Route Online

M Y Alam Talks About Kilo

In the summer of 2002 M Y Alam spoke to Les Back from Goldsmiths College Centre for Urban and Community Research about his new novel Kilo, the 'riots' of 2001 and the influence of Bradford on his work.

M Y Alam Interview - Apocalypse Not Just Now

M Y Alam wrote a series of articles for the Route newspaper, which were published in 2000-2001 and have now been anthologized in an e-book Apocalypse Not Just Now. Here he answers some questions about the writing process.

Made in Bradford

The aftermath of the Bradford Riots in 2001 and subsequent reports on how the city is constructed, provoked novelist and academic M Y Alam into generating a report of his own.

‘One of the most important books to ever come out of Bradford.’ – Bradford T&A

Kilo

Crime thriller from M Y Alam. Introducing the story of Khalil and hi journey into Kilo.

‘Just as you’re about to consign the gangster thriller to the bin of obsolescence, bored stiff by a tide of clichèd storylines, along comes a belter which deserves the highest praise.’ – The Big Issue

Apocalypse Not Just Now (ebook)

A lively collection of non-fiction writing from M Y Alam, which pulls together his articles that appeared in the Route newspaper from 2000-2001. Full of wry observations of the world he finds himself in and includes his responses to the Bradford riots and September 11.

‘Compelling and controversial’ – Northern Exposure

Annie Potts is Dead

Born and raised on inner-city streets in Bradford, M Y Alam’s debut novel tells a story from a Britain we all thought existed, but were never quite sure how. We see events through the eyes of Ammy, a wannabe writer who works in a shop until one day the police barge in, march him down to the station and charge him with the murder of a frail old customer by the name of Annie Potts…

‘If this doesn’t win awards, then there is no justice. But that’s the whole point, isn’t it?’ – Artscene

Bonne Route

Bonne Route (Route 19) is a book of twelve short stories that focus on the small moments in our lives that can lead to wholesale change.

‘Short stories don’t have to tackle big events to make a big impact.’ – The Crack

Ideas Above Our Station

Ideas Above Our Station (Route 18) Fifteen writers have risen to the challenge to put the ideal story into their fellow traveller’s hand.

‘A diverting travelling companion’ – The Guardian

Next Stop Hope

Route (14) Next Stop Hope was the first title in the Route Series of Contemporary Stories to appear in book form, the previous 13 issues had been newspapers. This full anthology contains new work from all the regular contributors to the Route newspaper, plus two further collections edited by M Y Alam and Anthony Cropper.

‘Your next stop should be the book shop.’ – Leeds Guide

Tubthumping

First published in 1998, Tubthumping was the pioneering short story collection that was the initial force behind the Route imprint. Full of free self-expression, it turned its back on the sort of storytelling that had come to be deemed northern and parochial.

‘The strength in these stories is the way they reflect the times and refute the sterotypes.’ – Alice Nutter

Light Transports

Light Transports is a set of three short-story books that were compliled as part of an arts project and were originally distributed free at railways stations across Yorkshire in 2006. The books feature a wide range of authors including Chenjerai Hove, Steven Hall, Winifred Holtby, Alecia McKenzie, Jack Mapanje, Storm Jameson, Patricia Duncker, M Y Alam and Tom Spanbauer.