Author wants to write stories she didn't get to read
Beauty Queens Of Bishan author explores feminism, heartland life
Nestled in the suburban areas of Bishan are 20 beauty parlours which became the inspiration for Ms Akshita Nanda's second novel, Beauty Queens Of Bishan.
An arts correspondent with The Straits Times, the 40-year-old author said the light-hearted chick-lit book celebrates the life of the heartland, while simultaneously critiquing beauty stereotypes and pageants.
Published last month, it revolves around salon owner April Chua, who plans to control 13 co-existing beauty parlours through an alliance.
But things change when a new salon opens, kick-starting a rivalry over which establishment is able to groom a winner for the upcoming Grand Glam Singapore beauty contest.
Ms Nanda examines how beauty parlours are a paradox and if the beauty industry and pageant culture can be feminist too.
"These parlours may promote stereotypes of female beauty, but at the same time, they are safe spaces for women to feel like princesses and queens," she said.
"We live in a volatile and uncertain world where many things are not within our control, but perhaps the one thing you can control is how you look."
Speaking to The New Paper earlier this month at Junction 8 shopping mall, she hopes readers are able to laugh at the subject matter but also think about the bigger issues.
"I want to interrogate what it means to be a woman in today's society, where expectations of them are really high," said Ms Nanda.
"For instance, women are traditionally expected to bear the disproportionate burden of taking care of the household first before she takes care of herself."
SABBATICAL
Currently on a two-year sabbatical at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, Ms Nanda now has more time to work on her third novel, with its first draft to be completed by the end of this year.
Her debut novel, Nimita's Place, was published last year.
She started working on her first two titles two years ago in between assignments while at The Straits Times.
For Ms Nanda, finding time was the greatest challenge as she had to juggle writing and full-time reporting.
She said: "I plan to write interesting, funny and thought-provoking narratives from a woman's perspective. Most narratives in today's world come from a male perspective.
"For example, many young girls have told me how they couldn't imagine themselves as superheroes like Batman or Superman as they're all men.
"I've always wanted to write the stories I didn't get to read, which are about the extraordinary business of being a woman, of how the world is lived and filtered for women."
Beauty Queens Of Bishan is now available at Popular, Times and Kinokuniya bookstores at $18.50.
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