CaribbeanReads is embarking on a number of new initiatives in 2021. A few of them are focused on providing our content digitally: eBooks and audio books. Continue reading
Author Archives: Carol Mitchell
Caribbean authors stepping into 2021
It feels like 2021 is going to be great for Caribbean authors, based on the award announcements that have been released recently.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (SFWA) awarded Nalo Hopkinson the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award which recognizes “lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.” (This was in December 2020 but deserves a lot of notice.)
Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey won the Best Novel Cost Award (reviewed here last year by CR author Carol Mitchell).
Love after Love by Ingrid Persaud won the First Novel Costa Award.
We at CaribbeanReads celebrated our own 2020 win when Musical Youth was named one of the top 100 Indie books of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews.
I am sure we have missed some others, and it’s only January 6!
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Musical Youth named one of 100 best books reviewed by Kirkus Reviews in 2020!
Kirkus Reviews has selected the second edition of Musical Youth as one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Indie Books of 2020. The news will be shared in Kirkus newsletters going out today and on their website on December 21,2020.
Carol Mitchell of CaribbeanReads stated that “CaribbeanReads’ books have received very positive Kirkus Reviews in the past, but this is our first starred review, so we are very excited. To have Musical Youth chosen as one of the top 100 books by an Indie publisher this year is even more gratifying. It is a wonderful book and this is well-deserved.” Continue reading
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Book Launch – Traditional Masquerade of St. Lucia
| On Sunday December 13, 2020, the newest CaribbeanReads’ book, Traditional Masquerade of St. Lucia by June Frederick was launched in conjunction with the St. Lucia Folk Research Center. The virtual event highlighted was hosted on Zoom and attendees were treated to a compelling description of the importance of St. Lucia’s masquerades.
The moderator spoke of the dearth of books on the topic. Three Youth in Arts (YIA) masqueraders gave impassioned accounts of their experiences with St. Lucia masquerade and the reasons they loved it. The first YIA member to speak was inspired by the history of the masquerade’s African roots and the fact that the performances were one form of non-violent resistance by enslaved people. Another member spoke of how taking part in the masqueraders helped her to become well-rounded and more open to ideas. |
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| The author, June Frederick spoke of her passion for championing St. Lucia’s traditional masquerade. She pointed out that the only way to truly appreciate our cultural art forms is to understand them, and that children learn when they enjoy what they are being taught. This means that by publishing a book that explores the traditional masquerades and gives instructions on how it can be performed, she has provided an avenue for teachers to engage their students in the performance of the masquerade and thereby generate excitement and love for the art. |
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| Artist, Alwyn St. Omer, whose work is featured in the book and on the cover was present. He spoke of the richness which the traditional masquerade adds to St. Lucia’s Christmas. This tradition has all but disappeared and he joins with Frederick in supporting its revival. Jonathan Gladding’s work is also featured in the resource book.
The event was also attended by Mrs. Frederick’s family and Dr. Didacus Jules, the Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, who spoke about the role of literature in generating national pride. Copies of the book are available online, in St. Lucia, and directly from the publisher, CaribbeanReads. |
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2020 Wrap Up
It’s coming to that time of year, the end of 2020. Our latest mailing highlighted some of the highlights of the CaribbeanReads’ year, including the books published, our starred Kirkus review, and more. Feel free to join our mailing list, it will bring joy to your mailbox. And as always, check out our catalog to get all your Christmas or holiday gifts, for young and older.
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Kirkus Reviews highlights Musical Youth
Earlier this year, starred review from Kirkus Reviews. This review has now been selected to be featured in Kirkus Reviews November 1 Issue and will appear as one of the 35 reviews in the Indie section of the magazine. We are very excited about the opportunity especially since less than 10% of Kirkus Indie reviews are chosen for this.
Read an excerpt from the publication here.
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Community at CaribbeanReads
CaribbeanReads now has worked with a community of more than fifteen authors (some listed here) and about as many illustrators throughout the Caribbean. We try to create a collaborative environment even as each of our authors pursues different paths in life. Continue reading
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** Starred ** Kirkus Review of Musical Youth
Receiving reviews is always a bit nerve-wracking. When you publish in a niche, there is always the chance that the reviewer completely misses the point of the book. That said, when we received notification that a Kirkus Review of Musical Youth by Joanne C. Hillhouse was available, we were excited to open it up. Continue reading
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Caribbean Middle Grade Book Writing Workshop
About one month ago, we put out a call for middle-grade books. We are looking for Caribbean-themed books aimed at 8-13 year old children. We also promised to hold writing workshops to guide interested authors to complete their work. Applications are now open to the first workshop. It will be held in November and the deadline for applications is October 15. The workshop will be taught by Carol Mitchell and will be free.
We want writers who are serious about producing a Caribbean-themed middle-grade novel. So if that’s you, please go to the application page by clicking on the Submit button below, read the requirements, and fill out the form. All applications will remain confidential. No names will be made public.
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EBook Reading Survey Results
Two weeks ago we released an audio and eBook survey and asked you to tell us about your e-reading habits. We had 100 respondents, not enough to make any conclusions, but here are some of the patterns that emerged.
First of all, of the people who responded, 58% live in the Caribbean, 34% are immigrants or first-generation in their homeland, and 8% had no familial connection to the Caribbean. Most of the respondents were between the ages of 36 and 64 years old. We divided the results among these groups, just to keep things interesting. Continue reading
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