YUSOF GAJAH
Yusof Gajah is Malaysia's foremost naive art artist. Growing up in Johol, a village in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia and in Singapore, Yusof was surrounded by nature which continues to be a major influence in his work. He studied art at Sekolah Seni Rupa in Yogjakarta, Indonesia. When he returned to Malaysia in 1975, he started his career as a fulltime artist. Since then, Yusof has built up a formidable reputation in the art world and his paintings are widely sought after, both locally and internationally. In addition to his painting, Yusof has written and illustrated a number of children's picture books. He has received numerous awards, including the Best Children's Book Illustration from the National Book Council of Malaysia and the Noma Concours Grand Prix Award (ACCU) in Tokyo, Japan for his book, 'The Real Elephant.' He also conducts art workshops and especially enjoys working with children. His constant companion and supporter is his wife, Zakiah. They have three children.
ZAKIAH MOHD ISA
Zakiah Mohd Isa is a Director of Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency. She brings with her a wealth of experience in storytelling for children. Zakiah has conducted storytelling workshops for teachers and has also conducted puppet shows for children with her daughter. Zakiah is a natural storyteller who believes in the power of stories to engage children and to encourage interaction with children. Together with her husband, Yusof Gajah, Zakiah has also been actively involved in a number of art workshops with teachers, parents and children. These include workshops at Petronas Gallery, Siemens Gallery, Islamic Museum of Art, National Heart Institute, Art Camp of Bursa Saham, Galeria Perdana in Langkawi, and International schools in Kuala Lumpur, amongst others. She is also a skilled instructor in the traditional art of batik.
Zakiah Mohd Isa is a Director of Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency. She brings with her a wealth of experience in storytelling for children. Zakiah has conducted storytelling workshops for teachers and has also conducted puppet shows for children with her daughter. Zakiah is a natural storyteller who believes in the power of stories to engage children and to encourage interaction with children. Together with her husband, Yusof Gajah, Zakiah has also been actively involved in a number of art workshops with teachers, parents and children. These include workshops at Petronas Gallery, Siemens Gallery, Islamic Museum of Art, National Heart Institute, Art Camp of Bursa Saham, Galeria Perdana in Langkawi, and International schools in Kuala Lumpur, amongst others. She is also a skilled instructor in the traditional art of batik.
LINDA TAN LINGARD
Linda Tan Lingard is the managing partner of Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency. She has worked in the publishing industry for more than 15 years primarily in business, legal and tax publications. As Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in Malaysia, she is also involved in promoting local writers and illustrators. Linda has lived and worked in Jakarta, Hong Kong and UK and is keen to promote multicultural understanding through books and related activities. Linda is a graduate of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and holds an MBA from Leicester University, UK.
Linda Tan Lingard is the managing partner of Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency. She has worked in the publishing industry for more than 15 years primarily in business, legal and tax publications. As Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in Malaysia, she is also involved in promoting local writers and illustrators. Linda has lived and worked in Jakarta, Hong Kong and UK and is keen to promote multicultural understanding through books and related activities. Linda is a graduate of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and holds an MBA from Leicester University, UK.
Janet Tay, Editorial Consultant
Janet Tay practised as a litigation lawyer for over five years before leaving it to join the publishing industry. She worked as an editor at MPH Publishing for three years then decided to pursue freelance writing and editing full time. Her short stories have also appeared in Off the Edge, New Writing Dundee 4, Short Story America, Readings from Readings and Malaysian Tales: Retold and Remixed. She has published articles in Quill, The Star, BestFoodJunction.com, and The Criterion, a peer-reviewed academic journal. One of her short stories was highly commended in the 2004 Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Short Story competition and adapted for the Oxford Bookworms World Stories collection. She is also the co-editor of Urban Odysseys: KL Stories and is completing her MA in English Literature.
