August was certainly quite a month for me! I received a surprise email letting me know I had won my uni of employ’s (the National University of Malaysia) annual Bitara award for Arts and Creativity (Creative Writing). I was at first unsure what the award was for but the email said it was for the yearly assessment of 2024. I supposed it was for Watermyth which did get longlisted for the BSFA but also wondered if it was for all of the educational posts about writing which exist in this blog (would be also cool if so), but the awards committee asked me to provide a brief on Watermyth so I realised I was actually getting an award for my debut novel! I’m still in shock and very chuffed about it given the fact that the last time I got an award I was ten years old and it was for Mathematics. I’m also very grateful for the committee who selected me and to my boss who, a few months ago told me, “I’m nominating you, please fill in this form”. I filled it, was very touched by my boss’s decision but expected nothing to come of it.
The ceremony held on the 9th of September was very grand, the food was delicious (east coast food will always have my heart) and I’m really so touched by how thoughtful and considerate the organising committee were vis-a-vis my disability. And so, I share with you a picture of this gorgeous award, for the novel of my heart.
Published in Petaling, Selangor. September 2025.
Curious to read my debut novel Watermyth? Here’s the information on how to purchase the ebook (and how to borrow it from the library) and the print edition.