Publishers Weekly, USA

      The newest entrant to the Singapore publishing industry is also one that has garnered accolades from distinguished members of the local society even before the first book was published. Booksoul Publishing, founded by George Tan, focuses on inspirational and motivational publications. “The message underlying Booksoul titles is simple: You own yourself a second change. There is not much anybody can do for you if you don’t give yourself another chance. Inside our publications are ample examples of people who did and how they went about it,” Tan says. And nobody knows better about second chances than Tan, a survivor from what he calls “a bad neighborhood in old Singapore where the 3 Vs – vandalism, violence and vulgarism – were rife.” From the days of extreme poverty when he was a child and parental prejudice to excelling in his postgraduate studies at George Washington University, his life story is encapsulated in the first series, Soulprint. “This series is not an autobiography devised to boost my ego. It simply uses my life story to carry the message of the many lessons which are applicable to anybody anywhere.”

      And that is just the beginning: another series in the pipeline uses a personal lifeskills model Tan developed at the age of 26. He explains, “It’s a universal model applicable to people of any cultural background, in any profession and in any life situation. It is also a model many successful people subconsciously use to achieve their goals. Another series, Praise Champion, will use this model to explain how men and women, past and present – such as Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi and Mother Teresa – achieved their greatness.”

      Developing a life skills model and unlocking the potential of others are part of Tan’s career. A trained human resource professional who now owns a recruitment agency, his career path – starting with the operations planning office at the defense ministry and followed by human resource appointments at international corporations like Westin Hotels and conglomerate First Capital Corp. – has given him ample opportunities to observe and motivate people. “It’s all about giving hope and telling people to ‘never say die.’ This is important in our society, where there are many, children and adults alike, who are struggling with life. Money is an issue. Self-esteem is another. Booksoul’s mission is to inspire and help them get their lives back on track. No preaching here. As a writer, I merely want to tell stories of ordinary people who have gone through rough times and emerged better off.”

      And why does Tan choose to publish the titles himself instead of just packing the manuscripts off to a publisher in town? “My first few meetings with publishers were not good. Their inclination was to sensationalize my story, which was not what I wanted. I also know that the publishing industry, just like any other, is about the bottom line. I don’t want to be in a situation whereby my publisher abandons my books if they don’t do well from the get-go. And this goes back to my life skills model, in which one element is taking control. In the long term, I believe my books will succeed and make a difference, and I want to take control to make it happen,” says Tan. “And if Booksoul books do not sell well initially, I’ll go back to my life skills model, study the reasons and implement the necessary changes to make them a success. Remember: Never say die!”

3 October 2005