Telegram Books, UK (2018); Little Island Press, NZ (2018); Peekash Press, the Caribbean (2018); Akashic Books, USA (2018)
My newest short story, compiled by Commonwealth Writers and the Commonwealth Foundation (and published through various publishers in the world) in the "So Many Islands" anthology.
There was an official launch at CHOGM 2018 in London where all the writers were invited to. They got to meet with Prince Charles at the Commonwealth People’s Forum, but sadly I was unable to make it.
A finalist of the 2017 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
Copies available here and here.
Nordland Publishing (2016)
An anthology about Norse deities and legends from Nordland Publishing.
My entry "They're Coming" is a short story about a couple who moves to Belize in Central America. While they may have escaped the material traps of 21st century, are they able to evade the moral clutches of the Norse Goddess Freyja?
You can buy a copy here.
Silverfish Books (2016)
Set in 1960s Malaya, this short story puts a spotlight on a young woman named Anne Marie Foo from Ipoh, who marries well and moves to Singapore. As time passes however, she begins to dream about the mango tree she left behind in her childhood backyard.
Published by Silverfish Books (Malaysia) as a part of "Twenty-Two New Asian Short Stories" edited by Prof. Mohammad A. Quayum.
You can buy a copy here.
Akashic Books (2014) & Monsoon Books (2014)
Saiful and the Pink Edward VII is my contribution to this collection of noir short stories from Singapore.
An excerpt:
it is past two a.m. and Saiful stands outside the Church of St. Anthony on Woodlands Avenue 1, smoking one kretek after another as he nervously tugs on his long, greasy hair. He has been waiting for the better part of an hour and is ready to bolt. But he can’t.
It is ridiculous to think that all this trouble has been the result of a stupid postage stamp. But the stamp—a rare Straits Settlement misprint from 1902 featuring a pink- colored King Edward VII—is all that Saiful has.
On her death-bed, Saiful’s mom, dying prematurely of liver disease, told him to hang onto the family heirloom at any cost. At any cost— that was what she had said, and he had promised her that he would.
Now, he is beginning to understand the gravity of his commitment.
A paper on the how the story deals with colonial legacy and the plight of ethnic Malays in Singapore.
QLRS (2008)
An excerpt:
They said the chalet was haunted. But that wasn't what bothered me. It was the narrow stretch of beach that formed a simple crescent between where we were and the nearest mangrove tree. As I ensconced myself onto the warm, prickly sand, trying to read, all I can think about was how Jackson died.
Tall Tales Press (2003)
Set in a small town, Dear Helen is the story of a newspaper columnist who has too much time on his hands. As he embarks on a mission to uncover the identity of a mysterious, anonymous fan, he gets tangled up in a liaison that turns out to be more than he bargained for.
