PUBLISHERS, WHERE ARE YOU

I am searching for English novel publishers who are interested in publishing novels from first-time novel writers like me. I know that there are not many such publishers around, but I am pretty sure that what I have just finished are materials that are worth reading.

I am an English writer by interest. I have been writing since my school days. First they were Short stories in magazines like the now-stopped Movie news. I remember receiving monetary rewards for each short story published.

Then I started writing to New Straits Times...many of my letters were published...one that created a lot of waves was the letter I wrote complaining of the very low housing allowance for police officers like my father.

That letter was read by top police brass in Bukit Aman. It was very effective...soon after the allowance was increased, much to the delight of my father.

Then I wrote the story of my son who bravely faced leukemia. It came out in a four-series features. I am not exaggerating if I say that I was one of the first to write to the public about the suffering that a child had to face with childhood cancers.

Then I began writing for a few years, recalling what I did when I was growing up. As the result, a 350-page memoir was written. This itself, if published may become the best seller.

Then I began writing a part real and a part fiction story of an outbreak of a disease that killed more than 100 people...this I am sure will be a best seller if it gets published.

The problem is - Malaysia is not a serious English reading society...no publishers will publish from someone new like me - that I was told by a few publishers that I have contacted.

I would try my level best to publish it here in Malaysia. If I fail to get any offer, then only I will try foreign publishers.

Who knows may be the book I am writing now become best sellers and movies are made from them.

So publishers out there, please give me a chance.

With my retirement next July, I will write more with the free time I have then...