Samantha Chong

there's been a lot of new friends lately, so i wanted to hop in and introduce myself super quickly again! hello pals!! i'm sam, YA fantasy author of PRODIGAL TIGER but also author of shenanigans in general. it's so nice to meet you! i hope we get to walk this road together for a long while 💕

PRODIGAL TIGER is out in the world today.  Even typing these words out feels surreal. 7 years of work. 7 years of being in the same room with Caroline relentlessly tormenting and being tormented by her. 7 years of asking her “So like, what next?” and her just shrugging at me in answer while lighting my outlines on fire. 7 years of a wild, wonderful ride, and now it’s over. In today’s newsletter (which I’ve sneakily and subtly repurposed here, of course) I talk about how writing this book was never a solitary feat. It was 2 friends who were there in the beginning, 16 early readers, an amazing agent @larissxmelo and my editor, Tiara, my publicist, Jenna, the amazing @penguinteen team, reviewers, bookstagrammers, a kick-ass team of Malaysian creatives @afterblossom_art @charisloke @samtanofficial , the @2026debuts , the AAPIary, @thedebball pals — the list is SO LONG and it’s impossible to list everyone.  So let me just say this: This book is about home, but it’s also about the people who make up what you consider home. I am so deeply lucky that I have so many of them. I am so lucky that I get to do this at least one more time with all of you. I am so grateful that I met you (YES, YOU READING THIS), and that we get to walk this journey together. Because 7 years of working on this book is over. And yet, this whole journey is just beginning. PRODIGAL TIGER is yours now. May you find home in its pages. May it answer some things for you. May it ask the right questions. May it be a stepping stone in your journey to define home, whatever comes next.  Thank you for everything. I'm off to cry now. Launch recap soon. also thank you @katchowrites @lilianofli for the first photo, which I will be using in every single author photo for the conceivable future!!!!

BREAKING: I SOLD ANOTHER BOOK. Meet PAPER GHOSTS, my new Malaysian YA contemporary fantasy coming in 2028! I am so, so, so grateful to everyone who’s endured my panicked DMing, countless drafts, and long phone calls to rubber duck. None of this would have been possible without you. A huge thanks to @larissaxmelo , a constant source of thoughtful comfort in this long journey; to my editor, Tiara, one of my favorite teammates and partners in any industry, ever; to all my friends who weighed in on feedback on pitches and drafts: @taliatuck , @lilianofli , @eunicekimwrites , @erinopray , @danikhoo , @paolafbennet , @boon_carmen , @itscandymoo , @kitsudol , @jessyoonwrites , @yumewrites , @katiewuwrites , and many others. I am so delighted to return to Penang in this book and dig deeper into my hometown to share more with you. Also, the characters in this are so sassy and funny and such a trio of wet cats and I adore them so, so, so, so much. Other Sam Chong elements: ghosts, shenanigans, lots of attempting to punch ghosts, and a semi-new magic system embedded within the island. It’s a trip. It’s a riot. I can’t wait for more. Thank you for all the support you’ve shown me and PRODIGAL TIGER so far, and I hope you will love what PAPER GHOSTS has in store for you. 💕👻 More soon.

Really excited to get to chat with @michelekiricha1 and @geeksout about PRODIGAL TIGER, its influences, the question I wish I'd been asked (spoiler: food related), my favorite (and hardest) part about writing, and my creative processes. Full article at the l1nk in b1o :) -- Hi, I'm Samantha Chong! I'm a Malaysian YA fantasy writer, with the following two books on the roster: PRODIGAL TIGER (OUT NOW) - Putnam Children's, Penguin A young witch returns home to Penang, Malaysia, to find her missing brother, only to realize that ghosts have kidnapped him... and if she wants to find her brother, she's going to have to fight more than a few ghosts to get him back. PAPER GHOSTS (Coming 2028) - Putnam Children's, Penguin When a young paper effigy maker realizes that the dead are rising, she reluctantly teams up with both her ex and an annoying exorcist who blows in town—only to realize that to put the dead to rest once and for all, she'll need to overcome her fear of the advanced art of death rituals. more details coming soon—in the meantime, follow me here or sign up to my newsletter to stay updated!

Get ready for PRODIGAL TIGER by @samjamtimtam published by @penguinteen - our next guest will be interviewed by @katbador so keep your ears tuned! For five years, Caroline Chua has lived in exile from her home and family in Malaysia—that is, until she is abruptly summoned home. The reasons for her homecoming aren't exactly joyful, as her beloved older brother, Aaron, who is next in line to become the Protector of the Island, has vanished. Despite her family’s desire to keep her close and the Council’s explicit instructions to stay out of trouble, stubborn, self-sufficient Caroline is hell-bent on saving her brother with or without anyone’s help. But when it turns out that Aaron has been kidnapped by vengeful ghosts with a centuries-old grudge, even Caroline must admit she’s in over her head and will need the help of the friends she had abandoned, including her first love, J.J. The ghosts’ goals are simple: break the barriers between the ghost and mortal realms during the Hungry Ghost Festival using Aaron to take the island’s magic, and cement their rightful place as the true—albeit dead—rulers of the island. With only seven days before the barrier weakens, Caroline is in a race against time to save her brother. But as enemies stack up, always one step ahead, Caroline can’t help but wonder if she’s strong enough for this battle. Or is she doomed to repeat the mistakes that sent her away all those years ago? “An expansively suspenseful tale deeply infused with magic, Malaysian cultural knowledge, and folklore that explores the weight of familial and social expectations, Chong’s debut is fun and fantastic.” - Booklist starred review “A quick-paced roller-coaster ride, this story is highly recommended for all magic lovers looking for a refreshing and compelling new read.” - School Library Journal starred review “Chong weaves a vivid tapestry of captivating magic and myth in this fast-paced Malaysian fantasy that’s full of heart and humor, with imaginative worldbuilding and a fierce heroine that readers will root for.” – June CL Tan, #1 UK Sunday Times bestselling author of Darker by Four and Jade Fire Gold #booksbooksbooks #booklover #writersofinstagram

Part 2 of Southeast Asian authors, coming right up! This time ft: @rachkitchwrites @annatsp @junescribbles @nadiahzkr excited for a few more of these roundups to drop, but tbh, this could go on for the rest of the year bc there are SO MANY OF US and we cannot be confined to a single month. are you a southeast asian writer? drop your handle below!

IYKYK Books featured: Double Happiness @heatherengwrites The Fast Track @byangelicacheng Salt Water Blood @heinrich.manuia Frankie Lu’s Summer of No Regrets @bettychangauthor Prodigal Tiger @samjamtimtam Burn the Sea @monatewariwrites Silk and Sensibility @margaretliseeley #aanhpiauthor #bookstagram #debutauthor #microtropes #aanhpiheritagemonth

And I regret NONE OF IT -- Hi, I'm Samantha Chong! I'm a Malaysian YA fantasy writer, with the following two books on the roster: PRODIGAL TIGER (OUT NOW) - Putnam Children's, Penguin A young witch returns home to Penang, Malaysia, to find her missing brother, only to realize that ghosts have kidnapped him... and if she wants to find her brother, she's going to have to fight more than a few ghosts to get him back. PAPER GHOSTS (Coming 2028) - Putnam Children's, Penguin When a young paper effigy maker realizes that the dead are rising, she reluctantly teams up with both her ex and an annoying exorcist who blows in town—only to realize that to put the dead to rest once and for all, she'll need to overcome her fear of the advanced art of death rituals. more details coming soon—in the meantime, follow me here or sign up to my newsletter to stay updated! links in the usual places.

in honour of AANHPIHM, here are a few @2026debuts whose books I am so excited to read this year!!! this is obviously a non-exhaustive list, and I'm always excited to see it growing day by day. so grateful to get to stand among greatness in this crew, learn from such wonderful, generous authors, and celebrate all the exciting stories debuting this year! from swoony romances to thoughtful analysis of political machinations in a fantasy world, this is a crop of authors you won't want to miss. get on it!!!

belated postcards from vacation! I have learned that i am an island girl and am not equipped to be in the desert. where is the water. however i will concede it is very gorgeous out here. 10/10 love looking at stars. would recommend. this is why our ancestors spent so long looking at the sky!!!!!!

I asked six Malaysian writer friends to show me something cool from their fridge and this is all i got smh OF COURSE I’M KIDDING. All of these Malaysian-authored books are so so good and you should pick them up where they’re available. And of course, this is a non-exhaustive list. There are other amazing Malaysian writers out there you should peruse, both in English and also those translated from other languages (most of us are at least bilingual, iykyk 😎), and you should absolutely pick them up. Do you know another Malaysian writer? Are YOU a Malaysian writer (either published or working on a WIP?) Tag below! The more Malaysian writers we have, the more we get to tell super cool, interesting stories. I’m here for that rep! 🇲🇾boleh! Ft: @bylilianli - Duet Me Not, contemporary romance @nadiahzkr - The Creature Keepers, cozy fantasy novella @amyleow_writes - The Scarlet Throne, political fantasy @roannelau - The Serpent Called Mercy, epic fantasy @tzeyikoay - A Curse Carved In Ink, romantasy (Coming 2027!!!) @jytan2020 - Here, short story and poetry anthology And me! @samjamtimtam - Prodigal Tiger, contemporary fantasy

One of the things I have loved so much in this pub journey is meeting other Southeast Asian writers and connecting over how similar and how different we are at the same time. While all these books may not necessarily be set in Southeast Asia (though peep the two Penang books in this list ❤️ ) it's always nice to see fellow Southeast Asian writers carve their own paths. We truly are all in this together. Jom, jom, let's all write more books ~ This is only part 1 — had to stay small for collab purposes. Stay tuned for more folks later this month, including upcoming 2026 debuts! They're all so good, I can't wait for you to meet them. Featuring: @keshewrites -- Strange Familiars @julietizon -- The Encore @amyleow_writes -- The Scarlet Throne @lilianofli -- Duet Me Not and... me??? @samjamtimtam -- Prodigal Tiger