Since meeting and collaborating with Pico Iyer, the brilliant essayist and keen observer of inner and outer life at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival in 2023, I have been enthralled by his commitment to a deeply spiritual yet hermit-like existence. As each day brings increasing discord and tumult – of wars that refuse to […]

Cori Doerrfeld’s exquisite picture book, Say Goodbye…Say Hello (ages 3-8) chronicles the big life changes experienced by a little girl called Stella – going to school for the first time, sitting alone at the school cafeteria, the change of seasons, the loss of a pet, and a best friend moving away. The sparse, poignant text […]

Dahlia Books, a UK independent publisher of regional and diverse fiction, recently released a limited-edition anthology of poetry from 50 poets from around the world as a mark of solidarity and to raise much-needed funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians. A poem that is near and dear to me, Peace Offerings – For A Ceasefire, […]

On 5 March 2025, and as part of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Imprint 23, the annual anthology featuring work by the dynamic group of women creatives, Women in Publishing Hong Kong (or WIPs) was launched at a well-attended event. It was wonderful to celebrate the publication of the writings of colleagues and friends […]

In March 2025, it was my second time joining the panel of judges for the annual Inter-school Interpretive Reading Competition organized by and held at Law Ting Pong Secondary School in Tai Po, Hong Kong. We were warmly greeted by the school principal, Mr. Kwok Wing Keung, and their dedicated librarian, Ms Melody Chan Pui […]

On 4 March 2025 at the Central Library and as part of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, I had the privilege of moderating a conversation with the delightfully down-to-earth and modest Asako Yuzuki, author of the genre-defying novel Butter, with deft translating provided by Japanese/English translator, Ikumi Yoshida. Butter is Yuzuki san’s first work […]

My prose poem, “Life We Can No Longer See,” has seen a bit of revival of interest lately, for which I am overjoyed, but above all, grateful. It is a work that is close to my heart and to have been given an opportunity to read an excerpt for the excellent Voyage YA literary magazine […]

My first school talk for 2025 was my signature “What You Can Do With Your Phone: Make Good Art” at the Kowloon-based Tak Oi Secondary School for girls. As I gazed at the chairs, neatly lined in rows in the massive hall, and feeling the butterflies fluttering around in my tummy, I thought back to […]

Since 2017, local NGO ImpactHK has been helping those experiencing homelessness in Hong Kong by offering direct holistic support, distributing food and other necessities, and providing shelter, employment opportunities and above all, friendship. I recently joined founder, Jeff Rotmeyer, on one of his regular Kindness Walks through the city, experiencing and witnessing first hand, the […]

In ASH’S CABIN by Jen Wang (ages 12+), a gorgeously illustrated, earth-tones-hued graphic novel, sixteen-year-old Ash plots their boldest plan yet: to find their grandfather’s secret cabin in the forest and to stay there forever. Trouble is, no one knows if the cabin exists or not, but Ash is determined to find it. Armed with […]