Economic Contraction and City

It makes me think to hear about the economic contraction in Singapore and the budget deficits designed to help growth and avoid job losses. City of Small Blessings is set against the backdrop of a Singapore that is growing not just rapidly but even recklessly. Does the current downturn change its message? I think the book is more about the ambition for growth, rather than its achievement, the reckless hunger for so called "progress". I also remember that in the 12 yrs I took to write the novel, the economy went thru other ups and downs. There is a passage that describes the downtown Marina Bay that is planned for the future. At present there have been doubts about the viability of the casinos (ie. IRs). But that ambition and government direction will mean the towers will not be half completed hulks spoiling the view in The City of Small Blessings.

FB Group on CITY

Anyone reading this blog might want to know there is also a Facebook group on City of Small Blessings. It's at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39206824396&ref=mf and there are maybe 140 people on it.

Why both a blog AND an FB?

I am not quite a technology dinosaur. I am a sabre tooth -- mammal and warm blooded, and not prehistoric, but long in the tooth.

My publisher suggested blogging, so I started it. Then he started a Facebook, so that ran too. Quite interesting how different they are.

city of small blessings: New York City

I am in New York for 2009. It feels strange to have published my novel about Singapore and then to leave so shortly. No, my departure was not because of the book. It feels strange because Singapore looks different to me from faraway, from the outside. This is especially from this city, the Big Apple, in the middle of winter.

In City, parts are written from the perspective of a son, Peter, who has migrated to a cold country faraway (Vancouver). He has to return to Singapore after an incident befalls his father, Bryan. He returns with a mix of feelings.

I feel somewhat the same, but in reverse.