Felix Cheong
Singaporean Policeman and Dancer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Felix Cheong (born 1965, Singapore) is a Singaporean author and poet. He received the National Arts Council Young Artist Award for Literature in 2000.[1] Cheong has written over 30 books across genres including poetry, young adult fiction, and graphic novels.
Felix Cheong | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Poet, Novelist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Genre | Young adult fiction, poetry |
Early life and education
Cheong spent his early childhood years in a kampong in Lorong 3, Geylang. He has one older brother and two younger brothers. Born to two Catholic parents, Cheong has described Catholicism as having a profound impact on his writing.[2]
Cheong attended St. Anthony's Boys' School and represented the school in table tennis. He then attended St. Joseph's Institution, where he was a member of the school band and the Literary, Drama and Debate Society.[2]
In 1990, Cheong graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in English Literature and Philosophy, and a minor in English Language.[2][3] In June 2002, he completed his Masters of Philosophy in Creative Writing at the University of Queensland on a bursary awarded by the National Arts Council.[4]
Career
Cheong started his career as a broadcast journalist with the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, where he worked for two years. He then joined CNBC Asia as a studio director for close to eight years.[5][2] He later embarked on a freelance writing career before becoming a teacher. He has since taught at institutions such as LaSalle College, University of Newcastle, and the National University of Singapore.[5]
Cheong's first collection of poetry, Temptation and Other Poems (ISBN 978-981-3065-17-8) was published in 1998 followed by a second collection in 1999, I Watch the Stars Go Out (ISBN 978-981-04-1127-5),[6] Broken by the Rain (ISBN 978-981-04-8033-2) in 2003,[7] and Sudden in Youth: New and Selected Poems (ISBN 978-981-08-3412-8) in 2009.[8]
Cheong has written two young adult fiction books used as part of a national education campaign – The Call From Crying House (ISBN 978-981-4189-05-7) and its sequel, The Woman In The Last Carriage (ISBN 978-981-4189-11-8).[9][10]
Cheong won the National Arts Council's Young Artist of the Year for Literature Award in 2000 and the poetry slam at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival in 2004.[9][11]
His poems have been featured in various projects, including Singapore Poetry on the Sidewalks in 2016[12] and Poems on the MRT.[13]
Selected publications
Poetry
- The Mischief of Ordinary Things (2024, Marshall Cavendish Editions) ISBN 978-981-5169-18-8
- B-SIDES AND BACKSLIDES: 1986 -2018 (2018, Math Paper Press) ISBN 978-981-11-7304-2
- Broken by the Rain (2003, Firstfruits) ISBN 978-981-04-8033-2
- I Watch the Stars Go Out (1999, Ethos Books) ISBN 978-981-04-1127-5
- Temptation, and Other Poems (1998, Landmark Books) ISBN 978-981-3065-17-8
Fiction
- Singapore Siu Dai 2: The SG Conversation Upsize! (2014, Ethos Books) ISBN 978-981-09-2549-9
- Singapore Siu Dai: The SG Conversation In A Cup (2014, Ethos Books) ISBN 978-981-07-8858-2
- Vanishing Point (2012, Ethos Books) ISBN 978-981-07-3386-5
- Sudden in Youth: New & Selected Poems (2009, Ethos Books) ISBN 978-981-08-3412-8
- The Woman in the Last Carriage (2007, Landmark Books) ISBN 978-981-4189-11-8
- The Call from the Crying House (2006, Landmark Books) ISBN 978-981-4189-05-7
- Different (2005, Ethos Books) ISBN 978-981-05-3765-4
- Idea to Ideal: 12 Singapore Poets on the Writing of their Poems (editor; 2004, Firstfruits) ISBN 978-981-05-1686-4
Graphic novels
- The Showgirl and the Minister (2023, Penguin Random House SEA) ISBN 978-981-5144-31-4
- Goh Keng Swee: A Singaporean for All Seasons (2023, Marshall Cavendish International) ISBN 978-981-5113-41-9
