Delroy in the Marog Kingdom - Book Trailer

Got Fans? Delroy's are showing up everywhere!

Island Fiction fans are showing up everywhere! This fan of Billy Elm's Delroy is in search of the Marog Kingdom. She may find herself  sitting too close to the river when she meets the mysterious River Mumma on the pages of the popular  tween novella. Watch out!

Fan in search of Delroy by the river!

  DELROY IN THE MAROG KINGDOM - Billy Elm "Delroy in the Magic Kingdom is worth more than one read - it is exciting, captivating and dramatic." Cherian Gordon, Caribbean Compass

It's a great idea to link online activity with a fun and relevant marketing strategy like  getting  fans to send  photos of themselves reading the book. Or better yet, reading the book with a background that is a familiar location for your characters, as in photo above.

The key is to help your fans find you and harness their purchasing power by directing them with as few clicks as possible to the action you need. e.g. to shopping cart; to Amazon.com; to a subscription for your newsletter; fan your Face Book etc. Through online marketing 30 fans can easily become 300 fans (wanting  to recommend your current book(s) and buy your next) by the end of the year, or month if you're really crafty and creative about it!

What  IF?...you got some marketing  gold like Billy Elm did? Get your

as yet unpublished sequel awarded by entering local, regional or international literary competitions!

 

Delroy and the Marog Princess  won a bronze medal and Best Intermediate Novelist in the Creative Writing Awards Ceremony, 2011 in Jamaica. 

Regrettably, there is no telling  when this novel will be published. The author may explore  self-publishing with print and e-book.  

Getting fans to pre-purchase e-books is one model with which all levels of  content publishers are having success online internationally. To meet the financial requirements of self publishing it's vital that your online presence has the necessary e-commerce set up. In some Caribbean territories this is not yet available, but if you have a trust worthy partner in one of the approved regions that may be just the ticket to get you started.

Be sure to do the maths and measure your expectations reasonably. Publishing windfalls are rare, though just as possible with talking frogs, duppies, time traveling turtles and blue skinned androgynous beings as with wizards and vampires, I'm sure!

Keep the faith and Above All -

Happy Writing,
JJ

















Island Fiction e-books now available online

Island Fiction e-books available online!

St. Francois Girls, Belmont

We put everything on the menu for our children, except the treasures that  require at least a little effort, self respect and discipline.  Then we lambaste "Them" with the burden of every social ill. We hear ad nauseum about "The Youth Today" as though they are a separate specie, as though we adults and parents and leaders had nothing to do with who they are becoming.

With the exception of crime, we protect our kids from nothing these days. Well, another exception is suffering. We seem intent on protecting them from every good, ole healthy struggle, with the promise of building character, that comes along.

Teens want a legit stretch that's why there's so much mischief when they are not challenged. Island Fiction series was published with this in mind. Our heroes struggle with themselves and their circumstances and make the journey home, metaphorically and sometimes, literally.

It's true, the movies aren't out yet; not even in development actually. We've no merchandise to offer at fast food outlets, but kids who read IF usually light up with something like, "When is the movie coming out? I could just see it so clearly!"

Look, if you reading this blog, I preaching to the converted.

So I'll be direct and keep it simple - Buy books for kids - they love them! Read aloud with kids, even adult ones - they love it!

Share books, swap books - PUT THEM ON THE MENU.

Keep awake in learning to like books yuhself; cultivate and sustain a reading lifestyle  - teens can smell hypocrisy in Trinidad, from Tobago.

And yes, of course Island Fiction titles are great gifts for traveling, packing, downloading -  these unique, electrifying, fast paced adventures are suitable for mature readers, both boys and girls from 10+ and up and are great "first" chapter books for reluctant teen and young adult readers.

Caribbean people may be glad to know there is not a witch, warlock or vampire in sight. Yaaaaa! You will meet River Mumma, La D'iablesse, Alex a Waspachu of the Cougar Clan on the S. American continent who sees and hears the legendary pan man from a nearby island; there's a suicidal student who flunks Common Entrance exam and opts to  swim through time on the back of a turtle named Odysseus. You'll encounter Legba and the temptress Zulie and the androgynous blue skinned Loba and did I mention, an entirely new race of Goans? And much more...

This is a writers' blog yes, but remember we need readers - they are our oxygen. So spread the word!

Above All,
Happy Writing, JJ

It's Never Too Late for Anything!

I've always believed that it is never too late for anything.
If your ego rears up with resistance and complaints, and many a logical 'good reason to debunnk that concept - just meet George Dawson here....How can you NOT rethink such a self defeating stance after hearing his true story?

His bestseller "Life is Good" is available on Amazon.com

Above All,
Write On!
JJ

PROMOTE YOUR BOOK(S) : add user-valued content to your web site!

 

Maureen Marks-Mendonca, author of Island Fiction's Legend of the Swan Children is employing internet technology to full effect! 

Guyanese born, Ontario-based, Maureen's story is a coming of age adventure involving the fulfillment of a prophecy and a secret society to boot. Published author and Trinidadian journalist Debbie Jacob touts Legend as one of her favorite Island Fiction reads and reviewed it for Caribbean Beat:

"Mendonca has beautiful, elegant language reminiscent of good magical realism. The imagery is spectacular and the story very inviting."

Since publication, Maureen has developed a book trailer, and an active website www.swanislandhome.com. 

 Rich in relevant content, fans of the book can see video/ photos of Guyana's majestic landscapes, join the secret society Friends of the Flame and learn about animals in the book. Maureen ups the ante with each feature she adds. Not only does she offer interesting trivia about each animal, she created a quizz that connects the content to her book.

e.g. (In Legend of the Swan Children)

What made Alex think Cocoa the macaw was a spirit? Answer on pg. 102

Photo: http://www.swanislandhome.com/Animals.htm

In Words for Winners, one of the  games/ activities offered, fans click a word on the wheel that best describes themselves and they receive a secret message/ affirmation. Are you "Eagle-Eyed"? Then, "You will achieve greatness!" Do you believe in "Trust"? "You will always have everything you need!"

As a not-for-profit umbrella, Maureen  founded The Swan Light Organization http://www.swanlight.org/

 By creating this harmonious, interactive webscape  the author offers many points of access to her work. Her Island Fiction title (Macmillan) and Authentic Arawak hammocks are on offer for purchase, alongside free, meaningful content:  Articles on "How to Conquer Fear", and her new 6-week, online workshop, "Building a Life of Happiness". 

Adding this kind of content, that is purely from the readers point of view (i.e. not only promotional in slant), secures repeat visitors. When a site appears to be a static brochure of information then the interactive benefits are lost, and with them, chances to evolve and expand your work. A site with a "LIVE" feel, can create fans, not just one time visitors. And by 'fans' I mean people who want to  join your mailing lists and keep abreast of your work. Over time, this adds potential sales, not only for your current title but for its sequel and any new work or projects you launch.

 

What makes  Maureen's online presence all the more impressive is that she has been doing it herself -  including the site building and content creation. Through the process, she has developed a unique style of line drawing on the computer. This gives her pages 'a look' that is identifiable and can be 'branded'.

Those of us who may feel limited in our abilities can use any number of free templates and clip art albums, with some personal digital photography to create our own look. The key is to tie in everything thematically, while diversifying the points of access and interest; increasing the potential number of online 'hits'.

A free blog is a perfectly professional way to do business online these days, so don't waste money on a graphic designer up front (unless you want / can afford to). Setting up your blog or site, is a rent - free shop with international reach!

Link relevant photo/ video content you upload using Flickr, Picassa or You Tube to enhance the Blog visually. Once you have a store front with content, devote some time every week to free marketing and networking via any social media like Face Book and Twitter. It's all pretty fool proof these days. 

If you can, invest in as many domain names that apply and link them to your content. This is the name of your shop. But why have one name? Remember search engines are operating to find relevant content based on words searched. Better  to secure your name, any pseudonym, book title(s), important character/ hero names even. This increases the chance of someone not only finding you but stumbling upon your latest book! You can even purchase for a small fee lists that show you which words are most often searched. Use these in  your domain name choices and text links to maximize opportunity online.

The main message for internet presence  these days is - don't get stuck on the packaging. Don't invest time and money and energetic resources on any aspect that won't pay you back fairly whether in cash or kind. Everyone, everywhere can now access social media, production and  broadcast tools. This means audiences are tuning in, and making selections based on CONTENT that is meaningful to them/ adds value to their lives.

  

Take some time to beef up your site's/ blog's content in a way that intends 'giving' to your visitors.  Ask: What can I do or give that will improve or enhance the quality of my blog readers/ site visitors? Offering FREE content that is of significant quality, as Maureen is doing, will earn not only long term interest but trust. And that's the surefire way to cut through the clutter and get noticed by online explorers, of like interest.

Above all,

Happy Writing!

JJ

Promote Your Blog By Keeping Good Company

http://meaningfulbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/3-nudges-with-new-york-times.html

Keeping good company online is a great way to maximize your profile and marketing potential. Provide more useful content for your readers and you're likely to get more links, more hits and more exposure.

One surefire way to do this is to post a book review or  interview with an  author in your genre. Select someone whose work you genuinely admire.

On my Meaningful Books blog I've recently had the privilege of highlighting Warren Hason's The Next Place and Deborah Underwood's The Quiet Book. Two of my favorite,  "must-have" meaningful  books for young children.

While my work may be classified as "Caribbean",  I consider that we are each playing on a global stage and it is up to us to confidently claim that role. Promoting books by international authors I admire, I expand my potential audience base - not only for my blog but for my book sales as well.

There's no point I think, in being online if we are not working the primary  value of linking and interconnecting with people around the world wide web. There is far more benefit to the technology than just having a home page in cyberspace.

Keeping a Face Book account, joining like-minded communities,  and building up your mailing lists and number of online friends for networking purposes, means you can post a link to your  latest post and in one click everyone receives your news feed. After that, click to click who knows where it will go from there.

By posting something about a  new author, expert or relevant personality, you can renew interest in your topic, theme and genre, directing traffic back to your blog - a great reminder about your own book(s) every time!

Above All,

Happy Writing! JJ

See What Michael Holgate, author of Night of the Indigo is up to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l24FuYVZ9E

My guest post on Peepal Tree Press author, Geoffrey Philip's Blog

http://geoffreyphilp.blogspot.com/search/label/In%20My%20Own%20Words

 In My Own Words...Joanne Gail Johnson

“Nuff Respeck!”

My Caribbean Children’s Books are “Self Organized Learning Environments”

excerpt:

"I heard it said that V.S. Naipaul, in a lecture at U.W.I. during his two million dollar, 2007 visit to Trinidad, responded to a question about Caribbean children’s literature by saying something to this effect: “There is no such thing. Children are in fact not capable of understanding any work which could qualify as literature.”

This amounts to hearsay, I know. But I will address the thought itself and will acknowledge first that the tone of the word “literature” spoken in the mouth of a Nobel Laureate dictates a very capital and intimidating “L.” Even so, I will risk a bit of adventure..."

Read more - click link to Geoffrey's blog, JJ

Bravo! Joey Clarke - My Tribute to Joey Clarke

 

BRAVO JC!

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF JOEY CLARKE

A moving tribute service took place in Trinidad  on Saturday January 22^nd 2011 at the Top of the Mount, Mount St. Benedict at from 4 to 7 p.m. 

Bio: Master Playwright, Director, Actor, Producer, Writer, Broadcaster and Copywriter Joey Clarke passed away in Belize on Monday 17^th January 2011 from a massive heart attack.  He was forty-seven years old.  For more than three decades his prolific talents graced both the Arts and Advertising Industries locally, regionally and internationally.  Born in the UK of Jamaican parentage, his early life and career blossomed in Jamaica where he wrote, produced and directed.  In 1995, Clarke came to Trinidad and joined the Sugar House Drama Company run by Patti-Anne Ali.   Between 1996 and 1999 Sugar House staged five original productions– Matrimoney(Clarke), Maubee (Ali&Clarke), Treasure(Clarke), More Maubee (Ali&Clarke) and Devilish (Clarke) amassing multiple Cacique nominations for best original script and best original music(Julie Harris).  Some highlights of his Trinidadian work include the TV program Joe Le Taxi with Sun TV, broadcasting with radio station FM 100, Raymond Choo Kong’s Cheaters, producing Sport TV features with All Sport promotions and appearances on Westwood Park.  He also created award winning advertising campaigns in Jamaica, Trinidad, St.Lucia and Belize building decades of regional advertising expertise.   In 2009 he married Senator Lisa Shoman and settled in Belize, adding published Author to his amazing accomplishments, bringing out Stories of Exordia, The Gospel of Rastafarai, Behold the Man, Devilish, Making a Killing, Treasure and The Best Medicine.  He also staged Devilish, Treasure, The Promise and Lesson for Lovers, the latter two being finalists in the Belize Theatre Company’s playwriting competition.  Clarke’s play "Best Medicine" was already being produced for television by Channel 5 Belize and will be aired in Belize in the coming weeks ahead.

He leaves his wife Lisa to cherish his memory and countless colleagues, friends and relatives whose lives were deepened and enlightened by his complete commitment to following his art.  His funeral took place in Belize on Saturday 22^nd January 2011.  Patti-Anne Ali, Director of Sugar House  staged a final farewell for Joey Clarke here in Trinidad, on the same day.  

I was honored to be included as a part of that:  

MY TRIBUTE TO JOEY CLARKE - (Nov 6 1963 - Jan 17 2011 R.I.P.)
                                                                            
Thanks to this inspiring children's book "The Next Place",  we now use  this  euphemism in our family.

I found it when my son  was just a toddler and included  it in his library not because we were in any specific situation, but as part of his life-wisdom education. It is where his ailing grandfather is expected to go to soon and where Bobbin our dog went and Fighty his fighter fish joined some time later.

This week I could say to him:

My friend Joey Clarke went to "The Next Place".

The Next Place is where Warren Hanson the author says,

"I will not be a boy or girl, a woman or a man, I'll simply be, just, simply me, No worse or better than..."

I heard a priest say once at a funeral service that he believed every person, every life without exception, perfects one aspect of Creation...

If this is true, I  would have to offer the idea that Joey Clarke,  perhaps more than anyone I have ever met was quite unforgettably just that - Joey Clarke being himself - no worse or better than.

 I have never met anyone who could do Joey Clarke, better than Joey Clarke. He is easily one of the most  instantly recognizable and memorable characters without props or costumes - and it is this selfhood that encompasses the details of my memories.

If the word "Friend" means everyday interaction, keeping up with each other's business then you may feel me unqualified to call Joey a friend. In fact, I did not know he was  remarried and NOT living in Trinidad or Jamaica, but in Belize. In truth, I  had not remembered him for quite some time...

But when I saw the name Joey Clarke in the subject line of Patti's email, his voice, his face, all his Joey Clarke-ness filled my mind.

When I emailed the SUN TV crew  about Joey's trip to The Next Place, Vanessa Soodeen wrote back:

"You know how some people are "easy on the eye" .. well for me, Joey was "easy on the energy" .. in the sense of having an easy-going energy. He could mingle easily with different groups and types of people... You could see him mixing with actors on the stage of a theatre the same way he would mix with people in the stage of life... He was always so committed to the interaction ... smoothe and easy!

In the 90s when SUN TV was pioneering an organic styled approach to production in Trinidad, what we now know as   "Reality TV" (because someone else, US cable, told us so) - Joey Clarke and Patti-Anne Ali as "Sugar House" were exploding into their  Renaissance of their own in theatre.

I will never forget Joey at the podium in The Little Carib Theatre bringing then Prime Minister, Basdeo Panday to full comedic effect for (the Sugar House production) Maubee, that bitter-sweet comedic portrayal of all things Trini. If we ever had the chance for a weekly television satire as slick, sassy and as witty as America's Saturday Night Live - THAT WAS IT!

During this time, Charlene Boodram's  remake of the French song, "Joe le Taxi" was burning up our back yard with regional radio play and one was of our most requested music videos on SUN TV's play loop. Much of what I intended to create with SUN TV was a sincere relevance to our contemporary Caribbean lives;  to make "we" kind of  TV that was true to here and now but with more of the sexy sizzle with which  American pop culture seduces the world - ( not meaning of course, the literal kind of sexy that so much of our  carnival/ bikini beach culture exudes).

Now we may differ about this, depending on our points of view and experience,  whether or not one could use the adjective "sexy" to describe Joey Clarke - smiles -

But our version of "Joey le Taxi" for SUN TV turned out to be one of our most successful small screen experiments during the two years of creating over 700 hours of 100% Caribbean programming. The timing and relevance of the idea was right and ripe. More than the hit song though,  it was Joey Clarke and Joey Clarke alone who made it what it was. In and out of taxis with camera man Science in tow, all over the country; No one else named "Joe" could have done what he did - spinning yarns from the everydayness of people on the streets; making hours of easy-to-watch TV from mundane maxi taxi travel experiences.

Because Joey was West Indian but not from Trinidad, he had everything needed to 'get us' and move freely among us...

...And because he was Jamaican there was enough separation and distance so that he could clearly witness and testify to our unique "Trini" ways of being and seeing,

His brilliant intellect and comedic sensibility were the talents that allowed him to think on his feet and produce television while in the field - exactly the qualities that made SUN TV producer-presenters excel and that made his "Joe le Taxi" program shine. I remember when  he brought back a montage of signs from about town that made him laugh: From the typically misspelled words to something obscure like a shot of an antique looking wooden sign which advertised in the most beautiful cursive:  fountain pens and lingerie!

When David Letterman or Jay Leno see the funny in U.S. life  on their Late Night Television shows, the New York Times  hails their genius in bold faced print the next day.

But, " this is Trini ", we say....

That is exactly why we needed the satire of someone like Joey Clarke - to help us undo some of that aloof kind of Trini-ness that is just not working for us.

I remember the weekend I was able to swing  from a 'no' budget to a 'low' budget in order to get Joey and Science over to Tobago. The exhilaration in Joey's entire being on their return was infectious and encouraging. They were so well received and had been pressed everywhere they went. "They want us to  do more Tobago content and come back soon!" he beamed.

Ten years later,  long after that incarnation of SUN TV went to The Next Place, I was on my way to Tobago on a newer, faster ferry T&T Spirit, when  a stranger came up to me pointing and smiling.

"SUN T V?"  he asked.

I smiled and nodded dumbstruck that anyone recognized me or remembered our local cable R&D project.

"Remember when SUN TV came Tobago?" he  stuck out his hand for a shake.

It was another time when all this Joey Clarke-ness flooded my mind.

Joey's fan did not ask another question, only stated, "Thank you. Thank you for SUN TV."

At a time when my visions for indigenous media were avant garde, Joey Clarke, my friend and colleague "got it" at every level. He engaged and committed creatively despite the fact that we were, (and I feel we still are), lacking enough self love to find and adventure fully and freely into the selfhood of our own individual West Indian-ness.

To me, Joey was funny and he was a genius.

Those of us who saw his light  were blessed by the perfection of his Joey Clarkeness and will never forget him; in this place or the next.

End

The 2011 Amazon (with Penguin Publishing) Breakthrough Novel Award is here!

Now here's a great way to end the self publishing debate - submit your new or self-published manuscript. Vindication at this level will certainly mean sales and an open door to your next work. JJ

https://www.createspace.com/abna

Do you have an unpublished or self-published novel you know Amazon.com readers will love? Enter your novel in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for a chance to win one of two $15,000 publishing contracts with Penguin USA and distribution of your novel on Amazon.com.

My post at FB page "Literary Society of T&T"

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_133378976726591&id=133575523373603

I too recently self published even though I had an offer to publish PINK CARNIVAL I wanted to have creative control and fulfill a longer term vision for Meaningful Books in addition to the work I get published with Macmillan ( I have several children's books, readers and stories published by them). I do strongly believe however that until Caribbean publishers are set up to publish writers OTHER than themselves or their friends and family members, we are not yet publishers or really publishing on our own terms.

Until book sellers are NOT linked to government contracted text book publishers....Writers published and unpublished would do well to volunteer time to read to kids at schools, hospitals, orphanages, libraries - we need to cultivate a market that reads, loves books and is willing to take part of their income to make the purchase. Our local (T&T) reading of Caribbean books for pleasure market is smaller than even some small islands in the Caribbean. Even well established regional publishers like Macmillan make their profits from educational text books and ministry contracts. That's our W.I. reality for now.

Our envy of the global market must include an awareness that it is made up of individual consumers who click on BUY NOW as a matter of a reading lifestyle. Writers of brilliance around the world have the same struggles as "Caribbean" writers. Struggle and failure are not bad experiences, there is always something helpful to learn. "NO" may mean ill timing, lack of consideration for the target audience, you dissed typical industry protocol because of lack of research when submitting (but didn't even know it), or this time there was just someone or some product better / more suited to that publisher than you/ yours - so tough luck and back to the drawing board. Masters in many fields are subject to rejection in a competitive market. Why are/ should we be different? Why the urge to confine the small pond, when the world awaits?

So many WI writers I meet who want to get published have good self esteem to lament the ways they believe their work is being mistreated. When I ask about specific research, query letters etc it turns out they have barely begun in relation to their counter parts in a small town in anywhere USA. If we are so talented then let's not mamby pamby ourselves out of the actual work required of good writers which, more than ever in today's tech-savvy world includes learning the industry.

In my belief and experience when we are doing the work that is ours to do and not attaching the ego to outcomes (because at a certain level in any marketplace it becomes subjective) then intuition guides us to the next step necessary for our creative evolution and fulfillment. This I see as a given, like gravity. The super stars like Rowling are the moments when gravity has been defied and something rare happens. Most of us will be plodding through step by step groping for the 'next' button and that too is a blessing. I'm not sure that success of the T&T writer (keeping in mind our market size) can or should be institutionalized, for want of a better word.

Those who sincerely feel they can establish better /new systems should be encouraged to follow the path along which they are called, of course. JJ

BOCAS LIT FEST - T&T 's first annual Literatry Festival with a major prize

http://www.bocaslitfest.com/index.html

 From their Home Page:

The Bocas Lit Fest, based in Trinidad and Tobago, is an annual celebration of books, writing, and writers. Launching in April 2011, the Bocas Lit Fest is an exciting new addition to the Caribbean’s literary calendar. The centrepiece of the festival will be the award ceremony for the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, a major new award for Caribbean writers of poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction.

Boca is the Spanish word for mouth — the organ of speech and song and storytelling. And the Bocas del Dragón — the Dragon’s Mouths — are the narrow straits off Trinidad’s northwest peninsula, which connect the sheltered Gulf of Paria to the open Caribbean Sea. For centuries, the Bocas were the gateways connecting Trinidad to the Caribbean and the Atlantic. The Bocas Lit Fest invites readers from around the world to enter through the Dragon’s Mouths and celebrate with us the rich literary heritage of Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.

Worth the click - Meat and Bones Stories - Gerald Hausman

Excerpt:
Reflections on the Life of Jan Wiener - Freedom Fighter and Friend
by Gerald Hausman
staythirstymedia.com

"Jan Wiener's narrow escape from the Nazis, and later, several prison camps in Italy is the stuff movies are made of. Therefore, it's not surprising that his life story has been depicted in the award-winning documentary film, Fighter. Read more at staythirstymedia.com

The respect Hausman has for his Beloved Friend Jan Weiner is moving. 
The maturity of Hausman's craft and way of seeing is evident and reminds me of how privileged we all are to include ourselves as a part of his literary world through Macmillan's Island Fiction series. If you haven't read his title Time Swimmer - give yourself that gift in 2011!

Sormag Blog - featured author article: Keeping the Work Alive!

See my featured author article at Sormag blog: click link on title of this article or -

http://sormag.blogspot.com/search?q=Pink+Carnival

KEEPING THE WORK ALIVE!

The best "give" with which  an author can bless herself (sorry guys, this time the pronoun goes to us OK?smiles) is to work to keep her published book(s) in circulation.

 When I got my first three contracts in children's books there was no real internet and definitely no Google search!!  I hope you use and bless it now as much as I do!

 Why not commit to even just fifteen minutes a week -  (while sipping a guilt-free cup of creative self-love)-  to surfing online for leads, book blog promoters, links etc that will potentially guide readers online to click "BUY NOW!" on your books at Amazon or to seek you out on your blog/ web site/ you tube/ Face Book - use the tools that feel right for your energy level.

Remember to use your book trailers and keep it fresh - update your blog, photo or post something about a new creative project and then plug your books. Putting out new content is a must if we are to keep our work alive and "alove" online. (I haven't been able to update my custom website for years  so I recently started new content with blogs and you tube.)

 The truth is we all want the same things and deserve the best out of life - in my belief and experience this is practical and possible for each person in our unbounded universe. Tune in afresh daily and allow your intuition to guide your ambitions. 

Over time you will clarify your creative missions and clues will begin to shout, not just nudge you - the only secrets are: listen and "obey" i.e. follow through. Whatever the outcome, assess the lessons learned. Very often creatives I meet are in accountant mode when they need to be working on some other aspect of their craft or business. And of course the most important work is the one we do within ourselves. Rest when it is time to rest. Develop a daily discipline of paying attention to your creative ideas and leanings. Don't knock the clock! I am often surprised what a quarter of an hour will render - as Julia Cameron (The Artist's Way) has pointed out, time becomes elastic when we don't make it a stumbling block to our creative work. Be kind and generous to your inner creative spark - it is De Vine and will bear fruit according to its own good season: Good Orderly Direction.

Accepting that day jobs or side lines are a great way to support our creative loves is a greater wisdom than negating society, the government, economies, and every ubiquitous "They" who don't "get" us and what we do. It is not that we should not be art activists when it is appropriate, but thinking and feeling this way habitually will surely clog the flow and our ability to magnetize all the goodness we desire and deserve.

I say often in workshops that thinking "community" over "competition" is the best way to spread our wings. Creative work has a time when it gestates in solitude and then a time when it finds "family" with fans. 

Network freely by sharing the love - join blogs/  add links you like and so on but don't stop there, contact people online who inspire you or whose work feels akin to your own sensibility. Everyone enjoys this kind of sincere, active support.

Creative Blessings always and all ways and most of all...

Happy Writing Adventures!
http://meaningfulbooks.blogspot.com/

The Reviews Are In!

Here, in alphabetical order:

THE CHALICE PROJECT - Lisa Allen Agostini
"The Chalice Project  has a riveting storyline in a fast-paced plot filled with conflicts about respect for rules and people that every young reader can relate to in a novel."

Debbie Jacob, Caribbean Beat

DELROY IN THE MAROG KINGDOM - Billy Elm

"Delroy in the Magic Kingdom is worth more than one read - it is exciting, captivating and dramatic."

Cherian Gordon, Caribbean Compass

ESCAPE FROM SILK COTTON FOREST - Francis Escayg
"Now that's what I call great writing; but don't take my word for it, read the book and see for yourself."

Cherian Gordon, Caribbean Compass

LEGEND OF THE SWAN CHILDREN - Maureen Marks Mendonca

"Mendonca had beautiful, elegant language reminiscent of good magical realism. The imagery is spectacular and the story very inviting."

Debbie Jacob, Caribbean Beat

NIGHT OF THE INDIGO - Michael Holgate 

(Silver Medal Moonbeam Award 2009 for teen spirituality)
"Nice first outing for Holgate and a must read for anyone who enjoys a break from the ordinary."

Dorsette Blackwood, Reggae News Agency

TIME SWIMMER - Gerald Hausman

"The book is fun to read, but it also raises engaging questions for discussion in a way that respects the ability of the young to think quite deeply when stimulated by questions that take them seriously."
Judith McCue, The Great Books Foundation                                                                                             
Happy Reading Adventures!

The only magic in selling books is marketing!

The publisher has put your story in print, but it is still your job to sell it!
Not what you wanted to hear, I know.

How much better it is though to understand the reality of the business of books.

The only magic behind the business of moving your books is marketing and that's up to you.

Here are three specific things you can do online:

1. Create a platform - set up a website / blog / Face Book page/ You Tube your book trailer and link them.

2. Buy/ secure as many versions of your name as a brand and the title(s) of your book(s) and  direct them to your site. Google your name and book title to investigate how easy or not it is to find you online - taking the above action helps.

3. Be sure to have a media section on your site - basically what other people say about you.  Collect quotes, reviews, comments, news articles, TV appearances and so on. And be sure to mention in every interview and article not only how fans can find you online  - but use the word "book" and its title often so people are reminded that there's a book to buy!

And it goes without saying, make sure you are real and sincere when you present yourself -  It is much easier to sustain  over time  than to upkeep an image.

Above all, happy writing!

















Can you say what your book is about in one sentence?

 Work on it!

Meaningful Books and SUN TV KIDS

You're invited to see my Meaningful Books Blog with SUN TV KIDS You Tube channel content of my book trailers.

Jamaican Gleaner reports: Increase Reading Programmes - Island Fiction Author, Helen Williams

jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100430/ent/ent1.html

Now for Western Union to put some copies of Delroy and other Island Fiction titles into the hands of Jamaican children.....??!!

Thanks for sharing all your great work Helen!

Philipsburg Jubilee Library - hook up

http://www.stmaartenlibrary.org/joanne_gail_johnson_022010.htm
 (if link doesn't click through, cut and paste into your browser) 

Sending a 'post mortem' press release of my trip with photos, is a great way to say "Thank you", stay connected with contacts.

The Philipsburg Jubilee Library posted it on their web site too - so this means more  exposure locally and an opportunity for more online hits.

Taking some extra time for follow up, really adds up.

SEND in your Island Fiction news for posting on our Face Book forum!

The Daily Herald: Trinidadian Children's book author Joanne Gail Johnson visits St. Maarten schools

http://www.thedailyherald.com/supplements/kids-herald/562-trinidadian-childrens-book-author-joanne-gail-johnson-visits-st-maarten-schools-.html

Have you got an opportunity to travel for work or play?

Then do some home work before you fly!

A few emails and phone calls can connect you with libraries, new media and local book shops. One contact will help you network with another and so on. It is well worth your while to take your book(s) with you and offer to  meet and greet / sign and/ or sell books/ host readings. This effort can go a long way in creating other opportuniites and boosting your book sales by enlivening your presence and connecting with (potential) fans.

If you haven't already joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators - DO! The networking opportunities, with over 20,000 members world wide are invaluable.

Bahamian Tweens Get Island Fiction!

Last week I had the opportunity to combine some Island Fiction PR with a family vacation to the Bahamas. With the help of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Regional Assistant, Rosemarie Johnson Clarke I was able to visit St. Andrew's Private School and present IF to  about 60 - 70 "tweens". Since then the demand was so persistent, the librarian ordered the series from  Amazon because she could not wait for them to be ordered  through the local book stores!
It was a privilege to enjoy the direct experience of the books' universal appeal. A good story transcends boundaries and national loyalties. I also encouraged our young fans to check us out via Face Book and links there.
 My sincere desire is Island Fiction will one day
publish a title set in the Bahamas, by a Bahamian author.

Chalice at Cedar Grove Primary

IF! author Lisa Allen-Agostini read from her book The Chalice Project at Cedar Grove Primary School, San Fernando, on October 26. Grades 3, 4 and 5 students lapped up the reading and her talk on creative writing and the importance of reading.

AUTHORS, STAY IN BUSINESS - Volunteer to Read!

If there are no readers in our region, for whom will we write? And by readers I mean people who love to read and who love books. By people I mean kids who grow into teens and then young adults who become consumers who buy and read books because of the pleasure they offer.

Based on the last ten years as a children's book author in Trinidad, I am convinced there is as yet an unfulfilled hunger for our work. And it resides too in the so called reluctant readers, and in our most under privileged communities.

A few weeks ago I enjoyed the privilege of reading for a group of children from our most under privileged communities in Trinidad. The cherry on top was getting to speak with and share my passion for reading with their mothers. Without exception the children were interested and delightful. Their mothers, God bless them are so willing and able; two were breastfeeding, another was visually impaired; a few did not look the part of "interested parent" making me smile over our stereotypes. I drew on that using one Mom's "MARVIN" tattoo to demonstrate phonics, rhythm and rhyme, relevant reading and the way word games aka "READING" can be found and played in our living environments.

They showed up in the heat of the day to sit under a tree, old school style, and listen. They asked questions too; intelligent ones. It was apparent what it must have required of them to show up; this much maligned group of citizens. My own son goes to a privileged school and we can barely get 20 of the nearly 600 families to represent when time come for PTA! Hmmmm....

The camp was facilitated by the dedicated women who make up Creative Parenting for the New Era - CEO Joan Bishop and "Baby Talk" radio feature writer Barbara King. It was hosted at Composite Excel at the Beetham Estate where children often experience police raids and violent crime as a part of their everyday.

I am so grateful for the opportunity. Every time I get to go out into my country in this way, it reminds me that we are all more alike than not; and that for the most part we are good people who want the best for out kids.

Caribbean children's authors write for Caribbean children first. In our hunger to get published, to write the next big thing, to earn a living off royalties and so on, I say - find them! Find those children you are writing for and read out loud for them. Tithe your time, your talent, your books and in this way you will always have work. When they see themselves in your characters, their world in your imaginings you will make their realities into beautiful dreams and they, in time, will make our dreams a reality.

Promo Posters - a good idea!

Teaming up with a local artist to render characters and scenes from his book, Island Fiction author Michael Holgate has created not only a promotional tool for print and online circulation, but he intends to print a limited edition for fan gifts. Equipping yourself in this way increases your appeal for media exposure. Sending a snazzy e-card/ post card with your request for an interview and a promise of free posters for call in/ write in fans gives producers and editors something of add on value. Radio listeners may not be able to 'see' the posters, but choose a provocative passage featuring the character or scene and your audience may be enticed not only to call in but to go out and buy your book. Posters may also encourage book store owners to put your book on more prominent display and you may even entice book sellers to let you use their store as a venue for a read aloud/ book signing. Hey, if your posters are as captivating as Michael's they may even let you have their mailing list. Even your search for an artist can turn into an opportunity for an exciting story the media will love. And if you joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators you can explore the members listings for artists interested in pro bono opportunities to build up their portfolios. (www.scbwi.org)

Island Fiction Title Wins Moon Beam Award

'Night Of The Indigo': Breaking new literary ground
Published: Sunday | October 25, 2009
SUNDAY GLEANER - Jamaica

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter
Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

A Caribbean-based sci-fi novel may seem like a stretch of the imagination to most, but for dancer, choreographer, lecturer, singer, actor and now author, Michael Holgate, it has been a dream a long time in the making. After years of reading the creative works of distinguished writers who have captured the hearts of readers, young and old, the young author hopes to do the same with his chilling tale titled, Night of the Indigo. Holgate has spent more than 15 years exploring the world of theatre, dance, music, film and writing. A lecturer in Caribbean folk and traditional dance, as well as edutainment theatre at the University of the West Indies, Holgate is perhaps better known for his work as the artistic director of the performing arts troupe, Ashe.

For a man that has tackled the world of the arts, Night of the Indigo is his first venture into the life of a writer. The novel follows the tale of a 15-year-old boy, Marassa, who is catapulted into a wondrous new world of natural mysticism by his need to save the life of his dying twin brother, Wico.Originally taking place straight out of a rural Jamaican town, Marassa comes to accept his responsibility as the 'Marshal' or 'Warrior of the Light' to better be able to save the life of his brother.

Marassa's spine-tingling journey through the mystical world of Orunda, places him face to face with the exotic beauty of princess Ayoka and challenges him to understand the power of the human mind and spirit. Night of the Indigo was published by Macmillan Caribbean as part of their new 'Island Fiction' series aimed at teenagers. The stories are all based on fantasy/science fiction and the legends and folklore of the Caribbean.

When The Sunday Gleaner corresponded with Holgate recently he spoke of his roots in fantasy literature.

"I have been a fan of fantasy/science fiction novels and films for a very long time," he said. "Films and series like Star Trek the Next Generation, Lord of the Rings and books like Harry Potter have always been fascinating to me. I think I first fell in love with the genre when as a teenager I picked up a John Wyndham school text called The Chrysallids. He continued, "Since then I have been excited about the possibility of creating fantasy/science fiction books from a Jamaican/Caribbean perspective. Later on, I realised that a fellow Jamaican had been doing just that. Nalo Hopkinson, a Jamaican living in Canada was writing Caribbean fiction based on fantasy/science fiction. That inspired me even more to write my novel.

The novel took Holgate two years to write and has since been enjoying good reviews. One of his memorable moments, Holgate recounts, is when a 10-year-old boy told him he loved the novel and was eagerly anticipating the sequel. More recently, Night of the Indigo has achieved even higher accolades, having received a Moonbeam Award. The Moonbeam Awards are some of the fastest growing United States-based awards focused on children's books.

Presented by the Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher Online, the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards are designed "to bring increased recognition to exemplary children's books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading". Awards are given in 36 categories covering the full range of subjects, styles and age groups that children's books are written and published in today.

The Moonbeam Awards are intended for authors, illustrators, publishers and self-publishers of children's books, written in English and intended for the North American market. A gold medal is awarded to the winner of each category, while runners-up receive silver medals.

This year, Holgate's Night of the Indigo won a silver medal in the category of 'Young Adult Fiction - Religion/Spirituality'. The awards ceremony was held on October 10 as part of the West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston. While Holgate was not able to attend, he was happy to have won. "I'm very pleased with the award. I found it very interesting that the book didn't win in the category of fantasy/sci-fi which is the genre it qualifies for, but won in the religious/spirituality category," he said. "I'm very happy nonetheless. Anyone who reads the novel could easily understand why that happened."

Holgate is currently working on another fantasy/sci-fi novel as the sequel to Night of the Indigo. He is also contemplating developing the novel into a movie or into a children's musical theatre production.

The novel is available in Jamaica at the Kingston Bookshop, Sangster's Book Stores and other stores, and is also available at amazon.com and the Macmillan Caribbean Website.

Michael Holgate: A Rare Breed

1.
Q: You are one of the most creative West Indians I have ever met. Do you seen any childhood links that may have attributed to your prolific expression?

A: Thank you very much. My first reaction is to cower from such high praise, especially coming from you. The truth is however, that I love thinking of myself as Caribbean (West Indian) creative artist. Here, the word Caribbean is important because I believe that Caribbean aesthetics already has within it the dynamism so many centuries of forging a fine 'mettle' from the cultural realities of different races, cultures, peoples, in a small space. So from a young age, like most Caribbean youths, I was exposed to various forms of creative expression - up close and personal. Dance in primary school. Drawing. Singing in the choir. I've always been interested in the creative arts and fortunately my interest was never 'satisfactorily' discouraged. My father was a preacher who played guitar and sang sometimes, while my mother taught primary school. I think I got a little bit of both of their talents. When I was a child, my mother would sometimes ask me to do the drawings for her charts that she would put up in her classroom. That was priceless affirmation of my creativity. Also, I believe that reading so much as a child fueled my creativity from a very early age. I had a voracious appetite for books while growing up. So from a very early age I was stimulating both creative intellect and creative imagination.

2.
Q: What was the biggest challenge in completing your first YA novel - Night of the Indigo?

A: My biggest challenge in completing Night of the Indigo was staying within the word count. There was so much more of the story to tell. But I'm glad that I had to be more concise. That forced me to choose every word very carefully and hopefully, that also made the writing better.

3.
Q: In Trinidad I sometimes encounter superstition in religious communities regarding imaginative play
and fictitious speculation about all that is Unseen. Is there any resistance in Jamaica regarding the melding of Faith and Fiction?

A: Hmmmm.... Tough one. Well, Jamaica has so many 'faiths' - so many forms of religious expressions. From Rasta, to revival, to traditional christian... and on and on. In fact, Jamaica is supposedly in the Guiness book of world records for the most churches per square mile. It would be impossible for faith to be excluded from anything. Also, faith has always been a driving force for Jamaican creative expression. The Rastafarian faith was a driving force for the socially conscious reggae music. Lyrically, the songwriters such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh were telling stories and creating 'works of fiction' based on the Rastafarian ideology. On this level, there is definitely no resistance to the melding of faith and fiction. In relation to specifically literary works of fiction I haven't really experienced that resistance either. I think its generally understood here that a story better brings across a message with conviction - isn't the bible essentially a book of stories.

4.

Q: Who is your biggest fan?

A: My biggest fan is probably my younger brother Richard Holgate, who listens to and reads all my creative expressions before they are even fully formed.


5.

Q: What next for Marassa? Is there a sequel or book to movie project in the works?

A: Marassa definitely wants his story to continue into two more books and a film. I'm even considering a children's musical theatre production based on the Night of the Indigo. I love writing songs and plays and my background is in theatre.

6.

Q: What has been the most surprising/ unexpected thing about getting published for the first time?

A: Perhaps the most surprising/unexpected thing about getting published is that people actually recognise me on the street and say things like: "Aren't you an author?" or "Didn't you write a book or somethink like that?" I always thought that writers were a rare breed of creative artist who didn't get much notice unless they were JK Rowling or Stephen King.

7.

Q: Jamaica seems to be light years ahead of other West Indian cultures in supporting and promoting individual excellence in music, sport, film, publishing - What's the perception like on the inside?

A: I just learned that some recent survey places Jamaica as the second happiest nation in the world. I don't think that's because there is so much happy stuff happening. I think it's because as a saying goes we "Take kin teeth kibba heart bun" (Use laughter as a medicine to soothe heartache). I think that what happens is that, not only laughter, but sport, music, and other forms of creative expression are what keep us going, despite the hardship that exists. Also, it's not that the government supports and promotes. It's more that when people struggle and scrape through and reach on top, then those who didn't do that much to help them, jump on the bandwagon with congratulations.

8.

Q: What advice would you give to yourself now - if you went back a decade say?

A: The most important advice I think would be "Just do your thing" - don't watch what others are doing or saying. Most of the people you live your life trying to please or impress won't be around as the years go by. They go on and live their own dreams, sometimes not even realizing that they are crushing yours. So don't allow anyone to crush your dream even if they are doing it cause they think it's best for you. Even if it's a dear loved one. You never know what's gonna happen, so just live everyday doing YOU cause that's why you're here.

9.

Q: Have you read any of the Island Fiction titles? If so which is your favorite/ or do you admire any of the other authors and why?

A: I admire all of the authors for writing in this genre. I so love fantasy/sci-fi. It's my favourite kind of fiction, films, stories period. I've only read Time Swimmer so far and I really liked how the story wove its way through time and through my mind. I could easily see it as a ten part TV series. The writing is so cinematographic.

10.

Q: What would you most like to share that we haven't covered?

A: I'm extremely happy to be a part of this series.
I think it's magic how I started writing in this genre and just prayed to find the right publisher.
Only to see your ad in the paper asking for exactly the kind of novel I was working on.
I give thanks to you and to Macmillan Caribbean.

see also recent article Dance of Destiny in the Jamaica Gleaner:
: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070909/out/out1.html

JO Chats With MO - Q & A

(Click on link to see Maureen's interview with Allison on TIC Channel 4 in Trinidad)

Q: One T&T reviewer, Debbie Jacob, likens your work to the magical realism of Wilson Harris, who is also Guyanese. Have you read him and has he influenced your style?

A: In my early youth I read a couple of Wilson Harris' books and loved them, and later devoured Gabriel Garcia Marquez's. I am not conscious of any direct influence of their styles on my writing, but these are authors whose works appealed to me. I must re-read Harris!

Q: What's the 'read for pleasure' culture like these days in Guyana?

A: It’s an uphill battle to get young coastal Guyanese to read books. Only books that have become popular movies stir our youth’s interest. In fact one question I got quite a few times on my visits to schools was, ‘When is the movie coming out?’ People in the hinterland, on the other hand, don’t have the same ease of access to the latest DVDs, television programming, computer and video games, etc., and so tend to read much more.

Q: What inspired Legend of the Swan Children specifically? and - How has life in Guyana influenced the work?

A: Some inspiration came from my nieces and nephews, Wanda, Ishaq, Damian, Omari, Kadir, and Talisa, who never ceased to amaze me with their insights, but the real impetus was a poignant dream I had of the boy who would later become the protagonist of my novel. As a young child growing up, I was influenced by that period of great cultural exchange between a newly independent Guyana and Latin America. Much later, during my years of hosting workshops for early school leavers, I was fascinated by students' tales of a free-spirited life on the borders between Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil. Not surprisingly in retrospect, Alex Springfeather is, like Guyana, a bridge between the English Caribbean and Latin America.

Q: Will we meet Alejandro again in a sequel? And are you working on anything else?

A: If everything goes according to plan, then yes, you will see Alejandro again. I have begun work on a sequel. I’m also working on a book for adults, and I’ve been asked to collaborate with a friend on the English version of a very touching biography published in Chinese.

Q: Your web site is so unique. I know you created it, including the illustrations yourself. Can you tell us about that process?

A: Many of the illustrations were created at the same time the book was conceived. It was a particularly fertile period in my life. I would visualize scenes, and then, using the mouse, sketch them on my computer, paying very close attention to details. That was my way of bringing my tale into reality. Most of these drawings have been shifted from the website, and will soon be viewed as part of my book trailer on YouTube. (STAY TUNED!)

Q: You were recently interviewed in Trinidad on CH 4 TIC by Allyson Hennessey. Any thoughts/ tips for other authors about that process - being interviewed on live television. (any chance of a clip and you tube link?)

A: Just be yourself, I would say. It helps to have someone as wonderful as Allyson on the other side of the table, of course, but you can’t go wrong if you keep it real. When my brain couldn’t find the right answer fast enough, I employed the tactic of slow emphatic speech learnt during my days of presentations and conferences. I’m happy to say it still works! A final word of advice: if you don’t want your speech to grow thick by the end of the interview, make good use of the glass of water the interviewer puts before you. I didn’t! Excerpts from the interview are now on YouTube.

Guitarman, Bookman, Familyman...Gerald Hausman Meet the MAN himself!

Guitarman, Bookman, Familyman...Gerald Hausman, Island Fiction author of Time Swimmer has written over 70 published books, thirty-something of which have received literary prizes and awards. Meet the MAN himself in this 7min piece - View, Rate, Share on YOU TUBE, then read Time Swimmer and pass it on!

Time Swimmer -View, Rate & Share Book Trailer on You Tube!

Maureen Marks Mendonca on Trinidad's CH 4 with Allison Hennessey

"Alex came to me in a dream..." says author of Legend of the Swan Children, Maureen Marks Mendonca about her main character, on Trinidad's CH 4 with Allison Hennessey.