Bookspotting and IMPRINT

This was a productive bookspotting and literary week for me. I spotted a woman on the MTR reading a book called The Blue Door. Across the train car, another woman was reading Pearl of China. I spotted two different Kindles on different days, one in the hands of a Chinese schoolboy, which I don't think I've seen before. A young girl had a copy of a Percy Jackson book, this one with the word Heroes in the title. On my way to work yesterday, I saw a man reading a Robert Jordan-sized hardback, but I couldn't see the cover. This morning, a girl sitting two seats away from me also had a thick English book open on her lap. I snuck a peak on my way out of the train and saw the title, City of Bones, at the top of the page. Finally, I received a paperback review copy from Penguin China of Nothing Gained, a new thriller by Phillip Y. Kim set in Hong Kong.

On Friday, I was the MC for the launch party celebrating IMPRINT, the annual anthology of the HK Women in Publishing Society, and the Saphira Prize for unpublished writing. Below is the quick write-up about the party I did for the HK WiPS website. There was a special surprise for me when the Saphira Prize coordinator announcing the winner mentioned that my entry, The Art of Escalator Jumping, had also received a special commendation from the judges. It was quite encouraging for me because that entry was my first novel, and I had been thinking about banishing it to a drawer. Now, I feel inspired to rework it and see if I can find it a home.

What are people reading in your town this week? Have you heard any encouraging words lately? 

P.S. I hope you've all heard by now that Susan Blumberg-Kason has signed a book deal! She's a regular commenter on this blog and a terrific inspiration to me as a fellow American writing about a love affair with Hong Kong.

IMPRINT 12 Launch and Saphira Prize Announcement

15 March 2013, FCC

By Shannon Young

The main event on the HK WiPS social calendar is the launch party for IMPRINT. 2013 is the twelfth year that members have gathered their best works of fiction, poetry, memoir and art into a collection that showcases the many talents of Hong Kong’s publishing women. To celebrate, over 80 WiPS ladies, their partners and curious creatives from Hong Kong and abroad gathered in the FCC for a crowded, joyous party.

The Hughes and Burton rooms, decorated with covers from past editions of IMPRINT, provided a cozy venue with just enough room to mingle and make regular trips to the hors d’oeuvre table.

This year’s IMPRINT bears a striking, modern cover featuring a typical Hong Kong sign, a temple door and a pair of shoes. Designer extraordinaire Tania Willis shared that the inspiration behind this year’s cover is the way writers leave behind their everyday lives like a pair of shoes when they step into their creative work. It is sure to stand out on the shelves of bookstores and personal libraries across the city.

Attendees enjoyed readings from Jessica Wang, the winner of this year’s Student Competition, and four IMPRINT contributors: Laura Besley, Mags Webster, Elizabeth Vongsaravanh and Aparna Assomull Bundro. Elizabeth made a special trip from Laos to read her poetry at the event.

The 2013 launch party celebrated a new development for WiPS, the awarding of the inaugural Saphira Prize for unpublished writing to Elsie Sze. Elsie, a longtime WiPS member and IMPRINT contributor, made a special trip from Canada to accept the Saphira Prize in person. Her novel will be edited and published by fellow WiPS members.

Thank you to all of the IMPRINT contributors, Saphira judges and WiPS committee members, past and present, who helped make this year’s launch party a success!