FG: You write multiple forms of magic: poetry, prose, and songs. How were you introduced to writing these specifically?

TW: I have been writing prose since before I knew the term for it. I must confess I could not possibly hope to remember what introduced me to the art of storytelling: perhaps the endless books I read as a child, or perhaps one of the beautiful teachers who saw a spark in me, or perhaps simply one bored late afternoon of the sort are always fodder for the truest creations. Prose has always been in my storytelling arsenal.

 

I wrote my first song when I was considerably older - I would like to say perhaps 12 or 13 years old. I had recently been gifted my first MP3 player by my ever-benevolent grandparents and was discovering the magic of music for the first time, beyond the classical tunes I learned to pound out in my piano teacher's musty, claustrophobic house and the Hindi ballads my father was so fond of blasting on our car's stereo. But with this MP3 player I was able, for the first time, to download the music that I wanted to listen to. I spent days wandering around the house with earbuds in and the player clutched in my small sweaty fist, memorizing song after song to belt them out, to the annoyance of my younger sister, in our shared room that evening. It seemed only a logical leap to begin writing songs, to attempt as best I could to create some of that enchantment for myself, to call it all my own. And soon after, segueing from a song which was particularly stubborn in the rhyming department, came my first poem. They all flow from each other, I have found.

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FG: What has influenced your writing? Who inspires you?

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TW: I am inspired by everything. It is no understatement; I carry around a notebook everywhere I go and am constantly jotting down snippets of dialogue, sketching particularly interesting facial expressions, capturing phrases that catch my fancy, pasting in ticket stubs and dried flowers and newspaper clippings and found receipts alike. I am a firm believer that the universe contains infinite inspiration for those who know where to search for it. However: I think I shall refrain from mentioning specific people, as I am wont to forget the most important ones whenever I try to do so. Mostly I am inspired by people who are unapologetically themselves. Who sing their hearts from the rooftops and are less afraid of the thought of falling than exhilarated by that of flying.

 

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FG: You've created these passionate online communities centered around music, in Half Mystic, and love, after the debut of your book, Heaven or This, major themes being healing and defiance. What do you believe is the role of literature, in particular, behind these acts, as opposed to those guided by traditional art?

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TW: I have endless admiration for all art, but there is a special place

in my heart for literature as my first love. I feel that especially in the

modern age, where we have unprecedented levels of connection yet

feel more alone than ever before, literature plays an essential role in

bridging the gaps humanity leaves gaping in our wake. I am honoured

to have played a small part of that role in the creation of Heaven or

This and Half Mystic - and the number of people who have found

themselves & like-minded souls in those projects astounds & humbles

me daily.

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FG: What do you hope to leave with readers after they have finished

Heaven or This or the latest issue of Half Mystic? 

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TW: My single criterion for all of the projects I choose to pursue is a very

simple one: it must excite me more than anything else. I must be willing,

for however long it takes me to complete, to pour all of myself into it. I

am a tempestuous soul in that I feel everything very deeply; I am constantly

caring, loving, feeling too much. But this is the only way I know how to exist,

and the only way I know how to create projects that resonate with my lovely

audience. If a project does not keep me up at night, fill the pages of my

notebooks, consume me to the core, then it is simply not worth pursuing.

This is the rule I held myself to with Heaven or This. It is what I am always

asking myself in curating pieces for Half Mystic: does this poem, song, story,

photograph, video excite me? Does it make me want to do or find or create

something magnificent? If the answer is no, then I owe it to myself & to my

audience to find something better.

 

And I think that this is what I hope to leave with my readers. Something all-

consuming. Something they cannot help but think about, transcendent in knowing. Something that inspires them to write the book, start the journey, kiss the girl. I want my readers to have the same feeling that I do at the beginning of a project: this could become something real, something special, something true - but only if I make the leap.

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FG: Do you have any other passions? Any projects you’re working on?

 

TW: Oh - I have endless passions! I am one of those people who must have seventeen different projects on at once or I become ineffably bored with life. Currently I am in the process of: learning the ukulele (I cannot play guitar at the moment due to hyperacusis, but my sister has a ukulele and, much to her complaint, I have stolen it away to pluck out Internet-found chords), writing a play (much more on that shared with my Patreon fireflies), attempting to practise minimalism (a difficult thing, but also meditative), brushing up on my French (I am somewhat conversational at the moment, but I hope to be fluent by the time I graduate high school), conducting research on the impact of poetry on the identities of queer Singaporean youth (and learning so much in the process), making my own Christmas cards (all of my regular recipients will receive a wonderful surprise this year), and practising tarot (such a fascinating, intuitive thing).

 

In terms of artistic projects... I am afraid I'm unable to share, as much as I would love to, as I reserve all of the details for Patreon, where lovely supporters sponsor my art in exchange for behind-the-scenes updates & inspirations. There are projects simmering at the moment that I am so very excited about, and Patreon is the place to learn about them - as well as make them financially possible in the first place.

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FG: If you could travel back in time to any age, what would you tell your past self?

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TW: I have often thought about this question. My past self had a very clear idea of where she would end up and, I must admit, it looks little like where she is now. I would like to to think she'd be proud of me, though - if a bit curious, a bit unnerved by the person she has become. To be honest, I am not quite sure I would tell her anything except: please try to be kind to yourself. I promise it is all going to be okay in the end. And even then, she would look at me rather oddly & ask what on earth that is supposed to mean, of course she's being kind to herself, and who am I, anyway, how could I possibly know everything will turn out okay, that doesn't even make any sense! I think perhaps she would need to understand all of these experiences that she will go through one day in order to really believe it.

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FG: What have you been reading or listening to lately? Your favourite tv

shows? Are there any lesser-known books, shows or albums that you’d

recommend?

 

TW: I am always up for recommending lesser-known works! Books: lately

I have been adoring The Quieting, an anthology that encompasses so many

of the values that I celebrate, and Proof that You're Not Living Here by Stefani

Tran, a poetry collection of starkness & softness & survival. Music: James

Radcliffe's EP Present:Reflections and Dorothy Chan's track "Daisy" (featured

in the second issue of the journal I edit, Half Mystic), are simply gorgeous.

And shows: while I admit I am not a huge television watcher, I do so love the

webseries Carmilla, based off of the classic novel of the same name, which

has two things I can never get enough of: lesbians & vampires. Enough said,

really. ;)

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FG: Lastly, to stay true to our name, do you like sweet or sour food better?

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TW: I am a sweet junkie. Bring me dark chocolate & caramel - or, better still, a thick slice of New York cheesecake - and I shall be your obedient servant forever.

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