I work for various regional publications as a freelance writer using the by-lines Ellen Whyte, Maria O'Daniel, Angela Snow and Normanda. Since 1996 I have sold more than 3000 articles in over 12 countries. My regular newspaper columns are listed below.
Magazine clients include Cleo, Her World (Malaysia), Malaysia Women’s Weekly and Singapore Women’s Weekly. These magazines commission health, relationship, and issues feature articles on a regular basis. More than half of these are listed on the cover page.
My work is also syndicated. Clients include National Enquirer in the USA, Elle in China, Woman's Day in Australia/New Zealand, Goed Gevoel in Belgium, Mujer Nueva in Spain, as well as other magazines in the US, South Africa, East Africa, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, and Ireland.
Regular Columns
Singapore: Straits Times
Little Red Dot, the education supplement of the Singapore Straits Times has been running Big Outside, a weekly education feature article discussing environmental issues since July 2005. Each column consists of a short article and an activity designed for classroom use. Activities take the form of quizzes, games, experiments, etc.
Malaysia: The Star
Katz Tales, the everyday tales of living with cats, has been published by the Malaysian national daily The Star Weekend section every fortnight since April 2006. The column was initially scheduled as a series of 12 articles but feedback has been so positive that the run has been extended indefinitely. In addition a fortnightly column Dog Talk has been commissioned. It has been running since November 2007. Marshall Cavendish Malaysia is publishing a compendium book in August 2009.
The language section runs Logomania, a column that discusses the meaning and uses of words and phrases, all linked by a central theme: lunacy, colours, ships, birds, women etc. Light-hearted and easy to read, this column helps readers improve their word power easily. Logomania has been published twice a month since September 2006. Malaysia Publishing House published a compendium book in November 2009.
The education section runs Did You Know? Designed to help students aged 10 to 14 improve their English and their general knowledge, this consists of a short article, list of Internet resources, and a vocabulary building activity. It has run in Stuff@School an educational supplement of The Star, Malaysia every week since May 2005.
In addition, The Star runs a centrefold feature article in F1F4, a science and maths pullout for Form 1 and Form 4 students in Malaysia. These articles cover general science topics, linking basic information covered in the curriculum for both age groups and adding a fun twist: for example, the science of fire and the ancient phlogiston theory. This series of features has been published fortnightly since March 2006. In January 2008 F1F4 expanded and became two supplements F123 and F4F5. I wrote centrefold features for both. As English will be abolished in Malaysian schools from 2011, both supplements will be replaced by the Savvy@School magazine.
The Star also commissions complete education supplements several times a year for Stuff@School. Each supplement consists of 5 features on a single topic. Subjects include: Martial Arts, Straight As, the Internet, Save The Earth, and Spooky Spooks. In 2011 this supplement will be extended to 8 pages and rebranded Savvy@School.
MPH Media
Malaysia Publishing House Sdn Bhd (MPH) are a publishing company that also run subscription magazines.
Quill is a quarterly publication bought by writers, readers, and publishers. There are currently 55,000 subscribers. Articles commissioned include features, travel features, and “how to” media and publishing pieces.
Homedec is a quarterly publication for interiors, for trade people and for renovator enthusiasts. There are currently 55,000 subscribers. Articles commissioned are travel features with a angle to architecture.
The Professional Printer a quarterly publication for publishers, printers, and media professionals. There are currently 55,000 subscribers. Articles commissioned are lavishly illustrated travel articles.
Brunei Times
The Brunei Times has been running Logomania, Did You Know and various quizzes since January 2009.
Hong Kong: South China Morning Post
The South China Morning Post commissioned a weekly centre spread feature for their youth supplement, Young Post from 2006 to 2010. Series include Armchair Travel, VIPs in History, Flora & Fauna, World Famous Icons, Inventions That Changed Lives and Extreme Creatures. Current work in hand is the summer 2011 double paged centre feature spread Awesome Animals.
Malaysia: the New Straits Times
Web Watch, a weekly column featuring fun web sites on themes that appeal to readers aged 17 to 35 started in March 2008 and ran until December 2008. Published in the Tech and U section, subject for this year include: rally racing, meditation, palmistry, boating and home repairs.
SmartEducation, a weekly kids study and education column focussing on research techniques and offering handy starting points for solving common homework problems was published in Tech and U (formerly the Computimes), the New Straits Times technology pullout from January 2006 to March 2008.
Smart@School, an education column, ran once a week in the Computimes, the New Straits Times technology pullout from March 2000 until March 2004. An international version of Smart@School called Web Chalk was published in the Jakarta Post in Indonesia from May 2002 until January 2005.
Beginning With Basics, a weekly column focussing on disseminating basic Internet skills as well as introducing complex technical issues in a simple manner, was established in 1998 and ran until December 2005. Written under the pen name Maria O’Daniel, Basics was published in the Computimes, the New Straits Times technology pullout.
Smelling The Roses was established in December 2001 and ran until April 2005. Written under the pen name Maria O’Daniel, this monthly column ran in the Computimes Shopper, a self standing magazine published by the New Straits Times group. It took a lighter look at some of the social issues debated online such as weight control and cross-cultural communication.
Seminars Presented
“Cross cultural behaviour and international business etiquette”. With the Asian Executive Advancement Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Publicity and Public Relations in an Internet Age”. With the Asian Executive Advancement Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Effective Business Writing Skills”. With Paul Navaratnam and the Asian Executive Advancement Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Computer Misconduct in An Internet Age”. With Paul Navaratnam and the Asian Executive Advancement Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Introduction to Internet Research”. With Olivier Descamps and Multimedia University, Malaysia.
“Introduction to Internet Services”. With Net IQ Sdn. Bhd and The Penang Skills Development Centre, Penang, Malaysia.
Books Published
Mystery of the Demon Caves, Horizon Singapore (forthcoming)
Logomania: Fate and Fortune, 2011 Malaysia Publishing House (MPH) (forthcoming)
ISBN pending
Blackmail Bride, 2010 Ink-Slinger ebooks
Katz Tales, 2009 Marshall Cavendish Malaysia
ISBN 978-967-3035-64-9
Logomania, 2009 Malaysia Publishing House (MPH)
ISBN 978-967-5222-47-4
Instant Genius! Internet Research. 2002: Pelanduk Malaysia.
ISBN 967 978 713 3
Instant Genius! Corporate Web Design. 2000: Pelanduk Malaysia.
ISBN 967 978 7066
Instant Genius! Email. 2000: Pelanduk Malaysia.
ISBN 967 978 713 3
Ahead With IT, Route To Success. 1999: Longman Malaysia.
ISBN 983-74-1133-3
Panic Free Essay Writing. 1997: Penerbitan Pustaka Nusa.
ISBN 983-9456-01-6
Ollie The Orang Utan Is Lost In The Jungle. 1997: Penerbitan Pustaka Nusa.
ISBN 983-9456-00-8
Ollie Meets A Monster. 1997: Penerbitan Pustaka Nusa.
ISBN 983-9456-02-4
Scriptwriting
Mystery of the Demon Caves, a 13 part children’s television series. Now turned into a book to be published by Horizon, Singapore.
The Bright Side. (with Ahmad Faiz) A 13-episode television situation comedy that touches on current social issues.
Zheng He and Princess of Pirates. (with Ahmad Faiz). A 100 minute feature film script commissioned by Point Network Malaysia.
Mystery SS13. A 26 part children’s television series commissioned by Astro.
Corporate Video Scripting
SCAN Associates, USA Commissioned by Point Network Sdn Bhd in August 2005, I wrote a 5 minute script for Scan to use at a government tender project presentation.
Tourism Malaysia Commissioned by Point Network Sdn Bhd in October 2005, I wrote 4 video scripts for Point Network to use at a government tender project presentation. Scripts were titled: Islands & Beaches of Malaysia (8 minutes),, Ecotourism (8 minutes), health & wellness (5 minutes), and Wedding& Honeymoons (5 minutes).
FPG Oleochemicals Kuantan Malaysia. Commissioned by Point Network Sdn Bhd in December 2005, I wrote a 2 minute video script for a company “about us” video and a 5 minute video script to train workers for emergency situations.
Television (Research)
Money Tree. (with Ahmad Faiz). Provide content for the series: research suitable topics, select suitable speakers and arrange for interview subjects to appear on the programme. To date the range of topics covered has included Fine Art in Malaysia (with spokespeople for the National Art Gallery of Malaysia as well as local artists); The Need For Technopreneurs (with Multimedia Super Corridor and successful entrepreneurs); and Going Public (with experts from KPMG, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and AmResearch)
To contact me, please email me at katztales@lepak.com.
