Soon.

Werewolves in space

I Found Love in an Urn Full of Ashes

My m/m take on Beauty & The Beast with a tiger demon lord and a spirit is in Insignia: Asian Fantasy Stories.  Amazon link is here.

TOC

PART I: Adventure / Folktales

‘Four Claws’ by Allison Thai
‘I Found Love in an Urn Full of Ashes’ by Joyce Chng
‘Jentayu’s Tear’ by Anna Tan
‘Ribbons & Bones’ by Kelly Matsuura

PART II: Adult / Literary Tales

‘The Fireflies of Todaiji’ by Russell Hemmell
‘Birds of Heaven’ by EK Gonzales
‘Last Train to Begunkodor’ by Nidhi Singh
‘Untouchable’ by Sheenah Freitas
‘White Lady’ by Tina Isaacs

ASEAN writing: Singapore science fiction and YA

A bit belated, but finally uploading this for readers. This was my portion/piece for the ASEAN writing panel at All In!

Who am I?

I write science fiction (mostly) and YA.

What draws me to science fiction and YA?

I like the genre. Science fiction is a genre. YA is the target audience, not a genre. I like science fiction because you imagine worlds, you can write about werewolves in space and fantastic space battles. It’s basically what-ifs and futures and what kind of futures you want to see.

YA? I teach and I like teaching. My students happen to fall within this category. It talks about an interesting and not-so-easy time: the teens.

The state of sff and YA in Southeast Asia

I believe more could be done to not only promote Singaporean sff and YA, but the rest of the region. The problem is that we are all writing in English. I want to see more translation, more people taking an active interest in local sff and YA.

In Singapore, I believe it is still very nascent. We are taking baby steps. But are the publishers willing? Listening?

My thoughts as a Singaporean writer (or writer from Singapore)

SG lit is slowly taking off, though attention is still focused on foreign (re: US/UK) lit. Science fiction itself is already a niche genre. So the traction within Singapore might not be as quick or even acceptable, as readers tend to go for big-name writers (who have made it big overseas) or they stick to familiar (white) writers who are with big publishing houses.

I tend to pitch my writing overseas (unfortunately or fortunately), because there are people who want to read us. The only problem is that we might be viewed as ‘exotic’.

I have science fiction stories in US, UK and Australian sff anthologies. My urban/contemporary fantasy series are published under an independent UK sff publisher and a Malaysian publisher (only the first book, the moment). Singapore, however, seems unfriendly towards Singaporean science fiction and allocates it to small little shelves in bookstores under – you guess it – Local/Singapore Writing. It’s telling: we just can’t compete with the big boys and girls.  As a Singaporean science fiction writer (or writer, period), it is very sobering and disappointing to have people subtly and not so subtly tell you that your work does not matter enough for attention. Your work does not matter. More so if you are not an award or prize winner or anything. Not agented? You are not a real writer.

ASEAN

It is good that we have ASEAN lit and more better that some of us write in our own native languages.

Now the trick is to market ourselves. Are literary agents going to accept us? Are these big publishing houses going to accept us? Are there hidden (or obvious) obstacles we have to be aware of (or that we are already aware of)? How are we going to sell our books?

The Internet and social media are such powerful mediums and platforms where ASEAN writers could use to share or promote their works to a global audience. However, there is still the issue of accessibility as many writers are not tech-savvy.

Forging Ahead

What’s the future of ASEAN lit? I don’t know. As long as there are people still writing and still reading, there’s hope.

 

Singapore, with beach glass

A poem in The Murmur House where I talk about beach glass, kindness and how we treat ourselves, glass or Singaporean.

Where I talk about privileging experiences, haunted makanan, chicken soup…

Where I get to talk about haunted food places, Swancon, and privilege. Plus, chicken soup recipe at the end of the interview!

Kelong (Fish Culture) in Singapore.

Went to a kelong, which basically means an off-shore platform, generally constructed with wood. Kelongs are built for fishing or are in the business of fish culture. In Singapore, some kelongs have also become restaurants with boats ferrying people to and fro.

The kelong is a living breathing structure surrounded by water, living off the sea. They even had dogs guarding the areas where they cultivate and harvest the fish. Walking around the kelong, you would see that plants have taken root, mussels and oysters cling to the ballasts that keep the platform stable and floating, small fish huddle in schools, taking shelter under the ballasts.

(The boat ferried us from the jetty to the kelong)

(Mussels cluster on the ballasts… any available space underwater, even ropes)

(A living breathing platform that cultivates fish and is home to the fishermen)

Novella acquired by Annorlunda

My novella Water Into Wine has been acquired by Annorlunda for release in 2017.  😀

Cover reveal for Where The Stars Rise

I am in fine company, with an introduction from Elsie Chapman, and writers such as E.  C. Meyers and Karin Lowachee.

Rose Thorn & Sword (War Drums)

War Drums

Dealing with Rejection

This was what I talked about at All In!, a writing festival for the teens and youth in Singapore on Saturday (11/3).

It happens. How do we deal with it?

Rejection sucks. Yes, it does. In the creative industry like writing, it happens all the time. 

“No seriously, I want to. Go away. Leave me alone. My writing/art/recital/etc sucks!”

—Perfectly normal reaction to rejection.

—Not normal when you end up thinking people will hate you/your work etc.

How do you deal with rejection?

—You simply continue to write, create and do the things you know best.

—Know what you are good at. Find your strengths.

—Also know your weaknesses and work on them!

—Find people who will lift you up: your parents, your friends (choose wisely), your teachers, your mentors.

—And basically, write, create and hone your skills.

—Find opportunities that would help you. Be creative (duh). Use these opportunities as objective lessons.

—DO NOT SELF-REJECT.

Failure is part of Life.

—Rejection, failure… the same thing.

—Sometimes, we win, sometimes, we lose.

—Failure IS a part of life. It will happen when you leave school, find a job…

—A series of failures does not mean you are a failure. You simply need to think out of the box, throw away old ideas/thinking.

—Many of us are trapped by old stale ideas, stereotypes and mental blocks.

—Stop making the same mistakes!

—Do not be shy/afraid to ask for help.

Lastly, a word of caution.

—There will be people who will still hate your work, whatever you do, right down to your personal lives.

—IGNORE them.

—Do good, be honest, be true to yourself.

—The best revenge is to live your life to the fullest.