•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

Laire Siwi Mentari is one of Indonesian literature’s most promising young talents. Still two months shy of 21, Laire, who has two novels, a screenplay and a collection of short stories to her credit, has seen her craft take her around the world.

The only child of Sitok Srengenge, a poet and the program director at Utan Kayu Community, Laire talks about how the writing bug caught on her, the perks of having a novel published and why no other home could replace her Jakarta.

Were you born in Jakarta?

Not exactly. I was born in Depok, which is still a part of Greater Jakarta, right? Then my mother took me back to Pekalongan city in Central Java when I was in kindergarten. I lived there until I was in fourth grade. Then we came back to Jakarta because romo [father in Javanese] and biyung [mother, Farah Maulida] decided that it would be best for me to live in Jakarta to get a better education.

And then?

I did get a better education but when I came home, I was alone most of the time because my parents were away. Totally alone — no servants, not attended by anyone. I felt lonely. So I started to read romo’s book collection and write short stories to kill boredom.

What were you writing when you were alone?

Anything. My stories were about my daily activities in school, like friendship or puppy love. [laughing]. No one knew I was writing, including my parents.

How did you get your first novel, “Nothing But Love,” published?

After high school, I started writing a novel. When romo saw me, he was surprised. He asked me to print out my work. He showed it to Zen Hae [a writer and a member of the Jakarta Arts Council], AS Laksana [awarded Best Storyteller in 2006 by Koran Tempo and the founder of the Creative Writing School], and Hasif Amini [a senior literature curator]. They all agreed that my novel was worthy of being published, and in 2003, it was.

Did the novel do well?

It was accepted nicely by the readers. The book is in its 8th edition and it has sold 40,000 copies. I could buy a second-hand Suzuki Baleno. Romo actually helped me to pay for that because he wanted me to save the rest of my money for education.

What else happened after?

Then I was invited to talkshows on major networks and did interviews for national publications. I was also part of a group of writers that was feted by the US Embassy in 2007, giving me the opportunity to travel to different American cities like Washington DC and New York for a month and a half under the International Visitor Leadership Program. During this time, my second novel “Aphrodite” was already out.

Do you draw inspiration from Jakarta?

Despite all its quirks, I do love Jakarta because of its urban lifestyle. The city can be a promising place for everyone, including young writers. “Nothing But Love” was inspired by the lives of high school kids in Jakarta. “Aphrodite” was inspired by broken homes in Jakarta. Now, I’m preparing a collection of short stories which I will probably call “Katrina.”

What do you like most about Jakarta?

I can find anything here. For people who like to do things their own way just like me, Jakarta is the perfect place. And what I like most about the city is that people can have private parties here.

We usually throw parties at a friend’s house in Kemang where we have band sessions, barbecue and play crazy party games.

Can you tell us about the screenplay you wrote?

It was for “Apa Artinya Cinta” [What’s the Meaning of Love] which starred Shandy Aulia, Samuel Rizal and a cast of other popular actors. The movie was shot in Jakarta and San Francisco. It was adapted from “Nothing But Love.” But I was not satisfied with the movie because the scenario was altered without my knowledge and the editing was not satisfactory. The cinematography was good, but some of the actors didn’t live up to my expectations. Nevertheless, it was an unforgettable experience; I learned a lot about moviemaking.

What do you do besides writing?

I’m on my seventh semester in German literature school at the University of Indonesia. I’m also preoccupied with projects on photography after learning it by myself. I recently held a photo exhibit with the theme “Myths of Male Beauty and Sexuality” at my school. Also, I like to read at bookstores, especially at Aksara and Kinokuniya. There, I can see that the competition for books is crazy.

Who’s your favorite writer? What’s your favorite book?

I like Orhan Pamuk’s “My Name is Red” and “White Castle.” I also read philosophy books by Albert Camus and Nietzsche, particularly on subjects of existentialism and phenomenology. And I like the storytelling style of Dewi Lestari, which is light and flowing, especially in “Rectoverso.” And of course, I like every book about Jakarta; it’s a never-ending source of inspiration.

Laire was talking to Candra Malik.