♫♫ ♫♫ >>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

>>> THIS PROGRAM IS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY -- >> UNDERCOVER BOOKS AND GIFTS IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT UNDERCOVER BOOKS SAINT CROIX.COM.

>> AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ >> WELCOME TO "THE BOOKCASE."

I´M YOUR HOST SHAWNA RICHARDS.

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE THE BOOKCASE AND CELEBRATE VIRGIN ISLANDS OFFERS AND THEIR TALENT.

EACH WEEK ON THE BOOKCASE, WE WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO A LOCAL AUTHOR AND KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR WORK.

A STORY TELLER LIVES IN EACH OF US.

I´M SO EXCITED TO GIVE OUR STORY TELLERS A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORY.

THIS WEEK´S SELECTION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I´M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.

I THINK YOUR PROGRAM IS AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR DEVELOPING WRITING IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

>> I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A MENTOR, AN ATTORNEY, I WOULD EVEN SAY AN ACTIVIST.

SO LET´S TALK ABOUT THE WRITER.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO WRITING?

>> WRITING HAS REALLY BEEN MY FIRST LOVE.

IRONICALLY WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I GREW UP AROUND QUITE A FEW WRITERS, AND ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS´ FRIENDS WAS THE SECRETARY FOR LANGSTON HUGHES.

AND WHEN LANGSTON HUGHES PASSED AWAY, SHE WAS ACTIVE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

MY BROTHER BECAME A WRITER AND RETIRED FROM THE UNION NEWSPAPER 1199 FOR MANY YEARS.

SO I WAS SORT OF LIKE IN THE MILIEU.

IT WAS SOMETHING I THOUGHT WAS EXCITING, A LITTLE SENSE OF POWER TO BE AROUND PEOPLE THAT COULD TAKE THE WORLD AROUND THEM AND PUT IT INTO WORDS AND ENGAGE OTHER PEOPLE.

EVEN BEFORE BEING A LAWYER, BEING A WRITER WAS MY PASSION AND STILL IS.

>> YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT YOU GREW UP AROUND LANGSTON HUGHES´ SECRETARY AND HOW PIVOTAL THAT WAS FOR YOU.

BUT AS A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, WERE YOU VERY EXPOSED TO VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHORS?

>> NOT REALLY.

NOT REALLY.

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE EDUCATION WE GOT ABOUT THE VIRGIN ISLANDS WAS VERY GENERAL.

THERE WAS A BOOK ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN WHERE IT WAS WRITTEN FROM A REAL COLONIAL PERSPECTIVE.

AND HAVING GROWN UP IN A FAMILY CULTURE THAT WAS VERY MUCH ABOUT ISLAND PRIDE, ISLAND CONDITION, AS WELL AS BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS, A LOT OF WHAT I KNEW ABOUT THE VIRGIN ISLANDS CAME FROM OLD HISTORY.

SO I WAS EXPOSED FROM REALLY YOUNG.

SO PEOPLE LIKE LEONA WATSON, MY FATHER WOULD TAKE ME OUT TO LISTEN TO THEM.

AND THE VERY FIRST TIME I REALLY GOT EXPOSED TO A VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHOR WAS RICHARD SCHROEDER SENIOR.

I HAD READ SOME OF HIS EARLIER BOOKS, BUT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME WAS THE POEM THAT HE WORK FOR THE GOVERNOR´S 2003 INAUGURATION.

I THOUGHT IT REALLY CAPTURED THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, CONNECTION TO THE SOIL.

>> YES.

THAT WAS A VERY POWERFUL POEM.

>> IT IS.

IT REALLY IS.

AND IT´S ONE OF THOSE FIRST LOCAL PIECES THAT REALLY GOT ME THINKING, LIKE WE REALLY HAVE SOME REALLY BRILLIANT WRITERS IN THE TERRITORY.

AS TIME PROGRESSED, SOME OF THEM WERE CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS LIKE TIFFANY UNIQUE.

"THE LAND OF LOVE AND DROWNING" CAPTURES THE MAGIC OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS FROM A VIRGIN ISLANDER´S PERSPECTIVE AND IT´S GOT NATIONAL ACCLAIM.

SO THAT´S SOMEONE WHO HAD INFLUENCED ME LATER AS A WRITER.

ALSO BROWN HAS INFLUENCED ME QUITE A BIT AS WELL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I GOT WRITING AGAIN BECAUSE OF HER.

SHE´S THE GODMOTHER OF A LOT OF FUSION WRITERS.

AND YOUNGER WRITERS LIKE McMILLEN WHO IS A REALLY DYNAMIC POET WHO BRINGS IN A MILLENNIAL PERSPECTIVE, I APPRECIATE THEM A LOT.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMING UP, MOSTLY OUR TRADITION.

I WASN´T EXPOSED TO A LOT OF BOOKS ABOUT VIRGIN ISLANDERS.

AND AS AN ADULT, THAT´S WHAT MADE ME WANT TO WRITE MORE BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT WE HAVEN´T WRITTEN A WHOLE LOT OF OUR STORIES.

WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK, YOU CAN GOOGLE IT.

WHEN YOU GOOGLE VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHOR AND LITERARY WORKS, THERE ARE MERGING AUTHORS COMING OUT, BUT A LOT OF WORK UNTIL RECENTLY HAS BEEN OTHER PEOPLE WRITING OUR STORIES.

>> THAT IS TRUE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALWAYS SAY HERE ON "THE BOOKCASE" IS THERE IS A STORY TELLER IN EACH OF US.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO TELL OUR STORY?

>> YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SAY I´M AN EMERGING WRITER.

EVEN IDENTIFYING MYSELF AS A WRITER TOOK A WHILE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WRITERS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO BE PEOPLE WHO REALLY HAD MASTERED THE CRAFT AND WERE KIND OF THE SKILL SET OF TONY MORRISON.

BUT I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I -- THAT SORT OF INSPIRED ME TO WRITE, ONE, IS THAT I THINK THAT THERE IS SORT OF A -- I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SORT OF A GAP IN THE LIT TEAR CANNON OF PEOPLE SORT OF IN MY AGE GROUP.

I´M A GENERATION XOR, BUT KIND OF A CUSP MILLENNIAL, AND THAT AGE GROUP IS ONE WHERE WE´RE ONE OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS TO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES AND COME BACK HOME.

YOU KNOW, MY FATHER, FOR EXAMPLE, HE WENT TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE A LOT OF US WENT INITIALLY.

I´M IN NEW YORK AND HE CAME BACK TWO YEARS LATER.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WENT UP DIDN´T COME BACK, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WENT UP TO SCHOOL DIDN´T COME BACK.

I WAS ABLE TO HAVE EXPOSURE TO THE UNITED STATES AND THEN COME BACK AND SHARE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THERE IS A SENSE OF BEING BOTH AMERICAN BUT NOT CULTURALLY AMERICAN, RIGHT?

AND BEING -- EVEN WHEN YOU COME BACK, BEING A VIRGIN ISLANDER DIFFERENT BECAUSE IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, THERE IS SORT OF AN OTHERNESS THAT COMES IN SORT OF BOTH PLACES AND BOTH EXPERIENCES.

AN OTHER NOT BEING QUITE AMERICAN, AN OTHER BEING VIRGIN ISLANDER, BUT HAVING THOSE EXPERIENCES.

I SAW THE OLDER WRITERS CAPTURING STORIES, LIKE THE ORAL TRADITIONS.

AND THEN I SAW SOME YOUNGER WRITERS COMING UP DOING SOME EXCITING WORK, BUT THAT MIDDLE PIECE, FOLKS LIKE ME THAT HAD EXPERIENCE IN OTHER SPACES, I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THE HURRICANE AND WHAT IT FELT LIKE DURING THE HURRICANE AND SORT OF COME BACK TO THE DEVASTATION AND SEEING PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER AND BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE.

AND I WANTED TO -- >> THAT ELEMENT OF OTHERISM, OF THE CARIBBEAN BUT ALSO BEING OF OTHER PLACES, IS THAT ALSO REFLECTED IN YOUR STORIES?

>> YES.

YES.

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A STORY THAT EMERGES FROM MY FAMILY´S STORY WHERE MY MOTHER WHO WAS BORN IN PANAMA LEAVES THE COUNTRY.

SHE WAS BORN IN PANAMA, LEAVES THE COUNTRY, HAS EXPERIENCES, HAS CHILDREN BUT THERE IS A PANAMA FAMILY THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCONNECT BECAUSE OF FAMILY CHALLENGES, FAMILY ISSUES.

SO THERE IS AN OTHERNESS THAT´S SORT OF EXPOSURE TO THE QUOTE, UNQUOTE NEW WORLD AND THEN OTHERNESS THAT´S AN INTERGENERATIONAL OTHERNESS IN THAT HER CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, ARE PRETTY, YOU KNOW CARIBBEAN AMERICAN AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY IS PANAMA AND HOW THE DEATH OF MY GRANDMOTHER BROUGHT US TOGETHER AND BRIDGED THAT WHERE THERE WAS DISTINCTIONS IN CULTURE, IN LANGUAGE.

LIKE WE SPOKE SPANISH BUT NOT AS FLUENT AND ALSO IN ECONOMICS, YOU KNOW.

THE FAMILY GREW UP VERY POOR.

AND AS THE GENERATION PROGRESSED THERE IS SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER FAMILIES SAW THOSE THINGS.

IT IS MEANT TO BE NOT ONLY A CAPTURING OF MY FAMILY HISTORY BUT A STORY THAT TOLD THAT PIECE OF THE OTHERNESSES THAT WE EXPERIENCE AS CARIBBEAN PEOPLE, AS PEOPLE OF MIXED HERITAGE AND HOW FAMILY AND IN THIS INSTANCE DEATH BRIDGES THOSE GAPS.

>> AND WHAT I APPRECIATED ABOUT "SICK FOR THE DEAD" IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS THAT ELEMENT OF OTHERNESS, YOU KNOW, LOVE TRANSCENDS ALL BOUNDARIES.

AND I READ THAT STORY AS A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE AND A LOVE LETTER TO YOUR GRANDMOTHER.

SO REALLY EVEN THOUGH WE TALK ABOUT DISTANCE AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT SENSE OF OTHERNESS, IT TRULY SHOWS THAT LOVE AND FAMILY CAN TRANSCEND BOUNDARIES.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT STORY.

WAS THAT PUBLISHED IN THE CARIBBEAN LATER?

>> IT WAS.

IT WAS PUBLISHED -- I BELIEVE IT WAS VOLUME 30 OF THE CARIBBEAN WRITER.

IT IS JUST SUCH A GREAT CONDUIT FOR AUTHORS.

IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE THAT I WAS PUBLISHED HERE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, LIKE YOU SAID, HAVE A STORY IN THEM.

MOST OF US HAVE A STORY IN US.

AND I WOULD REALLY JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SUBMIT.

WHEN I WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WILL MY PIECE BE GOOD ENOUGH TO GO IN?

WILL IT RESONATE WITH PEOPLE?

AND THERE IS A BOARD THAT CHOOSES THE PIECES, AND THEY LOVED IT.

AND SO, YES, IT WAS -- IT´S PUBLISHED IN THE CARIBBEAN WRITER, WHICH I REALLY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SUBMIT.

IT IS A LOT EASIER TO GET PUBLISHED THAN YOU PROBABLY THINK AND THE CARIBBEAN WRITER REALLY WANTS TO CAPTURE OUR STORIES.

>> WHAT CAN OUR COMMUNITY GAIN FROM GREATER EXPOSURE TO VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHORS?

>> WELL, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THAT, AGAIN, HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, TELLING OUR STORY.

R.J. LORD SAID THAT SILENCE IS DEATH, RIGHT?

AND THE WAY THAT WE RECORD OUR OWN HISTORY I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.

BY CAPTURING OUR EXPERIENCES NOW, WE BOTH LEAVE SORT OF A ROAD MAP FOR OTHER GENERATIONS, AND WE CREATE A BODY OF ART.

I THINK ART REALLY TELLS -- PAINTS A PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE AS A SOCIETY.

I THINK NOW ESPECIALLY THAT WE´RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL CONFLICT, I MEAN, THAT´S ALWAYS BEEN THERE, BUT PARTICULARLY BETWEEN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND POLITICAL MOVEMENT HAPPENING BOTH IN THE MAINLAND AND FELT HERE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, I THINK THAT A VOICE, OUR VOICE OF HOW THAT -- HOW WE EXTERNALIZE THAT AS A COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO CAPTURE.

IT IS A RECORD OF OUR EXPERIENCES HERE.

I DON´T THINK THAT THE NEWS QUITE CAPTURES IT THE SAME WAY AS PEOPLE´S INDIVIDUAL INTERACTIONS WITH THOSE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES, BUT ANOTHER ONE IS SURVIVOR´S REMORSE, WHICH IS A STORY ABOUT LEAVING IN 2017 AND SORT OF THE REMORSE THAT I FELT IN NOT GOING THROUGH WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WENT THROUGH WHEN THEY WERE HERE AND SEEING PEOPLE´S TRAUMA.

EVEN THOUGH I´M FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

I LIVE HERE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FELT THAT.

FELT THAT, NOT ONLY THE TRAUMA OF THE EXPERIENCE BUT THE INABILITY TO REALLY HELP THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE AND WHO WERE GOING THROUGH SOME DEGREE OF TRIBULATION, AND I THINK CAPTURING THOSE STORIES IS VERY IMPORTANT.

I THINK IT´S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HEAL THOSE TRAUMAS.

AND I THINK IT´S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US AS A RECORD OF OUR EXPERIENCES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT DOORS HAS BEING A WRITER AND A READER OPENED FOR YOU?

>> YOU KNOW, IT´S CATHARTIC.

I´M A LITIGATOR BY TRADE AND THAT, BY NATURE, IS AN ADVERSARIAL SORT OF FORM.

BUT I HONESTLY DON´T SEE MY LEGACY IN LITIGATION, NECESSARILY.

I WANT TO BE AN EXCELLENT LAWYER AND SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MY CLIENTS AND MY COMMUNITY.

BUT I SEE AS MY LEGACY REALLY BEING IN RECORDED MY GENERATION´S STORIES AND DOING IT WELL HOPEFULLY, BEING ABLE TO DO IT WELL.

DOORS THAT OPENED, THE VI LITERARY FESTIVAL IS A FESTIVAL THAT IS PUT ON EVERY YEAR IN CONNECTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGIN ISLANDS.

I KNOW A WRITER THAT HAS A ROLE IN IT.

AND WE HAVE MET SOME AMAZING AUTHORS THROUGH THAT FORM AND BEING A LOCAL AUTHOR MYSELF, I´VE HAD ACCESS TO SOME REALLY BRILLIANT MINDS.

SONJA SANCHEZ AND OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AUTHORS.

BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT PARTICULARLY THEIR INTERACTION OF VIRGIN ISLANDS HISTORY.

BUT VIRGIN ISLANDS ART HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING THINGS THAT HAS OPENED UP FOR ME PERSONALLY.

AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO SORT OF GROW.

ONE OF THE THINGS I´M INVOLVED WITH AND RECENTLY DID WITH MY WRITING MENTOR IS FORM -- HAVEN´T STARTED IT YET, BUT FORM AN IDENTITY THAT WILL BE A VIRGIN ISLANDS ENTITY.

>> THAT´S A VERY CULTURAL NAME.

>> I CAN´T TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT.

BUT IT IS LIKE A CALILOU, YOU KNOW?

DIFFERENT ISLANDS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS STORY ACROSS AGE GROUPS.

THERE IS SORT OF A BIT OF AGE COMPARTMENTIZATION.

FOLKS THAT KNOW RICHARD SCHROEDER BUT DON´T KNOW McMILLEN.

OR HAVE READ, YOU KNOW HUBERT HARRISON, BUT DON´T KNOW SOME OF OUR OTHER AUTHORS.

THE IDEA IS TO BRING TOGETHER OTHER OFFERS FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE TO WRITE IN A FORM THAT KIND OF BRINGS US TOGETHER AND LAWYERS, JOURNEY MEN, CONTRACTORS, FISHERMEN.

WE WANT THOSE TYPES OF STORIES FROM THOSE EXPERIENCES TO REALLY HAVE A HOME IN THE IMPRINT THAT WE´RE DEVELOPING.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE PERSON THAT THINKS THAT THEY HAVE A STORY TO TELL BUT AREN´T SURE HOW TO GET IT ON TO THE PAGE.

WHAT TYPE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THAT ASPIRING WRITER?

>> JUST TO START.

STARTING IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.

AND THERE IS A QUOTE THAT MY LEGAL WRITING PROFESSOR GAVE ME.

HE SAID THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS WRITING, ONLY GOOD REWRITE ING.

>> IT IS TRUE.

I LOOK AT THE WORK I DID AND I LOOK AT IT LATER LIKE, OH, MY GOSH.

BUT IT IS REALLY GETTING IT OUT THERE.

TAKING THE RISK.

YOU KNOW, I WONDERED IF MY WRITING WOULD BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A MEANINGFUL PART OF VIRGIN ISLANDS IN THE BEGINNING.

BUT THE OTHER THING YOU GOT TO DO IS YOU GOT TO READ.

WRITERS WRITE AND WRITERS READ.

READ DIFFERENT WORKS AND STRESS WHAT YOUR NORMAL COMFORT ZONE IS.

>> WHAT ARE YOU READING?

SINCE WRITERS READ, AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE AUTHORS THAT ARE INSPIRING YOU?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WORKS THAT YOU´RE READING RIGHT NOW?

>> AUTHORS THAT INSPIRE ME, SO MANY.

FROM GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ.

OF COURSE JAMES BALDWIN.

I READ HIM AGAIN JUST VERY RECENTLY, WHICH IS TIMELESS.

I´M READING NICKEL BOYS, WHICH RIGHT NOW, WHICH HE´S A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER.

HE WRITES ABOUT BLACK YOUTH IN THE JIM CROWE SOUTH.

THIS PARTICULAR BOOK IS THE PROTAGONIST WHO IS SENT TO A JUVENILE RETENTION CENTER THAT´S SUPPOSED TO BE A REFORMATORY SCHOOL AND WHAT HIS EXPERIENCES ARE THERE.

I LOVE DAVID TARDIAS.

I THINK HE´S HILL.

I LIKE TO READ SOMETHING THAT´S GOING TO MAKE ME LAUGH A FEW TIMES.

SO I READ SOME OF THE CLASSIC WRITERS, OF COURSE, AND CAPTURING FOLK MUSIC, FOLK LORE AND MAKING IT REAL AND HUMAN.

>> YOU KNOW WHEN WE READ AUTHORS, EVEN THOUGH SHE´S WRITING ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES IN THE SOUTH, YOU CAN SEE THAT CONNECTION OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDERS AND THAT WE ARE ALL CONNECTED AS AFRICAN PEOPLE.

AND THAT´S WHAT I REALLY ENJOYED ABOUT SOMETIMES WHEN WE READ A DIFFERENT AUTHOR´S WORK, WE REALIZE THAT OUR EXPERIENCES, WHILE IN SOME WAYS THEY´RE DIFFERENT, THAT THERE ARE ALSO THREADS OF COMMONALITY THROUGHOUT OUR EXPERIENCES AS PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> NO, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THE AFRICAN TRADITION THAT RUNS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND VARYING PEOPLE OF COLOR IS THAT IT´S INCREDIBLY CONSISTENT.

IT´S INCREDIBLY CONSISTENT ACROSS CULTURES.

WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER CULTURES, YOU SEE SO MANY ELEMENTS.

WE ARE OFTEN INSPIRED, AT LEAST I AM, BY PIECES OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT WORKS, PIECES OF JAMES BALDWIN.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT -- IT WAS A GREAT BOOK.

SO THE PLACE.

AND THAT´S SORT OF WHERE I SEE MYSELF.

I MEAN, AS A GENERATIONAL WRITER.

BECAUSE I THINK REAL WRITERS CAPTURE WHAT´S HAPPENING IN THAT GENERATION, RIGHT?

JAMES BALDWIN TALKED ABOUT DINNER WITH MOHAMMED, THAT WAS HART OF HIS EXPERIENCE, HOW HE SAW MALCOLM X, HOW HE SAW HIMSELF.

HE WAS ACTUALLY A PREACHER FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE HE BECAME A WRITER.

HOW HE SAW THE CHURCH AS A REFUGUE.

THAT´S THE DUTY OF A WRITER, TO CAPTURE WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE FOR YOUR GENERATION.

>> SO WHEN YOU PULL IN ALL OF THAT RICH AND DIVERSE INSPIRATION FROM ALL YOUR SOURCES, WHAT IS YOUR WRITING PROCESS?

>> I TYPICALLY START FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.

YOU KNOW, I´M NOT SO CREATIVE TO DRAW SOMETHING OUT OF THE BLUE.

I HOPE TO BE SOME DAY.

BUT MY EXPERIENCES AND OTHER PEOPLE´S EXPERIENCES.

AND I THINK ABOUT, AT LEAST I OUTLINE WHAT IS -- WHAT ARE THE RESOLUTIONS I WANT TO CONVEY?

AND WHAT ARE THE CULTURE MESSAGES THAT I WANT TO CONVEY AROUND THE STORY?

BECAUSE YOU CAN TELL THE STORY IN A WAY THAT BRINGS IN HISTORY OR BRINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THAT COMMUNITY AT THE TIME.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS, IT CENTERS ON COLOGNE CITY IN PANAMA.

IT IS A CITY THAT IF YOU GO THERE NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR.

AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE IT WAS.

IT WAS.

AND IT STILL HASN´T BEEN REHABILITATED AND IT IS STILL CONSIDERED DANGEROUS EVEN BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN PANAMA.

PART OF THAT WAR WAS PARTIALLY A PROXY WAR THAT THE WEST WAS INVOLVED WITH, RIGHT, BUT THAT WAS PLAYED OUT IN THE STREETS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT BACKDROP OF BEING IN THE PLACE WHERE MY MOTHER GREW UP AND EVENTUALLY BECOMING A TEACHER IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, MARRYING A VIRGIN ISLANDER AND THAT EXPERIENCE TO NEW YORK WHERE SHE MET VIRGIN ISLANDERS AND EVENTUALLY MARRIED ONE TO BEING A PART OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS WHERE I WAS RAISED AND MY SISTER WAS RAISED AND WHAT THAT MEANS.

IT´S HINTS.

IT´S WHAT MY WRITING MENTOR WOULD SAY IS IT IS WHAT BUBBLES THE NEEDS.

THERE IS A CURRENT THERE OF ALL THESE POLITICAL HAPPENINGS, THE FACT SHE WAS AN IMMIGRANT, AT FIRST AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS LIKE, BUT DEALING WITH MY GRANDMOTHER ALSO SHOWS A BACKDROP THAT IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE HISTORY THAT I CAME OUT OF.

AND I THINK THAT PULLING A LITTLE BIT FROM HERE AND THERE WITHOUT MAKING IT TOO OBVIOUS, WITHOUT MAKING IT TOO LOUD, THAT TYPE OF ART I ENJOY READING IS THE TYPE OF ART I TRY TO WRITE.

>> WELL, I HOPE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO READ TO US A SHORT PASSAGE FROM "LIPSTICK FOR THE DEAD" SO THAT OUR AUDIENCE CAN HEAR MORE OF YOUR WORK AND THE STORY THAT YOU HAVE TO TELL.

>> SURE.

>> SO IF YOU COULD READ A SHORT PIECE TO US OF YOUR STORY.

>> I WILL.

TO ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT, THIS IS WHEN THERE WAS A SPLIT BETWEEN THE FAMILY, BETWEEN MOTHER AND DAUGHTER.

THERE WAS A SPLIT BECAUSE ABUELLA´S ONLY SON WAS KILLED IN BROOKLYN AFTER BEING INVOLVED WITH THE DRUG INDUSTRY.

AND THERE WAS A LONG PERIOD WHERE THEY DIDN´T TALK.

AND THEY EVENTUALLY CAME TO AN INCREDIBLE SENSE OF PEACE AND LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND AFTER MANY YEARS TITA RETURNS BACK TO PANAMA BY HERSELF.

WHEN TITA RETURNED THE FOLLOWING HERE, ABUELLA WAS STILL MEAN, BUT NOW THE RELATIONSHIP WAS WARM AND TEMPERED BY REDEMPTION.

SHE WOULD LISTEN TO HER SING AND DANCE TO CLASSICAL WHILE ABUELLA BOPPED IN HER WHEELCHAIR.

THEY COOKED AND ARGUED AND BRUSHED EACH OTHER´S HAIR.

EVERY NIGHT THEY WOULD LAY IN ABUELLA´S COMFORTABLE BED LAUGHING AT OLDER STORIES, LOOKING THROUGH PHOTO ALBUMS AND BRUSHING BACK TEARS FOR YEARS LOST.

BUT SHE NEITHER LAUGHED NOR CRIED.

THERE WAS NO COMFY BED HERE, ONLY FRIO.

DEATH IN CLOSE PROXIMITY HAS AN IRONIC ENERGY.

IT IS FLAT AND BREATHLESS AND DIRECT.

IT IS A DRY VAPOR THAT STAINS THE AIR.

THE LIVING BREATHE IN ITS DROPLETS AND ABUELLA CORPSE FILLED THE 10 BY 10 ROOM TO THE RIM.

ABUELLA HAD PERFECTLY EVEN TEETH.

BUT TODAY HER TOP ROW BUCKED FROM HER JAW.

HER MOUTH AND EYED WERE SLIGHTLY OPENED.

AS I ENTERED THE ROOM, I TOOK A SUBTLE STEP BACK.

I BREATHED THROUGH MY MOUTH.

TITA PUT HER HANDS FLAT ON HER CHEST.

THE SISTERS PAUSED AND CONSIDERED THEIR MOTHER.

JUST THE MOMENTS.

SHE BEGAN BRUSHING HER HAIR FORWARD.

AND DAN DAN WENT TO WORK FIRMLY PRESSING ERINGS IN HER STIFF EAR LOBES.

>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.

AND "LIPSTICK FOR THE DEAD" IS CERTAINLY A STORY THAT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND HOW WE RESPECT OUR DEAD AND HOW WE HONOR THEIR STORIES GOING FORWARD, I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OWN CANNON AS WE GO FORWARD.

BUT AS WE WRAP UP, WHAT´S NEXT FOR YOU?

WHAT´S NEXT FOR YOU ON YOUR WRITING?

ARE YOU WORKING ON SOMETHING NEW?

>> I AM.

I´M WORKING ON PUBLISHING MY OWN BOOK.

MOST OF MY PUBLICATIONS HAVE BEEN THROUGH ANTHOLOGIES.

SO I´M WORKING ON PUBLISHING MY OWN PIECE.

HOPEFULLY IN JANUARY OF 2021.

AND I´M WORKING ON THE IMPRINTS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE LEARNED BY BEFRIENDING SOME OF THE AUTHORS I MET THROUGH THE LITERARY FESTIVAL IS THAT CREATING AN INSTITUTION IS REALLY HOW YOU PROMOTE WRITING IN A WAY THAT´S BIGGER THAN YOURSELF.

IT CREATES A SPACE FOR OTHER WRITERS.

LOTS HAVE STORIES IN THEM WHILE THEY´RE WORKING ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES, WHICH MAKES THEM BETTER WRITERS.

THEY ARE SPACES, LIKE THE -- LIKE THE CARIBBEAN WRITER, WHICH I THINK IS FANTASTIC AND CREATED MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BE PUBLISHED, AND I WANT TO CREATE OTHER SPACES THAT ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

>> WELL, HERE AT "THE BOOKCASE," WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT YOU, ABOUT YOUR WORK TO CREATE AN IMPRINT AND THE STORIES THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO TELL AS YOU GROW AND DEVELOP AS A WRITER.

SO IT´S BEEN A PLEASURE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR LOCAL TALENT.

AND FOR MORE DETAILS ON WHERE TO FIND "LIPSTICK FOR THE DEAD" AND ANY OF THE TITLES MENTIONED HERE, YOU CAN VISIT WTJX.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION.

WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE ANOTHER SELECTION FROM "THE BOOKCASE."