The Ayam Curtain is launched!

The heavens opened up and the rain poured down in torrents… But The Ayam Curtain was launched, together with two other Math Paper Press anthologies, Balik Kampung (edited by Verena Tay) and Fish Eats Lion (edited by Jason Erik Lundberg). In the presence of experienced writers like Verena and Jason, I think the writers of The Ayam Curtain did quite well. June and I were particularly proud of the new and young writers in our book. Our stories are future Singapores and possible Singapores.

We did have to raise our voices a little as the rain thundered on the seemingly fragile pavilion and I kept looking upwards to see if there were any spillage or leak (eek!). There was none. The stories being read were oddly apt for the monsoon weather: “Ark” (my own) and Verena’s “Floral Mile”, for example. I like Balik Kampung as it reminds us of the permanence of home and how it forms our identity/memory/self. The anthology is contemporary, but it is indeed relevant to how we see our homes and landscapes.

I was amazed and enthralled by the diversity of stories and tropes presented. Perhaps, it’s true: Singapore speculative fiction is here to stay.

Many thanks to all the authors who had added their voices to the anthologies. Many thanks to The Ayam Curtain authors, especially, for your contributions and your stories.

(All of us, editors and authors at the book signing after the launch!)

I hope to see more speculative fiction in the future. Perhaps, the next anthology will be titled Ayam Penyet. (And it will be all about FOOD!)

NOTE:
The Ayam Curtain will be available for sale at the Festival Pavilion for the duration of the Singapore Writers’ Festival. It is also available for sale at Books Actually.

EDIT:
More photographs on June’s website!

Table Of Content

Speaking Bird Language

Tales from the Lonely Tree
Vanessa Ni Qiu Rui

By Wing and Talon
Jonathan Jie

An Urban Bestiary
Dave Chua

Ark
Joyce Chng

Jumping Ship
Lim Ming Jie

The Heart of the Rain Tree
Geraldine Choo

KY USB
Lucas Ho

Vernacular
Andrea Ang

Interview
JY Yang

Sparrows over Trees
Anders Brink

Unwanted Utopia I
Joelyn Alexandra

World-hopping on Wings
Ang Si Min

The Gilded Cage
Cherie Tan

Two Frames in Between
Geraldine Kang

They Called Me The Hyacinth Girl
Victor Fernando R. Ocampo

They come from faraway places
Carrick Ang

Tiong 2040
Yasser Suratman

Coming Home
Yasser Suratman

Singapore Rock
Cai Lixian

Speaking Bird Language
Jerrold Yam

The Ayam Curtain

The Heartland
Eleanor Neo

Battery
Gwyneth Teo

The War Going On Beneath Us
JY Yang

Garisan Kuning
Michelle Tan

Her Name Was Jane
Joses Ho

Dayuhans
Nicholas Deroose

Halcyon Days
Yuen Xiang Hao

Tuan Garuda
Ivan Kwan

The Privilege
Anders Brink

Artifact #1N-327
Lina Salleh

Incubation
Xie Shi Min

Hidden In The Leaves
Jason Erik Lundberg

Woodwind
Clara Yeo Zhe Xuan

The Goldfish Bowl
Liana Gurung

The City
Judith Huang

Salt
Tse Hao Guang

A Better Place
Alvin Pang

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