Many people have asked me, “Jason, what are your influences in writing?” Of course, that is a lie. NO ONE has ever asked me that. I am not famous enough yet. But still, let us assume that I have commanded enough fame and fortune for the curious fan or two to ask me, “Jason, what are your influences in writing?”
Well, firstly I have to say that when I write something, it’s usually with a sense of humour. I am relatively new at writing funny stuff, and I think I have yet to find my comedic voice, as that takes time and practice, but a lot of it is based on humourous writers, stand-up comedians and sitcoms.
One of my all time favourites is Dave Barry. I have read almost all his columns online and read two of his books. He is a tremendously funny guy. His observational skill is top notch and he has won a few Pulitzer Prizes for journalism. He makes fun of everything, from toilet bowls to politicians. I would love to show you how funny he is by analyzing his work, but its best if you just go to his website.
Stand-up comedians are another source of inspiration. They made me realize that the funniest jokes come from the best truths, and vice versa. Good comedians are the ones that make you go, “Hey yeah, how come I never saw it that way?” the moment they deliver the punch line. Again, it’s all about observation, how they critique the trivialities of human life, how they satirize our nuances, how they try to rationalize the inexplicable. My favourites? In no particular order: Ricky Gervais, Russell Peters, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Dara O’Brian and many more.
My goal is to one day reach the pinnacles of my idols’ success. Or get rich trying. Every dream has to start somewhere right? I mean, to make people laugh and get paid for it, I think that’s my ultimate dream. Don’t get me wrong, I am proud to be a Medical Student. I have worked hard to be a good medical student. But I sometimes wonder, if I had put in all the effort and time and resources into pursuing a career in comedy, where would I be now?
Sunday, April 13, 2008
OhmiGod!
My gosh, I’ve published a book! I am an author! Wow. What a rush the last 12 months has been. A lot of people have asked me, how did you get a publisher to publish your book? Well, that is an amazing story. You see, when I finished my manuscript in June 2007, my first task was complete. But now came the hardest challenge. Who would agree to take my manuscript, edit it, made sure it looked pretty, get a graphic designer to professionally do the front and back cover, print a few thousand copies of it, and distribute it all over Malaysia, and at the end of the day, pay me some money for it?
So I emailed my manuscript to almost every publisher imaginable in the Malaysia and Singapore region. I even over-ambitiously emailed it to Ireland and UK, thinking that since my book is about Ireland, it would be relevant there. After many weeks of waiting, only ONE publisher replied, and yes, it was Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia).
First, it was the head of the Malaysian branch, Christine Chong, who replied me, saying that the manuscript will be sent for ‘evaluation’. I felt so happy! At least she didn’t reject me!
Then after a few more weeks of fervent hoping and nail-biting, she sent another email, saying that the evaluation looked positive, but they needed more time to review it. This time, I felt rather confused. Oh no, I thought. Were they in doubt as to whether what I wrote was publishable? Christine gave me a one month. “Bug me in one month’s time,” she said. She sounded so professional. So casual. I, on the other hand, was screaming at the laptop, who undoubtedly must have been confused, since it did nothing to warrant me yelling, “PLEASE PUBLISH MY WORK! PLEASE! I WILL DO ANYTHING! I WILL SACRIFICE GOATS TO SATAN IF YOU WANT ME TO!”
Thankfully, Christine was not that sort of person, and neither was Marshall Cavendish that sort of organization. One day, she emailed me again, and this time, she said, “Sorry for the delay, but I hope it was worthwhile. Yes, we will publish your work. We will need you to confirm your address and IC number for payment and we will be sending you the contracts for you to sign shortly.” After reading the email for 100 times, this time with me leaning forward, my nose almost touching the screen with such a teary-eyed expression that my laptop really feared for the keyboard’s life.
I immediately called up my girlfriend, Komella. She is my best friend, so she deserved to know it first. “I AM GETTING PUBLISHED!” I yelled through my handphone. My electronic gadget deserves a better owner. “Yay, I am so happy for you!” Komella replied. I could hear the joy and elation in her voice. “Okay I have to go study now,” she said immediately, her span for joy and elation now ended. After I hung up, I RAN to my housemate Mike’s room, without even knocking on his door (like always).
He was lying in bed reading FHM. I just looked at him dead in his eyes. He looked back at me. “They are publishing my work, bro!” I said. He immediately dropped the FHM, pulled up his pants, cleaned his right hand with some tissue paper and shook my hand. “Congrats, bro!”
And that’s how it happened. Thank you, Christine Chong for not deleting my email! Thank you Manjula Aryaduray for reviewing and evaluating my manuscript! Thank you, Leowania Leow, for not only possessing a rather funky first-name second-name combo, but for soldiering on with the book! Lee Jin Jin, my super, super designer who drew all the cartoons for every chapter and the AWESOME cover!
And last but not least, thank you all of you who have supported me and bought my book!
I have many other plans for future books, but let’s just savour this one for now. Many years from now, if I do make it big in the publishing world, I will never forget the loyal few of you.
I love you guys and gals.
Keep in touch via this blog!
So I emailed my manuscript to almost every publisher imaginable in the Malaysia and Singapore region. I even over-ambitiously emailed it to Ireland and UK, thinking that since my book is about Ireland, it would be relevant there. After many weeks of waiting, only ONE publisher replied, and yes, it was Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia).
First, it was the head of the Malaysian branch, Christine Chong, who replied me, saying that the manuscript will be sent for ‘evaluation’. I felt so happy! At least she didn’t reject me!
Then after a few more weeks of fervent hoping and nail-biting, she sent another email, saying that the evaluation looked positive, but they needed more time to review it. This time, I felt rather confused. Oh no, I thought. Were they in doubt as to whether what I wrote was publishable? Christine gave me a one month. “Bug me in one month’s time,” she said. She sounded so professional. So casual. I, on the other hand, was screaming at the laptop, who undoubtedly must have been confused, since it did nothing to warrant me yelling, “PLEASE PUBLISH MY WORK! PLEASE! I WILL DO ANYTHING! I WILL SACRIFICE GOATS TO SATAN IF YOU WANT ME TO!”
Thankfully, Christine was not that sort of person, and neither was Marshall Cavendish that sort of organization. One day, she emailed me again, and this time, she said, “Sorry for the delay, but I hope it was worthwhile. Yes, we will publish your work. We will need you to confirm your address and IC number for payment and we will be sending you the contracts for you to sign shortly.” After reading the email for 100 times, this time with me leaning forward, my nose almost touching the screen with such a teary-eyed expression that my laptop really feared for the keyboard’s life.
I immediately called up my girlfriend, Komella. She is my best friend, so she deserved to know it first. “I AM GETTING PUBLISHED!” I yelled through my handphone. My electronic gadget deserves a better owner. “Yay, I am so happy for you!” Komella replied. I could hear the joy and elation in her voice. “Okay I have to go study now,” she said immediately, her span for joy and elation now ended. After I hung up, I RAN to my housemate Mike’s room, without even knocking on his door (like always).
He was lying in bed reading FHM. I just looked at him dead in his eyes. He looked back at me. “They are publishing my work, bro!” I said. He immediately dropped the FHM, pulled up his pants, cleaned his right hand with some tissue paper and shook my hand. “Congrats, bro!”
And that’s how it happened. Thank you, Christine Chong for not deleting my email! Thank you Manjula Aryaduray for reviewing and evaluating my manuscript! Thank you, Leowania Leow, for not only possessing a rather funky first-name second-name combo, but for soldiering on with the book! Lee Jin Jin, my super, super designer who drew all the cartoons for every chapter and the AWESOME cover!
And last but not least, thank you all of you who have supported me and bought my book!
I have many other plans for future books, but let’s just savour this one for now. Many years from now, if I do make it big in the publishing world, I will never forget the loyal few of you.
I love you guys and gals.
Keep in touch via this blog!
Holla, my friends!
This is getting easier. When Leowania, my editor, gave me the idea of starting a blog, I was at a loss on what to write about. Now that I have gotten the intro and talked about my inspiration, it’s getting easier to get the thoughts and memories flowing.
I suppose you can say that I have had a love affair with the English language. It’s so beautiful and powerful, the English language. With the right words set in the right tone, you can do wonders with it. You can evoke passion, tell stories ranging from epics to sagas, express love, tackle girls, provoke a fight, and incite a riot, ad infinitum
It all began for me at an early age when my mother would borrow books from some sort of rent-a-library place near her workplace. It was a lovely assortment of Enid Blyton's, and soon, I had read all the Famous Fives, knew all the secrets of Secret Seven, found out all about The Find-Outers and all about Mr. Meddle, Brer Rabbit and countless other characters.
Then as I grew older, I started reading The Bookworm Gang, truly an awesome series from Singapore. The stories were simple, intriguing and had many settings and lessons that were relevant to young children. After that came the Hardy Boys, written by Franklin W. Dixon. I read almost the entire series, and it took my understanding of English to a whole new level, because really, it was a linguistic leap from The Bookworm Gang. It had grittier plots, with more intense action and drama. Still, it paled in comparison to most of the adult novels today.
Nowadays, I do regret that I don’t read as much as I like to. Medical student life is tough. Yet, I have found time to read a few John Grisham’s, one or two Jeffrey Archer’s. But two other women have dominated my life. Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime is one. She writes murder mysteries, classic whodunits that have clearly set her apart from her peers in the genre. She has innovated most of the plot devices we all read and know of today in books, television and cinema. Pick up one of her books, and you will be hooked.
I recommend The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express and The ABC Murders. You will be pulled in by the wonderful character of Hercule Poirot, the elegant Belgian detective. You will not regret it.
Secondly, the other favourite female author is none other than JK Rowling. If you have not read Harry Potter, then it is my deep regret to inform you that there is no cure for early onset Alzheimer’s disease. JK Rowling is the absolute genius and master of the narrative. She has created a world so vivid, so realistic and yet so magical that she is truly one of the greats. It is my opinion she should be TIME magazine’s Person of the Year at least once. The way she describes a scene, a room, an incident is masterful that it really immerses you in the story, makes you feel as if you are right next to the characters. I don’t know about other fans, but through her books, I have like a set memory of Harry Potter’s world, almost like a photographic memory of my imagination. I know exactly how Hogwarts is laid out, what the common room is like, etc etc. And not just from the movies.
So that’s how it all began. And now, with the publication of my first ever book, perhaps I may wish silently that a new chapter would begin. Thank you all for being a part of it.
Keep in touch via this blog!
I suppose you can say that I have had a love affair with the English language. It’s so beautiful and powerful, the English language. With the right words set in the right tone, you can do wonders with it. You can evoke passion, tell stories ranging from epics to sagas, express love, tackle girls, provoke a fight, and incite a riot, ad infinitum
It all began for me at an early age when my mother would borrow books from some sort of rent-a-library place near her workplace. It was a lovely assortment of Enid Blyton's, and soon, I had read all the Famous Fives, knew all the secrets of Secret Seven, found out all about The Find-Outers and all about Mr. Meddle, Brer Rabbit and countless other characters.
Then as I grew older, I started reading The Bookworm Gang, truly an awesome series from Singapore. The stories were simple, intriguing and had many settings and lessons that were relevant to young children. After that came the Hardy Boys, written by Franklin W. Dixon. I read almost the entire series, and it took my understanding of English to a whole new level, because really, it was a linguistic leap from The Bookworm Gang. It had grittier plots, with more intense action and drama. Still, it paled in comparison to most of the adult novels today.
Nowadays, I do regret that I don’t read as much as I like to. Medical student life is tough. Yet, I have found time to read a few John Grisham’s, one or two Jeffrey Archer’s. But two other women have dominated my life. Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime is one. She writes murder mysteries, classic whodunits that have clearly set her apart from her peers in the genre. She has innovated most of the plot devices we all read and know of today in books, television and cinema. Pick up one of her books, and you will be hooked.
I recommend The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express and The ABC Murders. You will be pulled in by the wonderful character of Hercule Poirot, the elegant Belgian detective. You will not regret it.
Secondly, the other favourite female author is none other than JK Rowling. If you have not read Harry Potter, then it is my deep regret to inform you that there is no cure for early onset Alzheimer’s disease. JK Rowling is the absolute genius and master of the narrative. She has created a world so vivid, so realistic and yet so magical that she is truly one of the greats. It is my opinion she should be TIME magazine’s Person of the Year at least once. The way she describes a scene, a room, an incident is masterful that it really immerses you in the story, makes you feel as if you are right next to the characters. I don’t know about other fans, but through her books, I have like a set memory of Harry Potter’s world, almost like a photographic memory of my imagination. I know exactly how Hogwarts is laid out, what the common room is like, etc etc. And not just from the movies.
So that’s how it all began. And now, with the publication of my first ever book, perhaps I may wish silently that a new chapter would begin. Thank you all for being a part of it.
Keep in touch via this blog!
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