An interview with Rahmat Hadi
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Our indie author interviews have become a cool, regular thing and this week, we're chatting with Rahmat Hadi!
A little bit about you and your life, your hobbies, your interests, etc.
My name is Rahmat Hadi, but most people just call me Hadi. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia. Besides writing, I love mountain climbing, rock climbing, diving, and caving. I also enjoy taking long drives to quiet villages near Jakarta, usually with a camera by my side. Photography helps me stay grounded and notice the little things that often go unseen.
Info about your latest book and the one you'd like to promote
My latest novel is called Echoes of Love and Pain. It's based on a true story, and the journey takes place across the peaks of Rinjani, the streets of Paris, the shores of Bali, and the soul of Morocco. A story born from wounds - a truth retold with the tenderness of fiction. It began with a fleeting encounter on a mountain and ended with a mother’s apology. From these fragments, Echoes of Love and Pain was woven. This is not merely a love story. It is the odyssey of Hima, an Indonesian man torn from a world of light into one of shadows - all for a love and a sorrow that never truly found resolution. Just as he rediscovers hope in Aurell, a French woman whose warmth mirrors his lost sun, fate strips his life bare once more. From the bustling streets of Jakarta and the serene shores of Bali, to the romantic alleys of Paris, the mystic air of Istanbul, the rugged trails of Kathmandu, and the sweeping dunes of Morocco - this tale spans continents and emotions. Readers will traverse sacred peaks and soul-deep landscapes: the slopes of Mount Rinjani, the majesty of Mont Blanc, the Atlas Mountains, and finally, the roof of the world - the summit of Everest. Echoes of Love and Pain is an invitation to trace the scars of the heart… and perhaps, in their echoes, find a piece of yourself.
What makes this story truly personal is that many of the places in the book come from my own travels. I’ve lived in Bali, climbed countless mountains in Indonesia, walked through the old alleys of Marrakech and Istanbul. These are not just places to decorate a story. They hold pieces of me. Writing this book was like walking through my memories with a pen in hand.
Before writing fiction, I published some non-fiction books. Under the Shadow of Everest is a memoir about my journey to Everest Base Camp. Kilimanjaro Dreams tells the story of my adventure to the top of Africa. I also wrote two horror anthologies, Echoes of Darkness and Revenant Night. All of them are available on Amazon Kindle.
What are you currently working on
Right now I’m finishing the French edition of Echoes of Love and Pain. I’m also writing my third memoir, which covers my journey to Annapurna Base Camp and the time I spent volunteering in remote areas of Nepal after the 2015 earthquake. That experience changed the way I see life and gave me stories I still carry in my bones.
What inspired you to write and what keeps you going
I started writing because I didn’t know how else to deal with silence. At some point, words became my way of surviving. They helped me make sense of grief and beauty and everything in between.
What keeps me going is the thought that somewhere out there, someone might read my words and feel a little less alone.
Why indie publishing
I chose to self-publish because I wanted to keep my voice as it is. Raw and real. I didn’t want my stories to be cleaned up for the market. I wanted them to bleed the way they were meant to. That’s the kind of freedom indie publishing gives me.
What challenges have you faced as a writer
Visibility is tough. You can write with all your heart and still hear nothing back. Especially when you’re not the kind of person who enjoys shouting online.
But I’ve learned to believe in slow growth. In the quiet readers who arrive one by one and stay. Also, grief has shaped my writing. It taught me to respect the rhythm of my own healing.
What advice would you give to new writers
Don’t write to be noticed. Write because the story matters to you. You will feel invisible sometimes. Maybe even crushed. But if the story means something to you, that’s already enough.
Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Writing is not a race. It’s not about fame or followers. It’s a calling. And if you keep showing up, the right readers will find you.
An author who inspired you
Khaled Hosseini. His way of telling stories with deep emotion and vivid detail really moved me. Books like The Kite Runner and And the Mountains Echoed inspired me to write with honesty and heart.
Anything else you'd like to share/ fun fact
Sometimes I laugh or cry while writing. Especially when a scene suddenly takes a turn I didn’t plan. That’s the beauty of storytelling. We might create the characters, but sometimes they lead us instead.
There were moments when I read my own writing and asked myself if I’ve gone a little mad. And honestly, maybe I have. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Info about your latest book and the one you'd like to promote
My latest novel is called Echoes of Love and Pain. It's based on a true story, and the journey takes place across the peaks of Rinjani, the streets of Paris, the shores of Bali, and the soul of Morocco. A story born from wounds - a truth retold with the tenderness of fiction. It began with a fleeting encounter on a mountain and ended with a mother’s apology. From these fragments, Echoes of Love and Pain was woven. This is not merely a love story. It is the odyssey of Hima, an Indonesian man torn from a world of light into one of shadows - all for a love and a sorrow that never truly found resolution. Just as he rediscovers hope in Aurell, a French woman whose warmth mirrors his lost sun, fate strips his life bare once more. From the bustling streets of Jakarta and the serene shores of Bali, to the romantic alleys of Paris, the mystic air of Istanbul, the rugged trails of Kathmandu, and the sweeping dunes of Morocco - this tale spans continents and emotions. Readers will traverse sacred peaks and soul-deep landscapes: the slopes of Mount Rinjani, the majesty of Mont Blanc, the Atlas Mountains, and finally, the roof of the world - the summit of Everest. Echoes of Love and Pain is an invitation to trace the scars of the heart… and perhaps, in their echoes, find a piece of yourself.
Before writing fiction, I published some non-fiction books. Under the Shadow of Everest is a memoir about my journey to Everest Base Camp. Kilimanjaro Dreams tells the story of my adventure to the top of Africa. I also wrote two horror anthologies, Echoes of Darkness and Revenant Night. All of them are available on Amazon Kindle.
What are you currently working on
Right now I’m finishing the French edition of Echoes of Love and Pain. I’m also writing my third memoir, which covers my journey to Annapurna Base Camp and the time I spent volunteering in remote areas of Nepal after the 2015 earthquake. That experience changed the way I see life and gave me stories I still carry in my bones.
What inspired you to write and what keeps you going
I started writing because I didn’t know how else to deal with silence. At some point, words became my way of surviving. They helped me make sense of grief and beauty and everything in between.
What keeps me going is the thought that somewhere out there, someone might read my words and feel a little less alone.
Why indie publishing
I chose to self-publish because I wanted to keep my voice as it is. Raw and real. I didn’t want my stories to be cleaned up for the market. I wanted them to bleed the way they were meant to. That’s the kind of freedom indie publishing gives me.
What challenges have you faced as a writer
Visibility is tough. You can write with all your heart and still hear nothing back. Especially when you’re not the kind of person who enjoys shouting online.
But I’ve learned to believe in slow growth. In the quiet readers who arrive one by one and stay. Also, grief has shaped my writing. It taught me to respect the rhythm of my own healing.
What advice would you give to new writers
Don’t write to be noticed. Write because the story matters to you. You will feel invisible sometimes. Maybe even crushed. But if the story means something to you, that’s already enough.
Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Writing is not a race. It’s not about fame or followers. It’s a calling. And if you keep showing up, the right readers will find you.
An author who inspired you
Khaled Hosseini. His way of telling stories with deep emotion and vivid detail really moved me. Books like The Kite Runner and And the Mountains Echoed inspired me to write with honesty and heart.
Anything else you'd like to share/ fun fact
Sometimes I laugh or cry while writing. Especially when a scene suddenly takes a turn I didn’t plan. That’s the beauty of storytelling. We might create the characters, but sometimes they lead us instead.
There were moments when I read my own writing and asked myself if I’ve gone a little mad. And honestly, maybe I have. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.