“It was totally unexpected,” the 27-year-old teacher, who is based in Ipoh, Perak, told FMT Lifestyle yesterday. “I was aware of my nomination last October but didn’t have any expectations.
“I am grateful that somebody found it worthy enough and nominated my book.”
“Hades” was released last year by local publishing house Gerakbudaya. Her book was submitted to the prestigious literary award by Malaysia’s national library, and is among 70 titles to have been nominated by 80 libraries from 35 countries.
Reflecting on her novel, which took her two years to complete, Aishah quipped: “I think it is an unfashionable book. I wrote it hoping it would be some kind of a cult book, where only a few people would know about it, but those who knew it would worship it!”
Set in 2012, “Hades” centres around two young characters in the seedy underbelly of Ipoh. Sixteen-year-old miscreant Kei and teenage mother Maryam bond over their low societal status – but soon find that they can’t escape the ghosts of their past.
The Dublin Literary Award, now in its 29th year, is the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English. The winner stands to win up to €100,000 (RM513,000).
The shortlist will be released on March 26, and the winner announced on May 23.
‘No idea where it’s going to take me’
Aishah had previously shared with FMT Lifestyle that she had had childhood dreams of being an author, largely inspired by her own grandfather’s writing habit. Thinking of him now, she believes he would’ve been proud of her literary achievement.
“If he was still alive, aside from my mother, he’d be my no. 1 supporter. I’m pretty sure of that. He understood me better than anyone else. I am always told that I shared a lot of his traits when he was alive,” she said.
Asked if there may be another “Hades” in the works, Aishah dismissed the idea.
“I don’t believe in writing sequels, though I love reading them from other writers. I like to end things quickly. Currently, I’m writing a second novel that seems to be even more laborious than ‘Hades’. I still have no idea where it’s going to take me.”
Order your copy of ‘Hades’ here.