Having weathered the unexpected turns that life has thrown their way, Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani’s 34-year-long love story is the quiet, enduring type that stays long after the final chapter.
They first met at the National Archives of Singapore; she, an archives officer, and he, a part-timer awaiting his O-Level results. Sparks flew, they got married, and life felt open with possibilities.
That changed in 2000, when Sherriza, at 32, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare eye disease that causes gradual vision loss.
By 2007, the English Language master’s degree holder had lost all usable vision, and along with it, her independence, freelance writing job, and the simple joy of reading and writing.
“I was very scared,” the 57-year-old recalled. “I couldn’t continue (with my writing job) because I couldn’t see my written notes, and I didn’t dare go out anymore.”
Rashul, now 52, watched, heartbroken, as the woman he loved slowly retreated from the world. “She was hiding herself away,” he said.
Meanwhile, his career as a sound engineer was taking him to the region’s biggest events. He worked the APEC summit in 2015, in Manila, Philippines, and Singapore’s National Day Rallies from 2018 to 2023.
The couple met 34 years ago when Rashul was working part-time at the National Archives of Singapore, and Sherriza was an archives officer. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
In 2021, when a friend suggested that Sherriza work on a children’s picture book, Rashul cheered her on. “I wanted her to be a writer again,” he said. By then, she had stopped writing for about 20 years.
Over the next few years, Rashul supported his wife in any way he could, from layout and editing, to video and sound formatting and basic digital marketing. Even so, he felt that he had to upskill to help her go further.
Rashul working as a sound engineer at National Day Rally 2022. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
Last year, at 51, the sound engineer enrolled in @ASK Training’s Specialist Diploma in Digital Marketing and WSQ Diploma in Digital Marketing, to learn how to help Sherriza’s stories reach more young readers.
Writing under the pen name Sherri Eri, she has authored and self-published nine children’s books since 2022. Rashul serves as her marketer, producer and sound designer.
Using what he learnt from the course, he built her website, strengthened her online presence, and encouraged her to write micro stories for children on her Substack, TeaCup Twist.
As a visually-impaired author, Sherriza wants her stories to be inclusive for all children, regardless of whether they are sighted or blind. Her picture books combine vibrantly-coloured illustrations, audio narration, music and videos to bring the characters alive.
While researching children’s book titles, she realised how few came in audiobook and video-book formats. After getting friends to read aloud picture books, she also noticed that they tended to rely heavily on illustrations, which leave those with visual impairments unable to follow the story plot.
“In some picture books, readers depend on the visuals to tell them what’s happening. For example, if the page shows a picture of a rabbit but the text doesn’t say ‘rabbit’ and what it is doing, a blind child won’t be able to follow the story,” she told CNA Women.
Sherriza, writing as Sherri Eri, pens vivid descriptions in her children’s books so that every child can ‘see’ the story in their mind. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
Many of her younger friends with visual impairments shared that they grew up with almost no exposure to picture books. To bridge the gap, she writes vivid descriptions that allow every child to ‘see’ the story in their mind.
“I write as though there were no pictures, so they can picture the story through the words,” she said.
For example, in It’s Raining, Cats And Duck, a scene describes a reluctant kitten’s bathtime: “Chill roars. Chill hisses. Chill farts. Daddy ignores him. Instead, Daddy turns a shiny knob. In an instant, rain falls.” Through sensory descriptions, readers can better visualise the illustrations when the story is read to them.
Today, Sherriza’s books come in multimedia formats – paperback, e-book, audiobook and video-book formats. Rashul also uses his sound engineering experience to adapt her writing into immersive audio, adding original songs to titles like Mermaid On A Mountaintop, The Fart Brigade, and Baa Baa Baby Braves The Big Baa-d Bully.
Despite his experience in managing high-pressure productions, Rashul admits that children’s books were completely new terrain for him.
“I had never really appreciated or even read picture books up until 2021. I realised that there were so many things I needed to know,” he said. For example, he quickly realised that every single detail matters, from formatting of the text, layout, copyediting to proofreading.
Rashul, who had never read a picture book until 2021, realised every detail matters, from text formatting to layout, copyediting and proofreading. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
He juggled Sherriza’s publishing needs, his demanding schedule as a sound engineer, and powered through his digital marketing coursework. The learning curve was steep, and he recalled mustering every ounce of energy and focus to sit through the classes.
“The first few lessons were tough and I got headaches. But this is what I want, quite badly, actually, for Sherri,” he said.
What started out as a practical effort to help recoup costs of publishing the books turned into something more meaningful. “Sherri’s work carries a powerful message about inclusion and I wanted people beyond our circle of friends and family to experience that. When I saw the first international order come in, I thought, ‘This is why I did it’,” said Rashul.
As work partners, the couple has had their fair share of disagreements. Rashul admitted that his newfound enthusiasm and knowledge in digital marketing led to some friction.
“One time, I planned a calendar – two blog posts per week – only to realise that she couldn’t cope. It’s not easy for her, but I can’t write the posts either because my English isn’t as strong as hers,” he said.
Sherriza, whose pen name is Sherri Eri, with some of the nine books she has written. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
Rashul’s fast-paced digital marketing timelines often clash with Sherriza’s creative style. “I’d say, I need a Facebook title for this – now! But she has her own style and writing takes time,” said Rashul. “I remind myself I have to be patient.”
Another point of conflict, they added, is their “visual divide”. “Because I’m not a strong reader and she can’t see, we sometimes have completely different visions for how a page should look,” said Rashul. “But we’ve learned to listen, laugh and compromise. At the end of the day, we’re both working towards the same dream.”
Working on children’s books, many of which revolve around the themes of friendship, self-acceptance and family, has also changed Rashul as a person.
“Through her stories, I’ve learned to see the world differently, with more imagination, empathy and joy. Supporting Sherri has opened a new world for me. I learnt new skills, and at 50, I read my first picture book,” he said.
Rashul remains his wife’s biggest believer, just as she has been throughout their marriage.
“Sherri has always believed in me. She has always been my rock, supporting me through my ups and downs. And after COVID-19, I realised we’re not getting any younger,” he said. “Now it’s time for me to do the same, my turn to help her fulfil her dream as a writer.”
For the couple, who has no children, joy comes in small, meaningful moments. Sherriza’s face lights up when talking about young readers who connect with her stories.
“A friend’s two-year-old son used to hate bathing and would cry. But after reading my book It’s Raining, Cats And Duck, he suddenly wanted to shower because the cat in the book loves to shower,” she said with a smile.
Sherriza, Rashul and one of their cats Miyu, which is featured in some of Sherriza’s Cool Kitty book series. (Photo: Eveline Gan)
For Rashul, it’s seeing his wife’s published works out in the world. “I’ll drag Sherri to the National Library, just to take photos with the book,” he said, laughing.
Looking ahead, the couple hope to record more original songs and provide multimedia options for all their titles. “I don’t think many writers do that, so I’m excited to see where we can take this,” said Rashul.
As for Sherriza, she dreams of a world where every child, sighted, blind, or anyone who is differently abled, is included in the magic of storytelling. She hopes that more writers will consider readers with visual impairments when creating picture books.
“I hope for a wider selection of books for the blind, so that they’ll never feel left out,” she said.
Because to her, stories aren’t just meant to be read; they open up new worlds that can be explored, even without sight.
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...
They first met at the National Archives of Singapore; she, an archives officer, and he, a part-timer awaiting his O-Level results. Sparks flew, they got married, and life felt open with possibilities.
That changed in 2000, when Sherriza, at 32, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare eye disease that causes gradual vision loss.
By 2007, the English Language master’s degree holder had lost all usable vision, and along with it, her independence, freelance writing job, and the simple joy of reading and writing.
“I was very scared,” the 57-year-old recalled. “I couldn’t continue (with my writing job) because I couldn’t see my written notes, and I didn’t dare go out anymore.”
Rashul, now 52, watched, heartbroken, as the woman he loved slowly retreated from the world. “She was hiding herself away,” he said.
Meanwhile, his career as a sound engineer was taking him to the region’s biggest events. He worked the APEC summit in 2015, in Manila, Philippines, and Singapore’s National Day Rallies from 2018 to 2023.
The couple met 34 years ago when Rashul was working part-time at the National Archives of Singapore, and Sherriza was an archives officer. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
In 2021, when a friend suggested that Sherriza work on a children’s picture book, Rashul cheered her on. “I wanted her to be a writer again,” he said. By then, she had stopped writing for about 20 years.
Over the next few years, Rashul supported his wife in any way he could, from layout and editing, to video and sound formatting and basic digital marketing. Even so, he felt that he had to upskill to help her go further.
Rashul working as a sound engineer at National Day Rally 2022. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
Last year, at 51, the sound engineer enrolled in @ASK Training’s Specialist Diploma in Digital Marketing and WSQ Diploma in Digital Marketing, to learn how to help Sherriza’s stories reach more young readers.
Writing under the pen name Sherri Eri, she has authored and self-published nine children’s books since 2022. Rashul serves as her marketer, producer and sound designer.
Using what he learnt from the course, he built her website, strengthened her online presence, and encouraged her to write micro stories for children on her Substack, TeaCup Twist.
REWRITING PICTURE BOOKS FOR EVERY CHILD
As a visually-impaired author, Sherriza wants her stories to be inclusive for all children, regardless of whether they are sighted or blind. Her picture books combine vibrantly-coloured illustrations, audio narration, music and videos to bring the characters alive.
While researching children’s book titles, she realised how few came in audiobook and video-book formats. After getting friends to read aloud picture books, she also noticed that they tended to rely heavily on illustrations, which leave those with visual impairments unable to follow the story plot.
“In some picture books, readers depend on the visuals to tell them what’s happening. For example, if the page shows a picture of a rabbit but the text doesn’t say ‘rabbit’ and what it is doing, a blind child won’t be able to follow the story,” she told CNA Women.
Sherriza, writing as Sherri Eri, pens vivid descriptions in her children’s books so that every child can ‘see’ the story in their mind. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
Many of her younger friends with visual impairments shared that they grew up with almost no exposure to picture books. To bridge the gap, she writes vivid descriptions that allow every child to ‘see’ the story in their mind.
“I write as though there were no pictures, so they can picture the story through the words,” she said.
For example, in It’s Raining, Cats And Duck, a scene describes a reluctant kitten’s bathtime: “Chill roars. Chill hisses. Chill farts. Daddy ignores him. Instead, Daddy turns a shiny knob. In an instant, rain falls.” Through sensory descriptions, readers can better visualise the illustrations when the story is read to them.
Today, Sherriza’s books come in multimedia formats – paperback, e-book, audiobook and video-book formats. Rashul also uses his sound engineering experience to adapt her writing into immersive audio, adding original songs to titles like Mermaid On A Mountaintop, The Fart Brigade, and Baa Baa Baby Braves The Big Baa-d Bully.
THE CHALLENGES OF SELF-PUBLISHING BOOKS
Despite his experience in managing high-pressure productions, Rashul admits that children’s books were completely new terrain for him.
“I had never really appreciated or even read picture books up until 2021. I realised that there were so many things I needed to know,” he said. For example, he quickly realised that every single detail matters, from formatting of the text, layout, copyediting to proofreading.
Rashul, who had never read a picture book until 2021, realised every detail matters, from text formatting to layout, copyediting and proofreading. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
He juggled Sherriza’s publishing needs, his demanding schedule as a sound engineer, and powered through his digital marketing coursework. The learning curve was steep, and he recalled mustering every ounce of energy and focus to sit through the classes.
“The first few lessons were tough and I got headaches. But this is what I want, quite badly, actually, for Sherri,” he said.
What started out as a practical effort to help recoup costs of publishing the books turned into something more meaningful. “Sherri’s work carries a powerful message about inclusion and I wanted people beyond our circle of friends and family to experience that. When I saw the first international order come in, I thought, ‘This is why I did it’,” said Rashul.
WORKING THROUGH CONFLICT AS WORK PARTNERS
As work partners, the couple has had their fair share of disagreements. Rashul admitted that his newfound enthusiasm and knowledge in digital marketing led to some friction.
“One time, I planned a calendar – two blog posts per week – only to realise that she couldn’t cope. It’s not easy for her, but I can’t write the posts either because my English isn’t as strong as hers,” he said.
Sherriza, whose pen name is Sherri Eri, with some of the nine books she has written. (Photo: Rashul Rahman and Sherriza Hareani)
Rashul’s fast-paced digital marketing timelines often clash with Sherriza’s creative style. “I’d say, I need a Facebook title for this – now! But she has her own style and writing takes time,” said Rashul. “I remind myself I have to be patient.”
Another point of conflict, they added, is their “visual divide”. “Because I’m not a strong reader and she can’t see, we sometimes have completely different visions for how a page should look,” said Rashul. “But we’ve learned to listen, laugh and compromise. At the end of the day, we’re both working towards the same dream.”
Working on children’s books, many of which revolve around the themes of friendship, self-acceptance and family, has also changed Rashul as a person.
“Through her stories, I’ve learned to see the world differently, with more imagination, empathy and joy. Supporting Sherri has opened a new world for me. I learnt new skills, and at 50, I read my first picture book,” he said.
Rashul remains his wife’s biggest believer, just as she has been throughout their marriage.
“Sherri has always believed in me. She has always been my rock, supporting me through my ups and downs. And after COVID-19, I realised we’re not getting any younger,” he said. “Now it’s time for me to do the same, my turn to help her fulfil her dream as a writer.”
MOMENTS OF JOY AND LOOKING AHEAD
For the couple, who has no children, joy comes in small, meaningful moments. Sherriza’s face lights up when talking about young readers who connect with her stories.
“A friend’s two-year-old son used to hate bathing and would cry. But after reading my book It’s Raining, Cats And Duck, he suddenly wanted to shower because the cat in the book loves to shower,” she said with a smile.
Sherriza, Rashul and one of their cats Miyu, which is featured in some of Sherriza’s Cool Kitty book series. (Photo: Eveline Gan)
For Rashul, it’s seeing his wife’s published works out in the world. “I’ll drag Sherri to the National Library, just to take photos with the book,” he said, laughing.
Looking ahead, the couple hope to record more original songs and provide multimedia options for all their titles. “I don’t think many writers do that, so I’m excited to see where we can take this,” said Rashul.
As for Sherriza, she dreams of a world where every child, sighted, blind, or anyone who is differently abled, is included in the magic of storytelling. She hopes that more writers will consider readers with visual impairments when creating picture books.
“I hope for a wider selection of books for the blind, so that they’ll never feel left out,” she said.
Because to her, stories aren’t just meant to be read; they open up new worlds that can be explored, even without sight.
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...