AH! THAT COFFEE AROMA & CREATIVE MIND

Hello! It is not that early but it is early enough for me. 8:30am, and it is the 1st of March 2008. Can you believe it? It is already the third month of the year.

I want to feel like a creative person, and so I woke up early, see my wife off to work, and here I am in front of a computer writing... with a cup of coffee - I like the aroma of it and that explains why a lot of creative minds do the same to keep them fresh/alert/awake. (Remember I was both an architecture and art&design student - and we stayed up many times till 3am.) Adrenaline rush.

I am thinking of writers like Bob Woodward. Yes, a political writer for conservative Washington Post and he wrote many things about the Bush presidents.

And John Grisham? I accidentally read an article about him and I was impressed. He was a US lawyer and politician who writes blockbuster books. He made millions out of that and needless to say, he is now living comfortably, and also he seems and claims to be writing effortlessly now as compared to his earlier days when he said that he had to discipline himself and woke up early every morning (with a cup of coffee!) to start writing as he had then started his full time career as a writer (with the backing of his wife).

I am thrilled with several Malaysian-born writers - and they are famous now. Who does not want to be famous? Most of the time it makes a person wealthy and influential - and if he is wise enough, he can get things done easier. But then again, reality may have it differently. Oh well.

Rehman Rashid. When I was young and small, I remember reading his articles in the local New Straits Times. Now he has found his niche as an articulate observer-cum-writer of the Malaysian way of life.

Karim Raslan. He caught my attention with his book "Cerita Lah!". He was born in Malaysia and raised in Britain. That gave him quite a unique perspective or outlook of this country and its culture - somewhat, the kind of opportunity I had when I was in Texas for five years (1988-93).

Tash Aw. FIRST NOVEL WINNER: TASH AW - THE HARMONY SILK FACTORY. Less is more. This speaks loud enough.

Tunku Halim. Another accidental encounter. I saw him one morning on a TV talk show. He has a weird/strange mannerism. With an Australian accent? Man, this guy is creative.

Marina Mahathir. Her dad's a very influential person in Malaysia. I like her Liberal Doses.

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/index.php?id=1386478

http://www.fusionview.co.uk/2007/03/the-best-malaysian-books-for-my-suitcase/