Thank you to Wellington Primary and Radin Mas Primary!

Before this update, I'll just share a little comic humour with you. This is me and another friend at a Hari Raya open house by a friend. I took the picture, added a few eyes and 'food splatter' with Photoshop, and walah! Instant fun. :D

I've had a great time visiting two primary schools this month: Wellington Primary and Radin Mas Primary.

I gave an assembly talk at Wellington (it's located in the North-most of Singapore nearest to Johor Bahru). The whole school was just amazing. The students listened aptly, and responded enthusiastically to my questions. Not once did I have to raise my voice, because everyone listened intently. I concluded that Wellington must've some pretty good teachers, administrators and leaders. My biggest regret was that my time there was short, and I did not get an opportunity to take any photos of my visit. But thank you to all who bought my books - I hope you've found them enjoyable and useful!

The other school I visited was Radin Mas Primary (they are in Bukit Purmei). I didn't give any talks, but fliers were distributed. The response was amazing. I was busy signing books throughout the recesses!

Between recess and end-of-school, I had time to walk around the canteen. The school has a great emphasis on using cartoons and comics to communicate with the students, and also they encourage students to use the comic medium to showcase their ideas and messages. From "Conserving Electricity", "The Importance of Hygiene" to just students expressing themselves using digital art, this school really knows how to speak to the students using a language the kids love and understand. My friend Miel's works about public hygiene are prominently featured to remind kids to wash their hands before a meal.

I also noticed that the school sends out festive greetings to the community via the students' drawings. That not only foster a closer relationship between the school and the surrounding residence, but it reminds us that the different cultural festivals are reasons to celebrate Singapore's diversity and multi-cultural/ethnic population.

Thank you again to students of both schools! May your stay in your respective schools be full of happy memories and proud achievements!

Otto aka "Sir Fong"

17th Oct 2009

Star Wars in RI - new, improved audio track!

This video was made during English Day 2005 in Raffles Institution. It's always a hit with the viewers whenever I showed it during assembly talks and workshops. The feedback was always the same: the voices were distorted by the soundtrack.

Finally, I found the time to sit down and re-record a new audio track. I used a free software - Power Sound Editor - to record the voices, and used a simple modulation effect to make my voice sound like Darth Vader.

Here it is! Enjoy it!

Sir Fong on NJC cca jacket design!

 

After a few months of waiting, I finally got my hands on an NJC Music CCA jacket, featuring Sir Fong bunnies and their teacher in all sorts of musical chaos!

  

 

 

Speaking of waiting, the rest of the new Sir Fong's Adventures In Science Book 2 will be ready by this week. That means we will be moving the books into the stores soon! I will update this blog once my distributor stacks the shelves!

 

 

Sir Fong - breaking last year's sales record!

There are several important elements to ensure the success of a book launch:

1. Returning customers -  I have met people who've bought the first book in 2008, and came back to get Book 2! That always makes an author happy!

2. Former students -  I did  not ask many of my former students to come, as I plan to bring the new book to them. But some showed - from the army and before their university days begin. That was a bonus for me. 

 3. Get Help! - I got some of my friends to come down to help. Two former students also volunteered to talk to passing visitors. That got people to know about the books and they got excited about the possibilities.

 

4. Collaborators -  behind each aspiring author aspiring to be the next JK Rowling stand many people who helped pave their way. I must never forget those who showed me the way, though the list MUST get longer and longer with every book!

  
5. Lessons learnt - my booth was blocked by a big commercial display, and I must apologise for not having deliberated more about my booth displays. I won't make the same mistake again in 2010!

6. Friends - who can do without them?

 

7.  T-shirts! - many asked about the shirts we wore featuring Totto. We will be printing them for sale by 2010!

 

8.  Did I mention returning customers? - I cannot mention them enough! This means people loved Book 1! And already I am getting emails asking about Book 3!

 

Thank you all for being a part of my life that weekend! There is much work to be done, but we've just gotten off to a great start! 

 

Thank you from Sir Fong!

Visiting my new baby! (Video)

Sir Fong Book 2 launches!

After 7 months of drawing, I have completed "Sir Fong's Adventures In Science Book 2"!

Today is a good day to announce the book launch because there are two items in the Straits Times:

Tomorrow, Singaporeans will see a partial eclipse of the sun between 8:40am and 9:40am, peaking at 9:11am. A monster total eclipse will be seen in China and India!

Eclipses will be covered in my new book!

The second piece of good news is that Professor Lui Pao Chuen, former Chief Defence Scientist, just received the INCOSE's prestigious Pioneer award at Suntec yesterday. INCOSE stands for International Council on Systems Engineering. In his 41 years of service to the Defense Ministry, Prof Lui grew the nation's pool of defense scientists and engineers from 250 to 5000! He is now porfessor at our two universities, chief scientific advisor to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and board member at the NUS High School of Maths and Science.

Prof Lui has graciously allowed me to include his incarnation, Professor Thunder, and CRISP (Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing & Processing) at NUS into my story!

On board "Adventures In Science Book 2" is also my new partner, LyraAsia.

http://www.lyraasia.com/

They are the oldest manufacturer of quality colour pencils from Germany, and they have graciously sponsored Sir Fong to print 8 pages of full colour (afterall, a Science book on the topic of Light must talk about the 7 colours of the rainbow!).

With your support in the last year (since June 2008), Sir Fong is growing steadily and getting these excellent people and organisations onboard the second Adventures. I'd taken in many of your suggestions and made leaps in improvement.

"Sir Fong's Adventures In Science Book 2: Light" will be launched from 14-16th August 2009, at the Singapore Toy, Comics & Games Convention at Suntec.

Come down and be the first to get a copy of my great new adventure!

Recommendation: "Lament" by Hu Jingxuan

Hello friends! I will soon be printing

"Sir Fong's Adventures In Science BOOK 2"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will update you on this site mid-July!

In the meantime, I would like to recommend a new comic book from a very exciting comic artist. I found her work to be unique, and I see she can contribute to Singapore's comic art scene significantly. Her name is Hu Jingxuan, aka Pinkjellyo.

Her new book is called "Lament", and you can read more about it at her link here:

http://pinkjellyo.deviantart.com/art/official-release-126211350