St. Martin, Virgin Islands writers, poolside at Anguilla Lit Fest 2018

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St. Martin poet Faizah Rochelle Ward at 7th annual Anguilla Literary Festival. (credit ALF courtesy/file photo.)

 

GREAT BAY, St. Martin —“We are happy that the Anguilla Literary Festival invited writers Dr. Patricia Turnbull and Faizah Rochelle Ward to Anguilla to read their published work, to speak, and participate on a publishing panel,” said Sample.

Dr. Turnbull is the “keynote speaker at our Maverick Lunchtime Presentation – After the Storm,” said festival member Carla Harris. The poolside presentation takes place at Coral Cove Resort, at 12:15 noon.

Between 10 – 10:20 AM and after her presentation, Dr. Turnbull will sign copies of her children’s book Ti Koko and Kush Kush (HNP, 2018) for the book fair’s island and tourist guests, said Sample.

Ti Koko and Kush Kush is a great book to help children cope with their own loss or feel for other children affected by a natural disaster such as a hurricane or a man-made crisis such as war, said the publisher.

The anthology Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in the Virgin Islands (HNP, 2016), which contains poems by Dr. Turnbull, will be available too, said Sample. Dr. Turnbull is a historian and well-known VI educator based in Tortola. Her writings have also appeared in literary books from her native St. Lucia.

St. Martin poet, blogger, and teacher Faizah Rochelle Ward, will recite her poetry at Saturday’s “Rise and Shine Breakfast” session, starting at 8:30 AM, said Sample.

At the 10:20 AM blogging panel Ward will be “one of the main persons among our Anguilla bloggers,” said Harris. Ward’s poems are in Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in St. Martin (HNP, 2013). Her writings are blogged at saltfishandlace.com. According to author Lasana Sekou, “Faizah is at the leading edge of St. Marin’s new generation of poets.”

This is Ward’s second Anguilla Lit Fest appearance. “It’s always an investment in the critical development of the region’s literature when our literary artists and authors are invited to present at Caribbean book fairs or literary festivals,” said Sample.

Among the guest authors from the USA and the Caribbean at Anguilla Lit Fest 2018 are  a number of Anguillan writers. “We’re doubly happy that the festival is featuring Alexis Ryan, Vanessa Croft Thompson, and Marnair Claushaun Richardson, Anguillan poets published by HNP in Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in Anguilla (HNP, 2015),” said Sample.

Ryan, a 2018 Malliouhana Poetry Competition winner, Thompson, and Richardson are scheduled to recite at the popular poolside morning session at Coral Cove Resort, said Harris.