Words Go Round with Roger Jenkins, Little Godwit & other tales

Oh my feathers! I’m delighted to see Little Godwit take off on a second wind! This March 2020, Little Godwit finds his wings at the ArtScience Museum as part of the Singapore Writer’s Festival’s Words Go Round! Programme.

Read more and sign up for this storytelling session and more at the Singapore Writer’s Festival’s link here!

Related Links:

Reader’s Favourite! Little Godwit finds his way to 5 shiny stars!

When God, in His Wit, made each of us with our individual strengths

 

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Peonies & Super Trees! – my Writing Residency @Gardens by the Bay 2016

I’m delighted to be selected as Writer-in-Residence at Gardens by the Bay this year, thanks to the National Arts Council Gardens Residency Initiative.

In this Residency, I will be working on a new children’s book manuscript.

I’ve frequented Gardens by the Bay many times with Caleb since his toddler days. My most recent memories involve chasing after him and staying eagle-eyed as he takes off in increasing speed.

I’m sure I will take in more of the Gardens’ beauty and serenity when I am taking it in a more leisurely pace…like after I drop Caleb in kindergarten! 

I’m looking forward to starting this Residency soon as I know it is going to be walks in the park.

Photo credit: Gardens By The Bay

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Thank God Friday #12 – Bunny, Balloons & Book Birthdays

The previous week marked the end of my “work year” as I set December aside for catching up with friends and other personal matters which have been delayed for months. As I unpack the week, I look back with many things to give thanks for:

Friends just streaming in for Tibby’s Book Launch & Giving Thanks Party

1) Tibby The Tiger Bunny’s Birthday 

Tibby’s private book launch cum Giving Thanks party on Sunday 17th November which saw a turnout of over 100 friends. I’m thankful for:

– my dear girlfriends, who together with their kids, ran the sales desk and activities table for the kids & our AV friend who helped with the audio and video clips

– another group of close friends who helped with all 5 earlier book launches, from emcee to sales desk and event setup

– old friends who have been coming for my book launches over the years to celebrate my book birthdays

– new friends who all came to celebrate Tibby’s birthday

– Crystal and Sharon from Diamonds on the Street  who turned up complete with an amplifier and ukelele to bless us with the opening song item (more on that later)

– my publisher Epigram Books who showed up full force to show their support at my private party, from publisher Edmund Wee to my Editor Sheri Tan and Christine from Marketing

More on that over the week now that I have some breathing space (and yes, saving the photos for the next post!).

2) Workshopping at Inaugural Early Childhood Conference

Right after Tibby’s big birthday bash, I had to hunker down to final preparations for my last public engagement for the year – the inaugural Early Childhood Conference organised by Early Childhood Development Agency.

Thanks to the invitation of the National Arts Council, I conducted a workshop for about 70 educators on my favourite subject “Write Children’s Picture Books with your Students”.  Through a 1 1/2 hour workshop which included mini-exercises, I took participants through the process of finding storybook ideas within their own experiences, my and other authors’ process of writing and and how I published my first four titles.

More about that later as I unpack that packed week.

The 4-picture book collection comes in a lovely slipcase

3) Launch of United Nations Rights of the Child 4-Picture Book Collection

The week ended with the launch of a UNCRC 4-picture book collection which I wrote for the Ministry of Social and Family Development. There was a preview of the books at the Early Childhood Conference followed by a launch and giveaway of the books to members of the public who had registered for the Early Childhood Parenting Conference over the weekend.

After that hectic week, Caleb and I spent the following week at home sick, with me nursing Caleb’s 5 days of fever and getting sick myself. I am thankful the worse is over and for the “forced rest” which was an important reminder to me to go easy for the rest of this year to rest, recuperate and reflect on this year that is fast coming to pass.

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