About Faraxa Publishing
Faraxa Publishing House was founded by Joanne Micallef in 2011, with the aim of publishing literary and non-literary translations, while not excluding other genres of writing. Originally established in Malta, Faraxa is now expanding internationally.
This Faraxa Books site is the commentary, information blog and online outlet of Faraxa Publishing House.
How to Contact Us
You can contact Faraxa Publishing House on phone number(+356) 99820157 or by sending an email to info@faraxapublishing.com. You can also use the contact form and we will get back to you within a few hours.
We heartily welcome inquiries from authors, distributors and booksellers worldwide, as well as inquiries from the general public regarding our publications.
Our Story
Joanne Micallef, Director of Faraxa Publishing, tells the story of how a turbulent event in her life led her to create a publishing house that would give her, and others, hope.
In 2011, Faraxa Publishing was born
I believe that the experiences we pass through shape our future. In fact, originally I never thought I would end up opening my own publishing house. At university, I studied Archaeology, with a specialisation in Near Eastern studies, and when I completed my studies, I worked for a number of years as a hotel manager.
At that point in life, it never occurred to me that I would end up dealing with books. But the events which happened to me in 2004 catapulted me towards the publishing industry and in November 2011, Faraxa Publishing was born.
I discovered that I thoroughly enjoy this work, as it is tremendously satisfying to know that any published work will leave its indelible mark on society. Without effort on my part as the publisher, good written work could remain unnoticed and knowledge - consequently, growth -would not be transmitted to others.
The one book that started Faraxa Publishing
As I was passing through a turbulent phase in my life, anacquaintance introduced me to the book Many Lives, Many Masters, by the famed psychiatrist Brian L. Weiss. The content of the book left such an impact on me that I felt the deep urge to translate it into Maltese, to share its content with the locals and whoever is interested in my native language. I purposely undertook and obtained my Master’s degree in Translation, so that I would be proficient in translating this book.
Many Lives, Many Masters by the famed psychiatrist Brian L. Weiss left such an impact on me that I felt the deep urge to translate it into Maltese.”
The translation of Many Lives, Many Masters was very time-consuming and the lack of psychiatric, psychological and paranormal terms in the Maltese language made it that more difficult. However, with the help of my principal tutor, Anthony Aquilina, who encouraged and supported me wholeheartedly in this venture, the final draft of the book’s translation was eventually completed. The book went to press and my translation Ħafna Ħajjiet, Ħafna Mgħallmin was launched by Weiss himself in 2011, during a seminar at Logan Hall in London. This became the first Faraxa Publishing book.
The journey of Faraxa Publishing starts from hope…
Some years ago, I lost someone very dear to me - a daughter. When she passed away, I tried everything I could to prove to myself that my daughter was not lost to me forever. I wanted to make sure that she was okay,that her transition to another life was not too harsh. I never believed that-this being - this human being, this ever-so-precious little girl - was lost forever. The word 'death' gives me the shivers to this day, as it projects the idea that someone is obliterated forever; without hope. But, I felt that this was not the case with my daughter. I could not see her anymore, but I could definitely feel her continued presence.
Reading Brian L. Weiss’s book comforted me greatly, as I realised that what I was feeling, what I was experiencing, incorporated within it an element of truth. The messages from the highly evolved spirits in Many Lives, Many Masters were so strong that they made me think introspectively. I could see that everything was connected: the past, present and future are one, although difficult to comprehend with our time-bound minds. These experiences made me more spiritual and I felt at ease with my inner self. Meanwhile, the spiritual impact this particular book had on me made me treasure it. Thus I translated it into my mother tongue, so I could delve more deeply into its realms.