Aerial View

Right, so where should I begin to talk about this novel? Well, how about we go with a soft start... 

Here's the synopsis that I submitted along with my manuscript for the Fixi Novo contest: 

Radhesh is perfectly content working abroad, happily leaving his troubled past behind him. However, the death of an old friend brings him back to Malaysia as he is told that the deceased had intended for him to inherit a mysterious box. 

Recent losses have hindered Audra from making the most of her life. However, she is determined to move forward and has started a small photography business to motivate herself. But memories continue to cloud her every decision and only time will tell if she can find it in herself to let go of the things that hold her down. 

Haunted by endings he cannot comprehend, Chen Hao returns from the dead in hopes of sorting out the Unfinished Business that is preventing him from progressing to the After Life.  As he works at becoming the powerful ghost he hopes to be, he learns valuable lessons along the way. 

Memories take centre stage in this tale of love, loss and new beginnings where past, present and future intersect.

Does it sound like something you would want to read? You can feel free to weigh in on what you think by dropping off a comment on this post. 

In a gist, the main theme surrounding this story is memories. More on that later, but for now, I'll let this fact sink in.  

To be honest, I wrote this synopsis in a hurry because I did it at the eleventh hour and needed it done in time for the contest submission. Due to the rush, I felt I didn't really do enough to highlight this point. 

But that's not all. 

There's actually a whimsical element to this tale and it's not quite mentioned here at all. If you're wondering what I'm getting at, I've basically classified this story under the genre of Magical Realism. You can read more about what that means HERE. Apparently, quite a few Malaysian writers are fond of this genre and I only recently learned this. 

Well, this is a very Malaysian tale anyway. As you'll soon see the moment you start reading it. 

I'll expand more on these areas in upcoming posts. For now, these are some tidbits I'm leaving for you to chew on till the next time I stop by. 

It's a public holiday today. Have fun out there! :)