Lucia and the Starfish

This was more challenging than I thought. I asked a reader of my novel to give me some passages that were her favorites. She gave me nine pages..... Now asking the author to choose her favorite is akin to  asking  a mother to chose her favorite child - actually that might be less challenging for some mothers.

In keeping with the animal theme of the passage I chose from the first book, this one mentions creatures of the sea. Rachel, one of the characters, the matriarch to be exact, narrates this scene in chapter Six of Lucia M of Singapore.


"........we crossed the causeway to Lido Beach in Johor where there were so many starfish. It was our favorite place to have chilli crabs. On one of the trips, we brought Lucia, who collected all the starfish she could find and left them in a pile by the beach. After we had lunch at the beach side restaurant, she returned to pick up her starfish but could not find them. Raul told her that the tide had come in and washed them away."

Next post, we will have a scene about school bullies and Lucia in her words.
PC Nicholas

What a Compliment?

When I read L M Montgomery's series on Anne of Green Gables just before my teens, her words made me picture the scenarios that made me longed to see it. I finally saw it as I drove over the bridge to Prince Edward Island, many years later and it was exactly like she described it. Where is this going? Just a little patience, my friend....

One of my readers, gave me a compliment that reflected the above, when I only, posted two short paragraphs of Beneath the Singapore Sky. When a reader who has not visited the Far East can feel the atmosphere and see the scenery, ah, that is what many authors hope for.Thank you Nathan!  Also, on the thank you band wagon, I like to include my former schoolmates in Singapore who told me that parts of my second novel Lucia M of Singapore was to them, a walk on Memory Lane! So terima kaseh, Julia, Josephine and Sarah.

My next post in September will be excerpts from Lucia M of Singapore.
                                                 Edit - Second Editon of Beneath the Singapore Sky-still at the Printers. As soon as they are available, you'll be notified. Thanks for your patience.
PC Nicholas

Beneath the Singapore Sky - exodus to Bahau, Malaya

One of my regular readers, Nathan asked for an excerpt. So I chose something that could relate to a biologist with a wildlife blog.

 In Chapter One, Rani, one of the principal characters of this historical novel, recalls a harrowing trip she took with her husband and young son, a few months ago, during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore in the early 1940's.


......."My husband Jerome and baby son went too, as the bishop had requested help to construct a village in the dense, uninhabited Rain Forest.

There were four small lorries, all packed with people,boxes and trunks. The journey was rough on the bumpy roads, in the sweltering heat. As we passed through the dense jungle, we saw different animals and birds. Jonah was delighted to see the monkeys swinging in the trees and the wild boars and elephants on the sides of the road. A contingent of Japanese soldiers in a jeep led the way, with another at the end, fully armed to prevent us from escaping or joining the dissidents hidden in the jungle."

If you have any comments, please send them to me. In September, there will be a post on the second novel, Lucia M of Singapore

PC Nicholas

Beneath the Singapore Sky - 2nd Edition

Beneath the Singapore Sky, my first historical novel has undergone some editorial changes. It is now with the Proofreader.I've not made any progress in finding a suitable publisher due to the constraints of going back into a full-time position, which has curtailed my writing,too.

Some people were inquiring how to purchase my novels. Finally there is a purchase button with PayPal for them. These are limited edition novels, so they are not in  any major stores. Once they are gone, that's it!

A number of Singaporeans have read, both my books and the feedback was glowing, something I did not expect. They think I should write another sequel. What do you think? Would you like me to give you excerpts of both the novels?

My second novel has only 30 copies left. All books bought from this blog-site will be a signed by myself.
Have a great month of August!

Note - At present, books will only be shipped within the USA and Canada!
The postage will be subsidized by the author.

PC Nicholas