Everybody Likes Cham /by Verena Chin

• author: Verena Chin

• publisher: Verena Chin

• published in: 2026

• language: English

Some stories are like coffee, strong and straight to the point. Some are like tea, gentle and lingering. Then, there is cham, a mix of both, unexpected yet familiar.

Everybody Likes Cham gathers stories from everyday Malaysian life, from kopitiam conversations and quiet confessions to laughter that spills too loudly and memories that arrive without warning. They are moments that seem ordinary on the surface, yet carry something a little deeper underneath.

Some stories will make you smile. Some may make you pause. Some might quietly remind you of someone you once knew. Like cham, each one carries a different taste, sweet, bitter, sometimes nostalgic, and sometimes surprising.

About the author:

Since she was young, Verena Chin has always wanted to write a book. She was inspired by The Flowery Umbrella by Ann-Madeleine Gelotte, a story about a little girl who travelled the world with her magical umbrella.

The book, a gift from her late father, planted a quiet dream in her heart. Like the little girl in the story, Verena hoped storytelling would one day become her own magical tool.

Years later, that dream became Everybody Likes Cham, a collection of 28 short stories about life, work, and everything in between.

Many of the reflections are drawn from everyday conversations in kopitiams and social gatherings, where people open up because they feel safe and comfortable.

As a trainer and speaker, storytelling remains her favourite way to open hearts and minds.