Vault of Voices

Some Essential Malaysiana

2010-07-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

WITHOUT ANCHOVIES- "This is storytelling. Pure and simple. It is by the numbers, but in the best way possible. It is, as all good prose should be, indistinguishable from the story that it is trying to tell. It is prose that leads. And you are more than happy to follow..." - New Straits Times, 16 June 2010

It's here, at last. And it came Without Anchovies

2010-07-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about pizza.

My latest book, Without Anchovies, is finally out.

It is a collection of short-stories; from psychotic school prefect to werewolf, heart-broken young men to dirty old women, it has it all.

It was launched during KL Alternative Bookfest on 12 June 2010 at the Annex Gallery.

The book is available at all major bookstores in Malaysia or Singapore. You can also get it online at http://www.silverfishbooks.com/buybooks/

No Time

2008-06-22T02:50:00.000-07:00

This blog has not been active for months.. and wouldn't be active anytime soon.

I m working on my second book, and every minute is spent on it.

I got no life. Sigh.

Artwork Inspired by Dark City 2

2007-11-06T01:58:00.000-08:00

This sketches are done after I read the Death Dealer and Hawker Man stories from Dark City 2.

Of course these are only my own visualization of the two characters from the stories, and done without the permission of the authors. Sorry, Ahmad Azrai and Tunku Halim, hope you guys don't mind!

There are a few interesting moments or characters in the both that lighted up the creative bulb inside my head. I am planning to sketch them all down when I have the time.

I started off with the Angel of Death and Hawker Man because both of them were so vividly described by the authors that the images stuck in my head. It's much healthier for me to draw it out rather than let it fester inside... Who know what will happens if I let these dark thoughts linger inside for too long.. hehehehehehe..

Launching of News From Home

2007-11-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

News From Home will be launched during Silverfishbooks 'opening' party at its new premise.
It's at 58-1 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru (above pet shop next to DHL), on Saturday 17 November 200t at 5pm.

Everyone is welcomed!!!

For more details please click on the Silverfishbooks link.

Kok Yee's a Man Utd fan?? Puiihhhhh!!!!!

2007-10-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Aha!!!!

I finally received my copies of Dark City 2 from Xeus...
The cover is really menacing...

When i received the book, it was the first time i met Xeus too. Wahhh.. i never imagined her to be so stylo-milo.. and driving a Toyota Celica... woohooo, such a happen'ng lady!!

I have browse thru the book (no time to read yet... Friday was at BEP concert, now still recovering.. hehehe... ) and noted something very, very important. An error that could cost me some of my dearest friends. A misunderstanding that could shatter my credibility and reputation.

In her introduction, Xeus wrote that I am a Manchester United fan. Arghhhhh!!!!! Puuuiiiiihhh!!!! Yiakkkkkssss!!!!! Those are the only words I could politely use to describe my disgust of being called a ManU fan.

For the record, I'm a die-hard, never-walk-alone LIVERPOOL FC fan.

My stories are getting published!

2007-10-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

October is such a good month for me....
After so many months of burning the midnight oil, I can finally see the results.

In the next 2-4 weeks, my stories would appear in two books. Yes, boys and girls, you read it right; two books!

The first one is Dark City 2, which I've one story about loan shark and football gambling.

The second one is News From Home, an anthology of short stories written by myself, Shih-Li Kow and Rumaizah Abdul Bakar.

Yahoooo!!!!

Now I can scratch one item of my 2007 New Year Resolutions list. Next on the list is to quit smoking... and that's another story.

Cigarette

2007-06-11T03:12:00.000-07:00

Cigarette

Why do you smoke?
She asked innocuously when she found out
about the daily cigarettes that I took
I have my reasons, but shall I say it loud?

Perhaps its glowing tip offers me a light
In the darkness of lovers’ tomb
Where I am lost without sense or sight
The moment you left our home

Maybe I want my eyes hazed
With its billowing white smokes
I no longer want to see your face
Here, there, everywhere I look

Possibly because I enjoy the certainty
Of its place between my two fingers
Unlike the cruel, capricious nature of destiny
In an eye blink, a king of love became beggar

I could create a rain of ashes white and gray
with a flick of my thumb, that decision is in my hand
but with love no matter how we tried and prayed
the story would still reach an unwelcome end.

Don’t fret, if it is burning me from inside
It will be doused with tear of my heart
Never worry, its poison won’t spread far and wide
In an empty soul it has no place to start.

Oh, just let me smoke in peace!