Photo by Klezer Gaspar
Su-May Tan was born and raised in Malaysia but is currently living on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne. Her debut short story collection Lake Malibu and other stories was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards 2022.
Her debut YA novel, Katie Goes to KL was published by Penguin SEA in December 2023 and released in Australia in March 2024.
Order Lake Malibu and other stories
What the media is saying about Katie Goes To KL:
‘Migration, cultural connection and belonging’, Options, The Edge
Reviews for Katie Goes To KL:
“Su-May Tan captures the longings of youth and the ache of displacement with beauty and vivacity. A stunning debut.”
– Kathryn Heyman
“Tan has an uncanny way of bringing out beauty in the smallest details. An enjoyable read for anyone wanting to lose themselves in the magic of KL.”
– Rachael Love Lewis
“I enjoyed the way Katie navigates and feels at home in both Melbourne suburbia and urban Malaysia. It’s special when a writer doesn’t structure their work around a neat polarity.”
– May Lam
“This riveting YA read transported me back to Malaysia!”
– Crystal Lee
Reviews for Lake Malibu and other stories
“In Lake Malibu and other stories, Malaysia bursts into teeming life, sensual and unsentimental, peopled by hungry, slightly lonely souls, some Australia-bound, all longing for soul mates. This collection introduces a quietly powerful voice, one that could enrich Australian writing for years to come.”
– James Button, author and former journalist at The Age
Engaging and elegantly written set of stories that range across Malaysia and Australia. Although this is a debut collection, it is both assured and impressive and demonstrates that this is a writer very much in command of her craft.
—Judges’ Report, Queensland Literary Awards 2022
“Through its simple prose and careful, graceful attention to detail, its range of characters — young to old, rich to poor, emigrants to immigrants — as well as the range of situations these characters are in, a nuanced and complex picture of contemporary culture emerges.”
– Varuna Publisher Introduction Program judges for Lake Malibu and other stories
Instagram: @sumaytan.writes
Su-May Tan 