Meet The Author Bernard Young

Scroll down for our Interview with Bernard Foung, Aka "Young!
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Author’s Bio
 
 Young alias Bernard Foong is, first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences.
By Christine Maynard (screenwriter and novelist).
 
Bernard Foong (designer) – A brief history  

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the age of 8, he was assisting his aunt and cousin, learning the art of sewing and fabrics/colors matching. He attended an exclusive private boarding school in the United Kingdom before obtaining his Diploma in Fashion Design at the Harrow College of Art & Technology in London, England.  He went on to complete his Master of Design at the Royal College of Art & Design, London, England. During his college years he won several international fashion awards and was already retailing bridal and evening dresses to several well known department stores in England. Liberty of London, Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols to name a few that carried his designs. His Royal College of Art graduation wedding/evening wear collection was sold to Liberty of London and displayed in their store windows for the entire month of June that year.
 
For four years, he worked for Liberty’s bridal department as their in-house designer until a trip to Hong Kong, while working on a freelance project for ‘Bird’s’(casual wear) company, he was recruited by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as their Fashion professor for the next 6 years. During his stay in Hong Kong, he freelanced for numerous fashion companies. From designing casual wear, swimwear, lingerie, and fur garments, men’s wear, bridal and evening fashions to accessories (bags, shoes, and head-wear). He also participated and organized numerous fashion shows, events, functions, and presentations in the Asia Pacific region.
 
Working for Keys Far East Hong Kong as chief lingerie designer - travelling extensively to the United States, he was soon  recruited as an Associate Fashion Design/Illustration Professor to the University of Wisconsin, Madison and also lectured at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for a couple of years.
 
Foong was then appointed as the Fashion Development Manager by an established department store – Parkson Grand (22 stores in Malaysia and one in Shanghai, China). Producing under the label, Natural Life by Bernard Foong, he designed casual-wear collections for the Parkson Grand’s flagship store in Kuala Lumpur. After a couple of years later, he was invited by the Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore to join their design school to establish a Fashion Design department. For two years, he assisted several founding members of the design school - working on the fashion department’s teaching curriculum.
 
The Fitzgerald Theatre Department, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Oahu, Hawaii awarded a full scholarship for Foong to complete his second Master of Art in Theatre Costuming. Now a resident on the Island of Maui, he has assisted many charity organizations in their fund raising events with his extravagant fashion and performance shows/presentations. In 2005, he and his partner, Mr. Walter Jay Bissett opened Fire Dragon Bistro Orient & Design Shop. He also designs costumes/fashions for numerous theatrical productions in Hawaii and abroad.
 
 Appointed as chief lingerie designer for Cerie International Limited – Hong Kong, his lingerie designs can be found in major department stores in Canada and the United Kingdom.
 
He showcased the BERNARD FOONG R-T-W collections and BERNARD FOONG @ Modern Classic Ltd. (an established – Hong Kong bridal & evening wear company) collections in Hong Kong. His 2008 & 2009 bridal/evening/bridal lingerie fashion show, “Grace” & “Coming Up Roses” were premiered at Hong Kong Fashion Week in July 2007 and January 2008 respectively at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, garnering positive interest in many Asian press reviews, including a China nationwide television broadcast of his latest collection. Aika (International Opera Singer) wore several Bernard Foong special occasion dresses at her Japan & European tour in September & October 2009.
 
Foong was the chief Creative Director for Official (Special Occasion fashion manufacturing company) Guangzhou, China  producing – BERNARD FOONG Couture (specialty one-of-a-kind creations), White (RTW - Wedding/Special Occasion wear), Foxy Cute (Smart Casual/Cocktail wear), SexZ  (decorative bustier) & Diva Bitch (sexual lingerie inner/outer-wear) collections.
 
Besides working on his regular haute couture, R-T-W and lingerie collections he is a visiting consultant/advisor for:
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Pivot Point fashion college, Chengdu, China. Hong Kong Design Institute (fashion department), Hong Kong, SAR. Hong Kong Poly/U, Hong Kong (School of Apparel Design & Merchandising), SAR. Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Hong Kong. Singapore Temasek Polytechnic – School of Apparel Design & Merchandising (ADM), Singapore.  

Bernard is also writing his autobiography, a seven book series of Mr. Foong’s young life:

A Harem Boy’s Saga: A Memoir by Young.
This provocative story spanning 4 decades and 3 continents is about a boy who was sent to a very exclusive English boarding school in the 1960s where he was initiated into a clandestine sexual society and then spirited away to serve in wealthy and elite Middle Eastern harems ."
A Harem Boy’s Saga series is published by Solstice Publishing and is available in print and E-books internationally.
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Meet The Author Interview With Bernard Young!
A Harem Boy’s Saga – I – INITIATION; a memoir by Young

Hello Bernard and thank you for agreeing to sit down with us!  We are so excited to have you with us here at Rukia Publishing with your memoir series, "A Harem Boy's Saga".

Thank You! This is always exciting. It's is great to meet Team Rukia!

​ Let's Get Started!

How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?
 
I’ve been a writer since early 2011. I wrote because four years ago, after I closed my fashion boutique in Honolulu, I decided it was time to document my positive adolescent life experiences that I’ve kept under wraps for close to 40 years. That’s when A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young (my pen-name) series was born.
 An inner calling told me to document my unique education and now, is the correct moment to tell my story.


* Other factors that influenced me to write A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young (my pen-name), a seven book series are - through my autobiography I hope to:
 
·             Provide Tolerance to Sissy Boys by educating parents/peers and the community to love and respect effeminate boys.
 
Anderson Cooper 360 documentary on the devastating treatment of effeminate boys influence me to tell my story.
 
·             Avoid Bullying through Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer programs in schools or outside the school system. Older students can act as mentors to younger students. Much like the experience I went through in my unique education.
 
·            Tolerance to Gay Adolescent - to improve parents/child/siblings relationship issues.
 
Support/mentorship program/programs to all parties involved, to foster understanding and acceptance of Gay teenagers.
 
·           Provide an Alternative Educational System:
 
Fostering understanding Big-Brother/Big-Sister adolescent mentorship programs in schools, BB/BS as protectors to keep younger kids from being bullied.
Provide Human Relationship Building Programs;  
Between parents/teachers and young students on sexual topics/issues, especially when an adolescent is discovering their sexuality. They can be guided on a healthy and honest sexual journey instead of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” - hide it in the closet policy. 
 
 
How did you come up with your stories?
 
I’m writing about my life’s many adventures and experiences. The dialogue within the books are my creative input since I can’t remember everything that was said 40 something years ago. But the experiences are true because I have many photographs taken during those early years of my life to remind me of what transpired.
      
 
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?
 
The best aspects:
 
I enjoy reliving my teenage life spend in the secret society and at the Middle Eastern Households – learning, growing and enjoying my positive life to the full.
 
The worst aspects:
 
Having to spend a great deal of time marketing/promoting my books that I’ll rather use for writing my next book.
 
 
How did you conduct your research for – A Harem Boy’s Saga – I - INITIATION?
 
Synopsis: A Harem Boy Saga - I – INITIATION; a memoir by Young
 
This provocative story is about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
 
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
 
Author’s note:
 
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia, where I was known as a "sissy boy." Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknownst to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
 
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
 
What are 3 of your favorite lines/quotes from your newest release? (include title)
 
A Harem Boy Saga - I – INITIATION; a memoir by Young
“It is better to be looked over than be overlook.” Mae West
“It's not what you wear - it's how you take it off.” Bernard Tristan Foong
“The magic of first love is our ignorance that it can ever end.” Benjamin Disraeli
 
What would your friends say is your best quality?
 
My 3Ps: Patience, Persistence and Perseverance.
 
Are reader reviews important to you?
 
Yes and no. Depends on how the reviews are written.
 
Do you have any blogs/websites?
 
Website: www.aharemboysaga.com
Blog: http://bernardfoong.typepad.com/in_the_harem
 
What do you do when you don’t write?
 
Do dance fitness classes – Zumba, Barre-Work, U-jam, Ballet for adults and walk/hike.
Travel the world.
Social networking on the computer.
 
Tell us about your other books?
A Harem Boy’s Saga – II – UNBRIDLED; a memoir by Young (sequel to INITIATION)
A Harem Boy’s Saga – III – DEBAUCHERY; a memoir by Young (the 3rd book in my autobiography series).
Currently working on A harem Boy’s Saga – IV – TURPITUDE; a memoir by Young (4th book in the series of 5 to 7 books).
 
If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers
to know what would it be?
 
I am first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences.

Follow Young

Website:
http://aharemboysaga.com/wp/

Blog: 
http://bernardfoong.typepad.com/in_the_harem

Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/bfoong1
 https://www.facebook.com/aharemboysaga
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Twitter:
https://www.twitter.com/aharemboysaga​
 
Pinterest:
 http://bit.ly/1IDX5DP
 (contains adult contents)
 
Tumblr: 
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/trisf2013 
(contents adult contents)
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Rukia Publishing Book Showcase

Author Interview - "Books & Blondes"