I am not sure that I have an answer to that question but reading is a tradition that is fast becoming extinct in Saint Lucia; some may want me to say the world. The deterioration is at an advanced stage in my homeland. It’s like the making of coal pots; it’s a tradition that most people are not interested in. So please take your pictures of people reading if you can get them; they’re becoming a rarespecie. The one answer I have discarded though is, to make you rich.
I pondered the question after the sitting of the Laureate’s Chair on Tuesday night at the Castries Central Library. The Saint Lucia Writers Forum’s featured writer was attorney at law Deborah Bowers who drove home the point that things are economically difficult in Saint Lucia. After spending more than twenty years in England she is convinced that the middle class in Saint Lucia has evaporated.
Miss Bowers considers herself a reflective writer and writes out of compulsion. She does not consider herself in the ilk of Derek Walcott or William Shakespeare but believes that her writing appeals to a general audience. Most of her themes and topics are related and her language is simple, enough. She is the author of The Circle of Love (2011), How to Make a Fortune Working from Home (2013) and The Power is in Your Hands (2015). The small crowd of attendees, mainly members of the Forum were in awe of Ms Bowers’ presentation as she spoke to real life issues to which they could relate.
During the question and answer session the author gave some practical advice to aspiring writers about where to print, how to print and how much to print. There is the production of books and the sales and marketing of those books. Ms Bowers does confess that she would have fallen short on the marketing aspect. She considers herself no marketing expert and says that there is a vacancy for anyone who may be interested in moving her books. She laments the closure of several bookstores here in recent times.
A lot has to be said for marketing. Last week at the launch of Ashanti Prescott’s LanmouèvèkListwa, the hall was full to overflowing and I guess the use of the media, social and otherwise helped in making that possible. I also think it is important to build a network of support and involvement. Many of Ashanti’s brothers and sisters from church were present and so were many people from his community. He lamented the absence of any of our seasoned writers. Ashanti was on the hustle delivering invitations and making media appearances. We saw the same thing happen with the Launch of Mr GandchandRayman’s book, Exciting Short Stories and his sitting in the Laureate’s Chair in February.
I wish through this article to make an open appeal to the powers that be, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture and the one responsible for broadcasting to make available some of the resources of the Government Information Service and the National Television Network to document the proceedings of the Laureate’s Chair, which happens every last Tuesday of the month at the Central Library at 7 p.m. The author in the Chair in December is Ms. June Frederick. The Saint Lucia Writers Forum is open to all writers and meets every Tuesday at the Castries Central Library at 7:30 p.m.
If perchance you have an answer to my question, please forward your response to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>