Ayam Buah Keluak and the Art of Writing Queen of The Sky Growing Up in Kampong Potong Pasir Big Tree in a Small Pot Goodbye My Kampong. Potong Pasir 1966 to 1975 When A Flower Dies My Mother-In-Law's Son Kampong Spirit: Gotong Royong, Life In Potong Pasir 1955 to 1965 Your Body Gateway to the Divine Shadows Across the Sun Body And Mind Sculpture Frog Under A Coconut Shell Rasa Singapura/Taste Of Singapore Isn't Singapore Somewhere In China-Luv?

Books

Why I write

People ask me why I write such different books. I consider myself lucky to be able to do so. The way I look at it is, I write because I love to write. So I write what I know. I’m a Foodie and just love to eat at least four meals a day and love to cook. So when friends kept on asking for recipes here in UK, I thought it would be easier if I put them all in a book! That way, I get paid for it as well! Just kidding!

Then of course, I’ve a dedicated interest in yoga and continue to search for Spiritual Truths. Since I teach yoga and run workshops, it was my students who requested that I write yoga books because they say they can’t remember everything that was taught in class: when to breathe IN, when to breathe OUT, which postures are good for backache, headache – that sort of thing. So writing those books made sense too.

And of course I love stories so I love to tell them too in short stories and novels. As a huge part of my life was spent in Singapore, it is logical that I love to write about my native country and its culture. But I write whatever emotion or circumstance seizes my imagination.

My mother was such an influential person in my life that I had to write about her. Especially when I knew she wasn’t going to be around for long after she had Alzheimer’s disease. I wanted to tell people what a special lady she was so my book of memoirs was to honour her. She had the book in her hand before she passed on.

Readers and students often ask me if I can afford to write full-time. Yes and No. No, because I’m not yet a house-hold name author. I’ve to earn my living teaching, writing for publications and analysing short stories. I do bit of catering for private parties and have a Singaporean stall at Market fairs; bottle my own sambal i.e chilli sauce to sell. And yet, I say Yes, because writing is not a hobby that I pick up now and then or when inspiration strikes. I write every day even if it is one line! It is not just in my blood, it is part of my blood, breath and soul! I feel that when I write, I surrender to the Creative Muse and/or The Divine and I’m in Seventh Heaven!

Happy reading! Don’t forget, you can email me if you have any comments about any of my books.

For me, yoga is a living practice, every single hour, every single day in my ordinary everyday life.
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