Reading at St. Peter & St. Paul Prep. Jan 12, 2011

I was warmly welcomed by the drama teachers at St Peter & Paul Prep, who gave up their drama classes to allow me to read. The first was a grade 2 class - too young to read Delroy, but nonetheless appreciative of my presentation. The grade 6 class which followed also gave me an enthusiastic response. Four students subsequently bought copies of the book, and the school bought one for the library. Students, have you read Delroy yet? If you have, post your questions and comments on this blog.

Reading at Bookophilia Nov 27, 2010

Expecting to read to 9-12 year-olds from Delroy in the Marog Kingdom, I was surprised to have an audience of six under 6's. I read instead the 'River Mumma' story from Tanya Bateson Savage's Pumpkin Belly and Little Lion Goes for Gold by Kellie Magnus.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Diane Browne, who has a wealth of information about writing and publishing for children.

LIAJ Symposium Nov 26, 2010

I was honoured to participate in the Library and Information Association of Jamaica's Reading Symposium in the Joyce Robinson Hall, 2, Redcam Drive. Students from Holmwood High, Hope Valley Experimental and McIntosh Primary Schools read from A Time for Evron by Brian Smillie and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. They also took part in quizzes based on the two books.
My reading from Delroy in the Marog Kingdom gave them an appetite for reading the book - now available in parish libraries. We were all entertained by Elkanah Rule's lively reading from one of his stories. Talking with him afterwards gave me an insight into the world of self-publishing.
My thanks to Dr. Paulette Stewart for inviting me to the symposium. What a pleasure it is to meet someone in person, following phone calls and emails. She introduced me to Mrs. Patricia Roberts, Director General JLS, and Mrs. Karen Barton, Senior Director, whom I'd also spoken to on the phone.

JCDC Award

To my surprise, I was awarded Best Junior Fiction Writer, in the JCDC Creative Writing Contest 2010, for my short story "Flash" written for 8-12 year-olds. See my photo taken with my trophy, silver medal and a gift basket, at the JCDC office on Nov 26.

Plans Blown Away

Hurricane Tomas blew away my plans for promoting Delroy in the Marog Kingdom in Kingston. On Wednesday, Nov 3, an interview on CVM at Sunrise was the only event which went off as planned. The Library and Information Association of Jamaica (Liaja) seminar, and the JCDC Creative Writing Awards Ceremony were both postponed. I also postponed an author reading at St. Peter and St. Paul Prep School I had arranged for Thursday, and for Bookophilia on Saturday. Not knowing what state the roads would be in after the passage of Tomas, we came home on Wednesday.

Book Fair at MBCC

Chatting with Serena Cox of Novelty Trading at the Book Fair at Montego Bay Community College, Thursday, September 23. Copies of Delroy in the Marog Kingdom were on sale.

Visit to Sam Sharpe Teachers' College

On Wednesday, September 22, I was a guest at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, in Mrs. Sukaram’s 2nd year literature class. Thank you students for being an attentive and appreciative audience this afternoon, and for engaging in such a stimulating discussion. Enjoy reading Delroy in the Marog Kingdom! I welcome your comments. Please add them to this blog.