collaborating organisations. These include the Malta Film Commission, Wikimedia Community Malta and Inspire Malta.

“The book and the written word are key modes of communication underpinning popular culture,” says Mark Camilleri, chairperson of the National Book Council, “and cinema and theatre begin with a script or screenplay which often draws on a narrative first told in a novel. During the festival, there will be books of all shapes and sizes, and events for all ages and interests. We’re going track the journey from words to the page, and then beyond, from the development of a new text to the widest variety of literature including as storytelling for children, poems, film and performance.”

“We’re excited to be offering masterclasses for writers during the festival, including Five Steps to Writing a Bestseller with Irish crime-writer Sam Blake. Although crime hasn’t traditionally been considered literary fiction, it’s a very popular genre internationally,” continues Camilleri, a published author of several crime novels.

“Blake is very well-known in Ireland,” he smiles, “and is emerging as a global bestseller. It’s great to be welcoming her to the festival.”

Author Sam Blake

The programme also includes a creative writing masterclass with Blake to inspire local writers; an industry-focused look at ‘Inside Publishing – Routes to Market’ with book agent Simon Trewin; and insights into writing for children and young adults with UK-based children’s books editor Charlie Castelletti.

As C.A. Castle, Castelletti is launching their debut novel, The Manor House Governess, at the festival.  Strikingly different, bold and thought-provoking, it’s a lyrical period-drama romance set in Cambridge (England) in the here and now. Inspired by and resplendent with echoes of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, as a queer protagonist embraces gender fluidity with honesty, trepidation and courage, a tragic fire blazes through a stately home and dark secrets smoulder beneath the surface.

At another book launch, The First Maltese: How it all Began in Gozo, one can delve into prehistory as cultural anthropologist Veronica Veen digs deep into women’s experiences, oral storytelling and the first immigration c 5800 BC. Alternatively, follow the history of the Maltese language from its semitic roots until it was declared as the national language of Malta in 1964 and as one of the official languages of the EU in 2004 at Il-Malti: Il-Mixja sal-Għarfien Uffiċjali.

A second exhibition, From Illustration to Book (a collaboration between the National Book Council and Arts Council Malta curated by Nikki Petroni, education and development executive at Arts Council Malta) adds another dimension to the festival, showcasing the work of illustrators and graphic designers involved with the publishing industry. Inspired festival visitors can even get arty themselves, joining forces with the Malta Community of Illustrators on a large-scale interactive mural.

The book and the written word are key modes of communication underpinning popular culture- Mark Camilleri

Meanwhile, embracing technology, and for those who prefer to focus on facts over fiction, there is a series of events looking at how Wikipedia works, highlighting the role you could play in building this resource and introducing the ‘Wikipedian-In-Residence’ at timesofmalta.com.

The line-up also includes What is a GAP? A Playful Talk on Liberation – a performance based on Italo Calvino’s debut novel The Path to the Spider’s Nests. Set during the Italian Resistance, it’s a tale of insurgency and code-breaking intriguingly described as a “literary bingo”. The event, like the book, takes place in Italian because, explains Camilleri, “many people in Malta speak and read in Italian, and we’re also catering for the Italian community here”.

A second event in Italian, ‘140 Languages for Pinocchio’, investigates the variety of linguistic remakes of the most famous puppet in the world, who turns 140 this year; and for those who prefer to converse and consider in German, Vienna-based contemporary writer Barbi Marković is reading from her new novel Minihorror.

Bongi Wongi by Marisa Attard, an illustration from Bongi Wongi u l-avventuri tiegħu by Jesmond Grech, Klabb Kotba Maltin, 2000.

“Looking beyond books,” continues Camilleri, “we have been collaborating with Teatru Malta to bring together literature, drama and original music by The New Victorians in an innovative concert – or modern soirée – based upon the best excerpts from VII and Il-Fidwa tal-Bdiewa.

“These visually represent the story of the riots of Sette Giugno in 1919 and, on the 50th anniversary of his death, Ninu Cremona’s poetical work The Liberation of the Farmers. Although both are over 100 years old, they are political in tone and still relevant today as we struggle with the cost-of-living crisis!”

Camilleri continues: “While we’re always delighted to be celebrating successes and learning lessons from the past, we’re keen to look to the future. That’s why we’re also eagerly anticipating a round table discussion chaired by popular podcast host Jon Mallia.”

Mallia will be joined by prominent literary figures Trevor Żahra, Lon Kirkop, Aleks Farrugia, Nadia Mifsud and Loranne Vella, and together they will debate the ever-evolving landscape of Maltese literature in its many guises and the future of books in Malta.

“We hope everyone will contribute,” Camilleri concludes.

The Malta Book Festival will be taking place between October 18 and 22 at the MFCC, Ta’ Qali. For the full programme, visit: https://ktieb.org.mt/en/malta-book-festival/ or search National Book Council and Malta Book Festival on Facebook.