What a start to a new year! I don’t know about you but I’ve been up to my ears in kids, work and new schedules and just when I think things are beginning to resemble a pattern, Chinese New Year hits me in the face like a big tangerine.
But thank God for CNY because I finally have some reprieve and actually some breathing room to write a blog post! What a treat! (Full disclosure: I am colouring my hair as I write this — busy women have to multitask, it is not an option)
So I’m going to be posting about some key events that have happened since the book was printed, starting with the launch party.
My book, A Clean Breast, hit the bookstores the first week of December. The week before that, on 21 November 2012, my dear friend Dee, owner of a very stylish and trendy PR and events company called Bless Inc, helped organise a book launch for me.
Thank you Dee and the girls of Bless Inc for making the launch happen!
We had the distinct honor of holding the launch at The Royal Mail, the private dining restaurant at The Ascott, only Singapore’s premier serviced apartment block right in the heart of the CBD, at Finlayson Green. TRM serves classic British cuisine in a charming crescent shaped room. TRM is run by uber-restauranteur Michel Lu, a lovely man I have known since my days as editor of Female when he brought Elite Models into Singapore. Michel very generously sponsored our entire evening — venue, delicious food (which my 200 guests are still talking about today!) and drinks, plus the special something that touched my heart: cupcakes with fondant pink ribbons to signify Breast Cancer Awareness. In fact, all the wonderful Royal Mail staff wore pink ribbons that evening! Talk about great taste and meaningful service!
The wonderful team from The Royal Mail made these lovely cupcakes for the launch.
People I admire: Edwin, Laura, Grace and Noor.
My best friend Karen had a dress rehearsal for the theatre play Kuo Pao Kun And Goh Lay Kuan (she played Goh Lay Kuan, an amazing performance, as always), and could not be there. So she despatched her husband Swee Chong and their beautiful girls Rachel and Livi.
My breast surgeon Dr Hoe Ah Leong also showed up to support, and bought a stack of copies of A Clean Breast to give to his patients. I *wish* we took a photo!
I wish I could name everyone who came — you guys rocked my world. My wonderful cell group, E538, who came early and helped me to pack the goodie bags, set up the book table and basically run the show from behind the scenes. My friend Michael Chan who came and took photos to help me chronicle such a special night.
Clockwise from left: Nanz her and family; my ex-colleague Juleen; host with the most, Bernard; and chef extraordinaire Janice Koh.
But the true highlight of the evening for me was really having my husband Mr Threez get up on the podium, after my publisher Tan Chin Kar from Write Editions, had given his introduction on why he even said yes to A Clean Breast in the first place. Mr Threez writes what I feel is the best chapter in the entire book. About his experience seeing me through cancer, what he did right, the one thing he did wrong, and how he steered the kids through it. My incredibly brave and supportive spouse looked me in the eye as he spoke and I felt my tears hanging precipitously on the edge of my eyelid, and quickly blinked them away as I pretended to fuss over Little B’s hair. Words cannot express the gratitude and love I felt at that moment.
Listening to Mr Threez’s speech drove me close to tears.
The night ended with massive book signing — my friends made me feel like Richard Castle, haha! I thoroughly loved seeing all of them and taking photos — my favourite one is of Big B and Middle B with their friend Joie (and her mom Jo). Joie was there for Middle B (and for me) the day I had my biopsy done. She prayed with all the faith of a giant. To be able to sit there today and hug her and look at her, I was truly grateful.
With the launch party done, I was really looking forward to seeing the book on the shelves of Kinokuniya and Times now. And that’s when I realise the world of book publishing and distribution can be a rather confounding one!
But I’ll save that for my next post! Time to rinse the hair out!
A Clean Breast Of It 