E-Book Launch by Anna Tan

Amok

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

Surprise lockdown launch!

In light of our not-so-surprising Total Lockdown, Teaspoon Publishing has decided to push up the release date of Amok for a surprise lockdown launch!

Yes, Amok ebooks drop on 1 June* so that you can hunker down in your house and entertain yourself with a great read. We'll still honour our launch prices, so our ebook preorder prices of RM12 (USD2.99) will remain until the 23rd of June and will rise to RM20 (USD4.99) on 24 June.

* some retailers might release it on 2 June.

If you’ve preordered a paperback and/or still want to order one, we’re also maintaining the preorder price of RM35 until we actually have the printed books in hand. We'll also sweeten the deal by sending you an ebook copy to keep you occupied until the paperback finally gets printed.

And while we're at it, send a screenshot of your Amok purchase receipt (whether ebook or paperback) to admin@teaspoonpublishing.com.my by 24 June to claim a free copy of The Painted Hall Collection! Also tell us if you’d like it in ebook (e-pub or mobi) or if you’d like a paperback—we’ll ship this to you for free.

Happy reading!

Stay safe, stay home, and get vaccinated.

#LindungiDiriLindungiSemua

🙢

Cover reveal:	24 May 2021
Cover Reveal Page:	Click here

SURPRISE LOCKDOWN LAUNCH (EBOOK ONLY)

1 June 2021

Published by:	Teaspoon Publishing
Cover artist::	Jiwosophy.co
No. of pages:	345
Reviews on Goodreads:	Click here

🙢

🙢

EBook Order links:

Amazon:	Order here
Universal link:	http://getbook.at/Amok
Google Play:	Order here
Other retailers:	Order here
Teaspoon Publishing:	Order here

---

Ebook sale price (until 23 June):	USD2.99 / RM12.00
Full price (24 June):	USD4.99 / RM20

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Malaysia Only—Signed Paperbacks:	Order here
Paperback preorder price (until we receive the print books):	RM35
Full price:	RM45

🙢

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith.
Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.

Where to find Anna online:
Website: https://annatsp.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/annatsp
Facebook: http://facebook.com/annatansp
Twitter: http://twitter.com/natzers

Previous:

Cover Reveal

Next:

A message from the Author

Would that I were

Would that I were free to float and fly
and rise above the hills and mountain peaks
then stop to rest in quiet places high,
with nothing else to seek.

Would that I could change my form at will
sometimes a column sometimes a silky strand
or scaly layers lined up straight and still,
nothing else I'd want.

Would that I were free to roam the skies
beyond the reach of suffering and pain
far from unjust words and wicked lies,
neither shackled nor restrained.

Would that I were a cloud in the sky.

"Would that I were"
by Harolde Huang
Thursday 2021.05.27 23:10 hrs GMT+8

#poetry #poetrybyharolde
#daydreams #heartfelt #sightandsounds

Cover Reveal: Anna Tan's new book

Amok

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

🙢

Cover reveal:	24 May 2021
Release date:	24 June 2021
Published by:	Teaspoon Publishing
No. of pages:	345

---

Reviews on Goodreads:

Click here

🙢

Pre-order links:
Amazon: Click here
Universal link: http://getbook.at/Amok
Ebook preorder price: USD2.99 / RM12.00 [Full price: USD4.99 / RM20]

Malaysia Only—Signed Paperbacks: Click here
Paperback preorder price: RM35 [Full price: RM45]

🙢 Process videos and other lovely cover-related items will be updated on the cover artist’s website too. You can check this out at Jiwosophy.co!
🙢

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith.
Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.

Where to find Anna online:
Website: https://annatsp.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/annatsp
Facebook: http://facebook.com/annatansp
Twitter: http://twitter.com/natzers

Next:

Surprise Lockdown Launch

Rana visits Bufo, Part One

Bufo the true toad:
"This coming weekend, Rana, are you free?
Would you like to come and visit me?
You are certainly very much welcome
to be my guest, in my humble little home.

I'll bring you around the tall Giant Lily
towering above, swaying ever so gently.
We can also meet the other villagers
living by the stream of Healing Waters."

Rana the true frog:
"Thanks, Bufo, that's really really good.
I'd like to visit your part o' the woods,
to see what life is like among your clan,
and learn about toads as much as I can."

Bufo:
"Looking forward to your visit this weekend!
Just give me a couple o' croaks, which true frogs send,
through your True Croak channel, if you may,
when you're about a hundred frog leaps away."

Story-teller:
Some true frogs and true toads, by the way,
have the power of True Croak, they say.
They can channel their croaks over long distances,
talking to fellow clansmen in amphibian parlance.

However, this power of True Croak can only be
summoned and used on New Moon days, you see.
Both Rana frog and Bufo toad, coincidentally,
have this power, and it will be New Moon shortly.

That New Moon weekend arrived rather quickly.
Rana said good-bye to his Ranidae family,
and the army of frogs living by the river bank
where the old farmer's troubled boat once sank.

He hopped and leapt his way with reckless glee,
under the cool shade of many a jungle tree,
climbing over rocks with slimy moss,
fording shallow streams, to get across.

Sweet songs of many birds chirping everywhere,
fragrance of flowers fill the morning air,
with odour of old leaves rotting on the ground,
Rana was immersed in the sight and sound.

As he approached the village of true toads
a long way from the nearest man-made road,
among the boulders beneath the Giant Lily,
resides the ancient Bufonidae family.

"Croak-croak! Croak-croak! Croak-croak Crrooakk!"
Rana summoned the power of his True Croak
and channelled it towards Bufo the true toad,
who was home, brushing warts on his overcoat.

"Croaky Croaky Croaky Croakk!"
through the True Croak channel Bufo croaked,
telling Rana loudly that he will be waiting,
by the old village gate will he be squatting.

"Rana! Rana! This way! Over here!"
shouted Bufo, when he saw Rana appear
in the distance, approaching by and by,
"Hey Bufo! Good to see you." was Rana's glad reply.

to be continued . . .

"Rana visits Bufo, Part One"
by Harolde Huang,
Sun 2021.05.16 15:22 hrs GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde

Forlorn

A lady selling breakfast,
standing
at her makeshift table by the roadside,
quietly waiting
for a passer-by or two
to stop and buy her ware,
looking forlorn.

A man selling hot drinks
leaning
against his coffee stall in the marketplace
eagerly waiting
for a customer or two
to stop for a cup of coffee or tea,
looking forlorn.

An old shopkeeper,
sitting
at the counter of his deserted toy shop
by the corner of a lonely street
patiently waiting
for a shopper or two
to come in and buy toys for their kids,
looking forlorn.

They are caught
in a long torturous wait for customers,
hoping for
perhaps some,
perhaps a few,
perhaps at least one,
to brighten the day.

All of them in a sombre mood,
desperately trying
to earn enough
to pay for all the expenses
to carry on living,
hanging on
to whatever little hope is left,
looking forlorn.

"Forlorn"
by Harolde Huang,
Saturday 2021.05.15 20:51 hrs GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde
#pandemic #lockdown

Left behind

Time has swiftly passed us by,
a year seems like a day.
Months have vanished in the sky,
weeks are marching away.

Time has left us in a bind,
marooned in a lifeless past.
Each of us is left behind,
with many unfinished tasks.

Our earnings are depleted,
our businesses destroyed.
Our meticulous plans defeated,
we are unemployed.

Loved ones at home we have not met,
our families we have not seen.
We cannot visit them as yet,
stranded we have been.

Time has left us so uncertain,
we do not have a clue.
Before us stands a daunting mountain,
of things that we wish to do,

Time has moved on to better times,
it has left us high and dry.
We face a mountain we cannot climb,
no one hears our cry.

"Left behind"
By Harolde Huang
Tue 2021.05.11 20:27 hrs GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde
#pandemic #lockdown

Groping in the dark

We are shrouded by confusion,
groping in the dark.
With many orders and restrictions,
bringing unhappy remarks.

One minute an order is issued,
the next minute withdrawn.
One day a prohibition announced,
the next day it is gone.

The outbreak started last year,
many restrictions began.
The minister said you don't always need,
a permit from the policeman.

All you need is your employers' letter,
or your hospital appointment, he says,
You can travel across state boundaries,
the police won't hinder your way.

But the police at the road block says,
you shall by no means proceed.
Your appointment letter is not valid,
a police permit you need.

We're made to live in constant fear,
of being misled and deceived.
We grope around in darkness,
not knowing who to believe.

A few days ago a new lockdown,
was imposed on the nation's capital.
No one is allowed to move around,
into other districts to travel.

"Even those who have appointments
for vaccination in other districts,
need a permit from the police station,"
the minister was very strict.

Soon after, another minister announced,
you don't need police permission.
You only need to show the policeman,
your vaccination appointment!

Nurseries and kindergartens can open,
the security council did say,
"No, all kindergartens must be closed."
said the education ministry today.

Ministers contradict ministers,
while policemen make their own rules.
We grope around in darkness,
we're made to look like fools.

Meanwhile the disease continues,
to spread like a raging fire.
From a thousand new cases each day,
to two, three, four thousand and higher.

Hospitals are being overwhelmed,
almost bursting at the seams.
Doctors and nurses are overworked,
each day's a horrible dream.

Anxiety has overtaken us,
we're full of uncertainty.
We grope around in darkness,
in fear of calamity.

The authorities continue to bungle,
to fumble and stumble too.
For they are groping in the dark,
they don't know what to do.

"Groping in the dark"
By Harolde Huang,
Monday 2021.05.10 14:46 hrs GMT+8
poetry #poetrybyharolde
#pandemic #lockdown

Lost in a whirlpool

A whirlpool of nasty orders
drags our nation down.
An arrogant administration
makes our people frown.

We're lost in an endless whirlpool
of reckless haphazard orders,
by idiots setting many rules
and making many blunders.

A whirlpool of hasty orders
spirals down the deep
dark, confusing waters,
into a sunken heap.

We're lost in a senseless whirlpool,
struggling to break free
from vicious cycles caused by fools,
our hardships they cannot see.

"Lost in a whirlpool"
by Harolde Huang.
Sat 2021.05.08 23:30 hrs GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde

The doctor is not happy

The doctor gave me a stern look,
He handed some papers to me.
It's the results of a blood test I took,
They were not encouraging to see.

"Have you been taking the medicines
Each day, for the three months past?
Your cholesterol levels have risen,
And it has gone up fast."

I went home, rather disappointed
With the results of the test.
By a good doctor I've been treated,
I thought I've done my best.

Now I need to take more medicines,
For another two months to come.
The doctor is not happy, by reason
Of the unexpected outcome.

"The doctor is not happy"
By Harolde Huang
Friday 2021.05.07 13:15 hrs GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde

An evening thunderstorm

A blinding flash of lightning,
the evening sky turns bright.
A clap of thunder, loud and startling,
I shudder from the fright.

Noisily does the heavy rain pour,
I know not where it comes from.
Winds howl eerily through the door,
it's an evening thunderstorm.

"An evening thunderstorm"
By Harolde Huang
Wed 2021.05.05 20:04 hrs
GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde

Jasmine

Delicate little clusters,
Of dainty white flowers,
on a vine of glossy green leaves.

It crawls over the old fence,
makes known its subtle presence,
all who see it cannot believe:

That this tiny efflorescence,
Has such intoxicating fragrance,
It goes deep into one's soul.

Exquisite, enchanting,
Through the morning air wafting,
It refreshes and makes one whole.

For the skin, and for the hair,
to purify the surrounding air,
They say Jasmine is very good.

We brew it in teas, it's a healing potion,
and put it in soap and lotions,
Its aroma brings a good mood.

"Jasmine"
By Harolde Huang,
Monday 2021.05.03 22:19 hrs
GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde

A frog and a toad

A true frog met a true toad,
by the side of a deserted road.

"Good morning sir!" croaked true frog,
as he hopped towards a log.
"My name is Rana Ranidae,
Pleased to meet you here today."

"I wish you a very Good Morning!"
true toad returned the warm greeting.
"And I am Bufo Bufonidae.
Nice to meet you going this way."

"Please call me Rana." said Mr Ranidae,
"And just call me Bufo." said Mr Bufonidae.

The two gentlemen by the log did squat
And decided to carry on a little chat.

"Are you from the Bufonidae family
that stays by the shade of the Giant Lily,
where the healing waters flow?"
Rana wished to know.

"Yes, I am. That's where my family stays."
croaked Bufo in his usual friendly way.
"And where is the Ranidae army based?"
Bufo added with some haste.

"Oh, we live upstream by the river bank,
where the old farmer's boat once sank."

True frogs and true toads, we are told,
are filled with True Curiosity in their souls.

Soon, their little chit-chat turned
into curious questions, each from the other to learn.
They told each other more and more,
about neighbours, relatives, and stories of yore.

"And who is your great great great grandfather?"
Rana eagerly wanted to gather.

"My great great great grandfather,
was called the Anura Order."
Bufo replied as a matter of fact.
"He received the Order by the Elders' Pact."

"Order of Anura!" Rana croaked with great surprise.
"Oh! What a coincidence. That's very nice!
I never expect to meet a relative like you.
Anura is my great great great grandfather too!"

"That means we're, uhh . . . great great great grand cousins!"
Bufo looked stunned, he stared blankly at the horizon.

"This is unbelievable! Boy oh boy!"
Rana lept around the log with joy

So from that unforgettable day,
Rana Ranidae and Bufo Bufonidae
made it a point to meet for a chat,
beside the old log they would squat.

With the unquenchable fire of True Curiosity,
True frog and true toad traced their ancestry
all the way back to the Ancestor Grand,
Who migrated to this land,

A land swarming with mosquitoes and butterflies,
This is where their future lies.

To this forested land grand ancestor came
Class Amphibia was his grand name.

Thus, true frog and true toad became best friends forever,
They would squat by the log to chit-chat, happily ever after.

"A frog and a toad"
By Harolde Huang,
Sunday 2021.05.02 18:04 hrs
GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde

Will you stand by me?

When I am abandoned by others,
And none would hear my plea,
When no one seems to bother,
Will you stand by me?

When I am maligned and scolded,
As harshly as can be,
When I am badly insulted,
Will you stand away from me?

When I am compelled to make a stand,
Against the powers that be,
When I strive against the strong hand,
Will you stand with me?

When many are opposed to my stance,
My reasons they refuse to see,
When no one comes to my defence,
Will you too stand against me?

"Will you stand by me?"
By Harolde Huang,
Saturday 2021.05.01 16:04 hrs
GMT+8
#poetry #poetrybyharolde