subTEXT

Thanks again to everyone who made it to my book launch! We had about 30 people, a good vibe in spite of the noisy SJI reunion outside, and an extremely surreal impromptu interview with Angeline Yap with each of us acting as the other person:

Ms Yap: So tell me, Ms Yap, what do you remember about my days as a JC schoolboy, working you half to death with three poems a week?

Me: Why Mr Ng, I remember feeling very pressured, what with my job at Allen and Gledhill and being a mother of three children and all...

(I guess you had to be there. Images forthcoming.)

Anyway, I'm going to be next reading this coming Thursday at subTEXT, the monthly literary reading in the National Library basement.

Featured are (from left to right) the musician Yee Chang Kang, poet Kristina Tom, poet-cum-organiser Yong Shu Hoong, poet Yeow Kai Chai and myself. I'll be reading some new stuff and old stuff.

Once again, that's

subTEXT
Thursday Nov 2, 7:00pm
Multipurpose room
Central Lending Library (basement)
Victoria Street

Book launch@SAM

If you missed my first book launch (which was a blast), do try and make it for my second launch, with the poet Angeline Yap as guest-of-honour.

Friday 27 October 2006
7:00pm (again, schmoozing starts at 6:30pm)
Singapore Art Museum
The Cube
71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555

Seeya there,

Yi-Sheng.
B).

Coverage at Trevvy.com

I've got a review and profile by Kerbing Lee at www.Trevvy.com. It's not a fantastic review, but at least that means I know it's fair. It dwells a lot on how difficult the poetry can be sometimes, and it goes further -

"Sometimes, the work speaks more about the writer than the writer would care to admit about himself. Ng spoke about a sense of playfulness and affirmation in his poetry. What one finds in the work is instead a profound sense of unspeakable loneliness and isolation. Last Boy seems to exist in its own universe – in a galaxy far away. The language is fluid and spectacular, but its centre of gravity exists in an alternate dimension. There is a mature mind that seems to indulge behind a façade of unfounded youthfulness."

Am slightly depressed now. Will post some photos of the launch to cheer myself up.

Me being hyper.

The audience trickling in.

The books, together with a sunflower from my sort-of-mentee Amos. :)

One of the videos Brian Gothong Tan did.

Me adjusting the audio for the projector.

The audience being appreciative.

And buka-ing our puasa.

There's more pics of me and Brian's video work at my personal blog. Hope people come to the next reading!

raunch launch

The "last boy" launch at Tanglin Camp was fantastic. Many, many thanks to all the people who spent hours trying to find the location (by car, taxi, shuttle bus and just WALKING the extremely long distance through the jungle).

I'm going to upload more pictures soon, but for now I'll just let slip that during the Q&A sessions with Alfian and the audience, my responses became progressively more sexually perverse and gossipy. Among the topics broached were my growing fascination with cunnilingus and exhibitionism. Brian's extremely artistic videos didn't make things easy, either.

Images forthcoming!

Today newspaper, Thursday Oct 12th, 2006, p44
I'm tickled by their choice of photograph. That's me, alright.

On the other hand, they're using the wrong tense for the writing of "251"... I'm still in the process of writing. Just got "Pornomancer" in the mail! It's the first (and only) porn movie Annabel Chong directed herself.

Thanks to David Chew for calling me.

last boy: poetry book launch

UPDATE!!! The launch at Tanglin Camp requires an RSVP. It's cos it has to be a private event in a public space... people are afraid I'm gonna be controversial, sigh...

I'm having two launches for last boy, my first collection of poetry.

Friday 20 October 2006
7:00pm (schmoozing starts at 6:30pm)
Tanglin Camp (Singapore Biennale exhibition site)
Canteen area (Federico Herrera's Hamacario).
73 Loewen Road, Singapore 248843
RSVP required - e-mail Yi-Sheng here.
Guest of Honour: Alfian Sa'at

If you're coming by taxi, tell the driver it's the old CMPB. If coming by public transport, I'd recommend you take the free shuttle service from City Hall or the old National Library, details here.

Friday 27 October 2006
7:00pm (schmoozing starts at 6:30pm)
Singapore Art Museum
The Cube
71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555
Guest of Honour: Angeline Yap

Both events will be held during periods when the art galleries grant free entry to visitors.

Oh god, I hope people turn up...

Sunday Times, October 1, 2006, Lifestyle 24I owe Kristina Tom a gargantuan favour. Book of the frikkin' month!