The Sewer Rat

Friends, I am here to announce that I just signed the most exciting book contract in my life, so far!  My novel "The Sewer Rat" will be first published in French! F R E N C H !

It is Perspective Cavalière that embraced it, and currently being translated by Étienne Gomez, bless them. The Sewer Rat was written in 2020. A bildungsroman of a neurotic writer coming from the slum of Jakarta. A quasi roman a clef but not really the whole truth, it's a vignettes and homage to the working class where the main character feel deserve but not deserve at the same time. It's a journey of feelings. I had started it with a premise that kindness is a transaction and everything in life is just a show. Anyway, initially I wrote it in Indonesian, then the urge to tell it in English just visited me. The book hasn't found a home in English/Indonesian/Malay, yet. (Soon I hope). But hey it would be premiered in the language where baguette come from. I couldn't be more prouder, I'm on a marché sur la lune already.

I'd update the translation and publication process from time to time, so let us see how it grows. On another note, this is a nice change of energy from the last post, isn't it?

*you can find the sample of the chapter here.

**More stories in my Patreon. If you're a publisher interested in reading the draft just drop me a message.




Comments

  1. 00:00 wednesday 2023/2/2. Just finished "Le rat d'égoût" (in French, my language). Ordered monday, received today, read twice, kept it at hand all day long. Brilliant, colorful, wacky and... a bit of a liar, because "Roni", actually, is a very powerful writer and beautiful man. That is what I liked in your writing: total mastery, a perfect sound produced by a gifted musician. Excellent translation by Etienne Gomez. And now excuse me, I'm busy. Have to put my own novel in the trash, a great job. With best regards, YB

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    Replies
    1. Merci beaucoup! This means a lot and I will treasure this comment. I hope you're having great days.

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