novelists-from-singapore

"I really love that slogan “Empowerment through Entertainment”. Literature is really the only art form that lets readers access the deepest thoughts and emotions of a character. It's so powerful to be able to understand and empathize with a character who on the surface may seem completely different from you."

"I’m Singaporean and I’m Chinese, so, yes, food is a big part of my life and of my writing. Because I write mainly Asian characters and settings for a predominantly American audience, food is just one more way to explore my characters’ cultures and customs in a manner that (I hope) never feels forced."

"I tried as much as possible not to view my characters through a modern lens. Obviously it’s very difficult to put aside my personal biases and experiences, but I tried not to psychoanalyze my characters from the vantage point of 2018. I tried not to impose my own beliefs onto them, and I tried not to let whatever was happening around me color the way that I was telling the story."

"Essay writing is very difficult for me. Part of it may be that I grew up in a very private family. You know how in Asian families you don't air your dirty laundry? Additionally, I think I've always been drawn to writing because I love to imagine, so fiction seems the natural fit. I love imagining settings and characters and situations, and I guess essay writing doesn't fulfill me in the same way."

"My experience of Singapore has always been the duality of it. On the surface, it’s so Westernized and cosmopolitan… but underneath it, there are all these layers of deep-rooted conservatism that highly influence life in Singapore. I wanted to show that [duality]."

"When I see all the immigration policies that are happening and the way this country [United States] is treating refugees, for me to say, ‘I’m an expat, not an immigrant, and therefore I can turn a blind eye,’ that’s not a moral and ethical way to live."

"My favorite part of my job is never having to doubt that I’m doing something of value. And I don’t mean this in the global sense; there are more practical ways to help people. But I do think that--and this may be selfish--I am working at something that’s making me a better human."

"I wanted to explore the frustrations a supernatural being would face. Both are beings treated as the unseen by most of society, both are trying to hold on to the things that make them human. The connecting ectoplasm between apparitions and the marginalized? They’re both holding on tightly to their identity and humanity."

"I’m a firm believer of cross-cultural exchange of ideas, I'm a believer in friendships that transcends borders and cultures, and I hope to set a good precedent here for other writers in Singapore to attend in the future and share their stories. It will also be a good opportunity for me to sort out my mummy issues."

"The first story I wrote was called “Attack of the Giant Killer Underwear”. It was about a batch of dirty underwear that got exposed to toxic radiation and grew to an enormous size. They gained sentience and travelled to Singapore, wreaking havoc along the way."