Even my novels offer passages in which the major character is imagined as a writer. In Joss and Gold, Li An is a business writer who edits her company's weekly public relations magazine. And in Sister Swing, Suyin writes human interest stories for a free, local community paper, The Asian Time.
Shirley Geok-lin LimIn publishing books and winning awards, it's like you've enjoyed this meal, you know, two months ago. How long can you be nourished by thinking about it? You've already ingested it, and you've excreted it, and that was two months ago. You had this fabulous meal. It's not going to keep you satiated today. You have to go out and get your next meal. For me, that's writing. I have to go out and hunt my next meal.
Shirley Geok-lin LimEven after the mothering dropped because my son grew up, the writing - the muse - was always the third wheel, the lowest on the priority list.
Shirley Geok-lin LimI do not think a similar goal, to attain fame, drove me when I was a child and young woman.
Shirley Geok-lin LimI have some weak poems in that new collection, which is why I'm not ready to send the collection out yet.
Shirley Geok-lin Lim