Each week we will be connecting with our contributors showing where they have been, where they are now, and what’s up for the future.
Name: Joey Chin
Title of Piece published in Sweet: For the Love of Loss (and Vice Versa)
Issue: 9.3
Find her:
Joey is currently based in Wakefield, UK as an artist-in-residence. Sounds like a tough gig, Joey! You can find out more about Joey on her website www.joeychin.com .
What are some major accomplishments you have had since your Sweet publication?
Last year, two of my poems were featured in an anthology, Inheritance (Math Paper Press, 2017) which was launched at the Singapore Writers Festival.
Can you tell us about a current/ongoing project that you’re excited about?
I am currently an artist-in-residence in The Art House Wakefield, working on a conceptual project that involves donated books, with dedications written on its cover. This project will explore acts of reading, giving, and give-away.
Who is your favorite author?
I don’t have a favourite, although I must have read all the books written by Ha Jin, Julian Barnes, and Hanif Kureshi.
What is your favorite poem/essay/book?
I find myself returning to the anthology, Language for a New Century, edited by Tina Chang, Ravi Shankar and Natalie Handal, for its depth of contemporary poetry from Asia and the Middle-East, and also their diaspora. There are also thoughtful essays interspersed throughout the book written by the editors as an introduction to each section. Each essay is well-crafted, lyrical and sensitive.
What inspires you to write?
The books and poetry, that I read, and the art I encounter.
What is your favorite sweet?
My partner, Romanos is Greek, and has introduced me to a wonderful sweet, kataifi (καταϊφι). It is a pastry-sort of dessert packed with nuts, full of sugary-buttery goodness. I liked it so much that many years ago, I packed it back with me from Athens, onboard a flight home to Singapore. Of course, it was a terrible idea, as the syrup leaked out, ruining my books, clothing and souvenirs.
Oooh, it’s like the Asian bird’s nest meets baklava! That sounds amazing.
Thank you, Joey, for taking the time to reconnect with us. We look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!
