SINGAPORE — Who is Magic Babe Ning?

That is not only the title of former magician-turned-author Ning Cai’s latest book, but also a question the author has been asking herself.

Now, Ning has attempted to answer that with her autobiography. The 32-year-old was arguably Singapore’s top female magician and she, together with her onstage partner, J C Sum, blazed a trail for 10 years with incredible escapes and illusions before she officially retired this year.

But, as seen in her book, there is more to her life than only magic (even if she offers the secrets to a couple of magic tricks at the back of it). She called the book a very honest work, and a eulogy of sorts to her stage character.

While this is not the first book by the Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate — she previously co-authored a travelogue with writer Pamela Ho in 2012, called Adventures Of 2 Girls — Ning said publishing her life story was a little daunting.

“Writing this was far harder than I’d initially anticipated after signing the book contract with my publisher,” she said. “I actually spiralled into depression when inner demons and painful memories from past experiences burst out.

“I actually had to take breaks from writing and partway through working on the manuscript,” she added. “The intense emotions were so strong that I needed to get away from the project for a bit. That’s why I forced myself to take four weeks of solitude away from Singapore and all that I was familiar with — using yoga as my respite to heal and recalibrate my soul — so I could finish my book.”

Q: Autobiographies are supposed to be warts and all. Did you pick only the best bits for this book?

A: Sometimes, scars are a necessary evil. If you didn’t have an appendix scar, for instance, you wouldn’t be alive and well today. So, yes, my tell-all is a very real, authentic, forthright piece of work that took me quite some time to bang out, but I’m very proud of it.

Q: Will you be documenting the rest of your life for a sequel?

A: I’m currently working on Ning Cai the person, version 2.0 — and that’s an exciting project in itself. For a decade, Magic Babe Ning was my greatest illusion and now I’m back on the path of finding out who I am and who I want to become. Such self-discovery takes time to blossom, so, in the meantime, I’d love to try my hand at writing fiction, since that’s something I’d always wanted to do since … forever!

Q: Do you think the book will be a bestseller like Adventures Of 2 Girls?

A: Thankfully, since my book came out, people have been saying positive things about it (besides the fact that Neil Gaiman wrote the glowing foreword) and I’m truly grateful to readers who took the time to reach out after reading it. But it’s not about the money — I’m a bohemian artist that way. My purpose of writing this book, like my first, serves to inspire readers in finding their own brand of magic and make their dreams a reality. And because your life’s journey should be checked by moments and not milestones, it really is okay to change your mind at the end of the day. You have every right to steer your life! Live life, don’t merely exist.

Ning Cai’s Who Is Magic Babe Ning is out in stores now. She will be conducting book-signing sessions on Jan 10 and 17, and will be holding a magic workshop for readers on Jan 31. Find out more on her website http://www.ningthing.com.