Fadi Zaghmout

What a Year to Remember!

2024 has been nothing short of extraordinary—a rollercoaster of challenges, breakthroughs, and countless moments of joy. It all began with a bold step: selling my car, moving my furniture, leaving my home, and flying to the US to pursue a PhD. But just a week later, I made the tough call to return. Instead of pursuing academia, I set my sights on finishing my novel, securing translation contracts for my books, and finding new opportunities.

Looking back now, as the year wraps up, I can say it’s been one of the most rewarding years of my writing career. While I didn’t land the job I initially hoped for, I leaned fully into my passion for writing—and wow, did that pay off!

Living by “Wake Up Determined”

Early in February, I stumbled upon Dwayne Johnson’s quote at the gym: “Wake up determined. Go to bed satisfied.” It struck a chord, and I adopted it as my mantra for the year. Every morning, I woke up with purpose; every evening, I felt the satisfaction of progress.

One big goal I set was to finish the third book in the Heaven on Earth trilogy before year-end. And guess what? I did it! Writing this novel was an incredible journey—hours spent in cafés, crafting the world, and living with characters I’ve grown to love. The last two months were especially intense, as I wrote daily, hitting a 500-word target each session until the story was complete.

A Year of Incredible Milestones

This year marked a turning point in my career. I signed more translation contracts than I had in the past 12 years combined! Among the highlights:

1. The Man of Middling Height: My focus early in the year was on the English translation of Ibra wa Kushtuba. Working with Syracuse University Press was a dream come true! The process— starting with the translation of Wasan Abdelhaq, editing of Fil Inocencion Jr., and the support of Prof. Cheryl Toman—was intense but deeply rewarding. The feedback from the series editors calling the manuscript “exceptionally engaging” and peer reviewers labeling it “engrossing and relevant” made all the waiting worthwhile. I’m so excited for its release in 2025.
2. French Triumphs: Paradis Synthétique—the French translation of Heaven on Earth—was published by Hikaya Editions in April. I was thrilled with their work, from the translation to the promotion. And the cherry on top? Signing with Hikaya to release the sequel in French by 2025!
3. Short Story Success: My sci-fi short story “Jaha in the Metaverse” was included in the Arabic Futurism anthology by Future Fiction, released as Arabilioso (Italian) and Arabilious (English). Both versions received fantastic feedback, further fueling my love for sci-fi.
4. Reprints in English: Rebel Satori Press acquired the rights to reprint The Bride of Amman, Heaven on Earth, and LAILA. This collaboration will give my work a fresh start with new audiences in May 2025.
5. Spanish & Catalan Expansion: My dream of a Spanish translation became reality with Èter Edicions agreeing to publish Heaven on Earth. Even better, it will debut in Catalan before its Spanish release—a first for me!
6. Italian Sequel and More: I continued my work with Future Fiction, signing a contract for Hope on Earth (the sequel to Heaven on Earth) to be released in Italian by 2025/2026. To top it off, December brought news I had been waiting for all year: LAILA will finally have its Italian debut by Centro Studi Ilà in summer 2025!

Beyond Publishing

It wasn’t just about contracts and books. This year brought media appearances, awards, and surprises:

• I spoke at Les Intergalactiques in February and Confluences in September.
• I was honored to be hosted by Amwaj Abu Hamda on her podcast Mada Al Kalimat and featured in Harf, an Egyptian literary magazine.
• I won the UK Study Alumni Award for Social Impact—an achievement I’ve aspired to for years.

On a personal note, I relaunched my website in June, giving it a cleaner, more modern look. It now serves as a central hub for my work as an author, something I’ve wanted for a long time.

And then came one of the year’s delightful surprises: Jack Edwards, a famous YouTuber with over 3 million followers, mentioned The Bride of Amman in his “Books from Every Country in Asia” list. Seeing my book highlighted as his pick from Jordan was truly special.

Gratitude and Excitement for 2025

As 2024 ends, I feel nothing but gratitude for the opportunities, challenges, and triumphs it brought. From finishing my trilogy to expanding into new languages and connecting with incredible readers, publishers, and creators, it’s been a year I’ll always cherish.

Here’s to a new year of growth, creativity, and even more stories to share!