Heng Siok Tian

Biography

Early life Heng was brought up in a Teochew-speaking family. In school, she found herself reconciling her traditional Chinese upbringing with her English-based education and her study of English literature.

She received a Master of Arts in English Literature from the National University of Singapore in 1996, and a Master of Science in Information Studies from Nanyang Technological University in 2002. She began writing during her time at NUS, receiving the first prize in poetry and an honourable mention in the short story category in the 1985-1986 NUS Poetry and Short Story Writing Competition.

She continued her literary education as a Fellow with the Iowa International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, on a National Arts Council Fellowship.

Career As an educator, Heng has been in the teaching service for over 28 years. She received the National Day Honours in 2015 for her 25-year contribution to the education system in Singapore. She is a supporter of the Creative Arts Programme (CAP), a seminar established by the Gifted Education Branch at the Ministry of Education, Singapore (MOE). Heng regularly facilitates CAP workshops, and has mentored several young writers in the CAP Mentorship attachment segment.

She is presently a media services specialist with the educational technology division of the MOE, and an English Literature teacher at Hwa Chong Junior College. to 2017. She has been a guest of literary events in China, Denmark, France, Malaysia, the Philippines, the US and Sweden.

Works Poetry

Prose

+ TitleYearPublisherISBNNotes Fishballs and Vermicelli 1985 ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information published in Anthology of ASEAN Literatures: The Fiction of Singapore Choice of Two Salads 2005 Isbn Edizioni translated and published in Sedici Racconti Dall'Asia Estrema The Adopted: Stories from Angkor 2015Ethos Books with Phan Ming Yen, Yong Shu Hoong and Yeow Kai Chai

Plays The Lift (1991)