Readings? Piece of Cake!

Couldn't think of a nicer way to spend my birthday (which? well I've given up counting!) than holding October "Readings". Wasn't going to tell anyone either, but when someone brings in the biggest birthday cake in the universe, it kind of blows your secret, dunnit?

Vernon Adrian Emuang (above) was the first reader of the day, and this was his very first time standing up in public reading his own words though as an actor, he's had plenty of experience in reading the words of others. (I've seen Vernon in a couple of plays recently - Pinter's Betrayal and the rehearsed of Ann Lee's Tarap Man in which he was shudderingly creepy!) Vernon has also worked in advertising and produced several independent films: the word which he coined for himself (and which deserves a place in the OED!) is multimediator.

The first piece he read I thought particularly powerful: Wilting Without Grace was written for Tell magazine:

I am wilting. Even though my great-grandparents were born here (all eight should be enough), and probably their parents, too, the mitochondrial legacy within me struggles to acclimatize. Should I wonder why it would take this long? Will my children's children feel as alien? When is the time when my progeny will fully feel at ease, fully integrate and disappear into the kerawang? Until then, do we deserve to be treated like … well, termites?

He also read some poetry including The Flirt (which is one to stick up on your writing desk) and Afterglow. Now you're outed as a writer, Vernon, there's no turning back!

I'm so very happy Preeta Samarasan (above) agreed to take part, and bring along her mum, Saras. Preeta's first novel Evening is the Whole Day is due to be published next May in the US by Houghton Mifflin. The extract from the first chapter has made me impatient to get my hands on a copy. Love the fact that the action in the piece she read took place in Ipoh and Gopeng! (I'm from Perak - sort of.) The writing was beautiful - richly detailed and gently humourous.

With a total of eight books published Lee Su Kim should need no introduction. She's one of those people who can combine an academic interest with the power to write for (and entertain) all of us. Malaysian Flavours which explores the local psyche is one of the must-buy books for anyone wanting to understand the country, and her Manglish: Malaysian English at it's Wackiest, is a glossary of English as it is spoken here.

Su Kim (I have to add that she looked an absolute vision in white!) read from her latest book A Nyonya in Texas, a very funny account of cross cultural encounters based on her experiences in the US while she was doing her PhD. She says that she encountered a lot of ignorance there about what Malaysia is like, and was (honestly) asked that most stupid of questions, "Do Malaysians live in trees?" to which she says she answered "Yes, but now they have escalators to get up there.")

This is Ti Chin Han, winner of the Utusan Group Literary Prize for his novel Trumation Nation, a humourous thriller. It was fun hearing a piece of sci-fi with a very Malaysian setting. Han guestblogged about his experiences of getting published here, and I really wish him all the best with his book.

Nizam Zakaria can now justifiably call himself a novelist (in addition to poet, lyricist, scriptwriter and photographer). His first novel was Susuk, the novelisation of Amir Muhammad's fim (which we are still yet to see!) and his second, now out, is Seri Tertangguh, which he describes, intriguingly, as "Malaysian chick lit". I'm sure his legions of fans will be overjoyed. The extract he read was very much enjoyed and I loved the way he mixed Malay and English, reflecting the way people do speak here. (The kind of "bahasa rojak" that would have cultural commentators at Utusan screaming blue murder, no doubt.)

Bless you, Saras Manickam, for being brave enough and sporting enough to step in at quite literally the eleventh hour when another reader couldn't make it.

Saras read parts of her poignant short story Invisible, told in the voice of an Indonesian maid. The ending packs quite a punch, though I won't say more because I hope you read it for yourselves when Silverfish New Writing 7 comes out.

The story struck a chord with me, because I always wonder about maids ... if they can be happy working in someone else's household overseas and so far from their family. (I was going to wander off into my own stories here ... but maybe another time.)

This is the wonderful birthday cake Chet gave me. It's all my favourite things put together - chocolate cupcakes, gummy bears, the name of my blog ...

... and teensy little bookworms popping their heads out of the turquoise butter-cream. The lady behind this stunning piece of edible biblioart is Chan Hui Min aka Mama Min, who is Patrick Teoh's other half. (Please go check out her blog entry about the cake and look at much nicer photos!)

All the usual thanks. To Sek San for the beautiful space. To those who read. To those who came and supported, because nothing can happen without an audience. To those who helped put the word out. To Shahnim for taking the time and trouble to do the poster. Once again to Chet for the wonderful cake. To me for the wine this time, 'cos La Bodega says it is not longer able to sponsor us. (Bernice and I will try lobbying some wine suppliers - "Readings" without wine is just unthinkable.) To all those who helped set up and clear up, especially the patient Buddhi.

If Sek San will have us back again, our next Readings should be on November 24th.

The Miracle of Getting Published

When a local science fiction writer gets highly commended in the Commonwealth Short Story Competition and goes on to win the Utusan Group Literary Prize, I think we need to know his story! Ti Chin Han's first novel, Trumation Nation, is now on sale, and he is one of the writers appearing at this Saturday's Readings at Seksan's.

This is a piece I asked Han to guest blog for us:

I am always fazed by the huge volume of books when I walk into a bookshop. The talent out there is tremendous. Will people ever notice my book? And if international bestsellers (English) only sell 10,000 copies in Malaysia, can I earn a living as a writer?

Of course, I never dreamed of getting this far. In Standard Four, I submitted a funny poem (about a caterpillar’s struggles before it turned into a beautiful butterfly) for the school magazine. My English teacher didn’t believe that I had written it and it was not published.

I loved reading but never thought of writing as a career. But one day, I thought how wonderful it would be if I could write stories that were as entertaining as the books I had read. However, I didn’t have the time to write as I often left office late at night. I scribbled short paragraphs or mere sentences but never got beyond that.

Then, in 2003, I heard Gary or Nigel of RTM’s Radio 4 announcing the Commonwealth Short Story Competition. I submitted my entry. After several months of checking the mailbox, I thought it didn’t make the cut. One day, I received a UK postmarked envelope bearing the good news. My entry I, Fridge Horror was Highly Commended. It was a great feeling being interviewed on RTM’s Radio4 and a UK-Cyprus Island radio station.

It gave me the confidence to expand I, Fridge Horror into a full-length novel. The win also made me do something “stupid”. I was so gung-ho about the story that I quit my full-time job. I thought that I could do better if I wrote “full time”.

I had writers’ block in the first month and freelance work wasn’t generating adequate funds. I felt the pressure of being “jobless”. Then, an idea for another book came along and I hammered out 300 pages in the next two months or so. But I felt it wasn’t good enough. I tried to return to I, Fridge Horror but it didn’t progress satisfactorily, so I returned to “real” work.

Then, Silverfish sent an email regarding Utusan Group’s literary competition. It seemed only natural to try to complete I, Fridge Horror. Waking up at 5 a.m. or other odd hours in the morning to write, I submitted my entry one day before the deadline. The months passed by and I forced myself to forget about it, trying again not to check the mailbox everyday. Perhaps the first win was a fluke.

Then, I got a phone call from Utusan saying that I had won the Group Literary Prize. I was so excited that I forgot to ask which prize! I couldn’t belief it still, so I fidgeted for several weeks waiting for the confirmation letter.

A publishing contract came with the prize. It took more than a year after the prize-giving ceremony for my book, Trumation Nation (formerly titled I, Fridge Horror) to see print. From an aspiring writer going for talks on how to get published, I had suddenly become a published writer.

I shared my experience on 20-10-2007 at The MySciFiFan Outpost, Cineleisure Damansara, Petaling Jaya, so that aspiring authors will have a better idea of the challenges they may face.

Trumation Nation is a humorous thriller that takes a serious look at how true automation (trumation) may play a role in the wellbeing of the world in the not-too-distant-future. Who are the Trumations, how did they obtain such hi-tech machines, and what are their true intentions? (it isn’t about machines taking over the world)

It can be found in MPH bookstores nationwide in the Malaysian Writers’ / Interests sections although several branches accidentally placed them in the Malay section. If you can’t find it, please enquire at the counter and they will help to search for it. (You can find the book online here.)

Do pick up Trumation Nation when you are at the bookstore. And if you like it, buy it! I only earn enough for a thosai bawang (onion thosai) at the mamak stall for each book sold, so I need all the support I can get! Please email or speak to your friends about it. Your recommendations are the best advertisement.

I hope you Tru-ly enjoy the book.

Best regards,
Ti Chin Han

(Note from Sharon - My payment for sticking this piece up on my blog is 10% of all those thosai bawang at the kedai makan of my choice.)