MENU
In Search of Lost Time
October, 2017
Top listed in Russia
Melker Garay's Russian book "The Rat and Other Evil Stories. The Scarecrow, Twilight Novels" hits the top list at LiveLib
October 2016
Helsinki Book Fair with Monika Fagerholm, 27-30 October
Melker Garay attended the Helsinki Book Fair on the 27-30 October. On the Saturday, he conversed with Finland-Swede novelist Monika Fagerholm. Fagerholm debuted in 1987 with Sham, but had her breakthrough with Underbara kvinnor vid vatten 1994. In 2004, Monika Fagerholm was awarded the August prize for The American Girl (Den amerikanska flickan, 2005).
September 2016
Conversation with Göran Greider at Gothenburg’s Book Fair
On September 24, author and debater Göran Greider conversed with Melker Garay at this year’s book fair in Gothenburg. The focus of this conversation was the release of Garay’s latest book, launched in connection to the book fair; a book including 50 reflective texts regarding human existence.
September 2016
Monochrome – Melker Garay exhibits at Galleri Kameleont, Norrköping
Between 10-30 September 2016 Melker Garay exhibits his art at Galleri Kameleont, Norrköping, Sweden. The exhibition opened on September 10 with a vernissage where author Marinella Papanella Rolfart held an initiation speech.
September 2016
Conversation with Peter Örn in Uppsala
On September 7, Melker conversed with Peter Örn at The Student Book Shop in Uppsala.
Örn has previously held a position as the secretary-general for The Red Cross but works today with leadership and social development as a consult. The conversation will focus on Melker’s latest release ”En tindrande natthimmel”, a book containing fifty reflections on existence.
August 2016
”En tindrande natthimmel”
Reflections
Melker Garay’s latest book – ”En tindrande natthimmel” – was released Autumn 2016. It was published by Norlén Slottner and its cover illustration is by Melker Garay.
On the book’s cover, you can read:
It takes certain courage to write about existential and philosophical question formulations. Melker Garay has the courage it demands. He is true to himself and keeps exploring large, essential queries.”En tindrande natthimmel” contains fifty reflections about life and interrogates man’s life on earth; it is a book without any definite answers but lays the foundation for conversation.
June 2016
«The Verger» is nominated for the Bunin Literary Prize
The Russian translation of Melker Garay’s ”The Verger” has been nominated for the Bunin Literary Prize for best literary fiction. Ivan Aleksejetvitj Bunin was a Russian author, who lived in France from 1920. He received the Nobel Price in Literature in 1933 and was also awarded the prestigious Pushkin Prize.
May 2016
The Poet on the Corner in Malmö, Sweden, with Maria Küchen
Melker Garay spoke to Maria Küchen, culture journalist and author Maria Küchen at Poeten på hörnet (Södra Förstadsgatan 65 B), Malmö’s literary common room.
April 2016
International author-meet in Normandy
Melker Garay attended an international meeting of authors that was held in Chateau Plain Bosc in Normandy, France.
April 2016
Book release party for Garay’s debut novel in Russian, April 5th.
Melker Garay’s debut novel Kyrkvaktmästarens hemliga anteckningar (The Verger) has been translated to Russian. On April 5, a small book release party took place at ABF Bergslagsgården, Norrköping.
March 2016
Literature festival in Umeå
March 17-19th, Melker Garay attended the literature festival in Umeå, in Sweden.
On Saturday 19th Melker talked to the artist and short story author Annika Norlin.
March 2016
Theatre première!
Melker Garay’s novel Josef Kinski and Death becomes a play!
Opening night of Kinski and Death, based on Melker Garay’s Josef Kinski and Death. Written and directed by Kristofer Nilsson Ahlberg. Scenography by Jenny Berglund. Starring John Hedman, Eva Carlsson, Lise Müller. Kinski and Death premières March 19 in Norrköping, Sweden.
February 2016
Short stories from The Rat published in Russian periodical
Eight short stories from the short story collection The Rat have been published in Russia’s prestigious foreign literature periodical - Иностранная литература. The periodical was founded in 1891 and was, under the Soviet period, the only publication where Soviet intellectuals were able to acquaint themselves with Western literature. Throughout the years, this periodical has presented authors such as Franz Kafka, Samuel Beckett, William Golding, Julio Cortàzar and Umberto Eco.
Translation by Katarina Muradyan.
February 2016
Open Salon, Stadsbiblioteket i Norrköping (City Library in Norrköping)
Melker Garay talked about his latest collection of short stories Fågelskrämman (The Scarecrow) at Stadsbiblioteket in Norrköping, February 9.
January 2016
A conversation on words and authorship at Stockholms Culture Centre on January 21st
On January 21st 2016, Melker Garay attended a literary conversation about language and authorship along with Arne Melberg, Anneli Jordahl, Tove Folkesson and Inger Edelfelt at Kulturhuset, Stockholm.
It begins with a vague idea, and then you begin to dress it up in words. Slowly and concentrated you write down line after line, and the lines become paragraphs, and the paragraphs become pages. Eventually you have a text which has become a reflection, a short story, an essay or even a beginning of a novel. It is beautiful to see it happening.
However, that is not quite the case, because this simplified image of the literary creation omits a great deal. Behind every printed line there is a struggle: a struggle to find the right word, a struggle not to get lost among all the thoughts haunting you to get your attention, a struggle not to despair and be downheartened when you reach a dead end in your mind.
To write is also to expose yourself, with everything that it means. Rudyard Kipling supposedly said that cinemas are a higher form of cannibalism, and there could be some thruth in that. It is the same feeling when you expose yourself. For what is your fictional text worth unless you have opened up? To expose yourself is a part of writing, and often it takes courage to do so. Oh, yes, there is even bravery behind every single text that is published.
There is so much more to write about the literary creation; like what drives you to move the pen to an empty piece of paper? That's a good question.
Welcome to Kulturhuset the 21st of January, at 6 pm when Arne Melberg, Tove Folkesson, Anneli Jordahl, Inger Edelfelt and I will be talking about why you write.
Melker Garay
December 2015
Visit to Moscow.
Melker Garay visited the universities MGU and RGGU in Moscow on the 10th and 11th of December. He was invited to present his collection of short stories, The Rat and The Scarecrow.
November 2015
FILSA - in Santiago Chile
Melker Garay attended the leading book fair - FILSA - in Santiago, Chile. More »
September 2015
Bokmässan i Göteborg (The Book Fair in Gothenburg)
Melker Garay attended the book fair in Gothenburg 24-27 September. On September 27th Melker Garay and Ann Heberlein had a literary conversation about the brand new novel Fågelskrämman (The Scarecrow).
September 2015
Östergötlands bokmässa
Jakob Carlander, literary critic at the newspaper Östgötagcorrespondenten, talked with Melker Garay at The Book Fair in Östergötland on September 19th.