Biography
Josiah Kho Rui Ming
I’m Josiah and am 13 years old. I attend an international school and my first foray into competitive writing was an academic piece I wrote at 12 years old which attained a scholarship (2 consecutive years) to a Summer School at Cambridge, England. “Cawan” was inspired by my dad’s experience with his pet macaque and his passion for the nepenthes plants.
My love for creative writing was further developed when I joined the Young Author Scheme (YAS) this year. I enjoyed all the sessions with Ms Catherine Khoo, the main teacher who taught the attendees how to write short stories starting at 150 words and develop them into longer stories of 1500 words.
From the YAS, I learned to put my ideas into a proper structure using the guidance given. I’m especially impressed with Ms Khoo’s vast experience in writing and her constant encouragement to let ideas flow freely drawing from one’s imagination or personal experiences. I highly recommend YAS to all young budding writers!
Books by Josiah Kho Rui Ming
CAWAN is a novella about the adventures of an unlikely pair of best friends in the Bornean jungle, telling of their life journey together through sheer love and passion for the rare species of the nepenthes plant (commonly known as the monkey cup). It explores the themes of friendship, their love for nature and the power of kindness through an Asian tale of a little girl’s grit and dedication to her family, showing how one’s life may be transformed and richly rewarded from living a life of simplicity to a life beyond one’s wildest imagination.