THIS week’s WED WEB CHAT — Writers On The Storm features members of the local publishing fraternity. What drove these first time writers to charge into the literary fray, and what are the trends that will shape the kinds of books we will be popular in time to come.
To get a sense of how prodigious our local literary community has been over the years and decades, I asked the National Library Board (NLB) to provide some data on what percentage of its books are local works.
From the shadow of its PR agency, Weber Shandwick, the response was:
“Apologies, we aren’t able to get the information you requested below.”
That is unbelievable since it’s probably basic data that should be part of the NLB’s system, and which could easily be retrieved. Or has keeping data away from the public become fashionable?
Perhaps our panellists will be able to provide some insight into the publishing scene here and in the region.
Eleanor Lin is regional counsel supporting the Asia Pacific Legal Department for a multinational in the oil and gas industry. Her book, Mummy’s Guilt? (Write Editions) provides insights and tips for working mothers. A mom of a young boy, she says balancing work and family is not as hard as it’s made out to be, and gets views from other mothers in this book.
Linda Collins is the author of best-selling memoir Loss Adjustment (Ethos Books), about the death by suicide of her teenage daughter, Victoria. A copyeditor at The Straits Times, her book serves as a gentle reminder for parents to communicate with their children and understand that all may not be as it seems.
Cynthia Mak spent nearly two decades with international book publisher Wiley in senior leadership roles. She has seen the industry grow and is well positioned to talk about where it is headed.
Potential authors and those interested to join this industry should find the discussion enlightening.
Register for this webinar on 9 September from 12:45-1:30pm using this link: https://zurl.co/u94W
You can watch previous WED WEB CHAT discussions on www.storm-asia.com.
Loss Adjustment can be purchased at this link.
Mummy Guilt? is available at Kinokuniya and Motherswork. The e-book is available at Tusitalabooks.
