This is a quote from the end of the second novel by Bernardas Gailius. Having immersed his readers in the world of partisans in occupied Lithuania in the first novel, this time, the author invites you to visit the free Kaunas of It happened this April. Answering the questions of those gathered at the Vincas Kudirka public library in Kaunas, B.
Gailius revealed that the carrot cake recipe dictated to the main character was actually borrowed from his wife. He had to gift her his new book. However, it is only a coincidence. A fictional young girl with very real problems. What to choose? Communists or America?
Konstantinas or Dovydas? Bernardas, are you a historian turned writer, or a writer, who decided to deepen his knowledge and study history? It is fairer to say that I am a historian first; at least chronologically more accurate. As a historian, chronology is important to me. Your novel Kraujo kvapas The Smell of Blood about partisans came out quite recently, just two years ago. Now, the spies. In the past, you have published non-fiction on topics that also appear in your novels.
I have always been interested in what I now call the secret world. These are processes that take place constantly but are invisible to us. As a teenager, I read detective stories, then political thrillers, and spy novels.
I have always found that secrecy, mystery, and intrigue attractive. In addition, I studied law and criminology; I wanted to do crime investigations. There, I got involved in the partisan war research. It contains a lot of mystery. Was it the mystery that you felt was lacking in Lithuanian literature?
