SINGAPORE: Reality television star Khloe Kardashian once posted one of the poet's works on Instagram. Singaporean satirist Mr Brown recently did a tongue-in-cheek Facebook video of him reading Singlish versions of her poems. And whenever she goes on one of her book tours, chances are there will be long, snaking queues, fans camping overnight and even the occasional armed escort.
Welcome to the world of Lang Leav, poet and social media star.
(Photo: Lang Leav)
The 30-something Australian, who is back in Singapore on a three-day tour beginning Friday (Dec 9), is considered a modern day literary phenomenon.
Not only does she have four bestselling poetry books under her belt, Leav - pronounced “lee-yav” - is also a bonafide Internet celebrity. Around 1.2 million fans regularly keep tabs on her Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts, where she posts her short, lyrical pieces about love.
“Growing up, I fell in love with classic poets such as Sara Teasdale and Robert Frost. As far as writing poetry, ever since I could pick up a pencil, I wrote something. The written word has always been my first love,” said Leav, in an email interview with Channel NewsAsia.
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A photo posted by Lang Leav (@langleav) on
Nov 30, 2016 at 7:01pm PST
TOUGH CHILDHOOD
It’s been quite the journey for the poet, who was born in a Thai refugee camp, after her Cambodian parents fled from the terrors of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.
“My mother once told me a story that is etched in my memory. She, along with my father and two brothers were on the run from the Khmer Rouge. Exhausted, they found a place to rest for a few hours. She woke up to find she had been sleeping in cow dung. When they finally crossed the border into Thailand, my father swapped what little gold they had for candy,” she said.
Lang Leav's family at the Thai refugee camp. (Photo: Lang Leav)
Leav’s family moved to Australia when she was 11 months old. But it wasn’t without its challenges — her mother worked as a seamstress, under unfair conditions.
“They would falsely accuse my mother of stealing garments in order to withhold the meagre payment from her. If she didn’t get paid, we would go hungry. It was criminal. I believe these early experiences have shaped me and made me stronger as a result. One day, I would love to write my mother’s story,” she said.
Leav has yet to delve into her family’s history, but she would slowly carve a niche for herself in the creative scene, in the fields of visual art and fashion, with her label Akina.
SURPRISE SUCCESS
Creative writing eventually beckoned - and she would turn to Tumblr, where she began building up solid online following thanks to her poetry posts. Eventually, she decided to self-publish her first book, Love & Misadventure, in 2013. In the first couple of months, 10,000 copies were snatched up.
"The success took me by surprise and I attracted the attention of literary agents in New York,” said Leav. She signed with Writers House, whose stable includes the likes of Ken Follett and Stephenie Meyer from the Twilight series. Eventually, she landed a publishing deal.
A very happy fan at a recent book signing session in Malaysia. (Photo: Lang Leav's Facebook page)
Extremely popular books (a combined 78,000 copies sold to date in Singapore alone), coupled with an enthusiastic online following has meant that wherever she goes, it’s bound to get interesting.
“When I’m on tour, I’m always accompanied by several minders and, in some parts of Asia, armed guards, too,” said Leav, who added that she receives hundreds of messages, letters, gifts and artwork from her devoted followers.
“The nicest thing (that has happened) was in the Philippines, where I had fans camping overnight. In fact, my signings there had to have a limit of 500 people as bookstores and shopping centres were becoming overwhelmed.”
ATTRACTING NEW READERS
And many of these fans are of a younger generation, which suits her just fine. “I like to take the complex themes of love and loss, and explore them in a way that is relatable to a young audience.”
She pointed out how, when Love & Misadventure was released in the United States, it attracted new readers. “The way I look upon it, if someone is attracted to the poetry section because of my books, and in the process, discover other poets, I think that’s a wonderful thing.”
Four books and counting... (Photo: Lang Leave's Facebook page)
Leav isn’t resting on her laurels. She is currently working on her fifth poetry collection, which is slated for next year, and her novel, Sad Girls, is also slated for release that same year. Also in the works are possible tours to the Philippines, Indonesia, India, the US and Canada.
But even with what’s shaping up to be a busy 2017, it seems she still has enough energy for one more. “I’m working on a new, secret project, which has me jumping out of bed at 5am in the morning,” she teased. “Creatively, I am in a wonderful place.”