Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George

Congratulations to Their Royal Highnesses the Cambridges: William, Catherine and George on the impending arrival of the newest member of their family.

Book Launch for A Day with the Duchess

A week after we returned, Emma and I had back to back book launches at Books Kinokuniya. We were both very thrilled to say the least.

Erin, Sheri and Ilangoh with the help of our Kino friends promoted A Day with the Duchess via facebook and other social media, hoping to drum up some level of interest. Erin was in constant contact with me whilst I was in London, emailing ideas for activities for the children for the one hour launch.

As for goodies that the kids could take home with them, we had paper dolls of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a paper hamster on a stick and stickers, lots and lots of stickers!

I invited William, Vicky, Mikey and Alice Adeney whom I met when we were waiting for the Duke and Duchess at the Gardens by the Bay. Incidentally, the book is dedicated to Mikey and Alice and you can see their illustrated likenesses in the book.

At two a small group of children and parents had gathered and we started the reading session of the book kaunch. As Emma has a far nicer reading voice that I do, she graciously agreed to read the story for me.  And it's needless to say that she did a fantastic job!

After the reading we played a game with the kids. They had to guess the whereabouts of  Kate the Hamster and whoever found her would win a prize.

Quick thinking Alice, found her and for her efforts, she won a Kinokuniya voucher, a bespoke sketch of the Duchess of Cambridge signed by Soefara and the opportunity to be an illustrated character in the next Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di book.

Then Soefara did a drawing demonstration and she gave away two of her sketches before it was time for us to sign some books.

With that, our book launch was over and we had half and hour to get ready for Emma's book launch. Thanks to Emma, Soefara, Sheri, Ilangoh, Richelle and Erin for making this happen. Thanks to Mum, Auntie Susanna, Tilly, Kenneth, Simon, The Adeneys, Sarah, Linda, Tracy, Evelyn,  Dave, Jason, Jim, Edmund and everyone for coming out to support us.

Watch out for my next blog post on Emma's book launch. If you missed both our launches and you would like to attend  launches at the Asian Festival of Children's Content Just Click This Link to register.

At the Gardens with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

The Duchess of Cambridge

Blow A Kiss, the book my mum gave the Duchess

So the Duchess thanked my mum for the books and chatted with me for a bit, I can't remember exactly what we talked about because I was in a state of shock that she actually accepted the books and was holding it!!! STARSTRUCK. She is stunning in person, I have to say. And then with a handshake and a smile she was off to meet the rest of the people who had turned up to see her. We all stood there in silence. Chantal had managed to pass her a bouquet of flowers, Ray managed to take some great shots and Mum managed not to faint! unlike some others. After the Duchess had left a reporter came to ask us some questions and my mum told him how I had given one of my previous books to Celine Dion and how she had a baby soon after. As it turns out the reporter thought it was the same book and reported about it in the London Evening Standard and in turn picked up by the following news outlets, click on the respective links to view:

London Evening Standard

The Express

The Mirror

 The Telegraph

Hello Magazine

At the Gardens with the Duke and Duchess of Cambride pt 2

I have to say...the wait for the Duke and Duchess seemed excruciatingly long because of the unbearable heat. I tried to limit my water intake because I didn't want to have to go on a bathroom break only to lose my space along the barriers.  My friends Ray and Chantal joined us, hoping they would get to see the royals too.  As the 10am approached arrived the crowds had swelled exponentially to over a thousand people. I'm grateful that those around me had good personal hygiene and remembered to use their deodorant.  Gardens by the Bay and British High Commission personnel started handing out GB and Singapore flags. I told the girls in front of me not to wave the flags while I was trying to take a picture. They agreed not to. My niece just sighed "Uncle Dave!" Then one of them put her hair up in a bun to beat the heat. Fearful that it would block my shot, I was about to say something but with one:tsk...tsk," and a withering glance from my niece prevented me from doing so.

My niece decided to hand the Duchess the photograph I had taken of the late Princess Diana and the sketch I had drawn of the Duchess, instead of the two bouquets of flowers I had bought. "Everybody gives her flowers," she said.  So my mum gave a small bouquet to a four year old girl named Alice, who was standing nearby with her mum and dad.


I could tell when the press core came streaming into the area that time was close. Then a few trams came down towards the Super Tree Grove. The fans screamed but ah...it was just more press. Then a few minutes later. The Duke and Duchess came into view on their tram. Will and Kate were here! Kids in the crowd were chanting "Will, You're Brill; Kate, You're Great!" Flags started waving all around me. Mum stood up from her chair and I fumbled to turn on my camera...

The Duke and  Duchcess arrive...(Photo: Ray Liw)

At the Gardens with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Princess Diana says she remembers me

It was with great excitement that I headed down to Gardens by the Bay with the hope of meeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I've been a huge supporter of the royal family since I was a kid, well since I saw Princess Diana driving through the gates of Buckingham Palace right before her wedding.  Through the years I was fortunate enough to have met her several times and I even curtsied to her in my excitement- that is something I will never live down. By the way she remembered me the next time I met Her because she said "I remember you. You're so sweet you gave me flowers last Tuesday."

So for this visit, I bought two bouquets of flowers, a framed photo that I shot of the late Princess when I met her and one of my children's books that I intended to give the Duchess as a souvenir.  Having conducted a reconnaissance mission of the Gardens with my Mum who said she would go along to meet the Duchess, I was fairly confident that we stood a good chance of doing so. Well OK, I did get a hint as to where to stand because I asked one of the ladies in charge of the tree planting ceremony where I should stand. I explained that my mother was old and it would be nice if she had a chance to meet the royal couple. Without hesitation,  she told me the route that the couple would be taking and told me where we should stand if we hoped to meet them.

So with information in hand I headed home and set the alarm for 6am. Didn't really need it since I was up at 4am as was my mum. Dad agreed to pick my niece up and give us a lift to the Gardens.  So with a folding chair, packets of Ribena, water, and dried apricots we headed down to the venue. Big signs were posted along the route as to where we should go to meet the couple. We got to the Super Tree Grove at around 8am only to find that scores of other fans had gotten there earlier. Thankfully we managed to find a spot along the barricades behind some nice English folk. My niece positioned herself along the barricades and my mum set up her folding chair and sat down for the long wait. We had two hours to go before William and Catherine arrived or so we thought...