HOW would your life be if you had so much money that it could fill the entire ocean? For Sarawakian Malcolm Mejin, he would travel all around the world in his private jet. He would also own the latest gadgets, the likes of which are so expensive that they could only be afforded by the wealthiest.
It’s such a good fantasy that Malcolm decided to pen it all down in his latest book, Diary of a Rich Kid, whose plot centres on a group of privileged, wealthy kids who lead the most lavish, extravagant lifestyle filled with excitement, suspense and adventure ― peppered with some humour.
Launched just last month, the book can be purchased online at the moment at www.malcolmmejin.com. The story takes place in Kuching where Malcom was born. The 256-page illustrated book is filled with local references, which include the famous Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee. Sarawak Laksa is Robin Jin’s (the main character) favourite dish, and he cannot live without it.
“I wanted the name of my main character to sound catchy and easy to remember. And the name Robin just popped into my head. For Robin’s best friends, Ken and Charlie, I think their names are catchy too,” explains Malcolm in an email interview.
The boys, especially Robin and Charlie, tote around Louis Vuitton and Prada. Their wardrobes, meanwhile, are filled with branded designer clothing and shoes. The only person who’s not that extravagant is Ken ― he wears normal, non-branded clothing and isn’t so into expensive designer clothing. This is partly due to his upbringing. Ken comes from a middle-class family and he was sent to the most luxurious, prestigious private international school in Kuching for a well-rounded and good education. And this is where he came to be acquainted with Robin and Charlie and ended up becoming the best of friends.
THE INSPIRATION
“I try to be original in my novel. For Diary of a Rich Kid, I don’t think that anyone has written something like this in the market,” divulges Malcolm before adding that he also wants his readers to enjoy his work which means that it’s a fine line between being original and delivering what the readers want. It took the 32-year-old about three months to complete the book.
According to the author, his inspiration was derived from his own lifestyle of having mingled with the rich and famous. He also admits to owning a few luxury items, such as a Louis Vuitton bag.
“I guess my own somewhat lavish lifestyle became a good source of ideas for the book. But that’s not to say I’m filthy rich like Robin or Charlie. If I were to spend extravagantly like them, I think I’d have to declare bankruptcy or something,” he quips. Pretty simple to plough through, this is a great book if you’re looking to unwind over something that won’t tax your brain too much. “There’s excitement, suspense, adventure, and real-life situations which I think readers can relate to,” adds Malcolm enthusiastically.
By real-life situations, he means coping with divorce. In the book, Charlie’s parents are divorced and his mother is marrying a new man. Charlie is filled with angst and goes through some rough patches as he finds it hard to accept his new father.
“I think having such issues, in addition to the more humorous and adventurous elements, add substance and realism to the novel, which will make it more relatable to people.”
Asked which character he personally can relate to the most, Malcolm replies: “I think it’s a bit of both Robin and Ken. Even though Robin’s extremely rich, he’s still very down-to-earth and still goes to the hawker stores to eat his favourite laksa. And he treasures friendship, which I think is a good quality. Ken is quite laid-back and quite smart, which makes me like his character.”
THE WRITING PROCESS
The Sarawakian shares that he’s the only creative one in his family. But his passion for writing, which began when he was only six, had always been encouraged by his parents.
“Whenever my dad travelled for work, he would come home with books that he’d bought for us. I remember very clearly my mum reading to me stories when I was a little kid. Those things probably inspired me to write,” confides Malcolm, the youngest of three siblings.
He recalls the time when he wrote fantasy stories about angels and their magical adventures. “I was only six and my writing journey took off from there.” Suffice to say, his writing style—and content— has evolved over the years and he’s been on a roll ever since. But that’s not to say that he’s not visited by the dreaded writer’s block at all.
“It’s not something that I can control. It comes out of the blue and threatens my artistic flow. However, when that kind of thing happens, I’d try to chill for a bit and go for a walk or eat my favourite food, such as ice-cream,” admits Malcolm before adding that ice-cream was the first thing he bought when he received his first pay check as a writer. It was the biggest ice-cream concoction he’d ever seen!
As with any writer, Malcolm also has his favourite place from where he prefers to write. It’s not a coffee shop downtown or anything like that. His “writer’s refuge” happens to be at home where he finds the ideal kind of solitude and comfort in which to do his writing. This is where the ideas flow.
Asked what he’d be doing if he hadn’t become a writer, Malcolm shares that he’d probably be teaching English or something along the lines because of his love for language. Other than teaching, he’d probably be travelling the world as it’s one of his biggest passions.
“Travelling opens up the kaleidoscope of your life and makes it brighter and colourful. You learn new things when you travel and I’m on a journey of still trying to learn more new things each day. Of course, if I want to travel on a weekly basis, I have to be rich like Robin,” he says jokingly.
On the subject of challenges as a writer, Malcolm concedes there are many. He admits that it’s hard to break through when you’re an unknown writer.
“You need to put in the hard work, persevere and be very dedicated,” concedes Malcolm, who tells me that he’s been encouraged by the many positive comments he had been receiving ever since the publication of his debut novel, Cool Diary, in 2012. Moving forward, Malcolm, who is busy on a book tour, confides that he can already see a sequel potential for Diary of a Rich Kid.
“I would be interested in developing the characters further and thickening the plot. I would like to see an arch between each book, sort of like a cliff hanger, to keep readers wanting to read the next book,” he concludes.
GOOD WAY TO UNWIND
I’M a fan of crimes and thrillers and am so used to reading books that have me on the edge of my seat always. I enjoy getting my mind blown on the final page of each book and derive a lot of satisfaction from clever plot twists.
To be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect from Malcolm’s book. That said, the first page did get me hooked. Charlie’s dry tone when he declared “I have news for you” to Robin made me scramble for the next page, eager to know what’s going on.
As I read further, I finally understood what Malcolm meant when he said that the book is a good way to unwind. Being filthy rich, owning a private jet, holidaying at the Bahamas, and dining at Michelin-starred restaurants... It all took my imagination to the highest level.
I did get my thrill when Amanda (the name of the Great White Shark in the book) caused terror upon terror on the boys and other visitors at the Bahamas. I actually breathed a sigh of relief when it turned out that the children were all right.
I initially imagined that the author must be filthy rich for him to be able to write in such a way. It surprise me to discover that he isn’t – at least not like his protagonists Robin and Charlie.
“I wish I was,” Malcolm had said. “I think my life would have been filled with endless adventures, like jetting over to Paris one weekend, and Fiji Island, the next.”
Me too, Malcolm. Me too.
DIARY OF A RICH KID
AUTHOR Malcolm Mejin
PAGES 256
PRICE RM35