My first piece of amateur writing + a dream.
Little Orchid’s
story originated from her mother’s – Mother Lee (whom I’d called Moon Flower
when I wrote her story more than five
years ago). It was the first piece of fiction I’d written and it was an adult
story about a 70-year-old mother losing and regaining her relationship with her
youngest daughter, Little Orchid. She, the mother, lived alone in a crooked house
on the family farm and had a heart attack. I never completed that story but it
was always tucked at the back of my mind. By the time I’d gone into children’s
literature, I knew I could tell Moon Flower’s story by telling Little Orchid’s
first. One day, I will get to Moon Flower’s story again.
As for the dream
I had, it was about a Malay princess bride escaping onto a train and
transforming into a cuttlefish. A bizarre dream. I don’t know any Malay
princesses and I certainly don’t know anyone who’s turned into a sea creature.
But there it was. Too vivid to be forgotten. I’m blessed to be able to remember
some of my dreams. Anyway, I wrote this as a short story, which didn’t work, so
I tried it on Little Orchid. Their combination works so much better than I was
expecting!
How long did
it take you to write Little
Orchid’s Sea Monster Trouble?
Taking into
account the setting-research done on Moon Flower’s story, about five years. The
actual change of it into a children’s story took two years.
 |
| Snow Queen/Edmund Dulac |
The Snow Queen.
(I have a thing for stories that are a little sad in the cold way. There’s
mystery in the aloof appearance and the frosty heart.)
As for the
character I relate the most to, it’s Pinocchio. It shows on my face when I’m
lying (not the nose, though), and there’s also this inexplicable understanding
towards the puppet’s need to be a real boy.
What inspired
the personality traits for the characters in this story (sea -dwelling and
human)?
There is a bit
of me (the ‘me’ in childhood) in Little Orchid. As for the Baby Lobster, he is
loosely based on a young girl I tutor – energetic, sometimes timid, but strongly
supportive and honest.
If you could
befriend a character from one of your stories, who would you befriend? Why?
Buffalo
Brother – he tries to fit in the Lee family, works hard, and takes care of the
girls like a real brother should. But on another level, he’s pretty much on his
own. Part of the family, but not really.
Where do you
like to write? Do you have any writing rituals?
I do most of my
work at home but I like writing at my local library’s café. Just some music (acoustic
folk or piano) and I’m off.
If you could
live anywhere, fictional or real, where would it be? Why?
A small town,
preferably by the sea, with a good coffee shop, like the setting of Gilmore
Girls or Ghost Whisperer (not that I’m a huge fan of these shows, just a huge,
huge fan of their settings). So I could dress pretty and write pretty. The sea
will make me feel pretty. (I’m quite vain ...)
The
illustrations are whimsical and fascinating. Who is your favorite illustrator?
What element of their creative style do you enjoy?
Thanks, I’m glad
you like the illustrations. I can’t pick just one favourite illustrator, so
here goes: Alison Jay (the quiet warmth in her colours, and her attention to
details); Chris Van Allsburg (details and sense of grandeur); Chiaki Okada (the
soft tones and portrayal of adorable Japanese girls and rabbits); Pamela
Zagarenski (her sense of wonder), and Kate Greenaway medalist Helen Cooper (the
strokes, the colours, the way she makes living in that cabin in the woods
adventurous).
 |
| Illustration by Gueh Yanting, Claudine/ Little Orchid's Sea Monster Trouble |
If you were
to turn into a sea creature, what would you wish to be?
When I first
received these interview questions, my thought on this one was “a prawn” for I
love eating them. But that can’t be good for me! So I’m going to go with the
sea turtle. I’ll get to bring my home everywhere, and I’ll always have a place
to sleep in.
Where can we
purchase your books?
From
my website at an early-bird offer of US$1 {for 5 days only: 9th – 13th April 2014}: CarryUsOff Books
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