INTERVIEW WITH THE POET MARTIN CHAN

INTERVIEW WITH THE POET MARTIN CHAN 
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Martin Chan is an international poet who is dedicated to expressing his emotions and thoughts with pen and paper.
He loves the American literature, though he's not a native American, and he has always regarded Phillips Andover as his dream school.
Besides writing, he is an avid reader. He is currently working on his first novel, the first short-story collection, and the first poetry collection (hopefully self-published).
He has always regarded himself as a stranger in the literature circle, though he has a lot of work published in different journals (online and print).Instagram: @martinchanofficial
Twitter: @HaimingChan
Facebook: Martin Chan
Snapchat: @thecoolmartin
Musical.ly: @crazykidmartin
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Martin-chan/e/B00IT7TONK/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
INTERVIEW WITH THE YOUNG POET 
MARTIN CHAN



Welcome to Roxana's Blog!  

1. Tell us about yourself and your background.
  Sure. My name is Martin Chan. I am a Taiwanese high school student. I was born in 2000. I considered myself to be the youngest poet with a poetry collection published traditionally. I have an older brother and sister. I love reading and always expect myself to be able to express my emotions through pens and pieces of paper. I love writing also. I am now working on my first novel, ‘’ Finding Her’’. Hopefully I will find an agent for this book by the end of the year and publish it before 2019.
 
2. Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school?
   Well, my school years wasn’t as good as I first thought to be. I was bullied during elementary, middle and high school for not having strong following on social media and an Iphone. Everyone in the school considered me a freak. They always call me an English monster, since I do lots of English reading everyday and get good grades in English. Writing is the only way for me to avoid their cruel bullying. I start writing poems in high school, since my classmates bullied me even more. I have gone through much experience regarding bullying, and that does have some impact on my writing career. Most of my poems are dark and desperate, since I was studying in the hell-like school. Writing has helped me with a lot of things. Ever since I started writing, I felt a little bit better and started feeling hopeful for my school life.
 
 
3. Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student?
  I read a lot of English novels and I am kinda good at English. I got more than 2300 points on SSAT and 1500 on SAT. I don’t take Toefl as they are kinda easy for me.
 
4. What are your future writing ambitions for your writing career?
  Have a book that was adapted to a filmJ
 
5. So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far?
   So far I have written 12 short stories that have already been published in different literary journals. I am also working on my first short story collection titled ‘’ The Fears’’ and a thriller called ‘’Finding Her’’. I have a blog called Teen’s Weekly Insider where I post some poems written by me. I have received a Pushcart award for Short Story and a bluestone award for poems. I am developing an upcoming Young Adult novel focusing on the school life of four Internet sensations. Hopefully I will begin writing this December.
 
6. Where can we buy or see them?
   You may Google Martin Chan Mid-Autumn Moon and I’m 100% sure that you will find different literary journals publishing the same story.
Below is the link to my short stories that have been published:
https://www.magzter.com/TW/Freshman-Press/Entertainment-Teens/Entertainment
http://www.pangyrus.com/fiction/isle-of-delights/
http://www.themanchesterreview.co.uk/?p=7093
http://www.indianavoicejournal.com/2017/02/fiction-by-martin-chan-and-oscar-goes.html
http://en.calameo.com/books/00473905971ac8ff20c7e
http://teenweeklyinsider.weebly.com/poetry
 
7. What are you working on at the minute? What is it about?
 
  I am now trying to get my first literary agent for my thriller ‘’ Finding Her’’, a riveting thriller novel about a detective hired to find a missing woman. Readers can't help but become absorbed in this book as the story unfolds and shocking secrets are discovered. The suspense is unrelenting with twists and turns that lead to a startling climax. I am also working on my first short story collection titled ‘’ The Fears’’ and a thriller called ‘’Finding Her’’. I am developing an upcoming Young Adult novel focusing on the school life of four Internet sensations. Hopefully I will begin writing this December.
 
8. What genres are your books and what draws you to this genre?
 
  Well, I didn’t limit myself to a specific genre. Since this is my first poetry collection I want to be free with what I wrote.
 
9. What is your favorite book and why?
 
  Jack Reacher Series. I love Lee Child! Jack Reacher is dope.
 
10. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
 
   Just told you. Definitely Lee Child. I want to ask him of some questions regarding Jack Reecher. I want to know if there would be more Jack Reacher.
 
11. How can readers discover more about you and your work?
 
Facebook: Martin Chan
Twitter: @HaimingChan
Snapchat: @thecoolmartin
Instagram: @martinchanofficial
Tumblr: @MartinChan
Webstie: https://www.magzter.com/TW/Freshman-Press/Entertainment-Teens/Entertainment
Blog: teenweeklyinsider.weebly.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Chan/e/B00IT7TONK/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
 
12. What books are you reading at the present?
   Jack Reacher and Stephen King’s It!
 
13. What’s the hardest thing about writing?
   You got to think an eye-catching plot with compelling story. And then it’s grammar.


Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

NEW RELEASE 

The Debut: Poetry Collection
Turn Emotions Into A Book
by Martin Chan

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Let Me Belong

I walk with the crowd, 
all alone, 
I look at the strained faces of strangers, 
the dead emptiness of their eyes, 
the weariness of their broken smiles searching for hope of tomorrow… 
I follow…I follow 

I have no family, I
have no country, 
I have no past, 
I have no present, 
only the emptiness of my heart’s memories of a land, 
once my home, now ravished by war. 

With images of my past left behind… I cry…I cry 
I follow the crowd to promises of lies, 
In the passing forms 
I see silhouettes of pain, 
hear the cries of despair,
shouts of anger, 

I feel the tears of nothingness. 
With words of silent prayers of hope…
I pray…I pray 

"An urgent heart in need, demanding answers: there is much to admire in Mr. Chan's poetry; and I wish I had written so well at his age. But regardless of age, his words dedicated to a relentless quest for the truth and all the pain associated with that is to be admired."
                                                                              Robin Wyatt Dunn


When I read Martin Chan's poems for the first time, I knew I held the verses of one of the best poets of the time in my hands. Little did I know then that this poet wasn't even seventeen at the time. 
Yet, despite his tender age, Martin Chan's poetry shows depth and feeling. His words have the power to touch your soul and mind."
                                                     Roxana Nastase - Editor In Chief, Scarlet Leaf

Martin Chan's debut poems book - Martin Chan is a foreign high school student who has more than 10 works published in different reputable magazines & journals. He is also the first Taiwanese who has his work appear in both Quarterly West & Manchester Review and the first high school student who has been ever nominated for a Pushcart Prize for Best Short Story. His latest works can be found in Manchester Review, Pangyrus, Quarterly West, Indiana Voice, and more.
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