IFOA: Ontario is the International Festival of Authors' touring component, bringing authors from IFOA’s roster of the best contemporary writers from around the globe to a number of Ontario locations.
Today Open Book talks with Stephen Kelman, author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted novel Pigeon English (Anansi), as part of our IFOA Interview series.
Open Book:
Tell us about the book from which you will be reading at IFOA Ontario.
Stephen Kelman:
Pigeon English follows five months in the life of Harri Opoku, an eleven year old boy who moves from Ghana to live in a tough housing estate in London. He narrates to us his experiences, learning the rules of his new home, making new friends and enemies. At the same time, a boy he knows is killed and the police are having trouble tracking down the culprit; Harri, being the positive and exuberant boy he is, sets out to solve the crime. It is a coming of age tale, a fish out of water story and a detective yarn, all told in Harri’s unique voice.
OB:
To what aspect of the IFOA: Ontario are you most looking forward?
SK:
I’ve never visited Toronto before, and hear that it’s a wonderful city to be in, so I’m looking forward to being there and soaking up the atmosphere of then festival.
OB:
What is your favourite part of touring?
SK:
Pigeon English is my first book and I’m still very new to this, but I’m really enjoying meeting readers, chatting to them and hearing their thoughts on my book.
OB:
What were some of your early experiences with public readings? Is there a learning curve to reading in public?
SK:
My first experience of reading was a large, sold-out event in Cologne; I had little time to prepare and just jumped in feet first. I actually found that I enjoyed it more than I thought I might, and each event since then has gotten easier. I don’t mind reading but the greater pleasure for me is engaging with the audience afterwards, answering their questions and getting their feedback. A lot of fun.
OB:
What is your writing environment like?
SK:
I have an office in my house, with a window overlooking my garden and countryside beyond. It’s very sunny right now and quiet, just the way I like it.
OB:
What are you reading right now?
SK:
I’ve just started reading Fold by Tom Campbell.
OB:
What can you tell us about your next project?
SK:
I’ve just finished a first draft of my second novel, which is partly based on the life story of a friend of mine, a journalist in Mumbai who breaks unusual world records in his spare time.
Stephen Kelman was born in Luton in 1976. After finishing his degree he worked variously as a warehouse operative, a careworker, and in marketing and local government administration. He decided to pursue his writing seriously in 2005, and has completed several feature screenplays since then. Pigeon English is his first novel; he is currently working on his second. He lives in Bedfordshire, England.
For more information about Pigeon English please visit the Anansi website.
Buy this book at your local independent bookstore or online at Chapters/Indigo or Amazon.
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