Storylime at Uniqlo

Today Soefara, I and our designated babysitters, or mine I should say, Winston and Andy (Epigram's Marketing gurus)  headed across the street from my place for our scheduled story time session at Uniqlo's flagship store at Orchard Central. Thanks to everyone who showed up. I'm not really comfortable reading to an audience and get quite anxious about it. Thanks to my old TV production colleagues Rose and  Ming (Tim) for showing up to support me. Soefara did an excellent job as always. Thanks to Winston and Rose for taking the photos.

Storytelling at Uniqlo Orchard Central

Hi everyone or the one person who comes to my blog  :) Soefara and I will be conducting a storytelling session this coming Saturday at Uniqlo, Orchard Central in Singapore. So please come along if you can make it. I hope we'll see you there.

Thanks,

D

Book of the Week

A Royal Adventure is Epigram's Book of the Week! Thanks, Epigram Books!

A Royal Adventure Featured in Epigram's Latest Catalog

Click this Link to Preorder A Royal Adventure

Peruse the Catalog Here

My brilliant publisher Edmund of Epigram Books will be at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and the London Book Fair so if you're there, please look them up.

Artwork for The Lion Dance

My wonderful illustrator, Soefara keeps out-doing herself. These are her latest pieces from our upcoming book, The Lion Dance.

Xandy makes his official debut in the next Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di book: The Lion Dance

L to R: Bonnie the Dog, Sebbie, Sam, a cat, Di-Di-Di and Xandy 

Epigram Sales Conference

On Friday June 6, 2014 Epigram Books held its Annual Sales Conference at the Arts House. At the sales conference, Epigram pitches their forthcoming books to bookstore buyers and the press.

Mr Epigram himself, Edmund Wee, started things kicked things off before he had to dart off for a meeting.

First book off the starting blocks was Girl Overboard by my brilliant long-suffering editor Sheri Tan and illustrated by her husband Fernando Hierro. Now Sheri is not only my editor but the competition as well! :)

Red Dot Award winners AJ Low aka Adan Jimenez and Felicia Low Jimenez discussed their eighth book in the Sherlock Sam series Sherlock Sam and the Cloaked Classmate in MacRitchie.

Jason Eric Lundberg and Patrick Yee discussed their fourth Bo Bo and Cha Cha book: Bo Bo and Cha Cha  Cook Up a Storm.

Multiple-award winner Emily Lim talked about her second book in the Tibby the Tiger Bunny series, Tibby and Duckie.  After which, talked about the Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di books and the latest story, The Lion Dance.

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di was originally written back in the '90s and after the series was well underway my youngest nephew was born. The publishers at the time did not want to incorporate him into the story, but Epigram has done a great job of introducing him to the stories by including him in the illustrations in Sebbie's First Day of School and A Day with the Duchess. And Xandy will be the central character in the Lion Dance.

We ended the day with muffins, cucumber sandwiches and champagne!

Rough sketches for the Lion Dance

London, Day Four 2014

Day four was the first day without a hint of rain. Ken, Celine and I made and early start, stopping by Gregg's for a quick breakfast and braving the wind chill factor on our wat to the fair. 

The lovely ladies of Jacaranda were already there and ready to pitch my books to potential publishers, thanks, ladies! 

As Ken and Celine were busy taking care of business, I walked around the two halls of booths. It was massive. It makes one realise just how many publishers, authors and illustrators there are out there. The competition is stiff and I now feel that I should have gone into accounting.

Emma arrived shortly after 10am and we went to a panel discussion by the Book Trust. Interesting and informative we were compelled to introduce ourselves to Book Trust Chief Executive, Viv Bird. I broached the topic of her possibly coming to the Asian Festival of Children's Content and she was interested to hear more. Let's hope the Book council can follow up on this.

Auntie Susanna and Mika were at the Singapore Pavilion when I returned and we decided to lunch at one of  the cafeterias. Mika had a vegetarian selection and Auntie Susanna had the braised beef and mash. A famished Annabelle from NAC joined us at our table and all too soon it was time for Kenneth's panel discussion about children's literature in Singapore. My publisher, Edmund Wee and Mei Lin Lee of Marshall Cavendish were also was also a featured on the panel which was moderated by Paul Tan.

But before the panel started, I . had a pleasant surprise when I bumped into the brilliant author, John Dougherty, my fellow panellist from SWF two years ago. It was great catching up again.

And....the panellists did a great job, deftly fielding  the tough questions about publishing in Singapore. 

And my favourite part of the session is the photo below!

With that done, Auntie Susanna and Mika tubed int to Civent Garden for a spot of shopping and Emma and I caught up with the lovely Anita Loughrey for some tea. It's always lovely seeing her.

But she had to dart off for a writer's event, so Emma and I attended the Singapore networking night. Annabelle  busy running around before cocktail hour but I managed to stop her for a quick photo with Emma. Please note Emma is holding the kopitiam cup Mum donated to the booth

Emma's good friend and Award winning author Andrew Weale joined us there. Andrew  is brilliant and hilarious! It was great meeting him and he'll be in Singapore for the AFCC next month.

The social went on till we were told the power would be shut off and so we headed back to the hotel for a quick change and then onto a not so quick dinner at the Troubabor.  

I'm doing laundry tomorrow. I bet you never thought you would hear me say that. Well, neither did I!

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di go to Bologna

At the Epigram Booth

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di made their first trip to Bologna with Edmund and Ilangoh and now they're safely back home again, but not for long. They'll be headed to the London Book Fair next week. If you're there, please check them out at the Singapore Pavilion!

Also Soefara has done a brilliant job of the paper dolls we'll be using at our book launches and school visits. Thanks, Soefara!

FIRST PRESS For A Day with the Duchess

Guess what came out today?

Highlights from this year's Singapore Writers Festival

Jason Erik Lundberg at the Writers Fest

Catherine Carvell, Emily Lim, Pauline Lo 

I headed on down for Pauline Lo's second book launch appropriately on the second day of the writers' book fest. On my way there, I spied fellow Epigram authors Adan and Felicia Low Jiminez aka AJ Low of the immensely popular Sherlock Sam series, prepping for their treasure hunt. I decided not to frazzle them out and went straight to the Pavilion, where Pauline's launch was to be held.

Adan and Felicia and their many fans.

Hankering for some dessert, I perused the selection of cupcakes and cakes on offer at the cake stand and bought this for tea for S$6:50, only to discover that Pauline had a selection of tea time tasties for her book launch.  Darn, the cake lady refused to offer me a refund, even though my cake had only one bite in it! Unbelievable!!

After tea, I bumped into Kristina Thornton, co-author of the ultra successful The Wee Adventures of Shabu-Shabu book and app and we hightailed it to the Alternate Realities panel, featuring Jason Erik Lunberg  and Dean Francis Alfar. We were late and according to Kristina I made quite an entrance as my rustling paper bags were quite a distraction.  I'm  Sorry, Jason and Dean, but if Kristina hadn't been late, we wouldn't have been quite disruptive! :P I have to say their session was the best, a riot and I had a blast. We all did.

Jason Erik Lundberg,  Rajeev Patke, Dean Francis Alfar

We had post panel drinks at TCC with Kenneth and Emma

before grabbing dinner at Mexican eatery Baja Fresh and heading back home.  Watch out for my post about my one minute pitch at the Singapore Writers Festival.