Smells like teen spirit?
Since Vietnam's baby-wipes market is covered, this enterprising company decided to branch out to the next (obvious?) market ...
Welcome to McVs
They won the war but... It's hard to think of a more Capitalist symbol than the golden arches, now found beside Saigon's iconic Post Office in District 1. Gold star on red. Golden arches on red. At least nothing clashes.
Saigon’s book street
Nguyen Van Binh, a little street that runs along one side of Saigon's Central Post Office in District 1, has been transformed into "book street". The street is lined with dozens of kiosks and open-fronted bookshops, as well as cute…
Read all about it!
If you love smart crime fiction, mysteries and suspense - and are looking for more stories set in Asia, here's the link to my new publisher's newsletter. New subscribers will get a free short story by fireman-turned-crime-writer Tony Knighton: Crime Wave…
Look for Elka’s short crime story collection, WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW, in late Summer 2016.
Look for Elka's short crime story collection, WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, in late Summer 2016. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW Tales of obsession, mystery & murder in Southeast Asia An American lawyer dreams of killing his trophy wife in Thailand. A…
Elka’s next novel, SAIGON DARK, is coming out with Crimewave Press in Autumn 2016.
SAIGON DARK The choice between life and death is never black and white. Lily can live with her decision - if she survives. A grief-stricken young mother makes a grim choice, then spends the next decade covering up what she's…
A recent story about Elka in Tuoi Tre
Elka Ray - người thích viết sách về Việt Nam TT - Mùa hè này Elka sẽ cho ra mắt cuốn tiểu thuyết kinh dị tâm lý mang tên Saigon Dark lấy bối cảnh TP.HCM. Nhà văn Elka Ray - Ảnh…
‘Tis the season
I unpacked our old fake Christmas tree and found this 1-meter-plus-long snakeskin inside the box, which was stored in a cupboard directly behind my work desk. Can’t help but wonder where the skin’s owner has gone, and how much bigger…
Art crush
Happy New Year! My latest art crush is Mabel Royds (1874-1941), a UK artist known for her woodcut prints made using Japanese techniques. Mabel worked in Canada and travelled in Europe, India and the Middle East. Too broke to afford…