Malaysian Writers Society / Persatuan Penulis Malaysia

06/02/2025

Your February 2025 MYWritersPenang newsletter -

Join us on International Women's Day and at Open Studios Penang in March - sign up now if you'd like to read your work.

18/01/2025

TAPAU: BEST OF MALAYSIAN FOOD WRITING 2000-2022 is now available at ! Right by TTDI MRT Station, Tintabudi is an independent bookstore that focuses on serious literature.

11/01/2025

For all our differences, the one thing that unites Malaysians is the love of good food and drink. Thus, Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000–2022 should speak to all hearts, through our permanently-growly stomachs, with stories that celebrate our culinary obsessions!

Join us for the book's KL launch and meet the editors and some of the authors featured in the collection.

Featured guests:
Editors May Chong, Jason S. Ganesan, and Wan Phing Lim
Writers Sek Han Foo, Jaymee Goh, Siti Nuraishah, and Jack Malik

Tintabudi Bookstore, TTDI Plaza
18th Jan 2025
3 PM
MRT: TTDI, Pintu B

03/01/2025

Your January 2025 MYWritersPenang newsletter -

Looking for a new writing goal? Write and send us something for our Milestones anthology!

01/01/2025

Glad to be on the 2024 bestsellers list!

BESTSELLERS 2024

So this is what you've been waiting for with bated breath. Our top dozen bestsellers for 2024 – a tough year for us in many respects, but which picked up at the George Town Literary Festival and carried over to the rest of the year. It's especially gratifying to see so many Malaysian and Singaporean publishers represented.

1. Tan Twan Eng, The House of Doors (Canongate Books)
2. Malachi Edwin Vethamani, ed., Malaysian Places and Spaces (Maya Press)
3. Hanna Alkaf, The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's (Sikon & Schuster)
4. Tan Twan Eng, The Garden of Evening Mists (Canongate Books)
5. Karina Robles Bahrin, The Accidental Malay (Epigram Books)
6. Masturah Alatas, The Life in the Writing: Syed Hussein Alatas (Gerakbudaya)
7. Saras Manickam, My Mother Pattu (Penguin Books SEA)
8. May Chong, Jason S Ganesan and Wan Phing Lim, eds, Tapau The Best of Malaysian Food Writing, 2000–2022 (Malaysian Writers Society)
9. Akiya, Slave (Gerakbudaya)
10. Dina Zaman, Malayland (Faction Press)
11. Han Kang, The Vegetarian (Granta Books)
12. Kennie Ting, The Great Port Cities of Asia (Talisman Publishing)

Thank you to the writers, editors, designers, publicists, publishers, distributors, transporters ... and readers ... who make the book ecosystem viable, against the odds.

16/12/2024

Calling all Malaysian Writers Society members based in the Klang Valley! Let’s catch up one last time before we bid farewell to 2024. 🎉
Drop by between 4-6pm at Mountbatten Cafe, 58 Jalan Tun Perak, KL. LRT: Masjid Jamek.

04/12/2024

We had a great time at the George Town Literary Festival last weekend!

We're thankful for your support of Malaysian authors and we hope that you left the festival with thoughtful conversations, delightful friendships, and many new books, including those on our top 10 bestsellers.

Do continue supporting local authors - and if you're a writer yourself, we hope to see you soon!

03/12/2024

Your December 2024 MYWritersPenang newsletter -

Come for the launches of NutMag 8: Harmony and Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022. Plus, drop by our booth to buy local books!

29/11/2024

We just launched our food anthology this morning. Have you Tapau-ed your copy? If not, come over to UAB building this weekend and get yours now!


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26/11/2024

Turning the pages to the day we meet!

Less than a week from now, Tapau and NutMag will be yours…

Here’s where you can find the Malaysian Writers Society all weekend!

Preorder your copy of Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022 now!
PRINT: https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/our-books/
EBOOK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=qrYlEQAAQBAJ

22/11/2024

Get to know the remaining authors who’ve added their unique flavours to this flavourful anthology!

Max Loh is a comics maker focused on socio-political issues and food, with works published by The Nib, Image Comics, and more. He is a founding member of UNNAMED and co-authored the graphic novel We'll Eat When We're Done. Max is currently writing a book and exploring Singapore's best Banh Mi. He is known for merging food and political commentary in his comics.

Brandon K. Liew is a writer, reviewer, and scholar of Malaysian Literature. He curates the audio-archive A Wasteland of Malaysian Poetry in English and is the treasurer of the Malaysian Writers Society. His website is www.brandonliew.com, where you can learn more about his work.

Siti Nuraishah Ahmad teaches literature at a Malaysian university and publishes research on topics like colonial discourse, national identity, and transnationalism. Her academic work appears in journals both locally and internationally.

Siti Zaharah Syahiera is a part-time people-watching enthusiast from Terengganu with a master’s in English Literature. Her passion for books and writing has been long-standing, continuing through adulthood.

Abirami Durai is an assistant food editor at The Star, with over a decade of experience writing about local culinary culture and heritage. She judges and moderates food events like the World Durian Championships: Malaysia Edition. Abirami is deeply immersed in the food scene, particularly in exploring and promoting Malaysian food culture.

Preorder your copy of Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022 now!
PRINT: https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/our-books/
EBOOK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=qrYlEQAAQBAJ

20/11/2024

While we’re excited to see new names, we are extremely thrilled to see familiar names too! Here are some fun facts about our returning writers:

Alif Zamri returns for the second time! He's also the only Malay-language poet in our zine since 2016!
Celine Wu has the distinction of being in every edition of NutMag since 2017.
Jenny Hor () has just launched her first chapbook with Working Desk Publishing. It will be available at GTLF as well!
Jinming Khor's work is the only creative non-fiction piece in this year’s zine.
JY Tan's stories always has a touch of the magical. Find out more at jytan.org
Wilson Khor W.H. (.khorwh), the man behind Working Desk Publishing, is the one who helps make sure NutMag actually gets printed on time.

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Join us for our NutMag 8: Harmony launch!
Date: 30 Nov, Saturday
Time: 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Venue: Auditorium, Bangunan Wawasan, 7 G*t Lebuh China, 10300 George Town, Penang

Print copies of NutMag 8: Harmony will be available for sale at GTLF.
Unable to make it? Preorder an ebook here: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=GesoEQAAQBAJ

17/11/2024

The nonfiction entries in this volume are united by memory; from clinging on to what is being lost to making meaning anew.

While Ong Jin Teong and Peter Yeoh investigate the roots of northern dishes tied to lost hawker stalls, Max Loh’s comic reflects on how these iconic stalls, crucial to Malaysian identity, faced challenges even before the pandemic. The works of Aizuddin H. Anuar, Denise Chin, and Brandon K. Liew explore how food and place anchor personal memories and identity, while Deborah Germaine Augustin emphasises that food’s significance often lies more in experience than consumption.

Two essays highlight the resilience of heritage cuisines against modern forces: Abirami Durai describes Melaka’s Chetti community’s fight to preserve its culinary heritage, while Siti Zaharah Syahiera Fauzi and Siti Nuraishah Ahmad examine how Nyonya food in literature reflects women’s empowerment. Max Loh’s second comic critiques how rice, central to Malaysian cuisine, has been sacrificed to business interests, and Dipika Mukherjee encapsulates the collection’s theme with her reminder that we are all “holding on to the ancient while navigating our new worlds.”

Preorder your copy of Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022 now!
PRINT: https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/our-books/
EBOOK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=qrYlEQAAQBAJ

16/11/2024

Presenting MORE brilliant authors behind this delightful fusion of tales!

Deborah Germaine Augustin, Malaysian cross-genre writer, envisions a world where everyone has freedom of movement. Her works reflect themes of inclusivity and global awareness, rooted in her upbringing in Malaysia. Passionate about storytelling, she crafts narratives that challenge borders and boundaries.

Dipika Mukherjee () is the author of novels and the travel essay collection Writer’s Postcards(2023), Dipika’s work is widely translated into multiple languages. She has received awards from Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and the Illinois Arts Council.

Dr. Ong Jin Teong, born into a Penang Nonya family, Dr. Ong is a food heritage expert and retired professor of electrical engineering. Now a consultant in Nonya cuisine, he conducts classes and runs supper clubs centered on Penang food. His research and lectures celebrate Nonya heritage, blending culinary expertise with cultural preservation.

Aizuddin H. Anuar, a writer whose fiction and poetry appear in both English and Malay, Aizuddin’s works are published in Mekong Review and Dewan Sastera, among others. His debut collection, The Towering Petai Tree explores diverse Malaysian themes. His stories and reflections draw from cultural heritage and contemporary life.

Denise Chin (.chn) grew up in Kuala Lumpur and brings a love of food and identity to her writing, now from her home in Portland, OR. Her work appears in Provecho magazine, Periuk.my, and the Telltale Food anthology. As a mother and immigrant, her life experiences deeply shape her food-centered storytelling.

Preorder your copy of Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022 now!
PRINT: https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/our-books/
EBOOK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=qrYlEQAAQBAJ

14/11/2024

Planning out your GTLF schedule? Check out Eksentrika's recommendations!

P/S: Our Tapau launch is #1!
PP/S: You should also add the NutMag 8 launch to your list :D

The 14th George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) was nearly cancelled. Find out why your presence at GTLF 2024 is more important than ever.

13/11/2024

Every year, when we look through our submissions pile, we’re excited to see new names!

Here are the four new NutMag authors for 2024, and a little bit about who they are:

Carolyn Khor: We first met Carolyn when she came to watch at Butterworth Fringe Festival 2023. Check out her other works at https://newswav.com/publisher/carolyn-khor-2070
Eileyn Chua (facebook.com/GasExplosionSurvivor): Eileyn has been with us since the Penang Writers Workshops in 2020! She has several chapbooks out and has read for us multiple times, but this is the first time we’re seeing her work in NutMag.
Lauren Tan: Lauren is completely new to us! We’re excited to have her words and to meet her at the launch for the very first time.
Munira Noor Mazlan: Munira is a graduate of this year's Penang Writers Workshops. We’re always excited to help establish upcoming writers and support them on their writing journey.

Join us for our NutMag 8: Harmony launch!
Date: 30 Nov, Saturday
Time: 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Venue: Auditorium, Bangunan Wawasan, 7 G*t Lebuh China, 10300 George Town, Penang

Print copies of NutMag 8: Harmony will be available for sale at .
Unable to make it? Preorder an ebook here: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=GesoEQAAQBAJ

11/11/2024

In fiction, food is no less a fodder for the imagination. From heartwarming family recipes passed down the generation (Appa’s Mutton Curry by Sumitra Selvaraj) to comical satires of Roti Canai running away to Singapore (Misadventures in Food by Marcus van Geyzel), a wide array of foods are represented in this anthology to please every palate, from laksa to char siew bao to french fries and Bru coffee.

Of the 13 stories selected, some food stories bring people together in the muhibbah sort of way (Yashiro, the travelling diner by Masami Mustaza). But some also divide people, as it divides the marriages of the protagonists in Pau Babi by Tilon Sagulu and The Art of Food Plating by Eileen Lian.

Food represents nostalgia and a longing for home (Teh Tarik by Shahminee Selvakannu), but it can also be contentious, leading to rivalry and competition in the family (The Seductive Properties of Chiffon Cake by Elaine Chiew).

Through satire, absurdity, and celebration, food becomes both a comforting presence and a catalyst for darker themes. So, tuck in and savour every story.

Preorder your copy of Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022 now!
PRINT: https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/our-books/
EBOOK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=qrYlEQAAQBAJ

08/11/2024

Before we indulge in the hearty concoction of stories, let’s get to know the authors who’ve cooked up a literary spread you won’t want to miss!

Tilon Sagulu (), a Dusun native from Sabah living in Kuala Lumpur, blends digital expertise with a passion for storytelling. Known for his culinary finds, love of RuPaul's Drag Race, and adventures with his poodle, Jinkxie, he crafts life like a mystical journey.

A PR professional with a journalism background, Masami Mustaza dreams of writing fiction but remains grounded in her corporate role until inspiration or luck pushes her to pursue her creative aspirations.

Sumitra Selvaraj () has 25 years in PR and broadcasting, now leads PR for a breast cancer association in Malaysia. An award-winning writer, her work appears across anthologies and platforms, showcasing her dedication to storytelling.

Jaymee Goh () is currently a speculative fiction writer, reviewer, and editor, Jaymee’s work spans publications like *Science Fiction Studies* and *The Los Angeles Review of Books*. A Clarion Workshop alumna, she contributes to Tachyon Publications.

After a decade in Singapore, Eileen Lian () now teaches English in Kuala Lumpur. Her parenting philosophy centers on self-growth to support her children, whom she credits as her greatest teachers.

Lawyer-turned-writer, Marcus van Geyzel (.life) spent 20 years suppressing his creative side. Now embracing fiction, he approaches his new path with humour, shedding old roles with a liberating sense of freedom.

Preorder your copy of Tapau: The Best of Malaysian Food Writing 2000-2022 now!
PRINT: https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/our-books/
EBOOK: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=qrYlEQAAQBAJ