Announcement: Sharpened Word Literary Matinee (Jan 16)

The monthly Sharpened Word Literary Matinee is back for its fourth edition this Saturday on Jan 16. Wow, time flies. I can still remember the time when it was in its planning stages.

During the third Saturday afternoon of every month, three or four writers are brought together to Sepaloh Arts Centre, Ipoh, to share with the audience their literary journey. The objective is to celebrate the literary arts through a community event where writers can connect with their listeners.

The panellists could be amateur writers or illustrious authors in various media. Whatever their level of competency, everyone has a story to share, and there is usually a lesson to take away from another person’s experience.

The writers will first read from their work and then participate in a Q & A session on the writing process with the audience.

This Saturday will see three different writers sharing their work: Arthur T. Y. Foo, Chuah Guat Eng and Prof. Malachi Edwin Vethamani.

Arthur T. Y. Foo is a two-time nominee for the Readers’ Choice Awards (2013-2014). He authored “The Resurrection”, the “Natasha” series, and the bestselling “Snow Phoenix and Me”. He is currently working on a horror tale which is slated to be released later this year.

Chuah Guat Eng has the distinction of being the first Malaysian woman to publish a novel in the English language. That was in 1994. The novel, Echoes of Silence, is about a Malaysian Chinese woman living between Europe and Malaysia in the 1970s, It was described by the Far Eastern Economic Review as ‘the most accomplished Malaysian novel to date, a new and cultured voice’.

Since then, she has three novels under her belt.

Last but not least, there is Malachi Edwin Vethamani, currently Professor, School of English, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. He holds a doctorate in English Literature from the University of Nottingham, England. He is a recipient of the Chevening Award (1993-1996) and the Fulbright Scholarship (2000). He received the Asian Education Leadership Award from the World Education Congress in Mumbai, India in June 2013.

His areas of research include New Literatures in English, Malaysian Literature in English, Modern and Contemporary Literature, New Englishes and Malaysian English. His latest publication is ‘A Bibliography of Malaysian Literature in English’ (Maya Press, 2015). He has a monthly column in the ‘New Sunday Times’ which delves on English Language and Literature in English.

Well, isn’t this an interesting line-up of panellists? Whether one is a budding writer or not, I think it is going to be an educational afternoon! Be there or be square.

To keep abreast with information about Sharpened Word Literary Matinee, log on to www.fb.com/sharpenedword.kinta

Event: Sharpened Word Literary Matinee
Venue: Sepaloh Arts Centre, Ipoh
Add: 16, Jalan Sultan Iskandar (Hugh Low Street), Ipoh, Perak.
Date: 16th Jan, 2016
Time: 2.30pm – 5pm

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