Author: Sue

Chinglish live

I still can’t believe how I managed to get to talk live on air to the entire nation about my humble debut novel Chinglish! I’m SO proud and TRULY grateful to all the fantastic people along the way who helped to make it happen.

Anyway, just so I can prove to myself in years to come that I hadn’t dreamt it, and for posterity, I’ve collected all the audios and video together here in one place. Click below to view/listen and learn more about how Chinglish came to be:

BBC Breakfast TV with Roger Johnson and Sally Nugent 

Radio 4 Woman’s Hour with Jane Garvey

Radio 4 Woman’s Hour podcast with Jane Garvey (listen from 45.20 mins)

Radio Coventry part 1 (the city where Chinglish is set) with Vic Minett

Radio Coventry part 2 with Vic Minett

Radio London with Jo Good

Chinglish goes continental

This montage is made up of pics people have sent me so far (I couldn’t fit them all in because I received so many). It’s only been a week since the book launch and ‘Chinglish’ has gone as far as France and Spain!

I’m made up with the response and really touched by reader’s comments saying how much they can relate to the topics brought up in my story. I’m so glad to help in this way and big hugs go out to everyone for their ongoing support.

P.S. Spot the cute kid model with the painted DMs – SO. DAMN. COOL.😎

Chinglish launch

Well what a week it’s been!

I had no idea that when I finished Chinglish, the publicity would be so HUGE! Having zero experience of live media I was chucked in at the deep end but enjoyed every second of it. Everyone at the BBC was lovely and welcoming so I felt really at ease…plus I guess it helps that I’m the chatty type!

First up was Vic Minett at Radio Coventry which is where Chinglish is based so it was fun reminiscing about what the area was like 35 years ago! Next was Jo Good at Radio London who was so enthused about Chinglish as she was friends with Louise Rennison and very much into this genre – brilliant! The big one was Radio 4 Woman’s Hour. I love this programme and have listened to it on and off for years, plus Jane Garvey is an absolute legend and hero of mine! I also recorded a separate podcast with her afterwards, about my life after Chinglish.

On launch day I visited the biggest bookshop in the UK, Waterstones in Piccadilly London, to sign some stock. I was proud as punch to see Chinglish on the table in the YA section. For so long I’ve admired the books that appear on these prestige displays, and now I’m on them!

Lastly I travelled to Salford Media City for my BBC Breakfast TV appearance. This was the one I was most nervous about because now everyone would be able to see me! I didn’t get much sleep the night before as you can imagine, but I needn’t have worried as again all the staff and presenters were awesome!

Right now I’m cuddling my cats and having a rest trying to let it all sink in, but people keep sending me messages including, I’ve just learned, that Chinglish has sold out on Amazon UK! I can’t believe the response my book has been getting. It’s been such an amazing experience and my gratitude goes out to everyone who has supported me along the way: my agent, editor, all the team at Andersen Press, friends, family and strangers who have all been so kind and encouraging – THANK YOU!!!!

Do you have an issue?

I was asked to write a piece about the time I was pregnant and homeless. Writing pre that era in Chinglish was hard enough! But I’ve never revisited the time I was up the duff and living in a squat very often since it happened 28 years ago.

It was hard recalling all the details, including the time I had to scrabble around in gutters for pennies, but I saw how my story could inspire and show others that they have the power to change the course of their lives. I enjoyed doing the illustration though, as it does a good job getting the tragi-comic feel across!

You can find my story in edition #1373 of The Big Issue 

And now for some bonkers BBC news!

I’ve only gone and been invited by the BBC to talk about Chinglish! Little did I know that when I started writing this book, the public would be so interested in my loony life. Yes, I was expecting to do some promotion around my debut novel but the BBC? Wow, well that’s a pretty big deal.  Messages around diversity are growing and I’m proud to be riding the wave. A MASSIVE thanks to everybody that made this possible after so many years of hard work and collaboration. 

If you’d like to see and/or hear Sue Cheung talk about Chinglish on the BBC in September *DATES WILL BE POSTED HERE SOON*

Chinglish is out on 5th Setember 2019 and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.

Final copies have ARRIVED!!!

What a treat to come home to – a box of my new debut novels waiting in a box with their funky looking spot varnished covers! Chinglish isn’t officially released until 5th September, but the build-up is well under way.

Right now I’m busy doing talks, writing articles and being very excited to see the responses from bloggers and reviewers who have received pre-sale copies. I’m also looking forward to even more interaction with the public as the book reveals itself to the world!

Updates to follow…

Writer’s holiday comes to an end

It’s the last week of my 3 month sabbatical (sob) and it’s been everything I’d dreamed of. Each of the four places I stayed at in Bali were unique in their own way, but the standout for me has got to be Nusa Lembongan island. I scuba dived there twice a day for a week and the sea life was some of the most abundant I’ve seen in ages, like being in a snow globe of glitter on some sites!

Bali is predominantly Hindu and has the gentlest, most peaceful people I’ve ever met. This attracts other like-minded folk, so you were always surrounded by smiles. Yoga is popular there, so it was fun trying out all the different types. A major win was that I got taught how to headstand properly, now I’m addicted to them!

Corfu has been home for the last month – different island, just as sunny. And the people and food are fantastic here too. I wanted a Durrellesque experience: mingling with locals, buying fresh bread and olives from the market, reading, painting and immersing myself in nature – the sea is crystal clear so I’ve been swimming almost every day.

Back to reality soon and I’ve got a to-do list ready, mostly promotional stuff in preparation for the release of my debut YA book ‘Chinglish’, in September. In the meantime, I’m getting as much sun and sea in the bank as possible (I’ve heard it’s been chucking it down back in the UK so I think I’ll be needing it!).

 

Inspired by nature

Just had the family staying so I had to down paintbrushes for a couple of weeks. Now back to the easel.

Here in Ubud we’re surrounded by lush greenery, and I spend a lot of time on our balcony taking it all in. There’s giant bamboo, dozens of palms laden with coconuts, and lots of trees with gigantic leaves that crash loudly through the undergrowth when they fall.

Every now and then a couple of squirrels chase each other across the branches and butterflies float by on the updraft like intricately patterned tissue paper. It is sheer nature bliss. My brushstrokes here have become simpler, and colours more muted. Here’s a quick sketch of some foliage…

A break from writing

So, from April 1st to June 30 I’ve decided to take a break from the normal routine of life and go live in Bali – well for 2 months anyway, then it’s off to Corfu for another month.

The idea is to ditch agenda for as long as possible and reboot. Right now I’m sitting on a balcony overlooking rainforest and listening to the birds, crickets and frogs chirruping away. It is total heaven.

I’m in Ubud, the spiritual and creative heart of Bali, and the perfect place to start painting again. Hmm, I’ve realised how rusty I am though, my colour mixing has never been great but it’s dire at the moment. Practice makes perfect and luckily, I have all the time in the world.

Here’s some first attempts at portraits.

Proofs for Chinglish are out!

NEWS OF PARTICULAR EXCITEMENT! It’s taken 3 and a bit years to finish (launch date Sept 2019), but proofs for my new young adult novel are out at last, and the response from bloggers and reviewers has been fantastic.

It feels a bit weird because as I write this, final edits are still happening on Chinglish so it’s not actually finished yet! I’m especially looking forward to seeing the final cover.