Graffiti Hack

Honourable mention by the 2016 Whistler Independent Book Awards Nelly Nasah grew up in a culture obsessed with decoration. In her native country, straight lines are anathema. Letters are hand-written into anthropomorphic shapes. Even heart monitoring machines are covered with colourful mosaics. So when Nelly arrives in Washington, D.C. she has a mission-to make the Internet beautiful. She lands a job as a graphic designer in Georgetown, and gets to work trying to inspire her colleagues-aloof boss Jack, talkative middle-aged Ashley and Don Juan-wannabe Ralf-to greater heights of embellishment with her unique brand of storytelling. Her modern fairy tales are misinterpreted by the three, with hilarious results. Despite all her efforts, Nelly's only friend in this new country is a rickety old elevator, who communicates with her through the language of his gentle sways and flickering lights. After a failed presentation at the office, Nelly turns to the dark world of hacking. When lavish designs begin to appear on unsuspecting high-profile websites, the Internet starts to pay attention. Nelly's latest "hits" go viral as the multitudes read political and social messages into her digital decorations. Is Nelly headed for deep trouble? Graffiti Hack is a wild ride into a collision of art, internet, obsession, culture, fairy tales and loneliness. Buckle up


About the Author
Elen Ghulam worked as a computer programmer for 20 years. Telling stories to silicon chips proved to be easy, and so she graduated to amusing humans. She is an Iraqi-Canadian living at ihath.com.