19 Sep 2009, 3:00 pm
Pre-Festival Event with The Proletariat Poetry Factory

Armed with old-school typewriters and decked out in a uniform set of red boiler suits, The Proletariat Poetry Factory, with a performative flair, will be manufacturing poetry like servile poets to the public at Raffles City. Productivity is maximized and a system of servility maintained via audio feed controlled by The Board of Supreme Controllers. The public is encouraged to give a word as an inspiration to a poem, leave a donation and they can take home with them their very own personalized poetry.

Back to top

12 Sep 2009, 10:00 am
Experience Singapore Literature: “Voices”

For 16 years and above

“I always believe that one writes or creates an art work when one is disturbed and has something to say. Who is in need of voice than those who live in the margins of society” — Alvin Tan, The Necessary Stage.

If you have always written stories about love, life and friendship, why not try something from a different Singaporean perspective? We draw inspiration from the environment, surroundings and events around us. In this episode, be inspired by stories from people living on the fringe.

With guidance from Alvin Tan (The Necessary Stage), poet Ng Yi-Sheng and writer Tan Teck Howe, explore how you can create works to express your thoughts and voices of the voiceless in society. In this hands-on session, explore ways to write a piece of drama, poetry or short story.

This episode opens participants to the invaluable need for research (whether it be in the form of interviews, literature research or fieldwork) for creative composition. Due to limited places for each session, please register via http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg at ‘Experience Singapore Literature’.

This event is organised by National Library Board.

Back to top

05 Sep 2009, 3:00 pm
The Diary of Amos Lee: From author to publisher to distributor to consumers

Is there a formula to writing books that children will love? Find out more from its creation to its consumption. We’ll hear from Adeline Foo, author of The Diary of Amos Lee, which was on The Straits Times’s Top 10 Bestsellers List from July to August! We will also hear from Edmund Wee, a publisher from Epigram, who will highlight three books that had won the First Time Writers & Illustrators Publishing Initiative in 2006 (awarded by The Book Council and Media Development Authority) to find out about the considerations publishers make in publishing children’s titles that will sell.

Next, Johnson Lee, Director of Marketasia, will share how marketing for a children’s title begins and how a book distributor can build branding for an author. What about programmes that encourage kids to read? What more can be done to get kids excited on reading local books? Well, find that out from a librarian!

Whether you are an aspiring children’s author or parents keen to understand the publishing process of children’s titles, join us! Due to limited seats, please register via http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg at ‘Experience Singapore Literature’.

For more information on Adeline Foo and her books, please refer to www.amoslee.com.sg.

Back to top

05 Sep 2009, 2:00 pm
Seminar: Chinese and English, Writing and Translation hosted by Professor Yu Kwang-chung

This event is free for teachers and students.

Organised by Confucius Institute (CI), the Lien Shih Sheng Youth Chinese Literature Fund Series is proud to bring to you Chinese and English, Writing and Translation, a seminar by well-known Chinese literary scholar and poet Professor Yu Kwang-chung.

To register for this seminar, please contact Li Cai Ling or Li Jia Mei at 6514 1934 (1062) or email your enquiries to cailing@ntu.edu.sg.

This event will be conducted in Chinese.

主办机构南洋理工大学孔子学院邀请了著名文学人、年轻时称自己“以右手写诗，以左手写散文”的余光中来师城为“连士升青少年文学基金精品系列”举行演讲！余光中将在座谈会上深入探讨华文与英文的文笔手法和译笔。

有兴趣参加此研讨会观众请把有关询问电邮至李彩玲/李嘉梅cailing@ntu.edu.sg或播电6514 1934（1062）

Back to top

05 Sep 2009, 8:00 am
Natonal Schools Literature Festival 2009

This year, we are pleased to announce that the National Schools Literature Festival will be a pre-festival event for the Singapore Writers Festival.

On 5 September 2009, 47 schools with more than 1,000 students will be participating in the annual National Schools Literature Festival. This festival has been organized by a collaborative team of teachers from various schools since 2004. In 2009 the event will be hosted by St Andrew’s Secondary School.

The National Schools Literature Festival aims to bring Literature teachers together to provide a platform which teachers can use to inspire their students, as well as to motivate more students to take Literature at the upper secondary level. In addition, the event provides a platform for students to showcase their literary talents and skills.

For more information about the festival, please refer to the Lit fest website.

Back to top

29 Aug 2009, 4:30 pm
Finding New Villains for Tween Novels with Felix Cheong

Bored with Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys' mysteries? Award-winning Singapore writer Felix Cheong has the answer for a new generation of tween readers. In his two detective novels set in Singapore, The Call from Crying House and the sequel, The Woman in the Last Carriage, he gets down and dirty with new villains - terrorists. Find out more about the novels as Felix shares his experience of writing the stories and reads extracts from the novels.

The Call from Crying House is an adventure mystery set in familiar places around Singapore and an English Literature text in secondary schools. The sequel, The Woman in the Last Carriage, was published in 2007. More about Felix Cheong can be found at http://felixcheong.com.

Due to limited places for each session, please register! Registration can be made via http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg at ‘Experience Singapore Literature’.

This event is organised by National Library Board.

Back to top

20 Jul 2009, 3:00 pm
Jos Carlyle - Hayley Hicks

Meet up-and-coming British writer Jos Carlyle! The dynamic young author of the Hayley Hicks series is on her international tour and will be stopping by Singapore!

Jos will be speaking about the fantasy series and share her writing experiences and why her Boh (Japanese fighting staff) is such an inspiration. Children as young as 8 years old to young adults who have dreams to write their own fantasy stories are invited to come to the session and bring with them lots of questions!

The story takes twelve-year-old Hayley from London to the tropical island of Bali, past the realms of Silverspace before heading through the zodiac and celestial fringes into Absolute Dark and Absolute Light. Follow Hayley as she grows from an innocent young girl into an athletic, talented and sexy woman in her quest to master the Original Wisdom and save all innerversal life from destruction.

Interested schools please email phua_shiuanling@toph.com.sg and we will call you to make arrangements. Jos Carlyle will only be in Singapore for one day!

Arrangements are on first-come-first served basis.

For more information visit www.hayleyhicks.com

Back to top

12 Jul 2009, 10:00 am
Evolution of Malay Language: 2000 Years

The Malay Language has undergone a comprehensive development spanning 2000 years beginning from Archaic Malay to the contemporary form of Malay language. From a limited vocabulary of 157 word collection, Malay language today has approximately 800,000 words and terminologies formed.

From 12 to 27 July 2009, an exhibition focusing on the evolution of Malay language, a series of workshops and competitions will be held at the Malay Heritage Centre. For more information on the exhibition and other related programmes, please visit www.asas50.com

This event is held in conjunction with the Singapore Writers Festival.

Back to top

11 Jul 2009, 10:00 am
Experience Singapore Literature : Changes

What does Singapore mean to you? For a fast-paced country like Singapore, changes are synonymous to the Singaporean way of life. Continuous self-renewal is a distinctive feature of Singaporean life. Cyril Wong will take you on an unconventional trip and bring you to uncover Singapore in a way never experienced before. Take the trip with us to the Changi Airport, Raffles Place and Armenian Street to recover a sense of wonder.

Due to limited places for each session, please register! Registration can be made via http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg at ‘Experience Singapore Literature’.

Back to top

08 Jul 2009, 7:00 pm
Seminar: Sentiments About Eastern Intellect (感悟东方智慧)

在 2009 新加坡作家节及本地出版商Pansing的支持下，南洋理工大学孔子学院及新加坡中华总商会邀请到曾在狮城引起轰动、风靡华人社会的中国”国学超女“于丹，以《论语》这本蕴含卓越古人智慧的经典著作，为大家举行专场演讲，探讨与分析论语文化给予现代企业家的启示。

由于场地有限，请尽早报名，以免向隅！

Confucius Institute (CI) and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) are proud to bring to you Sentiments About Eastern Intellect, seminar by Chinese renowned scholar, Professor Yu Dan. To meet the author of Confucius from the Heart: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World, please log on to and register for attendance at CI’s website: www.ci-ntu.com/ci/viewarticle/5506

This event is also supported by Asian based books and magazines distributor Pansing.

Back to top

05 Jul 2009, 1:00 am
144 Hours READING MARATHON

Insomniacs: Do you feel frustrated every time you stay awake beyond the witching hour while the rest of your friends are soundly under the covers?

Clubbers: Don’t you always feel that the night ends too early?

So, on the morning of Sunday 5 July, from 1am to 7am, do something different, take a break from your routine: support literary arts!

Show your support for this one-of-a-kind Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) pre-festival event. The SWF team and some of Singpaore’s more well-known writers will be reading a selection of homegrown works in public. Readers include Felix Cheong (The Call from Crying House), O Thiam Chin (Free Falling Man), Aaron Lee (Five Right Angles), Ng Yi-Sheng (Last Boy), Alvin Pang (City of Rain), Heng Siok Tian (Crossing the Chopsticks) and Jeffrey Lim (The Coffin That Wouldn't Bury).

Coffee, tea and biscuits to keep us awake are welcomed, but just stopping by to listen to our readings are fine too!

Organised as part of READ! Singapore 2009 by the National Library Board, the Reading Marathon runs from 3 July to 9 July and is held at the Events Plaza at the National Library.

Back to top

06 Jun 2009, 10:00 am
Experience Singapore Literature : Nostalgia

Shenton Way. Central Busines District. Toa Payoh.

We often pass by these places unaware. Have you ever thought what stories these places hold? Join Kenny Leck as he brings you on a poetic journey down the Singapore nostalgic lane. Together with writing pieces by Klyth Tan, Heng Siok Tian and Koh Buck Song, come along on this trail to uncover a fresh perspective on the Singaporean landscape.

Due to limited places for each session, please register! Registration can be made via http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg at ‘Experience Singapore Literature’.

Back to top

01 Jun 2009, 7:00 pm
Book Launch of Map of the Invisible World

Presented by National Book Development Council of Singapore and Fourth Estate Ltd

In Map of the Invisible World, Johan kept a constant vigil over his little brother Adam during their years together in the orphanage. When they are placed in different adoptive homes, they lost all contact. Johan is taken to Kuala Lumpur by a wealthy Malaysian couple whilst Adam is adopted by a Dutch painter, Karl and grows up in a simple coastal town in Indonesia.

However in the summer of 1964, there was disorder as post-colonial Indonesia slid towards civil war. Foreigners and especially the Dutch are treated with hostility and when Karl is arrested, 16-year-old Adam resolves to do all that he can to find him. He seeks help from an old friend of Karl’s in Jakarta, but in the volatile atmosphere and lured by a promise to find his brother, Adam quickly falls in with a dangerous crowd and is swept up in events beyond his understanding.

Tash Aw, a Malaysian-born writer is now living in London. His highly-acclaimed novel, The Harmony Silk Factory won the Whitbread Best First Novel Award, the Commonwealth Best First Novel Award and was also long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. Map of the Invisible World is his second novel and is a touching tale of love and loss, friendships and belonging, and the indissoluble ties of family.

Back to top

24 May 2009, 2:00 pm
Little Lit: Enriching Minds & Igniting A Writer's Spark

Join us for an engaging afternoon of Enriching Minds & Igniting A Writer’s Spark for authors and illustrators young and old, or those with a story to tell. Meet seven speakers, all friends who are getting together to share their stories from concept to print, in a first of a series of programmes reaching out to writing for children.

2.15pm – 2.45 pm
The Diary of Amos Lee – I Sit, I Write, I Flush!
by Adeline Foo & Stephanie Wong

An invitation to a book launch by two recipients of the inaugural 2006 First-Time Writers & Illustrators Publishing Initiative Award. Adeline Foo and Stephanie Wong will share their musings from the toilet… on school, relationships and secret desires.

2.45pm – 3.15 pm
Poetry Demystified
by Aaron Lee

A finalist of the Singapore Literature Prize 2008 and author of the poetry collections A Visitation of Sunlight (1998) and Five Right Angles (2007), Aaron Lee will speak on enjoying poetry from 8 to 80.

3.15pm – 3.45 pm
Terrorism and Tweens
by Felix Cheong
Hear from award-winning poet and author Felix Cheong on how he spun tales of intrigue in The Call from Crying House, and its sequel, The Woman in the Last Carriage. The first book, targeted at 9 to 14 years old, is now being used as an English Literature text in secondary schools.

4pm – 5 pm
Monsters in the Mind – A Look at Asian Influence in Picture Books
by Joshua Chiang, Christine Lim Simpson & Lee Kowling
Three of Singapore’s emerging illustrators - self-taught, free-spirited and deeply passionate about Asian art and children’s books. Meet Joshua, Christine and Kowling and understand what moves an artist and touch the hearts of children in a picture book.

5pm – 6 pm
Meet the authors, book-signing and browse at fringe activities organised by Monsters Under The Bed, School of Literacy, at the Blue Room.

Speaker 1: Dyanna Goh. She will be talking about sourcing out vintage books and selecting books that are interesting yet obscure.

Speaker 2: Shao Han. He'll be talking about the effects of role-playing on creative writing.

Speaker 3: Jerry Hinds. Comics, Graphic Novels and the importance of having an open mind.

Speaker 4: Ryan Ong. He'll be talking about classic books and canons in comparison to the books that kids are reading today.

To register your attendance and enquiries, log on to www.mutb.com.sg or email info@mutb.com.sg or call 6100 4363.

Back to top

22 May 2009, 7:00 pm
The Singapore Book Club presents Wena Poon

Come join Wena Poon as she discusses Lions in Winter, a book about Singaporeans which has attracted local and international recognition. Joined by Malaysia’s Sharon Bakar, Wena will share her journey of writing and publishing and how, sparked by Sharon’s keen eye for a good story, she was able to have her book published by MPH. Wena and Sharon will also discuss the difficulties faced by local writers in getting international publication and distribution.

Wena Poon is a Singapore-born writer. Her fiction book Lions In Winter, published by MPH Publishing in Kuala Lumpur, was longlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize. The book is under contract with UK's Salt Publishing for international re-release. Poon graduated magna cum laude in English Literature from Harvard University, obtained a degree from Harvard Law School, and practises law in the United States. She has just completed a new fiction collection The Proper Care of Foxes.

Sharon Bakar is freelance writer and teacher-trainer based in Kuala Lumpur.  Her work has appeared in a number of Malaysian publications including The Star, Off the Edge, Quill and Chrome magazine.  She teaches creative writing in partnership with the British Council, and organises Readings, a monthly event for local writers at Seksan Gallery. Sharon blogs as Bibliobibuli (http://thebookaholic.blogspot.com) focusing mainly on writing and publishing in Malaysia.

A joint collaboration between the National Book Development Council of Singapore and The Arts House, the bi-monthly meetings of the Singapore Book Club aims to enhance the reading pleasure of book lovers by creating an environment where all can come together and delight in the act of reading and discourse.

For more information or to register, please email your contact details to info@bookcouncil.sg

Back to top

27 Apr 2009, 7:30 pm
Manreet Sodhi Someshwar: Launch of The Long Walk Home

Set against the backdrop of twentieth-century India, The Long Walk Home illuminates history – partition, two Indo-Pak wars, and the rise of religious fundamentalism – through the life of one man. A story of faith and fundamentalism, misguided passions and accidental heroism, it is woven through a narrative of love, murder, vendetta, and greed. As the protagonist nears the end of his life, he wonders: will there be a chance for redemption?

An award-winning writer (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association), Manreet is a book critic for the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong, and writes a regular column for DNA, a leading Indian newspaper. Visit www.manreetsodhisomeshwar.com to find out more about the writer.

Back to top

20 Mar 2009, 4:30 pm
Run and Re-run!

In collaboration with various cultural bodies, local distributors and independent filmmakers in Singapore, Run and Re-run! will focus on art and cinema through selected runs and re-runs of films in a thematic display on a monthly basis. The showcases will include selections of films which can be country or director specific, or films featuring or influenced and inspired by an art form such as adaptations from novels, autobiographies of artists and their philosophies.

For this series, the screenings of Brick Lane, Tropa de Elite and Chi to Hone are also pre-festival events of the Singapore Writers Festival 2009. The Singapore Writers Festival (24 Oct – 01 Nov 2009) is co-organised by The Arts House and National Arts Council.

Blood and Bones (Chi to Hone)
20 Mar & 3 Apr, 7.45pm
22 Mar, 4.30pm | 28 Mar, 4.30pm
1 Apr, 7.45pm | 5 Apr, 6.30 pm
9 Apr, 7.45 pm | 11 Apr, 7.30pm
By Yoichi Sai | 2004 | 140mins | 35MM | In Japanese and Korean with English and Chinese subtitles | R-21

Based on a true Novel by Yan Sogiru (Yang Seok-il)

A first generation Korean newly arrived in Japan, Kim Shun-pei’s dreams of fortune and a better life quickly unravel. Faced with ruthless discrimination and grueling labour, Kim becomes weaned on violence, cruelty and greed. He subsequently makes his coveted fortune, going from factory owner to savage loan shark, but destroys the lives of his family and others around him with his ego and obsessions. This award-winning film chronicles his rise and steady fall with a rawness as brutal as the man himself.

Elite Squad (Tropa de Elite)
21 Mar, 7.30pm | 27 Mar, 7.45pm
29 Mar, 4.30pm | 4 Apr, 7.30pm
8 Apr, 7.45pm | 11 Apr, 4.30pm
By José Padilha | 2007 | 115mins | 35MM | In Portuguese with English Sub | M-18

Based on a book by André Batista • In collaboration with Golden Village

Elite Squad is an intense and astonishing look at Rio de Janeiro's notorious favelas, the volatile slums on the edge of the city. The elite BOPE force (State Police Special Operations Battalion) combats drug trafficking and keeping order has its price. BOPE Captain Nascimento is in search of a replacement so he can escape the day-to-day violence to be close with his wife who will give birth to their first child soon.

Brick Lane
21 Mar, 4.30pm | 25 Mar, 7.45pm
28 Mar, 7.30pm | 2 Apr, 7.45pm
4 Apr, 4.30pm | 10 Apr, 7.45pm
By Sarah Gavron | 2007 | 102mins | 35MM | In English | NC-16

Based on a Novel by Monica Ali • In collaboration with Golden Village

Brick Lane is the story of a beautiful young Bangladeshi woman, Nazneen who left her beloved sister and home for an arranged marriage and new life in London in the 1980s. In this new world, she struggles to make sense of her existence and her duty to her husband. A man of inflated ideas, he sorely tests her compliance. Brick Lane is a truly contemporary story of love, of cultural difference and ultimately, the strength of the human spirit.

Back to top

04 Mar 2009, 7:00 pm
About Brenda A. Flanagan

Singapore Writers Festival 2009 presents a night out with Brenda A. Flanagan, author of You Alone Are Dancing and In Praise of Island Women and Other Crimes.

A prolific short story writer and poet, Brenda Flanagan is known internationally for her dramatic presentations of her stories and poems. She is currently teaching creative writing, Caribbean and African-American literatures as well as literary analysis in the English Department at Davidson College.

Admission to event is free. To reserve a seat, please email enquiries@toph.com.sg or call 6332 6919.

This event is also brought to you by the American Embassy of Singapore.

Back to top

06 Dec 2008, 9:00 am
Four Languages, One Voice: Connecting Singapore Literature

The National Arts Council and The Arts House are proud to present the first ever forum on Singapore literature that gathers views and observations from the literary associations and writers representing the four national languages.

The inaugural event aims to encourage and promote understanding, communication and dialogue on Singapore literature across all the four languages.

Come and find out more about the history, development and current trends of Singapore literature from the English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil perspectives.

This is a pre-festival event of SWF 09, in partnership with Angkatan Sasterawan '50 (ASAS '50), Association of Singapore Tamil Writers, Singapore Association of Writers, Singapore Literature Society.

Back to top

28 Nov 2008, 7:00 pm
Asia on the Edge 2008: Female Writers

Talks and panel discussions by leading and emerging contemporary female writers across Asia whose books have captured the hearts and minds of readers regionally and all over the world. They will discuss and share how traditions, social values and cultural practices with regards to women in the Asian context are reflected in their works and examine the present and future roles of women across Asia.

Featured writers are Hitomi Kanehara (Japan), Mian Mian (China), Zita Law (Hong Kong), Catherine Lim (Singapore), Ayu Utami (Indonesia) and Zhang Lu (China/Singapore).

The Writers series in Asia on the Edge is a pre-fest event of Singapore Writers Festival 2009.

Back to top