Caribbean Literary Resources

DISCLAIMER: By definition, you’ll be linking to third party sites from these Links-We-Love pages. Linked sites are not, however, reviewed or controlled by Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize nor coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse); and Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize and coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse) disclaims any responsibility or liability relating to any linked sites and does not assume any responsibility for their contents. In other words, enter at your own risk.

Now, in no particular order…

Caribbean Literary Action Group is self-described as ”a working group of Caribbean writers, publishers, academics, festival coordinators and other persons from the literary sphere, with a shared interest in promoting Caribbean writing and publishing…(and the site is a) central resource for writers and publishers to gain information on publishing, marketing, distribution and bookselling in the Caribbean and to share their expertise and best practices.”

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Caribbean Intelligence appears to be a news site but they also run a writing contest which is what caught our eye.

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New finds, a Caribbean Civilization Tumblr and a site on the Legacies of British Slave Ownership.

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Papillotte Press, publisher of works by and about Dominicans.

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The group behind the lively Caribbean Adventure Series, Caribbean Reads.

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With thanks to her for her generousity to our programme, we must add Diane Browne’s Blog which is a good fit actually with its focus on Caribbean Children’s Literature. At this writing, she has a totally unsolicited featured post on Wadadli Pen.

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Groundation Grenada – a Collective developed by Malaika Brooks-Smith-Lowe and Richie Maitland to share the vision that Grenadian Society is fertile for positive change, requiring simply the necessary seeds and by extension the seed sowers.

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Anansesem has compiled picture galleries of children and young adult books country by country. The lists are incomplete but you may find something as I did that you didn’t know about. Here’s the Antigua and Barbuda list.

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Facebook page for Womanspeak, a journal of literature and art by Caribbean women

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Susumba regularly has news and interviews on not only literary events and talent but anything to with the cultural arts (with an emphasis on Jamaica).

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The Spaces Between Words: Conversations with Writers… and Caribbean Writers in particular. I may have posted this link already somewhere else on the site (it’s hard to keep up sometimes) but it’s worth sharing twice as it includes readings and audio interviews with some of the best on the contemporary Caribbean literary scene (Nalo Hopkinson to Tiphanie Yanique, Lorna Goodison to Marlon James).

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LoveAxe – A virtual summer 2012 book club whose members are Geoffrey Philp, Stephen Narain, and Kelly Baker Josephs.

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The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) – a cooperative of  partners within the Caribbean and circum-Caribbean that provides  users with access to Caribbean cultural, historical and research  materials held in archives, libraries, and private collections. dLOC  comprises collections that speak to the similarities and differences in  histories, cultures, languages and governmental systems. Types of  collections include but are not limited to: newspapers, archives of  Caribbean leaders and governments, official documents, documentation  and numeric data for ecosystems, scientific scholarship, historic and  contemporary maps, oral and popular histories, travel accounts,  literature and poetry, musical expressions, and artifacts. One of the publications archived at dLOC is the Ma Comere Literary Journal, a publication of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars. Archived there are issues covering a number of years 1998 to 2009. Ma Comere was the first to publish a poem of mine (Philly Ramblings 8) internationally and more recently the ACWWS hosted me at its 13th annual conference. Nothing but love for them and lots of good reading, scholarly and creative to be found; check it out.

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The University of the West Indies Press is a not-for-profit scholarly publisher of books in thirteen academic disciplines. It is particularly well known for its work in Caribbean history, Caribbean cultural studies, Caribbean literature, gender studies, education and political science. Founded in 1992, the press has over 350 books in print.

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Voices from Haiti – because often the arts provide the real insight to the soul of a nation.

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I met Zee Edgell a couple of years after I first interviewed her by email…we were supposed to be on a panel together and had a long chat instead (at the Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival). I found her to be down to earth and easy to talk to. It didn’t feel at all like there were three plus decades and a world of geography and literary miles between us. Check out the Beka Lamb author online at http://www.zeeedgell.com/Welcome.html

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Elsewhere on this site, check out John R. Lee’s West Indian Literature bibliography - admittedly not complete, it’s still quite comprehensive. There’s this link to his blog, as well.

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http://danielleboodoofortune.blogspot.com – I’ve been a fan of Trini Danielle Boodoo Fortune’s poetry since I met and shared a panel with her in Barbados in 2008. Who knew she was such a delightful artist as well?

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This is the blog of children’s author Helen Williams aka Billy Elm (Delroy in the Marog Kingdom) – Beyond the Marog Kingdom - she writes about literacy issues and the literary arts.

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This is a two-fer, Trini novelist Liane Spicer’s blog -http://www.lianespicer.blogspot.com - and a blog to which she and Caribbean author Carol Mitchell are regular contributors, Novel Spaces - http://novelspaces.blogspot.com. Both are good for interesting insights on the writing and publishing process.

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 - This Antigua based event (the Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival) began as the Caribbean International Literary Festival in 2006; it’s attracted the best of the best from the African diaspora from far across the water and right next door. It’s usually held over a weekend in early November; book it.

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 - I love the Caribbean Literary Salon- it’s highly interactive and informative – and since joining I’ve been quite active there; including starting an online writing workshop. It’s attracted writers from all over the Caribbean and beyond, so it’s a good place to network. But it’s also a good place to stay up to speed on what’s happening on the Caribbean literary scene and to troubleshoot problems of craft, publishing, and more. The site was started, and is maintained by Anouska Kock, a freelance journalist and writer, born in the Netherlands to Dutch-Surinamese parents. She resides in Aruba.

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http://www.handsacrossthesea.net/HandsResources.htm – Recently discovered this project, Hands Across the Sea, designed to bring books to children in the region when contacted by them to discuss possible collaborations. Check them out; it’s definitely a worthy cause.

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http://poetsofthecaribbean.blogspot.com – I came across Jamaican born librarian and poetry lover Yasmin’s website (Poets of the Caribbean) via the network at CLS. I love that it celebrates Caribbean verse and especially like that she’s similarly committed to creating a listing of Caribbean Poets – I say similarly because our listing of Antiguan and Barbudan writers and John Robert Lee’s Caribbean Writers is in the same vein.

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Calabash International Literary Festival – http://www.calabashfestival.org/2010/index.htm - I attended this with a group of Antiguan writers in 2007. It’s held in St. Elizabeth and included readings from esteemed writers from all over including all parts of the Commonwealth since the top contenders for the Commonwealth Writer Prize were there as well. It was fun but a good learning and networking experience as well.

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http://allenprize.org/ - The Allen Prize is committed to the development of young writers in Trinidad and Tobago much like Wadadli Pen is committed to the development of young writers (and now visual artists) in Antigua and Barbuda. We had to big them up; we just had to…it’s so good to come across a programme like this…and a kindred spirit like founder Lisa Allen-Agostini

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http://seawoman.wordpress.com/ - This site may have originated in Barbados but it’s a valuable resource for all Caribbean writers as it regularly posts information on markets for Caribbean writers. Looking to get published? This might be a good place to start.

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http://tonguesoftheocean.org/ - This site is Bahamian in origin but covers all of the Caribbean. It’s a multi-media online literary journal with lots of stories (including my own After Glow), poems, spoken word pieces.

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http://summeredward.blogspot.com/ - This Trini sister has much love for the stories of childhood and we love her for it. Check out her site for happenings in the world of children and young adult lit, including reviews and recommendations. FYI, as a guest blogger on Summer’s site, I posted about the Wadadli Pen Project – see http://summeredward.blogspot.com/2010/08/guest-post-by-joanne-c-hillhouse.html

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http://ananseseminfo.blogspot.com/ - Related to Summer’s blog, above, this is the site started by her to nurture and promote Caribbean children’s literature. Check it out.

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http://www.caribbeanadventureseries.com – Nevisian Carol Ottley-Mitchell is part of the Anansesem team and author of the Caribbean Adventure Series. She’s lived in various Caribbean countries and currently lives in Ghana, West Africa. I came to know her, via the Internet, when on discovering this site she offered to donate copies of her books Adventure at Brimstone Hill and Pirates of Port Royal to the Cushion Club. I should add that since I was introduced to the series there’ve been some developments: The Adventure at Brimstone Hill is on Audio CD, narrated by St. Kitts’ own Dawn Mills and including music by Larry Armony. The CD can be purchased in St. Kitts at Beauty Essentials or Brimstone Hill National Park. It is also available online at Amazon.com as a CD or an MP3 Download. Book 3 of the series, based in Trinidad, has been released. For updates on this, short stories, pending contests and more, visit her site.

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http://www.geoffreyphilp.blogspot.com/ - Geoffrey Philp is a JAmerican author, who teaches at Miami Dade College and still finds time to maintain this very rich blog. It has author insights, Caribbean lit news, reviews, interviews; it’s never boring.

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http://jambooks-fiction.blogspot.com/ - This is the blog spot of Hazel Campbell, veteran Caribbean children’s writer, who provides invaluable tips on readying your work for publication, issues in Caribbean literature with an emphasis on children’s literature, and other writing news.

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http://www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/ - Edited by Jamerican scribe Opal Palmer Adisa (author of It Begins with Tears), the Caribbean Writer, produced by the University of the Virgin Islands is in the top tier of Caribbean literary journals. It publishes annually and as such the selection process can be rigorous; but it’s a good blend of old and new voices (including two pieces apiece of mine in Volume 18 and Volume 24). Order copies by emailing orders@thecaribbeanwriter.org

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http://www.nyu.edu/calabash/ - This is a Caribbean focussed, international literary journal out of NYU. You’ll find interviews with literary elders, reviews, poetry (including three of mine in the Summer 2007 issue), short stories and not just from the English speaking Caribbean.

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http://repeatingislands.com/ - Here’s one I check from time to time for general info on the Caribbean arts scene.

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http://caribbeanbookblog.wordpress.com/ - This one focusses on publishing trends especially for the do-it-yourselfer, and also has interesting coverage of book clubs, authors, readings etc.

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http://signifyinguyana.typepad.com/charmainevalere/- This used to be Signifying Guyana, but then blogger, Charmaine Valere, decided that she should “have the balls to put (her) name right where (her) big mouth runs.” So it’s been re-branded under her name. It still delivers interesting news, reviews, series, and perspectives related to Caribbean Literature. Check it out.

What happened in Guadeloupe

This is my blog on the Congress of Caribbean Writers in Guadeloupe. Read, enjoy (hopefully:-), share.

Dis ‘n Dat

DISCLAIMER: By definition, you’ll be linking to third party sites from these Links-We-Love pages. Linked sites are not, however, reviewed or controlled by Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize nor coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse); and Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize and coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse) disclaims any responsibility or liability relating to any linked sites and does not assume any responsibility for their contents. In other words, enter at your own risk.

Best of Books Antigua on facebook.

Honestly don’t know a lot about this but it seems like something I need to get to know more about: the Creative Industries Exchange.

Got some fresh news from Chosen Sounds in the email today. I’m going to share their links here not just because owner Omari Harrigan was very generous with his support of the launch of my book Oh Gad! in 2012 but because they are all-in on the support of the musical arts in Antigua and Barbuda. Find them at www.chosensounds.net and www.theyard268.com

Hard to get printed historical material seems to be available through this site.

The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda – Opened in 1985 and housed in one of the oldest and best preserved buildings on the island, this is, of course, one of the best spots for exploring Antigua and Barbuda’s history. See the old Museum site.

Want a better world for girls? Say domething, here.

You’ve heard of the TED Talks and likely seen ones (like this one by Sir Ken Robinson on how schools as currently constructed kill creativity, Tracey Chevalier’s wonderful presentation on finding the story inside the painting, and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie’s powerful presentation the Danger of a Single Story) well this is the TEDx – TED affiliated local events – this one in Barbados.

As a space for theatrical presentations in Antigua, in fact the focal point of theatre in Antigua in the 1970s to the 1980s and also the first place where earlier in the double zeros I saw a Walcott play live for the first time, the University Centre (now the University of the West Indies Open Campus – Antigua and Barbuda) is not totally out of place on this site.

Just discovered this History of Antigua and Barbuda in Writings, Photographs, and Stories by Dr. Susan Lowes; worth checking out. And related to that, the Arawwwak project, a Columbia University project directed by Dr. Lowes.

I edited a book for this blogger, a delicious culinary book. It’s not in wide release yet; meantime, check out her blog: Sitting in a Mango Tree.

Think of it as a Trini Amazon with an artistic bent; it’s Ah Piece! – a place where you can source the creations of Trinidad and Tobago artisans, online. Now isn’t that a novel idea more Caribbean art communities should embrace?

Met Annie Paul at the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars conference in 2012. This is where she blogs on the literary arts and other things. Also had the opportunity to reconnect with well known author, literary scholar and former professor Carolyn Cooper and like Paul she is another thought provoking blogger out of Jamaica. Here’s where she stirs it up.

It’s a little known secret that while I don’t cook (well), I do watch cooking shows and troll cooking sites like this one: Tastes Like Home.

http://womenspeak.tumblr.com/ - This is a space for women to share their stories, embrace their power, and celebrate their womanhood. It’s also a space of vulnerability and pain where the struggles and sacrifices are spotlighted. It’s an inclusive space, constantly updated with information and prompts designed to engage the reader in the process. Also, it’s 100 percent Caribbean. Check it out.

http://www.antiguapublib.org – This is the homepage for the national library of Antigua and Barbuda. The book listings seem incomplete and the site in general doesn’t seem to have been updated in a while, but it seems to be a good portal to research resources, teaching aids and such.

http://islandstyle.typepad.com – Okay, so this site isn’t strictly literary but the blogger (an Antiguan) does have an engaging style and occasionally posts excerpts of fictions. But mostly it’s about fashion…and what’s wrong with that?

http://danielleboodoofortune.blogspot.com – I’ve been a fan of Trini Danielle Boodoo Fortune’s poetry since I met and shared a panel with her in Barbados in 2008. Who knew she was such a delightful artist as well?

 - Youths Speak Out is the outcome of a one week workshop I co-facilitated at the Youth Department during the schools’ Easter Break 2011. A gathering of opinionated and articulate young people, ranging in age roughly from 14 to 19, it was a purpose driven exercise in equipping young people of Antigua and Barbuda with the tools to speak their truth and giving them a forum to do just that. They put the nuts and bolts of the blog together themselves, I was merely a guide.

http://sheroxlox.tumblr.com - I heart this blog by feminist activist Amina Doherty.

Amina photo part of the She Rox Lox series byZIA Photography.

http://www.creativecaribbeannetwork.com – Like the name says this is  network of creative people.

http://www.darkwaves.com/sfch/writing/ckilian/ - I thought this link might be useful to others trying to jump start their writing (and specifically novel writing). Ok, at this posting, I’ve only read the section on ‘Reading a Contract’ but having been through a few book contracts myself, I thought the information would be useful to other writers trying to make sense of it all. This is another link of writing prompts.

http://merrick.library.miami.edu/digitalInitiatives/cwsi/date.html - The Caribbean Fiction Writers Summer Institute ran from 1991 to 1996 at the University of Miami. I (JCH) had the opportunity to participate in this programme in 1995 as a participant in the fiction  workshop led by Olive Senior. It was during this summer that I started work on the Boy from Willow Bend. It was a life changing experience learning from, sharing with, experiencing literary brothers and sisters from the Caribbean; rare and delightful company indeed. This link will take you to audio recordings of writers who participated in this programme including over the years Mervyn Morris, Geoffery Philp, Zee Edgell, Earl Lovelace, Lorna Goodison and so many others. My reading can be found at Programme 13, 1995. Take your time, browse the archives and enjoy.

http://www.antiguanice.com - Before Wadadli Pen ever had its own site, it had a page on Antigua Nice, the country’s local online hub, thanks to the generousity of Colin and Alison Sly-Adams.

http://antiguastories.wordpress.com/about/ - The Friends of Antigua Public Library is interested in collecting oral histories; some of them are posted here. Do you have a story to share? I’m sure they’d like to hear it.

http://www.karibbeanexpressions.com/  – This site promotes Caribbean talent. ‘Nuff said.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BendWillow - My You Tube link; mostly The Boy from Willow Bend online ad (and a few other vids) so far.

http://www.markbrownart.com/ - Mark Brown is the extremely talented Antiguan artist and art teacher who has generously donated his time to coordinate the judging of the visual arts portion of Wadadli Pen, added in 2010.  Check out his Angel in Crisis series of images.

Permit me to mention this other artist, Barbadian artist Sheena Rose, whom I had the opportunity to profile for my former Zing column Creative Space – http://sroseart.tumblr.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/WayneBowen - Stilll  on You Tube, I have to mention Jamaican Wayne Bowen’s vid uploads. I actually had the opportunity to collaborate with other writers from the region (including Bowen, who is also the director of the vids) on creating these for the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation.

http://www.searchantigua.com/ - Ken Shipley was a God send with the first Wadadli Pen website. Here’s his site chock full of all things Antiguan and Barbudan. Including this listing of Antiguan and Barbudan writers.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is
written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing
Nude in the Moonlight, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it,
check out my page on Amazon, WordPress, and/or Facebook, and help spread the
word about Wadadli Pen and my books. You can also subscribe to the site to keep
up with future updates. Thanks.

The Literary Diaspora

DISCLAIMER: By definition, you’ll be linking to third party sites from these Links-We-Love pages. Linked sites are not, however, reviewed or controlled by Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize nor coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse); and Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize and coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse) disclaims any responsibility or liability relating to any linked sites and does not assume any responsibility for their contents. In other words, enter at your own risk.

http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com – A Year of Reading the World. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Check out my interview with the author on the Caribbean leg of her journey.

Blurb is a verb – a good resource for tales from the writing (and publishing) trail.

http://www.quanietalkswriting.com/home – Don’t know this writer but sharing because of her sharing her experiences re publishing and writing, might provide some useful insight for others.

Percival Everett – I heard this writer read at Brown in 2012 and now I must read his work. Thought you might want to too.

http://callaloo.tamu.edu/node/195 - The Callaloo Writers Workshop out of Texas A & M. I did it. I highly recommend it.

Lanesha Says is the blog of Jewell Parker Rhodes, the African American author of Ninth Ward. It’s worth mentioning that in 2011 Rhodes sight-unseen dedicated two copies of Ninth Ward to the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize prize package. At her blog, she explores craft and other literary matters. Check her out.

http://www.yudkin.com/flfaq.htm - Was thinking of the million and one things I had to figure out on my own and then adapt to my market when I started freelancing (some of which I’m still figuring out) and thought this might help for those of you with questions about how to do it.

http://www.writers.ca/copyright_basics.htm – Notes re copyright (“the exclusive right to produce, reproduce, perform or publish a work”)- This is specific to Canada but can be instructive for us all – I’m posting this because as a freelance writer I’m all too aware of how little knowledge, acknowledgment, respect and remuneration there is for writers (and their copyright) in the Caribbean region. Also, FYI, here is the Intellectual Property Act 2003 of Antigua and Barbuda.

She Writes – http://www.shewrites.com – female-centric industry news, networking, and more.

The Open Library – http://openlibrary.org – you are the librarian.

Breadloaf Writers Conference – http://www.middlebury.edu/blwc - I participated in this long running Vermont conference in 2008 thanks to the Michael and Marilee Fairbanks International Fellowship.

 It was an amazing experience and one I’d highly recommend. Think daily readings and workshops by writes of the highest calibre – Ursula Hegi (who was my workshop leader), Lynn Freed, Robert Boswell, Edward P. Jones…I could go on. But check the link for yourself.

http://tananarivedue.wordpress.com- An alum of the Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival and well known African American author, her blog is good reading on troubleshooting the writing life.

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Write-a-Poem-Maya-Angelous-Advice - “How do you begin? You have to get to a very quiet place inside yourself…”

http://thewriterscircle.ning.com/ - This circle of writers was started by Stephen Barnes and Tananarive Due, both accomplished writers and regulars to the literary festival in Antigua. There’s lots of industry wisdom here from people who know.

http://www.liberiaseabreeze.com/ - This is an online journal of contemporary Liberian writings. I discovered it through Antiguan-VirginIsland-Liberian-Swiss writer Althea Romeo Mark who is a regular and who guest edited the issue in which my story, Friday Night Fish Fry, appears.

http://www.unheardwords.com/ - This site seems committed to giving new and emerging writers a window to a wider audience (as they did with me when they posted an announcement re the re-release of The Boy from Willow Bend in 2009). Of particular interest might be the writers link section of the site found here and writing tips found here.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/story-writing/ - Story Writing 101.

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html – literary terms.

Antiguan and Barbudan Authors on the Web

You’ve reached the right page…your portal to the world of Antiguan and Barbudan writers on the web. Just follow the links…UPDATE: By the way, if you’re an Antiguan-Barbudan writer and your blog or web page isn’t listed, drop me a line wadadlipen@yahoo.com  and I’ll look into it.

DISCLAIMER: By definition, you’ll be linking to third party sites from these Links-We-Love pages. Linked sites are not, however, reviewed or controlled by Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize nor coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse); and Wadadli Pen (the blog, the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize and coordinator/blogger Joanne C. Hillhouse) disclaims any responsibility or liability relating to any linked sites and does not assume any responsibility for their contents. In other words, enter at your own risk.

First – this is me – http://jhohadli.wordpress.com -

@ Wadadli Pen fundariser, Word Up! 2006 (Photo by Laura Hall)

You can also find me on Facebook, Poets and Writers, Linkedin, Amazon (and Amazon UK), Caribbean Literary Salon, Creative Caribbean Network,  She Writes, Shelfari, GoodReads, Red Room, and elsewhere.

And now, in alphabetical order…

http://elizabethabbott.wordpress.com/about – Elizabeth Abbott, author of Sugar and other books is a Canadian author with Antiguan and Barbudan roots. Also here.

Rilys Adams is a talented writer (and former Wadadli Pen finalist) who blogs here.

http://byzia.blogspot.com/ – Online blog of Zahra Airall who, with her partners in Women of Antigua, staged Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues before co-producing, co-writing and co-directing her own When a Woman Moans to rave reviews. She’s founder and director of Zee’s Youth Theatre; partner in August Rush productions, the group behind the Expressions poetry series and Young Poets Society of Antigua and Barbuda;  a high school literature teacher; and photographer.

http://thejuniverse.com – Fashionista June Ambrose who makes this list thanks to her book Effortless Style.

http://consushness.wordpress.com – Bandelee’s blog is called consushness and there he uses writing s a vehicle to explore issues like self-determination and the impact of creative art on identity.

Like me, Brenda Lee Browne, a Wadadli Pen judge, delivers writing, editing, workshop and other writing and/or communication services. Here she invites people to Just Write. She also shares her passions at her blog, Handbags and Chocolate.

Chante U. Codrington

Tanya Evanson - Part of a literary legacy (via her aunt Veronica Evanson Bernard), and a spoken word artist in her own right.

Claudia Elizabeth Ruth Francis was born in the UK of Barbudan and Canadian heritage. Check out her and her books, Tides that Bind and Road to Wadi Halfa.

This is the link to Myra Francis’ blog which, she writes, is a segue to her yet to be published memoir, “40 Lessons in 40 Years: Putting Life into Perspective through Trials & Triumphs”.

http://antiguastories.wordpress.com/about/ and http://www.foapl.org/  – Beverly George (pictured) is the founding

 president of the Friends of Antigua Public Library started the Antigua Stories site as part of their Collecting Memories Project, inviting Antiguans and Barbudans to share their stories on all aspects of life in Antigua. To date, there are postings by Milton Benjamin, Max Hurst, Althea Romeo-Mark, Antigua’s Chief Librarian Dorothea Nelson, one of my pieces (How to Make Cassava Bread) and others including stories collected from elders by winners of the FOAPL short story competition. It’s interesting reading. Also check their listing of Antiguan Authors on the FOAPL site.

Linisa, left, and Zahra, right.

http://blackgirlinthering.blogspot.com/  - Linisa George shares credit with Zahra Airall for most of what’s listed above: August Rush and its endeavours, and Women of Antigua and its endeavours. This is where she blogs.

http://powaweb.com/powaanu – D. Gisele Isaac, original Wadadli Pen judge and ongoing supporter, is the author of Considering Venus and A & B’s first two films The Sweetest Mango and No Seed. As an active member (and president, at this writing) of the Professional Organization of Women in Antigua and Barbuda, she writes POWALine – and does her own gender-specific column Agender for Change – plus writes and directs POWA’s annual programme. The link given is to POWA’s site where you can read some of her articles; this is a link to her book .

http://antiguanauthors.com – Just hippin’ you to this other Antiguan portal started by Tragedy on Emerald Island author S. E. James. It’s a useful tool for authors, especially self-published authors, to connect with potential buyers and readers. I’m actually not sure how active it is at the moment, but check it out for yourself and see.

http://bak2moi.wordpress.com – Tameka Jarvis-George author of Unexpected, and poetry collections – I Am, I Am That I Am, and Thoughts from the Pharcyde is unflinchingly bare in her writing. Check out her home on the web; better yet pick up one of her books.

http://poetrybyziggy.blogspot.com – Another talented Antiguan poet and long time open mic regular: Aziza Lake, ladies and gentlemen, Aziza Lake.

Link to the works of Devil’s Bridge author Edgar O. Lake.

http://joylawrence.netfirms.com – Joy Lawrence, pictured in this Laura Hall photo reading at Wadadli Pen 2006 fundraiser (Word Up!), first came to light as a poet but went on to distinguish herself as a cultural archivist committed to researching and preserving not only The Way We Talk but all the Colours and Rhythms of Antiguan and Barbudan culture.

http://caribbeanculturaljourney.blogspot.com – Fransene Massiah-Headley; looks like it hasn’t been updated in a while but what’s there should give some idea of what her book is about.

http://journey-cakes.com – Monica Matthew is a vibrant spirit and a true daughter of the soil. Though resident in New York, her debut book Journeycakes speaks intimately of home and of her coming of age under the loving guidance of her Mama May.

http://kimolisa.blogspot.com – This young Antiguan poet (Kimolisa Mings) has been a hit at August Rush’s Expressions, Wadadli Pen’s Open Mic, and other venues. She definitely rates a read; check her out and I’m sure you’ll agree.

http://www.motionlive.com – Motion (Wendy Braithwaite) is a Canadian of Antiguan descent and a dynamic spoken word artist. Also here.

http://passionsofyoursoul.blogspot.com/ – Honestly this too looks like it hasn’t been updated in a while but, for what it’s worth, it’s the blog of Antiguan poet Dr. Elaine Olaoye.

http://altheaprince.com – Althea Prince (pictured accepting the ABILF Literary Arts Award from Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer in 2007, has been a good friend to Wadadli Pen and to the literary arts in Antigua and Barbuda generally. She’s also, as her listing in the Antigua and Barbudan writers bibliography elsewhere on this site

shows, one of our most prolific and astute writers ; and a pretty cool lady.

http://www.aromaproductions.blogspot.com/  – Althea Romeo-Mark left Antigua ages ago, came of age in the USVI, and has lived her adult life in the U.S., Liberia, Britain, Switzerland (that I know of) but when I first read her work in the Caribbean Writer, there was little doubt in my mind that ah Antigua she come from. Needless to say I’ve become a fan of her widely published and vivid testimonials in poetry of what it’s like to grow up on an island in the sun, survive a war zone, and start all over again in a foreign land. Her latest book If Only the Dust Would Settle is well worth a read.

http://www.searchantigua.com/antiguan-authors – Search Antigua also has a growing listing of Antiguan and Barbuda writers.

Monique S. Simon and her Caribbean Folklore Project. A bit about Monique: she teaches at the college level, her areas of expertise being literature of the black world, communications, and teaching strategies. She’s also widely published and has also performed her work (Adynah) on the NY stage.

Elaine Spires – a Brit who’s made Antigua a second home and Maisie and Em a hilarious part of the local theatrical landscape. She’s the author of What’s Eating Me? and other books and this is where she blogs.

Glen ‘Rasta Man’ Toussaint’s blog where you’ll find his poetry and musings, and laugh and smile to yourself while doing so – http://rastamage.blogspot.com

http://flowthemoondancer.blogspot.com/ – Floree Williams is the author of Pink Tea Cups and Blue Dresses and Through the Window; and of this blog of inner musings.

http://loquence.tumblr.com/ - I discovered this young sister (Amber Williams-King) in 2011 when I participated in the Antiguan-Canadians’ 30th anniversary independence programme. She was one of the poets from the Anu-Tor writing group, sharing a couple of her pieces; and as I said to her afterwards, I like her flow.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page on Amazon and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about Wadadli Pen and my books. You can also subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.

Antiguan and Barbudan literary works reviewed

As I come across reviews or dig through archived reviews, I’ll add them – first to last, and not necessarily in the order they were written. Been finding so many, I had to tie off this list and continue here (so read here then go read there, okay?)

Tameka Jarvis-George’s film, Dinner, based on her poem of the same name and directed by Christopher Hodge of Cinque Productions premiered in 2011 at the Reggae Film Festival in Jamaica, where it received the following review:

“Featuring an attractive pair of lovebirds, Dinner is a sweetly poetic and vivid 12-minute verse-to-screen clip from an Antiguan writer/director with an appealing, if slightly provocative, voice. It’s a small film with a big heart that explores intimate love, employing a slyly clever approach – cloaked in the guise of meal preparation. While getting dinner ready a radiant young lady (played by Jervis-George, who also provides a lyrical voice-over) is surprised by the early arrival home of her virile Rastafarian man, and before you can say ‘Come and get it’ a dining of a totally different variety plays out on-screen. Shot in vibrant hues by a surprisingly steady camera, Dinner is romp that ends all too quickly, but it was tastefully delightful while it lasted. B”

***

The Devil’s Bridge is an evocative work that will establish itself as another classic of the Caribbean and particularly Antiguan writing. It walks confidently, making its own path somewhere between Jamaica Kincaid and Wilson Harris. Because of its powerful visionary and ego-transcending achievements, this work will be compared to Harris’s Palace of the Peacock and Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John.”

Professor Paget Henry,
Sociology & Africana Studies
Brown University

***

Just came across this mention of my Boy from Willow Bend at Behind the Marog Kingdom listing it alongside Flying with Icarus by Curdella Forbes and the Legend of St. Ann’s Flood by Debbie Jacob as “useful stories for discussion” in getting Caribben boys to deal with their feelings. That’s kinda cool. It’s also listed as recommended books for boys here.

***

“The beauty, economy and precision of Kincaid’s prose transports even the most curmudgeonly and aloof reader into the abject state of gushy fandom.” – Saidiya Hartman, professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia university, introducing Jamaica Kincaid for a reading.

***

Re Unburnable

“John expertly weaves history and fiction into an integral narrative that takes the reader on a fascinating journey where instincts, magic, intuition and, above all, love are the real protagonists.” – from this blog.

“UNBURNABLE is good, if not great. It is a magnificent attempt on a very large theme: recognizing and releasing the sins of the fathers (in this case, mothers, in a matriarchal society) to embrace one’s own destiny.” – from this blog.

“Marie-Elena John graciously takes you inside the history and lives of the people in Dominica. You will visist the island’s original Carib people, who discovered Columbus when he arrived in 1493. Yes, be careful because you may actually learn something by reading this novel. Don’t worry. Marie-Elena weaves a wonderful tale that will also feed some of your thirst for sex and action, while simultaneously increasing your knowledge of Africa and the Caribbean.” – from this blog.

“The diversity of the African diaspora is often overlooked in modern African American literature, and this page-turner fills in some gaps.” – from Booklist, found here.

“Strong writing and interesting supporting characters should keep readers occupied through the end.” – from Publishers Weekly, found here.

***

Re Considering Venus

“An interesting thing about Considering Venus is that Lesley’s sexuality is never defined. It’s just love between two women–with no barriers.

Isaac has written a lovely book, with just the right fusion of prose and poetry make it a joy to read.” – this from Sistahs on the Shelf in 2008.

***

Encouraging review (September 2011) of unFRAMED, a play by Antiguan born, American based Iyaba Ibo Mandingo:

“Artist and performer Iyaba Ibo Mandingo is undeniably talented. Though he describes himself “as a painter and
a poet,” in unFRAMED, Mandingo also demonstrates his abilities as a singer, dancer, performance artist, standup
comedian and storyteller…Visually, unFRAMED is a treat. Mandingo’s painting is colorful and expressive, and lighting designer Nicholas Houfek does an excellent job enhancing the various emotions that Mandingo conveys throughout his story. UnFRAMED is also very funny at times, especially in a sequence in which Mandingo makes light of his own name. Best of all, unFRAMED is worthwhile because it shares a different perspective on America, one that stands in stark contrast to most people’s naïve notion of a land of equality and opportunity.”

***

Life as Josephine comments on Dancing Nude in the Moonlight:

“There is no way an Antiguan or an individual who lives on the island cannot relate to this story. The island is too small and the story too concise to be shortsighted. As a returning national, I found it answered many questions as to the cultural dynamics of present day Antigua.”

***

Amos Morrill’s children’s book Augusta and Elliott received some positive feedback from readers and reviewers, such as:

“…there is much on the page to delight the eye, both in color and in content. The
text is simple but the message to children (and their parents) is clear: help
save our oceans.” – Charlotte Vale-Allen @ Amazon.com

“This simple storybook is filled with colorful drawings to tell the tale. Without harping on negativity, the fish throw a party to drum up support and start implementing change…This would be a great gift for anyone with kids. Amos would love to know that future generations will be more conscious of the fragile nature of our ecosystems and our need to minimize human impact.” – Kimberley Jordan-Allen

***

“…it’s often thought that there  was next to no literature produced in the Caribbean until the mid-20th century.  It makes Frieda Cassin one of the region’s first recorded woman writers, and it makes her novel the first such book to be published in Antigua. But much more interesting than these historical details is the novel itself,  a distinctly dark and disturbing look at West Indian society…

There is much that is bad about this book. The dialogue is at times excruciating,  and the familiar clichés of Caribbean life rather trying. But, as an insight into some of the phobias surrounding small-island society a century  or so ago, it is fascinating. And what makes it all the more bizarre is that  this dark indictment of a racist and neurotic world was written by a respectable  lady who was probably a pillar of that very society.” – Caribbean Beat review, in its November-December 2003 issue, of Freida Cassin’s With Silent Thread.

***

A mixed review of Althea Prince’s Loving this Man from January magazine begins:

“Toronto author Althea Prince writes with such sensuality and grace that it creates a heady spell, drawing the reader into the center of the story. If only this were all a novelist needed to do, Loving This Man would have been a triumph. The fact that the novel does not come together as a satisfying read is connected to technical things like structure and voice, and even deeper underpinnings such as intent.”

Do you agree? Read the book, read the rest of the revew here and decide for yourself.

***

From my own review in Volume 3 Number 1 Summer 2010 edition of The Antigua and Barbuda Review of Books, of Althea Prince’s body of work:

“By writing not only plentiful but plenty-plenty of who we are beyond skin and bones and the condition that landed us here, by rebelling with polite but persistent resolve against the hegemony that would box us in, by writing with heart and hardiness, with poetry and compassion, by nudging writers like myself to trust what we intuit, Prince continues to be an example to Antiguan writers yet becoming.”

Full review Althea Prince Writing What She Intuits by Joanne C. Hillhouse.

***

Just found this fleeting but delightful reference by Jamaican Helen Williams to Ashley Bryan’s Beautiful Blackbird, referencing a reading of the book to a grade four class:

“This delightful story, with its rhythmic prose and adequate repetition, is adapted from a tale from ‘The Ila-speaking peoples from Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)’ by Edwin Smith and Andrew Dale, (1920). The bold illustrations could be seen by the children at the back of the class. (Thanks to Pam Witte for sending me this book.) Several children asked me to read the story again…”

***

Referencing the writings of Althea Romeo-Mark:

“The gusting, twisting, reaching complexity of Romeo-Mark’s poetry and narrative matches the twisting, gusting complexity of her thought. And yet, the poems and narratives are not insistently complex. The rhythm and the ideas are both simple and matter of fact. Romeo-Mark’s wit is neatly carried by a direct cadence and where enjambment occurs; she states her case plausibly, clearly developing a seamless organization without falling into monotony.” – Review of If Only the Dust would Settle, P. 341 – 342, The Caribbean Writer Volume 25, 2011

“The voice of African-American writing” -  Poetry@Suite101, 2011

“This book is also interesting…for the insight it offers to the immigrant experience.” – Daily Observer, 2010

“Romeo-Mark’s knack for connecting the inner and outer world, shifting easily between moods, and making connections across time and space, coupled with vivid imagery, make this a thoroughly engaging read.” – customer review, Amazon.com, 2010

and this review of her earlier work:

“The relationship between Romeo-Mark and the persona in her poems is complex. The poet seems to maintain a psychic distance from her persona. The voice in her poetry describes the ironies of the human experience in the Caribbean, North America, and West Africa.” – Vincent O. Cooper, JSTOR, 1994

***

Cris on Facebook on Considering Venus:

“If D. Gisele Isaac wrote “jiggy poo poo” on a piece of paper, I’d want to read it. She
has one of those writing styles that just draws you in and wraps you up in the
flow of her words. I felt like the characters in the book were real people that I could actually
bump into if I went down to the road in the supermarket. Now lemme tell you
bout the book: Considering Venus explores the lives of a heterosexual widow, who finds herself
falling in love, and teetering into a relationship with an old school friend
who just happens to be a lesbian female. The pair undergo the typical battles of a new “same sex” relationship
as the story unfolds. Now I have two BIG problems with this book. Number one: the book actually had
an ending, I wanted to stay in Cass and Lesley’ lives forever (no homo lol) and
number two: WHEY THE SEQUEL SO LANG WOMAN!”

***

Cris also said about Floree Williams’ Through the Window, also on Facebook:

“I really enjoyed this book. What I loved most about it was the author’sability to get you to ‘see’ the characters, and the places the
characters in the book went.”

***

Finally, her reader-review of my book Dancing Nude in the Moonlight (yep, on Facebook) said, among other things:

“What stood out to me the most was that Joanne managed to “flesh out” such real characters and spin such a realistic story line into such a small book.”  Thanks, Cris.

***

See a short write-up on Tameka Jarvis-George’s Unexpected at 365Antigua.com. Excerpt:

“‘Unexpected’ is a poignant, true-to-life tale that reflects a Caribbean-inspired ‘voice’ but is easily transferable and relatable to other cultures.”

***

Came across this old(ish) write up of young writer (and Wadadli Pen alumna) Rilys Adams’ first spoken word CD, Laid Bare. Excerpt:

“Her poetry is timely and captures the urgency to preserve the culture that is  left, to uplift the nation, and savour memories with loved ones.”

***

Search Antigua has been making its pick of essential Summer reads. On its non fiction list, you’ll find Keithlyn Smith’s To Shoot Hard Labour (“a book every Antiguan should read”) and Symbol of Courage, and Monica Matthews’ Journeycakes. On its fiction list, you’ll find Marie Elena John’s Unburnable (“a suspense novel with many twists, turns and secrets”), my (i.e. Joanne C. Hillhouse’s) Dancing Nude in the Moonlight (“a nice, light, summer read for the romantics”), and Tameka Jarvis-George’s Unexpected (which “will have you curled up on the couch for a while”). Teen picks include my Boy from Willow Bend, Akilah Jardine’s Living Life the Way I Love It and Marisha’s Drama, Marcel Marshall’s All that Glitters, and Floree Williams’ Through the Window (“a great read for older teens and young adults”); while on the kids’ list are A Day at the Beach (“beautiful illustrations and the charming story of two children’s day at the
beach”) by writer Calesia Thibou and illustrator Gail M. Nelson, Floree Williams’ Pink Teacups and Blue Dresses, and Rachel Collis’ Emerald Isle of Adventure.

***

What did the late critic Tim Hector think of Dorbrene O’Marde?… Just came across this review of the latter’s last play (to date) This World Spin One Way…and it’s full of high praise indeed:

“Dobrene O’Marde is a valuable asset in a community with few valuable
assets. That is why this article was extended beyond the limits of a mere
review, proving that without the artistic integrity of the likes of Dobrene
O’Marde all dialogue is silenced, and we have only the tiresome monologue of
rulers.”

“…Let me say at once, that “This World Spins One Way” is Dobrene’s best written play, and probably the best play written by an Antiguan.”

***

A great resource for reviews of Antiguan and Barbudan books is The Antigua and Barbuda Review of Books edited by Brown University Professor Dr. Paget Henry. The 2011 issue includes reviews of the late Dr. Charles Ephraim’s The Pathology of Eurocentrism (“a major work of Africana existensial philosophy andBlack existentialism” – Lewis R. Gordon); Emily Spencer Knight’s Growing up in All Saints Village, Antigua: The 1940s – the late 1960s (“history written in a personal style” – Bernadette Farquhar); Leon H. Matthias’ The Boy from Popeshead, Theodore Archibald’s The Winding Path to America, Hewlester A. Samuel Sr.’s The Birth of the Village of Liberta, Antigua, and Joy Lawrence’s Bethesda and Christian Hill: Our History and Culture (collectively described as “…a goldmine for those who want to learn about the culture and cultural practices of each period” – Susan Lowes); and Paget Henry’s Shouldering Antigua and Barbuda: The Life of V. C. Bird (“an enlightening narrative of the leadership style and philosophy of Bird…” – George K. Danns). I’m delighted that it also includes a review of my own Boy from Willow Bend by the esteemed Columbia University Assistant Professor and daughter of the Antiguan and Barbudan soil, Natasha Lightfoot:

“For its thoughtful rendering of complex issues such as
gender, class, migration and death, for the swiftness of Hillhouse’s prose, and
especially for the captivating personality with which she endows the title
character, readers will be instantly drawn to this narrative.

…

“Hillhouse has crafted a story that adult and young readers
alike can enjoy, that truly captures the spirit of Antigua’s recent past.”

***

Online review of  Dancing Nude in the Moonlight (“an honest depiction of attitudes toward cultural mixing and interracial dating”)…love the name of this blog, btw: lifeasjosephine.

***

U.S. (specifically Rawsistaz’s) review of The Boy from Willow Bend reposted by 365Antigua.com: three out of five stars, the reviewer had some struggles with the language but liked the descriptions (“I could picture myself walking down the dirt roads looking at the willow trees or listening to the street musicians as I walked down the street”).

***

Jamaican children’s author Diane Brown’s review of Antiguan S. E. James’ Tragedy on Emerald Island

“The descriptions of the eruptions beginning, the ash, the fright of not knowing
at first what it is, what was actually happening, and then once reality dawned,
the fear of what would happen next, grabbed me. I was sitting ‘scrunched up’ in
my bed (which is where I read) with fright.”

and other books for older readers.

***

Reader comments on Floree Williams’ Through the Window can be found at the book’s Facebook page including:

“beautiful novel ” (Eric Jerome Dickey, author)

“The storyline was good, albeit one that …is not uncommon, however the characters and the way they unfolded during the telling of the story was indeed interesting.” (Marcella Andre, media personality)

***

Unburnable, Marie Elena John’s book attracted wide acclaim and a Hurston Wright nomination. Follow this link and this to see what other critics have to say about the Antiguan authors debut novel. Here’s a teaser:

“wondrously intelligent” (Chimamanda Adichie)

“electrifying” (Essence)

“compelling” (Booklist)

***

“Vibrant and powerful” are two of the words that have been used to describe Women of Antigua’s When a Woman Moans first staged in 2010 as a successor to its stagings of Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues. It was co-scripted and directed by Zahra Airall and Linisa George of August Rush Productions w/input from Marcella Andre, Carel Hodge, Floree Williams, Greschen Edwards, Melissa Elliott, and me (your Wadadli Pen blogger/coordinator Joanne C. Hillhouse) in 2010 with the addition in 2011 of pieces by Tameka Jarvis-George, Salma Crump, Brenda Lee Browne, and Elaine Spires. Here’s what they had to say about the 2010 production over at 365 Antigua and see what audience members said at the When A Woman Moans group page on Facebook.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page on Amazon and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about Wadadli Pen and my books. You can also subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.