“To be honest with you, I literally cried, because it was a difficult year for me, my family, and I had to just take in the moment and say ‘wow, I actually won.’ Because I’d been writing for many years. People know me in some circles for poetry writing. I’ve never written short stories before. It’s my first short story writing that I’ve actually put out to the public and it’s amazing that I was successful. So, I’m elated.” – Kevin Liddie, author of ‘Mildred, You No Easy’, Wadadli Pen 2021 champion on ABS TV June 2nd 2021.
“I’m glad that my story about the hellish year of 2020 was appreciated because it was really a poignant story coming from the heart, especially my experiences dealing with it.” – Sheniqua Greaves, subtheme and main prize honourable mention about her story ‘The Juxtaposed Reprieve’ during the May 30th 2021 awards ceremony.
“This is quite a shocker…the ‘Great Old Woodslave’ was actually inspired by a woodslave that seemingly has taken up residence in my home. I’m not a writer by any stretch.. The whole challenge came from, I’m a member of a social club, and we were one night to write a story about an inanimate object and how it would view COVID…everybody was saying I really enjoyed your story, why don’t you submit it… and I eventually submitted the night of the deadline not expecting to hear anymore about it.” – Jason Gilead, winner ‘2020’ prize and main prize honourable mention.
“I wrote the poem for my school, when we were doing a project for my school, and my teacher said I should enter it and I’m really glad she did because it gave me an opportunity to win something.” -Gazelle Goodwin, author of ‘Beautiful Disaster’, 12 and younger winner. Gazelle is a student at Island Academy.
“What inspired me to write ‘The Blackboard’ is the board at school.” – Eunike Caesar, 9. Twelve and younger honourable mention. Eunike attends Baptist Academy.
“Thank you for the opportunity to enter anything I’ve written in to a competition and be recognized for it in any capacity. Really grateful that you decided to give back in this way, especially to young people. There are really not a lot of opportunities for Caribbean writers especially to enter short form fiction, for recognition, and I think I do better in short anything.” – Razonique Looby, honourable mention for her short story ‘Vixen’. Razonique, 15, is a student at Christ the King High School.
“I just sat at my computer and I just started to write and the story just came. I had been to Canada recently so I just used my experience of the place.” – Ashley-Whitney Joshua (in video above), second placed for her story ‘Hiraeth’.
“All of the stories had good bones which means that we saw a lot of potential in all of the stories; it’s just a simple matter of structure or grammar or feeling out the story more. So I want to encourage everyone that entered to take this as a learning opportunity.” – Floree Williams Whyte, judge, on Why We Chose It
“As I said, I never expected to hear anything else about this story. It was just one of those things. But I’m happy that it has done as well as it has. And would just like to encourage other persons to use such platforms to write and to get their ideas out of their heads on to paper.” – Jason Gilead discussing his Wadadli Pen experience on GMAB the week after the awards
“I was interested in entering this competition as I was looking for some stimulus, in a sense. There really wasn’t much to do at home post-graduating from State College. So I really wanted to take part in something… it has made me feel way more confident in my writing.” – Sheniqua discussing her Wadadli Pen experience on GMAB the week after the announcement
“I got lots and lots of books, I got a cash donation from Frank B. Armstrong…and I’m going to be trained in writing…I’m looking forward to that one.” – Kevin Liddie interviewed on ZDK’s Open Forum
One of the interviews in the roll up to the prize, this one with founder Joanne C. Hillhouse on ABS TV’s Antigua Barbuda Today.
Wadadli Pen 