Time to meet Rameni!
I have been working on a middle-grade comedy graphic novel (black and white) called Rameni…who is Rameni you ask? It’s your lucky day as you are about to find out this instant!
First of all, Rameni is a loris. A small jungle creature similar to a bushbaby but smaller and even cuter! Yes, they are real! They have big wide eyes, small button noses and rounded heads. They are very fond of food. Rameni is unique with her iconic hairdo that resembles a pineapple. However her choice of clothes is slightly underwhelming, a two-tone tank top, plain shorts and flip-flops. Comfort over style, but there's a good reason…
Residing by the estuary in Seapie City – a hot sticky metropolis by the sea. She lives in a snug apartment with her ‘annoying’ family. Overbearing Amma (mum), smothering Appa (dad) and goody-two-shoes younger sister Ria. She also has a pet bunny called Piggy whom she adores. Her family of jungle creatures are the minority in this modern city of forest dwellers. For Rameni it gets even more complicated as she is the only jungle creature in her class. Torn between two cultures, Rameni struggles to fit in. Her parents are worried that she is not following the ways of the lorises – she can’t cook, is not very ladylike and is not interested in being a doctor which is a very aspirational career choice. Rameni is tenacious with bigger ambitions…
Rameni often finds herself in all sorts of trouble as she cannot overcome her Achilles heel – literally acting on her misunderstanding of puns and catchphrases. The worst is her arch-nemesis, neighbour and classmate Bernard Banal who is irritatingly always one step ahead of her and quick to make her look like a fool. But for how much ‘suffering’ everyone causes Rameni, her younger sister and friends always have her back. But sometimes others can really make you feel down the dumps until you just snap. So how does Rameni cope? She has an imaginary alter ego – Mop Cop who cleans up crime! She imagines herself as a hero and people from her life take on different character forms; it's pure escapism.
All Rameni wants at the end of the day is just to be herself, and… brace yourself, become the World's Greatest Business Tycoon! She is a long way from success, but there is a helping paw at hand. Does she make it you ask? Well, you will find out soon!
Oh by the way, this tenacious girl landed me a place at the HarperCollins Author Academy B-)! BOOM!