2025 didn't exactly start with a bang. The whole family was ill during the holidays and into the first week of the new year with a short respite on New Year's Eve when we had visitors from Sicily and had a lot of fun celebrating with them. But slowly, life is returning to the old …
Best reads of 2024
The year that is nearing to a close has been a year of quite a few good reads. I don't read the newest releases so if you're looking for a list of 2024-published hits, this is not for you. In fact, I tend to avoid the most hyped books until the dust settles and only …
On a Cliff Edge
Yesterday, Litro published a short story by me. It's a short excerpt from an unpublished novel and it deals with the grief of losing a loved one. We all search for relief in different ways. Sometimes those ways are strange and unexpected, sometimes they're downright crazy and dangerous. I've been through a couple of the …
Heartbreak
I got another rejection today. This is the second one for this novel and funnily enough, both agents loved the concept but didn't fall in love with the writing - quite the opposite of the previous novels I queried with. I seem to not be able to put together a great concept and great writing. …
New essays
This seems to be the year for essays. The word 'essay' goes back to the 15th-century verb which was used in the sense of 'test the quality of something'. That verb, in turn, was borrowed from Old French 'essay, essai', from Latin 'exagium' (weighing, testing, ascertaining). Although I tend to express myself easiest through fiction, …
Essay on writing in a second language
At last, sixteen months after my PhD viva, part of my critical essay is now published in LOGOS. Hurray! The Challenges, Advantages, and Consequences of Writing Prose in a Second Language. According to Homi Bhabha, hybridity in the context of identity where two cultures or languages collide is a third space where new views and …
The Pirate Tree in different forms
I'm very lucky to have brilliantly creative friends. One of them has transformed The Pirate Tree into a kamishibai form, which is a form of Japanese street theater that became popular during the 1930s Depression and the post-war period. It's becoming increasingly popular again and it's no wonder because it joins the best aspects of …
The Pirate Tree free activities
During the lockdown, I was busy creating free activities for readers of The Pirate Tree. You can now download them on my publisher's website (scroll down). You'll find a crossword puzzle, a labyrinth, a fun board game and more. Have fun playing and creating and do let me know how you like them!
Viva distractions
The 31 January was a magical day. I woke up in Swansea (in a terrible hotel, but that didn't manage to ruin the day). My PhD viva was scheduled for later that Friday. Needless to say, I was nervous even though I kept telling myself that I wrote the thesis so I knew what it …
Soldier #amwriting #poem #poetry
One of my pieces of writing I am most proud of is, strangely, a poem. I haven't written any poetry in a long while and even when I wrote poems on a daily basis, the process didn't feel as natural as when I write fiction. I struggled. I imagine every poet struggles to an extent …
Brigita Orel 