Lovers and Strangers Revisited - 20 Years

Near the end of 2013 a friend from Penang sent me a Christmas card and mentioned that she was teaching my short story “Mat Salleh” from my collection Lovers and Strangers Revisited for her reading class at UiTM.  I then realized that 2013 was the 20^th anniversary of the original publication of Lovers and Strangers (Heinemann Asia, 1993).  Although I’m posting this a little late, I have a strong feeling I haven’t heard the end of these stories for years to come.

 

 “Mat Salleh” was the first short story from the collection published in The New Straits Times.  I sold it again a few months later to My Weekly in the UK, and then "The Future Barrister" won third prize in the 1988 Star contest and "Sister's Room" third place in a contest in the US.  I knew I was onto something.  The 17 short stories set mostly in Malaysia have so far been published 83 times in twelve countries, the collection won the 2009 Popular-The Star Reader’s Choice Award and has been translated into French.  (Previously, three stories had been translated into Japanese.) 

In 2005, a colleague at Universiti Sains Malaysia where I taught creative writing informed me that he was not only teaching my story “On Fridays” in his post colonial course on Singaporean and Malaysian Literature but also planning to teach the collection in the following semester.  Since the book had gone out of print, I contacted Silverfish Books (I was the editor for their Silverfish New Writing 4) and they agreed to re-publish the book.

Having revised the stories numerous times since its initial publishing, I wanted something more; so I revisited (and overhauled) each story—adding new openings, new endings, new back stories, even doubling several stories in length, which I wrote about in the introduction and then added the word ‘revisited’ to the title.

The first book launch in 1993 was organized by Penang Players (I was the stage manager for several productions and critiqued many of their plays prior to their performance.)  Penang Players not only sponsored the book launch they also read extracts from four stories and did a delightful play reading of One Drink Too Many, a comedy that I wrote based on the short story “Neighbours”, thus turning a simple book launch into a literary event attended by over 100 people.

In 2007, after moving to Sarawak, the Malaysian part of Borneo, I encountered some distribution problems, so I agreed to buy out the last of the stock from Silverfish and switched publishers to MPH (2008), followed by another round of editing and adding two stories.  I also created the blog series, The Story Behind the Story, for each of the 17 stories, separating fact from fiction and noting the significant changes that led to their various publications.

Here is the publication breakdown by story with a link to each The Story Behind the Story, except for "Moments," dropped for the revisited collection. *Updated: the total published stories now stand at 83.

14 – On Fridays
8 – Neighbors/Aftermath
7 – Teh-O in KL
7 – Sister’s Room
7 – The Future Barrister
6 – Dark Blue Thread/The Watermark
5 – Waiting
4 – The Station Hotel/Joking
4 – Smooth Stones
4 – Symmetry
5 – *The Stare (added to Silverfish version, replacing “Moments”)
3 – Only in Malaysia (added to MPH version)
3 – Transactions in Thai (added to MPH version)
2 – Home for Hari Raya (and also filmed by Ohio University)
2 – Mat Salleh
1 – Lovers and Strangers
0 – Watcher (blogged it)
1 – *Moments (dropped after original Lovers and Strangers collection)
83

“Neighbours” (about neighbors gossiping over a neighbor’s suicide) was then selected by the Malaysian Education Ministry to be part of the sixth cycle of reading texts for SPM literature for Form 5 students for 2008-2010.  Three times it has been renewed and will be be taught in selected schools through 2015. The Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (MELTA) also had an online thread for “Neighbours” with over 20,500 hits and 30 pages of comments (around 290) before they archived it then took it down.  Denis Harry even wrote an article for the New Straits Times about the story’s main character, a busybody, titled, “Are You Mrs. Koh?”

Over the years many students have contacted me about that story via my website or facebook. When I mentioned to one student whose class was adapting “Neighbours” into a play that I would be attending the Popular Bookfest in Kuala Lumpur the following week for Tropical Affairs, nominated for the 2010 Reader’s Choice Award, her teacher, Christina Chan organized a field trip bringing about a dozen students to meet me.  She said it was a rare opportunity for students in Malaysia to meet the writer of a story that they were currently studying (most had either passed away or lived overseas).   

Robert Raymer with Christina Tan and her students at Bookfest 2010

In addition to the collection itself (stories from the original collection were first taught at a high school in Canada), nine stories that I know of have been taught numerous times at several universities and private colleges throughout Malaysia (along with The Story Behind the Story, a handy aide for both teachers and students I’ve since learned).  In 2012, two of the stories “Mat Salleh” and “Home for Hari Raya” were even taught in the U.S. at Ohio University in their Southeast Asia Studies program (where I had the honor to skype with the students)

.

The Lovers and Strangers collection has been instrumental in other aspects of my life.  In fact, it helped me to land my first teaching job at Universiti of Sains Malaysia where for six years I taught two courses on writing and then created a new course on creative writing that I taught for four years before introducing the materials to Universiti of Malaysia Sarawak and taught it there for another three years.  (I had used Lovers and Strangers Revisited as a calling card while giving a creative writing workshop for MELTA in Kuching.)

Back in 2006 the collection Lovers and Strangers Revisited (and unfortunately the author) was even psychoanalyzed by a Malaysian academic at a short story collection conference in the UK.  As a writer, it’s imperative to develop a thick skin; it also comes in handy for reviews. Thanks to LSR, I’ve been interviewed several times in magazines, newspapers, and online.  I was even put on national TV along with my friend Georgette Tan, who earlier had given me a nice review in The Borneo Post.  Together we appeared on Kuppa Kopi with Sharnaz Sabera.

Georgette Tan, Robert Raymer and Sharnaz Sabera

In 2007, in reaction to a blog post by the Malaysian author Lydia Teh about publishing books in Malaysia, I posted a rather lengthy comment based on my experiences of publishing this collection in both countries, then I used it as the first posting for my own blog, Borneo Expat Writer.  Then in 2009, as part of publicity for LSR, I had been asked to write a short story for Going Places, Malaysia Airlines in-flight magazine for their August Merdeka (Independence) edition along with Lydia Teh and Tunku Halim, both successful authors in Malaysia whom I had yet to meet.   

Accepting the challenge, I quickly came up with an idea and an opening for “Merdeka Miracle”.  The three of us furiously sent emails back and forth between Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Paris and London (where Tunku was travelling with his family) to craft a first draft and then revised it daily, about twenty times, to meet the tight deadline.  Later, at the same K.L. Bookfest where I met the students and their teacher, I finally got to meet Lydia Teh.

Lydia Teh and Robert Raymer and "The Merdeka Miracle"

I’m sure the success and the publicity surrounding Lovers and Strangers Revisited, which had just won the Popular Reader’s Choice Award, was largely responsible for me being named one of “50 Expatriates You Should Know” by Expatriate Lifestyle (January 2010)—quite an honor since most of the other expats were diplomats, celebrities, or leaders in their industry and mostly living in Kuala Lumpur, while I taught creative writing, gave workshops, and wrote books in Sarawak.

Robert Raymer standing between nominated writers Yvonne Lee and Adeline Loh.

In 2011 Editions GOPE translated Lovers and Strangers Revisited into French and published it as Trois autres Malaisie, which means "Three Other Malaysia".   Then Ohio University School of Arts, Media & Studies turned my story “Home for Hari Raya” into a film, shot in Malaysia in December 2012/January 2013.  The 24-minute film can now be seen on YouTube.

 

Twenty years has gone by quickly, but the stories in that original Lovers and Strangers collection have come a long way since 1993.  And for 2014, its 21^st year, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.
          —Borneo Expat Writer

*Update: Rewriting Lovers and Strangers Revisited

                    

                                        And: Trust the Novel Writing (and rewriting) Process. 

Here are links to four of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Margaret Lim, Author of the Acclaimed Rainforest Children Series, Payah, Passes Away

Margaret Lim second from right, sits beside Sharnaz Saberi, while her son, Einhard, stands at right.

One year and one week after I met Margaret Lim on the set of Kuppa Kopi along with her son Einhard, she has passed away.  I took a liking to both of them right away as we chatted outside the RTM building and later while having ourselves made-up for the shooting, which aired on 31 May 2011.  Margaret, who is from Sarawak but lives in Germany, even passed me four of her books from her acclaimed rainforest children series, Payah, for my two children, who not only loved the stories but also the vivid, delightful illustrations done by her daughter, Su Jen Buchheim.

During the filming, after my segment with Georgette Tan of The Borneo Post and the lovely Sharnaz Saberi was completed, I watched behind the cameras as Margaret Lim spoke about her work, with Roselind Wee of Unimas and her fifteen-year-old daughter, author Victoria.

Afterwards, I was invited to join Margaret and Einhard and two of their friends for tea and lunch in Kuching.  Margaret and I stayed in contact through email and our blogs—we both blogged about the Kuppa Kopi shooting. Here’s her blog along with some of her close-up photos. 

Margaret even recommended that I submit my work to Cha: An Asian Literary Journal and they not only published “On Fridays” from Lovers and Strangers Revisited in their September 2010 issue, but also Margaret’s entertaining “Portrait of a Children’s Book Author as a Young Reader.” 

Then in Cha’s February 2011 issue, there was a review of my book Tropical Affairs and a short story by Margaret, “Dorothy’s Song” 

I even mentioned Margaret in my most recent article “Getting Known Through the Media” in the April-June 2011 issue of Quill.  (I was hoping they were going to use the above group shot, but they didn't.) I have yet to see the actual issue, but already I’m saddened by the fact, that just over a year after our meeting, Margaret Lim has passed away.  Her work, however, particularly her children’s books, will live on in my memory and the memory of my children. 

Even though they never met her in person they did see her on Kuppa Kopi. My son Jason pointed to the TV screen at Margaret’s children’s books about Payah, and said, “Daddy that’s my book!” He called his younger brother Justin over and they both stood in front of the TV, excitedly pointing at their four newest books.

“Is that the woman who gave me the books?” Jason asked me.

“Yes, and she wrote the books, too!”

He studied her with awe. I’m sure he’s going to remember Margaret and that moment and her books forever. Other than me, Margaret Lim was the first author they had seen on TV--the first author whose books they actually have.

If you haven’t had the pleasure to read Margaret's books, please do check them out in bookstores for your children, relatives and friends.  They're also available on Amazon.

                    —Robert Raymer, Borneo Expat Writer


*Here is a tribute I wrote about Margaret Lim in 2017.

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Getting Known through the Media and Anyway that You Can!

Georgette, Robert, and Sharnaz

“I’d like to invite you to be my guest on my TV talk show” read the SMS from Regina Ho from RTM Kuching, the producer of Kuppa Kopi, the only talk show from Sarawak on National TV. She asked me to bring along my books Lovers and Strangers Revisited and Tropical Affairs: Episodes of an Expat’s Life in Malaysia to the shooting (aired on 31 May).

When writing a book or even thinking of one, you need to get known by as many people as possible. One obvious way is through the media, where you can reach a wider audience, as I did as a recent guest on TV1. In the past year, I’ve been fortunate to have been on TV twice, the radio once, and featured and reviewed in several magazines and newspapers. Some of these interviews came looking for me, others found me by accident.

A good place to start your career-launching, getting-to-be-known platform is to have your own blog and/or website, so people, including the press, can find you. That’s how I met Georgette Tan of the Borneo Post three years ago when she stumbled upon my website. No doubt thinking, hey, who’s this American writer in my back yard? She contacted me, arranged for an interview, and reviewed my book.

Steenie in Ireland, from International Living, was actively looking for expats in my part of the world, when she came across on online piece from Expatriate Lifestyle naming me in their January 2010 issue as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know”. This is a good example of how one interview/profile can lead to another. She found my website, contacted me, and within a week, she’s at my door in Sarawak, and her first question was, “What in the hell is an American doing in Borneo?”

If the media do come a-calling, always treat them with respect. Never act high and mighty, like you’re doing them a favor by “allowing yourself to be interviewed”. To be honest, the media don’t need you; they need a story and there are plenty of good stories out there (and better writers, too). So be grateful for the opportunity.

For Steenie and her publication, I was newsworthy. The fact that I had authored two books and won an award was a big plus. She could also check out previous interviews and book reviews to see if I’m worth her time and effort. That’s another big reason why it’s important to have a website, so people can find out more about you and what you have to offer since you’re competing with a lot of other potentially news¬worthy people.

By the way, what makes a writer newsworthy? Besides what’s written in your books (and any sensational tabloid rumors about you), a good question to ask yourself is, how are you helping others? Me, I give advice to writers based on my personal experience, which I do in such publications as Quill and The Writer (May 2010), and during my workshops and seminars. I give plenty of advice on my website and in my writing blog. Plus I take writers (and readers) behind the scenes of my short stories in my blog series, The Story Behind the Story, a great learning tool used in several universities to complement my short stories.

The more you give or help others, the more the media will be interested in you and that’s good news for you, your writing, and your books! So, again, what do you have to offer others? The more you have to offer, the more newsworthy you are.

Instead of being totally dependent on the media, which at times can be quite fickle, you can also promote yourself and your books via the ever expanding social media. This was the very reason I joined Facebook (after being advised – arm-twisted – by several writing friends). For my face, I use the cover of my book, Tropical Affairs, nominated for the 2010 The Popular-The Star Reader’s Choice Award for non-fiction. I’m also apart of LinkedIn, have experimented with Twitter, been on You Tube, and have joined in on dozens of threads on other peoples’ blogs. Each time I connect with someone on Facebook or post a comment on someone else’s blog, or write a new blog post, I introduce myself to others (and others introduce them¬selves to me). Of course, this is virtual networking.

Another way to get your work known (and published) is through physical networking, whereby you meet people in the real world, like at a conference, seminar or workshop. Before you go, have your business cards ready! In addition to the normal details, I add the titles of my books, my website and my writing blog. This may not be of interest to the person I’m meeting, but very interesting to someone they may know.

Other than your business card, two things need to happen when you network. One is you have to listen. Then you need to act upon what you hear. For example, three years ago, I was giving a creative writing workshop at a conference in Penang, and while standing in the food line, Lee Su Kim, author of the very successful Malaysian Flavours, introduced herself and had nothing but praise for Eric Forbes at MPH and urged me to contact him.

The following day, back in Kuching, I took action. I googled Eric Forbes, read his blog, and emailed him about republishing Lovers and Strangers Revisited and Tropical Affairs. Naturally, I directed him to my website and my media section – it really does come in handy. The fact that LSR went on to win 2009 The Popular-The Star Reader’s Choice Award for fiction brought in plenty of media attention and may have been a factor for getting me on Kuppa Kopi!

As for being a guest on the show, I had a great time and met several other writers, including Margaret Lim (Payah) and my friend Georgette, who had recommended me to Regina. Ah, the advantages of having a website and networking. I also got to meet the lovely and very talented Sharnaz Saberi who wanted a photograph with me (and an autographed copy of my book). Of course I blogged about it, put it on Facebook, wrote an article about it, and will soon put it on YouTube and on my website.

I also make a point to state in the interviews or profiles that my blog on writing, my interviews, and book reviews can be accessed from my blog – to attract future interviews, because you just never know who will be reading it, do you? In fact, I'm expecting a call from an interviewer any minute now and I'm going over my answers.

So, what are you doing to get yourself (and your book) better known by the public? Robbing a bank may help get you into the papers, but I wouldn’t recommend it . . . unless your book is about robbing banks!
                                                                                                    -Robert Raymer, Borneo Expat Writer

* Update: And now I can be found on Wikipedia! 

**Update, the 20^th anniversary of Lovers and Strangers Revisited 

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Watching Me on TV, on Kuppa Kopi!

Georgette, Robert, and Sharnaz

Ok, I have to admit it felt weird watching me on the talk show Kuppa Kopi (31 May, 2010). Going into this I felt pretty nervous, anxious, really. I’ve been having a pretty tough month. The day after the shooting I lost my internet connection for several days, got it fixed, then it happened three more times before my computer went haywire last week, losing a lot of my files and its memory, so each day it starts with a clean slate and it’s a hassle to find anything just so I can begin at normal. Before being on TV, my life was all on automatic, a click here and there, and so was my writing, just open up a document, and get right to it, but that crashed too and I can’t blame that on the computer!

I’ve been going through a pretty bad bout of writer’s block, malaise or burnout! I’ve been pushing myself pretty hard from September through April, long hours seven days a week, pushing several novels on several deadlines, aware that I was leaving Unimas. And then all that marking for 186 students, rushing to wrap up by my final day, so I could submit my marks, finish packing and not have to come back to tie up any loose ends.

What I really needed in May was a break, a chance to get caught up, and to carefully plan out my next several months and my future. Instead I found myself mired in mud in a writing project...Instead of feeling excited about a career highlight, my first talk show, I felt a sense of dread...

Not sure if anyone I know actually watched it. It was on a Monday at 2pm, when most normal people work (in Sarawak, it's the day before Gawai, so people took the day off to prepare for tomorrow). I know, I should've reminded them. Since we don’t own a TV, we went to Quop, to my mother-in-law’s house to watch Kuppa Kopi. When we changed the channel to TV1(at five to 2), my two children loudly protested! Jason even cried, and kept making a fuss as Kuppa Kopi began.

“Look, there’s Daddy,” my wife said to our children, who weren't interested in the least. They see me all the time, (and I was right beside them) so seeing me on TV is nothing special. I tried to quiet them down so I could hear myself answer Sharnaz’s questions.

I was talking fast, making a lot of body gestures (too much, perhaps?), and my voice seemed too high pitched and my nose seemed too long, and both kept reminding me of Woody Allen. Is that really me? Is that how I look and sound? If I’m ever going to get on the Oprah Show, I’m going to have to work on that voice and maybe get myself a nose job, though I’ll shy away from going overboard like Michael Jackson.

How did I actually do? After imagining the worse for the past month, I felt an inner calmness as I watched me on TV. In fact I felt good – the best I’ve felt in a month! I did fine, too. Sure I could’ve done better working in my book Tropical Affairs and my website as I had posted on a previous blog, and I could’ve been more impactful as taught by Joel Roberts in the Excellence in Media seminar in Singapore, but the book and the website and Lovers and Strangers Revisited all got highlighted on the screen, as did my family (Jason and Justin missed it!).

Still, I made a lot of good points, offered some insights into the writing process and gave some good tips, especially about changing the reading habit. Got some good laughs from Georgette and Sharnaz, too. We all looked like we were relaxed and enjoying ourselves for the half hour that we were on.

Just wished my two boys (and the one in KL) actually watched me on TV so they could carry that memory with them long after I’m gone. It wasn’t until after I came off and Margaret Lim, Roselind Wee and her 14-year old writing daughter Victoria came on that my son Jason pointed to the TV screen at Margaret’s children’s books about Payah, and said, “Daddy that’s my book!” He called Justin over and they both stood in front of the TV, excitedly pointing at their four newest books.

“Is that the woman who gave me the books?” Jason asked me.

“Yes, and she wrote the books, too!”

He studied her with awe. I’m sure he’s going to remember Margaret and that moment forever. But me, I’m just his daddy who happens to be a writer on TV – nobody special.

*Here's an update - it's official Lovers and Strangers Revisited is going French!

UPDATE July 2017: Payah, a Gift from Margaret Lim

*Update, the 20th anniversary of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, my collection of short stories set in Malaysia

**Update: Book orders for Trois autres Malaisie.   E-book orders.  Or recommend it to your friends, especially those who would like to know more about Malaysia or have an interest in Southeast Asia.

  

Here's a link to the intro and excerpts, and to four reviews of Trois Autres Malaisie in eurasie.net, Malaisie.org, easyvoyage.com, and Petit Futé mag.

***Here’s an update to the French blog about Trois autres Malaisie and my meeting the French translator Jerome Bouchaud in Kuching, and my involvement in a French documentary for Arte (June 2017) on The Sensual Malaysia of Somerset Maugham.

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Live on Kuppa Kopi, TV1 – the filming

 

Georgette Tan, Robert Raymer, and Sharnaz Saberi

“I’d like to invite you to be my guest on my TV talkshow” read the sms from Regina Ho from RTM Kuching, the producer of Kuppa Kopi, the only talkshow from Sarawak on national TV. Shooting was scheduled for Friday, 30 April so I had less than four days advance notice to apply what I learned in Singapore three weeks ago at Joel Robert’s “Excellence in Media” seminar. I was asked to bring along my books Lovers and Strangers Revisited and Tropical Affairs: Episodes of an Expat's Life in Malaysia as well as some articles.

Not owning a TV, I was unfamiliar with the program Kuppa Kopi (Cup of Coffee), which is in their second season and hosted by Sharnaz Saberi. I Googled the program and managed to see two shows, one in Bahasa Malay and the other, I was relieved to see, in English. The set would be a round table, cups of coffee and three chairs. I noticed that for one of the guests, who has a jewelry business, she had some jewelry displayed on the table. That got me thinking, what can I put on that table? Should I prop up my books? In addition to the books, I brought my 2009 Popular-The Star Reader’s Choice Award, a poster from MPH of me in my Anna and the King costume holding a crocodile with the cover of Tropical Affairs, plus a photo display from the films I was in.

I arrived at RTM at 8:00am, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, for makeup. I was introduced to Sharnaz. Although she was having her makeup done, she got up and shook my hand, which she also did for the other guests when they arrived: Margaret Lim, author of the acclaimed children series, Payah, Roselind Wee and her fifteen-year-old daughter Victoria who had published a series of children books and her latest self-published collection, “Tales of Fantasy”, and Georgette Tan from the Borneo Post.

After each of us had our makeup done (mine was brief and superficial), we were led to Studio A. The backdrop of the set was different from what I had viewed (they had recently shifted to a new location) though the setup was the same (inside the cups were water, I was glad to see, since I don’t drink coffee). Sharnaz, who graduated from University Malaysia Sarawak in 2006 just before I joined, looked elegant in her red kebaya and black slacks. I was asked to sit between her and Georgette, who I had met via my website and who had reviewed the Silverfish edition of Lovers and Strangers Revisited and organized several readings that I took part in. The others would be on later. Before I took my place, I set up displays with the help of Rafida, the assistant producer.

The shooting was scheduled for 9:00, but it was 9:30 before it got underway. Sharnaz kept running through her various introductions, while Georgette and I joked about our being on TV for the first time. (Actually this is my second time; the filming was on location at Benuk, last Gawai, and I didn’t know that I was going to be interviewed until the last moment, also on TV1.  I missed the actual program, though a colleague saw it.) I also glanced through my four 3x5 cards, based on the scripted questions that I received two days ago, questions about myself and my website (2 minutes); what made me come to Malaysia, to Sarawak to write and teach (1-2 minutes); who’s my favorite writer, favorite book and why (Georgette and I, 1 minute each); about the books that I wrote (2 minutes); which is my favorite and why and what inspired me to write (1-2 minutes); about my teaching creative writing (1 minute); some comments about the other guests writing Sarawakian folktales (1 minute); and how one should prepare to become a writer and what can we do to improve local fiction (Georgette and I, 1-2 minutes each).

The questions didn’t come in this order and some questions were never asked, so opportunities, on my part were missed, like my failure to talk about my website (had I known she was going to skip the second question about the website, I would have worked some of that into my first answer!) Several times we talked about Lovers and Strangers Revisited at length, but I never got a chance to talk about Tropical Affairs, though I did manage to hold up the book. I’m glad I had it on display on the table and hopefully the camera picked up on it more than once.

I was hoping to inject some humor, but most of that was tied to the second book. I did get a huge spontaneous laugh out of Sharnaz when she mentioned that she had not read my book and I touched her on the arm and said that I wouldn’t hold that against her. That was a moment of impact. I did manage to mention that Georgette had reviewed LSR and Sharnaz came back to that and asked Georgette point blank about what she thought of the book. Altogether we were in front of the cameras for about an hour, including some commercial breaks; the actual filming was about a half hour. There were no retakes, which surprised me. I may have gotten about ten minutes or longer, a lot more time than I was hoping for. (The second half of the show featured the other writers.) They’ll be some editing (um’s etc will thankfully be taken out); but what other words will deleted from my mouth, for talking too fast, or rambling, or for reasons beyond our control, like the program was running too long.

Overall it was a great learning experience, being on the show, and then watching from the studio, behind the cameramen and technicians, the other guests, and judging if they were making impact or not, or how they were coming across on air. This made me wonder how I came across. I did hold up one magazine, Expatriate Lifestyle’s January 2010 issue naming me as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know” (which seemed like a good idea at the time though now I wished I hadn’t), and both books! The other guests, all writers, didn’t hold up anything, though Sharnaz held some books up for them. Next time, I’ll clarify, will the host be holding up my books or should I? The producer, monitoring the program upstairs, may have prompted her to hold up the other books after viewing the the first half of the segment.

Had I to do it all over again, I would have prepared in the same way for each question, but I would’ve brought only one 3x5card and written all that I wanted to work in (the impact stuff), in the first opportunity to do so, like a good anecdote about each book (to suggest why they’re worth reaching) and where the books are available (online and in what bookstores – the other writers were asked later but I wasn’t and I failed to work that into the conversation).  Also, mention my website (was displayed on TV, after I emailed Regina) and blog, thanks to the missed question.

That’s why I’m here to learn, and you can only learn through actual experience and a lot of practice in the language of impact in preparation for that day, since, according to Joel Roberts, the time is short and the stakes are high. Naturally I’m anxious to see the program and get my own copy so I can view it over and over to see the opportunities that I missed and those that I got right, and learn from both, so the next time, I’ll be more than ready. In the meantime, if you want to catch me live check me out on Kuppa Kopi on 31 May, TV1 at 2.05. If you missed that, you can go to my blog.


Robert Raymer and Sharnaz Saberi holding an autographed copy
of his 2009 Popular Reader's Choice Award winning
collection of short stories Lovers and Strangers Revisited

* Updates, Lovers and Strangers Revisited is now being translated into French.

UPDATE: July 2017 Payah, a Gift from Margaret Lim.

*Update, the 20th anniversary of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, my collection of short stories set in Malaysia

**Update: Book orders for Trois autres Malaisie.   E-book orders.  Or recommend it to your friends, especially those who would like to know more about Malaysia or have an interest in Southeast Asia.

  

Here's a link to the intro and excerpts, and to four reviews of Trois Autres Malaisie in eurasie.net, Malaisie.org, easyvoyage.com, and Petit Futé mag.

***Here’s an update to the French blog about Trois autres Malaisie and my meeting the French translator Jerome Bouchaud in Kuching, and my involvement in a French documentary for Arte (June 2017) on The Sensual Malaysia of Somerset Maugham.

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I