Meet the Author
Boyd Anderson
in
Penang
on
14th May
**Please note** The Penang Bookshelf now operates two websites, one for customers within Malaysia and the other for customers outside. You will therefore notice two links to any book. The first link at the book's name will take you to the website for customers in Malaysia. Each such link will be followed by (PB) which will is a link to the same book on the website for customers outside Malaysia.
This week Penang will be welcoming another one of The Penang Bookshelf's customers, Boyd Anderson, who's also an author. Amber Road is his fourth novel and has just been published by Monsoon Books of Singapore. It's performing strongly in the Singapore bookshops' best seller lists.
Although now based in Sydney, Boyd Anderson's no stranger to Penang as his wife is the great-great granddaughter of Chung Keng Quee, better known as a Kapitan Cina in the late 19th century. Chung's former home in Church Street,Penang is now open to the public as the Pinang Perankan Mansion (PB)
Boyd Anderson will be giving a talk at Seven Terraces, Stewart Lane, George Town. Penang from 9.30 to 11.30 am on Tuesday, 14 May. As well as being a novelist, he's an entertaining speaker, who's had enthusiastic audiences in Sydney and Singapore. The experiences of civilians caught up in World War II in Malaya has been his special area of interest for several years. This novel, with well researched atmospheric detail, is the result of that interest. If you'd like to attend please contact the organiser, Michelle Grimsley of Spiral Synergy by email or phone her on 016-457-0221. There is a RM35 charge which includes coffee/tea and kuih.
The Penang Bookshelf will be selling copies of Amber Road at the event. If you can't attend and would like to buy an author signed copy of the book, please email William Knox penangbookshelf@gmail.com as soon as possible. There will be no extra charge for this.
More About Amber Road
The Publisher's Synopsis
Nineteen year-old Victoria Khoo, the lithe daughter of a wealthy family of Straits Chinese, lives in luxury on the rambling ‘Homestead’ in colonial Singapore. Her carefree days are spent fantasising about a future with Sebastian Boustead, scion of the great British merchant family. Her sole ambition is to marry Sebastian and become mistress of the Boustead’s Angsana Lodge. Secure in the invincibility of ‘Fortress Singapore’, she fails to see the conflict such a union would create, or the upheaval that looms over the horizon for the faithful British subjects of Malaya and the island of Singapore.
As Malaya falls to the Japanese and Singapore abruptly surrenders and the inhabitants of both countries are deserted by Britain, Victoria is shunned by Sebastian, who declares his intention to marry the pretty Elizabeth Nightingale. Victoria is forced to protect both her family and her rival, Elizabeth, from the cruelty of the Japanese occupation, and soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous triangle.
Can she reclaim her destiny with Sebastian, or should she welcome the attentions of the charming Joe Spencer, mysterious Australian leader of a resistance force? With intrigue, romance and suspense, Amber Road tells an epic story of one woman’s indomitable spirit, and how she, like Asia itself, was so swiftly transformed by World War II.
About the Author
Boyd Anderson is the author of “Ludo,”, “Errol, Fidel and the Cuban Rebel Girls” and co-author of “Children of the Dust”. He lives in Sydney, but prefers weddings in Singapore and eating in Penang.
Excerpts from Reviews
Nineteen year-old Victoria Khoo, the lithe daughter of a wealthy family of Straits Chinese, lives in luxury on the rambling ‘Homestead’ in colonial Singapore. Her carefree days are spent fantasising about a future with Sebastian Boustead, scion of the great British merchant family. Her sole ambition is to marry Sebastian and become mistress of the Boustead’s Angsana Lodge. Secure in the invincibility of ‘Fortress Singapore’, she fails to see the conflict such a union would create, or the upheaval that looms over the horizon for the faithful British subjects of Malaya and the island of Singapore.
As Malaya falls to the Japanese and Singapore abruptly surrenders and the inhabitants of both countries are deserted by Britain, Victoria is shunned by Sebastian, who declares his intention to marry the pretty Elizabeth Nightingale. Victoria is forced to protect both her family and her rival, Elizabeth, from the cruelty of the Japanese occupation, and soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous triangle.
Can she reclaim her destiny with Sebastian, or should she welcome the attentions of the charming Joe Spencer, mysterious Australian leader of a resistance force? With intrigue, romance and suspense, Amber Road tells an epic story of one woman’s indomitable spirit, and how she, like Asia itself, was so swiftly transformed by World War II.
About the Author
Boyd Anderson is the author of “Ludo,”, “Errol, Fidel and the Cuban Rebel Girls” and co-author of “Children of the Dust”. He lives in Sydney, but prefers weddings in Singapore and eating in Penang.
Excerpts from Reviews
Next Magazine, Singapore: "a
thoroughly enjoyable, rollicking read with beautiful heroine, dashing
hero - both satisfyingly flawed - with enough tension to keep readers
riveted."
AsianBooksBlog: "a
big, generous romance that blends derring-do adventure, suspense, and
tragedy. It has characters you’ll care about, and it conveys both a
compelling sense of place, and of period."
Historical Novel Society: "the
rich detail on life in Singapore and Malaya under Japanese occupation
and the growing threat of Communism will reward readers"
More reviews, but beware of spoilers, if you don't want to know too much about the plot.
And finally an interview with the author. The book is also published by Random House Australia
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