WHEN her debut Young Adult (YA) novel, The Weight Of Our Sky (published by Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Shuster in Feb 2019), was released, Hanna Alkaf, 34, became one of the most talked about new authors in the country.
The Weight Of Our Sky is a brilliant story set during the racial riots of May 13, 1969, as seen through the eyes of a teenager who believed the voice in her head came from a djinn.
Hanna had previously written short stories for anthologies such as Champion Fellas (her story, The Tryouts, won the inaugural DK Dutt Award for Literary Excellence), Chronicles Of KK (her short story was titled Hunted) and in Little Basket (her short story was titled Pantang).
Next year we can look forward to The Girl & The Ghost (HarperCollin, Aug 4, 2020), about Suraya who receives a ghostly companion called pelesit, from her grandmother, a witch. She names the creature Pink, and they become inseparable. However, Suraya is unaware that Pink has a dark side.
Hanna has also contributed a short story for Once Upon An Eid (Amulet Books/Abrams May 5, 2020), a joyous short story collection by and about Muslims.
Other authors featured include G. Willow Wilson (Alif The Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina’s Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape From Aleppo) and Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop).
When I caught up with Hanna again at the same Starbucks we met in earlier this year to talk about her debut novel, she said she was writing full time now.
She has been busy attending book signings and readings for The Weight Of Our Sky and is travelling to South Korea, Singapore, Brunei and Cambodia next year to give talks on her book.
The Weight Of Our Sky was perhaps the most talked about book by a local author in 2019, which was no small feat as several established Malaysian-born authors had books releases as well.
“I hadn’t really expected anything to happen. All this was just a big surprise. Anything good that happens is a nice surprise,” said Hanna of the response.
A Webtoon on The Weight Of Our Sky was released on Oct 9 and consisted of 12 episodes. Webtoon, which was adapting young adult novels into webtoons or graphic novels, approached her after someone in its team read her book.
She was intrigued by the idea but Hanna insisted on having a Malaysian team work on it, so the team comprised local artist Nisrina A.N and colourists Nuvel and Toadfrogs.
“There were people who wanted to read the book after they saw the graphic novel. I think it opened up the book to a new audience as well,” Hanna said.
She started writing The Girl & The Ghost and Once Upon An Eid as soon as she turned in The Weight Of Our Sky to the publisher in early 2018.
“I knew that once the book was published, it would be difficult to start on something brand new,” she added.
For Once Upon An Eid, Hanna said: “I was approached by the editors during the publishing of my first book. They wanted to put together Muslim voices and create this joyful narrative about being Muslim, instead of stories of pain, suffering and terrorism.”
“We wanted to write stories about hope and joy. It was for younger kids just so that they could get a window into this world.”
She was naturally surprised to be a part of a project that featured many big names. “It is an honour to be asked to participate. My book had only just come out. To be asked to be a part of this group is just ridiculous!” she said.
The Girl & The Ghost sounds like a local horror story we grew up hearing. “I am making it more contemporary, taking stuff we know, that we have grown up with and which is familiar to us and then pushing it out into the world.”
“ I think it is nice for kids here to get a book like this off the shelf... their own cultural touchstones and their own culture being represented. It’s a really cool thing. I never had that as a kid,” she said.
Like many of us, Hanna grew up reading books written by western authors such as Enid Blyton. “Now that I am older, I realise it was not very good to not have cultural touch points when I was younger and reading a lot.”
“The only things I remember reading that were very Malaysian were Lat comics, Kampung Boy, Town Boy and everything in between. Lat was a great cultural touch point because it was very Malaysian and so relatable.”
