It has long been a secret dream of mine to be interviewed by one of Hong Kong’s warmest and most ebullient radio personalities, Noreen Mir. My dream finally came true at the end of summer 2025 when Noreen kindly invited me to speak with her on her RTHK3 radio show about the inspiration behind my […]
On a Sunday morning in July, my good friend and librarian extraordinaire, Beth McNeilly and I read our favourite picture books with a delightfully charming group of young uns at Rebooked, the best bookshop in Hong Kong for secondhand children’s books. I read the wonderful Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller while Beth chose the […]
I was grateful and honoured to join 24 like-hearted poets from around the world to read our poems featured in the special fundraiser poetry anthology, Bring Me Gold: Fifty poems for Palestine, published by Leicester-based indie publisher, Dahlia Publishing. The beautiful, heart-rending words touched so many chords in so many hearts and I’m glad we […]
I had the pleasure of joining three fellow Hong Kong creatives whom I admire and respect, Julia Besnard (librarian, podcaster and writer), Elle Kwan (writer and digital strategist) and Sophia Hotung (writer/illustrator and TedX speaker) on an online workshop, “How Authors Build Buzz” hosted by the wonderful writing community, Women in Publishing, Hong Kong (WiPS). […]
I had the pleasure of collaborating with accomplished local illustrator and graphic designer, Benny Lau, to talk with P4 and P5 girls of St Clare’s Primary School, Hong Kong. We were given a warm welcome by Ms Sandy, their English Department Head, and spent the afternoon working with energetic and enthusiastic students. I started with […]
Hong Kong Women in Publishing Society (WiPS) committee member, executive coach and writer Rinkoo Ramchandani and I recently spent a lovely morning on live radio speaking with Noreen Mir on her RTHK Radio 3 show, Brunch with Noreen. We shared our experiences as members of WiPS as well as the background of the organization, how […]
On 13 May 2025, I was invited by Ms Natalie Mellish of the Salvation Army Centaline Charity Fund Queen’s Hill School (SACCFQHS) to speak to her Primary 4 and 5 students about how they too, can write a book. I was delighted to be able to share the stage with librarian extraordinaire, Beth McNeilly, and […]
I had the pleasure of giving writing workshops to two cohorts of enthusiastic, attentive and intelligent 9-10 year old students at the German Swiss International School of Hong Kong (GSIS) using my signature “What You Can Do With Your Phone – Make Good Art” talk. With the support of GSIS’ committed and thoughtful educators, the […]
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 […]
© Derek Shapton
Read my musings as a Malaysian writer, wandering the earth, listening to the universe and writing the stories behind my photographs.
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