News from Home has been a long time coming. Ten stories each selected from three writers. Ten stories we felt would be a nice number to introduce each of them to readers, each with their own distinct Malaysian voice, and each with a slightly different story to tell and way of telling it. These are all writers to look forward to, writers still in their thirties, writers who realise they still have a long way to go, writers who are genuinely Malaysian and modern. At the time of writing this, they are all working on their own 'solo' efforts which they hope to complete next year. We are excited like hell, we hope you will be too once you have read them.
Malaysian literature in English series
News from home will be the first book to carry this sticker (though) we may decide to put it on some of our previous books that we think qualify - Lloyd Fernando, Salleh ben Joned, Huzir Sulaiman and some others surely will). So what is Malaysian literature in English.? The English part is clear enough. So what is Malaysian? Should the author(s) be Malaysian? No, we think not. It could be anyone who lives in or who has lived in Malaysia and has a unique perspective of what we are all about (besides the tourism brochure saccharine sweet bullshit and the whingy-whiny, angsty, everything-sucks crap). And that pretty much will define the word literature as well. Good stories well told, in a nutshell. Good poetry, good plays, good fiction and good travel writing is what we will be looking for.But if you are Malaysian and you write about Beverley Hills or Manhattan with no experience of either, I guess you will not be part of the series, lor. We will not publish you anyway. But then, maybe, others will.
Opening party
Yes, we will be having an 'opening' party at our new premises at 58-1 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru (above pet shop next to DHL) and also the book launch for New from Home and the Malaysian Literature in English series at 5.00pm on Saturday, 17th November 2007. Come and meet the three new writers and have a party. Guess what? It will be Diwali too. All welcome.
3 comments:
Wow. didn't know Malaysian writers can write in Enblish! Bra-vo.
Thank you for pointing out the typo.
It is indeed refreshing to have new books written in English by local writers. As an educator teaching MLIE, it is indeed refreshing and thus porvide ample choices for me to choose in terms of books and writers.
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