Igniting passion for reading

THE unexpected success of the ‘Diary of a Rich Kid’ series, which made its debut in 2018, has indeed changed Malcolm Mejin’s life.

Nowadays, his organiser is packed with schedules for many activities, mostly book signings, meets-and-greets and sessions with schoolchildren.

“I just managed to enjoy a break during the Raya season.

“I’m not complaining, though.

“I love being busy and doing stuff, but it does feel good to be able to recharge a bit so that I can continue doing this thing that I love,” the Kuching-born author tells thesundaypost.

Latest book

Continuing with his ‘Rich Kid’ series, Malcolm has just released the latest book, called ‘Diary of a Rich Kid: The Ghost of Mount Hantu’.

“It was loosely inspired by Mount Santubong in Sarawak.

“When I was a small boy, I heard stories about supernatural encounters there, so I created a ghost story set in a fictional mountain called ‘Mount Hantu’, located in Kuching,” he adds.

The protagonist, Robin Jin, is the son of a corporate mogul in Kuching, and facilitated by the family’s wealth and influence, the ‘rich kid’ gets to travel extensively around the globe, which enriches his life with exciting adventures.

This setting was the core backdrop for the first series, ‘Diary of a Rich Kid’.

“When I first came out with the book in 2018, there were much uncertainties in the outcome.

“The ‘Diary of a Rich Kid’ was truly a prototype, and almost all aspects of publishing were done on my own.

“In this regard, I feel proud of myself because the experience of doing much of it on my own, is indeed invaluable,” says Malcolm.

The unexpected success of the first book was followed by the publications of the next ‘Rich Kid’ series, ‘Road Trip’ and ‘Secret of the Sea’.

“The crux of my story-writing career came when I submitted my manuscript to Penguin, which offered to publish my book – much to my surprise.

“The Penguin deal spawned two more books in this series, ‘Lost in Space’ and the latest, ‘The Ghost of Mount Hantu’.

“I’m happy that the work that I had put in is starting to pay off,” says the former copywriter and editor.

‘Ghost Mountain’

In ‘The Ghost of Mount Hantu’, Robin and his friends go on a glamping trip to Mount Hantu, where they discover that there are some supernatural forces afoot in the mountain.

Soon, they cross paths with a formidable ghostly being of the mountain, who reigns over the domain with vengeance.

“This is the first title to have some ghostly, spooky elements to it, to keep readers on the edge of their seats, while being immersed in some of the light-hearted wit and humour spread across the 208 pages.

“It comes illustrated, with engaging texts that are suitable for middle-grade audiences, and even young adults,” says Malcolm.

The ‘Mount Hantu’ also represents the age progression of the author’s fans.

“The earlier books are suited for primary-level reading, so the language is straightforward.

“With ‘Mount Hantu’, it represents those who have been following me since ‘The Diary of a Rich Kid’ came out, and now that they are in their early teens, the story and its flavour have become a bit more advanced,” he elaborates.

The synopsis is compelling, and it reads: “Once you enter Mount Hantu, you may never leave … When Robin’s school organises a glamping trip at Mount Hantu, not everyone is thrilled.

“But the campers are soon dazzled by the luxurious tents, cosy beds and even a giant flat-screen television at the campsite!

“However, before long, terrifying things begin to unravel. From a brush with death to the disappearance of a fellow camper, Mount Hantu seems more forbidding than ever.

“Robin soon discovers that they’re not alone; something – or someone – is watching them from the shadows.

“Robin must unravel the dark secret of Mount Hantu before it’s too late.”

‘Encouraging young minds’

Malcolm is still promoting ‘Mount Hantu’, which is now available at bookstores.

An avenue for this is through school sessions that he is frequently invited to.

“Following the publication (of ‘Diary of a Rich Kid’), I have gone on tours to many schools across Malaysia and Singapore.

“Whenever I am in these sessions, I always strive to encourage the young readers through my talks.

“I share with them my own experience – from how I started as a self-published author, to publishing my latest book.”

Malcolm had just conducted a session at Tunku Putra-HELP International School Kuching, where apart from being a promotional tour for ‘Mount Hantu’, it was also a platform for him to share with the students his journey and motivate the potential storytellers among them.

“I held a creative writing session where the children explored writing using fun tools related to the theme of ‘Magic’.

“I also included a segment on practical writing tips for them.

“I always incorporate fun and education in my school tours – ‘edutainment’, as I call it.”

In his visit to the Nexus International School in Singapore earlier this year, Malcolm started with a reading session on ‘The Ghost of Mount Hantu’, but it was not just any regular reading.

“I did a dramatised version with participation from the children. It was a total inter-activity session.

“The key highlights from the talk were the edutainment aspects of all my books, which blend captivating plots and good writing skills, which the students could apply to their own writing.

“I shared with them the concept of ‘show-and-tell’ used in creative writing, incorporating some examples from my books. There was also a vocabulary exercise with the students.

“I’d like to believe that there are future authors and storytellers among the children, and I’d like to motivate them to continue pursuing that interest.

“It gives me joy that these young minds enjoy reading my books, and not only that, some of them get to learn and apply the useful writing skills along the way.

“To me, it’s a unique learning experience,” says Malcolm.

Malcolm’s ‘Rich Kid’ Series 2018-2024:

Diary of a Rich Kid

Malcom’s self-published debut in 2018, which introduced the titular character Robin Jin. In this first instalment, Robin and his friends go on an exciting trip to the Bahamas, which appears to be a holiday of a lifetime for them, but little do they know that in this tropical getaway, lurks a secret danger in the waters – forcing Robin to find ways to salvage what is left of the vacation.

Diary of a Rich Kid: Road Trip

Published in 2020, Malcolm’s second book is about Robin and his friends going local this time, where the journey gives them the opportunity to explore local food and breathtaking destinations. This book really highlights Sarawak as it mentions real places such as Sarawak Cultural Village and Damai Beach, as well as the signature dishes ‘Laksa Sarawak’ and ‘Kolo Mee’. All is going well until one of Robin’s best friends mysteriously disappears – that is when the ‘road trip takes a swerve on a rocky path of danger and suspense’.

Diary of a Rich Kid: Secret of the Sea

Published in 2021, this edition was inspired by Malcolm’s experience during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, where Movement Control Order was in force. In ‘Secret of the Sea’, the characters’ lives were changed when the pandemic struck, with their social lives becoming severely restricted and adversely affecting their mental health – mirroring the actual global situation at the time. In this book, Robin and his friends escape to sea on board a luxury super-submarine that comes complete with an indoor swimming pool, a movie theatre and other amazing facilities. The adventure takes them into meeting the mer-people, but as in Malcolm’s previous, nothing is what it seems on the surface (pun-intended) in that the merfolks have a very dark secret.

Diary of a Rich Kid: Lost in Space

Out in 2023, this book marked Malcolm’s major deal with international publishers Penguin Random House SEA. In this series, Robin receives the most awesome birthday present ever – a trip to space with his family and friends. The ‘rich kid’ gets to explore the moon, where he ‘moonwalks’ and leaves his mark on the surface. However, he would soon discover that space, as vastly wondrous as it is, can be one unforgiving realm.

Diary of a Rich Kid: The Ghost of Mount Hantu

Published in December 2023 and released this year, this book is the second publication under Penguin.