On the lighter side with author Seno Gumira

By Hera Diani

JAKARTA (JP): With shoulder-length hair, a moustache and beard, plus his dark, "terrorizing" writing style, author Seno Gumira Ajidarma gives the impression of a serious and introverted person.

Well, maybe just dark.

It turns out that he is laid-back, easygoing and unpretentious. He answers questions lightly, often ending his answers with a laugh.

The Jakarta Post met him on Wednesday at the launching of his new book, a short story collection called Kematian Donny Osmond (The Death of Donny Osmond).

The book, targeted at a teenage audience, is highlighted by comic illustrations by Asnar Zacky.

"I just love pictures. I wanted lots of them in my book, but not just as illustrations. I also love comic drawings, so here they are," Seno told the Post.

Kematian is the second project Seno and Asnar have worked on together, the first being Jakarta 2039, another short story collection that was launched in Yogyakarta last May.

While Jakarta transports readers to 40 years after the May 1998 riots in the capital, the new book comprises 14 short stories about teenagers.

Most of the stories have appeared before in print, including in teenage magazine Hai. Only one of the stories is new, Cerita Untuk Y & L (Story for Y & L).

To make the book more pop, Seno inserted the lyrics of Deep Purple's Soldier of Fortune and Catch The Rainbow, as well as copies of articles about the classic rock band.

Deep Purple? Why not Limp Bizkit or Eminem?

"Well, I don't want to pretend to know today's music. Besides, me and many people of my generation think that no new band can replace Deep Purple," said the 43-year-old writer.

There is also a recipe for otak-otak (a traditional snack made of fish and flour) in the book, but Seno only laughed when asked about that.

However, the book still bears Seno's trademark of social criticism and showing the darker side of life.

"I just write what I see around me," said the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) graduate and professor.

Born in Boston, the United States, Seno grew up in a scholarly family in Yogyakarta.

His father, Mohammad Setiaji Sastroamijoyo, is a nuclear physicist while his mother, Pustika Kusuma Sudjana, is an internist. One of her uncles, Ali Sastroamidjojo, was a noted politician back in the period of former president Sukarno.

Seno inherited his talent for writing from his grandfather, Ahmad Seno Sastroamidjojo, who penned at least 29 books.

While in high school in Yogyakarta, Seno joined a theater group called Teater Alam before enrolling in IKJ to study cinematography.

Seno is also a photographer and a journalist. The latter has been his profession for the past 24 years, when he joined Zaman magazine. He then moved to Merdeka newspaper before taking the position of chief editor at Jakarta Jakarta magazine.

The magazine was closed a couple of years ago, but Seno still works in the office.

As a writer, Seno is among the most productive and creative working in Indonesia today. He has written dozens of short stories, novels, essays, movie reviews and screenplays.

Many of his short stories have been published as compilations, including Iblis Tak Pernah Mati (Demons Never Die), Sebuah Pertanyaan Untuk Cinta (A Question for Love), Manusia Kamar (Room Human) and Saksi Mata (Eyewitness).

The latter was translated into English and won Australia's Dinny O'Hearn Prize in 1998.

"I like to write short stories because, of course, it doesn't take too much time. I'm writing a serial for Koran Tempo newspaper and I feel like dying," he said with a laugh.

Seno receives many requests from newspapers and magazines to write short stories.

"Sometimes the order is very specific in terms of theme or the figures. But it's OK, orders keep me creative and diligent," he said.

Anyone who reads a lot of Seno's stories may notice that the same names pop up with some frequency. Seno says he uses names like Sukab and Ratri over and over again because he is too "lazy" to think up other names.

As to other writers whom he admires, Seno points to Karl May and comic illustrator R. A. Kosasih, who wrote wayang comic books.

"R. A. Kosasih is very extraordinary. No one can beat him. His books are still published now, even though local comic books don't sell right now. But the nasty thing is he only received a 5 percent royalty from his publisher," said Seno, who has also written wayang books like Wisanggeni Sang Buronan (Wisanggeni the Fugitive).

Writers in this country, he added, continue to live in a poor condition.

As for the writing habit, Seno said that people are not just unwilling to write, but are also unable to write.

"But it's OK. Published books may be few, but if the response is like that for Ayu Utami's Saman and Dewi Lestari's Supernova, it's very good," he said of two much hyped bestsellers.

"We need more talking and discussion like that, like we're doing here now. Because a book is a product. It's finished when it's published. It's what people say afterward that matters," he said.

Seno is now writing a screenplay for an FTV television movie. But he has another obsession.

"I want to write a drama series for radio. A contemporary one."