WHO WON IN 2013?

THE WADADLI PEN CHALLENGE 2013 FINALISTS ARE…

ANTIGUA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
ASHA GRAHAM
AVECIA JAMES
CHAMMAIAH AMBROSE
DARYL GEORGE
DENNIKA BASCOM
GARVIN JEFFREY BENJAMIN
JAMIKA NEDD
JAMILA H. K. SALANKEY
MICHAELA HARRIS
ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY
VEGA ARMSTRONG
ZURI HOLDER

*see all shortlisted writers here.

*re prize split – please note that each shortlisted writer receives a Certificate of Achievement as well as discount cards from the Best of Books; and the overall winner’s name has been emblazoned alongside the name of past winners onto the Challenge plaque – sponsored by the Best of Books.

 

SCHOOLS WITH THE MOST SUBMISSIONS

Primary School – St. John’s Catholic Primary – US$500 worth of books sponsored by Hands Across the Sea

Secondary School – Antigua Girls High School – US$500 worth of books sponsored by Hands Across the Seatop

ASHA GRAHAM

Author of Revelations Tonight and Remembrance
Overall Winner (Revelations Tonight), Winner in the 13 to 17 age category (Revelations Tonight) and Third placed in the 13 to 17 age category (Remembrance)

Total prizes:

Cash

$500 sponsored by Conrad Luke of R. K. Luke and Sons and the Leonard Tim Hector Memorial Committee

Literary Opportunities

Sponsored spot – Just Write writers retreat courtesy Brenda Lee Browne

Books

So the Nailhead Bend So the Story End: An Anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing by Althea Prince

Oh Gad! by Joanne C. Hillhouse

LiTTscapes: Landscapes of Fiction from Trinidad and Tobago by Kris Rampersad

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg and other gifts courtesy the Best of Books

Send out you Hand by Dorbrene O’Marde

The Caribbean Writer Volume 26 & the Antigua and Barbuda Review of Books – women’s edition contributed by Joanne C. Hillhouse

Huracan by Diana McCaulay

Island Princess in Brooklyn by Diane Browne

The Legend of Bat’s Cave and Other Stories by Barbara Arrindell

And more

Original one of a kind journal created by Jane Seagull

Pen sponsored by Pam Arthurton of Carib World Travel and the Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival

Two tickets on board Barbuda Express

Gift bag from Raw Island Products

Gift courtesy Joanne C. Hillhouse  top

DARYL GEORGE

Author of Ceramic Blues and Julie Drops
Second placed Overall (Ceramic Blues), Winner (Ceramic Blues) and Second Placed (Julie Drops) in the 18 to 35 age category

Total prizes:

Cash

$200 (patron prefers to remain anonymous)

Literary Opportunities

Sponsored spot – Just Write writers retreat courtesy Brenda Lee Browne

Books

Unburnable by Marie Elena John

So the Nailhead Bend So the Story End: An Anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing by Althea Prince

Dog-Heart by Diana McCaulay

Althea Prince’s In the Black: New African Canadian Literature (contributed by Joanne C. Hillhouse)

Send out you Hand by Dorbrene O’Marde

Tides that Bind and the Road to Wadi Halfa by Claudia Elizabeth Ruth Francis

Sweet Lady by Elaine Spires

Book gift courtesy Silver Lining supermarket

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

And more

2 tickets on board Barbuda Express

Lunch for two at Keyonna Beach

Lunch for two – Bayhouse Restaurant @ Tradewinds Hotel

Gifts courtesy Joanne C. Hillhouse  top

ZURI HOLDER

Author of The Big Event
Third placed overall and first placed in the 12 and younger age category

Total prizes:

Books

So the Nailhead Bend So the Story End: An Anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing by Althea Prince

The Legend of Bat’s Cave and Other Stories by Barbara Arrindell

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

And more

$200 Gift certificate – Stephen B. Shoul

2 tickets on board Barbuda Express

Gift courtesy Joanne C. Hillhouse top

JAMILA H. K. SALANKEY

Author of Her Blackest Sin
Third placed in the 18 to 35 age category

Total prizes:

Books

Send out you Hand by Dorbrene O’Marde

So the Nailhead Bend So the Story End: An Anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing

Tides that Bind and the Road to Wadi Halfa by Claudia Elizabeth Ruth Francis

And More

Gift certificate for Latte, Capuccino or Coffee – Heavenly Java 2 Go.top

MICHAELA HARRIS

Author of Secret of de Mango Tree
Second placed in the 13 to 17 age category

Total prizes:

Books

Island Princess in Brooklyn by Diane Browne

Pink Teacups and Blue Dresses by Floree Williams

So the Nailhead Bend So the Story End: An Anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing by Althea Prince

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

And More

$50 book gift certificate – Cushion Club top

VEGA ARMSTRONG

Author of Hide and Seek
Second placed in the 12 and younger age category

Total Prizes:

Books

Caribbean Adventure Series – three pack by Carol Mitchell

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books top

CHAMMAIAH AMBROSE

Author of How Tigers Got Stripes
Third placed in the 12 and younger age category

Total prizes:

Books

The Legend of Bat’s Cave and other stories by Barbara Arrindell

Caribbean Adventure Series – three pack by Carol Mitchell

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books top

DENNIKA BASCOM

Winner in the junior section of 2013 Wadadli Pen Art Challenge

Total Prizes:

Seascapes by Carol Mitchell

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

Gift courtesy Jane Seagull

Gifts courtesy Art at the Ridge top

 

AVECIA JAMES

Second placed in the junior section of the 2013 Wadadli Pen Art Challenge

Total Prizes:

Antigua My Antigua by Barbara Arrindell

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

Gifts courtesy Art at the Ridge top

 

JAMIKA NEDD

Third placed in the junior section of the 2013 Wadadli Pen Art Challenge

Total Prizes:

Antigua My Antigua by Barbara Arrindell

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

Gifts courtesy Art at the Ridge top

GARVIN JEFFREY BENJAMIN

Winner in the young adult section of the 2013 Wadadli Pen Art Challenge

Total Prizes:

Gifts courtesy the Best of Books

Gift courtesy Art at the Ridge

Cash gift courtesy Koren Norton and anonymous donor

That he may have the opportunity to collaborate with writer Barbara Arrindell on her next children’s picture book is something we can all look forward to top

Special thanks as well to all the 2013 partners: Barbara Arrindell and the Best of Books, Floree Williams, Devra Thomas, Linisa George, and Brenda Lee Browne. Thanks as well to our media partners who help get the word out, especially Antigua Nice and 365 Antigua who for several years and ongoing have hosted pages for Wadadli Pen on their very busy hubs.

I am Joanne C. Hillhouse. I am first and foremost a writer (author of The Boy from Willlow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Oh Gad! and contributor to other anthologies and journals) who could’ve benefited from this kind of encouragement back in the day. That’s why I do this. Congratulations to all the winners, and remember this is not just a contest; this is our attempt to nurture and showcase Antiguan and Barbudan literary talent. We’ve taken the time over the years to provide feedback to the winning writers, conduct writing workshops including online workshops right here on this site, visit schools, and other activities (such as this site) designed to help young writers hone their skills. As we showcase your best efforts here on https://wadadlipen.wordpress.com we encourage you to keep writing and to remain open to the opportunities to become a better writer.

Telling Antiguan Stories: a Semi-Review of Barbara Arrindell’s Legend of Bat’s Cave and Other Stories

*as published in the Daily Observer on January 29th 2013

By Joanne C. Hillhouse

I just closed the book on Barbara Arrindell’s The Legend of Bat’s Cave and other Antiguan Stories: a new collection which could be a good fit as a Reader for mid to late primary school students in Antigua and Barbuda. I’m not an educator or reading specialist so I may have that totally wrong. And, as I’m currently in the midst of working with an editor to tailor a story of mine for the children’s market for a pending collection, I’m all too aware that nits could be picked about choice of words. I mean, who knew there was so much involved in making a story age appropriate?  Plus, given that Arrindell’s collection consists of essentially historical pieces, one or two anachronisms jumped out at me while reading, though clearly they didn’t ruin the  overall effect as I can’t remember what they are now. But what I think makes The Legend of Bat’s Cave a good fit for that middle primary age group is that its stories are complex and interesting enough and the vocabulary advanced enough to hold the attention of and challenge them, I think, without losing them. Plus, given our limited awareness of our own history, anecdotal or otherwise, this collection fits into that void. These stories are all based solidly in some part of Antiguan and Barbudan history, and Arrindell clearly mines that history but also leaves herself room to invent. Through research and imagination, she’s able to provide details meant to transport the reader to the stink and dankness of the bat cave, the utter ruin of post quake St. Johns, and the freedom of Saturday afternoons on horseback.

I found the last story, the most domestic of the stories, dealing with a mother’s death and its impact on her family, to be, strangely enough, the most interesting of the three. This story, Chasing Horses, love that title, is also included in the new anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan writing, So the Nailhead Bend So the Story End, edited by Althea Prince.  I did wonder, what it might have sounded like from a single perspective like the story of the Governor’s wife kidnapped by the Kalinago and then exiled by her husband or the progressive Bishop trying to build a church community in a socially and racially divided island, instead of shifting from point of view to point of view. I enjoyed and empathized with the other children’s voices, yes. But, as the reader I was particularly interested in how Irene, the oldest daughter whose life was most transformed by her mother’s death, was processing the changes in her life. I felt that sticking with her perspective could have sharpened the thematic focus with respect to what it was like for girls then when it came to the intersection of family obligation and personal ambition.

That said I like both the collection and this story in particular overall, and particularly appreciated the scene setting in that latter story. Some nit picking again re flow, but the rustic and carefree world of the children is rendered with sufficient detail that you feel the shift in that world when it comes. And whereas the first story sometimes rushes through the emotional impact of the changes in the character’s life and the second story, given its span, sometimes feels more like the summary of a life, by focusing on a single incident and its effect on a family, the last story felt more grounded and the world more fleshed in. Arrindell accomplishes a lot in this tight, little, reader-friendly, child-friendly collection and fills a particular niche: a niche once filled by moonlight tales that once upon a time handed down the social history and mythology of Antigua and Barbuda then and by so doing added nuance and meaning to Antigua and Barbuda now.

Disclaimer: I call this a semi-review because we live in a small incestuous society especially those of us in the literary world. I’m actually working with the writer right now, a partner in the Wadadli Pen project (https://wadadlipen.wordpress.com). So, clearly, there’s conflict of interest. But as always I tried to give my honest assessment. To be fair though, perhaps best to read it for yourself and form your own opinion.

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.

A Collection of Antiguan short stories has been published just in time for Christmas

Last year Barbara Arrindell working in association with Edison Liburd produced a colouring book entitled Antigua My Antigua. According to Arrindell 431 copies of the colouring books sold over a period of one year, with both locals and tourists taking an interest in it. This year she has produced a small book consisting of three short stories.

“The Legend of Bat’s Cave and other Antiguan Stories” has been read by a few Antiguan Scholars and is said to give a historical peek into three specific time slots in the nation’s history while providing excellent entertainment for readers of all ages.

The title story, The legend of Bat’s Cave, looks at the lives of the island’s first authorized Europeansettlers and the legend involving the abduction of the Governor’s wife, complete with her eventual love affair with her Kalinago/Carib captor.

Conrad Luke, former editor of the Outlet Newspaper read the stories prior to the book’s publication and spoke of his impression of the second story,“A Bishop without a Cathedral”.He said “ A most interesting historical short story and ever so topical given the present state of the Cathedral”. The second story is told through the eyes of the first bishop of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Of great interest to Luke is the role of the church on the question of slavery and how it (the church) relates to the Black Community.

The third story “Chasing Horses” takes a look at life in Antigua in the 1920’s & 1930’s. “One cannot but take note of the class concerns nicely woven into the story” commented the former Outlet editor.“The gender issue and the role of woman in society which loomed larger then is posed in a most provocative and human way.”

According to the author the outline for “Chasing Horses” and The Legend Of Bat’s Cave” were both written in 2007. The stories were then written and rewritten many times.She says that she stumbled upon some information concerning Bishop Daniel Davis while assisting to design tours of the Cathedral shortly after restoration work began. The little that she read at that time fascinated her so much that Arrindell paid to get access to his hand written letters which are stored in the British Archives. Having sifted through many documents she found a substantial number of them written to his superiors in England reporting on many aspects of life at that time. These letters gave greater insight into his professional and personal life.