Maggie Wins Txtlit

Bernice sent me an e-mail telling me that one of her ex-creative writing students from CENFAD, Mag Tan Yee Mei (who, as Maggie Tan, wrote a story Theatre des Marionettes which appeared in Silverfish New Writing 5) has won a UK writing competition for a romantic micro story submitted by SMS.

Biggest congrats from me too.

Maggie is now studying Art History and English Literature at the University of East Anglia. She apparently enjoys writing fairy tales in her spare time, and I bet you any money that she will turn out to be one of Raman's Silverfish "lappers". You might remember Maggie's appearance at reading at Seksan's some time back. She was so shy that Bernice had to read her story for her!

Seksan's on Saturday

Those who came to Seksen's yesterday afternoon enjoyed an afternoon of exciting storytelling.

First up was Nizam Zakaria who told us that his first novel Susuk (based on the film by Amir Mohammad) will be published by Marshall Cavendish in January. He also had a telefilm on TV a couple of nights ago. He said that since he's gone mainstream in his writing recently he sai that he had decided to go a little more subversive in this reading and gave us Chapter 7 from his novel Diva Dilla, his novel in progress.

Saras Manickam gave us the story of Dey Raju which appears in Silverfish New Writing 6. It's a very funny and sweet story about a case of mistaken identity and an Indian wedding. (I feel a great connection to the story because I was there the night it was born at Leah Ray's house one Friday evening for a supper and writing session.)

Actor/ comedian / playwright and all round nice guy Jit Murad made it this time (no rain or hailstones to prevent him!) and read a new piece - a stream-of-conciousness account of his childhood linked to the various houses where he had lived. Funny and touching and I hope he goes on with it and gets it published. I am greatly humbled that a successful writer like Jit can come along to an event like this to try out his new work before a live audience.

Animah Kosai reading a very important piece she's written. In this case not fiction, but a letter to the prime mininster re. "restricted books" for us all to sign. I will tell you more about this anon.

Dianadirani has two stories in the Neohikayat collection Aweks (forthcoming). She read us a piece of what she called "Malaysian chic-lit".

Chris Yin rushed over from a tennis tournament to read his story The Geology of Malaysia which was published in Silverfish New Writing 5, and which also (deservedly) made it into The Best of Silverfish New Writing.

I would like to thank La Bodega for generously sponsoring the wine for the event and Seksan for allowing us to use his beautiful space once again. And of course, the very supportive audience without whom nothing at all could have happened.

Next month "Readings" is scheduled for 23rd December and will mark the launch of Neohikayat's literary mag Elarti. More news later.

Update

Natasha's wonderfully arty efforts. (Sorry I "transformed" your name. Am just blur. And thanks for bringing the cakes.)

Silverfish Swarming

One of the beacons of hope Amir Muhammad saw burning for local writing in English in the Kakiseni article I linked to yesterday was Silverfish New Writing. Five years on, the annual anthology is still going strong, and Silverfish New Writing 6 was launched last night at the Impiana Hotel, KL. The event, like the book, was sponsored by HSBC (under its HSBC in the Arts banner). Here are my (blurry as always) photos of the event.

Guest Ioalanda Capodanno with Professor Quayum, co-editor of Silverfish New Writing 3

From left: Datuk Shan (whose stories have appeared in earlier Silverfish collections), New Writing 6 editor Dipika Mukherjee, my buddies and writing running mates Saras Manickam and Soo Choon.

Thaatchaayini Kananatu, who wrote the story In God's Belly signs my book ...

... as does Peter Brown (Dysfunction). (Peter is a singer-songwriter and I've often enjoyed listening to his band Passion.)

A bit blurry, but this captures Raman quite well, doesn't it?

Phek Chin (far right) and Usha (centre) of Silverfish with a friend.

There were speeches from Deputy Chairman and CEO of HSBC Dato' Zarir J Cama, who told us that P.G. Wodehouse had also been a banker with HSBC (bet you didn't know that!), Raman (who quoted the Paul Auster speech about the uselessness of literature and talked about how we all need stories), and then a short word from Dipika Muhkerjee who had flown all the way back from Holland for the event, before the grand unveiling of the book.

The writers and editor up on stage with artist Shahril Nizam Ahmad who designed the cover, next to Raman.

Saras, relishing being a published writer at last, signs copies.

Junaida bte Hassan (A Whistle in the Night) took time off work to travel all the way up from Singapore.

I met many other interesting people and had a very enjoyable evening. I will write more about the book later when I've finished it.

Postscript:

Raman's much nicer photos of the event are here.

Rain and Readings

If you're canny you can sample both events - leave Silverfish by 3.30 to catch the readings a short walk away at Seksen's place ...

Well the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglee, as someone once said, and I'd reckoned without the huge thunderstorm that left me stranded at Silverfish for longer than I'd intended.

It was good to see Robert Raymer again. Although we've exchanged emails on creative writing and the joys of editing I hadn't seen him since the Litfest when we took part in a panel discussion about what editors look for in a short story.

Robert has been busy revising his collection of short stories which should be republished next year and will be taught as a set text at USM. I've also discovered (and see how modest he is - he didn't tell me this yesterday!) that Robert is a semi-finalist in the William Faulkener Creative Writing Competition 2005 for his novel-in-progress.

But I digress. There was just a small group of Raman's invitees sitting politely in a circle in Raman's back room. Robert read his story Waiting for My Father to Crash from Silverfish New Writing 5. The story is apparently very largely autobiograhical and I'd read an earlier version but this worked much better.

Christopher Yin read his story The Geology of Malaysia from SNW5. Love the way that he weaves in the metaphor of geology around a personal and family history. I do hope Chris keeps writing, even though he says that this story was a one off prompted by his desire to set the record straight about Spider Man and the Green Goblin after watching the film version.

Raman had his lady footballers, Demilia (Dina's cousin and bursting with enthusiasm for the game), and twins Lolita and Latha to read the title story from his collection.

When the rain died down a bit I hurried over to Lucky Garden and up the back stairs to Seksen's place, but only managed to catch the tale end of the readings. There was a good crowd there, the usual relaxed and supportive atmosphere, and everyone seemed to have be enjoying themselves.

After the last of Bernice's students finished, Rauf Fadzillah took the floor to read some of his poems including Allah's Telegram and The Eyes - and he'd thoughtfully made copies of his work.

I'd never met Rauf in "real life" before but we'd once been members of the same writing e-group where we posted our stories, and I am still haunted by a very edgy piece set at the kind of party no-one invites me too anymore. (Goodness, he's only 21 now so must have been only 17 or 18 when he wrote that?) Sadly, he lost the story when his hard disk crashed and he didn't have a backup copy. (And the moral is ...?) Anyway, Rauf is my hot tip for a one to watch: he's got the words, he's got the hunger.

Was sad sad sad that I hadn't heard Bernice's students read. (Repeat performance, please??) But enjoyed chatting to them afterwards and swapped notes on blog addiction with Lainie.

Other friends I was happy to see - Pang and Danny and Animah and Sunitha.

Posts about previous readings here.