Made in Malaysia: Stories of Hometown Heroes and Hidden Gems
A tribute to unsung heroes in Malaysia
Growing up, I dreamed about being the next Enid Blyton.
But it wasn’t until 2007 that things began to move.
Just starting out as a freelancer then, I was inspired to write about a heartwarming encounter with some strangers in a warung. When the story was published in The Star, I shared it on my blog.
Then something unexpected happened.
Somebody I’d been meaning to contact for a long time left a comment: Eric Forbes, editor at MPH Publishing. OMG, he was practically publishing royalty!
That night, I dropped him an email.
We met for tea at Central Market. Eric was a lovely man, no airs at all. Among the many things we discussed was his suggestion to publish a book of my articles. Malaysiana was a popular genre and I should strike while the iron was hot, he said.
I was floored. A book? Now?
Publishing a book was definitely part of my plan. But …
To be honest, I thought that an anthology of articles already published elsewhere felt like a blatant attempt to profit from my readers. And most of all, it was too soon; I hadn’t earned the right to have my own book yet.
What changed my mind? A coffee catchup with my long time buddy Cheong Fatt, a self-taught photographer. He showed me a bunch of photos he had printed out for people he’d photographed.
It was a gift so that they could have nice memories, he explained.
That chat got me thinking. Nearly all of my Navel Gazer columns were stories of everyday Malaysians I met on my journey as a writer. People I met by chance. Many of whom I’d only meet once in my life, and during that brief interaction, taught lessons I would remember for a lifetime.
I wrote those stories because I knew no better way to remember and pay tribute to them, and hoped that someday my stories would find their way back to them.
By 2013, I knew I was ready and contacted MPH again. On 16th September 2014, Made in Malaysia: Stories of Hometown Heroes and Hidden Gems was launched at a wonderful ceremony in Nu Sentral.
To all the angels who have been part of my journey, thank you.
What readers say
I just read about Mrs Ho and Mac's grandma. I love it! I've been in a reflective/contemplative mood lately and
I've been reminded of how fragile life is. Your stories are just the tonic I need! Your ability to weave images out of 26 letters and a handful of punctuation marks is amazing!
As a Malaysian, I consider myself as a tourist who's only been here for a couple of days after I've read this. I feel a connection to the stories even if they happened before I was born. I strongly suggest Malaysians to pick up this book! And let the world continue to wonder over the stories Alexandra will bring us.
I really like this book. An easy read, and for those who have the time, can even complete this book within a day. Many instances, I could easily form a mental picture because these are stories of Malaysians, hence the sense of familiarity. Highly recommended for my fellow Malaysians, and for those who actually dig short stories, this one’s a good choice.
I read your book on my plane ride back from Malaysia to Norway (where I live now) and was pretty upset that it was over when I finished it. You really captured your experiences well, I could feel the simple happiness you came across, your struggles as a writer and more personally I could feel as if I was back home again. It was almost as if me ending the book meant facing reality.