Ikram Ameur, a Moroccan native from Oujda who grew up in the vibrant community of Seine-Saint-Denis, has embarked on a remarkable journey from the French job market to establishing herself in Madagascar. Her debut novel, "Rubik's ta vie !", explores themes of diversity and identity, reflecting her own multifaceted life experiences and her desire to leave a moral legacy for her daughter. Ikram Ameur hails from a Moroccan family rooted in Oujda, with her father's lineage tracing back to Angad and her mother's to Moussaoui. Despite these connections to eastern Morocco, Ikram's early years unfolded on French soil. Born and raised in Seine-Saint-Denis, a district famously known as «93», she recalls a joyful childhood there, filled with laughter, celebrations, and a strong sense of community, surrounded by supportive neighbors, friends, and family. Her educational journey wasn't driven by a clear passion. She found herself pursuing human resources through a work-study program, not knowing how to access the fields that truly interested her. Nevertheless, she continued this path and eventually entered the French job market. However, the idea of living abroad always lingered in her mind. She dreamed of a future in the United States, Canada, or England. Yet, destiny had a different plan, leading her to an unexpected African destination: Madagascar. A job opportunity there offered a complete lifestyle change, and in April 2015, she moved, initially planning a two-year stay. But the years passed, and her experience there became a cornerstone of her life and career. «Rubik's ta vie !»: A novel viewing humans as multi-faceted cubes In Madagascar's capital, she established a customer relations department for a data entry company and later took on roles of responsibility in various institutions. Despite the motivating work, her professional outlook shifted after her daughter was born. She began to see many workplace practices as superficial and lacking humanity, explaining to Yabiladi, "In a patriarchal capitalist model, there's often no room for empathy or understanding, as results take precedence over people." This shift propelled her towards projects that resonated more with her beliefs. She launched a brand of handmade children's products in Madagascar, followed by a recycled clothing line. Yet, a deeper urge grew within her: to impart her values to her daughter through writing. Writing wasn't new to Ikram. At 11, she penned a poem against racism, which was so well-received that she presented it at her school's year-end assembly. Writing became her refuge, a space for expressing unspoken thoughts, and she often crafted stories about fellow passengers on public transport. For her, writing was "a sanctuary and a means to express the unsaid, while also reflecting a desire to portray reality more profoundly." Despite her passion, fears of judgment and "imposter syndrome" delayed her writing endeavors for years. But her desire to leave a moral legacy for her daughter eventually pushed her to explore the literary world. This led to her debut novel, «Rubik's ta vie !». The story follows Ibtissam, a young woman navigating the challenges of her time, often unaware of the obstacles in her path. The novel explores themes of cultural diversity, individuality, and identity formation, touching on issues like racism, sexism, and toxic relationships, seamlessly woven into everyday life. "I chose the Rubik's Cube as a symbol for the novel because it mirrors humans: it has multiple faces that aren't visible all at once, constantly shifting and interlocking to form a new image each time." Ikram With a conversational style that engages readers, and a tone rich with humor and references to popular culture, Ikram crafted her first literary work, gaining confidence in her distinctive voice. Her advice: Write like no one is reading Ikram says the writing process itself wasn't difficult. Once she found her style, the words flowed effortlessly. The real challenge emerged post-publication: marketing, discussing the book, and promoting it from afar demanded significant effort. She chose the self-publishing route, aware of the lengthy and selective process traditional publishing requires, especially without industry connections. She also noted that many authors earn little financially, so she opted for autonomy and time-saving. Today, she manages all aspects of her literary project, from writing to marketing, without a fixed strategy. She experiments, learns from mistakes, and perseveres. She relies on her keen observation of people, body language, and unspoken cues. Her imagination, which she describes as a "tsunami," effortlessly transforms ideas into narratives. In moments of doubt, she turns to her sister, who supported her throughout the writing process. Though writing has become a significant part of her life, she feels it hasn't drastically changed her personal life yet. "Writing was an escape, a realm for imagination and gentle drama that I adore," she says, adding with a laugh, "I'm a bit of a drama queen, and paper gives me the right to beautifully exaggerate!" Ikram is currently contemplating her second book, but she is also keen to give her first book enough time to reach its audience. She smiles and says, "Perhaps the second will reveal the first more... God knows." She concluded with advice for aspiring writers who fear starting: "Write as if no one will read what you write... only then does the truth emerge."
