Qatar Forum for Authors holds new session of 'My First Book Initiative'

Qatar Forum for Authors held a new session of its 'My First Book Initiative' via its YouTube channel and social media platforms.At the beginning of the session, writer and translator Dhafer Iden Darkoushi gave a brief overview of his guest Hashem Mahmoud, a novelist from Eretria, who inspired him for his debut novel, 'The Road to Adal'. Darkoushi also shed light on Mahmoud's production including his novel 'The Dawn of September, short story collections of 'The Winter of Asmara' by Rawafed Publishing House and then translated into Eritrean national language, and 'Scent of Gunpowder', 'A Traveler Living on Hatred' in addition to a variety of odes.Speaking about his literary debut, Mahmoud said that the 'Road to Adal' was initially planned for in 2012 and came out in 2017. He added that 'Scent of Gunpowder', his first accomplished literary work, was frozen for a period until it came out four years after his debut to pave the way for another flow of publications.The Eritrean writer showcased the reality of the cultural and literary atmosphere in his multi-cultural and multilingual homeland where nine languages are spoken including Arabic, the most deep-rooted language that serves as a factor of power and coherence for a large segment of society as it is spoken by more than 70 % of the population. Commenting on his writing techniques, Mahmoud indicated that all his works employ a variety of themes and techniques but share the same writing style.He pointed out that his debut employed a technique of direct messages in face of pain, noting that all his works transcend the local reader to the Arabian readers in general.