The Places You Will Go

Young Malaysian Writers: Worth the Effort or Beyond Help?

Yesterday I attended the press conference for the Singapore Writers Festival 2009. Present were representatives from the National Arts Council of Singapore, the Arts House (the old parliament house where the SWF's events are held) and Malaysian authors Anwar Ridhwan (the latest national laureate), K.S. Maniam and Wong Phui Nam, all of whom will be speaking at the event.

During the press briefing, Wong drew attention to his and Maniam's age. According to him, the mature years of the Malaysian authors participating in the festival reflect the dearth of young Malaysian writers, especially those writing in English.

In my opinion, the fact that there are no young Malaysian writers featured at the SWF speaks more about the organisers' ignorance of the Malaysian literary scene than the lack of actual writers.

Or, perhaps, the organisers are aware of our new generation of writers but do not think them worthy of their recognition.

Similarly, I wonder if Mr Wong is familiar with fiction and poetry published (in English as well as Bahasa Malaysia) by emerging Malaysian writers. It sounded like he isn't, or perhaps he just doesn't rate what he has come across.

Also, his interest seems to be in writers who write in English whereas I feel that it's the writing that matters, not the language used.

The representatives from the NAC and The Arts House spoke of how young Singaporean writers would appreciate the opportunity to meet and consult with and learn from experienced writers like Wong, Maniam and Anwar. Young Malaysian writers would also benefit. There simply needs to be a platform on which such meetings can take place.

Wong spoke about how Malaysian wrtiting (in English) is stillborn, a result of our education system. Having identified this problem, I should think Wong has his own theories about how the deadening effect of our schooling can be countered and/or reversed. Does he and others like him have a part to play in helping aspiring authors produce writing that has a chance to grow in effectiveness and beauty? Perhaps Wong just does not think it is his battle to fight.

Hello, This is Your Bookcase Speaking

What Does Your Bookcase Say About You? is the title of the Times article about Ikea's Billy bookcase and how the way we display our books speaks volumes about our personalities and lifestyles.

My bookcases (and book-covered surfaces) show that I am disorganised and have too many books (or is that too few bookcases?).

My bedside table (left, on my side of the bed) is where I keep books I'm currently reading, books on my soon-to-be-read list, books I want to read but it's really a case of wishful thinking, and some of Elesh's bedtime reads.

My dressing table stool (right) is piled high with picture books. I've given up organising my picture book collection. Or at least, I've postponed trying to organise my picture book collection. They just go anywhere now. But I SWEAR, I will sort them out before 2010. My other bedside table holds magazines and some more picture books.

Here are the bookcases in my bedroom (left). What a mess. These cases have mostly non-fiction like lit crit, theology, essays, food and fashion writing, and ballet. Also, poetry, graphic novels, reference books, like encyclopaedias, and yet more picture books.

These (right) are some of the bookcases in my living room. I have one unit in the front, and six in the back of the room. They hold my novels (including children's and YA), my travel books, biographies and, yes, picture books. The case with the glass front contains my out of print books and special favourites like the Moomin books and Antonia Forests.

I would love floor to ceiling bookcases and a sliding ladder to navigate the collection. However, I have to admit that even then I would probably end up with realy messy disorganised shelves.

Your Writing Sucks But You'll Go Far

Several points in the Guardian article (Why Kelman's Rage at the Genrefication of Scottish Literature Concerns Us All) should resonate with Malaysian writers, editors and publishers.

I nearly snorted when I came to the bit that goes: "While we may express private reservations about the work of another writer, we don't scupper their chances by saying this publicly."

Well, I know at least one highly-respected book reviewer who says one thing in private and another in public. Personally, I don't like the practice. I don't see how being "kind" about mediocre work helps raise the standard of writing and publishing in Malaysia. I understand that it hurts to have your stories torn apart by critics, but if you want to be a writer, criticism is something you have to expect and get used to.

I'm all for (as a reviewer, editor and publisher) giving one's honest opinion, offering constructive criticism, and (as a writer) taking it on the chin and learning from it.

(One doesn't become a reviewer, editor or publisher to make friends. Join a knitting circle for that.)

Cover Story

By DAPHNE LEE

From Tots to Teens, StarMag

I'M still trying to come to terms with a fur-covered edition of The Wild Things, the novelization (by Dave Eggers) of the movie script for Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. Whatever next! OK, so this isn't the first time publishers have decided to cover a book in faux fur. An edition of Isobelle Carmody's Little Fur was covered in blue fur. And Little Fur Family (note the similarity in titles - I guess the marketing department had no choice, really) by Margaret Wise Brown was published in an edition covered in rabbit skin.

Neither is, in my opinion, looks as nasty as Wild Things. I find the eyes peering out of the mass of fur particularly creepy. Much better would have been a book shaped like one of the wild things. However, I guess that would have meant monster-shaped pages - a headache for the typesetter or layout artist, or whoever it is who arranges text on the pages of books.

AbeBooks.com's page on unusual bindings shows 30 books whose covers are made from various non-paper materials including shark skin, brass, ivory, snake skin, horsehair, silver and turquoise, rubber, asbestos and mother of pearl. The most expensive unsold book listed is a 1611 edition of the King James Bible, bound in copper. Its price - US$119,000 (RM418,817). In light of this, I suppose it's worth investing in the furry Wild Things, just in case. It's US$18.48 (RM65) from Amazon.

Still on the subject of book covers, Justine Larbalestier, author of the brilliant Magic or Madness series, recently succeeded in getting her publishers to agree to a different cover for her latest book, Liar. The book is about a young short-haired black girl, but the advance reading copies showed a long-haired white teen on the jacket. A spokesman for Larbalestier's publisher, Bloomsbury, said, in Publishers Weekly, that this image "was intended to symbolically reflect the narrator's complex psychological makeup" and was not "a calculated decision to mask the character's ethnicity". Really?

Here in Malaysia, "pan-Asian" models are preferred in advertising. Many businesses go the whole hog and choose caucasian models. Most Malaysians prefer European looks, you see, and it stands to reason that they would then be more attracted to products sold by caucasians than models of their own race. I think the Liar cover featuring the white teen would be more popular here than the new, more accurate one.

Finally, has anyone actually bought Wuthering Heights (by Emily Bronte) because it's the favourite book of Bella Swan, the heroine of the Twilight series? Or, has anyone bought it thanks to its new Twilight-inspired cover? Once upon a time, I chose to buy an edition of A Room with a View because its cover featured a movie still of Julian Sands and Helena Bonham Carter. So, I totally understand why a teenager might see (and buy) the new edition Wuthering Heights as Twilight merchandise. However, in my opinion, not even a diamond-encrusted, gold-tooled cover would change the fact that Wuthering Heights is a terrible book. I would buy it if it came with a cover made from a blood-stained window-pane though. Wet earth, a coffin and a severed arm would be a plus. Of course.

Fur Ball

I can't believe there's going to be a fur-covered edition for the novelization of the script for Where the Wild Things Are. It looks disturbing - those eyes! It's like a pervert who wears "cute" bear suits to entice children.

Here's an excerpt from the novelization, by Dave Eggers.

Shudder to Think

The American Scene (an ongoing review of politics and culture) is compiling a list of "most overrated children’s books". The Guardian, commenting on the list, invited nominations from its readers and amongst the titles received were The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis, Valley of Secrets by Charmian Hussey and Frances H. Burnett's Little Lord Fauntleroy.

My list (so far):

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett

Remembrance of People Lost

Nicholas Hughes, the son of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes hanged himself a few days ago. He was said to be suffering from depression.

Coincidentally, I've just read a review of Julia Donaldson's new book for teens, Running on the Cracks (Egmont Books, 256 pages, ISBN: 978-1405222334), which is about Leo, a girl who's an orphan and searching for her grandparents. Along the way Leo meets Mary, a kindly mentally ill woman.

In the review it says "Donaldson spoke openly and honestly about the mental illness of her son, Hamish, who killed himself aged 25. She explained that the character of Mary and her acquaintances were based, in part, on Hamish's hospital friends, and she also talked about raising awareness."

Beautiful things can be produced despite and, sometimes, thanks to great suffering. In my opinion, that's one of the ways unbearable loss can be faced.

Books Do Furnish a Room

My book collection is once again getting out of hand. When I first moved into this flat, I could shelve my books in single rows. Now I think I shall have to start double-shelving again. I dislike double-shelving as it makes it difficult to find books.

Then again, my collection's isn't very organised at the moment. Lack of time and space means I just stick books willy nilly wherever I see a gap in my bookcases. I'm not even going to think of putting the books in order just yet.

A couple of weeks ago I decided I was not going to buy any more books for at least a year, but I've just been told that there will be a mother of all warehouse sales in May. Will I be able to resist? Perhaps I should put off not buying books until after the sale - that's cheating, but don't all addicts cheat?

My current reading list is growing steadily - as you can tell by the books on my bedside table [above]! The problem is there are so many books I want to read and I can't decide which one to start first or which one matches my mood. Best to just start on them all and see how things go.

PS Maybe I can turn unwanted books into footstools, with the help of superglue. However, I would probably be lynched for it. Unwanted by me, but probably many would offer them good homes ... but NOT in in the shape of footstools.

"Shoes" Misses The Pointe

I bought the DVD of the 2007 ITV dramatisation of Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes. Watched it last night and was rather disappointed.

It was just totally not what I "see" when I read the book. Neither was the BBC version that was released in 1975 (I have that on video). I guess that happens when you really love a book.

Emma Watson was wrong for the part of Pauline, and so was Yasmin Paige as Petrova. Lucy Boynton who played Posy was quite good though.

Theo Dane, the dancing teacher, was portrayed quite scarily - always shaking her behind and sweeping her arms about. And I really disliked her moping because she was manless and lonely. The way they had a man appear at the end to sweep her off her feet, and her desperate delight when she realised that she wouldn't die a dried up old spinster was ridiculous and offensive.

I would much rather be an old spinster than someone like Theo, and so I loved the old Drs Smith and Jakes, played brilliantly by Harriet Walter and Gemma Jones respectively.

I felt that the movie focussed more on the Sylvia, the children's guardian, than the children. There seemed too much emphasis on her loneliness and struggle to support the children. Of course they killed off Mrs Simpson and had Sylvia fall in love with and marry Mr Simpson!

Almost nothing was shown of the running of the Academy and the children's education and life as performers. So the title, Ballet Shoes, didn't really fit the story that told.

I give it 4/10.

What Was and What's Next

What a week it's been.

I had a marvellous time at the British Council-organised conference Animating Literature: Words and Beyond (17th-20th Feb) and am very grateful to the organisers for giving me the chance to waffle on about my work with The Dram Projects (introducing books and reading to children who belong to marginalised communities in Malaysia). I also ran a workshop about using book discussion groups to turn kids on to reading, and that ended in a very lively discussion about lit circles, talking to children about books, and
allowing children to choose their own reading material, and speak freely about how they feel about stories (all subjects very close to my heart).

The focus of the conference was picture books and so most of the people who attended were picture book enthusiasts. It was so good meeting others with whom I could discuss these books and not be fixed with a look that said, "Aren't you a little too old to be reading picture books?"

Anyway, the week was an extremely exhausting one, but what FUN!

And so inspiring and enlightening too.

I met some lovely people and was introduced to some wonderful books. Ideally (for me), this sort of conference should happen once every six months ... just to see me through those times I feel discouraged and/or alone in my efforts.