It was May 2014, when I saw myself writing the first few words of what is today – 4 years later – the Prologue of City of Shadows, the novel I officially launched last Sunday.

This blog isn’t about City of Shadows, however. There’s plenty of that being updated daily here.

First of all, I write in gratitude to the Malta Society of Arts, Valletta. Not solely for providing a marvellous venue for my Book Launch last Sunday, but for their help in promoting my novel so professionally and effectively. The media coverage I got following the Press Release they made in my name was a blast!

So apart from thanking them sincerely, deeply and promising them my eternal gratitude (and my next book launch at their venue again), I’m also writing this post to publicly deny and prove false all the accusations you might hear about Malta. False rumours and arguments such as that “arts and literature have no potential in Malta”, or “there is no market” and “there is no demand”, and “you can not make any impact in Malta by arts or literature”.

False! They’re all lies. And FALSE!

The Maltese population has an unquenchable thirst for Art and Literature in all their forms. Whoever tells you otherwise, has an agenda of their own – which most probably conflicts with their interest. So do not believe them.

I was told by a dozen of Maltese publishers and artistical entities (for so they dare call themselves!) that my novel is a waste of their time and money. I will not indulge them neither do them the favour of mentioning them by name.

Once again, I conclude by thanking not only the Malta Society of Arts but also all those who were involved in this novel’s success.

THANK YOU,

John