Mid-Year Updates


21 June 2026

Mid-year updates!

Whoops! It's been a while since the last newsletter. Things have been pretty quiet for the last few months, so I haven't really had anything to update. I did have an idea for a sequel to the Tea Novel, so I've been working on that. I'm up to about 18K words, with an opening that I kind of like, but am having a bit of trouble figuring out the middle. As I've been saying recently, "I'm trying to write another book but it's not moving." lol

At any rate, here's the results of the survey I ran, uh, in March.

The Voice of Kayangan is the preferred choice—which is good because that's the title I sent it off to Bookiut with! No response on that front yet, which is a good thing, I think? As far as "no news is good news" holds true, anyway.

I'm in the news!

I spoke to (well, texted) Carolyn some time ago, and the feature just came out today. It's always exciting to see yourself in the news—at least, when it's good!

Book events this weekend

Next week seems to be a popular week for book events.

If you're in Kuala Lumpur, the KL Reading Festival will be at GMBB KL from 11am-8pm on 27-28th June. I'll be on a self-publishing panel on Saturday, 2pm so if you're free, do come!

I'll also be bringing books, so look out for the Malaysian Writers Society booth!

The age of content has opened up exciting new possibilities—not just for social media creators, but for individuals looking to publish and promote their own physical books. While tips on self-publishing are widely available online, very few resources speak specifically to the Malaysian context: how to actually get started here, and what it takes to succeed.

In this panel, our authors will share their personal journeys, offer practical guidance for aspiring writers, highlight the common pitfalls to avoid, and walk through what you need to know about copyright laws and regulations as an indie publisher in Malaysia.

Obviously, I won't be at the Realm Makers Conference and Expo this year, but if you're somewhere near St. Louis MO, this is something you should check out!

June 26-27, 2026
St. Louis Union Station Hotel

Would you enjoy a fantasy/sci-fi book festival, film festival, fan convention, and symposium on Christian storytelling in popular culture ALL ROLLED INTO ONE?

Join us for an inspiring celebration of creativity across fantasy and sci-fi books, gaming, comics, audio drama, animation, and film. Engage with talented individuals who share your values, and let’s uplift the artistic voices pioneering in the industry today! You don’t want to miss this event!

Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale

What would a newsletter be without a plug to buy books? If you need to fill in any gaps, here's your chance to get the missing books at a discount!

The Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale starts on 1 July (duh), so save the link: https://www.smashwords.com/sale​

Until next time!

anna

p/s. Now's actually a good time to sign up for Watchful Wizard Publishing's newsletter. There may be something special from me next month! *hint hint wink wink*

Check out Anna's Books

The Absolution Series

​Honour (#0.5)​

​Amok (#1)​

​The Tale of the Hostage Prince (#1.5)​

​Absolution (#2)​

The Fairy Tale Series

​Coexist​

​Dongeng​

The Painted Hall Collection

​The Painted Hall Collection consists of 4 short stories that are also available as singles, plus an exclusive short story set in the Absolution world:

Standalones

​A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic: An Anthology (ed.)​

​The Making of a Jurusihir​

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Anna Tan

Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She writes fantasy stories and fairy tales, puts together anthologies, and helps people figure out their publishing goals at Teaspoon Publishing. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersections of language, culture, and faith.

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