OK, so a lot has happened since I last blogged here. I’ve been pretty active generating Sofia-related content on my Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/judithsyhuang, so if you want to find out more about the book and promotional events, please do like the page!
First off, the book is now in bookstores! It is in Kinokuniya, Times, some Populars, the indies like Booksactually, Grassroots, Littered with Books, etc. But you can still get it from me (and I greatly appreciate getting direct orders because I get to make more money from them) and I will make sure you get a signed copy. The best way is to contact me through my contact form on this site, or on my Facebook Page.
So, what does it feel like to be a published author? Definitely better than an unpublished author, that’s for sure. All of my fears about not being able to take criticism or my anticipation that I would be disappointed at the reception of my book have been swept away. It has been an overwhelmingly positive experience so far. I love hearing from the early readers of the book, about both what they liked and what they disliked about the book. I am particularly fascinated at how absolutely everyone has a different take on it. Death of the author is something I can definitely get behind.
I’ve gotten some press! Here is the Straits Times interview and review of the book by the lovely Olivia Ho. I have a few reviews on Goodreads now, and going strong. I’ve also given an interview to the Harvard Ichthus, though that’s still in the works.
I’ve done a few events for the book, from the launch at Bakery and Bar, to Book Jams with the National Library and school visits. I did a reading at Booksactually where I talked about the books that inspired this book and read an excerpt.
My next event is with City Book Room on August 26 where I’ll talk about the cinematic influences on Sofia. I’m really looking forward to that one.
One of the cool things about publishing a book is that suddenly a lot of people who I knew from school, like teachers and classmates, come out of the woodwork and want to catch up. I met with my teacher from primary school, Ms Kwok, and my teacher from secondary school, Mr Lin. I’ll be meeting more of my ex-teachers, I’m sure.
I’m also writing the next book. I feel far more confident about this one than I did with the first. I also feel like I have gotten a lot of the most pressing issues I’ve always wanted to write about in the first one, and I’m more relaxed and exploratory with this second one. These are all good things.
There’s much more to say, but for now, let me leave you with Sofia’s official soundtrack. Read the book to it, and follow the updates on my facebook page as I talk about the music I wrote the book to, and also why the playlist mimics the plot.
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