Tervuren’s Spanish community is organising a charla — in Spanish — at 6-7pm on Friday, 6 December, with author Jon Echanove. He will be talking about his writings, life in Tervuren, and his latest novel, El Aprendiz, published this month by Penguin’s Ediciones B. The charla con Jon takes place in the Treasure Trove, Hoornzeelstraat 35, Tervuren. Las plazas son limitadas. Entrada libre hasta completar el aforo.
Since moving to our town in 2016, author Jon Echanove has found Tervuren to be an invaluable source of inspiration. “My novels tend to confront characters with unfamiliar cultures and adapt to other languages and codes. From that point of view, Tervuren is a great resource,” says Echanove.
Does Tervuren influence your writing in general?
Not directly for the stories I have written, but indirectly. Firstly, because my novels tend to confront characters with unfamiliar cultures, adapting to other languages and other codes. From that point of view, my life here in Tervuren is a great resource.
Secondly, the demographic diversity here makes Tervuren an endless source of anecdotes and characters that gradually filter into my stories. Anyway, I already have some ideas for a novel based on Tervuren, although I don’t know when I will decide to write it.
Is Spaans Huis your favourite place here?
I love the Spaans Huis, but there are many other things that make me fall in love with Tervuren, its cultural diversity, de Warandepoort, village shops, park, the market on Fridays, and above all, the number of friends we have here. My favourite place in Tervuren is Tervuren.
Why did you put a Flemish merchant in your last novel, El Aprendiz, set in Seville?
In 17th century Seville, there was a very dynamic Flemish community. Even if the community’s main activity was trade with Antwerp, they managed, whether via contacts or shady dealings, to charter ships and embark merchandise for the very profitable business of trading with New Spain. This world of wealthy merchants — excluded from the trading in fleets — was enormously fertile in developing a story centred on corruption, adventure, guile and travel.
When did you start writing?
In primary and secondary school, I was already writing short stories and comics. But it was in my early 20s that I decided I wanted to write novels, to embrace the craft of writing, and I began to invest a lot of time in learning how to do it and even more in finding my own voice as a writer. However, it was only four years ago, after 6 completed manuscripts, that I felt I was approaching the quality I had imagined to be published.
My favourite place in Tervuren is Tervuren.
Are you in contact with other Tervuren authors? Would that be a good thing?
There is a side to writing that is very solitary. The possibility of talking to other authors, especially to share the experience of how difficult it is to publish and reach a wide audience, would be very comforting. But I know a couple of artists, with whom we occasionally share experiences.
Do you sometimes write your novels in a café in Tervuren or in the library?
I don’t usually write in cafés, but I do use them for reading, especially when I have to wait for my children to finish their after-school activities. In any case, the great advantage of living in a village like Tervuren is that it is very easy to meet friends or acquaintances in cafés and have a good time chatting.
The library in Tervuren is fantastic, a luxury for our community. But my writing routine is in my office, with my reference books. For me, the library is, above all, a rich environment to accompany my children in their growth as readers.
La última novela de Echanove – El Aprendiz,, actualmente sólo en español- puede adquirirse a través de Amazon y Punto y Coma, Stevinstraat 115, Brussel: http://www.puntoycoma.be
Other novels — also in English — by Echanove: https://www.jonechanove.com/mis-libros/
Photos and article by author Dafydd ab Iago © 2024 are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International for Tervuren+. Like and follow Tervuren+ on Facebook or follow the news-only channel on WhatsApp.
