Pivot Turns to Freedom follows a Singaporean ophthalmology trainee who builds a life in 1990s England beyond the expectations of his family and profession. Where did the idea behind this novel come from?

We live in a society where reputations are built through public recognition. In the Asian society in which I grew up (Singapore), taking risks is frowned upon. People have ceased making their own decisions since it’s simpler to listen to their relatives or meet their imagined society expectations.

This inspired me to create a young protagonist who is following a typical professional career, which is frequently viewed as a secure and respectable path, but tries to prove to his family and the rest of the world that he is capable of more than what they expect of him. Life’s choices can be devastating, and picking a fig from a tree can mean forgoing the others. Someone attempting to avoid making a decision might be viewed as unmoored or daring, and either way is fascinating to me.

What first drew you to combine the worlds of ophthalmology and competitive ballroom dancing in the same novel?

Combining two improbable settings results in a captivating fictional world. Ophthalmology is the most competitive area of medical/surgical training. Competitive ballroom dancing, at least in the 1990s, was the most elite, ostentatious sport I knew of. Blackpool’s champions rarely change until they retire. They have more than just technical skill and stamina, and newbies have little chance of reaching the top at this level of competition.

At the same time, no team sport requires more mutual understanding and collaboration than ballroom dancesport. These are attributes that are diametrically opposed to my protagonist, who is defined by one-upmanship. Thus, his voyage is certain to be lonely and exciting, and finding a suitable dancing partner will be the most difficult thing he has ever attempted (particularly before the internet). By putting him in an improbable confluence of these realms, he will undoubtedly experience the type of tension that makes for a compelling story.

Leonard often misjudges the people around him before gaining greater self-awareness. Why was it important for his growth to come through those mistakes?

Leonard makes poor judgments because he lacks communication skills and is overly self-absorbed. Many individuals in the actual world are wondering, ‘What does it mean for me if I do this with you’? This self-centered viewpoint is even shared by world leaders. 

With each defeat, Leonard simply thinks that he isn’t working hard enough, which is a prevalent attitude among people in our generation. In the narrative, this continues until the conclusion, but his arc is foreshadowed by little episodes in his interactions with others. These gradually strengthen his realization, but it is not until the “dark night of the soul” that he sees that true triumph comes from working with others rather than beating or controlling them.

If Leonard could offer one piece of advice to his younger self, what do you think it would be?

Hey, friend, winning is more than just medals.

Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website