Yes, It's Different!

"Your book can't sell. It's so unlike the other batik books... the cover is different. The inside pages are different - it's modern, bright, and showcasing different kind of batik. The layout of the book is also different. This is just a very different batik book. I don't think it can sell," says the Purchaser in a high tone in a bookshop in Singapore.

eM.K. just nodded at each statement she said.

I was thinking to myself "Oh, that is it, she's not going to take it...".

She goes on to show us the other batik books around which focus in on traditional batik motifs and its meanings. None were on modern batik which focus is on modern artistic values. These were pages after pages of batik cloths. And none were on how batik can be used today.

After she has finished, eM.K. just said
"Great. That is just what I want to hear from you."

I was a lil puzzled, and I'm sure the Purchaser was more so.

eM.K. continues "All the things you have said makes this book special. It's not just another batik book, like the rest on your shelf."

"The batik is different - it's on modern, contemporary batik - from Malaysia. The cover and layout are all different. This is a different book, and you are right. And
that is why it is published in the first place...
we don't want just another book".

I had to agree with him. This book is really a unique book by itself. It was planned that way. Though it is hoped to reach the batik enthusiasts, but it is also aimed to reach the ordinary folks who don't want to know just about history and traditional works. We wanted a book with a wider appeal - the reason is because we wanted
'to show how beautiful batik can be'.

And that is something I must say that we can be proud to have done, though in a small way. In the events and even through the book itself, we have had many compliments like
"Wow, I didn't know batik can be like this!".

These comments were mainly from people not in the industry, who have never knew about batik much, what's more be associated with it. Their idea of batik was gold, brown, and dark - not trendy and maybe a lil dull. As for the Malaysians who may know about brighter colours, they think of batik as just bright ugly designs!

But now, these people from Malaysia, Singapore and all the way to Hong Kong, Japan and USA have a new mindset about batik. They know that batik is cool and chic. Modern batik in fashion can make them look young and good. What a difference a book can do. These people can actually flip through the pages of a batik book!

So back to the story, the books were eventually taken on a 'see how' basis. And what a surprise, as we heard there was a buyer who actually bought all the
Batik Inspirations books available - wonder who that was. And after we replenished, it still sold and now they are going to send us the cheque again.

So, the Purchaser is right. This is a different book - it is a book with a difference.