Robert Raymer's Blog, page 13

Skyping with Ohio University

After a couple of false starts during a trial run (including me being a day ahead of schedule), I was finally able to Skype with Dr Habibah Ashari and her students for her “Exploring Malaysia's Diversity through Film and Fiction” course taught at Ohio University.
Me being new to Skyping, I was fascinated by the whole process and how useful it can be for classrooms.  The delayed reaction from speaking and hearing, however, threw me off a bit; it's the same problem when talking long distance, but when Skyping you can see their mouths move or you’re wondering why is it taking them so long to react or respond?  Are they hearing me, understanding me?  Then there’s the exaggerated pause between answering one question and hearing the next, as students took turns asking me questions about two of my short stories from Lovers and Strangers Revisited, “Only in Malaysia” and “Home for Hari Raya”. 
They asked questions about how I arrived at the names of the characters (sometimes you try them on to see how they fit); how much of the story is true or based on fact (see story behind the story for “Only in Malaysia” and also “Home for Hari Raya”); why I revise the stories after publication (I’m still trying to sell them to other markets); and are the characters stereotypes (no, just typical of their respective races, recognizable as your neighbors as pointed out in reviews); and why is it necessary to identify the characters by race (a political hot button issue since race is often synonymous with religion, all Malays are Muslim at birth, which I also had to clarify for the French translationof Lovers and Strangers Revisited ). 

            For my end, with the call being so early in the morning, (6:30 am my time—for them it was 6:30 the previous evening) and having just woken up, I was no doubt less coherent and maybe more defensive than I would be, say, after breakfast or mid-morning.  Plus I was trying to take in all the details, and with the above-mentioned delayed reaction, at times, it took me awhile to figure out which one was speaking, even though there weren’t that many students on hand.  There was also this minor jerky effect from any movements, so I had to really concentrate to avoid getting distracted by the movements, the newness of Skying, plus seeing my own live-action upper body on the screen in front of me (lower left corner) that was also moving.  When I’m teaching, I’m usually not so self-conscious.  But then there are those days you wish you could be invisible or elsewhere...
Overall it was a great experience.  Just wished a few things I had said off the cuff I could take back or clarify.  I’m sure this happens when I’m teaching too like if I make a joke that no one picks up on, or make a quasi political comment that could easily be taken out of context.  But life is all about learning, and thanks to Ohio University, I just learned a new skill—how to Skype.   I can only get better at it.  In fact, I then called two brothers in two different states that same day and asked them, “Do You Skype?  It’s easy!” I even got both of them Skyping for their first time that very day!
A few days later, I got an email from Frederick Lewis, Associate Professor at School of Media Arts & Studies at Ohio University who confirmed that his proposal for filming “Home for Hari Raya" is nearing final approval, that the screenplay adaptation is in progress, and that the connections with UiTM is being strengthened.  His team of film (and drama?) students from Ohio University will be using UiTM Shah Alam as a logistical base for the filming project in December.  This is what I wanted to hear, that everything is on track.
That’ll be another new experience that I’m looking forward to in 2012! —Borneo Expat Writer
*Links to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and to the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited,Trois autres Malaisie.  Thanks!

Trois autres Malaisie—Reviewed in easyvoyage.com

Here's the third book review of Trois autres Malaisie, the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, from easyvoyage.com. The review is also below.Livre: Trois autres Malaisie
Notre sélection Livre de la semaine Trois autres MalaisieUn livre a le pouvoir de faire voyager son lecteur, tout en restant immobile. Et c'est particulièrement le cas de Trois autres Malaisie. Ce recueil de quatorze nouvelles permet de découvrir les trois principaux visages de la population malaise. Qu'il soit Malais, Chinois ou Indien, chacun possède une histoire, des coutumes et des traditions... des origines différentes qui contribuent à la force du pays. A travers 14 nouvelles, le livre relatent des histoires de la vie. On apprécie particulièrement le choc des cultures relaté dans Mat Salleh, nouvelle présente dans la partie malaise du livre ; tout comme celle des amoureux déchirés par la routine quotidienne, que l'on trouve dans la partie chinoise du recueil. Ces histoires ont été écrites par Robert Raymer, adopté par la Malaisie depuis plus de 20 ans, et qui vit aujourd'hui sur l'île de Bornéo avec femme et enfants. Facile et rapide à lire, on en ressort grandi. Cet ouvrage est disponible au prix de 18,85 € sur le site troisautresmalaisie.blogspot.com.Note : Prix moyen : 18,85 €
**Here's the first review on eurasie.net and the second review at Malaisie.org 
**Here's a link to the intro and excerpts, to meeting the French translator Jerome Bouchaud in Kuching, and also to order your own copy

****Links to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and to the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, Trois autres Malaisie.  Thanks!

Confirmed—“Home for Hari Raya” and “Only in Malaysia” both being taught at Ohio University

“Home for Hari Raya” and “Only in Malaysia” from Lovers and Strangers Revisited are both being taught at Ohio University this semester.  Two weeks ago I blogged about “Only in Malaysia”and also being invited to Skype with the students in a “Exploring Malaysia's Diversity through Film and Fiction" taught by Habibah Ashari PhD, Tun Abdul Razak Chair at the Center for International Studies. 
Now it’s on, this coming Monday (as a trial) and on Wednesday live, both public holidays here in Sarawak, so being wide awake and coherent at 6:30am will be an even bigger challenge.  On school days my wife gets me out of bed at 5:30ish to help with the boys. But first she must help me set up a Skype account and help me practice this weekend.  I know, about time!
This is the second “Home for Hari Raya”-Ohio University connection.  In December 2011, I was informed by Frederick Lewis, a professor of film/video at Ohio University that he and his students will be adapting my short story “Home for Hari Raya” into a film. 


Just realized that this is the fourth university where I’ve been invited to meet with students who are studying at least one of my short stories—three in Malaysia, and now one in the US via Skype.  One was informal, class room settings, mostly answering questions, another I gave a lecture about the symbolism in "Smooth Stones", which I later turned into a blog for the blog series The Story Behind the Story.  

The first, however, was rather daunting, in a theater set up for over 100 students plus other staff who came, including one who was psychoanalyzing me (in front of all these students!) and jumping to wild conclusions, finding so-called phallic symbols in everything, from a dead cockroach in "Symmetry" to the umbrella in "On Fridays".  I told him, it was a rainy day!  Later, he presented his paper at a short story conference in the UK (he refused to show me the working paper until after he presented it) and then eventually he had it published, first online through his university, and then in journal.  When I finally read it, I thought, oh my god!  They say what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.


So now I must mentally prepare myself for these students from Ohio University, most of whom probably have never been to Malaysia or read anything set there prior to reading my two stories.  Should be an adventure.2012: New adventures—new opportunities.  And 18 days to go to see if my novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady advances to the semi-finals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2012.  Should be an exciting month of April, with taxes due and website makeover way overdo, my tenth wedding anniversary, and the Faulkner-Wisdom Novel Award deadline, and the list keeps getting longer and we're only into the first week...      —Borneo Expat Writer

*update: skyping with Ohio University
 **Links to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and to the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, Trois autres Malaisie.  Thanks!

Confirmed—"Home for Hari Raya" and "Only in Malaysia" both being taught at Ohio University

"Home for Hari Raya" and "Only in Malaysia" from Lovers and Strangers Revisited are both being taught at Ohio University this semester.  Two weeks ago I blogged about "Only in Malaysia"and also being invited to Skype with the students in a "Exploring Malaysia's Diversity through Film and Fiction" taught by Habibah Ashari PhD, Tun Abdul Razak Chair at the Center for International Studies. 
Now it's on, this coming Monday (as a trial) and on Wednesday live, both public holidays here in Sarawak, so being wide awake and coherent at 6:30am will be an even bigger challenge.  On school days my wife gets me out of bed at 5:30ish to help with the boys. But first she must help me set up a Skype account and help me practice this weekend.  I know, about time!
This is the second "Home for Hari Raya"-Ohio University connection.  In December 2011, I was informed by Frederick Lewis, a professor of film/video at Ohio University that he and his students will be adapting my short story "Home for Hari Raya" into a film. 


Just realized that this is the fourth university where I've been invited to meet with students who are studying at least one of my short stories—three in Malaysia, and now one in the US via Skype.2012- New adventures—new opportunities.  And 18 days to go to see if my novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady advances to the semi-finals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2012.  Should be an exciting month of April, with taxes due and website makeover way overdo, a Writing Your Life Stories workshop in Kuching, and my tenth wedding anniversary, and the Faulkner-Wisdom Novel Award deadline, and the list keeps getting longer and we're only into the first week...      —Borneo Expat Writer
 *Links to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and to the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, Trois autres Malaisie.  Thanks!

Borneo Post: Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012

Yesterday, 3 April 2012, The Borneo Post announced my upcoming Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 28 April 2012 (*postponed to 23 June, 1:30-5) under the heading “American author to conduct writing workshop at ICATS”.

Kuching-based American author Robert Raymer will be conducting a “Writing Your Life Stories Workshop” in Kuching at ICATS/PPKS from 9am to noon on April 28. 1:30-5 on June 23

The fees are RM120 adults(*RM100 for groups of three who register together in advance) and RM100 for full time students.  ICATS/PPKS is located at Jalan Canna, Off Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan Jaya.

Raymer, who did a workshop in December and a series of three workshops in KK last year, will take participants through several story starting techniques and some pre-writing probing to help bring your stories alive, plus give tips on story structure, organising and editing to make their writing readable. 
 
Named as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know” by Expatriate Lifestyle, Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, acted as a judge in short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous workshops on creative writing.  

He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs, and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Reader’s Choice Award, taught in universities, and his works are now translated into French. 

His short story “Neighbours” is being taught in SPM Literature in English from 2008-2014.  Currently his novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady has advanced to the Quarterfinals of the on-going AmazonBreakthrough Novel Award 2012.

To confirm your place, in the writing workshop send your name, email address, contact phone number to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com 
For full details and for plenty of writing tips go to the events section of Raymer’s website www.borneoexpatwriter.com.


*Announcement:  New workshop in KK on 17 June 2012!

**If you are interested to bring one of my writing workshops to your organizations or association in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you.***Here the link to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and for the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited  Trois autres Malaisie.

Borneo Post: Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 28 April 2012

Yesterday, 3 April 2012, The Borneo Post announced my upcoming Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 28 April 2012 under the heading "American author to conduct writing workshop at ICATS".

Kuching-based American author Robert Raymer will be conducting a "Writing Your Life Stories Workshop" in Kuching at ICATS/PPKS from 9am to noon on April 28.

The fees are RM120 adults and RM100 for full time students.  ICATS/PPKS is located at Jalan Canna, Off Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan Jaya.

Raymer, who did a workshop in December and a series of three workshops in KK last year, will take participants through several story starting techniques and some pre-writing probing to help bring your stories alive, plus give tips on story structure, organising and editing to make their writing readable. 
 
Named as one of the "50 Expats You Should Know" by Expatriate Lifestyle, Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, acted as a judge in short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous workshops on creative writing.  

He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs, and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Reader's Choice Award, taught in universities, and his works are now translated into French. 

His short story "Neighbours" is being taught in SPM Literature in English from 2008-2014.  Currently his novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady has advanced to the Quarterfinals of the on-going AmazonBreakthrough Novel Award 2012.

To confirm your place, in the writing workshop send your name, email address, contact phone number to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com 
For full details and for plenty of writing tips go to the events section of Raymer's website www.borneoexpatwriter.com.

Creative Writing Workshop in Kota Kinabalu (Round Two)

On Saturday, 13 August, we had our second creative writing workshop in KK, "Turning your Personal Experience into a First Draft of a First Person Narrative." At the earlier Universiti Malaysia Sabah workshop we had an extra two hours but at the first SPArks workshop back in April 2011 http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com/2011/04/creative-writing-workshoptwo-in-kota.html we didn't have enough time to do the subject justice, so it was good they invited me back.


More than half the participants from the first workshop had returned including Tina Kisil whose book Footprints in the Paddy Field http://charity1313.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-footprints-in-paddy-fields.html was nominated for 2011 Popular-The Star Reader's Choice Award for nonfiction, Farida Shukoor, who initially contacted me in 2009 about coming to KK (I taught her son at USM), Jude Day who made the arrangements for both of our workshops, and Lo Sin Yee who again flew up from Miri and even brought one of his works for me to edit (as originally planned before we added a third workshop).  There was also Mark Storey who had arranged the UMS workshop back in April.  Several others, however, missed because of either exams or Ramadan, something we failed to consider when we chose the date.  Fortunately others filled the vacancies so we nearly reached our target of 24.


Making full use of the four-hour allotted time, we devoted three hours to the narrative that they chose to write, after generating 15 topics for them to choose from.  For those who seemed to have forgotten that they had lived a full life of significant experiences, I read them something that I wrote for my creative writing students at two universities (and expanded it by a paragraph):


Typical experiences
If you're a typical student at a typical university, you've already accumulated hundreds of experiences that have made an impact on your life.  You've made and lost friends; done things you're either proud of, ashamed of, or regretted; been punished for doing things you weren't supposed to; felt guilty over things no one knows about; been blamed or wrongly accused by a sibling, a friend, or a parent; been scolded (and punished) by a teacher for being late, not doing your home­work or being part of a noisy class­room; fought with siblings, friends, or enemies; been bullied by older or bigger children (including relatives); survived a crash in a car or motorcycle or bicycle; moved with your family to another house or lived away from your parents; been proposi­tion­ed by someone from either the opposite or the same sex; con­sider­ed running away from home (even if you only made it next door or to a relative's house); taken something that didn't belong to you (which you had either kept, returned or threw away); felt like you wanted to die because you were embarrassed or angry or frustrated; and grieved over the death of a pet or a relative.
           
For those of you who have taken part in extra-curri­cular activities such as sports, or choir, or belonged to some association or club, or have won an award, or have been praised for making something creative or for having a talent like singing or dancing or drawing, or have had the oppor­tunity to travel around your country or overseas, then you'll have plenty more experiences to write about.


If you're older than your typical student you've probably had jobs, been engaged or jilted, been married or separated or divorced, had babies, raised children, bought and sold or crashed cars, and even bought a house.  Not to mention the thousand other life experiences you've had in your thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, and do I hear seventies?
*  *  *


I then asked them to choose one topic that they'll be working with for the pre-writing process.  I kept stressing that they choose their topic carefully.  A good topic often chooses you.  Maybe there's an unresolved issue from your past that needs addressing.  Some topics, I told them, especially if they had a traumatic experience like a death of someone they were close to, or were molested as a child (which is, unfortunately, increasingly common), will not be easy for them to write, but in doing so, it would be therapeutic for them.  Later, if they wish to share it or publish it, others can benefit from it, as I blogged about regarding a short story that I wrote based on my relatives. http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com...


During the pre-writing process, I gave them plenty of prompts to explore and flush out, not only the details but also people's motivation and their emotional state.  This forced them to think about, not just themselves and what they did or what happened to them, but also to consider why they did those things and why others acted the way they did.  This was a real eye opener for them, to consider what all was going on in other people's lives and their own, thus establishing a cause and effect relationship.


Half way through, I asked them, "Had you written off the top of your heads, would you have considered any of this?  Therefore your narrative would have been far different, not as fully developed, nor as interesting for those who read it."  Before I finally let them write that first draft, when I had them raring to go, I asked them to outline the main points, which helps them to think through the narrative from beginning to end, thus improving its organization.  This is often the stage that my students would back away from their topic, realizing that they chose one that really wasn't all that significant.  It's always better they find this out before they invest several hours writing and rewriting.  Even better, if they chose the right topic from the beginning!  Sure enough one of the participants asked if he could switch topics!


After spending a full hour writing out a first draft (or taking it as far as they could), we took a break, then we dabbled with some fiction via the topic "They found me", which is the crux of many short stories and best-selling novels, easily adapted into children stories, thrillers, sci-fi, and mysteries.  Two of my recent blog posts, on The Shack http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com/2011/07/shack-from-self-published-to-15-million.html and the short story "Mr. Penumbra" http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com/2011/08/mr-penumbra-another-writer-creates-his.html are essentially "they found me" stories.  In The Shack, which I recently read and Sin Yee had brought a copy with him from Miri, in more ways than one!


Usually, when time is permitted, we'll read samples, as we did for my two-day workshop with the Malaysian Nurses Association http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com/2011/06/creative-writing-workshop-for-nurses.html  But this time around we're saving them for a third workshop in October.  Two weeks prior to the workshop, the attending participants will be sending me a typed version of either their narrative, their "they found me" story, or someone they may have started and finished from the first workshop, then I'll go over the first two pages as I did for the MPH-Alliance Short Story Awards workshops in Kuching and Miri when I was one of their judges (which I blogged about in the first workshop—this way I make sure I get only one from each!).  
Later, if any of the participants are interested, I'll be editing http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com/2011/03/got-some-writer-envyget-some-editing-to.html their revised versions in November at a special rate, something I highly recommend, something I did when I first came to Malaysia and wrote the short stories that later became Lovers and Strangers Revisited, now being translated into French. http://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com...
And did it again when I first revisited the stories, even after they had already been published, many several times in several countries.  As a writer, we do have our blind spots to our own stories, even when those stories are close to our hearts—the narratives of our lives—like those that we explored in this second creative writing workshop in Kota Kinabalu.


*If you are interested to bring one of my writing workshops to your organizations or association in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you.


**Announcement latest workshop:  Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 28 April 2012 (with links to other workshops and writing tips!)

Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012

*Announcement: Postponed from 28 April to 23 June!  Do you have fascinating life experiences to share or interesting stories to tell?

Have you always wanted to write butcouldn’t find the time or anyone to help?
Turn Your Life Stories 
into a Memoir or into Fiction!
ROBERT RAYMER  
teaches you pre-writing and story starting techniques so you can quickly get your story and your ideas down on paper based on publishing over 500 short stories and articles and a prize-winning collection of short stories.


Are You Going to Keep that Story (or that Book) Inside You Forever? Or Are You Finally Going to Write It?


When :  Saturday, 28 April 2012
                            23 June 2012
Time :  1.30-5.00, (*1.30 register; book signing, before and after workshop)
Who :  14-70+ years old
Cost :  RM120 adults/ RM100 students (full-time)
*group discount for 3 or more booked at the same time RM100/RM80 students.
Where :  Kuching, ICATS/ PPKS, (Kolej Antarabangsa Teknologi Lanjutan Sarawak/ Sarawak Skills Development Centre), Jalan Canna, Off Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan  Jaya
What : Writing is a learnable skill.  Passion is not.  Neither is perseverance.  But desire to share your life stories can take you a long way to achieving your goals!
Why : If you don’t tell or share your life stories, no one else will!  Question is, do you want others to know, or can you disguise it as fiction? How to enrol:  Email your name, contact phone number, email address to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com Next:  Invite your friends to join you or sponsor a younger/older relative.  Bring plenty of paper and pens to write!
  SEE YOU AT THE WORKSHOP!


Areas of learning:  story starting techniques; pre-writing probing; tapping into your (or your characters’) emotions; using sensory details to bring your stories alive; plus tips on story structure, organising and editing to make it readable!
Writing tips: Links to Robert’s article on "Pre-writing Techniques", “Judging Tips” , "The Power of Five",  "Writer Envy-Get Some Editing", “Tree Methodology”, “Prove Them Wrong!, and “Writing Workshops: Torture or Fun?"    
Challenge:  You’ve been talking (or avoiding talking about) your “life stories” all of your life.  Isn’t it time you wrote it down for your family and friends or maybe adapt it into fiction?  A good story is a good story, but no one will know about it if you take it with you to the grave! Writing is not only therapeutic, but can also be profitable!                     Help your Sarawak-based friends and relatives find out about the workshop by sending them this link! Thanks!
Leap Year Bonus: A practical way to change your year and your life! Bio: Named as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know” by Expatriate Lifestyle, American Robert Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, has judged short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous, practical, hands-on writing workshops.  He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs: Episodes from an Expat's Life in Malaysia and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Readers Choice Awards, taught in universities and now translated into French.
Robert’s interviews and book reviews can be found on his website http://www.borneoexpatwriter.com
Writing samples: Three stories from Lovers and Strangers Revisited:  “On Fridays”, “Home for Hari Raya” (to be filmed by Ohio University) and “Neighbours” taught in SPM Literature in English 2008-2014
Excerpt of novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady now in the Quarterfinals of the ongoing Amazon Breakthrough Writing Award 2012.
*Announcement:  New workshop in KK on 17 June 2012!

* Here is a link to my previous workshop in Kuching, to my first KK workshop, second KK workshop, third KK workshop2011, Malaysian Nurses Association workshop, and International Tuition School workshop.
**If you are interested to bring one of my writing workshops to your organizations or association in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you.
***Here the link to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and for the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited  Trois autres Malaisie.

Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 28 April 2012

Do you have fascinating life experiences to share or interesting stories to tell?

Have you always wanted to write butcouldn't find the time or anyone to help?
Turn Your Life Stories 
into a Memoir or into Fiction!
ROBERT RAYMER  
teaches you pre-writing and story starting techniques so you can quickly get your story and your ideas down on paper based on publishing over 500 short stories and articles and a prize-winning collection of short stories.


Are You Going to Keep that Story (or that Book) Inside You Forever? Or Are You Finally Going to Write It?


When :  Saturday, 28 April 2012
Time :  9.00-12.00 noon, *8.30 register; book signing, before and after workshop
Who :  14-70+ years old
Cost :  RM120 adults/ RM100 students (full-time)
Where :  Kuching, ICATS/ PPKS, (Kolej Antarabangsa Teknologi Lanjutan Sarawak/ Sarawak Skills Development Centre), Jalan Canna, Off Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan  Jaya
What : Writing is a learnable skill.  Passion is not.  Neither is perseverance.  But desire to share your life stories can take you a long way to achieving your goals!
Why : If you don't tell or share your life stories, no one else will!  Question is, do you want others to know, or can you disguise it as fiction? How to enrol:  Email your name, contact phone number, email address to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com Next:  Invite your friends to join you or sponsor a younger/older relative.  Bring plenty of paper and pens to write!
  SEE YOU AT THE WORKSHOP!


Areas of learning:  story starting techniques; pre-writing probing; tapping into your (or your characters') emotions; using sensory details to bring your stories alive; plus tips on story structure, organising and editing to make it readable!
Writing tips: Links to Robert's article on "Pre-writing Techniques", "Judging Tips" , "The Power of Five",  "Writer Envy-Get Some Editing", "Tree Methodology", "Prove Them Wrong!, and "Writing Workshops: Torture or Fun?"    
Challenge:  You've been talking (or avoiding talking about) your "life stories" all of your life.  Isn't it time you wrote it down for your family and friends or maybe adapt it into fiction?  A good story is a good story, but no one will know about it if you take it with you to the grave! Writing is not only therapeutic, but can also be profitable!                     Help your Sarawak-based friends and relatives find out about the workshop by sending them this link! Thanks!
Leap Year Bonus: A practical way to change your year and your life! Bio: Named as one of the "50 Expats You Should Know" by Expatriate Lifestyle, American Robert Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, has judged short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous, practical, hands-on writing workshops.  He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs: Episodes from an Expat's Life in Malaysia and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Readers Choice Awards, taught in universities and now translated into French.
Robert's interviews and book reviews can be found on his website http://www.borneoexpatwriter.com
Writing samples: Three stories from Lovers and Strangers Revisited:  "On Fridays", "Home for Hari Raya" (to be filmed by Ohio University) and "Neighbours" taught in SPM Literature in English 2008-2014
Excerpt of novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady now in the Quarterfinals of the ongoing Amazon Breakthrough Writing Award 2012.
* Here is a link to my previous workshop in Kuching, to my first KK workshop, second KK workshop, third KK workshop2011, Malaysian Nurses Association workshop, and International Tuition School workshop.
**If you are interested to bring one of my writing workshops to your organizations or association in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you.
***Here the link to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and for the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited  Trois autres Malaisie.

VOTE for The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady in the Amazon Breakthrough Quarterfinals 2012

The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady needs your help!  My novel has successfully made it to the quarterfinals of Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award 2012 contest, and now to make it to the semi-finals (and finals), I believe it needs your votes/reviews! Publishers Weekly will be reading the entire novel, but Amazon readers can comment on the Excerpt, 16 pages in my case.  The final three, selected by Penguin USA, will be decided by Amazon readers.  Many excerpts, I just found out, are already getting reviews.


To read the Excerpt (I believe you need a Kindle), click on this link to download a FREE Excerpt from the book, and then REVIEW that excerpt here: Review Excerpt. 
Amazon, it seems, has distorted the punctuation in all of the excerpts (and are currently trying to fix it), so you might see some weird symbols; just ignore it—they're that way for all the entries.  For those who don't own a Kindle, I'll put the full excerpt below and then you should still be able to review it.  An earlier draft of The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady was shortlisted for 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom Award.  Thanks for your help!       —Borneo Expat Writer

 
THE RESURRECTION OF JONATHAN BRADY                PART ONE: HEIGHTENED AWARENESS
True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little weunderstand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.-Socrates

1
        Jonathan Brady's body, his arms outstretched and his head facing toward heaven, is found lying in the center of Rainbow Bridge at Angel Park.        "I thought he was sleeping," states a middle-aged woman named Mary who found him."He looked so peaceful."        "You can imagine my shock," says another Mary, a former Haloton State student who happened upon the scene.  "I took Professor Brady's Intro to Eco­nomics class when I was a freshman.  He was a good teacher.  He knew how to make the subject interesting.  I nearly switched majors because of him, but in the end I stuck with accounting."        Brady's former colleagues at Haloton State are at a loss.        "When it came to economics, he really knew his stuff," Harvey Kelter says.        Billy Smitt agrees.  "It was never the same after he left.  Never the same."         "He just all of a sudden decided to quit—that caught me by surprise," says Paul Ellers.  "He was a real asset to the depart­ment.  He would have made a fine department chairman."        "If you ask me," Mary Fisher says, a smug look on her overly made-up face, "I thought it was a bit queer of him not being married.  Nor was he all that reliable—he was supposed to paint my house, but did he?  No!"        "He just seemed down on his luck, that was all," says Scott Thompsett, the owner of the house where Jonathan Brady lived in the third-floor apart­ment.  "The boys loved him.  He was like an uncle to them.  They were always up­stairs visiting him."        Joey has tears in his eyes as he asks, "He's not coming back, is he?"        "Told you that already," Kevin says.  "He's gone to heaven."        "He was our best customer, always in here buying roses," says Millie Hoffman, while chew­­­­ing bubble gum.  "He knew more about roses than my mom did, and she owns the place.  A bit of a fuddy-duddy.  Still, I'm going to miss him.  And this C.C.—she must be some­one really special."  She blows a quick bubble and snaps it for emphasis.  "Really special."
        A heavenly smile spreads across Jonathan Brady's lips as if he's been touched by an angel.  He blinks at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.  He blinks again.  The dream he just had was so real!  He was on the stage with Cabrina Chaval—as her Prince Tamino—in The Magic Flute.  He was so close to her, to Pamina, he could touch her.  Even smell her.  She smelled like roses.  Roses!  Cabrina Chaval looked amazing in her bright, colorful Pamina costume just like she did in her debut in Philadelphia.  Her voice sounded richer than ever as if she were singing directly from heaven.  From heaven.        Brady breathes in deeply and again smiles to himself.  He hums Tamino's aria "This Likeness is Enchanting­ly Lovely," which he sang in the dream after viewing an enchantingly lovely portrait of Pamina.  Oh, did he sing!  He sang to save Pamina's life!  He was deter­mined—absolutely determined—to rescue her . . . . To rescue his Cabrina Chaval!        Brady continues to hum as he fills the bathtub.  Hums as he flosses and brushes his teeth. Hums as he shaves and bathes and dries him­self.  Hums as he puts on his white shirt, peridot cuff links, blue-striped tie, and dark blue, double-breasted suit.  He inserts the mono­grammed handker­­­chief with the initials JCB into the front pocket.  He fusses in front of the mirror to get the handkerchief just right.  It's important that he looks good.  He doesn't want to let Paul Ellers down or have anyone, parti­cularly Mary Fisher, make negative com­ments about the way he's dressed.  With Ellers' three-year rotation­al-term as chair­man ending soon, he wants to make a good impression, especially since he's tipped to succeed Ellers.  Finally, he'll be Chairman of the Eco­nom­ics Department.  Once he becomes Chairman there'll be no stopping him.  Why, he may finally buy that dream house.  Maybe, even get married.  Wouldn't that be some­thing!  Perhaps start a family and have two fine boys like Kevin and Joey.  Yes, that would be grand.        Brady grabs a bowl of Corn Flakes and adds some banana slices.  While eating, he flips through yesterday's Haloton Herald.  He chances upon an inter­view he somehow over­looked of Cabrina Chaval.  "How about that!" he says, astonished by the coincidence.         Or is it a coinci­dence?        He pores over the interview, pausing to reflect on what Cabrina Chaval has to say, searching each word for hidden meanings.  Weeks ago, he read in a magazine that she was planning to have an operation on her eyes.        "Oh, good," he says, relieved to learn that the operation was a success.        "My eyes are very important," Cabrina Chaval is quoted as saying.  "I use my eyes to make contact with my audience, with my admirers."         He grabs a pen and a steel ruler from his desk and underlines the quote.  So this is how she makes contact—with her eyes.  That's how she made contact with him during her debut in Philadelphia.  She picked him right out of the audience.  He was sixteen at the time, too young to under­stand the full implica­tions of that look.  The way she poured out her heart, her soul to him.  It was just when he—no, he doesn't want to think about that.  He was so ashamed.  And Mother knew.  She knew exactly what happened since she was sitting right beside him . . . . He closes his eyes into tight little fists.  He opens them and blinks rapidly, hoping to blink away those thoughts.  They're dis­tracting him from the article about Cabrina Chaval.                  Responding to a question about staying in contact with her fans, Cabrina Chaval replies, "Oh, I do.  I promise to always keep in contact with them . . . . Nor do I mind meeting them in public as long as they are courteous and respectful."        "And she keeps her promises!" Brady says out loud.  Didn't she contact him in his dream?  Now she's telling him they can meet in public as long as he's courteous and respect­­ful.  This time, it'll be different . . . . This time, he'll be ready to accept her out­pouring of love.        "My one regret," she adds near the end of the interview, "is giving up learning how to play the flute.  The flute was a birthday present from my mother."        Oh, that's right!  Her birthday was just last week, on May 1st.  He reads the line again about her wanting to play the flute, letting each word sink into his conscious­ness.          If only I knew, I'd gladly have taught you myself!          If only he had the talent to teach her . . . . It's been so long since he last played, he's not sure he even remembers how.  If only he was good enough to teach some­one as special as Cabrina Chaval.        After finishing breakfast, he clips the article using an Exacto knife and the steel ruler, not clumsy scissors, and carries it to the desk.  Inside the bottom drawer are news­paper and magazine articles about Cabrina Chaval and programs from a dozen of her operas from The Magic Flute to her final season with La Traviata and Carmen, both of which he saw twice.  He picks up the program for The Magic Flute, and while glancing through it his gaze falls on the open­ing paragraph of the introduction to the opera:
                        The Magic Flute, an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus             Mozart (Die Zauberflote), was written in 1791, the last             year of Mozart's life.  According to Brewer, The             Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, the "flute" was bestowed                              by the powers of darkness, and had the power of            inspiring love.  Unless purified, the love was only lust,             but, being purified by the Powers of Light, it subserved             the holiest purposes.  Tamino and Pamina are guided             by it through all worldly dangers to the knowledge of             Divine Truth.                     The flute . . . had the power of inspiring love.        Feeling as if the Power of Light has been switched on inside him, Brady suddenly heads for the dresser.  He squats down to pull out the bottom drawer and shifts aside some memen­tos from his childhood, including the hunting knife that he bought at the Haloton Street Fair and the antique silver mirror, embossed with roses, that belonged to his mother.  He removes a narrow black case and carries it to the desk.  Before opening it, he takes a moment to pause out of respect for his mother.  It was she who bought him the flute after he had kept his promise to break up with Melissa Henderson the day after he and his mother had seen Cabrina Chaval's debut in The Magic Flute.        Although upset by what had happened that evening, still he was glad that he accom­panied his mother and filled in for his father who was ill at the time . . . . In his mind's eye, he tries to picture how Melissa Hender­son looked back then.  She was tall and lanky, with freckles and stringy auburn hair . . . but what else?  Something seems to be missing.  What was the color of her eyes?  Brown or green?  Was her smile straight or crooked?  If only he hadn't torn up all of her photos.  He even cut them out of the high school yearbook!  He was that furious with her . . . . Again, he thinks of his Pamina—Cabrina Chaval.  Still smiling, he opens his eyes and gazes reverently at the silver flute.          If I play, will you come to me—straight as an arrow?        Charmed by the thought, Brady lifts the flute from the case and weighs it in his hands as if balancing the past and the mistakes he made with the promise of a better, brighter future.  He takes a few moments to clean the flute with the cleaning rod and a lint-free cloth.  If he had more time, he would clean it properly, but that would entail disas­sem­bling it.  No doubt some wires will need to be replaced.  Anxious to give it a try, he plays some weak, out of tune notes.  He attempts to play a minor part from The Magic Flute, sur­prised that he remembers it.  His embouchure, he knows, is quite poor.  Mr. Swimble would have rapped his knuckles with his baton for playing so awkwardly.  Swimble's aim was deadly, too, targeting specific knuckles if need be.  Brady con­centrates as he plays as if truly inspired by the Power of Light—if not the Power of Love.        Noticing the time, he places the flute back inside its case and returns it to the dresser.  He abruptly changes his mind and takes the flute back to the desk and sets it on top beside the program to The Magic Flute.  Maybe he can start to play again.  Why not?  If Cabrina Chaval truly wants to pick up the flute again, maybe he can offer to teach her.  Now wouldn't that be some­thing!  Him teaching the flute to Cabrina Chaval!  He blushes at the thought . . . . Again, he contem­plates the dream he had—the most wonderful dream in the world.  Truly, a delight!  And the article, so insight­ful!  Imagine, after twenty-two years, Cabrina Chaval is contacting him again.  This time, he vows to be ready.

2
        Cabrina Chaval is sending me messages.  She says she'll be contacting me soon—in person.  But there's a problem.  Viewing hours for Marie Ellers—Paul Ellers' wife—will be held at Bellsky Funeral Home.  I have not been back there since that day…
        Before leaving the third-floor apartment above the Thompsett house, Brady, thinking he may have forgotten something, pauses at the door.  Not knowing what it is, he lets his gaze roam around the apartment as if searching for a clue to his past.  His gaze lingers on the collec­tion of cassettes, an eclectic mix of pop, country rock, and classics that he's had since he was a student; many he hasn't listened to in years.  Then he sees it, Die Zauberflote—Mozart's The Magic Flute.        From the opening of Papageno's aria "The Birdcatcher Am I Indeed" he's lulled back to his dream, thus putting him in the perfect mood for what has been, thus far, the most perfect morning of his life.  All thanks to Cabrina Chaval.        Upon arriving extra early at Bellsky Funeral Home, he has no difficulty find­ing a parking spot for the station wagon.  He still remembers how difficult it was for his father to reverse out of the parking lot once during visiting hours for his mother.  Oh, the vocabu­lary he used that day.  When he died a dozen years later, "death by misadven­ture" according to the coroner due to the alcohol and sleeping pills that he took, Brady had him taken to Faust & Beckett on the other side of Haloton, which he's sure his father appreciated.        The piped-in organ music, the dark paneled walls, and the burgundy carpet make Bellsky gloomier than he remembered.  Brady passes through several dimly-lit rooms, each with a blind corner.  Anxious not to forget what he memorized on the way over, he hurries to the next room where he finds Marie Ellers stretched out in a casket, surrounded by several people he doesn't know.  Relieved at not having to see her body right away, he pauses to get his bearings.        Paul Ellers is standing off to one side, looking like he always does, as if he's holding in his breath.  In his mid-forties, Ellers has dark brooding eye­brows, a sturdy chin, and a swim­mer's wide shoulders and narrow hips.  Despite arriving at Halo­ton State the same year, he and Ellers aren't as close as they should be.  Brady blames himself for not taking the initiative early in his career.  Of course, once he replaces Ellers as Chairman that will change.  He'll personally see to it.        Brady makes eye contact with Ellers and nods respect­fully.  Before anyone else can approach him, Brady saunters over and offers his hand.        "Paul, to be cut down in one's prime . . . . In Hamlet, William Shakespeare said, 'All that live must die, passing through nature to eternity.'"        During his high school production of Hamlet, Melissa Hender­son, who played his mother The Queen of Denmark, said that very line to him count­less times.  She then said it again at his mother's funeral two weeks before the actual performance.        "Thank you, Jonathan," Ellers replies, forcing a polite smile.        "You're more than welcome," Brady says, glad that Ellers is taking his wife's death so well.  He's also glad to see others trickling in.  Even though the timing is bad for every­one with final exams only four days away, more and more people drop by to pay their respects.  Most are paying them to a woman they hardly know, for Marie Ellers rarely set foot on campus.  Most of the credit for the turnout has to go to Ellers' secretary, Mary Fisher, who's now standing sentinel at the entrance, casting a troll-like gaze on all those who arrive.  Short and dumpy, she barely comes up to most people's armpits.  Even though everyone at the de­part­­ment knows that she personally despised Marie Ellers, she made it her special mission to cajole, shame, and arm-twist every member into taking the time to drop by for viewing hours.           Catching his gaze, Mary Fisher puckers her lips like a tuna and mouths, "Thanks for coming."  She glances at the time.        So does Brady.        Since Paul Ellers' relatives live mostly in Oregon, only a few can make the journey; whereas Marie's relatives all hail from nearby Philadelphia and they arrive en masse.  They head straight for Marie's casket as if only they have any real claim to her body and drive every­one else away.  Once their command is firmly establish­ed, they abandon their station and then march toward Paul Ellers as if to demand an explanation.        "If there's anything—anything you need," Brady says to Ellers, as he side­steps the mob, "you know where to find me."
        Since the

 **Here's the link to my website, to MPH online for orders for all three of my books, including my latest, Spirit of Malaysia and to the French translation of Lovers and Strangers Revisited, Trois autres Malaisie.  Thanks!