How far can you push a child?
Rocks in the Belly is about a precocious eight-year-old boy and the volatile adult he becomes. During childhood his mother fosters boys despite the jealous turmoil it arouses in her son. Jealousy that reaches unmanageable proportions when she fosters Robert, an amiable child she can’t help bonding with. But the bond triggers an event that profoundly changes everyone. Especially Robert.
At twenty-eight the son returns to face his mother. He hasn’t forgiven her for what happened to Robert. But now she’s the dependent one and he the dominant force — a power he can’t help but abuse.
Written in two startlingly original voices, Rocks in the Belly is about the destruction we wreak on one another in the pursuit of our own happiness; how we never escape our upbringing; and a stark reminder that the most dangerous place for a child is within the family.
A compelling, powerful, and yet often beautiful and funny novel.
‘Jon Bauer excels in this exploration of the mind of a child who, however intelligent and funny he may be, is nonetheless deeply unsure of himself. A notable novel.’
J.M. Coetzee
M J Hyland: You are a very talented writer and you have a wonderful ear. Your prose is often stunningly good and there's so much about this book that's impressive. I'm sure this, your first novel, will do very well and it deserves to do well. You're an extremely gifted young writer.
THE PROPHET OF LOSS
I researched this novel for over 18 months. Living in Morocco as well as learning about Islam; visiting mosques and spending time with Muslims both in the UK, Australia and Morocco.
Harold is a lonely teacher struggling to hold onto his job in a private school. Caught between his loneliness and his fear of people, he lives most of his private life in isolation. And then one night he gets drunk and finds himself at a brothel.
There he meets Halima, a young Moroccan woman who has just been deceived into coming to the country from Morocco. She makes it impossible for Harold not to try and get her out, and despite the haphazard way he goes about it, he does get her out.
The story is about their relative struggles. The brothel is persecuting Harold for the money they’ve lost, Halima is pregnant, has no passport and, as a once fairly devout cultural Muslim, she’s unable to simply go home to her family. And all she has for support is a self-destructing Harold and her wavering faith. But she also has her wits.