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Most people write because they have something to share. For some authors, it is a form of creative expression. Thus, it is rare indeed to come across an author so prolific that he has expanded his horizon from writing for adults to children, all with the objective of trying to get more children to read. Of course, critics will be quick to dismiss his effort as profit-minded but what does James Patterson have to say?

He’s been described as the best living humorist in America. Author Bill Bryson thinks he’s the funniest American writer since SJ Perelman. But he has neither appeared in a sitcom or a film. What other people think as dark and despairing, he calls it funny. Who is David Sedaris really? Find out here.

The relationship between children and art is a mysterious one. It is the child-like amazement of seeing something extraordinary that enables the younger generation to view art without sckepticism, criticism and presumptions. The main stumbling block is building an interest from a young age, so they can view painting as a painting and not as a commercial object or a fixture in a gallery. Here’s what the two authors of the book have to say.

How many of us want to raise our kids to be smart and happy? Now how many of us are sucessful? Are we applying the rules of brain science as Dr John Medina preaches? Find out more here.

Indian-born author Dipika Rai feels strongly about the injustices meted out to the rural women in her country who are shackled in traditions that curtail their freedom. It is these very thoughts and feelings that she has poured into the pages of her debut novel, Someone Else’s Garden.

Read more here.

NEGOTIATOR, attorney, business owner, speaker and author Jim Thomas was recently here in Kuala Lumpur for a seminar on how to negotiate. Thomas says every one negotiates every day in the office and at home. It could be negotiating with the boss to get better pay, negotiating a deal for the company, or cajoling (a more gentle form of negotiating) the children to study harder to set a good foundation for their future.

Some of us do it better than others. Thomas tells us what negotiating is all about and why it is important. His book Negotiate to Win is a HarperCollins international bestseller. It was first published in late 2005 and was a Pulitzer Prize candidate in 2006. Read more here.

Jason Jessup is convicted for the murder of a 12 year old girl. From his cell, he conducts a long and loud campaign to proclaim his innocence. It’s been over two decades since the trial of his conviction, and with new evidence of a DNA test result, unavailable at that time, his case is starting to look stronger. On top of that, original witnesses and investigators are either dead or have become incapitated. Not everyone thinks he’s innocent though, as one lawyer who had always played defence is now playing prosecutor.

Read the rest of the review here, as Connelly shares his inspiration for his latest book here.

 A delightful mix of books from a biography of a famous celebrity to a local offering being adapted into screen play. Take your pick! 

The Sun 04-08-2010 Spilling Stars’ Secrets

The limelight is on Oprah as Kitty Kelley spills the beans on the Queen of Talkshow.  

The Sun 29-09 2010 Waves of Anxiety

Local author Fauziah Ashari is filled with both joy and a sense of uncertainty as her novel is adapted into film. 

The Sun 13-10-2010 Defining Art & Culture

Amit Chaudhuri’s The Immortals charts the path of two families with contrasting backgrounds.