KUCHING: Sarawakian children's author Malcolm Mejin is taking a creative leap into young adult (YA) romance with his latest novel.
"I'm Sorry I Love You" is set to be published by Penguin Random House SEA by the end of this year.
Mejin is known for the Diary of a Rich Kid books, an action and adventure children's series with five titles published to date.
His foray into young adult fiction was unexpected but fulfilling.
"People know me for Diary of a Rich Kid, a series full of adventure, mystery and suspense.
"No one would expect me to write a young adult romance novel," he said on Friday (Feb 21).
However, Mejin said he had always wanted to explore deeper and more mature themes such as peer pressure, love triangles, rivalry, betrayal and heartbreak.
"Now I finally get the chance to do that."
Mejin's love for drama and romance started at an early age, fuelled by teen series like Beverly Hills, 90210.
"I was this eight-year-old kid obsessed with a show about teen drama, love betrayals, best friends turning into rivals, parental pressure and society’s expectations.
"I remember talking about it at school, but nobody could understand what I was saying. They were all into cartoons and there I was, trying to analyse the complex emotions of a TV series way beyond my years."
In "I'm Sorry I Love You", Mejin explores the intense emotional stakes involved when two sisters fall in love with the same guy.
"The stakes are higher, the emotions are more raw and the consequences of love and betrayal hit so much harder when it's between siblings," he said, adding that it was exciting to write in a different genre.
Besides his YA debut, Mejin will release another instalment of the Diary of a Rich Kid series, "Magical Mayhem", also published by Penguin Random House SEA this year.
