Have you read or watched Crazy Rich Asians? If you’re looking for the author of those stories, you’re in the wrong place.
Just like Kevin Kwan though, I am from Singapore. For a time, I was a civil servant and have also represented Singapore as a diplomat. One fine day I decided to write fiction for myself instead of exclusively for the government. So here we are! (Just kidding, but not really.)
I’m currently working on my first novel and several short stories. I also teach Malay (my Mother Tongue) to non-speakers in my free time.
The stories I post here will be mostly raw and unedited. The fictional pieces are under the Tales section and the Diplomat’s Handbook is all about my experience as a foreign service officer/diplomat.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer, but I never pursued that dream until now. I’m still learning and I’m going to chart the experience in The Writing Journey. All the other random rants can be found here.
Thanks again for visiting, and I hope you enjoy reading my stuff. Do subscribe to the newsletter if you’d like to stay updated on the latest happenings on the site.
Stay awesome!
Latest updates
- Life finds a way…Where have I been? Floating around… find out where and why….
- Am I replaceable?Are you worried about ChatGPT? I am..but also am not. Here’s why.
- OPENING ADDRESS FOR MODEL UNITED NATIONS, 30 MAY 2023 AT 10.30 AMWent back to Raffles Institution (JC) this morning. Was the Guest of Honour at the opening of the Raffles Model United Nations earlier today. This is the speech.
- Education in Singapore: From Factories to Innovation CentresI wrote this for The Hammer newspaper published by The Workers’ Party. It was published on Page 3.
- Singapore OneA little update about life in the media industry.
- A Dark AlleywayMy daughter wrote a poem. I helped her with it.
- I started working again…An update on what I have been up to.
- Grasshoppers (Full version)The full version of the short story previously serialised on this blog. A tale of despair and of vengeance.
- Grasshoppers (Final Part)Rafeah takes the final deadly steps towards a fatal family reunion…
- Grasshoppers (Part V)Rafeah has gotten past her brother and is now by her brother’s side in the hospital… she too, is dwelling on thoughts she has kept inside for a long time…
- Grasshoppers (Part IV)Ramli is at the hospital with his mother, and is waiting for his sister to appear. His thoughts begin to wander into dark territory as he waits…
- Grasshoppers (Part III)We continue our story from yesterday, and meet another member of this tragic family…
- Grasshoppers (Part II)We go back to a few hours before our policeman returns home and find out why his mother was armed with a knife…
- Grasshoppers (Part I)The beginning of another dark tale, wherein a policeman returns home from his late shift to a shocking surprise…
- How to draft an emailWriting e-mails is an everyday part of life in the foreign service. Here I share a basic structure I used.
- Why your PSLE results matter…Don’t be put off by the title. This is about the role of exams vis-a-vis life.
- How I ended up in Raffles InstitutionThis is the story about how I got into the ‘top’ secondary school in Singapore…
- The Gentle Way.This post is brought to you by the nostalgia triggered by today’s Google Doodle.
- My love affair with manga…Manga is a big part of my reading experience. I love the stories and the art.
- The Recruitment ProcessIn this entry, let me explain to you what qualities you need to show in order to get past the recruitment and assessment process in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore.
- Even dreams change directionsYes, I know I am behind in my writing. Here is why…
- It’s a long way.Hi! So, I have to tell you something about why you have not seen too many new posts here….
- AdjustmentsA lot of changes have taken place in a short time. Don’t worry, I am still writing.
- It’s just a spring clean for the May queen…It’s honestly been a month of wins. I am grateful for all of the little successes, which I hope to build on. And also, an important anniversary…
- I am published.I can now say that I am a published author. And not just self-published either.
- Of rejection and acceptance…Some updates about my writing projects… which has bad news, and one piece of good news.
- For the HoardAn old lady makes a final stand against an invading force…
- The first stepsDid you even wonder about life in the foreign ministry? Here’s a little sneak peek from my early years.
- Has it already been a year?Time flies when you’re having fun and even when you’re not. Let me tell you what has happened since I walked away from the only full time job I have ever had.
- HolidaysThe first school holidays of the year has driven some messages home to me.
- HiatusAlas, I have not written for awhile. Here is a recap of the last four weeks or so which I hope will not be interpreted as an excuse…
- ExamsA little bit of advice for the students who sat for their GCE A Level exams in 2020 – first of all, congratulations!
- NightsThe night is a wonderful time for telling stories….
- LuckHappy Lunar New Year, friends! I used to think I was unlucky. I realise now I was wrong about that.
- What is your currency?Every trade or service has a currency. In this post, Ill be looking at what I consider to be the currency of a diplomat.
- What is success?I penned down some thoughts on what success means in a post on Medium, available here.
- Happy New Year – Final PartIn the final part of the story, we will learn what Alvin’s mother told her children in the study that day… along with one final secret…
- Happy New Year – Part VIIAlvin has salvaged a good night from the wreckage that was his attempt at reconciliation with Selina… or so he thinks…
- Happy New Year – Part VIWallowing in despair at having crashed and burned, Alvin seeks solace in an old haunt… where he encounters an exquisite stranger.
- Happy New Year – Part VAlvin has decided to make a last-ditch attempt to save his marriage and has pulled out all the stops. Can he change Selinas mind?
- Happy New Year – Part IVThe next part of my entry for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Good things never last for some people, no matter how hard they try. And so it comes to pass for Alvin.
- Happy New Year – Part IIIContinuation of the story I wrote for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Alvin is struggling with something his mother told him, coupled with the arduous path through university.
- Happy New Year – Part IIThe second part of the story I submitted for the Commonwealth Prize. In which we learn more about our protagonist’s early history…
- Happy New Year – Part IThe first part of my submission for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2021. A tale merging the past with the present, of traditions and modernity, and of the sins of the father.
- Publishing NewsNews on the publishing front – and a good though scary start to the year, I suppose.
- The 2020 review.2020 has been a good year for me. Despite the pandemic, I have made strides in creating a better life for myself. Here’s why.
- Writing workshopTalking about the writing I am doing turned out to be scarier than I thought. But when I found a friend in the same boat, it led me to some rich discoveries,
- HiatusJust a little update since I have been on hiatus for a bit.
- Dreams16 November 1994. For twenty-six years now, this has been a day of sorrow and mourning for me. This year, I thought I would do something different.
- Plot holes galoreLatest update on the status of the novel.
- Joining the Foreign ServiceI can’t really tell you what you need to join the foreign service…but I can think of a few deal breakers…
- Can’t live with them, can’t live without them…My laptop’s breakdown crippled my writing for a week…which got me thinking about the pervasive role tech plays in our lives.
- It’s November!And it’s NaNoWriMo! But I won’t be participating. Read on to find out why…
- Life is hard in the Foreign ServiceDiplomacy and other foreign service work has a glossy image in mass media. You should know the truth behind it.
- Thoughts about translationTranslating books from a foreign language into English is tricky. You cannot take a literal approach.
- Be careful what you wish for… (Flash-Fiction)This story is based on a writing prompt – you find a book which turns everything you write into it real. What do you write? I made a short scary story out of it….
- The Diplomat’s Handbook – PrefaceWhile I may have left the foreign service, I remain tied to it. And I want to try and give back by sharing my experience.
- The Writing Journey 1 – Why this insanity?!?!Why would I walk away from a career and its stable, decent salary after almost fifteen years? And to do what? Write? INSANE!
- A place to rest.Everybody gets tired of life sometimes. We all need to rest and recharge once in awhile. But sometimes, a place to rest is not what it appears to be… (based on a writing prompt)