Haliza Hashim-Doyle catches up with Tan Twan Eng at the Verulam Writers Circle in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in this piece in yesterday's Malay Mail. Nice to see the picture of him at a book signing in a branch of Borders in London.Other local authors are working hard to promote their books. Chet writes about Kam Raslan's reading at Kinokuniya and reports that the book is selling so well that the warehouse has run out of stock!
You can catch Kam again on 27 May 2007 at Borders The Curve.
Another book that has had to be reprinted already is Dina Zaman's I Am Muslim. I am sad to have missed Dina's reading yesterday afternoon at Borders, the Curve, but hope that it went well.Just see how nicely Borders is promoting these books in Chet's photos, here and here. And Times (left) recently had The Gift of Rain stacked high in its Bangsar branch with a 25% off special offer! Kinokuniya also has a special 20% off offer on it with the purchase of another book.
Local writers can only succeed if the bookshops here are clued up, and it is great to see so much support.
Postscript
Ooops. Eric points out in the comments something I missed:
Let's not forget Kam Raslan will also be appearing with Prof. Lim Chee Seng and Nizam Zakaria at the MPH Writers' Circle at MPH One-Utama on May 19, 2007 (Saturday). They will be talking about characterization in fiction. How to develop believable characters in fiction. All lovers of fiction, whether literary or otherwise, should attend.MPH has been doing much good work to promote writers of course with the Writer's Circle Meetings and the Litbloggers Breakfasts.
22 comments:
i hear kam's going for second printing!!
yes. and i must get my review of the book posted up!!
how was your reading yesterday? i'd have come if not for the freedom of the press thingy.
Let's not forget Kam Raslan will also be appearing with Prof. Lim Chee Seng and Nizam Zakaria at the MPH Writers' Circle at MPH One-Utama on May 19, 2007 (Saturday). They will be talking about characterization in fiction. How to develop believable characters in fiction. All lovers of fiction, whether literary or otherwise, should attend.
mph is doing a lot of good stuff too to promote authors. glad that kam has been asked to speak as well. i'll add this info to the post.
i hung out at Kinokuniya for many hours yesterday.
i dono why i felt compelled to say this.
The Old Man And The Viz
The Old Man And The Viz,
It's one of the many joys of Life, hanging out in a good bookstore for hours and hours... :)
Eric, I am sorry for slamming you in a previous post. I know you work very hard at promoting local writers, I just wish the bookshops could follow your lead. I'm glad to see MPH is doing these sessions and that there is more interest by readers.
You know if you walked into most speedy video, you would see a prominent part of the display dedicated for Malaysian movies. I'd like to see that in bookshops. (And I mean fiction, not just how to get rich books or memoirs of politicians who are still alive).
Chet, went to the site. Thanks but somehow I couldn't leave a comment.
No worries, Animah! You are right, bookshops must buck up and do more to educate readers - not just selling.
Dina's reading at Borders The Curve went well yesterday. I will be putting up a post, with pictures, in a while.
She asked where were you, but I guess her reading had to compete with the World Press Freedom Day for attendance!
I also have pictures of Kam's and Twan Eng's books on display at Popular Ikano, plus Dina's book in the window display as part of Popular's Choice. Will put those up as a pictorial entry, I think.
I also have a naughty story about Kam's book but not sure if I should write about it, as it might get me in trouble and bar me from the bookstore ever again.
>> Viz said: i hung out at Kinokuniya for many hours yesterday.
A day late for Kam's reading, Viz! And the wrong venue for Dina's!
>> somehow I couldn't leave a comment.
Animah - the comment box opens in a separate pop-up window.
Sharon - no, I'm not spamming your comment box! Should've read all the comments before replying.
BTW, the pictorial entry is up on my blog. Doing Dina's reading now. I'm turning into quite a literary reporter, huh? (Dream on, Chet ... )
Hi, me again (the unintentional spammer).
Just wanted to add that Kam will be at the 6th MPH Breakfast Club for LitBloggers on Saturday, July 28, 2007.
Oh yah, Dina's next reading will be on Saturday, 12 May 2007, at Borders Berjaya Times Square.
And I have put up my entry about Dina's reading.
*retiring now*
i dono. i guess i havent been hanging out at bookstores lately due to some recent extra-curricular commitments.
i finally bought Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale. anyone else read that?
Speedy has VCDs of local movies becos local movies sell like hot cakes. do u know, the VCD market (even of straight-to-video films) is one of the most lucrative? again, it's a matter of economics. but then it could be chicken and egg.
For Whom The Viz Tolls
ya, the talk was held in haliza's hometown and she beat me to it. But we all met up again the following night with Yang-May. Haliza joined us again but Tash could make it. But we had a fantastic time. Twan is even considering extending his stay because he likes london so much.
Chet, actually I think my modem died just as I left the comment.
Kak Teh, I knew a Haliza Hashim from school. She wouldn't be from BBGS would she? In her very very.. very late thirties.
Dina - Sharon and I didn't start reading till 3pm. We might have made it to yours if the CIJ event started on time.
I notice Viz is in a Hemingway phase.
Thought I'd say that cos I know he's dying for someone to notice.
thanks chet - will post up links to your other stuff ... and good for you blogging all of this. v. glad that kam is getting to make another appearance at breakfast club ...
kak teh - good. told twan he would enjoy britain and i'm so glad he is. wish i could have joined you all for dinner!
viz - hanging out in bookshops is one of life's great pleasures and kino is just wonderful
animah ..yes, and a bit more than the thirties! hehe! ooopps what i meant earlier was, Tash couldnt make it.
animah, nice pix of you in the other post.
Animah, i love you.
The Viz Also Rises (ahem)
LOL is he going to be a Moveable Viz next!
Winter's Tale is so dreamy and intense, I haven't read it for about 20 years but it remains memorable and my favourite of M Helprin's books. I used to be a real fan. Nowadays he's a speech writer for the Republican Party (I think...). I was a little disappointed.
I was away for the weekend and there were so many thinking posts up here!
Hope I can get a copy of Kam's book when I come over - your review was great.
Kak Teh, hope to hear about your visit with Yang May and Tan Twan Eng soon - sounds like lots of fun!
It was great to catch up with Twan again in London - after meeting him for the first time at the first Litbloggers event at MPH. He was flaked from his busy schedule and seemed happy to chill for a couple of hours eating great Malaysian food. Kak Teh whipped out her tape recorder to record his and my profound thoughts on writing etc (or so she hoped) but I think I was much too busy enjoying the food to give her many gems of wisdom I'm afraid!
i think we can expect lots of variations on viz over time, msiagirl! he's having fun.
had to google m helprin ...
yang-may - am still jealous of course, sounds like you had a great evening and i too am waiting for kak teh's blog or article or both!
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