Welcome to The Bookcase.

I'm your host, Shawna Richards, a sometime writer and a longtime reader.

I invite you to join me as we explore The Bookcase and celebrate Virgin Islands authors and talent.

Each week on The Bookcase, we'll introduce you to a local author and learn more about them and their work.

A storyteller lives in each of us, and I'm so excited to give our homegrown storytellers a chance to tell their story.

Tonight's selection from The Bookcase Passion and Purpose.

And I'm so excited to welcome its co-author.

Jo’Hanna Samuel.

Jo’Hanna, welcome to The Bookcase.

Thank you.

So nice to be here.

So let me give you a minute to introduce yourselves yourself to our audience.

Tell us about Jo’Hanna, the author, the co-author of Passion and Purpose.

Yes, I am locally originally from Saint Croix, Virgin Islands, and my parents are from the island of Antigua.

And today, I've come a long way.

I like to say that I'm a being that was given the gift of life to be here and to answer the highest calling on my life.

I am a wife and a mother and an entrepreneur and now an author.

So what came first, being the author or being the entrepreneur oh, entrepreneur!

For sure.

I'm the owner of Add’ A Touch Accessory.

Yes.

I had this boutique in St. Croix, Virgin Islands for about 13 years, but now I have pivoted online.

When did you first start writing?

When did you first say I'm a writer and I have something to say.

You know what?

I have always been a journaler for the last few years.

Well, I think over 20 years and that came from being inspired by Oprah Winfrey to pick up and just write Pick up a book and to just write and to be in gratitude.

And I would find myself just writing down my feelings.

I love inspirational quotes.

So it kind of came from that.

I won't say that I'm an avid writer, but that was my foundation.

So you like inspirational quotes.

So is Passion and Purpose something that the reader will find inspiration in?

Definitely so, my core visionary Vanessa Farrell.

We really wanted to be very intentional with what the topic of the book would be, and for us as women of course are geared, audience is women, and we wanted to inspire women so what was their passion?

What is their purpose?

And they can draw from that.

What led you to write specifically for women?

Where did you see the gap and say, I want us to fill this gap in literature?

As a woman, we go through so many things.

There's just so many beautiful layers to us, and it's not always beautiful.

One thing that I used to say or would still say is that one that is not going to go out of style is inspiring each other.

There's always something to share.

There's always something that can spark and enlighten, something in another woman to rise and to be at her best.

Do you feel that sometimes women aren't encouraged or encouraging?

And that's why it was important to create stories or find stories of women who have overcome?

Women are not always encouraging And that's why it's important to tap another sister, to say something encouraging to her, something positive to her.

One of the things that I truly believe is that we are responsible for the spaces that we're in and what we say and how we bring someone else in through conversation.

So it was important to to be that vessel, be one of those vessel, as all the women in the book, to share and to enlighten and to touch the hearts of another woman, because there's always something that we're going to hear that we are going to say I understand that.

I'm going through that.

Have you personally met all of the authors featured in Passion and Purpose?

I am so blessed.

And as you ask that question, I'm just getting so emotional because at least 11 of the women I met at my boutique 15 years ago.

And how many authors, how many women stories are featured in passion and 21, 21 women including myself, and m co-visionary Vanessa Farrell.

So it's an honor, It’s special to know that there are women that are in the book that simply walked into my boutique to shop for beautiful fashion accessories.

And along the way through the years, we established relationships.

We established friendship.

They encouraged me as much as I encourage them.

So for them to be in the book, that special.

It’s special one thing that I found a common theme in so many of these women's stories was resiliency.

It was people either finding or creating their tribe of the persons who would nurture them and pour into them.

And I found that really interesting, that there was a common theme where where people said, I'm going to overcome.

Yeah.

And there were so many you never know someone's story until they tell it.

Right.

And did you find that to be true when putting this together?

yes, definitely.

Again, just being a vessel for one another, encouraging one another.

Sometimes we feel alone.

I have felt that way.

But I'm grateful that I've had other women to support me, to encourage me to be that listener and to pour into me.

When we talk about I Would you describe this as a self-help book?

It's everything.

It’s inspiration and yes, a self-help book, because again, we hear or we read a particular story and we think about something that we have experienced or is going through at the time and we learn from each other.

I truly believe in that.

Was there any one or any that when you approached them and said, please tell your story to help uplift other women?

They said no.

We got a few no's.

Well, and so forth and it could have come from whatever reasons.

But I know one for sure is being scared too, or not feeling that they're worthy to share their story.

We actually had one author and I would love to call her name, and she talks about this all the time, so I know she will be fine with it.

And that is Ms.. Jovani Peter And when we both spoke, one of the things that she shared is, do you think my story matters?

I mean, what would I say?

And that is where that as an inspirational woman, as I would call myself, for me to say, yes, yes, your story matters just as much as just as much as mine or anyone else.

And you are so perfect to be in this book based on what you just said, because now you can share and inspire you from that standpoint.

Is passion and purpose.

Your first book?

No, it's not.

I was asked in 2021 to be a part of another anthology, and that was called Confident Women Rise.

Yeah.

And so that confident women rise plant the seed for passion and purpose.

Not necessarily plant the seeds of passion and purpose.

Because again, Ms.. Vanessa Farrell and I and my co- visionary, I mean, we took our time before even bringing this to the forefront.

But for me, being a part of the first anthology and just being able to to write and to share that story, and my chapter was called Pivoting Intentionally.

And that's exactly what I was going through at the time.

So from that anthology, it was just very heartfelt to share with women in the Virgin Islands because we did do our research.

I stand to be corrected, but we did the research to find out if they have ever been an anthology here collectively with women in the Virgin Islands.

So, you know, this was something that let's do this and bring other women along.

So you've written what could be self-help or inspirational?

What do you read?

What am I reading right now?

What do you read, period?

Is it along the same lines of something along the same lines?

You know, I'm not, like, all over.

And so forth I love being inspired.

And that's me.

And that is the light that I bring to the world.

So I love inspirational books just to help another woman to inspire, to encourage, to lift up all that good stuff.

So your chapter in this book.

Yes.

Passion and purpose is called Intentional Purpose leads to Peace.

How did you arrive at that at that title?

Because it says a lot.

And I just want us to dive into the meaning in the title.

You know what?

I was actually struggling with my title Here I was, along with Vanessa, encouraging the other authors.

And, you know, we were guided by the publisher to Telishia Berry in L.A. and it took me a while.

So with that being said, that chapter title came off of the first anthology that I was a part of, and that chapter pivoted intentionally.

When you read that chapter, you could tell the you could tell a little bit of the heartbreak and me choosing to be obedient.

Answer my calling.

Keep going.

Not giving up no matter what.

Right.

So in this particular book, in The Passion and Purpose, that chapter pretty much came from me that I got the lesson.

I understood who I was, where I am, and the things that I was being called to do.

And so when you say being called to do being called by God and hearing.

Yes, yeah, yeah.

I talk a lot about God's hearing God's private whispers for myself, that is very, very important.

And is that what informs the the intentionality, that your movements are guided and not just scattered and all over the place?

No, it's not scattered.

I am associated in a few groups with some other women and so forth, and I have been in settings where, as things are like strategically written out, you know, you know how to get how to get more money, how to do certain things, how to, you know, get the audience and so forth.

I mean, you can go on social media at any given day and find five things, five steps, five list.

Yes.

And that is well and good and the way how it's used.

But for me personally, for me, it comes from God.

What would you want me to do?

You know, I like to say that I was minding my own business, you know, with my accessories, my fashion because that’s what I wanted to But then God tapped me, and he knew that coming from being raped as a child, not thinking that I was pretty enough growing up even into my adulthood being shy to speak in front of people always that individual from elementary school to college, sitting in the back of the classroom.

If you would tell me this is what I would be doing, I would never I would never think that my life would be like this right now.

So when God downloaded to me that this is what I have for you outside of the fashion and I want you to share and inspire and teach those lessons, it came at, you know, at a different level, and it was up to me to be obedient.

And I believe in that.

And that is one of the reasons why intentional purpose leads to peace.

Some of us struggle with what we know that we intended to do.

I'm trying to do something else that will be influenced to do other than just be silent and just adhering for yourself because the answers are there.

And I found that in so many of the stories of the women in your book that they heard the call, whether it was a challenge, whether it was just some goal that they saw for themselves or vision for themselves and work through just so many challenges.

And when you look at so many of the women featured in this book, women in our community who are like you, entrepreneurs who are in the legal feel the medical field, you know, just such a cross range of women in our community really was.

And they've had it.

And when you look at them, you say, wow, they are at this pinnacle.

But you never know their story.

Yes.

And as you're speaking, I'm thinking about Attorney Lydia Moolenar.

And it's so ironic that I'm wearing pearls, because that's how we met.

really?

She was just an individual.

She was all about her pearls.

And that's how we befriended one another.

And she would always encourage me.

And every time she would be leaving in the store, you know, she would be like, Chin up and I'll be behind the register, chin up and so forth.

And I remember that day calling, you know, because, you know, I'm that individual that I called I called Vanessa and I, we sought out women before we actually put the ads out.

And I individually called individuals, and she was one of them.

She was so quiet on the phone.

And she just listened to me.

And I shared with her that people see you, you know, you’re This attorney.

And, you know, I like to tell her that you walk in your heels like a stallion I’m always messing with her on that But people don't know because we were able to share some things every so often.

And she took a look.

And it's true.

People people don't know your story.

Her story is very powerful in there from what she experienced to where she is now.

And even she has, you know, expressed to me many times that after individuals read her chapter, they would call her and said, you've been through that.

So this is why, you know, I think what I saw so much in I think every chapter in passion and purpose were women who were not believed.

They were not supported in their vision and being told no.

Yeah.

So many times and and I think sometimes it's hard to get past the no because you you've heard it so much.

Yes.

And to say this is not going to be my ending point.

Yes.

And I thought that was just it was so powerful and inspiring to see women who said that's not where it ends for me.

Yes.

And with that being said, to take it further, women what I what I've learned from many of these women like myself, we invested in ourselves somewhere along the line.

And I made a note of that in reading the book, but especially when you mention it in your chapter, because I think culturally, we we don't learn how to invest in ourselves.

And I don't know, and maybe it's just, you know, common of the black women, period, wherever that black woman is who are taught to, we pour into everyone and everything else.

But when we pour into ourselves, we're selfish, we're this, we're that.

All kinds of other words that I won't say on TV.

And just not supported in investing in ourselves.

So why was that important for you?

When did you learn that and why was it important to put in your chapter for other women to see that and say that's important and I need to do that was definitely for me because I know the I know the opposite of investing and pouring into everyone else and everybody else's business and did minimum for mines and even for my growth Was that a hard lesson for you when you weren't investing in yourself?

It cost me a lot.

You know, it cost me my peace.

You know, my finances.

You know, I would give, give, give here.

And so forth But it has gotten to a point in my life, and that's why I share in my chapter how important it is to invest in you.

So you, too, can build up, you know, and, you know, saying we need to put on our your oxygen masks on first or what have you.

And I would look at statements like that through the years, in the years, years like why they say that but it’s true, it’s so true You know, even now, I'll give you an example of investing in myself.

Two years ago, I was contacted, by a gentleman, Mr. Sean Fair, via email and some ads and so forth.

And this is, you know, he have seen me and so forth that he wanted to include me into his leadership tour or whatnot.

But of course, it takes audition to come alongside and be with that entity and so forth.

But anyway, I did go and in 2021, so I flew from here not knowing anyone to Detroit, and here it is being one of the only Caribbean women, which I always kind of find that if someone would say, Well, their parents is from here or there or whatnot, but the majority of the time, from my experience, I'm one of the only Caribbean woman.

So here it is, leaving from Saint Croix and, you know, going into a space where they're amazing speakers and business people doing all kinds of different things that are so great.

And I have.

But also knowing that you belong there.

Yes, I'm showing up for myself and investing into myself.

And because of doing that, I've met some amazing, amazing individuals.

And so would you say that writing has opened doors for you?

Well, well, before going to Detroit, I did The Confident woman rise and so forth.

It was one of the vehicle because I was actually doing little speaking from before here on island and so forth, and also sharing my inspiration on social media and so forth.

That is what opened the doors.

What I would love for you to read one of your favorite passages.

I know there's so much to choose from.

Yeah, there's so much.

But let's see, in my last Anthology, I ended that chapter by encouraging women to give themselves a chance and to answer their calling, respect their calling.

And I ended the very last sentence by saying, and don't forget to bring other women along.

I am so big on that.

It's a part of me because anything you want to ever hear me say, seeing another woman on the sideline.

I'm going to come out of that lane just to go stop by and to say, I See you, you know, is that the key message of passion and purpose would you say that every that every story is about not only lifting yourself, but even lifting other people and bringing them along?

Of course.

Yeah, that that's just a part of me because I know what it's like.

I did not always have that.

And I think that's what it is.

I have not always had that.

I have it.

Now.

I have some amazing women who, you know, bring me along, encourage me.

And so forth.

So what I was given by the grace of God is now being given back to me.

So when you sit down to write, you say that you journal.

But when you sat down to write your chapter in Passion and Purpose, you know, are you the pen and pad?

Are you sit down in front of the laptop?

What does your writing style look like?

I'm all over the place.

I'm one of those.

I'm one of those that may have a scrap of paper there.

And I think about something and I will just jotted down before I forget, my iPad is always pretty much, you know, next to me.

And then it just gets to the point that I just craft everything together.

How did you find your publisher?

What was that process like?

I met Alicia Barry from the first anthology that I was invited to and Telishia Berry became one of the 20 women in the anthology and so forth, and we built a relationship from there.

And that book, of course, went to number one bestseller.

And I remember with her just being so knowledgeable, you know, so kind, listening to her on the calls and so forth.

I remember one day after the book was done on set and so forth, I called her number, I called her number, and I was like, I couldn't believe she answered the phone.

I said, I can't believe you answer the phone I’m not calling to bother you.

I don't know why I thought of her like that.

You know, it wasn't put there on a pedestal, but, you know, people are busy and, you know, they're doing so many amazing things.

And she's out in L.A. and so forth.

And she said, no problem, call any time and so forth.

I said, Right off the bat, I told her, I have so many questions because I would like to write my own book.

And I'm in the process, as you know, of doing my own book.

So it was even before the Passion of Purpose.

And I said, I said to her, I'm probably going to be like Kobe Bryant.

How Kobe Bryant was with Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan used to say that Kobe will call him sometime, in the middle of the night to ask a question.

And when she heard that, she just asked, she's a mentor again.

and did you also mentor the other women in your book in writing their stories?

She said, Any time you can call any time.

So we developed, you know, a a business relationship and a gradual friendship and so forth.

So with the women for this anthology, yes, we all were guided.

I still need to be guided.

So we're all we're guided and we have some classes of how to go about choosing the chapter, how to go about writing, and how to go about brainstorming, you know, set in time to write, you know, write in going back when we all had to.

And that's what I wanted to ask.

How do you bet you've got a lot going on?

Is Johanna.

So how do you balance all of the things in your life?

You're an entrepreneur, your speaker, you're a wife, you're a mom.

How do you balance that with being creative and writing?

The empty Nester now, as you said that with the kids.

So I'm trying to tell them, you know, everybody please try and hold your own.

You know, I'm 49 and it is my intention to give God all of me and to just say yes and keep being obedient and keep going and so forth.

and my primary business is fashion.

You know, it is my desire to continue building Add’ A Touch But God kind of slow me down a little bit on that to get the writing out of me and the speaking out of me, knowing that everything is all going to come together.

So I just balance the best way that I can.

I have an assistant that assists me.

I'm grateful for that and I'm going to continue investing in myself so I can get better and to have the team that I need.

And part of that is carving out time every day.

Do you write every day?

Are you intentional in writing?

No, no, they don't come every day.

And so forth, sometimes I got a let's be honest, and I force myself to, and so forth and to not let it get on the back burner.

So before we close, I want you to tell our audience what's next.

What can we expect next from Ms. Jo’Hannah Samuel?

well, just continuing to show up for myself.

Be good to myself.

Because if I'm good to me, I can be good to others.

And as we were speaking earlier, I'm very big on being 49 years old now.

And I think it's I think is beautiful.

I'm on my way to 50 and that is beautiful and that the is beautiful.

Yes.

It's been a pleasure to learn more about our local talent, Ms. Jo’Hannah Samuel and the book she co-authored, Passion and Purpose.

For more information on this book or any of the books featured on this program, visit our website at www.wtjx.org We appreciate your support of our local authors and we'll see you next week when we take another book from The Bookcase.