PRIZE:
20 readers whose ranking matches the overall vote, you will receive a RM50 book voucher plus a three-year Popular membership card
DEADLINE: May 14 2008
WEBSITE/URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/4/13/lifebookshelf/20928501&sec=lifebookshelf

DESCRIPTION:
Celebrating local talent

DO Malaysians still have that tired old “foreign is always better than local” mentality? After half a century of independence, don’t you think it’s high time we changed that?

Okay, we admit, changing people’s opinions about, say, foreign vs local cars might be a tad difficult. But how about locally created books? The English language works of Malaysia-born authors have been winning international awards and being noticed by prestigious literary prize judges for a while now:

> Tan Twan Eng’s Gift of Rain was one of the 13 books selected for the Man Booker Prize long list last year;

> Khoo Kheng-Hor’s Taikor was nominated for the 2006 International Impac Dublin Literary Award;

> Tash Aw’s Harmony Silk Factory won the 2005 Whitbread Book Awards First Novel Award and the 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Novel;

> Rani Manicka’s Rice Mother won the 2003 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize.

And that’s just a small random sample. Not bad for a little Asian country, huh?

In fact, the active Malaysian writing scene is part of a bigger surge of creativity in Asia overall, it seems. The man who initiated the Man Asian Literary Prize (the inaugural Asian version of the British Man Booker Prize), Nury Vittachi, argues that Asia will be the world’s next creative hotspot (Reclaiming Asian creativity, Reads, StarMag, Nov 18, 2007).

The former Far Eastern Economic Review columnist and Hong Kong-based journalist points to the number of Asian success stories as well as the fast-growing infrastructure required to nurture writing talent, like the literary festivals, readings, and poetry nights that are springing up in Kuala Lumpur and most other major Asian cities. Then there are the international agents and publishers who are scouting talent in this part of the world, and publications, such as the Asia Literary Review (http://www.asialiteraryreview.com), that are willing to pay hard cash for Asian stories nowadays.

Joining in this excitement is the Popular Bookstore chain and Star Publications (M) Bhd with a new award for local authors, The Star-Popular Readers Choice Awards 2008.

Popular has long been known to be a good source of local authors’ work, and wants to give back to the writing community by recognising the talent of local authors. But instead of getting a panel of stuffy literary judges to select winning titles, we’re asking you, dear reader, to tell us what your favourite local books are.

Actually, you have already short listed 20 writers, did you know? We’re talking about the best-selling titles that flew off the shelves in Popular and Harris Bookstore stores nationwide last year.

But of these books, which are your top three? We are inviting readers of The Star to submit their selection of the top three most popular fiction and non-fiction titles based on these two lists.

And if you are one of 20 readers whose ranking matches the overall vote, you will receive a RM50 book voucher plus a three-year Popular membership card – yes, that very popular card that offers all sorts of discounts and privileges.

Just as importantly, we will rewarding the authors of your choice: the top authors in the two categories will each receive RM1,000 and a trophy; authors of the second and third most popular book titles in both categories will each receive RM300 cash and certificates of recognition.

Look out for the all-important contest form on Tuesday in StarTwo’s Books pages and in StarMag Reads pages in the weeks ahead if you want to vote for your favourite authors.

Send as many entries as you like to make sure your fave authors get the vote, but make sure every entry is on an original form, as no photocopies are allowed. All the how to’s – how to enter, how to get the form to the judges, etc – are in the contest form, so read carefully!

You have until May 14 to submit your vote (or many votes, if you want to make sure your voice is heard!), so get your thinking cap on.

In the mean time, look out for more articles about this award, and about Popular’s mega book fest that’s coming up next month. Now that’s going to be huge news for anyone who likes anything to do with books, and writing and reading – not to mention literally huge, too, as the fest will fill all of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre! So, keep an eye out, now. – MALINI DIAS