Monday, June 25, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
Talk at UMW Toyota
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
This week, UMW Toyota conducted an Outreach Program with the theme of Challenging Knowledge for their employees. They asked MPH to hold a book fair at their spacious premises in Section 15, Shah Alam and as part of the program, MPH roped me in to give a talk.
My topic was Honk! If you want to read - Getting your kids (and yourself) to read. As usual I was worried about the crowd, or rather lack of it. But I needn't have. I had a captive audience. Approximately 50 employees turned up for the talk and 15 books were sold at the event. Best haul so far. After the talk, we adjourned to their cafeteria for some snacks. The cream puffs were excellent! And so were the gifts they presented to me : a tea and coffee making set as well as a pair of ballpoint pens.
This event turned out better than any book talk I had conducted at bookstores. As a bonus, I got to meet an old classmate whom I haven't seen since primary school days! Authors, this may be the way to go to promote your books.
UMW video-taped the talk. Alamak, all my flaws at public speaking are immortalized on tape.
Another segment of the crowd. SK was the moderator.
En. Rohiman Haroon, Asst GM of External Affairs. He's a voracious reader and prolific writer too (he wrote the script of Embun).
The proud owners of Honk! who stayed behind for a photo session. Intan Salmee is on the far right. She helped Rohiman to organize this talk.
Busy signing books.
More books to be signed. My handwriting became cakar ayam - fowl scratches.
This week, UMW Toyota conducted an Outreach Program with the theme of Challenging Knowledge for their employees. They asked MPH to hold a book fair at their spacious premises in Section 15, Shah Alam and as part of the program, MPH roped me in to give a talk.
My topic was Honk! If you want to read - Getting your kids (and yourself) to read. As usual I was worried about the crowd, or rather lack of it. But I needn't have. I had a captive audience. Approximately 50 employees turned up for the talk and 15 books were sold at the event. Best haul so far. After the talk, we adjourned to their cafeteria for some snacks. The cream puffs were excellent! And so were the gifts they presented to me : a tea and coffee making set as well as a pair of ballpoint pens.
This event turned out better than any book talk I had conducted at bookstores. As a bonus, I got to meet an old classmate whom I haven't seen since primary school days! Authors, this may be the way to go to promote your books.
UMW video-taped the talk. Alamak, all my flaws at public speaking are immortalized on tape.
Another segment of the crowd. SK was the moderator.
En. Rohiman Haroon, Asst GM of External Affairs. He's a voracious reader and prolific writer too (he wrote the script of Embun).
The proud owners of Honk! who stayed behind for a photo session. Intan Salmee is on the far right. She helped Rohiman to organize this talk.
Busy signing books.
More books to be signed. My handwriting became cakar ayam - fowl scratches.
Wanita Hari Ini, TV3
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
I wrote in to Wanita Hari Ini asking if they'd like to interview me for my book, Honk! If You're Malaysian. They decided to do a segment on mummy writers and blogging, and asked if I could rope in two other authors.
That was how Yvonne Lee (The Sky is Crazy), Jamilah Samian (Cool Mum Super Dad) and I ended up at TV3 on Tuesday. It was my first time at their studio. Though the TV3 crew had interviewed me twice for Nona, those sessions were taped at my house.
I think we had more fun during the pre-interview segment when the hosts, Wardina and Ivy talked to us about what they were going to ask during the show. When the cameras started to roll, naturally anxiety came along for the ride.
L-R, Ivy, Wardina, me, Yvonne and Jamilah
I wrote in to Wanita Hari Ini asking if they'd like to interview me for my book, Honk! If You're Malaysian. They decided to do a segment on mummy writers and blogging, and asked if I could rope in two other authors.
That was how Yvonne Lee (The Sky is Crazy), Jamilah Samian (Cool Mum Super Dad) and I ended up at TV3 on Tuesday. It was my first time at their studio. Though the TV3 crew had interviewed me twice for Nona, those sessions were taped at my house.
I think we had more fun during the pre-interview segment when the hosts, Wardina and Ivy talked to us about what they were going to ask during the show. When the cameras started to roll, naturally anxiety came along for the ride.
L-R, Ivy, Wardina, me, Yvonne and Jamilah
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Monday, June 04, 2007
Talk at Bookfest
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Popular invited me to speak at their Bookfest. My topic was Roti Canai for me – On reading, writing and being Malaysian.
Though I had been informed that the talk would be held at the stage in Hall 2, KLCC, it was still a minor shock to see that they had arranged a table up on the big stage for me. My audience was seated way over yonder, separated by a big space and VIP chairs for the next event.
I began by taking my place at the table. I felt so lonely up there, speaking to the few people on the floor. My heart sank. Only two rows of chairs were occupied. Grace and her little brother as well as two of my kids were there to lend support.
After five minutes, I decided to make my way to the floor. Good thing I had told the organizers that I wanted to get close to the audience as I had prepared a quiz for them. With the cordless mike perched on my head like a superstar singer, I got nearer to the audience and got them involved in the quiz. Passers-by came in to listen and to nab the small token I’d gotten for them. Just before the event, I purchased 30 pieces of 30 sen stamps and gave away two to each correct answer. Towards the end, I only doled out one stamp per answer to make them last. After the Q&A, two elderly ladies promptly walked away with their stash of stamps. Ah, life’s like that lah.
Though it was a weekday, this talk was the best I’ve had in terms of audience number and number of books signed. I signed 8 + 1 books (a foreign worker at the Bookfest grabbed a children’s book and asked me to sign it for him). Either he thinks I’m a celebrity or he was that impressed with my talk.
I'm so glad Khim (third pix) came to see me. She has read Honk! and written a nice encouraging email to me. She has finished her first book, California satay, and is looking for an editor.
Popular invited me to speak at their Bookfest. My topic was Roti Canai for me – On reading, writing and being Malaysian.
Though I had been informed that the talk would be held at the stage in Hall 2, KLCC, it was still a minor shock to see that they had arranged a table up on the big stage for me. My audience was seated way over yonder, separated by a big space and VIP chairs for the next event.
I began by taking my place at the table. I felt so lonely up there, speaking to the few people on the floor. My heart sank. Only two rows of chairs were occupied. Grace and her little brother as well as two of my kids were there to lend support.
After five minutes, I decided to make my way to the floor. Good thing I had told the organizers that I wanted to get close to the audience as I had prepared a quiz for them. With the cordless mike perched on my head like a superstar singer, I got nearer to the audience and got them involved in the quiz. Passers-by came in to listen and to nab the small token I’d gotten for them. Just before the event, I purchased 30 pieces of 30 sen stamps and gave away two to each correct answer. Towards the end, I only doled out one stamp per answer to make them last. After the Q&A, two elderly ladies promptly walked away with their stash of stamps. Ah, life’s like that lah.
Though it was a weekday, this talk was the best I’ve had in terms of audience number and number of books signed. I signed 8 + 1 books (a foreign worker at the Bookfest grabbed a children’s book and asked me to sign it for him). Either he thinks I’m a celebrity or he was that impressed with my talk.
I'm so glad Khim (third pix) came to see me. She has read Honk! and written a nice encouraging email to me. She has finished her first book, California satay, and is looking for an editor.
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