When the Bough Breaks

One of the things I do for work is, publicity.  Because my skin is so thick, and my humour is healthy, I'm actually pretty good at publicity, way better than say, grant-applicationS or kissing the correct ass.

You need publicity on your side if you want to get the audience excited about your work, fill a theatre, or sell a book.  At the beginning of my Singapore dance life, when I was trying to create a career for myself, I simply picked up the phone and (cold) called the newspapers, the magazines, the radio stations.  To anyone who would be kind enough to listen, oblige me with a blurb, I rattled quickly, and on occasion, unabashedly, begged.

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The second book I wrote was published last year.  The book is titled, When The Bough Breaks.  It is the only project I have ever done in my life, that I have not bothered activating the publicity machine for.  I suspect the sales are possibly dismal compared to the first book, and all the other dance projects that have come before.

photo credit- The Arts House

I didn't bother with publicity for this book then, simply because, the book was very difficult to write.  When it was finally completed, it took everything from me.  When it was finally published, and launched, I felt immense satisfaction that this project was finished- I did it, I did it, it's done, it's really done.   And somehow, that was enough for me.

photo credit-  Ethos Books

Friends and family came to the launch.  Everything was kept almost deliberately low-key.  The evening was memorable, and an artist/man/my ex-boss whom I adore, facilitated the evening.

He also offered invaluable feedback during the writing process.
photo credit-  Ethos Books

My publisher had suggested I write a book about my dancing life.  Then there was the other unwritten  Elizabeth Choy story, the original transcript which first drew his attention.

So I went away to write.

  And when I finished, I gave my publisher an unexpected manuscript that laced both the dance story with that of Mrs Choy.  I wasn't sure how it would be received.

His emailed reply was, "Tammy, lovely."

He then left me alone for about a year to work on the book.

  Many things happened that year.  My dog Angel, nearly died.

                                          We faced an unexpected relocation to London.

The book was also celebrated by The Arts House.  Elizabeth Choy, Singapore's beloved war heroine, was their guest of honor, when the Arts House first opened its doors, ten years ago.  In celebration, my dancers and I, with guest artists S and J, returned on stage.

photo credit-  The Arts House

I love my second book.  It is truly one of my favourite projects to date.  It wasn't easy to write because some of the material is historical, weighty, dark.  The darkness frightened me.  The challenge then was facing the darkness with integrity, and to not be afraid of truthfulness; treating the subject matter, particularly Mrs Choy's experiences, with dignity.

It's also hard to write about historical events, many of us in contemporary times, may feel very divorced from.  So then the other challenge was, how on earth to address the Japanese Occupation for instance, and not lose the interest of the reader.

I'm talking about the book today because someone I have never met, sent me an Easter card, that Jon has just scanned from Singapore.  The person said some things that made me cry.

"The similarities I see in you and Mum were... fearless tenacity...you both dared to be different..

Mum had many visitors, local and overseas, especially in her last years...I remember her mentioning a few times that a beautiful young girl came to visit her...one who appears on tv and dances...

Thank you for so delicately and beautifully interweaving Mum's life into your biography.  Love to you and your daughter.

-  Lynette, on behalf of my sisters"

When the Bough Breaks, publisher Ethos Books, retails at SGD$20 (SGD$21.40 with GST)

can be purchased at Kinokuniya (Singapore), or on-line at www.ethosbooks.com.sg 

For more information, please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfP9lqThN1c