Two decades on, Felix\u2019s book ventures have shifted to collaborations with young creatives such as illustrators and musicians. He explains that \u201cI’ve come to the stage in my creative life, where I find more satisfaction if I can bring another creative mind on board, to challenge myself, and challenge the other person. So, we come up with something bigger than the sum of our individual parts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read Also: 5 Questions With\u2026 William Tew, Executive Chef & Co-Founder of Fete Up, Who Started His First Restaurant in Hong Kong<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amid the pandemic, Felix\u2019s partnerships with fellow creatives have manifested in two books, In the Year of the Virus<\/em>, a poetry comic book capturing a fictionalised snippet of the COVID-19 experience in Singapore; the second book, Oddballs, Screwballs and Other Eccentrics<\/em>, is a Tim Burton-inspired <\/em>illustration <\/em>book of poetry about outcasts who struggle to find acceptance. Both books were collaborations with illustrators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He has also edited anthologies including A View of the Stars: Stories of Love <\/em>and Letter To My Mother<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A View of the Stars <\/em>is a compilation of heart-warming stories about love, based on both true events and epic tales. Besides editing, Felix contributed a dramatised version of how his parents met. Set during pre-independence Singapore, the short story is aptly titled \u2018How I Met Your Mother\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Letter To My Mother<\/em>, the contributors opened up about their childhood years, when they were raised by their mothers. Some of these stories reveal painful chapters of the writers, who had to manage their parents\u2019 mental health issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Felix describes his own lockdown isolation as one that fostered an environment of creativity \u2018sprouting wings\u2019. \u201cDuring the circuit breaker, it wasn’t hard to stay productive, because I had so much time on my hands,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can\u2019t go out, you can\u2019t do this, you can\u2019t do that. And all the time that I usually would spend travelling to school and back \u2013 one, two hours a day \u2013 that was time saved\u2026 the lockdown enabled me to think of more story ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: How Swee Kee\u2019s Third Gen Owner Is Keeping The 82-Year-Old Family Business Going Strong Despite Closing Its Flagship Outlet<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The creative momentum from the pandemic isolation also inspired two upcoming books: his 6th children\u2019s book, Tongue-Tied Ting Ting<\/em>, scheduled for release at the end of July, and Sin City-inspired graphic novel, Spraw<\/em>l, in mid-September (both pictured).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The evolution of Felix\u2019s works from solo projects to collaborations is partly driven by a desire to give back to the community. Many of the illustrations based on his poems are commissioned by Felix, who compensates his collaborators out of his pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a veteran in the creative field, Felix says it is important to him to support younger artists \u201cbecause the royalties they get isn’t enough to keep body and soul together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good portion of such professionals within the creative industries are typically freelancers because of the ad hoc nature for many projects. During the pandemic, many freelance creatives said they lost their stream of income. According to ilostmygig.sg, freelancers reported a lost totalling more $32 million since the pandemic hit Singapore\u2019s shores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike freelancers, Felix\u2019s ability to keep writing can be credited to his day job: teaching. It\u2019s a professional path he has embraced since 2002, after completing his Master\u2019s in creative writing in Australia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He has since taught at institutions such as LaSalle College, University of Newcastle, and the National University of Singapore, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teaching, he says, goes hand-in-hand with writing: \u201cChoosing one or the other is like asking me to choose whether to chop either my left or my right hand. I mean, (teaching) is the main source of my income. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the flexibility of hours to do my writing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Felix started his career in broadcast journalism, after receiving a scholarship with the then-Singapore BroadcastingCorporation. The award included a 2-year bond with the company. \u201cI was interested in both print and broadcast journalism,\u201d Felix said, \u201cbut the scholarship tilted the balance to broadcast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Felix worked as a news producer before joining CNBC as a studio director. It was at CNBC that Felix scored a place to study for a Master\u2019s programme with the University of Queensland, under a bursary awarded by the National Arts Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before leaving his CNBC job for further studies, he struck a gentlemen\u2019s agreement with his boss to rehire him as long as there were vacancies. Unfortunately, the brief time away saw the industry change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On returning to Singapore in 2002, the media landscape had transformed as media giants \u2013 Mediacorp and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) \u2013 locked horns through a liberalisation of the industry. The intense competition resulted in job losses that spilled over across the media sector, and CNBC did not have a role for Felix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armed with a new Master\u2019s degree, Felix would thus embark on a freelance writing career while looking for work in teaching. He also ventured beyond poetry to writing fiction such as 2012\u2019s Vanishing Point<\/em>, <\/em>and the Singapore Siu Dai<\/em>series of books from 2014 and beyond. Vanishing Point<\/em> is a series of short stories inspired by real-life cases of missing persons, while the three-volume Singapore Siu Dai<\/em> comprises satirical stories that explore socio-political issues in Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In pursuing a career as an author, Felix had to marry his art with the business competencies of sales and marketing. As an artist, he listened to his inner voice and drew from his experience as well as observations. As a businessman, he had to create a public persona that could connect with potential readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a schizophrenic split between my public self and my private self,\u201d Felix said. \u201cIncreasingly, writers are expected to also market their work. You need to put up a public face \u2013 a public persona \u2013 using social media, for example. It’s all part of creating hype around your books.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nIn The Year Of The Virus And Other Stories<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGiving Back To The Creative Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reinventing Felix Cheong: From Broadcast Journalism To Teacher<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Business of Writing: Becoming the Chief Spokesperson and Marketer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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