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Help us launch some Malaysian Magic!

Join our launch team

 

We’re gearing up to launch our new book, A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic: An Anthology, this November.

If you’d like to join in and help us share the news PLUS get an advance readers copy (ARC) for review, fill up the form below!

We’re SOOOOO excited that this book is just about ready to be shown to the world!

P/S: if you’re at the SEA Lit Circle Writer’s Festival this month, come hang out at our Mini Expo booth from 5PM – 6PM on 8, 15, and 22 July. You’ll get to see an early preview of this anthology too!


New on Tablespoon: Is there love here? by Yasmin Jasmy

A few months ago, we had the privilege of working with Yasmin Jasmy from Pause to edit and format her lovely book of poetry. Is there love here? released today, and we’re proud to carry the ebook in our Tablespoon store!

Congratulations, Yasmin!

The ebook is priced at RM14 but will be on sale at RM19 until 5 June 2023. Get it now!


About the book

is there love here? by yasmin jasmy

Contrary to popular belief, love is not blind.

Love sees with eyes and ears wide open, absorbing everything it encounters as it exerts its subtle influence on our physical, mental, and spiritual health. If positive relationships with ourselves and with others can lead to spiritual growth, will the lack of love then lead to spiritual decay?

In this collection of 175 poems, Yasmin Jasmy explores the dynamics of love and not-love and the way our bodies have been calling us to pay attention to the status of our hearts. In an effort to encourage self-awareness and radical self-love, Yasmin invites you to pause and ask your heart: Is there love here?


About Yasmin Jasmy

Yasmin’s heart is most content when she is creating content from the heart. She discovered her passion for words while studying a postgraduate course entitled “Reflective and Creative Practices for Social Change” at the Institute of Development Studies based at the University of Sussex.

Yasmin has been writing poetry since 2019 – it helps her say what her mouth won’t speak. Since then, writing has brought her great relief and empowerment.

She is the creator of Pause and the host of the Pause with Yasmin podcast. She grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

2023 Malaysian Fantasy Anthology Submissions Update

We’ve just closed submissions for our 2023 Malaysian Fantasy Anthology, and we are stoked.

Just from reading the story summaries.

We haven’t even read the stories yet, because all we’ve had the energy to do after GTLF and Karnival Oren is download the files into a single folder.

But we like stats! So, here are some stats!

 

 

Total entries: 59

Total entries submitted ON THE LAST DAY (30 Nov): 13 (22%)

Total entries submitted on the LAST WEEK (24-30 Nov): 38 (64%)

Highest number of entries from a single person: 4!

 

To everyone who submitted, good luck! We’re looking forward to reading all your wonderful stories!

Absolution soft launch at George Town Literary Festival

We’re counting down the days until Absolution reaches your hands!

Our ebooks and international print versions are all on track to be released by 24 November as planned. Pre-order your ebooks now at books2read.com/AbsolutionNovel

However, we’ve hit a slight snag in the Malaysian print run. Rest assured, we’re working towards getting that resolved with as minimal delay as possible. Either way, you can still pre-order your copy now and we’ll keep you in the loop!

 

Join us for our 10-day online launch tour starting 21 November 2022!

Here’s the line up for our online launch tour, including TWO physical events: GTLF Soft Launch and Karnival Oren!

24 November

22 November

23 November

24 November

Teaspoon Publishing presents (soft launch) Absolution by Anna Tan. Absolution is the culmination of Anna's Absolution trilogy, young adult fantasy books set in a magical Nusantara. Come listen as the author talks to Daphne Lee about what inspires her creations, the main challenges she faces as a writer of Asian fantasy, and her hopes for the future of the genre in this region. Date: 24 November (Thursday). 10:30am - 11am. Digital Penang, Event Hall

24 November, Thursday | 10:30 – 11:00 am | Digital Penang, Event Hall

25 November

28 November

29 November

  • Karnival Oren @ Komtar (Details forthcoming)

30 November

 

Launch Week Sales

We’ll be dropping our prices for the duration of the launch tour, so if you’ve missed getting any of the books, you can plan to pick them up then!

Join our launch team for Absolution (Absolution #2)!

Join our launch team It’s launch time again!

We’re getting ready to launch the final book in the Absolution series, Absolution!

Sign up here (or fill in the embedded form below) to be a part of our cover reveal and online launch team! You’ll get a sneak peek at the cover PLUS review copies!

 

 


If cursed is the hand that kills, then it wouldn’t matter if that same hand stole, would it?

Tulen feels doubly cursed, forced to serve the bratty princess of Impian as punishment for her crimes. When said princess embarks on a pilgrimage, Tulen grabs her only chance to offer a sacrifice at the holy city of Suci—and maybe, finally, feel clean again.

Sultan Mikal has set his face towards Suci—and certain death. Nothing about his Penance is clear, except the fact that if he fails, Terang will fall along with him.

When Tulen’s pilgrimage intersects with Sultan Mikal’s quest to fulfil the Covenant of Salt, Tulen faces a difficult dilemma: What is her absolution worth in the face of the sultanate’s very existence?


Cover reveal: 1 Nov 2022

Release date: 24 Nov 2022

Published by: Teaspoon Publishing

No. of pages: 424

Links to come!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith.

Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.


Tablespoon: ebooks by Malaysian authors

One thing we’re passionate about at Teaspoon Publishing is giving works written by Malaysian authors a boost. Under our publishing hub, we’ve given advice to many authors on how to publish their ebooks online. We’ve also provided both editorial, formatting, and setup services to help them do just that.

Yet, the biggest problem Malaysian authors face is the fact that almost all these publishing platforms are based overseas, usually in the USA. Which gives us (and them) a lot of headaches in the form of tax forms and overseas bank accounts. Plus, that pesky 30% withholding tax. There is one ebook distributor that’s based locally: e-sentral. But it’s also full of books from overseas, plus textbooks, so it feels like everything is all over the place. (Or maybe that’s just us.)

And then there’s also the problem where local readers cannot buy ebooks from Amazon because of regional restrictions. So what’s an author to do? Create a website and sell online? Sure—but not everyone has the tech know-how or the time and funds to set up an e-commerce store. How la, like that?

We’ve thought about this for a long time and come up with a solution: Tablespoon.

 

Tablespoon ebooks

Tablespoon is a specially-curated selection of ebooks published by people other than us. Curated, meaning that these ebooks have been vetted by our team for quality and content. Selection, meaning that they are of all genres. And people other than us*, meaning independent Malaysian authors who have an ebook they’re really excited to share with readers.

Overall, what this means is that the Tablespoon category in our store will now be carrying ebooks that fit into Teaspoon Publishing’s bigger overall vision to promote Malaysian authors and to give them a platform to sell their books—even if they’re not fantasy works.

*If you’re one of these people other than us who’d like us to consider carrying your ebook, drop us an email at ebooks@tablespoon.teaspoonpublishing.com.my and let us know all about you and your work!

 

Ooo so what you got?

Check out our first batch of offerings!

Fibro Takes Flight by Angelina Bong

Fibro Takes Flight by Angelina Bong Angelina Bong was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2012. Fibro Takes Flight is her first solo collection of poems. A vivid account of living with fibromyalgia, these poems are honest expressions of her intimate struggles, her raw emotions, her challenges as an artist and a writer and her views of life through myriad perspectives. They also explore how art and poetry help her cope with her invisible illness and how she finds treasures through these periods, finding peace and acceptance in overcoming the darkness in her life.

Her contemplations celebrate life in all its colours, including grief, identity crisis and the simple pleasures of daily living.

This is a book where chronic pain in mind, body, heart and soul meets meaning, purpose and hope.

 

Christians and Nation-Building in a Pluralistic Society by Hwa Yung and Helen Ting (eds.)

Christians and Nation Building in a Pluralistic Society

Christians are called to live as the “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). How does this translate into practical daily living and working for the welfare of our nation and fellow citizens? The essays in this book discuss what living as “salt” and “light” means and how Malaysian Christians can contribute to nation-building in a multiethnic and multireligious society. The subjects include biblical, Catholic and Protestant teachings on our socio-political responsibility, issues like building a compassionate society, corruption, religious liberty and political engagement, as well as distinctive Sabah and Sarawak concerns. This book challenges Christians to take seriously the teachings of the Bible and our faith, and to work with all of integrity and goodwill to build our nation firmly on the foundations of compassion, equality and justice. Effective nation-building requires participation by all.

 

Step In: True Stories of Women Blasting Barriers, Prepping Pampers, and Slaying Stereotypes by PWDC

Step In: True Stories of Women Blasting Barriers, Prepping Pampers, and Slaying Stereotypes

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” asks Sheryl Sandberg, author of the book “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will To Lead”.

Sandberg was the catalyst for this book that chronicles two dozen women in Penang who questioned themselves at some point in their lives.

Through their deeply personal stories and experiences, you’ll discover how to:

  • navigate family, career and life with candid advice and strategies
  • temporarily step out of the workplace and still make a career comeback seamlessly
  • become the person you want to be without losing your way
  • make it in a man’s world and still retain your femininity and authenticity
  • integrate your values and principles into the home, career, business and life

It doesn’t matter if you’ve just entered college or if you’ve been a homemaker for ages or you’ve been in business or career for a while now, these stories can help you define yourself and show you how to ‘Step In’ to your work, family and leadership roles as a 21st Century Asian woman.

 

Sampaguita by Wilson Khor W. H.

Sampaguita: A Condensed Poetry-Travelogue Chapbook of Manila and Baguio

Sampaguita: A Condensed Poetry-Travelogue Chapbook of Manila and Baguio is the condensed version of Wilson’s travelogue on his travels in the Philippines back in pre-pandemic 2020—a culmination of his promise made to a friend, as well as his dream to set foot in and write about her country.

In addition to a summarized documentation of his travels and over 100 photographs, Sampaguita features a collection of poetry written during and after the trip—most of them inspired by the haiku in Basho’s famed Oku no Hosomichi travelogue.

 

 

Teaspoon, tablespoon, what’s with all the spoons?

At Teaspoon Publishing, we believe that there is room for your work, room for your voice, room for your passions. And we believe that by adding this special sales category to our website, we’re inviting more people to the table.

Also, it’s just a bigger spoon.