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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 FEBRUARY 2021 4 BOOKS Fantasy and science fiction are arguably under-repre- sented in Maltese literature, yet way back in 1987 you published Ktieb ix-Xwejjah, possibly one of the first local incursions into the genre. How did that come about? I fell in love with fantasy and science fiction early on. Some of the first books I devoured were of those genres, and since I always had more of an imag- ination than I could handle by myself, I had to pour it out in stories. Ktieb ix-Xwejjaħ was written in fits and starts, dif- ferent stories against a com- mon background to begin with, and then, when the reality of the book publication became more solid, a second half that brought everything together. A good versus evil story, with a traditional quest looking for the object that would reverse the horrors. Yes, I think it was a bit of a pioneer, creating its own mythology. The first sto- ries were actually published in Sagħtar. I wrote other brief fantasy series since then. Al- so in Sagħtar there was the "Is-Saħħar" series, and in The Young Falcon, a series called "Tonyland". Then, of course, there's my Adron, Re graph- ic novel. Maybe the first such in Maltese. And more recently Sigurd and the Book of Life. So a long flirtation with two fa- vourite genres. Decades later, you returned to the "scene of the crime" with the children's adventure story Il-Professur Ghasfur. What spurred you to create this quirky character? I felt children's literature in Maltese was missing a really zany, eccentric inventor who could invent anything under the sun (and beyond it). Il-Pro- fessur came out fully-formed, with his grungy, retro clothes and completely spaced-out way of talking. And of course, his brilliance in coming up with things like a dimension-hopping plat- form, an invisibility blanket, a spacesuit-creating collar, an inter-stellar translator... you name it, he's done it. And I al- so wanted a book narrated by a bright young girl. Katrina is, in fact, a favourite of mine. The intelligent tortoise idea came a bit later, but I'm really glad to have included it, because it makes even madder what is al- ready mad in the story. Merlin, the book's publishers, have described the book as a word-of-mouth success that grew steadily till it sold out and had to be reprinted. And, one assumes, that is what led to the sequel this year. What is Il-Professur Ghasfur fl-Ispazju, and how and where does it pick up the story from the first book? I love the character of il-Pro- fessur, and had already started writing a book two. But life got in the way and I only managed a chapter or two. When Merlin told me that the first book had sold out, and asked me what had happened to the second book I was writing, I grinned from ear to ear and told them to give me a few months. Again, the book pretty much wrote itself. And this time it's an alien invasion headed this way to destroy the earth. That is, unless the two Professors, Pawlu and the tortoise can stop them. So off they go in the Pro- fessor's brand new spaceship. The rest I'll leave to my readers to find out. The two new characters in this sequel are Pawlu, the boy who stumbles upon adventure, and Professur Gremxula. Why them, and what do they add to Professur Ghasfur's world? Pawlu is a very special boy, with attention difficulties. He takes over from Katrina as the narrator, and also manages to save the day a couple of times. Professur Gremxula came out of research that was published abroad, that said that only one out of every three scientists depicted in children's science books were female. I think that's probably a conservative estimate when it comes to Mal- tese books. So I decided to re- dress the lack a bit by introduc- ing the brilliant anthropologist who becomes the key to solving the adventure. You are arguably as well- known for your illustrations as for your writing. It's only a few authors who both write and il- lustrate their own stories. Here in Malta, you and Trevor Zahra come to mind. What is it like to illustrate your own books? I can't imagine writing a chil- dren's book without also illus- trating it! My illustrations do not, strictly speaking "illus- trate" but complement. There are always details in the draw- ings that do not appear in the writing, and that means that there is a fluid flow between the text and pictures. The only decision I need to make con- sciously every time is what style to adopt. In the case of the Professur Għasfur books, I opt- ed for a cartoony, as opposed to a more realistic, style. No, I don't think there are many of us in Malta. A handful. Though, again, there are a few (what I'd like to call) third-gen- eration illustrators also writing their own books. Trevor and I are firmly in the second gener- ation of Maltese illustrators. You are a notoriously busy per- son, juggling numerous artistic and academic personae. What other projects have you been working on? I never stop. That is my prob- lem! I've recently had an exhi- bition of paintings, self-pub- lished a book of poems, had a book of illustrated microstories (Mitt Ruħ) that I am particu- larly fond of, published, am do- ing a twice-weekly comic strip about the pandemic, and had an adventure book giveaway set in the pandemic go crazily viral (both Maltese and English versions)... and of course, I am the head of the Department of Media and Communications at University. So I also give the "occasional" lecture. But, among quite a few other things, I do have another children's book almost finished... a band of female ecological warriors on partnered beasts saving the environment. Yes, another fantasy. I can't get away from them. And finally, will Professur Ghasfur and his gang have another, third, outing? Yes! A very simple answer that. If Merlin Publishers are willing to publish, the Profes- sur will return. He's too much fun to write for me not to give in to his persis- tent presence. And kids seem to be enjoying reading about him as much as I am enjoying writing his adventures. So why not, indeed? Il-Professur Ghasfur fl-Ispazju by Gorg Mallia is published by Merlin Publishers and is out now. An interview with Ġorġ Mallia on his verse Author Gorg Mallia, with a copy of his latest work Professur Ghasfur