From 13-30 January, the International Translators and Writers Centre (ITWC) in Nida hosted writer Ida Daiva Povilaitė, whose creative journey, which started later than many of her colleagues, has already been awarded two scholarships by the Lithuanian Council for Culture. After her debut novel “Homo office”, the author came to Nida to finish her second work – the book “Three”, which, as the writer herself says, is both a literary and a historical challenge.
“Three” covers three periods: the glory of Kaunas between the wars, the traumas of the Soviet era, and present-day Lithuania, where the wounds of the past can still be felt. A self-described “slow writer”, she notes that it takes her 3-4 years to write a novel, as this is the only way to achieve the desired depth of the work. She says that it is impossible to produce literature quickly.
The novel is distinguished by its deep psychological insights and characters who, in all societies, choose to go “against the tide” and are inevitably lonely as a result. “Three promises to be a true literary adventure for readers, interweaving documentary facts and magical realism, allowing the reader to travel through periods, revealing not only personal but also collective traumas.
During her creative residency in Nida, the writer sought to bring additional depth to an already written text. The author hopes that readers will recognise the connections between the present and the past, discover unexpected perspectives and take a fresh look at historical events.
For more information about the TVRC Individual Creative Residency, click here.
