Making the news

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I've just had my story published in Helsinki Times.

Sometime into my first year of university reading Chemistry, I thought about pursuing a career in publishing or something related to the creative line. The inspiration came suddenly, like a lightbulb whose switch was turned on.

I've liked science and my favourite TV programmes while growing up include Eureka! or Beyond 2000. In between Nancy Drew, I read Discover and New Scientist magazines, and science fiction by Edgar Allan Poe or Isaac Asimov. Mills & Boon wasn't really my thing.

After all that input, some output was inevitable.

The very first time I had a story published was in Lianhe Zaobao when I was twelve years old. I submitted a composition story I'd written in class and it was published in the children's section. My mom probably still has that newspaper cutting somewhere.

The next few years could be described as my "wilderness". Many of my classmates had a much better grasp of the English language and they could express themselves most vividly. My sentences seemed awkward and cold. Much as I tried, my teachers were not impressed.

In university, perhaps because I was in Science faculty, many of my classmates were copying seniors' notes and didn't spend much time preparing their lab reports. It was then I realised perhaps I have an edge in this field.

So, more than 12 years after that first published story, I was back to writing and publishing, this time for a biotech magazine. My second publishing job took me around the world. And now, as I dedicate more time to my family, I can still do what I love.

Although I've had hundreds of stories published, I'm sharing this latest one on a mainstream medium. It has been a long, 20+year journey - one whose path was not clear at times.

Where do I go from here? Occasionally, I thought I would plan for my future but nothing comes out of it. Other times, when I was not purposeful in what I do, I seem to be taking baby steps towards my destiny. Like this article.

I walk on. Every stroke of the pen (rather, tap of the keyboard) takes me closer to my finishing line.