Short story writer, novelist, and translator.

He was born in 1972 in Qoser (Kızıltepe), in the province of Mêrdîn (Mardin). Yaqob Tilermenî graduated from the Department of Physics Education in the Faculty of Education of Dicle University. His early writings and short stories were published in the magazine Jiyana Rewşen between 1996 and 1998. Yaqob Tilermenî’s short stories typically recount how individuals alienated from society search for a safe place amidst war and chaos. In May 2002, Tilermenî was taken into custody, arrested, and later on removed from his position for writing in Kurdish. In the same period, he presented remarks on Kurdish short fiction and Kurdish literature as part of panel discussions, conferences, and interviews. In 2004, along with his friends Lal Laleş, Mîran Janbar, and Jan Çîya, he helped found of Lîs Publishing House and worked for many years as an editor for Lîs. Yaqob Tilermenî has translated poems, short stories, novels, and theatre plays from Turkish into Kurdish. He has also written theatre plays and scripts. His short stories have appeared in almanac and anthologies. He also directed the short film Mezûn (The Graduate). His short stories have been translated into Turkish, Arabic, and English and thus far he has published thirteen books. Yaqob Tilermenî lives in Mersin.

Works:

Novels:

Kitim (The Identityless), Lîs Editions, 2005

Qerebafon (Gramophone), Do Editions, 2009

Bavfileh (The Infidel Offspring), Do Editions, 2009

Sergotina Calvino (What Calvino Said), Avesta Editions, 2013

Hêlange (Hammock), Lîs Editions, 2016

Short story collections:

Êşbazî (The Sorrow Addict), Sî Editions, 2002

Bermeqlûb (Vice Versa), Elma Editions – Mîr Library, 2003

Ferhenga Sirgûnê (The Dictionary of Exile), Lîs Editions, 2004

Kermêşa Gerok (The Wandering Mosquito), Zîbeq Editions, 2011

Metamorfoz (The Metamorphosis), Na Editions, 2013

Research:

Lemişta Çîrokên Kurdî / Salnameya Çîroka Kurdî ya 2012-2013-2014’an (Collection of Short Stories in Kurdish / The 2012-2013-2014 Almanac of Kurdish Short Stories), Na Editions, 2015

Theatre plays:

Kulîlkên Apê Mûsa (Uncle Mûsa’s Blossoms), Zîbeq Editions, 2011

Danişîna Zimanekî (The Proceedings of a Language), The Metropolitan Municipality of Diyarbakır Editions, 2012

Translations:

Cam û Kevir / Cam ile Taş (Glass and Stone), Şükrü Erbaş, poetry selection, with Dîlber Hêma, Lîs Editions, 2005

Bêbaran / Yağmursuz (Rainless), A. Hicri İzgören, poetry selection, with Lal Laleş, Lîs Editions, 2005

Rojda (Rojda), Özcan Karabulut, a selection of short stories, Lîs Editions, 2005

Dansa Berber (The Hairdresser’s Dance), Sirri Ayhan, novel, Na Editions, 2014

Dûvpişk (The Scorpion), Eşber Yağmurdereli, theatre play, for The City Theatre of Batman, 2014

Awards:

Second Prize in the 1st Writing Kurdish Theatre Plays Competition with his theatre play titled Danişîna Zimanekî (Proceedings of a Language), 15th April 2011

Contact information:

Email address: yaqobtilermeni@hotmail.com