"The Steep Ascent", so named after an ayah from the Quran, was an online project of Man in Gutter (a.k.a. Yusuf Misdaq) written during Ramadan 2010. The ambitious concept was to write an entire book during the month itself, which Misdaq completed, one chapter and one day at a time until day 29 where the story ended. Concordant with the title, the writing – which is a blend of both morality and extreme-satire – plays on several 'bad-guy' stereotypes, and draws heavily from the Quran and traditional forms of oral-culture, Sufi storytelling. Mo, a young rising star in an unnamed corporate world, befriends Asad, a hot dog vendor. At present the novel has been taken offline and listed as 'private' amidst rumours that it has been picked up for publication. The Steep Ascent has been picked up by UpSet Press (an independent publisher from New York City) and is slated for a 2013 publication.