Wandsworth Radio ‘Live’ author interview plus SNEAK PREVIEW of Ivy’s next book

Ivy Ngeow — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 00:41:49 +0000

“Gong Xi Fa Cai! Kung Hei Fatt Choy!” I am a South West London writer and I live in Southfields. I have been living in Southfields for 17 years! My children go to Sheringdale School, which is, I am proud to say, the third top school in Wandsworth. Naturally, being a Sheringdale mum, I also have high standards for myself. I wrote a novel six years ago called Heart of Glass and I have landed a publishing deal with Unbound/Penguin Random House with whom I am crowdfunding this project.

It is already written (74,000 words). Therefore the funding is not to enable me to write it, it is just to get the book off my hard drive and into production.

This is:

-a joint effort and project between reader and writer, you become my publisher.

-an opportunity for your name to be in print. Every supporter/patron/backer will be listed, in every edition.

-a unique story. It is a stylish literary thriller set in 1980s Chicago and Macau. There is nothing like it on the internet or in the market. It is cross-genre and features themes of music and crime noir in an international setting, with an Asian female protagonist. It is an underdog story, addressing issues of life as an immigrant in a big city, whose constant desire for success is often squashed by repeated failure.

-the promotion of cultural diversity and post-colonial writing. I am after all from an ethnic minority that is under-represented in fiction, a non-white, non-English person writing in English. I am not only writing in my second language, I am writing about immigrants.

Please pledge your support for a South West London writer from an ethnic minority. You can do so by pre-ordering your copy here. Every pledge counts.

Last Tuesday I was talking to a wonderfully friendly and kind producer/presenter Ms Becks on her show which is the Wandsworth Workday show on Wandsworth Radio, London. Here is the YouTube recording of the interview.

We touched on these questions/topics:

What is your name and where did you come from today and where did you come from originally?
Tell us about the book in themes and ideas and tell us about the book in a brief extract,
Tell us about your writing journey and how it all started,
Was cultural diversity a focus or what you like to promote or portray?
When did you start writing and playing music?
Tell us about your music teaching.
Let us have a SNEAK PREVIEW of what you are working on next!

I felt at ease with her and that I could go on forever chatting not just about the book but about our common interests in children’s education, music and dance. Our sons are roughly the same age and just started playing guitar. She found out that I of course loved Bruno Mars, who I believe is the Michael Jackson with Swearing. We got on very well. It was a bit heartbreaking for me, in my “editorial suite” in the wee hours, to cut the interview down from 32 minutes to 13min 52sec. Culling is caring (kill your darlings etc).

Today we have 117 supporters/patrons from all over the world and we are 63% funded. We are 54 days in and 36 days to go in this 90 day campaign. Again, please show your support by checking out the link and pre-ordering your copy. See you at a cool 1980s book launch in where else but South West London!

80s – South West London TV

Wandsworth Radio ‘Live’ author interview plus SNEAK PREVIEW of Ivy’s next book