A.K. LEE

Once upon a time, a painter painted a dragon that flew out from paper. Once upon a time, a sculptor carved a living lover out of marble.

"And why have you summoned me, child?" "I'm forty-seven years old, no need to be patronizing, even if you're a demon." I paused, and added, "If you don't mind." It smiled with all its mouths and countless fangs. Its voice was a discordant chorus. "I don't mind at all. It’s refreshing to have someone who knows who they are. What is your reason for summoning me, woman? Wealth? Beauty? Love? Youth?" "Can you bring back the dead?" It cocked its head quizzically and slithered clos

Exile is an alien concept; I think I should need to sink deep roots into a place, Tangle my memories with the history of my land, my country, To be able to say, This is my past, right here, this was where I used to be. I do not have deep roots. Not for lack of trying, for I am always wishing to have a place That means real and mine That cannot be replicated elsewhere Some call it a home; I do not recognize Such a thing. In the place of home, I have my used to be, This used to

I wanted to write about an old potter who spent her life shaping clay with her hands.

Outside the porthole, the stars twinkle a welcome back . They have emerged from hyperspace 2.8 million light years away from Waystation-1, heading directly towards the colony where their destination waits in stationary orbit. Two more jumps through hyperspace and they will get to the mothership where they will dock for a Standard week, and then start on the return voyage. The shuttle is silent. They are used to it. The silence makes it easier for them to take note of minor pr

I was reflecting on my work today, as one does towards the end of the year.

I have a lot to do today. But when she naps She purrs – purrs – purrs. I lie down, Close my eyes. To-do list on the coffee table. Fingers...

When the hearse arrives, we're told to kneel with our backs to it and to keep our heads down and our eyes closed. The scent of incense...

The bottom eight inches of my black dress swish when I walk, and twirl when I turn. It's of a different material than the rest of the...

When planning for a vacation, I like to choose three to four must-see locations or must-do activities, and then wing it for the rest....

My partner and I firmly believe that we are cursed. Not in the “let’s find an exorcist” way, just mundane commonplace curses that inconvenience us.

In 2024, I translated three children's books. These stories were about landmarks in Singapore's past that are no longer around today. I translated them from English to Chinese, and while it wasn't my first experience translating per se, it was still a learning experience.

a sunbird on a twig A pair of sunbirds visit my balcony regularly, especially during nesting season. They peel the papery dried layers...

a little six-year-old boy came up to me today, holding a plastic bag full of cold beverages, and asked me if i could help him open the...

I am announcing that after the November newsletter, Story+Story will take a hiatus until March as I wish to work on my existing short...

I had the pleasure of conducting my very first public workshop at the end of August, invited by the people of Let's Read @SG. This came...

July has been a heck of a roller-coaster. There were some high points: I moderated a Q&A with the leaders of Centre for Stories from...

"No crisis in a people's history leaves the previous equilibrium undisturbed." This is how Léon Blum introduced this book. In his cold...

It's official: I will stop my daily journaling/creative writing experiment. Since 30 Dec 2021, I wrote a one-page response to prompts...

Here are the prompts for March: