In Search of the Princess of Unicorns

I was one of the panelists for the “Yes we do exist – SFF writing in Singapore” at Spore-Con (that will be a separate SDS post next Monday but this is more on the panel itself!) If you read my previous post on not getting enough support, well it would be silly just to say stuff and not do anything yeah?

So what’s this about the princess of unicorns?

It’s a metaphor because as I’ve said before, all these writers are actually hidden and perhaps on a united front we could make an impact here in Singapore? The poets are quite united in a sense that the key poets are making significant headlines and whatnot. The writers here are in their own little circles and only once the planets align, they might perchance meet each other.

Usually during the Singapore Writers’ Festival but that only happens once every two years.

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Like a cheap $2 Bra

We don’t get enough support.

There.

I’ve said it.

The we defined here refers to the writers of fiction in Singapore. Don’t give me rubbish of that we have do get some support from various ministries or councils. I said we don’t get enough support. It doesn’t include said ministries or councils. It needs to involve more than that.

Here’s a post in January at Bibliobibuli about “Singapore’s Fiction Famine”. Technically the main article is on the link on her blog but I linked to that post since it has her opinions on it too.

Well, it’s all fine and dandy that Ng Yi-Sheng did say about NAC and Jacaranda in that post but alas. That’s not enough. Amusingly, he did also say about Nanowrimo which heh, I am the municipal liaison in Singapore to know very much well about.

You know what? There are fiction writers in Singapore but they’re all hidden like rebels against the imperial army or unicorns in a forest. They’re there and difficult to find but if you did find one, you might find the rest and realize why they’re hidden. See, being the ML of Singapore’s Nanowrimo, I get to actually see or meet these hidden writers and woah if you get the chance to read their things, you’d go “WHY IS THIS NOT IN THE BOOKSTORES?”.

It’s definitely not because of their skills but more of what we write. (You might doubt my skills, whatever but I have read very well written things by others.)

And we actually write fiction. GENRE fiction. The fun stories you’d actually pick up and buy in bookstores about fantasy, science fiction or romance! Drama, crime thrillers and all sorts of genres! The stuff people read and talk about online and go “OMGOMG I SHIP THIS PAIRING!” and write fanfic about.

You’d think that’ll be interesting right? But no. See, even if we write (and yes we do) these things, they won’t get published here. If they do, it’s usually by a small press publisher or done by the writer’s own initiative. The rules of getting published in Singapore is different than those in the US. Some of those guides or “rules” that one might read in articles of becoming a published author don’t really work here.

Continue reading Like a cheap $2 Bra

And with an appearance…

Well hellooo.

This weekend, there is Spore-Con at Pasir Ris Community Centre. Besides gaming of the board game variety, card games and miniature table top ones, there will be some science fiction and fantasy panel there!

Let me copy and paste:

SPORE-CON SFF PANEL & BOOK SIGNING
 “Yes, We do exist – SFF writing in Singapore”

Room: TIA
Date: 5/6/2010

Time: 11am-12pm

We have readings and a book signing!

Yes. DO come because I’ll be there along with Rozen of Two Trees where you can ask about writing genre fiction in Singapore and such.

For more info, you can check out their page here. Have any friends who like to write and what not? Ask them to come along. After all, besides fiction, it is a gaming convention where you have to think and make up stories for your campaigns. At the time of this post, the room number is still to be advised. Fret not! You’ll probably know which room when you go there and ask if you haven’t checked the website before then.

How to get there?

Pasir Ris East Community Club

No 1 Pasir Ris Drive 4 #01-08 Singapore 519457

SBS Bus Services along Pasir Ris Drive 1:
12, 17, 21, 39, 53, 81, 358, 359 and 518

Contact Numbers for the CC is:  65811861

SEE YOU AROUND, you guys!

SDS 1.21 – Thriller

And thus, when faced with zombies, bring a camera along. Avariel, Mintea were with me and later on we were joined by Miss Hallelujah and her friend Thurisaz83! For those who don’t know. THE GREAT BIG ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE is an independent zombie movie done by people who wanted to do one! You can check more on their website about it. For now, we went to check out their zombie flashmob that was happening on a Saturday!

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SDS 1.20 – Bork, bork, bork!

For those who don’t know the song, let me enlighten you with this clip.

Yesss.

Anywho, Avariel and Raven Silvers brought me along to Fika Cafe. When I mean brought me along, I meant that it was dark and we relied on Raven’s iPhone to make sure we were on the correct road. It is a Swedish cafe! Mintea wasn’t there for the evening but she had told us that her Swedish colleagues had told her that it was very authentic! (We didn’t see any hot Swedish guys at the time of our trip though.)

And so we traversed the dark streets to find it.

Continue reading SDS 1.20 – Bork, bork, bork!

SDS 1.19 – Take a Chance on Me

We woke up to arrive at the National Library around 8am. Well, earlier since we hung around while waiting for things to be set up for the The Original Race by HIP Alliance. We registered with the team name “Adventure Crew”. Hah. Members include me (obviously), Mintea, Raven Silvers, Avariel and Joelyn.

Continue reading SDS 1.19 – Take a Chance on Me

Meowy! Meowy!

There’s a quote about cats and writers that I can’t remember but behind every writer that’s a cat or something like that. Well, at least I know most of the award winning writers have cats so HMM. Clearly I need one too.

Well, I can’t have one so instead, I have a rental cat.

Ok.

So it’s not really a rental cat. It’s more of a community cat! A stray kitty that’s not really that stray because in the dictionary it says stray is:

  • a domestic animal found wandering at large or without an owner
  • any homeless or friendless person or animal

For one thing, since when cats have owners? Ok, you can say you own a cat but they technically own you in a way and besides this kitty isn’t friendless! It has meeeeeeeeeeee and whoever else! That picture was taken last year in December near Christmas. Note the black and tabby! Also this was before my old camera died hence the quality!

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Scholastic Asian Book Award!

Yes, my fellow fictioneers. Scholastic is giving out an Asian book award!

The main details can be found at their website here: http://scholasticbookaward.asia/

However, here are the short details!

Deadline: 31 December 2010

Entry submissions:

a. An official entry form, duly filled in.
b. Six copies of the manuscript (in case of a paper submission).
c. A recent photograph in soft copy on CD.
d. A short biography in not more than 100 words in soft copy on CD. In case of a translation,
the biography of both the author and the translator must be submitted.

Prizes

– Winner gets $10,000 and a plaque! The manuscript might also be considered for publication by Scholastic Asia!

– First and second runner ups get a plaque and advice by Scholastic Asia on editing it for publication!

Anyway, it says you can send the submission via email but that is slightly redundant or risky considering it might get “lost” in emails since you still have to send physical copies of your photo and bio on a CD. Plus, you still have to send in the entry form too anywho. The address is available on the website.

Continue reading Scholastic Asian Book Award!