A Quest Without End
April 2010
Edem talks about his new novel and his new role as a parent.
How does this novel differ from your first?
Each book is unique because each story demands a different approach. Each is the expression of a specific worldview. The setting of my first novel was Africa for the most part. With this second one, I make a foray into a larger space – the West, that “elsewhere” that attracts the “dirty feet”, travellers from the South.
How long did it take you to write Les Pieds sales?
Before formulating a story in writing, you keep it inside you for a while, months, sometimes years. I wanted to write a book on travelling, wandering. After having plotted the storyline, I actually began writing during the year Tahar Ben Jelloun was my mentor. The scenes of young people leaving from the port of Tangiers also inspired me. The writing per se must have taken eight to twelve months.
Did Tahar Ben Jelloun counsel you during the crafting of this novel? What was his most important contribution?
Tahar Ben Jelloun’s advice was obviously very useful to me in constructing my story. He is a very demanding writer and that calls for great precision on your part, obliging you to have a good mastery of what you want to say and how you want to say it.
Is there any news about Les Pieds sales being translated into other languages?
Les Pieds sales just came out in Paris. In Quebec, it will be in bookstores in two weeks. It’s a little early to talk about a translation, but it would be very interesting if it happened.
How old is your baby?
My son is five months old, now he’s a big man.
Is it difficult balancing parenthood and writing?
The first months as a parent are the most challenging and the most wonderful. It’s a learning experience, a road untravelled, like beginning a new book while feeling that you haven’t quite mastered all the twists and turns of the story. It’s a beautiful sense of feeling a bit lost. But since my son started sleeping through the night, I’ll be able to write on a regular basis.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new novel that takes me from Africa to the Americas.