Thursday, June 29, 2006

Taking Snapshots

My friends Aneeta Sundararaj, Saradha Narayanan and A. Jessie Michael have just published a collection of short fiction together: Snapshots by is published by Oak, and available to buy here.

Biggest congrats for having the guts, gumption and gusto to get your project off the ground! I've not read it yet, but Lotus Reads gives a glowing account of it here.

It's gratifying to see that the creative writing workshop which was held at the KL Litfest a couple of years ago was the starting point for the collaboration. Craig Cormick and Satendra Nandan from the University of Canberra's Creative Writing programme ran afternoon sessions for keen writers and wannabe's at the Australian High Commission*. Craig encouraged the writers and edited the final selection.

Good luck now with getting the books sold!!

(*Okay, a touch of jealousy here ... I organised the workshops but couldn't attend because everything else was going on at the same time! Sob!)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

sharon.

many, many thanks for publishing this post and the various links.

aneeta

Matthew da Silva said...

I went to their Web site to read about the book, and I did. They linked to the same review in Canada that you did, but I didn't read very much -- too many typos.

They seem very upset that they can't sell via Amazon. However there must be a good reason for this. Before they spread the word that Amazon doesn't encourage divesity, they should contact a lawyer who has knowledge of publishing in those countries, to find out why those restrictions are in place.

I think they are taking it a bit personally, to be entirely truthful. I don't think it has anything to do with their being Malaysian. If they were Ecuadorian they'd have the same problem.

I understand that lawyers cost money to do the least little thing for you, but it would probably put them at ease, and prevent them from attracting negative opinions. I certainly don't think there's anything nefarious about Amazon's position. As I said: there's no doubt a very good, legal reason for it.

bibliobibuli said...

aneeta - you're welcome

dean - as far as i know what you need is some kind of agent over there to distribute your books - no legal problem with it (i've had this conversation before with a local publisher and if they want to know the ins and outs of getting their books on the US market they can ask him) but of course a host of logistical problems

Unknown said...

Off-topic, Sharon, but just popping in hoping that your fever is all cleared up now.

And to wish you a good weekend.

bibliobibuli said...

thanks so much, Ron

still a bit weak and wobbly but otherwise fine and welcoming the return of my appetite!

Lydia Teh said...

Sharon, glad to hear you're on the mend.

Dean, you're right. It has nothing to do with being Malaysian. To answer Aneeta's query on why she can't get on to the Amazon, I've put in an entry at my blog.