Deep affection expressed through words.

Writers Nguyen Tam My and Ho Loan (second from the left, respectively) are associated with the short story section of Quang Nam Newspaper. (The photo shows Ho Loan's book launch event).

People from Quang Nam write about Quang Nam province.

Nguyen Tam My, Nguyen Ba Hoa, Le Tram, Ho Loan, Dinh Le Vu, Nguyen Thi Nhu Hien… are familiar writers associated with the short story section of Quang Nam Newspaper.

Writer Nguyen Tam My is known for many edgy works exploring the themes of revolutionary war and the years spent on the Cambodian battlefield, such as "Passing Through the Cambodian Battlefield"; "Stories of Soldiers During the Expedition"; "Chol Ch'nam Th'may Tet"... Notably, writer Nguyen Tam My previously headed the short story column for a newspaper. After retiring, he continues to write diligently, collaborating and meticulously crafting each manuscript.

Children's literature has always had many gaps, not only among writers from Quang Nam but also nationwide. The emergence and persistent exploration of children's literature by writer Nguyen Ba Hoa is considered a "rare gem." Despite being over seventy years old, he writes prolifically and consistently.

Besides numerous short stories for children, he also explores themes about the culture, land, and people of Quang Nam province. “I have collaborated with the short story section of Quang Nam Newspaper for a long time. Among them, the short story “The Twenty-Year Curse” was published in a special issue commemorating the 20th anniversary of the liberation of Quang Nam. “Hoang Sa Relics” is a short story that contributes to the voice of protecting the sovereignty of our country's territorial waters. Recently, the story “The Man Weaving Hammocks from the Wutong Tree,” about the land of Cu Lao Cham and the emotional changes of those who left during the war, was also featured on the Writers' Association's website,” shared writer Nguyen Ba Hoa.

In recent years, Ho Loan is a new name but has already made her mark in the newspaper's short story section. Ho Loan's stories are modern, reflecting the hidden aspects and fates of less fortunate women. They depict the melancholic lives of women somewhere in Vuon Cua – her birthplace and childhood home. Perhaps when looking around her works, Ho Loan encounters women with fragile, dragonfly-like fates – neighbors, acquaintances…

"When my writings were published in the short story section, I felt so much compassion for literature, so much compassion for life, that it motivated me to continue striving in this difficult life," Ho Loan shared.

Among the writers from Quang Nam who contributed to the short story column, Le Tram not only wrote to collaborate, but he also served as a bridge connecting renowned writers from Quang Nam such as Nguyen Hiep and Tong Phuoc Bao to the region. Le Tram was one of four Quang Nam writers who were members of the Vietnam Writers Association . Therefore, he had the opportunity to meet and introduce this column to many writers. Last year, writer Le Tram passed away.

The last short story he collaborated on was "A Glimpse of Tet Flavor," published in January 2024. However, his works will live on with readers, and his affection for Quang Nam Newspaper remains deep and profound...

The writer Nguyen Hiep has many short stories that bear the strong imprint of Quang Nam province's culture.

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Writing about Quang Nam province is not easy for people from Quang Nam, and commissioning writers to work on a purely Quang Nam-related topic is even more difficult. However, over the years, we have been fortunate to receive the dedicated support of writers such as Nguyen Hiep, Vu Thi Huyen Trang, Tong Phuoc Bao, La Thi Anh Huong, Ny An, Le Hang, Thai Hien, and many other writers across the country…

Veteran writer Nguyen Hiep has been involved with the short story column for several years. Reading his short stories, the essence of Quang Nam province remains strong, showing that he has meticulously researched the distinctive culture of Quang Nam, such as "New Year's Eve at Dinh Que," "The Vanishing Horizontal Plaque," and "Giang Chuop"...

“I’ve visited the land of Hong Dao wine many times, but the opportunity never came. It wasn’t until I attended a long-term writing camp organized in Quang Nam that I knew the time was right. As a seasoned writer, I realized that if you look anywhere in this famous Quang Nam region, you’ll find ‘treasure troves’ of history, culture, and the strange, touching nuances of the people of Quang Nam. Since then, I’ve written many short stories with elements and settings from Quang Nam, as well as in-depth stories about this land that feels like my own flesh and blood,” shared writer Nguyen Hiep.

Reading the short stories in the Quang Nam newspaper, Tong Phuoc Bao brings a strange, natural charm. He's from Saigon, but he tells stories about Quang Nam quite sweetly.

Writer Tong Phuoc Bao said: "To write short stories that capture the soul of Quang Nam, I had to do a lot of research, especially buying old books about the geography, culture, and cuisine of Quang Nam to read, and visiting small villages and markets of Quang Nam people in Saigon to grasp the language and the essence of the people of Quang Nam." Therefore, reading "Sleeping at Khe The" or "Smoke of Reed Grass" by Tong Phuoc Bao evokes a wealth of emotions in elderly Quang Nam veterans living abroad or returning to their old battlefields.

For writer Vu Thi Huyen Trang, incorporating elements of Quang Nam into her works is a challenge. “I haven’t had many opportunities to visit and directly interact with the people and culture of Quang Nam; I mainly learn about it through books, from the dialect to the character of the people of Quang Nam… I’m also particularly impressed by the illustrations in each work, which demonstrate the high level of generalization in each literary piece,” said writer Vu Thi Huyen Trang.

Twenty-eight years is not just the journey of the short story column in Quang Nam Newspaper, but more profoundly, it represents the affection that writers have for Quang Nam province.

The person who records the story through pictures.

Artists Van Tin and Nguyen Dung have been involved in illustrating short stories for Quang Nam Newspaper; Van Tin has 28 years of experience as an illustrator and Nguyen Dung for 26 years.

Some illustrations for the short story section in Quang Nam Newspaper by artist Nguyen Dung.

Artist Nguyen Dung shared that a small drawing for a short story, seemingly simple, actually involves many steps. After the story is approved by the leadership, the artist reads and understands the plot, sketches until satisfied, then completes the drawing for the film, in time for publication in the weekend edition of Quang Nam newspaper.

"From 1997 to 2005, when computers were not yet widely used, illustration involved many steps: complete hand-drawn illustrations, black ink decals to produce film negatives for printing."

Later, the drawings were combined with image editing software, making them much more convenient. There are illustrations where the boundary between story and painting is blurred, such as the drawings for the stories "New Year's Eve at Dinh Que Peak," "Sleeping at Khe The," etc. In the future, I will gather high-quality drawings to hold a small exhibition on this theme," shared artist Nguyen Dung.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/an-tinh-dam-sau-con-chu-3157079.html