In Review (of 2017)

2017 was an emotional roller coaster, starting with major and minor health scares (high fevers, suspected dengue, liver cyst, IBS, rhematoid arthritis), followed by anxiety and grief due to money loss when I bought back the remainder of my YA science fiction series and death of my beloved boy cat Meow. The anxiety was also ever-present as I struggled to balance writing and making money so that I could eat. I took a year off work (left the school I was teaching at), determined to get my health on track. For a person who enjoy their food, cutting out sugar, gluten and dairy was hard as all the delicious but sinfully unhealthy food out there in Singapore contain most of them.

Creativity-wise, I was productive. I had flash fiction and short stories accepted in Anathema Magazine, Occulum and Rambutan Literary. I started writing poetry and getting them published in Glittership and Uncanny Magazine. Likewise, my stories and letters appeared in anthologies like Luminescent Threads and Where The Stars Rise.

I was particularly proud of my space opera: Starfang: Rise of The Clan and Water Into Wine. Water Into Wine was recommended for the Tiptree Award reading list!

I also refurbished and revamped my old self-published YA: Dragon Sisters and Oysters, Pearls & Magic.

There was Mid-Autumn Mice and the hint of things to come.  Umbel & Panicle, the literary magazine for poetry and art inspired by plants and botany had issues (!).

I wrote for Onyx Path and Growling Door Games. I pitched something to a games publisher and like gardening, it will come into fruition in 2018 or even later.

Likewise, I became active once more with the Skiffy and Fanty crew, an awesome team of people who love science fiction and fantasy in all its forms.

Amazingly, my YA sword fantasy had been acquired by an editor!

I wasn’t particularly proud of my finances and wished that I could do better. It made me feel as if I should find a full-time job (ie, go back to teaching). I am not a writer with a huge following and it shows in things like my Patreon when the debacle over hurting $1 donors broke all over social media and I lost Patrons. Thank you so much for the Patrons who stayed and told me that they would, because they wanted to continue supporting me. I made a back-up on Buy Me A Kofi.

In conclusion, by the end of 2017, I was weary, grateful, pummeled and emotional. Most of all, I was grateful, that inspite of all that happened, I pulled through with the help and support of family and friends. It was through crises that you realize who your true friends are and for the friends who showed up when I asked for help, a huge Thank You.

Sneak peek at what’s afoot in 2018.

And of course, more writing.

Have a blessed and happy Christmas

To those who celebrate Christmas, have a blessed and happy time with family and friends.

Happy holidays.

And to those whose this time is fraught with tension, loneliness and pain, I see you and you are not alone.

Have a very Singaporean Christmas. 🙂

Happy Winter Solstice/Dong Zhi!

Have a peaceful Winter Solstice, everyone. May your longest night be filled with light and love.

Thank you, readers.

Thank you, readers, for your support.

The rest of December: I will be on break.

Sunspot Jungle!

Woot! Just look at the stellar line-up!

Breaking In: Interview with Joyce Chng

stephen geigen-miller

Welcome to the latest installment of Breaking In, where I interview authors about their experiences breaking in as writers — how they did it, what it felt like to get there, and how it differed from what they were expecting.

Today I’m delighted to have the opportunity to interview a writer who creates thoughtful, innovative works of science fiction and fantasy, for young and adult readers, across a wide range of subgenres – author Joyce Chng.

As she notes on her website, born in Singapore but a global citizen, Joyce Chng writes mainly science fiction and YA. She likes steampunk and tales of transformation/transfiguration. Her fiction has appeared in Crossed Genres, The Apex Book of World SF II, We See A Different Frontier, Cranky Ladies of History, and Accessing The Future. Her YA science fiction trilogy is published by Singapore publisher, Math Paper Press. She can be found…

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Yuletide Mice is ON

Currently being posted on the Mid-Autumn Mice FB page.

I also posted some of the Mice on my Kofi page. Go to the Gallery. 😀

12/12

A Letter To My Patrons (And Anyone Who Reads This)

As you have already know, Patreon has decided to implement certain changes that will affect creators and patrons.  If you are on social media (Twitter, FB), you would have seen and heard the outcry from creators and patrons. The worst hit are the patrons who donate $1. Such actions from Patreon will be harmful in the long run as creators and patrons are both affected, with creators with smaller backer bases having their earnings massively cut.

I am taking this opportunity to thank all my Patrons. Without you, I won’t be able to pay my medical fees and expenses that suddenly appear from the left field. Without you, I won’t be able to write short stories and produce an urban/contemporary fantasy anthology set in Singapore. Likewise, I won’t be able to draw more Mid-Autumn Mice. 

I am angry at Patreon for taking such drastic measures and I will not hold it against you if you decide to withdraw your patronage. We are all struggling in this already-strained global economy and Patreon’s actions are not helpful.

2018 is the year I was actually planning to use to complete two contracted books to a publisher. Before the changes, I initially thought that if I have at least $250, I would have some peace of mind to sit down and write the books. 2018 is also the year I wanted to make Umbel & Panicle, the lit mag I founded, viable as in I want to pay my poets.

Patreon’s news changed all that.

However, you can still support me in many ways.

I have PayPal whereby I think you can make it a re-occurring payment. Likewise, you can just type the sum after JoyceChng/.

You can also Buy Me A Kofi where I will sometimes set goals for certain expenses.

You can buy my ebooks at my Gumroad where the proceeds will go direct to me. You can get my print and ebooks from Amazon and Createspace.

Lastly, as I also freelance as an editor and sensitivity reader, I offer my services at Vellum & Ink.

You can also get updates from me at my blog/website A Wolf’s Tale.

Once more, thank you so much for being there with me during my journey.